My Sunglasses Collection

Hi everyone,
I thought I would share with you some snaps of my sunglasses collection, it's a slightly modest collection but I feel really happy with all of them and feel like I have a good variety - cat eye, round frame, aviators and wayfarer.
All of my glasses are budget/high street buys. I've yet to drop some cash on an expensive pair, I think it would take a really classic, to-die-for pair to change that.
There are so many cool, interesting styles in the high street stores these days I don't actually think you necessarily need to splash the cash on designer glasses, for the price of some of these glasses you could buy a different pair for every outfit you own!

L-R; Cat eye glasses from H&M a couple of years ago, New look round frame glasses similar here.

L- R; black aviators from primark, Mirrored aviators from H&M similar ones here.

Wayfarers from New Look couple of years ago.

My top 10 from 2014

 Happy new year! I thought for my 1st post of the new year I would do a little round up of 10 things I have loved over the last year. 

I love these types of blog posts and videos as I love seeing what people actually use IRL - don't get me wrong, I love a good haul but it's also nice to see what actually makes the cut isn't it?

So here they are 10 of my favourites from the 2014...

First up is make up, in 2014 it would seem that I became slightly obsessed with MAC as my 3 favourite products are all from there. 

 The first is a lovely mineralize blush in the colour Dainty. This has been my bush of choice almost every day since I bought it back in early spring and being a self confessed blush horder that is high praise indeed. Dainty is a beautiful yellow toned pink with soft gold shimmer running through giving you that perfect suble glow to the cheeks, I have been using this with my ELF blush brush and loving the results.

When It comes to eye shadow I haven't looked much further than my MAC quad in recent months I have been loving the rusty orange/pink tones on my eyes and so its no wonder my first two MAC shadow purchases were a rusty bronze brown and a plum-pink! Antiqued and Cranberry have been my go to eye looks recently, they're both really bold colours and are both really good 'slap-on-and-go' colors, all they need is a little bit of blending round the edges and you look like you have put loads of effort into your look. Cranberry is a gorgeous red toned pink that looks amazing against blue and green eyes- wearing this on its own gives you that really cool heroin chic/ lived in make up look and Antiqued is a beautiful bronzey brown again great on my blue eyes, I find it can add dimension to your standard brown smokey eye.

As a side note I am also really enjoying my third MAC eye shadow 'Brun' a muted black brown - I use this in my brows and its just the perfect colour for my dark ashy coloured brows. Would definitely recommend for all darker haired girls!  

My final make up favourite has to be my best discovery of the year by far (along with every other beauty addicts favourite discovery I'm sure) and that discovery is MAC's Velvet Teddy lipstick. There has been SO much hype around this product for months now and whether or not this was the lipstick worn by that Kardashian/Jenner sister who I will not be naming on my blog (anyone else totally sick of that description for nude lipsticks?!) All that aside this lipstick deserves all the hype, its a really flattering beige nude that is completely matte on the lips. Despite being a massive bold lip kinda girl in the past I just find this so easy to wear and have probably worn this every single day since I bought it back in the autumn. 

Next up is a perfume, my favourite perfume in fact - Alien by Thierry Mugler. I always find myself buying a bottle of this around autumn/winter time it's a gorgeous warming, oriental floral scent that just makes me feel so happy and comforted whenever I smell it. I won't ramble on too much about this one as I am going to dedicate a post to it in the near future!

Nails are not something I am that into, I'll be honest it's something that seems more of a chore than a pampering experience in my opinion but since buying the Seche Vite topcoat it has made the process a lot more enjoyable. Not the most exciting purchase in the world but I've always heard really good things about this topcoat and so I decided to get it. It dries really fast and keeps my nails looking shiny and chip free. Simple!

I had two standout skincare faves last year the first is the No7 hot cloth cleanser - this is so nice to use it takes all my makeup off and leaves my skin feeling super clean and it doesn't give me any spots, which is a bonus. I have used a couple of different hot cloth cleansers in the past including the Liz Earle one and I find this one just as good if not better and it is a lot cheaper. 

The second skincare standout is the la roche posay effaclar duo, I still have no idea what you would call this stuff, it's a sort of hybrid between a moisturiser/ serum and a spot treatment but I do know that I love the effect it has on my skin, whenever it feels inflamed or spotty I apply this and it just seems to calm everything down. The only thing I would say is that I always need to scrub this off in the morning before applying makeup because it can leave a weird film sometimes on my skin.

My next favourite is a fashion one, I love fashion and have way too many favourite items of clothing to mention in one blog post so I decided to pick one item that I have worn the most since I bought it and I finally chose this Pull and Bear leather jacket, I love everything about this, the texture the style and of course the shearling collar, the jacket is made of quite thick material which is perfect for this weather but I don't think its something I can transition into the warmer months. It's just the perfect jacket and goes with everything from dresses to jeans. I will mention that I had to size up with this item if you're interested in this jacket be aware the sizing runs quite small I have this in a large when I would usually choose a medium.

Random favourites - 

Favorite TV show of 2014:

Even though I only got into it towards the end of the year my ultimate favourite TV show of the year (possibly of all time) has to be Once Upon A Time. I found this on US Netflix and it is amazing, the premise is slightly cheesy and the 1st couple of episodes are questionable but if you can get over that the show is a winner for me, the story line is great and there are so many twists and turns to keep you hooked. I was obsessed with this show and watched all 3 seasons (and all of 4 so far) in less than a month and it has nothing to do with Colin O'donoghue. Nope. Not at all. Honest.

Favourite Album of 2014: 

A rediscovery for me this year I have been loving City and Colours album 'Sometimes' from way way back in the day, I used to listen to this album back when I was about 16 in college and it brings back so many lovely, nostalgic memories of that time in my life. A couple favourites of mine are 'Hello, I'm in Delaware' and 'Save Your Scissors'.

And that's it, Folks! Hope you all had a lovely Christmas and new year and here is to a healthy and happy 2015 <3

Review // Sleek blush by 3 - Pink Lemonade

Sleek blush by 3 in Pink Lemonade £9.99 (Link)

I'm a sucker for a pretty pink blush, so a cute set containing three pretty pink blushes was bound to catch my eye. Sleek blush by 3 in Pink lemonade has been in my possession for a good few months now but it has never really made it's way into my everyday routine but however I've been pulling it out lately and really loving the results!
  I've been a  fan of sleek for a couple of years now every product I've tried from them I have been really impressed with. My two stand out products have to be their shadows and blushes - the colours and pigmentation are some of the best on the high street and their prices are unbeatable for the quality of products in my opinion.
Pink Lemonade is a trio of pink hued blushes - two powder and one cream offering the first being Pink mint, my personal favourite in the palette, a soft baby pink with a golden shimmer that gives a beautiful highlighting glow to the cheeks - perfect for when your skin is looking a little more lackluster than usual.
Macaroon is a mid toned cream blush, I have to say I don't really use cream blushes, I find them quite difficult to work with and much more of a 'faf' to apply when compared to powder blush, nevertheless Macaroon is a pretty colour - a lot rosier in comparison with the other two in the palette and the consistency is really creamy and sets like a powder if you like cream blush this one is a really nice one!
Icing sugar is the more coral of the 3 colours, like pink mint there is a golden shimmer running through this blush giving that beautiful glow to the skin - I think this colour would look gorgeous with a tan, like the rest of the blushes Icing sugar is very pigmented, for everyday I like to layer this on top of pink mint for a hint of colour without going overboard.
I am really enjoying using this palette at the moment, I would recommend this to any blush lover like myself and I will be definitely checking more of these Sleek palettes out in the future!

Quick review // Clinique chubby stick with Glamour magazine

Clinique Chubby Stick - £17.00

Like a lot of people, I am a sucker for a magazine freebie, the good ones don't come around as often as I like but when they do I will always try to snap them up. Recently I saw a few people buzzing about the current offerings from Glamour magazine, I decided to head over to my local co-op and pick up a copy. There were 3 different products to choose from all from Clinique I opted for the chubby stick - the colour looked pretty and I've actually wanted to try one for a long time. The product itself is of course a sample size but you do get a decent amount of product for the £2 price tag of the magazine.

The colour I got was 06 woppin' watermelon - love the name, not too fussed on the product. The first thing I noticed when first applying this was that it was unscented, slightly disappointing - I know that Clinique are known for their non scented products but for my lipsticks I do like a nice smell. The product itself is comfortable on the lips they're smooth and not at all sticky, the colour  is a pretty mid toned pink which is quite glossy however, there isn't a lot of colour payoff it's more of a lip balm in my opinion.

 Unfortunately I don't actually like the colour and I don't find glossy lips very flattering on me so I probably won't be wearing this a lot.

 All in all I am happy to have got this for free and I will probably use it up at some point but I do not think I would repurchase this particular colour, If I were to find a darker colour like voluptuous violet I could possibly be tempted but at £17 I don't think they are worth the price tag and you can find plenty of comparable lip sticks in boots for a fraction of the price.

Current favourite scents

Dolce & Gabbana pour femme 50ml: £61.50 (Link)
Michael Kors sexy Amber 30ml: £37.50 (Link)
The body shop Madagascan vanilla flower fragrance mist: £7.50 (Link)

Hey guys!

When it comes to beauty if  there is one thing that excites me most - it is fragrance, I think its just that little bit more luxurious than spending money on make up. For a long time I would just stick to a few firm favourites and never try anything new, I can't tell you how many bottles of Marc Jacobs Daisy or Chloe, I've been through over the years. It was only after I started working on a perfume counter and had unlimited access to pretty much every fragrance on the market that I started to discover new some new favourites. I've rounded up my top 3 fragrances of the moment and why I am loving them.

Dolce and Gabbana are on top of their game when it comes to fashion but they also have some of the most popular fragrances on the market at the moment, one being 'pour femme'. The original pour femme fragrance was the first from the brand launched in 1992 and re promoted in 2012 in new packaging and with a slightly new scent, with top notes of tangerine, raspberry and neroli, middle notes include jasmine and orange blossom all resting over the base notes of marshmallow, sandalwood and vanilla. The scent, as you may be able to guess, is quite sweet while still being floral - I am not usually a fan of overly sweet or floral scents, I find them quite sickly and overpowering, this scent however is neither. I would say it is quite age universal not too young or too mature, it is the perfect smell for someone like me who enjoys feminine, sexy scents that are easy to wear and appropriate for everyday and evening. I always purchase the eau de parfum versions of perfumes, it is always worth paying a little bit more for the extra wear time. This particular perfume has a really good lasting power in my opinion it can last anywhere between 4-8+ hours on me. 

Michael kors sexy Amber is part of the Michael Kors collection, before starting work at the counter I didn't actually realise Michael Kors had their own fragrance collection, they are a relatively new release (2013) but I just don't think there has been enough advertisement for them meaning they were always pushed to the bottom of the counters where the other not so popular fragrances went. I discovered this perfume on one of my quests for something to wear on shift and fell in love, with notes of amber, white flowers and sandelwood, sexy amber is a warming, deep, woody fragrance that is a lot more mature than anything else I have, but definitely not verging on 'old lady' mature. I find the wear time to be really good for this particular perfume, again I have the eau de parfum version so and find that I can smell it on my clothes days after I have worn it.  The packaging is really nice and looks sophisticated on my dressing table, it is also the same packaging as Michael Kors makeup collection with corresponds with the names of the scents in this collection. 

This little guy from The Body Shop is the newest addition to my fragrance collection, I have always loved The Body Shop for there perfumes I have spoke here before about my love for the white musk perfume - one of my all time faves. There are tons and tons of perfumes to choose from in this collection but being a huge vanilla fan I went for this one and I absolutely love it I don't know what It is that I like so much but the smell is a perfect mixture of sweet and floral but not overpowering either way, however, if you aren't a fan of vanilla I would recommend you steer clear of this one as  . A negative for me would be the wear time for this perfume isn't great, it is marketed as a fragrance mist because of this they don't last very long at all once you spray the smell has usually all but disappeared within about an hour, because of this I usually chuck it in my handbag and use it to freshen up on the go the packaging is quite bulky so that can be annoying but this problem is easily solved with a travelo.

Do you have any perfume reccomedations for me, let me know I always like to try new things!

FOTD & Mac Candy yum yum mini review

Benefit the porefessional primer 

NARS pure radiant tinted moisturizer 

MAC studio finish concealer NW15 (under eyes)

Collection lasting perfection concealer 

Maybelline colour tattoo in pink gold for base

Combination of Toasted, Naked and Hustle from Naked palette 

Rimmel khol kajal pencil in pure white for inner corners + brow bone

Sleek storm palette black & brown from brows

NARS Laguna bronzer

NARS Desire Blush 

MAC Soft & Gentle for highlighter

L'Oreal volume million lashes 

MAC Candy yum yum 

A pretty simple look from me today, I have really been loving a good old bold lip of late so I thought I would showcase a fairly new addition to my ever expanding lip product collection - Candy Yum Yum.

Candy Yum Yum, as the name suggests, is a matte, blue toned, bold candy pink, just the right amount of bold without verging into unwearable territory. 

 I think this colour is perfect for the summer months, it's the sort of shade you can slap on with everyday boring makeup and instantly makes you look like you've put in loads of effort - anything that saves me time getting ready is a winner in my book!

I would highly recommend this lipstick to any lip product junkie like myself, but if £15.50(?!?)  for a lipstick is out of the question then I really think you should take a look at the Bourjois rouge edition velvet lipstick in 'pink pong', not quite an exact colour match but the finish is almost identical (Bourjois applies as a liquid, drys matte) and for £8.99 they are practically a steal (sort of).

Pros:

Highly pigmented

Long wearing

Vivid colour

Cons:

Slightly drying on lips 

Can settle into cracks and sticks to dry patches 

Have you tried this lipstick? 

Currently Loving...

Hey guys!

So because I don't get through enough new stuff each month to justify regular monthly favourites posts, I decided I'm going to share with you today a few things that have been tickling my fancy over the past few months.

Hope you enjoy! 

....

Benefit The porefessional primer:

This little guy has been living in the depths of my makeup bag for over 2 years now (yeah, gross, I know) Unused and unloved it wasn't until recently I pulled it out and rediscovered its mattifying wonderfulness! The porefessional does get it's fair share of hype in the beauty community and for good reason, it really is one of  the best primers out there in my opinion. It is oil free and silicone based so feels lovely and silky when applied onto skin, I don't have a massive problem with large pores so I don't know how well it works to minimize them, but I do find that this covers mine up but doesn't clog them up or break me out at all. My foundation applies seamlessly over this primer and I find I don't get as oily throughout the day when I'm wearing this. The only thing that puts me off this primer is the price tag at £24.50 I think it is completely, ridiculously overpriced, yet I will still continue to buy until I find an alternative *sigh*.

Primark aviator sunglasses

A bit of a random favourite this month but I have been loving wearing these aviator glasses, I've never gone for this style before but i'm really pleased with how they look. I love the simplicity of them and how they aren't too chunky or hard to style, they give a really effortlessly chic vibe and make me feel like Mary-Kate Olsen or something. (lol) Despite this pair being a little flimsy they have been well loved and for £2 you can't go wrong!

MAC studio finish concealer NW15:

A new discovery for me, I was on the look out for a  full coverage concealer a while back and after a reading a few reviews I decided on this over pro longwear. At first I found studio finish quite hard to work with and couldn't quite get it to work for me with a brush or with my fingers. After a bit of trial and error I have found this stuff to work best when warmed up and patted on with fingers. The formula is very creamy but this stuff is surprisingly full coverage, I predominantly use this under my eyes as I find it really brightens that area up, doesn't crease and stays put all day.

Maybelline color tattoo in on and on bronze:

Totally a year or so late on the 'on and on bronze' band wagon where have I been?! I really love this colour it's one of those perfect swipe and go products that look like you've made way more effort than you actually have. The colour gives depth to my eyes and really compliments my blue eyes and skin tone but I think it would look pretty on everyone, it is a universally flattering shade in my opinion.

Garnier moisture match for normal to dry skin:

I've been using this moisturiser for a long time now and this is actually my second tube of the stuff and I absolutely love it! I don't have especially dry or oily skin but this just keeps my skin soft and hydrated. There is nothing particularly exciting about this moisturiser, it's basic, it's cheap and gets the job done. Simples.

 MAC mineralize blush in Dainty: 

I'll be honest, I actually hated this blush when I first tried it out and proceeded to push it to the bottom of my makeup bag and continue to use other products. However, not being one to waste money I decided to pull it back out and give it a second chance. Dainty is a yellow toned pink with gold shimmer running through it, I don't find the shimmer in the pan translates on the face but it does give a slight sheen effect which I really like. The colour is really flattering on my fair skin and does a really good job of perking up my complexion and giving me a healthy glow.

Bourjois rouge edition velvet in Pink Pong: 

Oh lord, this has to be my ultimate favourite of the entire year so far! I am a self proclaimed lip product  addict and I will admit I get super excited when I see hype around new lipsticks, so you can imagine how thrilled I was about these bad boys and let me tell you - they do not disappoint. The rouge edition velvet's are liquid lipsticks that set matte on the lips. Super opaque from the first swipe the velvet's feel really smooth and comfortable when first applied (not a sticky lip in sight) they are seriously heavy duty in the staying put department-I can vouch for their longevity, I have worn this lipstick for at least a full day even after food and drink it was still going strong! Pink pong is a really vivid pink colour that looks absolutely stunning on the lips, It is my go to bold lip for nights out and I even wear this in the day if i'm feeling particularly brave. 

Have you tried any of these products?

Top 5 Nail Polishes for summer

Cerise Shine, Blueberry, Orange Blossom, Prickly Pear, Coral Glaze

Models own Cerise shine (Buy)

Barry M Blueberry (Buy)

Revlon Parfumerie Orange blossom (Buy)

Barry M Prickly pear (Buy)

Models own Coral Glaze (Buy)

Models Own Hyper gel in Cherise shine:

I absolutely adore the formula of these polishes they go on opaque after just one coat and can last on the nails without chipping for a good week or so if you are careful. Cerise shine is a lovely bright pink colour that looks super glossy on the nails thanks to the gel formula. 

Barry M Gelly Polish in Blueberry:

A blogger favourite I love these Barry M Gelly polishes the wear time without chipping is the best out of all the gel polishes I have tried, the only thing I don't like about them is that they are a little bit wishy washy when you apply one coat it takes a good two or three for the colour to be opaque and even. Blueberry is a really pretty cornflower blue colour that looks super pretty and glossy on the nails.

Revlon Parfumerie in Orange Blossom:

I LOVE this polish the premise of the line is basically scented nail polish, sounds a bit gimmicky but I thought I would test it out anyway and I really really like them! The colour of this one is a beautiful true orange (my favourite) and the scent is an absolutely delicious fruity orange smell. In all honesty I didn't expect them to be as lovely smelling as they are, just don't be an idiot like me and smell it straight from the bottle because it only starts smelling nice once it dries! Oops!

  Barry M Gelly polish in Prickly Pear:

Again I love this polish and it is probably my most worn out of the 5 I've mentioned however as with Blueberry the formula is quite patchy but you can build it up and it lasts a good amount of time without chipping. The colour is a really beautiful lilac colour that looks lovely and a subtle pop of colour to any outfit.

Models Own Hyper Gel in Coral Glaze:

Coral glaze is, as you would assume from the name, a lovely true coral colour that looks gorgeous with a tan. These polishes are my first from the Models Own brand and after using them I will definitely be buying more!

Nars Desire/Laguna Blush - Bronzer Duo

Nars Desire/ Laguna duo £30.00

One swatch 

Hey everyone!

A couple of months ago I did something bad... Really bad, I checked out the NARS website and made my first ever order... dun dun duun. I have had my eye on the coveted Laguna bronzer for a couple of years now, ever since I got into blogs and YouTube and heard all the hype surrounding it.
I had every intention of buying the full size product when I logged onto the website, until I saw this exclusive blush/ bronzer duo for just a couple of pounds difference, so I figured it could be quite interesting to try out 2 products instead of one and the order was placed!

I have been using this product almost every day since it arrived, at first I was apprehensive Laguna looked too warm and the blush looked too pink, like really, really pink but actually this little product is something special. 

Laguna is described as a defused brown with golden shimmer, I use this product to contour and don't find the shimmer to be transferred onto skin. Laguna isn't overly pigmented, something that did surprise me a little when I first swatched it considering how everyone always raves about it and the general quality of other NARS products, however I have heard that the pigment quality does waver a wee bit when it comes to duos so that is something to be aware of when purchasing this product. Despite this I actually find Laguna really lovely, it is very buildable great for someone with a heavy hand like myself, less room to make mistakes. 

As for the blush, Desire is described as a delicate bright pink, which I would agree with. It is a bright, matte, blue toned pink. I will admit it does look terrifying in the pan, but once applied it creates the nicest natural flush to the cheeks. Unlike Laguna, Desire is a lot more pigmented so I would recommend using sparingly! The two products compliment each other really well and are my current favourite colour combination for summer.

MAC Lipstick Review // Lovelorn

MAC Lovelorn Lipstick - £15.00

If you haven't already guessed, by my recent influx of posts, I have been on a wee bit of a spending spree recently. There are a few legit reasons for this, I promise. wWith my America trip being put on hold until next year and doing my finals at uni I have been trying to cheer myself up a bit and unfortunately that means doing some major damage to my bank balance, oops. 

I've really been getting back into MAC recently after feeling a bit *meh* with it all for a long time, I now find myself scouring there website a couple of times a week and I have made a few sneaky purchases over the past few weeks too! 

One of my latest additions to my MAC lipstick collection is Lovelorn an emotive blue pink. Lovelorn is a lustre finish and applies quite a sheer wash of glossy colour to the lips that can be built up to a really nice muted pink. I have quite pigmented lips and I find that this covers the colour and looks really lovely for everyday use, the overall finish is creamy without being overly glossy and sticky looking. 

This has been my go to everyday lipstick since I bought it, it finishes my makeup perfectly without being too much for work or school.

Urban decay naked 3 palette

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette- RRP £37.00

Four primers included - Original, Eden, Sin & Anti Aging

L-R - Strange, Dust, Burnout, Limit, Buzz, Trick

L-R - Nooner, Liar, Factory, Mugshot, Darkside, Blackheart

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past 6 months you've probably heard about the new Urban Decay Naked 3 palette and all it's shadowy goodness.
I was really in two minds about getting this palette when I first saw it released,  I already own the Naked 1 and use it so much I didn't see the need for another one in my life. That all quickly changed after seeing countless pictures and swatches of the beautiful pinky neutrals this palette has to offer that looked perfect for creating some gorgeous looks, I knew I had to have it!
It's taken me almost 6 months to get my hands on it  but yesterday I spotted the Urban Decay counter in Debenhams I decided to go for it. To my surprise when I got up to the till mentally prepared to be parting with £37.00 the cashier informed me that it was actually reduced by £10 to £27.00! That is £2.25 per eye shadow and the palette came with a free double ended crease and shadow brush and a sample pack of  of Urban Decays best selling primer potions; Eden, Sin, Anti- Aging and the original!
I'm not too sure why I got the discount as there was no mention of it on the product although there was the offer of 10% off when you buy any two beauty products or fragrance from Debenhams so perhaps it had something to do with that? I don't know, either way I am not complaining!
I'm so happy I decided to pick this up when I did and I can already tell I'm going to get a lot of wear out of it!
If you are thinking about getting this palette then definitely get down to Debenhams now to grab yourself a bargain (they're also running the sale online).

MAC Alluring Aquatic Collection// Extra Dimension Bronzing powder

MAC Extra Dimension Bronzer (Delphic) - £24.00

 Ahhhh just look at that packaging <3
I can't believe that in the last couple of years I have been buying from Mac cosmetics I've never got round to purchasing anything from a limited edition collection, I think there is something about the words limited edition that makes you want something even more than usual, the fact it may be gone soon and you may never get your hands on it is a really good way to make people part with there cash faster, I know it works on me!
I was browsing the MAC website last week looking for some new goodies I could get my hands on, since I'm on a bit of a make up binge this month, when I noticed the new summer collection had been released and oh boy, I was excited. Obviously the first thing that peaked my interest in this collection was the stunning packaging, the usual sleek black packaging has been replaced by a beautiful turquoise shell with 3 dimensional water droplets on the exterior, I can't be sure but I think this is the first MAC collection to have 3D packaging and I have to say it is rather impressive! 

There was actually a lot to choose from in the collection which includes a gorgeous array of lipsticks, shadows, bronzers and blushes all reminiscent of colours from the ocean.

I could have bought so much from this collection including both the beautiful extra dimension blushes available which I might have to get my mitts on soon.

 I decided to play it cool and pick up the extra dimension bronzers from the line. there were two to choose from; Aphrodite's shell described as 'a golden bronze with a touch of shimmer' and Delphic 'a soft brick tan with a touch of fine shimmer'. After umming and ahhing for a while I decided to go for Delphic because the swatch on the website looked more suitable for my fair skin. I have to say that the swatches on the website for this collection can be a little hit and miss in my opinion, I have watched a few videos of people swatching other things from the collection since buying this product and have noticed something are noticeably different from the swatch and description on the MAC site, I suppose that is always the downfall with buying online, I would definitely recommend getting to a MAC store or doing a lot of  research before buying online! It is a lot of money to spend on something you are not sure is right for you colouring.

Now onto the product - when I first saw the name of this product I was instantly excited by the 'Extra Dimension' part, I remembered back to the extra dimension skin finishes that were out a while back now, I think that made me wonder if this was going to be like that but in bronzer form, soft and gentle is my favourite bronzy highlighter after all, it sounded perfect!

 I have to say when this arrived on my doorstep I was a little underwhelmed, while the packaging and the design on the product look incredible I don't understand why this is described as extra dimension, while there is a small amount of shimmer in the pan it doesn't really translate on the skin very much and is essentially just a nice albeit, average bronzer. I would say the finish is satin, it is not shimmery but not matte either. While I don't think it would be a good contour colour it's great for adding definition and warmth to the face.

Delphic is quite a dark brown colour and I think in hindsight it could  be considered a little too dark on my fair skin tone. I can get away with this when I'm tanned but I think if you are very pale I would stay away from this shade as it can very easily look a bit orange from looking at other online swatches I think Aphrodite's shell would suit lighter skin and this bronzer would look lovely on darker skin tones.

All in all I do actually really like this bronzer as with the majority of MAC products the quality is excellent and when used with a light hand it does a good job at warming up my face and giving me some definition which is all I can ask from a bronzer. I definitely do not regret buying it at all and I will be using it, the packing is well worth the extra few pounds you pay for this product in my opinion. 

If you're a big MAC fan or just love collecting the new collection releases then I recommend checking this one out, there are some beautiful products to choose from and I think everyone will find something they love!

I hope this was helpful :)

Spring make up ft. Orange lips

                      

Topshop Infrared £8

Spring is literally round the corner and I for one am thrilled with the current pastel/muted neon trend that is happening at the moment so I thought I would jump on the band wagon and dig out one of my favourite bright lipsticks - Infrared by Topshop.
I bought this lipstick way back in summer 2012 when orange lips were really 'in' and absolutely loved it at the time but time passed, I moved on to other things and unfortunately I forgot all about it. That was until recently when I've been spotting more and more people talking about how orange lips are a 'thing' again, yay!

Infrared is a very true orange lipstick although I would say that it has quite pink undertones, its not a red orange as the name would suggest. I like to wear this lipstick sheered out when I feel like a more natural look or full on for a night out and it looks stunning both ways. I think this sort of colour is less harsh and much more flattering than a bold red lip which, I feel, can be a little bit too much for day time wear.
 I think this colour really compliments my skin tone and colouring but I feel it could work just as well with darker or paler skin tones also.
 I can foresee Infrared being my top spring/summer lipstick this year and I am definitely on the hunt for more orange lip products to try!

(P.s- The mark on my face on the 1st pic is the shadow of my camera, I don't just have a brown smudge on my face!)