Smashbox Halo Long Wear Blush- Peachy Dream

A few weeks ago I was invited along to a mini photoshoot with Smashbox and Bumble & Bumble and whilst it was fantastic to be pampered and made over to perfection before being put in front of a camera, my main concern was of course, rummaging through the make up artists kit to see the new products that Smashbox have to offer.

I was really pleased when the make up artist recommended products and shades to me that I would personally pick out of the collections anyway, and when she chose to use the latest Smashbox Mineral Halo Long W ear Blush in Peachy Dream* on me, as you can probably imagine I was super happy. Now, I describe many beautiful Peach products as a Peachy Dream, and with it being titled that, I'm pleased to confirm there is no false description as it really is a pretty spectacular shade.

Peachy Dream is a beautiful Coral that can be used on the cheeks as subtle or as intense as you wish, due to its amazingly pigmented yet blendable formula. It's pretty pigmented, so you do have to be careful with how much product you apply, but as pigmented as it is, it does blend out beautifully, making a more subtle look completely accessible. 

I personally prefer a more low key look, so I try my best to apply a tiny amount of product to my brush, tap off the excess and apply as lightly as possible, being sure to blend it out well to avoid an overly done, Noddy like look.

Transferred onto the skin, Peachy Dream is such a brightening, pretty shade and as far as Coral blushes go, this is currently one of my top.

This blush comes in a mineral form and works with a little grinder and twist function, which pushes product up into the pan. I'm normally all for a gimmick and although I was hoping it would be more convenient, I don't really love the style of packaging. I personally find mineral products to be pretty messy anyway, and with this, I always end up with more product than necessary which then gets left in the pan and transfers onto the mirror and when I open the compact the next time, I end up covered in Peachy Dream powder.

As much as I do find this Smashbox Halo Long Wear Blush is a little messy, the colour is absolutely beautiful and I love that it stays around a fair while on my cheeks, keeping my them pretty and glowing.

Available in four shades, this blush costs £23 and is available to buy as of the 3rd April 3013, at Smashbox counters, Boots and online.

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MAC Harmony

Contouring is probably my favourite part of my make up routine and has been now for quite a while. Ever since I learnt of the beauty that is sculpting your face and creating cheekbones I have been sold and have been on a continuous search for the best products to use.

I have found a handful of matte finish bronzers along the way that I find work absolutely beautifully but  currently find my MAC Powder Blush in Harmony to work the best for me.

I hadn't ever really heard anything about it but picked it up on a little bit of a whim after overhearing a lady in MAC talking to another customer about it.
It's a powder blush as opposed to a bronzer, which is what I would usually go for and is described by MAC as a "Muted Rose-Beige Brown". As much as the description works for me, I would have maybe been put off by the fact that it is is described as Rose toned, previously to trying it. I personally find it difficult to see much of a Rose tone at all, so find that their description is perfect in that it is extremely muted.

Applied with my MAC 168 or my Real Techniques Contour Brush, I pop this just below my cheekbones in the hollow, underneath my chin and along my jawline daily. If I fancy going all out for a much more sculpted look, I also apply it to my temple area and to either side of my nose and find it helps me to create a chiselled and slim looking face perfectly.

I really love this product and personally don't see myself needing to replace with anything else, anytime soon.  

MAC Harmony costs £17.50 and is available to buy online and at MAC stores and counters.

What is your go to contour product? Are you a cream or a powder girl?

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Lancome Rouge In Love- Rose Thé

Being as into lipsticks as I am, it's quite shocking that I seem to have missed out on Lancome lipsticks up until now, which is very sad because the quality, formula and shades of the ones I have tried recently are beautiful and had I known how great they were before now, probably would have had a few more little gems within my collection.

My latest addition my lipstick collection is Rose Thé from Lancomes Rouge In Love range, which currently consists of 24 shades. Rose Thé* is a darker toned nude with a Rose tint that of course, being a nude, I am a fan of. It is a little darker than I usually go for, which I don't find the swatch is picking up very well and think maybe in real life it's a lot more rich and Rose toned than it seems to have appeared, which I often find can be a bit too mature on me. Though it's not an everyday go to Nude for me, worn with the right make up I do find it to be really pretty and complimentary.

The formula is super creamy and pigmented, making application a dream and on the lips feels very comfortable. Lancome describe their Rouge In Love collection to be long lasting with up to 6 hours wear which I find a reasonable statement. This definitely doesn't last on my lips a whole six hours, but after blotting and a second application, I find the colour to sit well on my lips a good fair while before fading off nicely, rather than drying.

Although I must admit I wasn't too sure on it at first, I think the contrast of the shiny and matte Silver packaging on the tube is really pretty. A feature that I really do love is the small and compact design of the tube. It isn't in the slightest bit clumpy or oversized, which I find so many lipsticks to be at the moment.

Lancomes Rose Thé costs £21 and is available online and at Lancome counters in Debenhams, House of Fraser, Boots and Selfridges.   

What do you think of this shade? Do you prefer a fresh light Nude or darker "your lips but better" shade?

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Bobbi Brown Pretty Powerful Campaign

Tomorrow, 8th March is International Womens Day and this year it's the day that kicks off the third part of Bobbi Browns global charity initiative- The Pretty Powerful Campaign for Women & Girls.  

"Pretty Powerful symbolises my belief that all women are pretty, and with the right tools, are empowered to a higher level of pretty- it's about being confident and about being who you are," says Bobbi Brown. "It's this philosophy that fuels the campaign and motivates me every day to do all I can to empower women and girls."

As of tomorrow, in both the UK and the US, Bobbi Browns Pot Rouge will be available in a special Pink 'Pretty Powerful' edition and all sales will support organisations and charities that help women and girls alike, with the confidence and resources to be their best, such as the UKs Dress for Success, which is an international non-profit organisation that Bobbi Brown has worked with in the past that works to promote independence for all women through career development and job retention.

The Campaign for Women & Girls was inspired by Bobbi's beautiful book, similarly named Pretty Powerful, which I'm sure will be as popular as Bobbi's previous cult make up books as it contains close to 300 pages of beautiful photos, wonderful tips and tricks, personal stories and transformations of women of all ages from all over the world, including journalists, mums, bloggers, entrepreneurs and survivors. 

The special edition Pretty Powerful Pot Rouge, is a beautiful Pink shade that is multi-use in that it can be used on both the lips and the cheeks to create a pretty, fresh look. Designed with the eye-catching signature logo on the packaging, it's a lovely mirrored compact that would make a great addition to any make up bag, whilst supporting a great cause.

In the UK, the Pretty Powerful Pot Rouge will be available to buy as of tomorrow (8th March 2013) from all Bobbi Brown Studios and select counters costing £18 with the full cost minus VAT going to Dress For Success, whilst Bobbi Brown Pretty Powerful Beauty Stories is available now and costs £15.99.

If you have a Pretty Powerful Beauty Story, you can share it over on their Facebook page, where images, stories and transformations from the campaign are also available.

What do you think of Bobbi Browns Pretty Powerful Campaign? Is it something that appeals to you?

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Clarins Summer Splendours Collection Launch

Last night I was invited down to the very fancy Morton's Club in Berkley Square to attend a rather lovely Clarins even where they were showcasing some of their new products. We were given a sneak peek at this years Limited Edition Summer Collection as well a couple of other exciting launches and I'm pleased to say there are some absolutely beautiful products that will be appearing in stores ready for Summer.

In my previous post, I touched on how much I really like Clarins products, especially their limited edition pieces and of course, this years Summer make up collection, Splendours, has not let my claim down as the product selection and the perfect details inspired by the Ancient Ruins of South America are an absolute delight.

Splendours is made up of a combination of different tones and with all of the eye catching details and exotic shades running throughout them, there is no surprise that the room was full of beauty bloggers with a cheeky themed cocktail in hand cooing over the beautifully put together products.

A Summer Bronzing Compact embossed with incredible detail is at the forefront of the collection and has three beautifully rich shades running throughout a very generously sized pan to give you a perfectly balanced bronzed glow. It's probably my favourite piece of the collection, though not far behind is the Colour Quartet & Eye Liner Palette, which is made of three beautiful neutral Golden shades as well as a Plum and Brown eyeliner to add a sophisticated finish the endless looks that could be created. Again, the packaging is designed beautifully following the Ancient Ruin theme with the collections motifs embossed to perfection into the shades and casing.  

No collection is complete for me, without the addition of some new lip products and Clarins have produced some wonders, in the form of six new shades over two new products. 

Firstly, the intense Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Gels which are available in Crystal Pink and Crystal Plum offer a smooth, non-sticky texture that add a beautiful transparent pigmented gloss to your lips. They home a pretty addictive sweet scent and are slightly reminiscent to me of a sweet childhood jelly. The second lip product to finish the collection, which is home to four shades, is the Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Balms, which in the form of a standard lipstick, are unlike anything I've used before. With transparent neon coloured balms taking up majority of the product, a beautiful pigment is provided with the narrow lipstick that runs through the centre. The balm, though slightly deceiving of the shade, helps to spread the product smoothly and leaves your lips feeling super moisturised with the use of the hydrating balm. Though I wasn't sure on first impressions, because of the Neon pops of colour, the colour on the lips doesn't isn't at all reminiscent of them and I am really impressed with the formula and the concept. I'm sporting 06 Crystal Mandarin* today and can already see it being such a winner in the Summer. 

I'm going to be reviewing some of these products in the coming weeks before the official launch, so do keep your eyes peeled for my thoughts on what I believe is going to be a fantastic Summer collection.

The Summer Splendours Collection will be available online and at Clarins counters in April.

Do you like the look of this collection? Do any of the products stand out to you?

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Clarins Palette Eclat Face & Blush Powder

This Clarins Face & Blush Powder* is apart of the Clarins limited edition SS13 collection and has been at the front of my make up drawers for the past couple of months as my go-to product for a flush of subtle colour and to finish any shinier areas of my foundation. 

Though I do use the natural, flesh toned shade quite often with a small powder brush to set small areas of foundation or concealer, I find that I have been using this powder the majority of the time for the beautiful areas of Pink and Peach toned blush, which I swirl a brush over to add a hint of colour to my cheeks. Mixed together, the three shades create such a lovely subtle tone, with the prettiness of the Pink and Peach creating the perfect finish for my make up.

The sleek Gold packaging that holds this mirrored Clarins powder is beautiful and homed alone or in its luxurious Red pouch, is a dream. The beautiful embossed flower detail on the powder further adds to its luxurious finish and makes it a very fancy compact to pull out from your make up bag.

At the moment, I'm finding all Clarins products to be so beautiful, especially those in the limited edition collections and if you fancy treating yourself by adding a special little something into your make up bag, then I really recommend a product like this.

This Clarins Palette Eclat Face & Blush Powder costs £30 and is available online and at Clarins counters.

What do you think of this product? Do you like multi-use palettes or would you prefer a blush and a powder?

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Laura Mercier Créme Smooth Lip Colour in Mango

Laura Mercier is a brand that I am growing ever more in love with and after experimenting with a few of their products over the last year, I would put them towards the top of my favourite make up brands list.

Though lipsticks are the first product I usually go for, surprisingly, it has taken me until now to try one and fortunately, with a shade that is quite different to others I have and one that will be perfect for Spring/Summer.

This Laura Mercier Créme Smooth Lip Colour in Mango* is a dream to work with and aptly named, applies to the lips perfectly smooth and trouble free. Though I wouldn't say it's necessarily as bright as how it comes across in the swatch and is slightly more muted, it is still a fresh and vibrant shade that I can only describe as a creamy mix of Coral and Pink Red tones. The pigmentation is incredible and in the swatch pictured above is in fact just one quick sweep of colour, which shows how brilliant the pigmentation and how well the lipstick applies.

Included in the formula is Pure Olive Oil and Vitamin E, which work to keep the lips nourished and smooth and it works a treat. My lips don't feel too dry after wearing this for a long time, which is especially nice with this kind of shade.

I read somewhere that these aim to be super long wearing and free of bleeding and sitting in lines and although the colour does last a fair few hours on my lips before any need of attention, the colour does unfortunately bleed on me a little, although no more than any other Red or brighter toned lip.

I really like this lipstick formula and am keen to try Arabesque, which is a Pink Nude that has been released into their Spring Summer 2013 collection.

    Laura Mercier Créme Smooth Lip Colour lipsticks cost £20 and are available online and at Laura Mercier counters in Liberty, Space NK and Selfridges.

What do you think of this shade?

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Chanel Rouge Coco Chintz

Before caving in and buying this Chanel Rouge Coco lipstick, I had been recommended it a fair few times from fellow lipstick lovers that knew of my ever-growing passion for a pretty Nude. Why I didn't purchase this before is absolutely beyond me, because since adding it into my collection I have not stopped wearing it.

Chanel Chintz is an extremely wearable Nude with a very pretty Rose Peach tone running through it which I love. With one sweep it isn't the most opaque of shades in my collection, but it applies beautifully to the lips and is actually quite buildable making it suitable for whichever look you're going for. 

As well as not being as opaque as I normally like, as I find myself saying so often, because it's quite moisturising on the lips, I don't find it sticks around for as long as I would like. However, the colour pay off this has on the lips along with the classy Black and Gold Chanel packaging makes this an incredible product in my opinion and with it being so wearable and soft looking on the lips, it is a go-to for me no matter how often I find myself needing to re-apply it.

Chanel Rouge Coco lipsticks cost £24 and are available at Chanel counters in House of Fraser, Selfridges, Debenhams and Boots.

  

Do you like this shade? Do you have any Chanel Coco Rouge lipsticks?

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Look Beauty Lip Liner in Tangerine Cream

 I love a Coral Peachy Pink toned lipstick, but unfortunately I find it incredibly hard to find a suitable lip liner to match the majority of the shades that I own.
Fortunately, I don't really rely on a lip liner too much, unless I'm wearing a Red lip, so it doesn't matter too much, but it is nice to have a suitable match within my collection, just incase. 

When I was browsing the aisles of Superdrug recently, I came across this Look Beauty Lip Liner in Tangerine Cream and whilst I was very pleasantly surprised with their whole range of shades, this one stood out to me and I added it into my basket without any hesitation.

The shade actually reminds me very much of Topshop Coy, which is one of my favourites. A bright, fresh Peachy Pink tone that I personally find really complimentary with my skin tone.

 This is a lip liner and therefore isn't meant to be worn alone all over the lips (Tangerine Cream is also available in a lipstick), but I think paired with a similar shade of lipstick or even underneath a balm it is really pretty. As you can see from the swatch above, worn alone, it really is just too dry and feels incredibly uncomfortable on the lips but I do think dabbed out with a bit of gloss or lipstick it is very lovely.

Another from the range that I want to get my hands on is Toffee Cup. I remember it being a lovely Nude and very similar to MAC In Synch, but it seems to be sold out in all Superdrug stores that I have tried.

I picked up this little wonder on special offer for £2, but regularly this costs £4 and is available online and in Superdrug. 

What do you think of Look Beauty? Do you often find it hard to find pretty shades of lip liners?

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