November Empties

Another month, another collection of empties! I am *trying* to use up lots of products before buying new things at the moment so save money and make sure I don't neglect products I buy! Here are the products I have finished this month and my thoughts on them.

Chanel vitalumiere aqua foundation 

I knew I was coming to the end of this foundation so I have already got another lined up to replace it. This is my all time favourite foundation for a few reasons. Firstly it is water based which means when you shake it up it creates the most beautiful fine texture. Secondly it surprises me with a light to medium but build able coverage which means that it is definitely enough coverage for me day to day. Thirdly it is Chanel and lets be honest who doesn't love using a luxury foundation. I will keep repurchasing this product because it is just beautiful.

TIGI bedhead "Some like it hot" hair serum

As far as I know this serum has been discontinued as I cannot find it anywhere. I have had this a while and slightly rejected it when I found Kerastase elixir ultime (LOVE) but thats not to say this isn't a good product. It is lovely for running through damp hair then keeps the hair in great condition whilst using heat tools. As with all Tigi products it also smells amazing.

Diptyque Mimosa candle

I got this miniature candle in my space nk goody bag when I spent £150 there (oops) a few months ago. I only tend to use candles in the colder months so I have had it on nearly every night so it has come to an end. However as much as I adore Diptyque fragrances (Philosykos is my current go to perfume) I have to say I was slightly disappointed with this. For me I could barely smell it, The subtlety of the scent was a little too subtle and only when it had been burning for a while could I detect the actual smell. I won't be buying this again however I will definitely look into trying their other scents.

MAC Lingering eyebrow pencil

This pencil is fantastic for mid blonde to light brown hair because it is the perfect balance between warm and cool tones. It perfectly matches my eyebrow colour and is handy for on the go. I tend to use brow powders more because I like the soft texture but for travel touch ups or to give a little more definition this is great. I have been using Anastasia brow wiz as an alternative too which I am loving so I'm not sure if and when I will repurchase this purely because I think brow wiz has a slightly nicer texture but this is still a great product for a quick fix.

Xen Tan Dark lotion 

I have repurchased this tan countless times because it always delivers a great colour. The tone is natural and not remotely orange so for me it does exactly what I want. I have recently been loving Laurens way and Sienna x tans so I may not go back to this for a while whilst using the other two however if I'm ever unsure which tan to go for this always finds a way into my basket! The scent is lovely, the texture is full but not too thick to work into the skin and the colour guide washes off to leave a very natural medium to dark colour.

 I wonder how my using up products project will go now that there is so much Christmas temptation! 

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My Christmas Wishlist

There is nothing more exciting than looking at Christmas beauty and makeup gifts online (for a beauty addict anyway) and this year I have not been disappointed with the offerings out there! This list is of the products that have really caught my eye and I would love to receive this Christmas day! (Boyfriend: Take Note)

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

Yes it is big news on the beauty addict street, Urban Decay are launching yet another neutral palette and yet this is the first one I have truly lusted after. I skipped 1 and 2 purely because I own so many MAC neutrals already but something about this one has caught my eye. The rose gold tones are much more appealing to me, perhaps because they tend to warm up the tone of the skin or because I have green eyes. Either way this palette is definitely on my wish list and may or may not make it into my professional kit ;) Rumoured to be launching December 16th in Debenhams in UK. 

Photo from http://www.bentleyblonde.com

Ellis Faas

This makeup brand has been on my radar for a while because of its sleek packaging and awesome colour range. The futuristic feel of this brand makes it a definite on my wish list. The silver pens are the perfect handy size and contain any product a makeup addict would need. Mascara, eyeshadows, lipgloss, blushers, foundation, concealer the list goes on! The creamy lips in deep plum wine,  creamy eyes in deep warm taupe and light in holographic bordeaux are some of my favourites i've seen online. The "pens" can also be slotted into their own holder which almost looks space age! An incredibly exciting brand.

Louise Young Cosmetics 

I have been lusting after these brushes for a long time but my brush addiction has been slightly out of control recently so I have resisted buying them. However it wouldn't be the worst thing to open these gorgeous brushes on xmas morning ;) I particularly have my eye on the super foundation brush and the LY24 for gel liner but would love to try any these after hearing rave reviews from fellow makeup artists! The packaging and styling is simple yet luxurious and I love the fact that the brushes are created by a makeup up artist for makeup artists.


Yankee Candles

Yankee Candles will always have a place on my wish list because the scents are incredible. The packaging may not be as sleek as some other brands but the fragrances are second to none. Last year  I burned the "Christmas eve" candle which I have now finished so on my wish list this year is "Christmas memories" a new scent for 2013 which has a hint of gingerbread - yum! To be honest I would love to receive any of the Christmas collection but this one has particularly caught my eye. I tend to only burn candles in the Autumn/Winter and Yankee scents always make me feel warm and cosy.

What is on your wish list this year?

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LUSH Haul

So I went to Westfield earlier this week with friend and fellow MUA Jesse and may have gone on a mini shopping spree! H&M is fantastic for Winter essentials and I treated myself to some knitwear, Bobbi Brown had a little visit with some eye products being purchased (review coming soon) but my most exciting visit was to LUSH. As soon as Winter comes, I feel the need to purchase more bath and body products to treat myself in the harsher weather and darker nights and LUSH provides everything I need! 

I went in with the intention of browsing, in particular the new Christmas products because as much as I love to shop online, when it comes to body products I like to be able to feel and smell them. We were greeted by a very helpful member of staff (LUSH staff are always incredible) who asked us if we were looking for anything in particular. I told him I would love to see the new products and immediately fell in love with the Celebrate body lotion. This Christmassy, citrus scented body lotion literally melted into my skin and smells uplifting and fresh. I had to have it.

Next I had a sniff of the Ro's Argan Body Conditioner. This amazing shower cream hydrates the skin, leaving it silky soft and means if I forget to moisturise I won't be left with dry skin. The Rose smell is not my usual kind of scent but its very subtle and feels so luxurious. The helpful member of staff let me try it in store on my hand and arm and the difference between each hand was incredible so I it was straight into my basket!

Last but not least I decided to try my first Bath ballistic in the form of "Shoot for the Stars". I very rarely have baths but when winter comes I do like to try and have one before bed to relax and warm me up. I decided to try this design but the look of it is incredible. The colours are so pretty and the star design has a really Wintery feel. I was shown the results of a small amount of it in the bowl in store and immediately fell in love with the colour swirls and the tiny glitter stars that began to ooze out into the water. This will be a real treat for me and I might save it for a detox bath after my birthday in December! 

I will definitely be buying more LUSH products because the service in store is always fantastic and the products never disappoint! What are your favourite LUSH products this Winter?

x

NARS Favourites

NARS is one of my favourite makeup brands to use both on myself and in my professional kit. I recently applied for their pro makeup discount too and with 40% off I will certainly be filling my kit with more of their amazing products. I already have some must haves in my own personal collection and thought I would share them with you!

The prices, packaging and quality reflect their prices and I believe they are 100% products worth investing in. Not only do they last a long time but the colours and pigments are fantastic. 

Left to Right Top to Bottom: Mekong eyeshadow £18, Silk Road eyeshadow duo £25, Albatross highlighter £21.50, Laguna bronzing powder £26, St Moriz tinted moisturiser £28, Chelsea Girls lip lacquer £17.50, Ginger Radiant creamy concealer £21, Stromboli Sheer Glow foundation £30.50.

Mekong eyeshadow is a beautiful shimmery deep brown with different coloured sparkles running through it. It is gorgeous packed onto the lid for a dark smokey eye or used in the crease to create a classic smokey eye with a lighter colour on the lid. I love it because it is so much more interesting than my other brown shades and is much more glamorous for a night out. The pigment in this eyeshadow is so high that you barely need to touch it to get a good strength of colour.

Silk Road eyeshadow duo is another favourite because the two shades are so wearable for day and yet when used within a smokey eye for evening create the most stunning sheen on the lid. I use the two colours in several variations but I love to highlight under the brow bone with the lighter colour then wear a wash of the darker colour all over the lid. For a more natural look I wear the lighter shade on the lid, with the darker as a soft crease colour. If you like neutrals and are looking for something with a sheen but not glittery this is a must have.

Chelsea girls lip lacquer is a very popular lip product because it truly is the perfect nude! The texture is somewhere between a balm, gloss and lipstick and goes onto the lips so smoothly providing a good amount of colour. If I am wearing a smokey eye I love to wear this as an understated lip colour which compliments any makeup look! It has a peachy undertone and looks incredible with a tan! I will definitely buy this again and am hoping to try more lacquers from the range.

Albatross highlighter is a stunning gold based highlighter which gives an incredible luminosity to the skin. I love to use this for nights out because it photographs beautifully and the cheek bones literally pop. It is very light so can look a little too much when I fake tan so I tend to wear this for evenings rather than day time.

Laguna bronzing powder is a cult classic because the tone is perfect for contouring, with enough warmth in it to look like a tan but not too red to wear below the cheekbone. I like to dust this on my temples, cheeks, nose, anywhere I want to look bronzed! I have almost run out so will definitely be repurchasing soon!

Pure radiant tinted moisturizer in St Moritz is the best tinted moisturiser I have ever used. It gives a surprisingly good amount of coverage, I would say better than some light coverage foundations I have tried. And yet it retains a completely natural skin look. Spf 30 means its ideal for everyday protection and the skin looks flawless after one application. I have been wearing this instead of foundation in the day which is a big change for a girl who usually wear medium to full coverage but it really does provide all the cover I need and I like to add concealer on any red areas or blemishes. I will be adding these to my professional kit.

Radiant creamy concealer in Ginger is another new skin must have. I use this to touch up areas that the tinted moisturiser hasn't quite covered and again it has a beautiful skin like texture. It is perfect for under eyes too ( just needs to be set with powder). This colour is perfect for me with a good mixture of yellow and pink tones it suits me with or without tan. I will be buying these for my kit too!

Last but not least is one of my all time favourite foundations Sheer Glow in the colour Stromboli. This shade is perfect for nc30 skin, tanned with a yellow undertone. This foundation is anything but sheer with medium to full coverage and provides the most gorgeous glow to the skin. It is not shiny be any means but simply improves the radiance of the skin but without compromising on coverage. I adore this foundation and wear it on most evenings out because it also has incredible staying powder. I own this in shade Barcelona too which is my summer shade. I will continue to repurchase and repurchase! 

What are your NARS favourites?

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