Sunday, November 27, 2016

New in from Sephora



Oh hey there!  Remember that proclamation I made just last week that I was totally over matte liquid lipsticks?  Well guess what I did?  Bought 4 more.  I despair at myself sometimes for being way too easily influenced.
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Friday, November 25, 2016

Currently Loving



Last months favourites was so easy to write-but this month I didn't feel like I had been using, and loving that many new things.  I'm still utterly in love with the products I used in this post and use them very regularly.
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Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Noteable skincare


I have to admit I have gotten a little bit lazy with my skincare recently. 
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Monday, November 21, 2016

Lip Six

lipstick swatches
Hola and happy Monday.  Greetings from Cairo, I'm here for just a couple of days this week.

Here are my last six lip picks.

Top row (L) NYX Butter Gloss in Angel Food Cake (R) Huda Beauty Liquid Matte in Muse (review!)

Middle row (L) MAC matte lipstick in Kinda Sexy (review!) (R) MAC Mineralize Rich lipstick in Grande Dame

Bottom row (L) NARS Audacious lipstick in Annabelle (R) Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick in Velvet Underground (review!)

Which is your favourite?


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Sunday, November 20, 2016

Dior Holiday 2016-Precious Embroidery palette

Dior Holiday 2016-Precious Embroidery palette
Dior Holiday 2016-Precious Embroidery palette

I knew I was destined to buy this as soon as I saw it.  I also knew if it was like the last two Dior Holiday releases I was going to be disappointed with it and should just keep it as a pristine compact, for looking at only and not touching!

To be fair, disappointed is a bit of an exaggeration.  The palette is visually stunning-I don't know how Dior do it but they nail it with their embossing every time.  This years 'Precious Embroidery' palette comes with beautiful, intricate sequins embedded into the pans and the palette contains 5 very wearable but ultimately sheer shades-a frosted mauve, a shimmery blue toned white, a light warm frosted gold, a darker muted brown with a satin finish and a blackened plum with very very fine microshimmer.

What I find with these sorts of palettes is that on me, it's very different to get a differentiation between the tones on my lid-particularly between the mauve and the browns.  On the photo below I have the top left mauve shade all over the lid, the bottom left brown tone on the outer corner and the light gold shade in the middle in the crease.  But it's really hard to pick out the individual tones and they all just end up mulching together on me.

I wore these over a primer and wear time was really good.  I've been wearing them today for 12 hours without fading or creasing.  The pigmentation was a bit wishy-washy when applied to the lid-but there was very very little fallout.  But the shadows need something to stick to-a primer is a must as the formula just isn't heavy enough to stick to the bare lid.  It is blendable but blending will make each colour even sheerer.

It's a nice palette but it's nothing mind blowing.  And part of me feared that's exactly how I would feel about it, just as I feel about many Dior eyeshadow palettes these days-it's nice to look at but you wouldn't want to wear it.

Dior Holiday 2016-Precious Embroidery palette

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Friday, November 18, 2016

Huda Beauty Liquid Mattes-part 2


Huda Beauty Liquid Mattes review

Back in August I reviewed the first four Huda Beauty Liquid Mattes that I picked up (review!) and I was pretty impressed.  Although the four shades I had were a little inconsistent in the application and wear, overall they are one of the best matte lip formulas I have tried in terms of comfort and wear time.
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Wednesday, November 16, 2016

October empties

Happy Wednesday-I hope your week is going well?

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Monday, November 14, 2016

Lip Six-and let's chat


lipstick swatches
Happy Monday!
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Sunday, November 13, 2016

4 things I am using right now #7


YSL shocking mascara review

Back with another installment of my '4 things' post where I talk briefly about things that I use in my make up or skincare routine daily at the moment.
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Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Huda Beauty Textured Eye Shadow Palette-Rose Gold Edition

Huda Beauty Textured Eye Shadow Palette-Rose Gold Edition review
I have been blogging 4 whole years today.  It all started because a friend told me I should blog about make up because I loved it so much and spent so much money on it!  It was always, always intended to be a hobby.  Over the past four years I've seen some of my favourite bloggers stop posting altogether, I've seen new bloggers explode onto the scene and become almost celebrities, I've wondered numerous times if this is something I want to continue doing and I've despaired at falling at the hype for a new product only to realise I've been suckered in, hook line and sinker by a blogger doing a glossy advertorial on the brands behalf.

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Friday, November 4, 2016

Viseart Theory Palettes in Cashmere and Minx


Viseart Theory Palettes in Cashmere and Minx

I'd seen so much blogger hype about the matte Viseart palettes-even though they cost a small fortune they were apparently soooooo worth it.  But I didn't splurge because matte is not my jam.  I do use matte shadows but only for blending out in the crease to try and make everything look pretty seamless and smooth.  However, when these miniature Viseart palettes launched, even though they were an eyewatering $45 each I felt it was the time to splurge.
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Friday, October 28, 2016

Back To MAC-So Chaud


MAC So Chaud

MAC So Chaud

I had a pretty good idea when I picked this up it wasn't going to suit me.  I hate bigging myself up but I am relatively lucky that I can wear most shades of lipstick but this one just seemed that bit too orange.  In fact, I think the photo below, although unfiltered and in natural light actually plays down the orange in it because it is quite stark.

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Wednesday, October 26, 2016

More Make Up Geek.....


make up geek eyeshadow review
make up geek eyeshadow review

I've spoken highly about Make Up Geek eyeshadows before-they really are a brand that deserve all the hype they get and they are at a price point that I think can just not be beaten-I actually think I love them more than some of my MAC shadows-I haven't come across a dud in the range yet.

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Monday, October 24, 2016

Lip Six

Happy Monday!

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Sunday, October 23, 2016

All about the base



These 7 base products are giving me life right now.  My skin has been much clearer since I have been on the hormone replacement medication but I still have blemish scars and my undereyes are forever dark and wrinkled!

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Friday, October 21, 2016

Currently Loving-October 2016



Picking my current faves this month was easy.  If you're a regular reader some of the things in this post you'll be bored of me going on about but this is a favourites post and these are my favourites.....
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Wednesday, October 19, 2016

September empties




Lots of good skincare empties, a much loved lip pencil and a surprise discovery are in my empties for last month so lets crack on.

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Monday, October 17, 2016

Lip Six


lipstick swatches

Happy Monday!  I think I am finally getting better after my sickness last week but I am super happy with how last weeks trip to Cairo went.

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Sunday, October 16, 2016

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit in Surreal Light

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit in Surreal Light

I like Hourglass products-a lot-even though they haven't featured a huge amount here on my blog.  But I own a ton of them.  I've resisted every other holiday palette previously released though, because I have found that I owned a lot of the powders that were included.
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Friday, October 14, 2016

Dubai make up haul


I bought all the things.   Again.

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Wednesday, October 12, 2016

The review: Rodial Bee Venom Cleansing Balm

Rodial Bee Venom Cleansing Balm

I'm so sad I have just finished up this cleanser!  I've actually loved everything I have tried from Rodial so far-I've written about loving the Super Acids X-treme Pore Shrink Cleansing Pads and the Dragons Blood Hyaluronic range is absolutely lovely.
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Monday, October 10, 2016

Lip Six



Happy Monday and hello from Cairo!  I am here on an absolutely manic trip-my boss Raj is also travelling with me and I am sure he is going to be shocked how busy we're going to be!

Here are my last six lip picks:

Top row: MAC Amplified lipstick in Impassioned // Burberry Lip Cover lipstick in Blush

Middle row: Huda Beauty Liquid Matte in Cheerleader (review!) // Buxom Cream lipgloss in Berry Blast

Bottom row: Tom Ford Lip Colour Sheer in Paradiso // NYX Butter Gloss in Apple Strudel

Which is your favourite?

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Sunday, October 9, 2016

Autumnal lips/Standard FOTD right now



I started preparing this post as a 'lipsticks for Autumn/Fall' post-nothing groundbreaking or initiative but some solid berry lip options as the weather starts to cool (although 'cooling' is relative depending on where you are in the world-less than 40 degrees in Dubai is a win)
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Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Tarte Tarteist lip paint in Love Spell and lip crayon in Magic Wand


Tarte Tarteist lip paint in Love Spell and lip crayon in Magic Wand
Tarte Tarteist lip paint in Love Spell and lip crayon in Magic Wand
Tarte Tarteist lip paint in Love Spell and lip crayon in Magic Wand

I'm really into bold lips at the moment.  I think there is power in bright lipsticks-I think I always feel more alive, more confident and look more awake when I wear bright colours.

These two Tarte products were a birthday gift from my beautiful Tasha and I thought I would dedicate a whole post to them, especially as Tarte is a little more accessible in the UK via QVC and rumour has it that it's about to drop in Dubai too.

I recently reviewed another lip product from Tarte-the Glossy Lip Paint in Goals and I really really love it.  It's such a great, everyday, easy to wear gloss.

The lip crayon is a twist up, thin nibbed liner.  It's creamy and applies really smoothly.  The shade is really pigmented and very long lasting.  My only criticism is that I feel like the nib is not quite fine enough to get a very precise line-it's not horrible by any means but I find my pencil liners easier to work with.  But the colour is a bold fuchsia that pairs well with a lot of my bright pink lipsticks.

The Lip Paint is so smooth and velvety to apply-it's almost mousse like and like nothing I have ever used before.  It feels so lightweight on the lips yet is completely opaque and it's not drying at all for a matte liquid lipstick.  I adore the colour-it's a punchy fuchsia and when I wore this on snapchat one day so many people asked me what it was.  But it is very dupeable...I can pretty much go to my lipstick stash and pull out 5 dupes in different textures.

And there is one more 'but' with this formula-it never dries down so it is so so transferable.  It goes all over drinking glasses, I even had it on my hands and at one point in the day I had it on my chin!  It's definitely a high maintenance formula which is a) unusual for a liquid lipstick and b) not ideal on busy days when you don't want to/don't have the time to check your face for lipstick smudges.

How high maintenance are you with your lipstick?  Are you a swipe and go girl who reapplies sans mirror or are you a liner and lip brush girl who always wants a perfect pout?



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Sunday, October 2, 2016

Disappointing Products #8


disappointing make up products

I've been stashing away some products that I've found really disappointing and thought I would share my thoughts with you today.

1-Guerlain Cils D'Enfer (Maxilash) Waterproof

I was 100% expecting to love this mascara from Guerlain.  I had read rave reviews all over the bloggersphere and I personally loved the Le 2 mascara from Guerlain so I was actually shocked at how much I disliked this mascara and my dislike was for one reason only.  I was constantly removing black spots from my cheeks.  The formula hadn't dried out and it applied so nicely, giving me voluminous and long lashes but I just couldn't keep it from flaking all over my cheeks every day.

2-Dior Forever and Ever Control Loose Powder

I did a mini review of this powder back in May and I was a bit undecided about it then-initially hating it and then making it work but now I am back to hating it.  But it really does make my skin look so dry and cakey and almost floury when I use it.

3-Dolce and Gabbana Mono Perfect in Desert and Gold Dust

I reviewed these single mousse-y shadows last year and initially they were brilliant-but they completely dried out, becoming cracked and hard and unusable.  I've been stashing these for absolutely ages to put into a disappointing products post so it's not just that they're now 18 months old-these became terrible after literally a few weeks.  The design of the pot is also unfriendly-I am not a big fan of dipping my finger in pots of eyeshadow anyway but the design of this shadow pot needs to be flatter and more user friendly.

4-Becca Under Eye Corrector

A recent purchase, spurred on by the launch of Becca in Dubai (finally) but I just can't get this to work for me-it settles in all my lines and I find the texture very sticky.  It definitely works better when I warm it up with my fingers but I find even when I use a tiny amount it creases on me.  I'm sure it will work better on people with less lined under eyes but it emphasises dryness I didn't even know I had on me.

5-L'Oreal Infallible 24 hr Lip Colour

This is one of the worst lip products I have ever tried.  It's a liquid lipstick with a conditioning balm to apply over the top.  The liquid part applies really nicely, it has a long doe foot applicator which makes it easy to apply-and initially the colour is even, pigmented and glossy.  But it feels horrible on the lips, even with the conditioning balm over the top.  The lipstick itself is so sticky and really pulls at the lips, sucking out the moisture.  The conditioning balm removes the colour from the lips, leaving just my liner behind.  As it dries down, the colour actually starts to flake off the lips and it highlights every single line on my lips.  It fades so unevenly and unattractively.  I am not a fan.

6-Bite Honey Lip Lacquer in Cienna

It's a little unfair to include this as Bite have discontinued this formula but it's a really horrible product.  The formula is thick and sticky but I could forgive that if the pigmentation was good and the lacquer was long lasting.  But the pigmentation is so poor, you really need to work to get any colour at all-and this is a lacquer not a gloss so it isn't supposed to be a sheer wash of colour.  Marc Jacobs do a brilliant lip lacquer if you prefer that heavier gloss texture.  Having said that, this is the first 'bad' Bite product I have tried and I am usually a big fan of their products.

Have you tried any of these products?


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Friday, September 30, 2016

The Estee Edit: The Barest Bronzer in Light Medium





Love a bronzer.  And this one from The Estee Edit is my latest obsession.

I love the packaging, the compact is a huge flat disk with a large mirror and the pan itself is really beautiful with its embossed ridges.  The 'splash' of the lighter, shimmery shade is an overlay that sadly disappears after the first use-I really wish it was embedded deeper.

I chose the light/medium shade and it's the perfect shade for my pale skin.  It has a matte yet radiant finish and the compact isn't chalky in the slightest.  It never looks orange or muddy and it applies really seamlessly to the skin.  I really like the warmth and glow it gives to the skin.


I bought mine from Sephora in the US when it launched and initially this was not one of The Estee Edit products that launched in the UK.  But it's now on Selfridges for £22 which I think is a great price for such a large amount of product.

I picked up some other products from The Estee Edit-not all of them are as good as this I have to say.  This is definitely my pick of the bunch!

I'm on such a bronzer kick at the moment-let me know what your favourites are!


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Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Giant skincare empties

You may have seen my giant make up empties post here now it's time for the skincare!  I'll use the same format-what I would and wouldn't repurchase and mini reviews on all.


Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Foaming Cleansing Wash-would repurchase

A really good morning time cleanser-it's not heavy enough to remove make up.  I've written a full review here.

The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil-definite repurchase

A brilliant, basic cleansing oil that will get all your make up off without drying out your skin or irritating it.  I picked up a couple more at duty free on my way back to Dubai.


Niod Low Viscosity Cleaning Ester-would repurchase

I recently reviewed this cleanser-it's an amazing make up remover for dry and sensitive skin-my skin has never felt so soft after using it.  Read my full thoughts here.


Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser-wouldn't repurchase

I haven't loved Tata Harper products so far despite all the hype around them.  I thought this manual exfoliator was ok-the granules are finely milled and didn't irritate the skin.  I had no problems with this cleanser breaking me out but I just didn't love it.  Read more about it here.

First Aid Beauty Milk Oil Conditioning Cleanser-would repurchase

This is another basic cleanser but it's not heavy enough to remove make up effectively.  But it's a brilliant second cleanser or morning cleanser, leaving skin clean and comfortable and without any residue left behind.

Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser-would repurchase

The only Tata Harper cleanser I really love!  This was such a great cleanser to use as a second cleanse after my make up removing cleanse.  It contains AHA's to chemically exfoliate within the creamy base and it left my skin really clear and hydrated.  It is expensive at £49 but this was a cleanser I really enjoyed using.


First Aid Beauty Vitamin Hydrating Mist-would repurchase

I love a good facial spritz and this is a great one for using in the morning because it has a nice powerful spritz to it, the toner isn't too wet and it feels cooling and soothing on the skin.  The mist is infused with aromatic extracts that claim to energize and invigorate skin.  I have the 50ml size so it's perfect for throwing in your handbag or gym bag or in your travel bag if you're taking a flight and FAB say it can be used to set make up too.

Hylamide Sub Q eye-would repurchase*

A soothing eye serum that targets just about every eye concern possible-read my full review here 

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads-would repurchase

Pre soaked exfoliating pads that you swipe over your face after cleansing containing lactic and glycolic acid to exfoliate gently and improve skins clarity.  These are gentle and have a good price point for a chemical exfoliant.


Sephora Waterproof Eye Make Up Remover-have repurchased several

A very good, cheaper alternative to the Lancome Bi Facil biphase eye make up remover-I actually prefer this one over the Lancome because it doesn't leave behind the greasy residue I find the Lancome version does.

Bioderma-constant repurchase

Bioderma is something I always have a bottle of-but I never use it to remove my make up-unless I am on a long flight or I am getting home from a very late night out.  What I do use it for almost daily though is cleaning up under my eyes any left over mascara smudges-it does a brilliant job.

Simple eye make up remover-constant repurchase

I use this exactly like Bioderma and this is a great, cheaper alternative.  Having said that, the UK formula is very different to the US formula, the US formula stings my eyes like a bitch.


Oskia Renaissance 360*-would repurchase

I love Oskia as a brand and when they sent me their new moisturiser to trial I was over the moon.  But I worried that the texture was too heavy for my grumpy and over sensitive skin-this is a relatively intensive cream and I was worried it would clog my pores-I usually go for a water based, gel textured moisturiser.  My fears were totally unfounded though and my skin felt calmer, non greasy and plumped.  I had no problems at all with it breaking me out or it interfering with my make up-I hate it when skincare causes make up to 'pil' on top of it but that doesn't happen with this cream.  The Renaissance 360 Supreme cream is a moisturiser specifically targeting concerns about ageing such as fine lines, loss of elasticity and dullness.   The formula contains Oskia's signature MSM (here's a link to the benefits of MSM) and the Nanobright complex that is in the serum.  It also has Cactus extract to calm irritation and hyaluronic acid to attract and retain moisture.  My skin literally drank this moisturisor up.

Laura Mercier Ambre Vanilla Body Butter-on the fence

This is an intense body moisturiser that smell divine.  But it's so so rich that it takes an absolute age to massage into your skin.  But the Laura Mercier products smell so good!  I'll probably stick to the bubble bath from the range as it's so good and leaves the skin deliciously scented.

Have you used any of these skincare products?
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Monday, September 26, 2016

Lip Six


lipstick swatches

Happy Monday!  If you follow me on snapchat (Stadybelle) you might know that I am currently again on a business trip in Cairo and my mum is 'visiting' me in Dubai-or should I say Grandma is looking after my cat children.  My job involves frequent travel and putting my cats in the cattery every 3 weeks is something I hate doing because it's so stressful for them and they hate the journey in the car.  Once they are there they are very well looked after and whilst Chesney and Fizzy adapt pretty quickly, Ali has always been a bit of a (very loveable) oddball and doesn't like strangers at all.  So my mum very kindly offered to come over and babysit to give them a little break as since the end of June my schedule has been insane and they've spent a lot of time going up and down to the cattery.

I'll be back in Dubai on Wednesday and so will have 3 days with my mum before she heads back to the UK.  Then it's just a few weeks until I am home again for Xmas.  Insane in the membrane.  This year has gone so incredibly fast.

Let's talk lipstick-here are my last six lip picks:

Top row (L) Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution lipstick in Love Liberty (review!) (R) Dior Fluid Stick in Vertigo 689 (review!)

Middle row (L) Kylie Lip Kit in MaryJo K  (R) Estee Lauder Pure Colour Envy lipstick in Rebellious Rose

Bottom row (L) Tom Ford Lips and Boys in Kingston (review! I'm actually so proud of that post!) (R) MAC Amplified lipstick in Chatterbox

Which is your favourite?
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Sunday, September 25, 2016

The review: Niod Low Viscosity Cleaning Ester



If you're a regular reader of my blog you'll know Niod is one of my favourite brands-not only their products but their whole ethos as a company really appeals to me.

Low Viscosity Cleaning Ester is a really unusual product-I don't think that I have tried anything quite like it in texture.  I was expecting this to either be a cleansing oil or a micellair water-yes I didn't really do my research before I bought it from Look Fantastic but I felt like I'd read good reviews about it.  It retails for £30, you get a massive 240ml and it lasts for ages.

The instructions are to massage onto a dry face and rinse off-so I expected a cleansing oil texture but when I used it, I felt like this didn't rinse clean and left a residue on my skin-but at the same time my skin felt softer than after I had used any other cleanser before.

It's a really really effective skin cleaner and it dissolves every scrap of make up, oil, dirt and grime on your face.  When you apply it to dry skin, it feels like a normal cleansing oil.  When you add water it feels more like a gel, the texture slightly thickens and softens.  But I did find it really difficult to remove, even with a damp flannel.  But then I discovered that actually, that 'residue' is fine to be left on the skin and it evaporates from the skin in time.  It's an unusual feeling for me but the residue left behind absolutely did not break me out and when I swiped my face with toner after cleaning there was zero make up residue left behind.  This would be the absolutely perfect make up remover for dry, sensitive skins because skin is left so comfortable afterwards.

Another huge plus for those with dry, sensitive skins is that this is fragrance free and contains no plant oils, detergents, alcohol, acids or water and uses isolated sugar and avocado esters to give that effective cleaning of the skin.  There is a full breakdown of the product and how it works here.

I love the almost clinical looking packaging and the fact that so little went such a long way.  If you're looking for a make up remover rather than a 'cleanser' with skin benefits, you'll struggle to find anything more efficient than this cleanser.  My love for Niod products continues....
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Friday, September 23, 2016

Airport make up haul!



See how restrained I was at the airport?  Five things.  You can barely call this a haul to be honest.

Here's a rundown of the five things I picked up at Manchester airport.

1-Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Bronze

Laura's friend Christie had this on her cheeks at Laura's birthday and it was so so beautiful on her I had to buy it.  This is the original shimmer brick and it is for sure shimmery but it's so pretty and I absolutely love the glow it gives.  It's not chalky or glittery but there is a fair bit of powder kick up in the pan.  I use it mainly as a bronzer topper, this isn't something you would apply all over your face but it adds the nicest luminosity to the cheeks.  The mini brush that comes with the duty free version is actually really good as well; dense, soft and the perfect size to not over apply.

2-Estee Lauder Doublewear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Make Up

I love the original formula and this looks like a handbag/travel friendly version.  It had been on my wishlist for a while but then Simone's review cemented I would be picking this up in duty free.  I always find foundation wears off around my nose and chin as I am a chronic face toucher when I am deep in thought or concentrating so hopefully this will be good for mid afternoon touch ups in the office.

3-Dior Addict Ultra Gloss in 339 Gorgeous

I've been lusting after this gloss since seeing it on Lydia's youtube which luckily coincided with a small nude lipgloss obsession.  I absolutely love Dior lip products and I love the packaging and the formula of the Ultra Gloss-it's super shiny and non sticky.  Gorgeous is a sheer golden peach without any sparkle (a lot of the Dior Ultra Gloss have sparkle, the shade Princess is the best selling gloss worldwide and contains sparkle) and it works well on it's own or over one of the nude liners I love-Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk, L'Oreal Beige a Nu or Huda Beauty Bombshell all work perfectly.

4-MAC Trip The Light Fantastic Powder in Luna Lustre

Part of the MAC Star Trek collection which I have absolutely zero interest in, I could tell you nothing about Star Trek at all, I've never seen one episode.  But these powders were so pretty when I swatched them so I bought them.  Although called 'trip the light fantastic' powders I assume these are like the MSF powders/highlighter powders and despite looking pigmented in the pan, impart more radiance than colour.  Luna Lustre is so pretty in the pan with it's marbled peach and pinky tones-it's such a pretty highlight or blush topper.  I'll never get through the pan as they're huge but oh so pretty.

5-MAC Trip The Light Fantastic Powder in Strange New Worlds

Strange New Worlds is more golden and coral and looks so pretty with a light tan.  I love MAC MSF's and have quite a little collection and these are without doubt very usable.  They're even super pretty as eyeshadows.

What have you been buying recently?

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Wednesday, September 21, 2016

I actually finished a lipstick (and other make up items)


I've actually managed to get through a fair few make up (and skincare) items in the past few weeks so I thought I would do a round up post giving you the low down of what I liked, what I loved and what I wouldn't repurchase.  There'll be a skincare post coming up too but this one focuses on the make up products that are all done and dusted.

MUFE Ultra HD stick foundation-on the fence.

Loved the convenience of this but it took me several attempts to get the application right-I actually talked about my struggles here.  But I did nail it-swiped on the skin and then buffed in with a short, wide, dense kabuki brush spritzed with a setting spray (Smashbox Primer Water was my weapon of choice) and I did start to love it.  But probably not enough to run out and repurchase.

Estee Lauder Double Wear-definite repurchase

This is probably my all time fave foundation-it always looks good and is literally foolproof.  I prefer the heavier coverage and this never lets me down.  Best applied with fingers or beauty blender

Cover FX Custom Cover Drops-liked but not a must have

The theory behind these drops is that they can be added to a foundation to amp up the pigmentation and I really liked them because they did exactly that without affecting the formula of the foundation.  What isn't great about them is the packaging-the dropper mechanism doesn't work well with the formula (although I get why they have used it) and the formula gets quite cloggy quite quickly.  These are good and brilliant for a professional make up artist but I don't think they are an absolute must have for me.  An amazing shade range is a definite plus though!


Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Ethereal Light-a great all rounder

I mainly used this brightening powder under my eyes to set my concealer.  Hourglass describe it as 'An opalescent sheer, cool white powder that mimics a moonlit glow, even in broad daylight'.

I've done a full review of this powder here with all the details of why it's so good!

Gucci Golden Glow Bronzer-love, love love

I really loved this bronzer from Gucci and I dedicated a whole post to it here.  It's quite pricey at £39 but it lasted for ages and gave a beautiful matte yet not flat, glow to the skin.  I would definitely repurchase this if I didn't have a crazy large bronzer stash right now-it's my current fave make up item!

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Perfecting Powder-would be HG if I didn't go through it so quickly!

Another powder I have dedicated a whole post to-you can read my thoughts here.  This is my fourth compact and I do keep repurchasing it but I go through them like lightening-and it's not a cheap powder.  My MAC Studio Fix powder foundation is my holy grail pressed powder because it lasts an amazing length of time and has a much better price point.



Clinique High Impact Mascara-would repurchase


Really enjoyed using this mascara from Clinique and I would definitely repurchase if I didn't have an insane mascara stash!  Really black, lengthening, volumising, smudge and flake free, it definitely ticked all my boxes.

Colour Pop eyeshadow in Glow-probably would repurchase

This shadow was part of the Kathleen Lights original collab collection and can't be bought separately but I highly recommend picking up that set of four shadows because they are so beautiful!  The formula of these eyeshadows is quite unique, it's too dry in formula to be a cream but it's not a powder either.  I find it best applied with my fingers and pressed into the eyelid-once it's on though it will not budge or crease all day.  But what I love it for the most is an eyeshadow base.  Glow is a matte vanilla shade so it's such a great primer for eyeshadow with a great price point.  The only downside is I find that I go through Colour Pop eyeshadows quite quickly-but they're only $5 each

Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen-would not repurchase

At £43 this liquid eyeliner certainly isn't cheap but I did find mine lasted about a year with very regular usage.  It is dual ended-a thick felt tip at one end and a smaller finer tip at the other end.  I tended to use the thicker tip most and found that it was great for someone like me who isn't great at applying eyeliner.  I found my lines were smooth and the pen was easy to control.  I also found on me that it rarely migrated or smudged.  But having said that, I wouldn't repurchase because I think that the Kat Von D Trooper liner is a better liquid liner at a much cheaper price point.

Sephora Colorful Shadow and Liner in 04 Taupe-already repurchased 

I absolutely love these chunky eyeshadow sticks from Sephora.  They're cheap, the colour pay off is great, they last hours, they look lovely as a standalone shadow but also make an amazing base for eyeshadow-I rate these way higher than the Charlotte Tilbury equivalent.  My lovely friend Kirsty has written a fabulous review of these here.


Chantecaille Lucky lipgloss-definite repurchase

I love love love this lipgloss, it's a nude gloss lovers dream!  I love layering it over a nude liner-you can see it paired with Marc Jacobs Honeybun here and with Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk here.

Kat Von D Studded lipstick in Lovecraft-would repurchase (if I didn't own about 200 lipsticks)

I finished a lipstick!  I've dedicated a whole post to this lipstick formula here and for a matte lipstick I find them really comfortable.  Lovecraft is a very neutral, Kylie Jenner-esque shade that is perfect for the office.  The only downside of this lipstick is the packaging.  Firstly it's bulky but the most annoying thing is that the lid kept coming off in my make up bag.

NARS The Multiple in Portofino-would repurchase

The NARS Multiple sticks are a brilliant all rounder product-they come in a huge range of shades in both matte and shimmer finishes and be swiped on lips, eyes and cheeks.  They also last an absolute age so they're really good value for money.  Portofino is a beautiful pinky peach shade that works well on cheeks and lips.  The only downside again is the packaging-the NARS packaging just attracts dust, dirt and fingerprints and is virtually impossible to keep clean.


What make up have you finished up recently?

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Monday, September 19, 2016

Lip Six


lipstick swatches

Happy Monday!  I'm back in Dubai now after a brilliant break and 9 days off to recharge and relax and I now feel ready to hit work hard again-it's crazy how fast this year has gone by!

This weeks Lip Six is pretty muted when I have put it together-here are my last 6 lip picks.

Top row (L) Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution lipstick in Lost Cherry (review!) (R) MAC Amplified lipstick in Craving

Middle row (L) Bite High Pigment Pencil in Chablis (R) Bite High Pigment Lip Pencil in Rhubarb

Bottom row (L) Burberry Lip Cover in Blush (now called Burberry Kisses) (R) Tom Ford lipstick in Spanish Pink (review!)

Which is your favourite?


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Sunday, September 18, 2016

UK haul!



So my flatlays definitely need work.  Definitely have a new found respect for instagrammers who churn them out perfectly day after day.

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Thursday, September 15, 2016

3 places to breakfast in Dubai

breakfast places in Dubai

Confession time.  The only real kind of breakfast I like is the sweet kind.

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