Makeup haulage!

I am excited to present a little makeup haul recently completed at Sephora and MAC.



Let's start with a self-made quad from MAC. These are all repeat purchases for me and for the hell of it I got the pan versions and slapped them into a palette.

It's a neutral selection - of course! - of the 4 colours that I have used the most over recent months. If I was to market it in a collection I would call it something slightly incomprehensible but fitting like "Warm Smoke". The colours are lifting, add delicate definition and when combined creating a pretty, smudgy, neutral eye with subtle shine. So here we have...

* Top left: Nylon -  a beauty for inner corner action. This has replaced Crystal Avalanche for me because whilst it adds that pearl effect, it's a softer finish, and ultimately more flattering.

* Top right: Era - this is a dark nude with a touch of gold that I use to blend the crease with. It's one of those shades that I never hear anyone talk about, yet always comes in useful. It's like Buck by Urban Decay but infinitely prettier.

* Bottom left: Mulch - terrible name, great colour. I apply this on the outer half of my lid and lower lashline but it's just as easy to wear by itself. Think warm chocolate with a hefty helping of bronze. This could just as easily be replaced by Sable - still a big part of my life.

* Bottom right: Mythology - I will never get enough of this shade. It's a rose gold-esque colour that when blended well with a 217 (because you need to get rid of the chunk) becomes shiny and pretty. If there is one colour that I will buy for the rest of my life this would be it.

I will try and snap a good picture of these shadows applied but I highly recommend all of them.

Here's to the Warm Smoke quad :)

And now for the Sephora stash...

So here's the thing - I used to be anti-Benefit. I refused to buy it because I instinctively felt that they spent more money on branding than they did on product.

Then I got Coralista and perceptions changed. Despite that, its not a brand that I look at every time I shop for makeup but Sephora had a special offer and then this happened...



Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow foundation is wonderful. It really is. I got it in the shade "I'm So Money" Honey and I would describe it as medium coverage with a "natural finish". It's definitely not as luminous as the likes of Chantecaille Just Skin, or as "skin-like" as a silicon based products (FACE Atelier/Armani) but on my normal/combination face it looked "kinda natural" - in a hide all my flaws kind of way. And yes, it even hid my scab!

But before I get carried away, I have heard some negative comments about this:

a) The SPF 25 causes flashback...true, this can be a problem but at the same time most of us don't get papped all day, every day so I suppose SPF should be valued more as a strength than a weakness.

b) Longevity - it is oil-free but not everyone thinks it lasts well. I see lots of negative comments regarding this from oily-combination skins.

I think these are legitimate moans so lets see how this plays out but after today I have to say that I love it - and I also love the fact that Benefit is an accessible brand. It's not crazy expensive and its available in lots of places. Brands that you have to order online in advance of running out require foresight...and I don't have that...so being able to run out and grab a good foundation is a good thing for me.

The same can be said of mascara - and here's where we start to talk about the famous They're Real.

This has lots of promising claims and I have watched/read reviews with interest but the reason I stick to MUFE Smoky Lash is because it's great from the first application. I find very few mascaras are like that. Case in point, YSL Faux Cils. This is a product with cult status and whilst it's good, it takes a couple of weeks of "drying out time" before it gives the effect I am looking for. The same can be said of MAX Factor's False Lash Effect - something I also picked up recently and have injected with air in the hope that it works better. And that whole "waiting time" process irritates me.

Today was the debut for They're Real and with trepidation I applied.

("Trepidation" added for dramatic effect)

I am happy to report that I got excited on first application. Obviously I did my obligatory two copious coats (and maybe one for extra measure) but I loved it! Thick, curled, defined...this is what I am talking about!



And after that massive diatribe about my haul all I can say is that it's so nice to find products that fit. It's what always appealed to me about makeup - applying something on your face and feeling fantastic afterwards. This is especially true when your skin/or a feature makes you feel self-conscious.

So these are the items that I currently love that I am sharing with you - what can you share with us?

What makes you feel transformed and beautiful? Tells us so we can feel the same :)