NOTD: Dutch-Ya Just Love OPI?

Opening up my May birchbox I couldn't help but let out a little squeal when I caught a glimpse of this beautiful polish sitting pretty at the bottom of the box! Dutch- Ya Just Love OPI? A deep creamy purple with red and gold shimmer running throughout was originally released last year as part of the Holland Collection!! Thinking that it couldn't get much prettier, Dutch-Ya Just Love OPI? is truly eye catching once greeted with natural light. 

Like all OPI polishes Dutch-Ya Just Love OPI? has a great formula and becomes opaque with just two coats!! Unlike any other shade in my collection, a hard task with a drawer brimming full of every colour of the rainbow and then some (sadly im not kidding) this beautiful polish has safely made its way to the top of my ever bulging drawer. 

After falling for its shimmery charm, im now resisting the urge to track down the other shades that were released in the collection!! 

Have you tried Dutch-Ya Just Love OPI?! 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation

When it comes to foundation I am rather fond of the natural, light/medium 'your skin but better' coverage I get from my beloved Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua. Over the past few months my acne prone, oily/combination skin has cleared dramatically, and Vitalumiere has fitted my foundation needs! However there are times when the light, natural coverage I crave just isn't enough (ahem mother nature can be very cruel to the skin), so for a while I have been in the market for a more fuller coverage foundation, that hides all blemishes/discolouration whilst still giving me the 'perfect skin' look, for those days that, dare I say it, Vitalumiere just wont cut it! 

A few weeks ago my mamma received an invitation to attend a massive stock clearance sale from a local department store that was sadly closing down, after nearly 100 years in business. Well aware that the beauty hall would be a makeup addicts treasure trove brimming with various bargains, she dragged (as if I wasn't willing) me along to enjoy a bit of mother/daughter retail therapy. With foundation goggles on, I beelined straight to the Estee Lauder counter, and after much deliberation, and several minutes of crazy swatching, I ended up walking away with Double Wear. One thing I must point out is that there is such a vast range of colours, suitable for all undertones, so it should be pretty easy to find your perfect match, without much hassle. 

Not for one minute did I ever think I would be sat here singing Double Wear's praises, as I had always dubbed it as one of those cakey foundations (so why I gravitated towards it I will never know), but, I have to admit I bloody love this foundation. 

Yes Double Wear is a heavy coverage foundation, but it does a cracking job of covering every little blemish and patch of discolouration without looking cakey (exactly what I was looking for). On top of this a little goes a long way due to the formula, it works well with my oily prone skin, has great staying power, and due to its matte finish theres no need for powder. 

The foundation comes in an aesthetically pleasing frosted glass bottle, finished off with a lovely gold lid. In terms of practicality, I will admit that it is a little annoying to dispense the product due to a lack of nozzle, however I have been working around this little downfall by tipping/pouring the foundation directly on to my buffing brush. 

My only niggle (come on you know there was going to be one) is the scent. To give you an idea, its not dissimilar to the poster paint you would have used in Art lessons. Thankfully once applied the rather odd scent disappears. 

Double Wear certainly hasnt knocked Vitalumiere Aqua off its perch, but for those days when my skins playing up and I just feel like 'faking it', I will certainly be turning to this beauty from now on!!

Have you tried Estee Lauder Double Wear? 

A Peek into Nena's Makeup Bag

For years monthly magazines have given us the opportunity to delve into many a famous beauty's makeup bag, without gaining a restraining order!! But have you ever wondered what fellow beauty addicts use on a day to day basis? For the next few weeks I shall be taking a peek into some of my favourite bloggers makeup bags, and asking them to spill the beans on their everyday must haves!! 

This week is the turn of a truly lovely blogger from across the pond, Nena. 

Nivea Visage Q10 Plus Anti Wrinkle BB Cream -  It's my favourite BB cream, I use it everyday ( except for the days where I don't use any makeup at all) It's not heavy, it doesn't make my face look oily, it feels light on the skin and unlike some foundations and BB creams when I wear it I feel like I'm not wearing anything.

L'oréal Paris Glam Bronze Brunette Harmony - I like this Bronzer it is currently my favourite from the ones that i have tried.

Essence Quattro eyeshadow in 05 to die for - These are my favorite eyeshadows ever!, I've totally used up a lot of it, I use it every time I have makeup on, it's perfect for smoky eyes, it doesn't smudge and doesn't flake, I once fell asleep with it on and when I woke up it didn't move at all ( only the eyeliner i was wearing smudged haha)

L'oréal Color Infaillable eyeshadows in 002 Hourglass Beige and 012 Endless Chocolat - If you haven't tried these eyeshadows you need to!, they are so good ( actually currently no 1 favorite with my essence one) but i don't wear these everyday because i feel like it's a little too metalic for everyday, but they have great lasting power and don't smudge at all.

Essence eyebrow pencil in 01 black - It's good, nothing amazing, the first eyebrow pencil i've ever tried so i can't compare it to others, but currently it works well for me.

Essence get BIG lashes mascara - My favorite mascara ever!, it makes my lashes look big and it doesn't clump, smudge or flake, ( unlike some Maybelline mascaras that I've tried and didn't work for me)

Clinique eyeliner in 07 really black - i only use this one on my water lines, i don't like to use it lash line because it's not that black, i feel like it's a really soft black, and when i wear black eyeliner i want it to be really black which this one isn't ( but when i first got the eyeliner it worked well).

Essence 2 in 1 eyeliner pen - I really like this one!, it's really black and really nice and easy to apply with, it has two sides one is thin and the other one is thick, i usually use the thin one.

Dream Lumi touch highlighting concealer - this one just doesn't work for me, maybe i got a bad one or a bad color for me, i don't know but it just doesn't work for me, i won't be repurchasing it. 

L’oréal caresse lipstick in 06 aphrodite scarlet – one of my favorites, i love it, it feels nice on the lips, it’s a pretty colour, but the lasting power isn’t the best

L’oréal caresse lip tint or gloss or lipstick ( not sure what to call it haha in 102 Romy – love this one too, i always keep many different type og lip products in my bag because i can get bored of the one i am wearing and be wanting a different color

Eos lipbalm - gotta have my favorite lipbalm with me haha.

Dior Addict Lipsticks in 343 Miss Dior and 753 Fashion - I have only one complaint about these lipsticks and it's the lasting power, other than that I love them, they look great, feel great, but don't last that long.

Dior Addict lipgloss in 087 sweet rose  - I love this lipgloss, it's a clear pink one and it's not sticky at all.

L’occitane hand creams – I always keep hand creams because my hands get pretty dry, I love my L’occitane hand creams, they work really well on me, i love the rose one esp, it has such a nice scent

I always keep at least one brush in my bag, this one is from eco tools

And lastly i have my mirror, i use this one that i got when i was in paris, it’s really light and thin, i really like that.

Michael Kors Crossover Bag

TkMaxx is one of those shops, you either love or hate. Up until a few months back, I had the latter opinion and blindly wrote it off as a shop full of last seasons unsellable tat. But how wrong was I? I will admit that at times it may resemble a jumble sale, but look past the sea of unorganised mess, and there are real bargains to be had (read my tips on getting a bargain here). 

With a trip to Paris on the horizon I have been on the look out for the perfect fuss free bag, thats practical yet chic (I will be going to the fashion capital after all). Whilst perusing the aisles of my local TkMaxx, I spotted an abundance of current season crossover bags, but nothing really bowled me over. This was until my boyfriend came whizzing around the corner clutching this beautiful bag by none other than Michael Kors (he is seriously well trained in spotting a gem, I wish I had his skills). 

When I laid eyes on this magnificent piece of arm candy (note: im the girl who named my precious Jet Set Tote) I knew that it would be the perfect travel companion. The bag is a beautiful (think I may be overusing the word beautiful!!) buttery leather in a vibrant navy blue, finished off with gorgeous gold hardware. According to the card inside, the leather will patina over time, so im looking forward to seeing it age with use gracefully. 

The bag itself is a pretty decent size for a crossover, with several pockets in the back, front and inside, making it easy to keep essentials organised whilst on the go (my boyfriend is adamant this wont happen haha). 

This little beauty cost £100, I know I know its a little pricey (I contemplated the purchase for a good while, whilst grasping the bag in fear of it falling out of my grasp). But with the RRP setting a handbag junkie back £225 and an increasing amount of high street bags ranging between the £50-£100 mark, it really is a worthwhile gem, especially for a designer label! 

Right im off to sit and admire my new addition (I need a life). 

What has been your best TkMaxx find?

A Peek into The Claudia Couture's Makeup Bag

For years monthly magazines have given us the opportunity to delve into many a famous beauty's makeup  bag, without gaining a restraining order!! But have you ever wondered what fellow beauty addicts use on a day to day basis? For the next few weeks I shall be taking a peek into some of my favourite bloggers makeup bags, and asking them to spill the beans on their everyday must haves!!

This week is the turn of the beautiful Claudia from The Claudia Couture, who also runs a youtube channel. Both brimming with fabulous reviews on gorgeous products (check out her review on the ridiculously cute Chanel retractable kabuki). Oh and FYI her Mum has a rather enviable handbag collection. 

 When Sophie at A Hint Of Sparkle asked me if i’d like to do a guest post on my makeup bag essentials, i was really excited. I love to hear about other peoples HG beauty items, so i’m always happy to share my own! Although i have lots of different beauty products and many favourites, i still like to keep just my daily essentials at-hand. So if i’m going away for the weekend, or staying at a friends, these are the basic items that i always take. It’s also much easier and quicker in the mornings if i have my ‘go to face’ all in one place! It means that i don’t spend five minutes umming and ahhing over which lipstick or blush to go for that day! So here are my current makeup bag must-haves...

For base products, my current foundation is the Cover FX Total Cover Cream Foundation in N25. Formulated without parabens, mineral oil, fragrance or talc, it doesn’t irritate my sensitive/acne prone skin. It’s a great brand to try if you suffer from any type of skin condition. Not only does it work great for my skin type, it also provides medium-full coverage and still looks natural on the skin. Easy to blend (i use the Sigma F80 to apply), and when paired with the Matte Setting Powder (i use the shade light), it lasts pretty well on my oily skin. With exam stress taking its toll this month, under eye concealer is even more of a necessity than usual! I’ve been loving the new Fake Up concealer from Benefit- it brightens and conceals, without creasing or emphasising fine lines/dryness around the eyes. For the cheeks, i’ve been loving the Urban Decay Naked Flushed Palette which contains your three essential products- a bronzer, blusher and highlighter. It’s so quick and easy to have all three products in one place, and i love all of the shades on my light-medium skin tone.

 Moving on to the eyes, i always start off with the Urban Decay Primer Potion in ‘Eden’- it ensures that my shadows stay put all day without creasing. Also from Urban Decay (can you tell i’m a fan?!), i have the Naked Basics Eye Shadow Palette. With six neutral shades, it’s ideal for creating everyday eye looks in an instant. Pigmentation is fantastic and all of the colours work perfectly together to create the smokey brown eye looks that i love. For liner, i love the Guerlain Liquid Eyeliner (so easy to use!) and Chanel’s pencil to tight line. My current mascara of choice is the Inimitable Intense by Chanel- it’s great at defining and lengthening the lashes. And not forgetting the brows, my HG product is the Benefit Brow Zings Kit. I use this every day without fail- it defines and shapes the brows, framing the whole face. The wax and powder stay put all day and just make my eye brows look so much more defined and well groomed. Love it!

Last but not least, i have my lip products. As a lipstick obsessive, it’s incredibly hard for me to stick to just one colour! So these are my current most-used. I have Chanel’s ‘Fantasque’, MAC ‘Creme Cup’ (both lovely pink shades- great for everyday) and YSL’s ‘Blond Ingenu’ (my all time favourite peachy-nude- along with Lana Del Rey’s too!). If i decide to wear lipgloss i’m guaranteed to opt for Buxom- non sticky, plumping and incredibly glossy, their my favourite brand. My two most used colours are ‘April’, a sparkly pink, and ‘White Russian’, a creamy nude- great for pairing with strong eye makeup.

So they’re my current makeup bag must haves- i hope you enjoyed taking a peek inside!

Tom Ford Aphrodisiac

Tom Ford is a brand that screams high end luxury, with a range of visibly appealing products, made all the more tempting with decadent packaging. The downside to this? these perks come with a slightly ridiculous price tag (Aphrodisiac will set you back £36). But you really do get quality for your buck, which softens the blow a little.  

Iv'e longed to divulge in a guilty Tom Ford purchase, but with the hefty price tag, something needed to come along that would win me over (oh and the encouragement of a Fifi Lapin cosmetic bag). When I clapped eyes on this beautiful blue toned medium pink in all its mouth watering beauty, it was inevitable that I would fall for Aphrodisiac's charm. 

I could write an essay on the packaging, so lets talk about the product itself, with that even embossed with the Tom Ford logo (I will admit that im a little afraid of wearing it down). Aphrodisiac is seriously pigmented, and when applied to the lips is opaque in just one swipe. To top it off this beautiful pink has a lovely soft formula, which feels rather moisturising on the lips. 

Is Aphrodisiac beautiful? Certainly... Does it cause a makeup addict to go a little giddy at the knees? Definitely... But is it unique? NO (there are no doubt, similar, cheaper options out there). 

However if you fancy treating yourself to a high quality luxury lipstick that deserves to be showcased  at any given moment, then a Tom Ford lippie is for you! 

My only concern? Once you've tried one of these lipsticks you'll definitely want to try some more. 

Have you tried anything from Tom Ford?