July Favourites

(L-R Dior Amber Diamond, Rimmel Nude Delight)

Is it really August tomorrow? This has been the fastest year ever. Anyway, I haven't done a monthly favourites post in a while so thought I'd share with you some products I've been reaching for this month. Some of them are products I've had for a while and recently rediscovered my love for and a couple are new favourites.

Dior Amber Diamond - The weather had (not anymore) been gorgeous this month so my go to every day look was bronzed and natural and I loved finishing it off with a dusting of Amber Diamond highlighter on my cheekbones and brow bone. I won this highlighter in Emma's blog giveaway last November and it's been a favourite highlighter in my collection ever since. I also love using it in the inner corners of my eye when I'm going on a night out, it looks gorgeous with a gold smoky eye. Also, there is hardly a dent in it, it's lasting me so long so I think it's definitely worth the £32.00 price tag as it's such a gorgeous, luxury product. I really want to get my hands on Rose Diamond as well.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo - This is my third tube of the Effaclar Duo but up until recently I had run out and was using an Origins moisturiser instead. While I liked it, I definitely noticed a difference in my skin when I went back to using the Effaclar Duo. I feel like my skin is much clearer and my pores aren't as clogged when I'm using this, so it's here to stay from now on. I got this for £13.00 from Boots.

Batiste Dry Shampoo XXL Volume - I always need at least two cans of Batiste dry shampoo in my drawer as it's one of my favourite hair products. The main reason is because I'm far too lazy to wash my hair all the time but I also love that it gives my hair some extra volume - I even use dry shampoo after I've washed my hair to give it some texture. My favourite one at the moment is the XXL Volume, it's gives my hair amazing volume without back combing as well as refreshing it between washes. I've tried so many dry shampoos but they never work as well for me as Batiste does, it's also one of the cheapest!

Rimmel Nude Delight - I've finally found the perfect nude lipstick for me, yay! Now that I've got a tan and my skins darker some of my nude lipsticks look a bit light on me but Nude Delight is just perfect. It's a bit darker and more brown than my usual nudes but it works well with my skin tone. This is one of the Moisture Renew lipsticks so it's not drying on the lips at all which I love. I've been reaching for this a lot this month whether it be for work or a night out. I really recommend it if you've got slightly darker skin and looking for a nude that doesn't give you the dreaded 'concealer lips' look.

Chanel Perfection Lumiere - As I've ran out of my all time favourite foundation, Armani Lumious Silk I've been reaching for my Perfection Lumiere this month. I bought this a while ago and hardly used it but now I've been wearing it almost every day and I've fell back in love with it. This is one of the highest coverage Chanel foundations and also has more of a matte finish than the rest which has been perfect for the warmer weather (no shiny t-zone). Even though the coverage is medium/high it still gives me a really natural finish. I reviewed this foundation back in March and you can also see me wearing it in this post here.

MAC 217 Brush - I have no idea how I coped before this brush was in my life as this is essential for doing my eye makeup these days, especially to blend out a smoky eye. I like to apply my eye shadow in my crease then use a clean 217 to blend it out for a seamless look. Thank you Pixiwoo and Tanya Burr for telling me I needed this brush in my collection, you were right! I'm thinking of picking up another one so that I have one to apply my eye shadow and a clean one to blend.

So that's all the products I've been loving this month. What are some of your July favourites?

New York Haul: My Gifts

First of all, this post is very picture heavy so I do apologise for that! Anyway...for the past week my Mum and Sister have been shopping til they drop in New York City while I was left here all alone looking after the pets (only joking, I'm going on holiday next week). They arrived home with their suitcases overflowing with almost the entire contents of the Victoria's Secret store among other goodies and lots of lovely gifts for me - I definitely got spoiled!

First of all from Victoria's Secret I got massive bottle of their perfume Bombshell. I've wanted this perfume for so long but never got round to buying it. It's such a fresh scent with a blend of purple passion fruit, Shangri-la peony and vanilla orchid with top notes of pineapple and strawberry - how amazing does that sound?! It's definitely a fragrance that I could wear daily as well as at night, not to mention the bottle is gorgeous. I also got one of the fragrance mists which I've seen quite a lot of recently in the blogging community, however we don't have a VS in Scotland so I'd never purchased one before. I got the scent Hello Darling which smells of white nectarine and peony, it's so light and fruity and I will definitely be packing this in my suitcase for my holiday. As cute little add-on's I got a fragrance atomizer that I can fill up with my perfume to carry around in my handbag and a gorgeous makeup bag.

From Bloomingdales they picked me up a Little Brown Case from my iPhone which I absolutely love and a Little Beauty Bag. I already have a Little Brown Cosmetics bag but it's a bit small to carry all of my makeup in for travelling, this one is the perfect size.

Now on to the beauty bits... before they even boarded the plane they picked up a few things in duty free as you do. For me they got one of the new Chanel Stylo Eyeshadows in Moon River which is a gorgeous gold shade. I swatched this on my hand and was so excited about it that I was quickly applying it to my lids  - this has to be the most gorgeous eye product that I own (bold statement)! It glides on so smoothly and has such good staying power (it took a cotton pad drenched in Bioderma to get it off). I will definitely be doing a full review on this. I opened my Sephora bag to find the REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask. If you follow me on Twitter, you will probably have seen me tweeting how much I wanted this mask (clearly my sister did) so I was so excited to receive this. Once I've used it a few times I'll let you know my thoughts on it but it's been hyped up in the blogging world recently. My sister also picked me up a lovely Essie polish in the shade Plumberry which I'm wearing on my nails right now, I love it.

Another few other little things I got were a DASH key ring, some M&M's from M&M World and an over-sized Central Perk t-shirt that I'll be wearing to bed and to lounge around the house.

Thank you so much Mum and Rebekah for bringing me back all these amazing gifts, I feel so lucky. I'm sure you'll see my sisters New York Haul over on her blog very soon!

Summer Makeup Bag Essentials

Since it's now May and Summer's (hopefully) on it's way, I wanted to do a post on some of my Summer makeup bag essentials. I like to switch up my normal routine quite a bit when the Summer comes and go for a more natural, dewy look. I don't like my makeup to be as heavy and tend to go for brighter colours on my cheeks and lips. Here are some of the products I'll be using this year...

So when the warmer weather comes around I'll be swapping my full coverage foundation for a lighter CC cream. I usually swap between Laura Mercier Silk Creme and Armani Luminous Silk on a daily basis but I think I'll be keeping these for night time during the Summer. This month I've been loving L'Oreal Nude Magique Anti-Redness CC Cream which neutralises the redness I get on my cheeks and nose. I started off using it as a base but now I use it on it's own because I find it makes my skin look even and natural. I did a full post on this here if you'd like to see it in action. When this runs out I'll definitely be repurchasing it because for under a tenner it's a bargain compared to other CC creams on the market.

I've always been a powder blush kinda girl and avoided cream blushers because I wasn't sure about them. However, recently I've purchased my first couple and have been converted! I'm in love with my Kevyn Aucoin Creamy Glow Blush (and can't wait to buy more) and have also been using the Revlon Photo Ready Blush in the shade Pinched. This gives my cheeks a really dewy, natural look as it's quite subtle and perfect for every day wear. I find it harder to work with than my Kevyn Aucoin one but that's to be expected.

Two products I can't live without are bronzer and highlighter to achieve that Summer glow. I switch between my NARS Laguna and my Chanel Tan De Soleil but I think I'll be using my Chanel one more this year as it'll go well with the cream blushers. Still straying from the powders, I love Benefit Sun Beam to give me a gorgeous golden glow. I either mix a little bit of this into my foundation for a luminous base or use it as a highlight on my cheek bones, the bridge of my nose and my brow bone. I prefer gold toned highlighter's in summer because they look amazing with a tan.

I'll also be ditching the lipstick (sometimes) during the day and switching back to my lip butters for a more subtle, natural look. One of my favourite Lip Butters at the minute is Revlon's Juicy Papaya. There are so many shades in this range that I want to get my hands on!

So that's some of the products I like to switch to during the Summer months and I'm praying we get a hot one this year (not holding my breath, I live in Scotland). What products do you switch to in the Summer?

Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre

Poudre Universelle Libre, a natural finish loose powder from Chanel has been a staple in my makeup collection for about 3 years now. I mentioned it in a few of my earlier posts when I first started blogging but I've never done a full review on it and thought it was about time I did.

Ever since I started my Makeup Artistry course way back when I was 16, I've always loved using a loose powder to set my makeup. I used to use either the Rimmel one or one from Collection, but when I went to Uni I decided to treat myself to a high end loose powder because I felt like it was something worth investing in. However, for the past 6 months or so I've been neglecting my poor Chanel powder and been using pressed powders instead (Rimmel Stay Matte & MAC Blotting Powder), but I've just rediscovered my love for it in the last week.

Chanel loose powder has a sheer, matte finish and leaves the skin looking natural. I love how fine the powder is, you can barely feel it on your skin and it doesn't look cakey at all even after touch ups during the day. You also get a little powder puff with it (mine was far too dirty to show you) but I prefer using a powder brush to apply it. According to the website, it comes in a lot more shades now but the shade I use is "30 Natural Translucent 2" which is perfect for me. I have a slightly oily t-zone so that's the area I apply this to and only need to touch up once during the day - amazing!

When I first bought this powder I'm sure it was only £32, but it's went up to £34 since then. I know that sounds like a lot of money but in 3 years, this is only my second one so it's definitely worth the price considering I have to buy a new Stay Matte powder every few months. Also you get 30g of product, whereas my pressed powders are only 12/14g. The price doesn't sound so steep now, does it?

This is definitely still my favourite powder of all time. What's your thoughts on the Chanel loose powder? Have you ever tried it?

P.S Thank you Becky for my new blog design, I love it!

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Lipstick in Romance

I finally bought my first ever Chanel lipstick!! When I was at the Debenhams press evening we all received a voucher in our goody bags and I knew I was going to head straight to the Chanel counter. I ended up buying a lipstick and a foundation (which you can see in my previous post). I found it so hard to choose which lipstick I wanted and did a bit of research before I went in, I had no idea which finish or shade to go for. After some recommendations from you lovely beauty bloggers, Sandra from The Black Pearl Blog sent me a link to her review on this gorgeous Rouge Coco Shine lipstick in Romance and when I tried it on I knew it was the one I wanted, so thank you Sandra.

The Rouge Coco Shine lipsticks are described as a 'hydrating sheer lipshine.' They glide on like a balm and leave a glossy, sheer finish with a hint of colour. I love how hydrating this product is, especially with the crazy snow in March weather we're having at the moment. Romance is a gorgeous medium pink shade and I found it hard to chose between this, Boy (a lighter pink) and Monte Carlo (a darker reddish pink). I love the colour and the finish of this lipstick, it's great for everyday wear as it's so natural looking. The only thing is it doesn't last as long as other lipsticks but that's to be expected.

I absolutely adore the Chanel packaging, there's just something so satisfying about pulling this little beauty out of your handbag. I think every girl needs a Chanel lipstick in their collection, I'll definitely be adding more to mine. The Rouge Coco Shine's cost £24, a little pricey but worth it for that little bit of luxury or if you want to treat yourself.

Have you tried any of the Chanel lipsticks?

Battle of the High End Foundations

For years I was always a MAC Studio Fix Fluid girl and wouldn't try any other foundations because I liked to stick to what I knew. Then when I started reading blogs and became a beauty blogger myself I decided it was time to branch out and try some new foundations. I have never really found a drugstore foundation that I like or that works for me, I have really red skin and an oily t -zone so I like a medium to high coverage and it has to be long lasting. I always tend to go for high end foundations as I find that they're just much better quality and there is a wider colour range.

The top 3 high end foundations that I find work for my skin are Giorgio Armani Lumious Silk (5,6), Laura Mercier Silk Creme (Cashew Beige) and Chanel Perfection Lumiere (40 Beige). As you can see from the photo above all of them are a very similar shade and that's why I love them so much, they match my skin perfectly. Each time I've went to one of their counters, the girls have colour matched me and they all done an amazing job (I'm always a bit worried about them choosing the wrong colour).

The first of these foundations that I discovered was the Armani Lumious Silk which I bought last October. A couple of the girls in my old work had bought it and raved about it so I had to try it, It's also a celebrity favourite (Kim K, Megan Fox, Kristin Cavallari). When I first tried this foundation I absolutely loved it, it has amazing coverage but doesn't look cakey on the skin, gives gorgeous radiant finish and stays put all day - what more could you want? Also, because it doesn't contain an SPF it look amazing in pictures which is always good for when I'm blogging. You can see a photo of me wearing this foundation in my Christmas Makeup Post. Luminous Silk costs £32, which is the cheapest of the three. When I first got this I only used it for nights out but that soon changed when I found a new favourite...

Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation is definitely my favourite out of the three and I'm not going to say much about it as I did a full review on it not too long ago which you can read here. This foundation is a blogger favourite and once my sister tried it and loved it I just had to have it. It has the best coverage out of the three, which is great when I'm having bad skin days or I want a flawless finish for a night out. It's great for my oily t-zone and still manages to give a gorgeous natural glow. Silk Creme costs £33 and I definitely think everyone should try it!

The last one is the newest foundation in my collection, Chanel Perfection Lumiere (and also the one I'm wearing in the photo above). I've always wanted to try a Chanel foundation but they never seemed to have enough coverage for me. One day I got a sample of Perfection Lumiere in a magazine (luckily in the shade 40) and I wore it for a couple of days and absolutely loved it. I ended up forgetting about it until I got another sample when I was buying my sisters birthday present and once I tried it again I knew it was going to be the next foundation I purchased. I'd say this has the lightest coverage out of the three, but it still has more coverage than the other Chanel foundations. It has a semi-matte finish but as you can see from the photo above it still gives my skin a lovely glow. This is going to be perfect for days when I feel that my skin is looking good and I don't need as much coverage (it still manages to cover my redness). This is the most expensive at £36 but it's definitely worth it if you want to treat yourself.

So far these are the three foundations that I'll definitely repurchase. What are you're favourite high end foundations? I really want to try NARS Sheer Glow next.

Neutral Nails: My Top 5

I have quite a large nail polish collection but never really blog about it much. At the moment I'm loving neutral nails so I thought I'd share my top 5 favourite neutral nail polishes I use all year round.

• Essie Ballet Slippers - Essie is one of my favourite nail polish brands, they have such an amazing range of colours. At first I wasn't too sure on this colour but I've grown to love it. It's such a pale pink, almost a sort of cream colour which is perfect if you want natural looking nails. I did a full review on this a while ago, you can read it here.

• Chanel Frenzy - I got this nail polish as a gift when I left my old work and I'd been lusting over it for ages. I even bought a few dupes, althought nothing can compare to this! It's a gorgeous light grey colour and applies like a dream. This is my second Chanel nail polish and I think they'er just such great quality, although a little pricey. 

• Topshop Mink - I've had this nail polish for about 2 years and it's still fine to use, no lumps at all. It really reminds me of Barry M Mushroom, a sort of greyish/brown colour. This is my one and only Topshop nail polish but I've seen so many of you bloggers blogging about other colours in the collection so I definitely need to get my hands on more. I think they're really good quality for a high street brand.

• Essie Fiji - This is actually my sister's nail polish but I love it so much and I use it all the time, I really should buy my own soon as it's probably my favourite out of the 5. It's an opaque pale pink, a few shades darker than Ballet Slippers and it looks so amazing with a tan. Like I said, I love Essie! 

• Chanel Jade Rose - This was my first Chanel nail polish which I bought with birthday money one year, I wouldn't usually just spend this much on a nail polish. I thought I'd go for a really wearable shade so I went for a nude. This really is such a perfect nude but it's running out, does anyone know any more affordable nudes that are similar? 

Hopefully I'll start doing more nail polish posts in the future. What are you're favourite neutral nail polishes?

OOTN 3

Top: H&M

Skirt: Therapy at House of Fraser

Shoes: New Look

Belt: New Look

Necklace: Primark

Hand Armour: Topshop

 MAC Studio Fix Fluid - NC30

UNE B.B Cream Concealer

Chanel Universal Bronzer

Chanel Universal Loose Powder

MAC Blush - Dolly Mix

Benefit High Beam

MAC Eye Shadow - Carbon

Barry M Dazzle Dust - Gold

Maybelline Gel Liner

Rimmel Kohl Liner - Jet Black

Dior Show New Look Mascara 

Primark Eyelashes

Barry M Lip Paint - 54

My friend Hazel did my hair and I loved it - she better do it every night in Ibiza!

On Saturday night I went out for my friends big sisters birthday and this is what I wore.
Hope you had a good weekend!
Melissa
xxxx

Soleil Tan De Chanel

I'm finally doing my review on my new Soleil Tan De Chanel, or more commonly known as Chanel Universal Bronzer. I'd wanted to try this bronzer for so long and got really jealous when my sister bought it, but she surprised me and bought me it as a graduation present a few weeks later- how nice?! 

I'd never tried a mousse/cream bronzer before, I usually stick with powder bronzers such as MAC Matte Bronze or NARS Laguna, so I was a bit reluctant as I didn't think it would apply well to my oily skin. I was really surprised to see how well it applied and blended in, giving me a lovely glow without leaving me looking shiny. It has a lovely creamy texture and a little goes a long way, you don't need to use a lot.

 I apply this product in two different ways depending on how I'm feeling; if I want to look more tanned (usually for a night out) I apply it all over my face but for a more subtle look I use it as a contour on my temples, cheekbones and jaw line. I apply it after my foundation then set it with my Chanel Universal Loose Powder as I've got quite oily skin. It can also be applied before foundation as a bronzing base.

To apply the product I use my MAC 187 Duo Fibre brush, but I'm thinking about buying the Real Techniques Core Collection and using Buffing Brush as it's slightly smaller. My sister uses her Real Techniques Contour Brush to apply it so I'll have to try that as well.

This product costs £30 and can be purchased at Chanel counters or online here. Personally, I love this product and would definitely recommend it if you want to treat yourself or maybe get it as a gift. I've been using it for a few weeks now and as you can see I've hardly made a dent in it so I think it will last for ages!

What do you think of this product, have you tried it?

Melissa

xxx

What I Wear Everyday

Just a small post on what I use on my face every day at the moment!

Garnier B.B Cream - Medium

MAC Studio Fix Fluid - NC30

Soap & Glory Kick Ass Concealer - Medium

Chanel Universal Powder - 03

MAC Matte Bronze

MAC Blusher - Dolly Mix

Benefit High Beam

Maybelline Gel Liner - 01 Black

Dior Show New Look Mascara - Black

Melissa

xxx