Daniel Sandler Casablanca Lipstick & Cherub Watercolour Blush Duo

Daniel Sandler's Watercolour blushers have been something I've wanted to try for a while now and whilst shopping around for an autumnal berry shade lippy the other day I came across a bargain lipstick and blusher duo from ASOS, saving you 30% on the rrp.

The Watercolour blush in the shade Cherub is a richly pigmented lightweight liquid blush that gives a gorgeous wash of colour to your cheeks. You only need to squeeze the tiniest dot onto your finger, apply to cheeks and then blend with a buffing brush and the result is a natural glow. What I love about this liquid blush is you can build up the intensity of the colour without disturbing the make-up underneath. This blush claims to be waterproof...I am yet to put this claim to the test as I tend to avoid a downpour when I have a full face of make-up (who doesn't?!).

L Casablanca Lipstick
R Cherub Watercolour Blush

Casablanca is a deep berry shade of lipstick that compliments the blusher perfectly. Although this lipstick is matte it's not at all drying on the lips due to some lip-loving ingredients such as Shea Butter, Jojoba Oils and Vitamin A, C and E.

You can pick up this bargain duo from ASOS for only £20, these shades will take you from autumn to winter perfectly, I must restrain myself from buying all of the Watercolour shades as the formula is divine!

Bobbi Brown Blusher - Coral Sugar

I did a post last Sunday on one of Bobbi Brown's latest blusher offerings 'PastelPeach' and mentioned I had also purchased this little beauty 'Coral Sugar'. I am like a moth to the flame with any product which has 'coral' in the name or description so when I saw Coral Sugar in the list of new shades I knew it had to be mine!

When I initially opened Coral Sugar I felt a little disappointed as I was convinced it was the same colour as another Bobbi Brown blusher I own Pink Coral (limited edition) but when you put the two together you can really see the differences between the two shades.

Pink Coral Top Left
Coral Sugar Top Right

Coral Sugar is definitely more of a pastel shade than Pink Coral and has clear lilac undertones compared to the flamey undertones of Pink Coral. This shade is a gorgeously fresh shade of pink. I'm struggling to pick the coral tone from the name, I would call it more of a pastel pink. Don't let my waffling put you off from trying it as it, like all other blushers from Bobbi Brown, is a gorgeous shade for anyones collection.

Bobbi Brown Cheeky Color Blush - Pastel Peach

Over the bank holiday whilst having a little browse at all the online offers I stubbled upon (much to my delight) some new shades of blush from Bobbi Brown. The first shade to catch my eye was Pastel Peach, a vibrant peach shade. As I had not seen a shade similar to this before I hurriedly added it to my basket, checked out and waited impatiently for it to be delivered. 

When I initially opened Pastel Peach it looked almost neon and I thought it was going to be way too bright for my (NC15) fair skin tone but boy was my initial reaction wrong! Like all of the other blushers I've tried from Bobbi Brown it has a silky, featherweight texture and blends seamlessly. Don't be intimidated by Pastel Peach's brightness, when applied it's the perfect matte shade of peach that completely lifts your complexion.

The only gripe, and I hate to say I have a gripe about a Bobbi Brown blusher as they are my all time favorites, is that as this is quite a light pastel shade it takes a fair few swipes to get a real pop of colour. Rather than this being about the product itself I think it's more to do with the shade on my skin tone.

I love this colour and find myself reaching for it almost everyday. I also purchased another new shade in the range named Coral Sugar which I will do a separate post on soon.

Urban Decay Naked Flushed Compact - Streak

Ok so it's probably not the right time of the year to be buying bronzers but as I'm a sucker for Urban Decay and a good old sale I just couldn't resist! I picked up the Naked Flushed Compact by Urban Decay last week from Feel Unique for a bargain price of £16 and my purchase definitely feels justified as this palette is just as impressive as their eyeshadows.

There are four palettes to choose from in this range, I decided to go for Streak as it has the lightest, more olive toned bronzer out of them all and the blush is a very wearable coral/pink. Streak leans more toward peachy/coral hues and would be suitable for fair/medium skin tones, although Urban Decay claim each is versatile for any skin tone I feel Strip (which is on the mauve side) would be too dark. The matte bronzer is the perfect shade to apply all over for a healthy glow with just a touch of the coral toned blusher needed on cheeks to give a healthy glow. The highlighter is rose toned and looks more natural in my opinion than your regular yellow/white toned ones.

Urban Decay Naked Flushed in Streak

This gorgeous trio is are just as pigmented as Urban Decay's cult eyeshadows. The texture is feathery-light and you only need the smallest amount for great colour pay-off. This compact is everything you need to take with you on your travels or even just as a space saving product in you make-up bag. You get a whopping 14g of product and a very generous sized mirror inside the case, making it an even more fantastic space saver. 

There may not be much of the summer left but I will be using this product as long as I can get away with it for. The great thing about this product is you can use the bronzer, highlighter or blusher individually or you can swirl together for just the right effect. Even at the full retail price of £22 this compact is incredible value and really does not disappoint.

August's Beauty Favourites

With August coming and going in a flash and September now upon us, reviewing my favourite beauty products from last month makes me kind of feel like I'm mourning the summer! I discovered some fantastic products throughout August and I'm going to be clinging to those summery buys until those early nights start drawing in. So here's my best buys of August, the products I've been reaching for everyday...

Body Shop Honey Bronzer

This amazing bronzer was also in my July beauty favourites, I did a post a few weeks ago with some swatches if you fancy checking it out for yourself. I've literally worn this bronzer everyday since I bought it, the shade (shade 2) is perfect for my fair (NC15) complexion and just gives you a totally natural, sun kissed look. 

N4 Super Comb Prep & protect

I discovered this gorgeous smelling leave-in conditioner in August's Birchbox. I did a post a few weeks ago about that box and the contents and this was my star product. Not only does it smell amazing but it leaves your hair so soft and more manageable. I loved this sample so much I went on to buy the full-size product and I must admit I now couldn't be without it in my routine.

Bourjois Cream Blush (R) Pink Sunwear

When Bourjois released their Summer 2014 products including these gorgeous cream blushers the blogisphere went nuts! Pink Sunwear was another product that featured in my July beauty picks. This subtle shade gives you a gorgeous glow and completely compliments my bronzer. I'll be sad to see this go in a drawer until next summer!

Essie Sand Tropez

One polish I've been taking off and reapplying straight away is Essie's Sand Tropez. This shade is the perfect greige that I will be wearing well into the Autumn/Winter. As with all of Essie's polishes that I've tried its fantastic coverage and I get around 3 days of wear before any chips appear.

Clarins Radiance-Plus Glow Booster

I did a post on this gradual tan a couple of weeks ago and I still feel now how I did then. This amazing gradual tan allows you do totally tailor your tan by controlling how many drops of serum you use a day mixed in with your regular daytime/nighttime moisturiser. This is one skincare product I will be rocking all year round.

Bobbi Brown Blush In Pastel Peach

I let out a little shriek inside when I saw Bobbi Brown had released new shades of their cult blusher. I hastily purchased two of the shades (post coming soon on those) one of them being Pastel Peach. This gorgeous shade looks great on cheeks for a little pop of colour. This is another shade I will be sporting for as long as the sun stays.

Lush Cosmetic Warrior Face Mask

This face mask is the best spot fighting mask I have tried in a long while. Anyone that reads my blog regularly will know that I suffer from horrible hormonal break-outs from time to time and this mask calms angry skin down and clears up break-outs. This is one mask I will be repurchasing now I've run out.

As much as I will miss the summer and will relish in those last few sunny days we have left, I am really looking forward to Autumn/Winter as there are some great products lined up for release and I can't wait to be sporting my favourite vampy lip and nail colours.

Makeup Revolution Vivid Blush Lacquer - Rush & Heart

You may have read my post last week about Makeup Revolutions Baked Highlighters, in the same little haul I purchased two of their Vivid Blush Lacquer's in Rush and Heart. The first thing that stood out to me about these liquid blushers was the intensity of the colour, just a small amount of product gives a pop of colour to your cheeks. Both colours were extremely blendable and thanks to this you can layer the blusher until the desired intensity is reached. These blushers are a slightly creamy textured liquid blushers dispensed via a handy little pump.

Left - Rush
Right - Heart

Rush is the bright pink shade. Apply with a light hand as the pigment is insanely strong and it's very easy to apply too much. This blushers dries quite quickly so apply lightly and work quickly. I applied sparingly with my finger and then buffed with my Real techniques blending brush and the finish is really nice...it's amazing how much more fresh your complexion looks with a pink blusher...

Makeup Revolution Vivid Blush Lacquer - Rush

Heart is an extremely wearable peachy tan shade that would suit most skin tones. I found this shade a little easier to work with as it blended very well with my bronzer and is more of a natural flush than a vivid pop  of colour...

Makup Revolution Vivid Blush Lacquer - Heart

Another product that has won me over from Makeup Revolution. For the amount of product you will need to use on each application these blushers will last forever and for £3 there's no reason I can think of not to buy the whole collection! The formula is seriously impressive, yes the packaging isn't the most glamorous but if the formula matches, or I'd dare say better than some high-end blushers I've tried...then who really cares?

Bourjois Summer 2014 Cream Blusher Swatches And Review

I've been dying to get my hands on the Summer 2014 cream blusher's ever since I saw the new line of products launch, so last week I hot-footed it down to Boots to pick up the new shades.

I absolutely adore Bourjois cream blushers, I (now) own all of the shades on offer. The new shades (Tropical Coral and Pink Sunwear) are just as much a pleasure to use as the other shades. They are richly pigmented and the creamy formula ensures they blend like a dream.

L Tropical Coral
R Pink Sunwear

Both shades have a bronze cast, perfect for sculpting or just giving that healthy flush of summer tan. Pink Sunwear is a illuminating tan shade with (as the name indicates) a pink undertone and a very fine gold shimmer. Tropical Coral (again as the name indicates) is a lovely coral shade of tan leaning more on the brown side, it gives you sun kissed flush of colour.

Both of the new shades are a dream to use, they blend so well that they are pretty foolproof to use, although a cream formula it applies almost gel like and doesn't tug at skin or move your base around. Both have a hint of shimmer and a semi-matte finish. At only £7.99 these are a must for your summer make-up stash!

Makeup Revolution Candy Queen Of Hearts Swatches & Review

I purchased this lovely baked blusher from Makeup Revolution a couple of weeks ago...I know my review is really late as there have been swatches and reviews flying all around the blogisphere but here goes...

Candy Queen Of Hearts

This blush is the perfect combination of colours to either wear blended together or alone. You've probably seen the Sweethearts Blusher by Too Faced, well Candy Queen Of Hearts is a complete dupe for Something About Berry by Too Faced. This baked blusher really does give you a sweet flush with just the right amount of shimmer for a younger, healthier looking complexion.

Top - all shades blended
Bottom - individual shades

At the moment I'm loving the middle peach-toned shade swiped over my bronzer for a nice healthy glow. This baked blusher is an absolute bargain (at £4.99) for the quality and size of the product and I'll probably collect the whole collection!

Jodie

xoxo

Stila Convertible Blush in Petunia

It's been over a week since my last post, I would apologise but my lack of blogging has mostly been due to this gorgeous weather!So today I'm doing a quick review on a gorgeous lip and cheek product from Stila, Convertible Blush in Petunia rrp £16. I'm a huge fan of multi-purpose products at this time of the year, anything that can save space in your bag when you're off to the beach or off to the pub with friends is a big winner for me. Stila's Convertible blush is described as a cream blusher, I wouldn't say it's quite a cream blush, it leaves a lovely dewy glow on the skin whether that be on lips or cheeks. I like to apply with my finger and gently buff into skin with a buffing brush. Petunia is a very flattering bright pink, although it looks quite bright in the pan it does blend into a gorgeous flush of colour.

I will say that if you favour a more heavy foundation you may find this will not blend so well and can leave your base looking a little blotchy. I have found it looks best when (I'm having a good skin day!) wearing a lighter foundation or tinted moisturiser.

Stila Convertible blush on cheeks and lips

I've been wearing this blush almost everyday since buying it, I can see it being my favourite this summer. It's just the right amount of colour to perk up your complexion without looking too 'done' in this hot weather.

Jodie

xoxo

NARS Orgasm Swatches And Review

Last week I received my NARS Orgasm blush from Cohorted, admittedly I have enough blushers to last me 3 lifetimes but I couldn't say no to a discount...I ended up paying only £13.67 by the time the Cohort had ended (using loyalty points).
NARS Orgasm is described as a peachy-pink with golden shimmer, ideal for fair to medium skin tones, I can't say they are far wrong, although I would say it leans more towards the pink side.

I adore this blush, when applied lightly it gives a gorgeous wash of colour and an illuminating finish. The powder formula is so finely milled that it blends like a dream...

For reference I'm MAC NC15

The pan is a very generous size and will last for ages, I love the fact it has a handy little mirror inside the lid too. 

If you haven't checked out Cohorted  and you're a makeup lover as much as me then you definitely should! They offer great products at discounted rates, despatch is quick and postage is always secure.

Jodie

xoxo

Benefit Fine One One Review

This week to feed my blusher addiction I purchased Fine One One by Benefit. I have been eyeing up this cream blusher for a while as it has a gorgeous coral colour in it and the added benefit of a highlighter.

For some reason I thought the product would be bigger, photo's of it on the website kind of gave me that impression. Anyway the product itself comes in Benefit's usual quirky and standout packaging and the twist stick form makes it really easy to use and great to pop in your handbag for touch-up's.

When blended in the coral orange isn't so prominent, it really just gives you a fresh flush of colour. The only thing I will say is that when swiped straight across the cheeks if you wear a good layer of foundation it can take some of it off. Most days I wear a quite heavy layer of MAC Studio Fix Fluid and when I applied Fine One One for the first time it swiped most of the foundation from my cheeks. I have found a better method is to apply strategically to my fingers first, transfer that onto my cheeks and then blend with my RT Buffing brush.

The colour is quite sheer, its more of a wash of colour, I found I had to apply a couple of layers to get any colour pay-off. I have tried it on my lips, it's quite tricky to get just the shade you want to wear applied so I found it a lot easier to apply with a lip brush.

I must admit I expected a little more from this product. There were a couple of things that really cheapened the product in my opinion, the label wasn't applied properly and the leaflet inside the box was folded over as if the blusher itself had been shoved into the box. Luckily my Birchbox points paid for the majority of the cost of Fine One One so I don't feel too aggrieved that it wasn't as great as I pictured it to be. If it was just a bit bigger and the colour a bit more pigmented it would be perfect!

Astalift Light Analyzing Moisture Foundation Review and Swatches

Let me start off by saying this foundation is INCREDIBLE! I can't believe how few reviews I could find on the internet about it.

I had been recommended this foundation by another blogger after saying I was still searching for my holy grail foundation, I wanted something with medium-full coverage but a dewy, luminous finish...Light Analyzing Moisture Foundation by Astalift delivers just this.

A couple of weeks ago I contacted Astalift to request some samples of their foundation to match my colour perfectly before committing to purchasing a full size. They sent me samples of the shades Sand and Caramel, I didn't even attempt the Caramel shade as Sand was way too dark for me...but I fell in love with the coverage and finish. I contacted them again and they said the only paler shade sample they had in stock was Ivory, the colour wasn't a bad match but I have quite yellow undertones in my skin so it wasn't the best match. Earlier this week I spotted that their foundation was half price so I decided to take the plunge and purchase the shade Sunny Beige and I'm pleased to say it is a perfect match!!

Light Analyzing Foundation in Sunny Beige

Sunny Beige blended

Sunny Beige is suitable for paler skin with yellow undertones, I would say this shade is very similar to my MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC15. 

By applying the science of light and colour, Astalift has designed a patented foundation that leaves skin radiant in any light. It's light analyzing powder mimics the way light is absorbed and reflected. Tones within light are absorbed and reflected to create a flawless complexion that's radiant from morning to night. The technology within this foundation reflects skin coloured light to reduce shadows and the appearance of wrinkles in daylight, office lighting or harsh fluorescent lights. On top of all that this foundation contains anti-againg technology caring for skin, collagen to help retain moisture and stimulate collagen production and a powerful antioxidant called Astaxanthin which is unto 1000 times more powerful than Co Q-10 which controls sebum for amazing coverage all day long.

What ever it's got in it I think it's incredible! Anyone that reads my blog knows that I suffer from hormonal breakouts of acne so I have quite a few scars around my mouth and jawline...one layer of this foundation applied with my RT Expert Face Brush completely evens out the redness in my skin, covering any scars or blemishes and leaves a totally flawless, radiant finish...I'm in love! In this photo I am just wearing the foundation, eyeshadow, mascara and a little blush...no highlighting products required as this foundation gives you a gorgeous glow all by itself. 

If you fancy giving it a go this foundation is currently 50% off on their website, only £14.50 for 30ml.

Jodie

xoxo

Sleek Face Contour Kit in Light

Sleek Face Contour Kit

For a while I have been intrigued by contouring, when you see the result it has with the likes of Kim Kardashian whats not to love? Rather than plunging into the deep end and splashing out on a really expensive palette that may only get the one use I thought I'd begin with something cheaper and simpler, this is when I found the Sleek Face Contour Kit for £6.49 in Superdrug.

On the website the contouring part of the palette looked really dark and intimidating...to someone like me who shys away from bronzer and clings on to her blushers...but it's actually a medium workable brown.

Both parts of the pallet are quite powdery, I found you have to tap quite a lot of excess even with the softest of brush, but the powder is quite finely milled and blends excellently. The highlighter is very shimmery, not at all glittery, so you don't need a great deal to highlight.

I didn't have time to experiment with the whole full face contouring so I just tried it out on my cheeks. Here I'm wearing the contouring shade beneath my cheekbones, the highlighter on my cheekbones and Bobbi Brown blush in Nude Peach on the apples of my cheeks.

I think this is an excellent value kit for beginners and I'm looking forward to having the time to sit down and do the full works!

Jodie 

xoxo

Beauty UK Baked Box Collection

Beauty UK Baked Box Collection Swatches and Review 

I absolutely love anything with a bit of subtle shimmer in it, anything that promises an illuminating glow has got to be mine! 

My go-to daily illuminator is Mac Mineralize Skin Finish in Lightscapade which although has some veining of blues and pinks just gives a neutral illuminating finish suitable for anywhere on the face or body. When I came across these Baked Boxes from Beauty UK for only £3.99vI just couldn't resist! I went for shade no.4 Goddess and shade no.3 Halo as I felt they would get more use as they could be applied in multiple places rather than just the cheeks.

 Now, I often find photo's on website's don't represent the true colour of the product, so on the left we have no.4 Goddess and on the right no.3 Halo, both taken in natural daylight. They have only been swatched, the boxes look a little untidy with the product escaping the packaging containing it but the box and the product itself are great quality for the price!

Below I have swatched Goddess on the left, Halo centre and Mac Mineralize Skinfinish on the right as a comparison for colour variation. 

Goddess is a gorgeous bronze shimmer which will look great with a tan in the summer, I also tried it as an eyeshadow earlier and it gives a gorgeous wash of colour. Halo has a lovely illuminating pink tone to it which will be flattering to most skin tones, this looks great on the cheekbones, under the eyebrow arch and in the corners of your eyes, this would be a great skin pick-me-up when your having one of those days! Just as a comparison of colour and finish, Mac Mineralize on the right.

I think these Baked Boxes are great quality and an excellent high-end dupe! For the price give them a go, they are sold in Boots and Superdrug and they often have 3 for 2 or similar offers!

Jodie 

xoxo

Bobbi Brown Nectar & Nude Collection...

Bobbi Brown's Nectar & Nude Collection

A squeal of excitement exploded from me when I received an email from Bobbi Brown (no herself obvs!) showcasing her new Nectar & Nude Collection. There are a few other lovely products in the range but I headed straight to the 3 things that I absolutely love...blush, nail polish and the coral colour! 

I already have 6 matte blushers from Bobbi Brown and one shimmer blush but I was yet to try one of her Rouge Pot's (I don't know why it has taken me so long as I love cream blushers!) so when I spotted her gorgeous new shade Hibiscus (£19) was coral a coral shade I new it had to be mine! Like her other blushers (and all products of hers I have tried) it did not disappoint! In the pan it does seem more red than the coral orange on the website but when applied to cheeks it gives a gorgeous pop of colour and leaves cheeks with a illuminating sheen. As with the other cream blushers I use, I applied with my fingers and then blended in with a stippling brush. In this photo I am wearing it on both my lips and cheeks...I adore this colour...

Such a gorgeous shade...this will get ALOT of wear from me over spring/summer!

Next up is her new nail polish in Nectar (£11). As with all her polishes I have tried so far, it's easy to use, consistency isn't too thick or too runny and is quite well pigmented. This is a very wearable shade that will look great against tanned skin...although I'm quite pale at the moment it really perks up my skin tone. In this photo I have two coats applied...

Like summer in a bottle! This too will get a lot of wear from me over the coming months!

Have you tried any of the products from Bobbi's new range? What do you think?

If you haven't, treat yourself! You won't be disappointed!

Jodie

xoxo