Magnifibres.

Magnifibres -

Brush-On False Lashes

I am a real lover of lashes. I rarely wear falsies (I find them really hard to apply) but I love the fluttery-eyed look, so these Magnifibres Brush-on False Lashes sounded like just the ticket. Magnifibres are really easy to use. You just apply your normal mascara and then immediately brush on the fibres just like you would apply mascara. You then wait 30 seconds and then do a second coat of regular mascara, covering the Magnifibres. It does take a little while to get used to in order to make it work perfectly, however once you get used to applying it correctly your good to go.

When I ordered this, I was somewhat dubious about if it would work or not. Well, I was wrong. It does give you thicker, slightly longer lashes. The build-up is evident when doing the process once. You can also build up and add more product and mascara layers, to create an even more dramatic look. It comes off with your mascara, so no special treatment needed there. It looks like there is plenty in the bottle!

Overall, I love this product! It’s a great alternative to false lashes and truly worth the £21 they retail for, especially when you compare them with how much a good pair of false lashes cost.

Pure Transformation.

bareMinerals -

Pure Transformation Night Treatment  

Recently I have been on a massive bareMinerals mission. For some reason right now their products just seem to be doing my skin a lot of good. Therefore I thought I would give something from their skin care line a go, aimed at reducing pores (my main nemesis) I decided to try this night treatment…its beyond amazing.

Autumn Reads.

Autumn/Winter is my favourite time to read. The dark nights and the cold weather make snuggling up with a good book a great idea for lonely evenings. Therefore I thought I would share with you some of the great books I have read recently.  I will just include a brief intro about the story, as I don’t want to give anything away.

Prime Time.

bareMinerals -

Prime Time Foundation Primer

I apologies for the bareMinerals review overload. However, recently I have really loved bareMinerals products. I wasn’t planning on buying a new primer, however after the consultant used it using my trail, when it came to applying it using my current primer it just didn’t seem to work as well. I personally believe this is because of this primer being made primarily for bareMinerals mineral foundations.  

Award-Winning?!

bareMinerals -

Original SPF15 Mineral Foundation

Recently a friend told me to try the bareMinerals mineral foundation. She was really raving about it saying how it was the best thing she had ever tried, therefore I thought whilst in Meadowhall, I would visit the bareMinerals counter and check it out.

Reincarnation Mask.

Bleach London –

Reincarnation Mask

Who doesn’t love a good hair mask? Since recently having my hair highlighted it’s really needed some TLC so whilst browsing round Boots, this really caught my eye. Mainly because is aimed at people who use bleach and/or colour their hair a lot. Therefore, I hoped it would be rather hardcore.

Overnight Serum-in-Oil.

The Body Shop -

Vitamin E Overnight Serum-in-Oil

When it comes to night creams, or any other night products I get rather worried. It tends to be the one thing that repeatedly upsets my skin, most night creams are overly too thick, therefore block my pores. Therefore when I saw this in The Body Shop I was intrigued. The sales assistant explained how to use it, what it was for, and basically did a good job of making me really want to try it. So, what does it do and does it work…

Honey & Oats.

The Body Shop -

Honey & Oat 3 in 1 Scrub Mask

I’m always on the hunt for the perfect mask, one that doesn’t irritate or overly dry out my sensitive skin, however that helps revive and really cleanse my skin. The Body Shop is definitely my go to place for skin care, I really like their products, and even though some haven’t been my favourite products I can always rely on them not totally stressing my skin out to the point of no return. I picked this mask up because I wanted to try something new that would help exfoliate my skin whilst help with my large open pores, and the consultant said this would be best for that, without over powering my skin.

Rouge Allure Gloss.

Chanel - 

Rouge Allure Gloss 

In the upcoming fall season we will witness the launch of Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss, a new lip line featuring nine seductive shades with the intensity and luminosity finish of a gloss and the pigmentation or rich colour of a lipstick. Revealing itself in a click the new line of Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss is part of a bigger Chanel Fall 2014 Makeup Collection, which also features new lipstick and nail lacquer shades.

The shades names are:

Affriolant

Sensible

Extase

Suprême

Séduction

Pirate

Distinction

Exotique

Audace (Limited Edition)

I’m really excited to see these beauties in person as I spotted a couple of pinks that I just feel like I need to have. A rich and pigmented pink Allure Gloss is definitely something that I’m looking to seeing, swatching and wearing.

These are due for release on the 3rd October. First of all in Boots, but then they will go to other counters.

Rouge Dior Baume.

Dior –

Rouge Dior Baume 

This season Dior revisits the Rouge Dior codes of style with surprising modernity and elegance by creating the perfect combination between lip care and makeup. Dior Rouge Dior Baume is a natural lip treatment that adds colours to your lips in a single step while providing a healthy glow and shine by offering the benefits of a nourishing lip treatment. Along with the new 19 shades of Rouge Dior Baume, Dior launches also 4 new limited edition Vernis Nail Lacquers and 3 shades of Contour Lip liner Pencil.

Gel Top Coat.

Dior –

Gel Top Coat

I’ve been looking for a really good topcoat for a long time. I tend to buy a different brand after I run out because I don’t always find the current one is doing a good enough job.  I was previously using Essie’s ‘Good to Go’ topcoat, however for me, it just didn’t work too well. I found it tended to chip easily, and in some cases even lift from my nail polish which is just annoying.

I do love a good gel manicure, however I find the removal of it is just incredibly long winded, and it takes forever, which when I’m in a rush just isn’t possible. However, when trawling the Internet for a new one to try a lot of people where raving about this Dior Gel Topcoat. As someone who loves Dior and hasn’t yet been let down by them, I thought it was time to give it a go, maybe like some area of makeup, paying a little more for a good quality nail polish topcoat is the key for a chip free, shiny, long wearing manicure…maybe.

Radiant.

NARS -

Radiant Creamy Concealer

When this first came out there was so much hype around it that I refused to buy into. Lets be honest anyone who read a review of this has that nibbling feeling in the back of their minds thinking this is just too good to be true. However, when I treated myself to the new YSL Fusion Foundation, I thought I would also treat myself to a new concealer, and this was the first thing that came to mind, so I thought I would finally take the plunge and buy it.

Nailkale.

Nails Inc -

NailKale Illuminator and Superfood Base Coat

Before I say anything about the actual products, I would like to say I love the new bottles. The silver caps come off to reveal the actual brush (like Butter London and Chanel polishes). I liked the old packaging and I have lots of bottles with the round caps but I think the new style looks more expensive and pretty amongst my nail polish collection.

Haute House.

Ciate -

Haute House Fall Collection

Recently I’ve really loved Ciate polishes, the colours are beautiful and the application is stunning. However there new Fall collection is just…breath taking!

Fusion Ink.

YSL -

Fusion Ink Foundation

There's been quite a bit of hype around the new YSL Fusion Ink or 'Le Teint Encre De Peau' Foundation, not only with Cara Delevingne on the ads, but more so with YSL handing out free 7-day trial pots last week, it's gotten quite a lot of attention, but is it worth the hype?

Kauai.

NARS –

Kauai Eyeshadow Duo

NARS Kauai Eye shadow Duo is a new and permanent duo from NARS’ spring collection. Both shades were very, very pigmented with an incredibly soft, almost creamy, texture. The consistency was dense, buttery, and over-the-top metallic. It’s a formula that could also be used wet to bring out the metallic finish even more (though entirely unnecessary, as it is opaque and metallic applied dry). When I wore these shades, both lasted for a unbelievably well without creasing or fading.  

One side (Kauai #1) is described as a “gold lame.” It’s a muted, slightly antique-y gold with a rich, metallic sheen and fine gold and antique gold shimmer and sparkle. It was intensely pigmented, and the texture was smooth, soft, and blend-able.

The other side (Kauai #2) is described as an “iridescent smokey orchid.” It’s a medium-dark purple with subtle violet undertones and a frosted, metallic finish. The texture was dense, buttery, and so, so soft. I actually found that it can be easy to over-apply or load-up the brush with this product, because it is quite soft, so I recommend using less than you think you’ll need.

Overall, this is one of the first eye shadows I have used by NARS and definitely one of the best eye shadow I think I have ever used purely due to the intensity of the pigmentation to the feel of the powder itself.

The Right Shade.

It took me a ridiculous amount of time to get what I thought was the right shade match in sample size of the new YSL Fusion Ink foundation (review to follow). As counter make up artists you put a lot of confidence in them when buying make up to help you choose make up that suits you, and especially to match you up to foundation in the right shade. However I yet again experienced horrible service in getting the right shade. Therefore I thought I would right a little blog about my experience and a few tips about helping you around this issue.

Firstly I was given BR50, which as soon as I went out into the natural light was really dark. Then when I nipped in to ask about it, the assistant gave me BR20, she said this matched my skin ‘perfectly’…but BR50 to BR20 is a pretty big gap. Once again she said to take home a sample and try it out. Too light is beyond what BR20 was, it was ridiculously light. By this point I was really disappointed in the ability of the YSL counter make up artists to match my skin tone to the correct foundation.

However, whilst in Newcastle I decided to pick up the YSL Babydoll mascara (review coming soon), whilst there I though I would give it another go. I already guess the BR bit was correct, this means I have Beige skin with Red undertones, which is very true, however from swatching the shades myself I guessed I was maybe a 30/40. The counter make up artist this time was a man, a man hasn’t ever served me at a make up counter, but I have to say, he was beyond incredible. He went through the shades and he even explained both shades I was given were beyond wrong, he went over how to apply it and even took me out into the natural light to make sure it matched my skin perfectly. Even my other half was incredible impressed with the service. Therefore I left happily with a bottle of BR30…in my finally ‘perfect shade’.

It doesn’t matter if a foundation is cheap or not, but its something you wear everyday, and when a counter puts make up artists on the counter to help you its pretty upsetting leaving with the wrong shade…especially if you don’t realise it actually is. 

There are two key tips I have found really help me when I’m unsure about foundation shades. Firstly if you aren’t beyond happy with you shade or if your not 100% confident that its perfect for you, then go and get a second opinion in another store. Alternative you can come back another day and ask someone different to match you up. Another tip is to borrow their mirror and actually go into the natural light, there are so many lights around beauty counters that it’s not a surprise I was matched up wrong. Remember your wearing this foundation, not them. They are there to guild and help you. If you think their wrong, or a little off, then tell them or go somewhere else just to make you feel a little more confident.

Uniq One.

Uniq One -

All In One Coconut Hair Treatment 

I have been looking at buying one of the Uniq-One treatments, either this or the original for some time. Hair care is something that I really enjoy swapping, changing and trying new things, mainly because unlike my skin it rarely react that badly to a product, or if it does a quick deep conditioning mask will fix it right up, whereas, if I was to do that with my skin, it would take me beyond a month to get it back to normal again. Another reason I love hair care is because the result is pretty much straight away, once you use a product you know then and there if its any good, why its good and why its not, there is no waiting a few weeks to see if the result, if there is one, is what you wished it to be.

Now onto the review; 

Holographic Nail Polish.

Cirque Colors - 

Holographic Nail Polish

I always love things a little different, and recently I’ve really loved holographic nail polish. There definitely a must have for summer, especially because they look even more incredibly when the sun hits them and makes then just…shine. During a mission of finding the perfect holographic polishes I came across the brand Cirque Colors, which is an American nail brand who specialise in holographic polish, and they do some seriously incredible holographic polishes in every colour you could ever want. I have three amazing shades to show you today.

Fascination Street is a blue-toned medium purple base with hidden gold shimmer and scattered holographic effect. It manages to strike a good balance between maintaining the vibrancy of the purple shade, creating a dark shade that isn't dramatically lightened by the silver-based holographic particles and still being light enough to not completely drown out the hologram effect. The formula on this was really good, thin, smooth and even. It applied effortlessly and didn't challenge me with bald spots or streaking like holographic polishes sometimes can. It is a little sheer on the first but I wear it with two coats and I can't see any visible nail line.

Magnum Opus is a wonderful mid-toned grey with a very fine holographic rainbow. It sparks beautifully in the sun and seems to float on the surface of the nail. On top Magnum Opus fine holograph adds an incredible depth to the grey base colour. Indoors a soft lilac shine radiated from my nails and the slightest tinge of a holographic rainbow was still visible. The formula was thin but wonderful to control and flowed easily on the nails. Given the thin consistency the first coat went on a bit sheer but the second coat provided the perfect opacity.

Bejeweled is a royal blue which a spectacular holographic pigment, its almost a denim blue colour. The formula was great, it was easy to apply and didn't drag or have balding problems. I used 2 coats like with the others; it was less sheer then the other two, which is great. I have to say I’m truly enchanted by this shade, I think it’s definitely the strongest holograph out of all three.

Overall, all three of them have some similarities. The rainbow shimmer from the holographic particles is still visible indoors (as seen here) but it's much, much more pronounced in direct light for all shades. Each are scented with a calming herbal-floral (smells like lavender to me), which was totally unexpected but an incredible bonus. Dry time is very good, however due to the humid weather, polish does take a little longer to dry.

If your from the UK and are interested in trying some of the Cirque Colors, then there is a fantastic stockist online Rainbow Connection. There quick, easy and there really affordable. I ordered my 3 polishes on a Wednesday night, and they arrived Friday morning which I think is incredible!