MAC Tropical Taboo Colour - Time to Tango & Orpheus

One of my favorite things to hear coming out of my husbands mouth on his return from a business trip is "I'm in duty free, what do you want?" this sends quivers of joy through my bones, duty free and I can pick what ever I want (well almost). However most of the time this is followed by "Quick i'm boarding in 20 minutes" which means I have to act fast. 

Even though my husband is a seasoned traveler, I am never prepared for this moment. a quick flush of "Quick what do I want /need" is quickly followed by an impulse plump. 

On this occasion I knew exactly what I wanted, whilst on my last visit to MAC I swatched a few items from The Tropical Taboo range and was quickly besotted with the beautiful swatches on the back of my hand. 

A text quickly went over to the other half detailing exactly what I wanted `Mineralise eyeshadow in Time to Tango & an eye pencil in Orpheus please x'

I have to say, it was quite a difficult task to pick a shade out of the eyeshadows, all are a beautiful blend of pinks,purples, blues & greens. In the end it was down to Dare to Bare and Time to Tango, but out of the two the purple and gold blend of Time to Tango really appealed. This can be worn as a sheer shimmer or a more intense smoky colour, both work well as this shadow is really buildable.

I have never tried an eye pencil from MAC before so it was about time i had a dabble. I thought the brown/gold shade of Orpheus would work well with Time to Tango and also with a few other pallets that I have. This pencil is very soft and easy to blend, it is actually darker on the skin than I though it would be and would look good for a smokey eye look. I have used this to line the eye with Time to Tango on the lid and they make a great duo.

Overall I am loving the colours in this range, if you a fan of a bit of shimmer then I would suggest you take a look at the mineralise shadows in this range (and the blush looks great too)

Other items that I am loving are the lipsticks in Lady at Play & Midnight Mambo, however both were sold out! ah well there's always next time...

A Week In Pictures

New laptop - Illamasqua nails - Officially unemployed - Leaving flowers from work - Lip products in my handbag - Moji - Maggie - Wizard of Oz tray - Watering my flowers 

This is a quick round up of the week in pictures. I am now officially unemployed and can blog way more woo hoo! so you will be seeing a lot more of me 

These pics are from my instagram, I have just started using it again, if you fancy following my account is WKDN85WKDN

Don't forget to enter my Benefit giveaway, you could win the Confessions of a concealaholic set - click the picture on the sidebar to take you to the give away post.

Everyday Foundation

A plain canvas is where every artist starts before they create their masterpiece. The same applies with us mere mortals trying to compose art on our faces, or at least look half decent as we leave of a morning. But unlike that of an artist, to get to a blank canvas takes time and products, lots of products. Primers, foundation, concealers, powders are to name but a few, not to mention all the brushes & tools (in my case trowel) involved before we can even think about blusher. It’s not exactly the fun part of applying makeup but in my opinion its one of the most important – get it wrong and boy do you (and the world) know it.

Getting the right colour, coverage & finish for my skin is an ongoing battle, just when I think I have got it nailed, my hormones decide to protest and throw a spanner in the works. Here is what I currently use, however there's always more room in that makeup bag for more miracle workers...

MAC Prep & Prime Fortified Skin Enhancer - Neutralize -  I really like the finish that this primer gives, it evens out skin tone and makes pores less visible. As it is tinted, it works well on its own with a touch of concealer for that natural `i'm not wearing make up look' I wouldn't say it holds make up in place but it gives an even complexion ready for foundation. Having oily skin I was concerned that this would be too illuminating, but its not, it just adds a little glow.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation - Bone 17 -  this is the best foundation I have used to date. The full coverage is just what I need at the moment, it covers all imperfections and stays in place all day. The texture is light compared to other high coverage foundations I have used which makes application easy and buildable for full on coverage.

Garnier BB cream - Light - I was given this from a friend, I don't think I would have gone out and bought this but I have liked using it. I use this on days where I do not want to do my make up (Sunday!) but want to have light/natural coverage. I apply this all over my face and then use a little powder to set. To me this is like a tinted moisturiser, it doesn't particularly help to cover fine lines etc that BB creams claim to do.

MAC Select Coverup - NW20 - If you are looking for a concealer that will hide anything then I would suggest you try this! as mentioned earlier, my skin has not been great recently and this has really helped to cover those pesky spots. Only thing with this is that I always seem to squeeze out too much!

Benefit Fake-up Concealer - Light -  I use this under my eyes to cover dark circles, the combo of concealer & moisturiser/primer helps to avoid the creased eye look. It is very silky so easy to apply, a bit too easy because of its slippery texture! I was concerned it would slide off my face, but it stays in place all day. I find this is light reflecting so works well to disguise dark circles.

MAC Select Sheer Pressed Powder Compact - NC20 - I bought this to use as a setting powder, with it being sheer it does not look too powdery. I use this by either patting it on with the applicator that came in the compact, this really fixes everything in place. Or by using a brush and applying a a few light sweeps, all depending on how I feel that day!

Soap and Glory Haul

I nipped into Boots at weekend to stock up on some much needed cleanser, I was literally scraping out empties for the last few days to collect enough cleanser to wash my face. As Soap and Glory is currently on offer (three for two) I decided to buy a few bits from the range. I ended up purchasing the Peaches and Clean Cleanser, The Fab Pore Hot Cloth Cleanser and the Clear Here Moisture Lotion.

Firstly I have to comment on the new packaging, the new streamline and basic branding is a far cry from the tongue & cheek signature pink packets. But I have to say I actually like it, it gives a clean feel to the range and would sit well on any bathroom shelf, plus they havn't given up on the cheeky names. The reality is that the revamp is likely part of a cost down project, but I think they have done a good job, I particularly like the squeezy tooth paste tubes!

On to the purchases - Peaches and Clean Cleanser. I was drawn to this as it is aimed at clogged T-zones and is deeply purifying, this ticks boxes for me. This went quickly into the basket along with the Clear Here Moisture Lotion which is also aimed at T-Zone control.

On closer inspection at home, I noticed a few things on the packaging of both of these that pointed out that these were for younger skin, for example:

"A few pumps of peaches and clean of an evening (or morning if you have fallen asleep with your make up on)"

Now you would only go to sleep with makeup on as teenager right?  this was backed up by the undeniable statement of "analysed on a group of oil-afflicted teenagers" on the Clear Here moisturiser packaging.

It doesn't exactly make me feel great that I still have to use products aimed at teenagers, I was hoping I had moved on from that now. I wouldn't have bought them if I noticed that in the shop, after all if an anti ageing cream stated it had been "analysed on a group of flaky skinned OAP's" it wouldn't be accepted. However I didn't read the label properly so my bad.

After the first few uses of the Peaches & Clean, I already know I am not going to get along with this one! in my opinion it is far to creamy to help with blocked pores but I need to give this a proper go before I can comment fully. One thing I can say though is that it smells of peach schnapps - not a great idea for those hungover teens who have left their makeup on all night....

My first comments of the moisturiser is that it is light, fresh and mattifying. So far so good although I am not expecting to get much more out of it than that .

Lastly is the Fab Pore Hot Cloth Cleanser which is so far my favourite out of the three. It smells lovely and removes all traces of make up, again so far so good. My only comment so far is that the cloth is way to abrasive, I am not sure if this is because my Liz Earl ones have been washed to death and have become all floppy (which I am comparing it too) it may well become softer after a few washes.

Overall a bit of a mixed bag! Have you tried any of these items? what are your thoughts on the new packaging?

A Week In Pictures

For sale in the blog shop (revamp soon!) - New bracelets - Soap & Glory haul - Glitter nails - What I used for the glitter nails - Lunch on a sunny day - PINK! - More cosmetics for sale in the blog shop - Flowers in bloom in the garden - Benefit giveaway - Om nommy treat - Snoozing Maggie - Snoozing Moji - Another nail pic - Primark outfit! - Suns out sunnies on - Maggie sunbathing - Beautiful flower from the garden

Fancy following me on Instagram? my username is wkdn85wkdn 

Giveaway - Benefit Confessions of a Concealaholic

You may have noticed that my blog posts have slowed right down over the last few months. As previously mentioned I have had a few health issues to deal with, but now I am back up and running and ready to resume blogging.

I have been working full time, however come next week I will be officially unemployed! This is my choice though, like I said I have had a few things going on so I need to focus on what’s important right now. So I think you are going to be seeing a lot more of me! I am also going to re-stock my blog shop and get it up and running again, watch this space.

So as a thank you for your patience and sticking with me, I have a fabulous giveaway for you.

Benefit Confessions of a Concealaholic

I have one set of Benefits Confessions of a Concealerholic to give away to one lucky reader.  This really is a concealerholics dream, it includes:

·         "that gal"

·         Erase paste 3.2g

·         Boi-ing 2 x 1.3g

·         Lemon aid 0.9g

·         Eye bright 0.9g

·         Two brushes

·         Mirror in the lid

It costs £28.50 to buy, so it is worth entering!

How to enter

Fill in your details in the Rafflecopter below

You must be a blog follower to be able to enter

Open Internationally

Closes end of 31/07/13. I will then announce the winner and contact them via email

I will be checking Rafflecopter so no sneaky sneaking

a Rafflecopter giveaway

GOOD LUCK & THANKS AGAIN

Liz Earle Skin Care Essentials Kit, Combination/Oily Skin

Heading to John Lewis, I had the intention to buy one tube of Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish to replenish my stocks. After spending over 3 x the amount I had budgeted, I walked away with the Liz Earle Skin Care Essentials Kit (Oily/Combination) which cost £47.25. I was actually egged on by my husband to buy it; sometimes he really is a great partner in crime.

So what is inside this kit of dreams?

§  Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (100ml) - £13.25

§  2 Pure Muslin cloths - £4.25

§  Instant Boost Skin Tonic (200ml)  - £13.25

§  Skin Repair Light - Combination/Oily (50ml) - £19.25

§  Orange Flower Body Wash (30ml) - £5.25

§  Nourishing Botanical Body Cream (30ml) - £5.25

If you add up the individual items it comes to a total of £60.50, plus you get a wash bag with detachable mirror. I think this is a good deal, I would recommend buying this way if you are going to try a few items.

Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser £13.25

I don't think I have to say much here, but lets just say im a fan. It removes all of my make up easily, leaves my skin feeling soft & generally a pleasure to use. If you have not tried it yet you should!

Instant Boost Skin Tonic (200ml) £13.25

This skin tonic is alcohol free, which in turn makes a non-drying and gentle toner. The smell as you would expect is delightful, thanks to the blend of geranium and chamomile essential oils. It also contains a number of active ingredients which have many soothing & toning properties:

·         Cucumber Extract – calming & soothing

·         Geranium Essential Oil – uplifting fragrance, has toning & balancing properties

·         Aloe Vera  - cools, soothes and softens

·         Glycerin  - aids hydration.

·         Hops Extract  - has astringent and toning properties.

·         D-panthenol (pro-vitamin B5) - helps stimulate cellular renewal.

·         Calendula Extract  - has a calming, soothing effect on the skin.

·         Chamomile Essential Oil/Extract  - has soothing properties.

I used this AM & PM after using the hot cloth cleanser, applied with cotton pads to remove any last traces of cleanser to leave the skin fresh and ready for moisturising. The 200ml version is a decent size; I still have not finished this yet and have had it a good few weeks now.  I really like the twist top packaging, It’s a safer option if your prone to dropping things and also keeps the product nice and fresh.

It also comes as a spritzer – 200ml for £13.50 (and hand bag sizes too) which is ideal for when you’re on the go or travelling. If we had a summer in the UK it would be ideal for freshening up, but seeing as we don’t you will have to book a holiday somewhere hot just to use this spritz (I think that’s enough justification for a holiday)

Overall I really like this tonic, it smells lovely, has handy packaging and it does what it is supposed to.

Skin Repair Light - Combination/Oily (50ml) £19.25

Just when things were going so well, they throw this moisturizer into the mix. I will however start off on a few good notes, 1) it smells lovely (to be expected) 2) Nice packaging & the pump keeps it fresh 3) the pump is good for trigger happy fingers as only a small amount comes out on each pump  4) absorbs quickly. That’s actually quite a few good points, but for me there are more significant negatives.

I have been using this twice a day after the Hot Cloth Cleanser & Skin Tonic for about a month now and I can now safely say that this is the cause of my pimple break out. It is quite unusual for me to get pimples on my cheeks but since using this they have been more and more present.

In my opinion this moisturiser is not particularly light, it might be light-ER than other Liz Earl moisturisers but it’s still too heavy for my skin. As mentioned above, it does absorb quickly which is surprising seeing as the texture is buttery. However it does feel heavy on the skin even once absorbed, and it fights for the opposing team in my battle of the mid day shine.

Maybe the ingredients can explain this -

·         Wheatgerm Oil - contains high levels of vitamin E,    which is a powerful antioxidant.

·         Glycerin - aids hydration.

·         Beta-carotene - has antioxidant properties.

·         Borage Oil - is one of the richest sources of the essential fatty acid GLA (gamma linolenic acid), which helps to lock moisture onto the skin.

·         Hops Extract - has astringent and toning properties

·         Echinacea Extract - used widely in herbal preparations ever since for anything ranging from colds and flu to skin conditions.

·         Avocado Oil - a good source of vitamin E, magnesium and linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid and leaves the skin smooth and soft.

·         D-panthenol - has a moisturising effect & helps stimulate cellular renewal.

I am not a skin expert by any means but the ingredients do seem to favour fatty oils & `moisture locking’ properties, probably is not the best for oily skin every day. I do have some left so from now one I am going to use it once a week for a moisture boost and see if that works for me. Overall this is not suitable for my skin and I would not re-buy, I think this is better suited for normal/combination skin types.

Orange Flower Body Wash & Nourishing Botanical Body Cream – both 30ml £5.25

At first I thought these two 30ml tubes were free try me samples, on further investigation it appears they cost £5.25 each to buy out side of this set. That’s £10.50 for two 30ml tubes! Call me stingy but I think that’s a lot, I would rather spend that in Lush and get a few bath melts.

I used the Orange Flower Body Wash all in one go, probably two goes in this size but I’m a bit heavy handed and I fancied a full on orange flower sesh. It was nice, orangy and got me clean – that’s about it, it didn’t excite me.  A full 200ml size costs £12.00, would I buy it? No, it’s just not special enough.

The body cream however really is a treat, it smells gorgeous and leaves my skin feeling lovely and smooth. Its a bit pricey at £17.25 for 200ml, but it is nice and does the trick so I probably would buy this 

The Bag

I have to mention the bag because Its pretty good for a freebie (which it is if you add everything up)It’s a decent size and the best bit is that it has a detachable mirror which sits inside the lid. It is magnetic so you just pop it on and off when you need it. I don’t like mirrors that are sewn into the lid, where you have to prop up the lid and shove your face in the bag to see anything.

 Have you tried any of the Liz Earle Skin Care Kits?