Mac Booyah!!! Pro Longwear Lipstick Swatch & Review (Beth Ditto)

This was the only other item I purchased from the Beth Dito Collection. It's a bright creamy medium orange with a glossy finish. It's not as bright/neon as say Bobbi Brown's Atomic Orange or Mac Morange but it has a similar tone. Booyah!!! goes on opaque and has a slight vanilla scent.

The great thing about Pro Longwears is that they do stay put for hours, this lasted on me for 6 hours through a cup of tea (or two) and a light lunch. The only problem I found was with the packaging, firstly once you twist the lipstick up it won't twist back down and also it won't click shut properly. This could just be a error with my lipstick although I found the closing mechanism didn't work with my Dear Diary lipstick either.

Swatch...

Mac Booyah!!! (daylight)

I purchased mine at maccosmetics.co.uk

Most Treasured...

So I thought I'd do a post of a different kind today (don't worry I'm still posting my usual reviews). I wanted to show you a few of my most favourite beauty items, you might even be lucky enough to own a few of them!

 Chanel Turbulent Blush- this was a beautiful hot pink blush which was sadly discontinued many years ago, luckily I purchased a few back ups to keep me going. It has a stunning subtle pearl that Chanel does so well

Chanel Holographic Nail Polish- Several years before the whole "Jade" saga, does anybody remember this one? It's definitely the Rolls Royce of Holographic nail polishes, it applies beautifully and has the strongest holo that I've ever seen, perfection!

Mac Popster Lip Conditioner- From the Hello Kitty Collection a few years ago this gorgeous bright coral pink is my go to for a bright summer lip balm. I think I bought about 6 of these!

 Tom Ford for Estée Lauder "The Face Sheen"- It seems like such a long time ago Tom Ford collaborated with Lauder, it was a beautiful collection and this golden face sheen was my favourite. It came in a heavy gold compact topped with a aqua lid. Another item that I adore from this was the Azuree body oil, luckily they've repackaged it and it's now called the Bronze Godess body oil which comes out every summer.

 Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille- Another item from Mr Ford. This is part of his private collection of fragrances which are sold in special stores (I bought mine from Harrods) and are much more expensive than the standard range. Probably my favourite fragrance of all time, it's very strong and in your face -beware it's a bit of a love it or hate it scent! I love the combination of vanilla and tobacco and I've never smelt anything like it elsewhere.

 Mac Elite Eyeshadow- This is a legendary eyeshadow and I know many make up artists who still talk about it. It's a ultra soft bronze gold with a veluxe pearl finish. I think it was launched in 2005 and remains one of my favourite Mac shadows of all time.

 Mac Tartlette Lipglass- Now this was a long time ago, luckily I had the forethought to buy a few back ups. It's a perfect mix of coral and pearl without being too shimmery.

 Mac Petite Indulgence Cremesheen Glass- I think this was when the Cremesheen range was first out, it's a beautiful medium hot pink- not too bright or dark.

 Chanel Super Rouge Allure Lipstick- From Les Pop Up de Chanel a few years ago which had lots of lovely items including this which is a bright almost neon pink in the great Rouge Allure formula. Pink and Chanel, what's not to love?

 Mac Partylicious Pigment- From the Alice + Olivia collection, this is a stunning turquoise/teal, buttery pigment. Love this colour!

 Guerlain Orange Euphorique Rouge G- A beautiful bright orange with golden sheen which came out a few summers ago, I particularly love the special black packaging.

 Mac Party Parrot Lipstick- This was a more recent purchase from the Iris Apfel collection. It's the perfect neon pink for my skintone. Bright but has lots of depth.

 Mac Alpha Girl Beauty Powder- From the Heatherette collection it's a bright pale pink powder that I use as a blush. I love this mostly for the hot pink and holographic packaging!

 So those are a few of my most treasured beauty items! Do you have any favourites or any recommendations for me?
 X

Rodial Dragon's Blood Hyaluronic Mask Review

I've been on the hunt for a non greasy hydrating mask for regular use, I do adore my Sisley Flower Express Mask but as it is expensive I tend to save it as a treat. Rodial have released a range called 'Dragon's Blood'- don't be alarmed though as it is just referring to some tree sap! I went ahead and purchased the mask in the line (which also includes a moisturiser etc...). It has a light gel texture that dries clear, isn't oily or greasy to the touch and once left on for ten minutes (or even overnight) my skin feels plump and a lot of the redness has been taken down. So far I haven't experienced any irritation or breakouts with this one.

 It has a light sweet scent but doesn't overpower once applied. The packaging is fairly simple in a coral plastic tube (50ml) which is perfect for travelling. I'm really loving this mask and even though it's a luxury brand it doesn't break the bank and is a great product and does exactly what it claims to and I can't wait to try the rest of the range. I haven't had long enough to trial it for any long term benefits but I'll keep you updated!

 You can get this at rodial.co.uk

Dior Red Cruise 854 Gloss Swatch & Review (Summer Mix)

Next up from Dior Summer Mix is the Addict Ultra Gloss in 854 Red Cruise which is a bright cherry red with a super shiny finish. It matches the Calypso nail polish that I review earlier perfectly. As it is a jelly finish there is an element of transparency but there is a good amount of colour so only a tiny peek of my lip shade comes through. On me it turns a little more raspberry toned due to the pinkness of my lips, so it may vary from person to person.
 Dior glosses last on me about 3 hours and feel quite hydrating as glosses go. It's not particularly sticky and doesn't have a detectable scent once on. As far as I know this collection is limited edition so if you see something you like its worth checking out sooner rather than later!

Swatch...

Kiehls Rare Earth Pore Refining Tonic Review

The Kiehls Rare Earth Pore Refining Tonic is a bi phase toner with a blend of clay, witch hazel and lots of skin are goodies. You have to give it a good mix before use as it separates leaving the clay at the bottom. I like to use this product in the summer when I want to make sure I stay shine free all day. If you soak a cotton pad then pat over your t-zone (or wherever you get a bit shiny) before using foundation it really helps to stop any oiliness from appearing.

 As this does have clay and is astringent I don't use it on a everyday basis just in case it stops working, although you probably could if you wanted. I also find it helps to clear up any blemishes I have. Overall I'm a big fan of the Rare Earth range, especially the mask, they're both effective and at a reasonable price point so if you're looking for a product to help combat shine this might be worth checking out.
 I got mine from kiehls.co.uk

Dior Cosmo 158 Vernis Nail Polish Gloss Swatch & Review (Summer Mix)

Cosmo 158 Vernis Gloss by Dior is a bright honeysuckle pink with a jelly or "sorbet" finish. It applies pretty smoothly but it is not designed to be opaque so you will see some visible nail line. I used 2 coats and I get decent coverage with a shiny finish. This matches the Bikini lipgloss ( which I reviewed earlier) in the collection perfectly so if you like your make up to coordinate this might be up your street.

 I get about 3 days with these Dior nail polishes before I start seeing any tip wear. Overall this is a nice colour (although the shade itself is quite dupeable) so if you like jelly finishies and your pinks bright but not neon it's definitely worth checking out.

As always all my work and photos are copyrighted so please do not republish or repost them.

Mac Dear Diary Pro Longwear Lipstick Swatch & Review (Beth Ditto)

I only picked up 2 items from the Beth Ditto Collection, Booyah!!! and Dear Diary. Dear Diary is a very bright magenta pink with a creamy finish. It's very pigmented and goes on opaque in one swipe. This is one of those uber bright lipsticks that can be a bit tricky to pull off but it's not quite as neon as say Candy Yum Yum.

As it's a Pro Longwear Lipcreme the lasting power is pretty good, about 6 hours before the shine and colour faded down to leave a stain. I don't find these drying either, although I like to apply balm before anyway.

Swatch...

Essie Bikini So Teeny Swatch & Review

Essie has launched its Bikini So Teeny Collection, I picked up Bikini So Teeny which is a lilacy cornflower blue with subtle silver glitter (you can't really see it on the nail). It has a nice consistency and was opaque in 2 coats with a shiny finish. The one thing worth noting is that if you use a topcoat it darkens the colour quite a lot and looks a bit more purple.

I get about 3 days wear from Essie polishes before I get any tip wear. Overall it's a very cute shade and I don't have anything else quite like it so thumbs up!

Dior Calypso 158 Vernis Nail Polish Swatch (Summer Mix)

 The next item from the Dior Summer Mix collection I have to show you is this Vernis in 158 Calypso. It is a beautiful warm toned red. Dior calls these "sorbet-like color" so these are designed to be sheer jelly finishes, while you do get a lot of colour the nail is still visible underneath. They have a lovely squishy effect and are super glossy. I originally put on Calypso's pink sister "Cosmo" with long nails and it looked pretty hideous with the amount of VNL but after chopping them down I think it looks much nicer.

I used 2 coats here and it looked fine- 3 seemed pointless as it is meant to be a jelly. I got about 3 days wear before any tip wear appeared which is about normal for me. Overall a pretty shade which I think will be lovely for pedicures and on short manis.

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector 02 Apricot Shimmer Swatch & Review

I know this is one of those products that has been around for a long time and it doesn't look all that special- bare with me for a bit. It's very easy to get caught up in the limited edition, million and one collections that get pumped out every season so sometimes it's nice to get back to the basics. The tried and tested formulas that stand the test of time if you will, and this is one such item. The Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in 02 Apricot Shimmer is a pale, milky peach balm-like gloss which hydrates your lips and smells divine.

It gives a slight hint of colour and doesn't settle into lip lines, it's a no brainer sort of gloss that you can just pop on without a mirror and looks great with all sorts of make up. My only gripe with this product is the applicator- it's sort of a sponge that the product squeezes through, not that hygienic! Apart from that you get a lot for your money- 12ml so you won't run out any time soon. I find this lasts about 3 hours on me, by which time my lips feel nice and hydrated. It's not particularly sticky or tacky either.

Swatches...

Clarins Apricot Shimmer (daylight)

Clarins Apricot Shimmer (flash)

Elemis Frangipani Monoi Body Oil Review

This is one of my all time favourite body products. It's the Elemis Frangipani Monoi Body Oil but you can also use it on hair and nails so is a lovely multi purpose product. It smells divine, very tropical- like coconuts, frangipani and gardenia flowers. It is a lightweight, clear oil that melts into the skin very quickly without leaving a sticky residue, I like to rub this onto my cuticles and through my hair to tame any flyaways. You can also use it as a hair treatment for 15 minutes pre shampooing.

Of course the main purpose of this is as a nourishing body oil which is best used after bathing when your skin is still a bit damp, concentrating on any dry patches like knees or elbows. The scent isn't so strong that it interferes with any perfume you might be wearing, it just gives a background sweetness which I love.  You only get a relatively small bottle (100ml) but a little goes a long way with this,  it's one of my favorite products to take on holiday with me if I know I'll be in sea water or in the pool a lot and I want to keep my skin in tip top condition.

I purchased mine from hqhair.com

Guerlain by Emilio Pucci Khol in 02 Blu Acqua Swatch and Review

I couldn't resist picking up another item from the Pucci Guerlain collection in addition to the Meteorites and Terra Azzurra. This time I chose the uber pretty Blu Acqua Khol Kajal which is a dark indigo blue with strong purple tones and a subtle blue shimmer ( but I can't really see the shimmer when swatched/worn). I find this pulls a lot more purple when on the skin compared to in the tube, which is actually fine as I think it's a lovely shade. You can use it as a liner or as a base for eyeshadows as it blends incredibly well.

The product itself is very soft and smooth- no tugging on the eye whatsoever, however you do pay for the creaminess with longevity- I get approx 6 hours wear before it needs reapplying. Having said that I did test this in a hot climate (35 degrees +) so most products would struggle in these conditions, you might find it lasts longer depending on where you live. The packaging is very chic- a deep brown twist up tube which is tapered so you don't have to sharpen (I haven't used it for long enough to need sharpening yet so I'm still undecided whether it works or not) and brightly coloured ribbons to decorate.

 Swatches...

Guerlain Blu Acqua (daylight)

Guerlain Blu Acqua (flash)

Dior Rose Bikini Ultra Gloss 664 Swatch & Review (Summer Mix Collection)

So Dior have released another collection for the summer called "Summer Mix". This time it is 4 bright jelly nail polishes and 4 candy coloured lip glosses. The first of my purchases is the bright pink gloss called Rose Bikini 664 which is a pretty watermelon shade with a creme finish and no shimmer. I would say it was semi opaque- you get a good dose of colour but is definitely not full coverage. This is a lovely summer shade which is nice and low maintenance.

 I don't find Dior glosses particularly sticky or tacky, this shade held up for a good 3 hours before fading away- although the glossiness had worn down by about 2 hours. These glosses are non drying so my lips were still pretty hydrated after wearing them. I also couldn't detect any particular scent or taste. Overall a thumbs up for this one, great for summer (if not that unique) so if you're in the market for a new pink gloss it might be worth checking out.

Swatches...

Dior Rose Bikini (daylight)

Dior Rose Bikini (flash)

Dior Beautifying Protective Suncare (Face) SPF15 Review

Not long after I reviewed the body version of this, I took the plunge and invested in the facial SPF 15. It has the same gorgeous tiare/gardenia scent and has a slight illuminating effect. I use this as both a moisturiser and sun protection (unless you have very dry skin this will do for both), it does leave a slight white tint to the face so it's probably wise not to use this one if you think you might be photographed but in real life it's unnoticeable.

I have sensitive skin and so far I haven't experienced any redness or break outs with this product, it doesn't feel greasy as some can but it is also not a matte finish- so you may need to powder if you have oily skin. It comes in a 50ml squeezy tube which is great for traveling, I think for when I'm on the beach I'll be purchasing the SPF 30 as well. Overall I'm really happy with both my purchases from the Dior Sun Range.

Clarins Crystal Coral Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Balm Swatch & Review

Clarins Crystal Coral (03) Instant Smooth Lip Balm is a duo style lip product with a clear balm wrapped around a bright reddish orange core. Once mixed together you get a pretty pigmented orange shade and a slight sheen. I find with these type of lipsticks it's essential to use with a mirror- this is by no means an easy lip balm you can just throw on. Because the centre is virtually opaque in coverage you really have to work to get it all the way to the edges otherwise you end up with no color on the outside of the lips. I got about 2-3 hours wear from this before the balm had faded away but it did leave a pretty stain behind.

 As far as I remember Clarins released these a few years ago but they were clear all the way through and were incredibly popular- I loved them for one! I'm not sure where the new ones fit in- I don't find them hugely hydrating (but they are not drying) and they can be a pain to apply. It's also a bit of a shame that they don't have more of a glossy finish, I would classify them as semi matte which is fine in itself but the name "crystal" makes me think of a shiny product if that makes sense.

Swatches...

Clarins Crystal Coral (daylight)

Clarins Crystal Coral (flash)

Bobbi Brown Miami Shimmer Cheek Glow Swatch & Review

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Cheek Glow in 2 Miami is a pale, warm, pink with silvery shimmer and lilac sparkles. It's part of the Miami Collection and is a gel-powder hybrid, although I find this much wetter to the touch than say the Estee Lauder Powder Gelee or Mac Extra Dimension versions. It is also not hugely pigmented so you really have to build to get some color or shine- you definitely get nothing like what the pan suggests. The major problem I have with this one is that it does have glitter particles - which are by no means huge but you can see them on the skin so this isn't a classic illuminator.

I think wear time will vary quite a lot with this one depending on your skin type- I got about 7 hours before it faded at the edges. I just applied on the very top of the cheek bones to avoid drawing attention to any blemishes or enlarged pores which is a possibility with this one. I think this can be a fun or novelty product, say for a party or so on, but if you're after a natural highlighter this might not be for you.

I've tried this with both finger application or with brushes, personally I prefer a synthetic brush as it is more hygienic and also the product clings to the fingers so to get it to transfer onto the face is a bit of a pain. Packaging is in a (slightly slimmer) Shimmer Brick style black plastic compact with a mirror under the lid.

Swatches...

Bobbi Brown Miami Heavily Swatched (daylight)

Bobbi Brown Miami Heavily Swatched (flash)

Chanel Distraction (549) Le Vernis Nail Polish Swatch & Review (Roses Ultimes)

This was my last purchase from the Roses Ultimes from Chanel. 549 Distraction is a creamy pinky-coral with fuchsia shimmer. It has pretty good coverage, I used 2 coats here for a totally opaque finish. In the bottle you can see a very pretty but subtle pink shimmer, although sadly this does not translate on to the nails (or at least I couldn't see it unless it was in full sun and I was squinting to see it). It has a glossy sheen so you can skip top coat if you really needed to. I typically get about 3-4 days out of Chanel nail polishes before I start to see any tip wear.

Overall this is a pretty shade and would make a lovely spring manicure, but it isn't my favorite by a long way. Both Miami Peach and Orange Fizz are similar enough not to warrant owning all three (unless you really want to!) and there seem to be a lot of these sort of shades on the market right now.

Chanel Distraction (flash)

Close up!

Sisley Express Flower Gel Mask Review

Possibly one of the most raved about products from Sisley is the Express Flower Gel Mask, it has won many awards over the years and you will generally find it lurking in many Make Up Artists kit bags to use on jet-lagged models in between shows. It suits all skin types and the texture is light and gel like- it comes out off white but dries clear. It sinks into the skin very quickly but doesn't feel heavy or as if it is going to clog pores but at the same time it's lovely and hydrating.

According to the instructions, you should apply on to perfectly cleansed skin and after 3 minutes wipe any excess off with a tissue (i.e don't rinse). I personally like to use this after my Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant so it penetrates into the skin better, or if my skin is feeling particularly dehydrated then I would leave it on overnight. By the time I take it off (even if it is just 3 minutes) my skin feels soft and toned- I can't comment on its firming or anti aging abilities as those aren't my problem areas yet but a lot of people swear by it.

There's no getting away from the fact that it is Sisley and so it is expensive, I think it is currently £72.50 in the UK or about 100 euros in Spain. Also, you do get quite a small amount of product- just 60ml so just over half what most brands would give you. Having said all that, is it worth it? Well, in my personal opinion, I love it! It is very hard to find a hydrating mask for oily/combination skins that isn't greasy or one that doesn't cause the redness in sensitive skin to flare up and this one fits the bill perfectly. I would however always advise that you go along to a counter and pick up a sample before investing in any sort of skincare product.

Chanel Holiday Le Vernis Nail Polish Swatch & Review (Summertime De Chanel)

Part of Chanel's Summer Collection is this beautiful bright redish-tangerine nail polish called 617 Holiday. It's very saturated in color so you only need 1 or 2 coats ( I used two here) and it has a glossy finish so you don't need top coat. It goes on smooth and opaque, not too thin or thick and lasts on me about 3-4 days before I get any tip wear. This makes a lovely change from a standard red or orange nail polish and no doubt will inspire many copies, I can see myself getting a lot of use from this one over the summer (it looks great on toes paired with Mac's Sail La Vie Lipstick and Chanel Delight on hands). Overall I highly recommend this one!