FOTD featuring Urban Decay Naked Palette and Viva Glam Nicki

Hey guys, I felt in a pink mood today so out can Viva Glam Nicki to play

Face:
Chanel Vitalumiere in 20
Chanel Broze Universal

Eyes:
Urban Decay Naked Palette - Virgin, Gunmetal and Creep
Mac Fluidline in Blacktrack
Collection 2000 Big Fat False Lash Mascara
Bobbi Brown Eyeshadow in Espresso to fill in eyebrows

Lips:
Mac Viva Glam Lipstick in Nicki

Bright Eyes FOTD featuring Urban Decay

Eyes:
NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk
Urban Decay Deluxe Eyeshadows in Graffiti and Peace
Mac Fluidline in Blacktrack
Mac Kohl Pencil in Smoulder
Daniel Sanders Jumbo Jet Mascara

Face:
Chanel Vitalumiere Foundation in 20
Chanel Universal Bronze

Nicki Minaj Viva Glam Lipstick

I was incredibly excited when I received an email inviting me to buy the new viva glam lipstick before it was launch on general release. Needless to say I jumped straight in and ordered it.
Now here we are a few days later and it has arrived on my doorstep.

And I love it.

The brilliant thing about Viva Glam collections is that the full retail price (minus VAT) goes to help women, men and kids everywhere affected with HIV and Aids.

The Viva Glam Nicki comes in the standard black box with the red signature of the celebrate who is facing the product.

The inner tube is classic Mac black but with red detailing instead of the usual silver.

The lipstick itself is amazing. It's just the most incredible candy pink. It's a satin finish so has a sheen to it. The colour is vibrant but wearable. I absolutely adore this pink.

This goes on general release instores and online around 1st March priced £13.50

Glossy Box - February 2012

As many of you will already know, Glossy Box is a monthly subscription that costs £10 (+P&P)
For this money each month you will receive a box with five beauty samples. These can be anything from makeup to skin care to bath products.

In each box you get a little card with a little information about each of the products included in the box.
This is what it had to say this month:

1) Duwop - Venom Gloss - Combining subtle tinted lipgloss with DuWop's Lip Venom to create Venom Gloss

2) Dr Bronner - Magic Liquid Soup - A combination of organic extra virgin coconut, olive, jojoba and hemp oils, together with pure essential oils

3) Paul Mitchell - Round Trip - This liquid curl definer is fast-drying for enhanced curls in an instant.....

4) BM Beauty - Pure Minerals Eyeshadow - Award winning pure mineral eyeshadow. Cruelty free and suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

5) Como Shambhala - Invigorate Body Lotion - A revitalising blend of essential oils that puts you in a perfectly uplifted mood

I was so excited when I came home from work to find this months box waiting for me. But I'll admit it left me a little underwhelmed.
Two of the products I just have no interest in (the smells really put me off)
The eyeshadow sample is of a shade that I already have so many of, it would've been nice to have had something a little different.
The lipgloss is nice and I'll prob use it to layer over lipstick at some point
And finally the Paul Mitchell sample. I love this brand, it's my go to hair brand. I just think it's a shame that they chose to include something for curly hair rather than something a bit more universal such as a smoothing, finishing serum or a volume booster. I will still happily give it a go, but it may be a while until I can be bothered to curl my hair.

The was a final note in the box about checking glossybox.co.uk/mysterybox after 24th Feb.
Hopefully this'll lead to a really good surprise and hopefully March's box will bring products to wow me.

Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Silk Eyeshadow - #4 Pulp Fiction

These have been on my radar for a while now, they get talked about alot on beauty blogs all over. So whilst in Selfridges on monday, after seeing nothing to spend my pennies on in Mac, I took a wander over to the armani counter. I was in my element swatching. The colours and feel to this product is incredible.
Silky smooth, almost a cream but still a powder.
So incredibly pigmented and claim to be long wearing.

And long wearing they are. After about 14 hours of wearing mine (with no base at all) it hadn't budged one little bit. Not even a tiny crease in sight. Trully incredible.

#4 is a gorgeous pewtery silver, in the pot it appears to have flecks of pink, but these don't really translate when wearing.

The lady who served me on the counter was lovely. I asked for the eyeshadow I wanted and she collected it for me, along with 3 lipstick samples. The transaction was plesant and as it was valentines week I got heart chocolates in my bag too.

I asked if they had any foundation samples, and she said that she would be happy to match me. And then proceeded to give me two shades in one foundation as well as a sample of their latest foundation.
A very generous offering of samples, one that Mac could well take a lesson from (I often get dismissed when asking for samples, even if I have spent money there)

I'll be more than happy to visit the counter in Selfridges again and will try out more products from their range. Although highly priced this product certainly shows why.

I look forward to adding more to my collection (in fact, I already have another two on their way to me!)

Avaliable from Selfridges priced £26

OPI Nicki Minaj Nails

So after seeing this amazing and fun design on Do Not Freeze's Blog I had to give it a go.

Basically its a crazy, bright coloured leopard print nail design using three of the new colours release from the new Nicki Minaj nail collection from OPI.
I have the mini collection that has a three brights and a glitter. And this uses the three brights, which made me very happy as I could try out three colours in one go.

You can pick up these nail varnishes at ASOS priced £11 for individual full sized bottles or £12.95 for the mini collection.

FOTD starring Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Eyeshadow

After a lot of lusting I finally caved in a bought an eyeshadow from Armani. I was in heaven swatching them and was really torn about what colour to get. I settled on number 4 Pulp Fiction. I love it. Not convinced it was the optimum colour choice but its definately left me lusting for more. And seeing as it was pay day and Mac still haven't put up the Shop Mac, Cook Mac collection online, I will be investing in at least another couple.

I'll post a full review of the eyeshadow and the lovely people at the Armani counter in Selfridges at the weekend. For now I'll just leave you with the look I created today.

Face:
Dior Forever Foundation in 23
Nars Illuminator in Copacabana mixed with foundation, and used as cheek highlight
Chanel Bronze Universal

Eyes:
Giorgio Armanin Eyes To Kill Eyeshadown in number 4, all over lid
Chanel Illusion D'Ombre in 84 Epatant (inner corner, and underneath eye), and 83 Illusoire (on outer third of eye and smudged underneath)
Mac Kohl Pencil in Smoulder on waterline and to line top lid
Daniel Sandler Jumbo Jet Mascara
Bobbi Brown Eyeshadow in Espresso through brows

Lips:
Dior Addict Lipstick in DiorKiss

Topshop SS12 Collection - Sisters of the New Moon - Lipstick Swatches

When I saw these pop up at the end of the last week I knew I needed to investigate further.
For a start the packaging is simply to die for.

The nail varnishes look nice, but I have a bunch of metallics already and I really don't have enough fingernails to get through wearing even half the polishes I already have. So I took a pass on them.
Same with mascara. Got a wide collection already and never seem to try one and get wowed so for me it wasn't worth the £10.

The lipstick and liptint on the other hand intrigued me a little more.

The lip tint, called Crystal, is gorgeous to look at in the tube. It's a translucent and incredibly glittery candy pink. So cutsey.

When I swatched it and tried it out I was a little disappointed as there seemed to be such little colour payoff.
That being said it is supposed to react to your skin, which normally means body temperature. And I did notice the colour turn pinker after a little time. So after being a little underwhelmed to begin with I actually quite like it and think it will be a really easy lip colour to throw on when I have on a heavy eye.

Top - Charmed Lipstick, Bottom - Crystal Liptint

  The lipolour, Charmed, initially looked like it might satisfy my need for the sold out Bobbi Brown Atomic Orange, but it lacks the punch. It's a good standard, coraly orange, but it's nothing unique and doesn't stand out in my collection.

I love the packaging and I think the idea behind the collection was good, it just lacked a little power.

Top Picture - Charmed, Bottom Picture - Crystal

Currently available in store and online, lipcolours priced £9 each

Sugarpill anniversary sale

Just a quick heads up to any of you out there who might be interested in checking out Sugarpill Cosmetics. It's their two year anniversary today so the lovely Amy has taken 20% off palettes and loose eyeshadows. Take advantage of it sharpish, the palettes tend to go out of stock quite often, because they are just that awesome. I finally ordered the burning heart palette, it looks positively firey. Red, yellow, orange and a purple that is ready to rival MUFE's #92 I also ordered the loose shadow in Asylum. Probably not the most necessary colour to add to my collection but there is just something about that shimmery red that I couldn't say no to. Even though they weren't in the sale I still bought four sets of eyelashes, they're only five dollars each and look incredible. If you fancy giving Sugarpill a go, head over to Sugarpill and use code CAKE before weds to get your 20% discount

Sugarpill Chromalust's - Loose Eyeshadow Pigments

Let's make this very clear. I love Sugarpill Cosmetics.
I think the brand is simply incredible.
It's an indie company and the products are simply phenomenal.

My collection of chromolusts. Just how pretty are they!

I have 9 of the chromolust, which are essentially loose eyeshadow pigments.

Onto the swatches. All shades are swatched first on nothing, then on top of NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk and finally Mac's Paint Pot in Blackground. I think these definately work better onto of a tacky base to help them stick and last even longer.

Left to Right:

Lumi - White, sheer glitter with flecks of green

Absinthe - The perfect glittery lime green

Junebug - Foresty green base with light green glitter flecks

 Left to Right:

Starling - A turquoisey sea blue

Royal Sugar - Quite simply a glittery royal blue

Hysteric - A mid purple with silver and pink glitter

Left to Right:

Goldilux - The most incredible pigmented perfect gold

Stella - A black base with multicoloured glitter running through

Decora - The girliest pink around

The pigmentation of these are insane. My pictures really do not do them justice.
They are super glittery and just so easy to work with. They really pack a punch.

Recently they launched a large collection 19 new styles of false eyelashes which I cannot wait to try out, and I want to complete my collection of the chromalusts and their pressed eye shadows too.

Available from Sugarpill for $12. I believe there may be an anniversary sale on the 14th of Feb!

Everyone should try out this brand. You will not be disappointed

Night Out Makeup FOTD

Last night I went out with some of my friends as one of them is sadly leaving to go off and carry on travelling the world.

I decided on a classic red lip with black liquid eyeliner

Face:
Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Bedaub (used under foundation to minimize redness)
Chanel Vitalumiere shade 20
Chanel Bronze Universal
Mac Cream Colour Base in Pearl

Eyes:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Mac Transparent Glitter in Reflects Pearl
Urban Decay 24/7 Liquid Eyeliner in Perversion
Collection 2000 Big False Lash Effect Mascara
Ruby and Millie False Eyelashes

Lips:
Mac Lipliners in Currant and Brick
Mac Russian Red Lipstick

Frosty Eye FOTD

We're still very much in a cold snap in England right now so this morning makeup was positively icy!
Silver and blue metallics on the eye with a minimal face, Hope you enjoy.

Face:
Chanel Vitalumiere in 20
Chanel Bronzing Base
Mac Cream Colour Base in Pearl for a highlight

Eyes:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Mac Crushed Metallic Pigments in Surf the Ocean, using the silver and midnight blue shades
Urban Decay 24/7 liquid eyeliner in Perversion
Collection 2000 Big Flase Lash Effect Mascara

Chanel Spring 2012 Nail Varnish in June

I have been looking for the perfect muted, pastel, coral nail varnish for years. Ever since I saw one from Nails Inc but for some stupid reason I didn't buy it and then never saw it again. After that I was always searching but everything was simply to bright or two orange.

Then Chanel's Spring 2012 promo pictures and product information came out. They had done it.
Finally my perfect colour was here.

I waited patiently for it to be released online, then after a long and stressful day at work I could no longer be patient. I needed cheering up and I knew that Chanel would never let me down.

So not holding out much hope I went to my tiny John Lewis beauty hall on a short detour on the way to the train station. And there it was.


All pretty in its square bottle. I knew more than ever that I needed it. My luck was in, they had one left in stock!

I certainly don't regret my purchase. Although Chanel's nail varnishes are expensive at £18 I think this is completely worth it for their more unique shades like this one (or the beautiful metallics realeased last winter, Peridot I'm talking about you!)

I get a few days wear with minor chipping, which seems to be less than most other beauty bloggers. This is the case with all nail polishes though, I have weak nails and so the actual nails break or flake of rather than it being the fault of the nail varnish.

This is a gorgeous shade and is going to be my go to colour for the whole of spring and I'm sure it will serve me well through summer too,