Take a chance

My lipstick of choice recently has been a Coco Rouge Shine by Chanel, in the Barbie-esque bubblegum pink shade, Chance. I got it when I was in Cardiff recently and took the opportunity to treat myself. Lipsticks are my weakness and I love to indulge, whether I need it or not!

I was really impressed with the shades on offer, though I do think, as a nude lover, it would benefit from having a couple of pinky nudes in their collection. Plenty of colours in the 'beige' category, but none that I'd really class as nude. There's something for everyone though, no matter what your preference, and there is a particularly gorgeous signature red range.

I swatched a couple of the colours, mainly choosing the pinks and corals, before plumping for Chance. I chose this colour for two reasons - Chanel Chance is my favourite perfume, and I can't resist a pink lipstick! I left Boots and skipped outside into the sunshine and immediately regretted my choice. The Aventure shade swatched on my hand looked far more pleasing, with golden shimmer running through it's coral-pink base. I was really disappointed with how rubbish my lipstick looked in comparison. As soon as I got home I tried it again, and was relieved to find I actually really, really loved it.

 Top swatch is applied once and it is swatched more heavily each time.

Chance is a pretty, bright, bubblegum pink with blue undertones, reminiscent of YSL's Lingerie Pink. It smells and tastes florally, which took some getting used to (I usually wear vanilla MAC or watermelon YSL) but the colour, moisture and finish makes it all worthwhile. It's a sheer, shiny lipstick that feels and moisturises like a balm, and the pink colour perks me up immensely. Of course, there's a certain sense of glamour associated with Chanel, and whilst I might not ooze it on a daily basis, I do feel a little bit special when I apply this. The only downside is packaging - for a £23 lippie I'd expect something a bit more luxurious - YSL Rouge Voluptes are the perfect example of this. This doesn't warrant the product a failure though as the lipstick itself is divine. I can't wait to buy more!

Have you tried any of the Coco Rouge Shines? What colour is your favourite?

xoxo

Stila goodies

I recently received a giftcard from one of my sponsors, SkincareRx, and literally spent days browsing the website trying to decide what to buy. It stocks many of the biggest brands and there were hundreds of things I wanted!

In the end I chose some Stila goodies, as it's not a brand I've tried before but have heard good things about. I plumped for the Stila Convertible Colour in popular shade 'Lillium', and a Stila Lip and Cheek Stain in 'Yumberry Crush'.

I have to say I am a fan of the cardboard packaging. I'm loving all things natural and rustic lately, and this packaging really appeals to me. I also loved the packaging of the actual products - pretty colours and a metallicy finish. Lovely.

The Convertible Colour has been on my radar for years, so I chose the most universal shade there, Lillium. This is smaller than I was expecting, but it's still a substantial size with a lot of product. This is a muted, natural, rosy peach type of colour (excellent describing skills there...) and would definitely suit all skintones. Because it is a neutral shade, it would compliment any look, so I can see myself using this a lot. It's a lovely, smooth, creamy er... cream, and it glides on and blends beautifully. It doesn't look or feel greasy on me, but then I have dry skin anyway. As far as longevity is concerned, I don't notice it lasting any longer than my other favourite cheek creams, MAC Cream Colour Bases, but it lasts well into the day for me. It doesn't wear off enough for the need to reapply, but then I am lazy when it comes to reapplying my make up through the day. I just can't be bothered. If you are familiar with the CCB's, you'll notice it has a kind of powdery finish when it sets. The Convertible Colour is nothing like that - it stays creamy after blended and gives a dewy sheen to my skin. I love it. I'm very impressed with this cream and would love to try more colours.

Mrs Beckham tweeted recently that she has found the perfect lip and cheek colour for summer, and revealed it was Stila's Lip and Cheek Stain in Cherry Crush. As soon as I got wind of this I knew I wanted one, but the Cherry colour was too red and scary for me. Enter: Yumberry Crush! How sweet is the name? That partly helped my decision (it's cute!) but when I discovered it was a frosty pink, I was 'in there like swimwear'. It didn't disappoint either. It is a tad more rosy than I was expecting but the shimmer is so pretty and it smells absolutely divine. I love that it can be layered too so I can build up the colour should I require. I am a huge fan of the colour it stains my cheeks - a pretty, vibrant pink, but the shimmer makes it pretty hard for me to wear on a daily basis. In the warmer weather and on nights out or the weekend I would definitely wear it on my cheeks, but for now it is reserved as a lip colour only. As a stain, it lasts all day on my cheeks, and I get a good 4-5 hours wear on my lips. Very impressive!

Some swatches:

Lilium Convertible Colour - Heavily swatched on the left, blended on the right.

Yumberry Crush Lip and Cheek Stain - Thickly applied on the left, blended with the brush applicator in the middle, blended with my finger on the right.

I ordered this on a Sunday night and it arrived the following Monday, so 8 days in total. It was perfectly packaged and inside my box were some skincare samples, which was nice. The shipping cost around $25, which works out at about £15. I don't think that's bad considering it is from the US, but it's something to consider, especially as I never know when I'm going to get hit with customs charges. I'd definitely use this site again, though I'd reserve it to treat myself to some US-exclusive brands.

So all in all a big thumbs up to SkincareRx.com and Stila from me! Want some Stila for yourself? Keep your eyes peeled for my giveaway on Monday :)

xoxo

Top 5 lipsticks at the moment

I've been neglecting my lip products for a while. Not intentionally, I've just been slicking on some lip balm as I'm running through the door. These last couple of weeks I've been making more of an effort, and I've found myself reaching for the same few lipsticks. In no particular order, my favourite lipsticks at the moment:

NYX Lipstick - Summer Love
A nude with brown/beige undertones, so it stops me looking washed out. It's also great when I've used bronzer as 'regular' nude colours are so pale and pink that they look like concealer. It's a semi-matte finish, so it's not the glossiest or most moisturising lipstick I own. I pair it with a lipgloss to counteract that though.

 

YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick - Lingerie Pink
I <3 YSL Rouge Voluptes, and this colour is just gorgeous. It's a bright, vivid pink akin to MAC's Viva Glam Gaga, but is a much better formula. Fabulous way of having statement lips without being OTT. It's opaque with just one swipe, so although it isn't sheer, it is buildable to get a bolder look.

MAC Lipstick - Gotta Dash
My newest addition to my collection and it is an uber glossy coral colour. I love wearing this when I want my lips to be the focus but want something a little bit different to red or pink. I also like this because I love wearing peachy coloured blush, so they compliment each other perfectly.

MAC Lipstick - Angel
Old faithful and popular colour, Angel. It's a muted pink colour, so will go with a whole array of looks. It is a frost, which I used to hate, but the more I wear it the more I fall in love with this lipstick. I used to prefer Creme Cup (also from MAC) as the colour was identical but the creamsheen finish was better. Well, I've changed my mind and prefer this one. The frost finish adds a lovely sheen and because it isn't super glossy or shiny, I find it to be longer lasting.

MAC Lipstick - Victorian
This was a limited edition colour and I just adore it. This is reserved for Summer only as it is so bright and gorgeous. It is a pink-coral with a golden shimmer. Another frost formula so lasts a while, even in the heat (not that we've had much heat), and the colour is just glorious next to bronzed, glowy skin.

And here are some swatches for you. From top to bottom we have:
NYX Summer Love, YSL Lingerie Pink, MAC Gotta Dash!, MAC Angel and MAC Victorian.

These colours have been my staples recently - what colours have been yours?

xoxo

Newbies

Wow, is it Wednesday already? It seems like only yesterday I was skipping out of work at 6pm filled with excitement for the weekend ahead, and now we're at the middle of the week? Crazy. I've been feeling a bit poorly this week, hence the peace on the blogfront, but I'm sat here in my jimjams waiting for The Apprentice to start and thought it was the perfect opportunity to put pen to paper (or fingers to keys).

As I've already mentioned, Saturday was a date day for my honey and I, and we spent the day in Cardiff - shopping, eating, shopping some more, eating some more... you get the idea. I had a blast!
We started the day relatively early with a spot of shopping. We were in Cardiff at 10am at the latest, and Primark was already heaving. Is there any time to shop there without having to elbow people out of your way? Urgh. Mr Lollipop hates that shop, but I was in search of a gold chunky ring. In typical Laura fashion, I bought everything but a gold chunky ring! We also did the obligatory rounds of MAC, Debenhams and Boots, and I think I did pretty well as I hardly bought a thing. I could have spent a fortune in the new Americandy shop though! We were literally like children in a candy shop, and everywhere we looked had something new and exciting, either from our childhood or America. I refused to pay £8.00 for a box of Lucky Charms, but no doubt we'll be making a trip back there soon!
All in all I had a fabulous day, but I ate waaaaaay too much. The Krispy Kremes (note, plural), Shakeaway milkshakes, Gourmet Burger Kitchen burger, chips and garlic mayo (nom nom nom)... All tasted divine, but I kinda had a food-hangover on Sunday and I felt rotten. I've been feeling crap about my eating habits lately anyway, so Saturday was the nail in the coffin if you like. I vowed to be back on 'it' (my healthy eating bandwagon) on Monday morning and I'm pleased to say I've been great this week. Feeling so rubbish has really awakened my determination again. Anyway, I am rambling! Onto the newbies:

Gotta Dash! lipstick, £13.50, MAC.

New lipstick always cheers me up and I have been wanting to test the new Sheen Supreme ones since their release. I have been looking at swatches online for a while and thought I'd come home with Behave Yourself (a pretty Barbie pink) or Supremely Confident (a beloved nude), but as soon as I swatched this I knew I'd be taking it home. It's a gorgeous pastel peach (not quite coral but is very coral-toned) and feels really smooth and silky when I'm wearing it. Plus it is opaque so you only need to swipe it once, and it has a darling shine to it. An instant favourite, both colour-wise and formula-wise!

Daisy headband and daisy bobble, both £1 each, Primark.

I have a bit of a growing obsession for daisies, so when I spotted this cute headband I had to get it. We were in a petrol station a few weeks ago and the girl pulling up next to us had her hair in a ponytail, adorned with a big daisy. I have been wanting one since so you can imagine my delight when I saw it sitting on the shelves. I know that both of these are going to become Summer staples as I prefer wearing my hair up in the hotter weather, so they are going to add a pretty finish to an otherwise simple 'do.

Gold earring set, £1.50, Primark.

I don't have many solid gold earrings (solid as in without any coloured stones), so whenever I wear gold jewellery I have to go earringless. Well, not anymore! 6 pairs of cute gold earrings for £1.50?! Bargain! I'd pay £1.50 for the heart dangly ones alone - they are super cute.

Turquoise stone silver ring, £2.50, Primark.

I love wearing turquoise/teal/blue jewellery, so the turquoise stone combined with the detail of the silver instantly put a smile on my face. I love chunky rings, but this isn't so chunky that it is in knuckleduster territory - it's just a big, fancy ring. Love it!

Model's Own nail polish, Pastel Pink / Blooboo / Lemon Meringue, £5.00 each (currently 3 for 2 in Boots).

I can't get enough of pastel nail polishes at the moment. I initially wanted Barry M's Peach Melba, but the Barry M stand in Cardiff is ridiculously slow at getting new stock, though they did have the new colours of the nail effects crackle polish. I digress... The pastel colours are very pretty. I have been after a powder blue for a while and this one fits the bill perfectly. In the bottle it looks like it has a purple-blue sheen, but this doesn't translate onto the nails. I've also wanted to embark on the yellow nails trend, but Chanel's Mimosa is a bit too intense for me. Lemon Meringue is so wearable though, so I'd really recommend this one if you want to try the less-intense version of the trend too. Pastel Pink is exactly that, and though I have lots, this one is my favourite. Very opaque and looks fab. Can't wait to go and pick up more!

Natural Collection Nail Polish, White, £1.89.

I wanted a cheap white nail polish and this was the cheapest they had in store. I only wanted one to use as a base under my sheerer colours or to attempt a bit of polka-dotting, and I have to admit I am really impressed. It applies really evenly and dries quickly. The only downside is the brush is a bit thick for clumsy me, but I'll gladly do with that for £1.89!

And something random, but I love these lidded cups that we bought in Lakeland. I think they were about £4 each and on offer 3 for 2. These are going to be perfect in the garden (no flies in my drink, no sir) and also in the car or on my way to work. Smoothies on the go are a necessity in the morning, so these cups are ideal for me. They are melamine so can go in the dishwasher, and they are double layered so the air chamber helps keep your drink cold for longer. I love them!

I'm off to make myself a cup of my new favourite tea, Clipper nightime tea (or something) and a chopped apple sprinkled with cinnamon. Then I'm gonna cwtch up on the sofa and watch Lord Sugar and co before my early night - hopefully a good night's sleep will cure me! Are you watching The Apprentice? What did you think of last week's double firing?!

xoxo

Be scandalous with Sleek MakeUP!

Sleek MakeUP have released a limited edition mini-collection, just in time for Valentine's Day. Instead of playing up to the cute, flirty, pink side of Valentine's, the Stiletto collection delves into the red hot, sexy side, and the best part is you don't need to be in a relationship to vamp it up and ooze sex appeal.

The Stiletto collection consists of three red hot shades for your cheeks, lips and nails. I was kindly sent the Pout Polish in Scandal and the Blush in Scandalous. I've previously reviewed both Blush and Pout Polish from the brand but they've been nowhere near as intense as these two shades! My initial reaction upon opening was "Holy crap I'm gonna look like Aunt Sally!".

Once the shock had subsided, I was very impressed with the vibrancy of the shades. Sleek MakeUP hasn't half heartedly created a collection for the sake if it - they've really packed a punch with these shades so you can release your inner vixen.

The Scandalous Blush is a matte red with orange undertones. It actually reminds me of MAC's Devil blush, which doesn't bode well because I hated that one! My skin is far too pale to get away with shades as vibrant as this, but I was certainly intrigued. I applied a little today, and I mean the tiniest amoutn, and as expected I don't like it. That's a personal colour/skintone issue though as the quality of the product itself is fab. It isn't chalky and blends wonderfully on the skin without clinging to certain parts of my cheeks, so if the colour was toned doen a but this would be a win. I can imagine darker skinned ladies rocking this though!

Despite the colour being out of my comfort zone I was so excited to find a Pout Polish in my parcel! The last Pout Polish I reviewed was luminous yellow, so although it moisturises my lips beautifully, I can only wear it at night. Scandal is a fabulous cherry red colour and as with all Pout Polishes it contains jojoba oil, shea butter and almond oil, which really nourishes your lips. Let's face it, we all need kissable lips, regardless of the time of year! It's definitely going to make an impact with your look, but because it us a lip tint rather than a lipstick it is a lot more natural and less maintenance. It can be applied lightly for a sheer tint or whacked on with a lip brush for maximum effect. As expected it's glossy, silky and really does condition your lips. A tinted lip conditioner in a fabulous shade, what more do you want?

 Unblended

Blended slightly

Both items retail for £4.29, available from selected Superdrug stores and the Sleek MakeUP website. It's only available until Wednesday 16th February though, so you'd best be quick! There is also a gorgeous red nail polish as part of the collection (Geisha's Seal, £3.89) so you can complete the look in a one-stop shop!

Have you tried any of the Stiletto collection yet?

xoxo

Nails Inc & Diet Coke

If you have been living under a rock, you will be unaware that Nails Inc has collaborated with Diet Coke once again and released four beautiful hues of nail polish. Nails Inc polishes usually retail for around £11, but all you have to do to get your mitts on one of these bad boys, is buy two bottles of Diet Coke from Boots. Bargain!

I got sent these a few weeks ago, along with a customising kit (for my bottle of Diet Coke) in order to enter a competition, so thought it was about time I unveiled my design and showed you my swatches. However, I erm... Well, I smashed my bottle of Diet Coke. I was clearing up after my jazzing up sesh and knocked it off the table. Whoops! It was fab too, it had lollipops and hearts on it, with diamantes and gems. Such a waste. So, until I buy myself a new bottle of Diet Coke, it's only going to be swatches I'm showing you today. The four shades released this time are Caramel, Heather Grey, Denim and Plum.

I personally think Nails Inc polishes can be a bit hit and miss - sometimes you will get a really lovely colour with a dreamy formula that is a breeze to apply. Other times you will get a gloopy formula, a streaky formula, or a really thin and runny formula that makes application a nightmare with ugly nails to boot. I am super impressed with these though. I've tried them a number of times now and am always pleased with how easily they go on; no streaks and really opaque, which means you don't necessarily need another coat. I think that the colour palette works fabulously together and the names of the colours are a good representation of what is in the bottle, except Plum.

Plum is a really misleading name for this polish. I expected a really sumptious and velvety deep purple but instead I got a deep raspberry red shade. Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful colour, but it is reminiscent of Barry M's Raspberry, which means that it is neither original nor unique. It's just a deep red that is available within most brands and price brackets. Still, for £2 odd you can't reply complain. Though, it does have plum undertones in my pictures. Maybe I'm being too harsh?

Heather Grey is just lovely. It looks like it has a lot of pink undertones in the bottle, but it is definitely a grey-lilac. This is probably my favourite shade out of the four I was sent. I really like the grey-lilac shades that have been available recently, but I usually find them to be to much of one colour. This one is spot on in my opinion, just enough of each to make it original and still pretty.

Caramel is... well, it's caramel really. It's darker beige than nude and the colour deepens further with each coat, but still looks really elegant and made my fingers look really long. This one lasted the longest without chipping, but that could be because I applied 3 coats to make it darker.

Denim is just fab. I don't own many blue nail polishes and the ones that I do are nothing like this. I'm often wary of wearing blue nail polish - I prefer warmer shades to be honest, but this is gorgeous. Not deep enough to be navy but not bright enough to be electric... Demin is the perfect way to describe it, like your favourite pair of darkwash jeans.

I didn't have a problem with the longevity of any of these colours. They did start chipping between 3 and 5 days but that is the norm for me anyway as my application technique is appalling! So overall I am really impressed with these polishes. These are definitely the better of Nails Inc shades and formulas and if they continue making them with this formula, they can't really go wrong.

Have you checked these polishes out yet? If not, why not?! They're a bargain! Also, stay tuned to see my creativity for my competition entry. Better late than never, eh?

xoxo

Review : Sleek MakeUP Molten Metals & FOTD

I had a lovely surprise drop through my letterbox last week - Sleek MakeUP's latest product, Molten Metal. The Molten Metal is a cream eyeshadow duo, with two metallic shades, Pewter and Gold Leaf. Personally, I think they're both gold - there's not enough silver in the Pewter for it to be classed as such, but it is definitely a pretty, cool gold, whereas Gold Leaf has warmer tones.

What do Sleek MakeUP say?
Introducing Molten Metal, the new metallic cream from Sleek MakeUP. The luxurious packaging holds the secret weapon to update any beauty addict's cosmetic collection. The two cream shades come in cool Pewter and toasty Gold Leaf.

As with all Sleek MakeUP colour products, Molten Metal is highly pigmented and designed to show up on all skin tones. The long lasting cream can be used on the cheek bones, the lips and also as a handy highlighter.

The intense coloured cream eye shadow smooths on to the skin like a dream and lasting long after the night has finished. Unlike most cream eyeshadows, Molten Metal stays in place whilst never creasing thus giving you a strong metallic look that will stay perfect.

Huh? Never creasing? I highly doubt it Sleek MakeUP, those are some mighty claims you are making! Nevertheless, it sounds good, right?

What do I say?
When I first opened the compact, I was a little disappointed as I thought the creams looked quite powdery and dry, but when I swatched them I was pleasantly surprised. These are by far the smoothest and creamiest cream eyeshadows that I've felt in quite a while. I was also amazed by the pigmentation of them. I'm a big fan of Benefit's Creaseless Cream Eyeshadows, but I'm often annoyed that to get the colour in the pot, you have to apply a few layers. The colour translates in one layer with the Molten Metal though - in fact, I'd say it's actually better and more vivid once it's applied, which I love.

The Press Release says that you can wear these on your lips or cheeks too, but because of the colours that they are, that won't work. I blended the swatches on my skin and it was quite a muddy colour, which would make you look dirty should you attempt it as a cheek highlight. Something pinker, creamier or peachier would be lovely though because the consistency is perfect. Also, I stepped into the shower after I blended them and the water just sat on top of them, so I guess that makes them waterproof too... which bodes well for the creaseless aspect.

This weekend I trialled the shadows. On Saturday I applied the Pewter shade on top of a primer, then blended some eyeshadows on top of that. It's common sense to set a cream eyeshadow with powder, so I packed on a variety of shades to create a smokey eye. I applied the Molten Metal with my finger and it applied and blended so smoothly and so easily. It was a dream to apply! Blending the eyeshadows on top was a breeze too, so top marks for application. I applied my make up at about 11am, and it looked like this:

I used:

FACE

Foundation : Bourjois 10 Hour Sleep Effect 71

Concealer : MAC Studio Finish NW15

Powder : MAC MSF Natural Light

Bronzer : NARS 'Laguna'
Blush : MAC Blush Ombre 'Azalea Blossom'
Highlighter : Collection 2000 Shimmer & Shade ' Just Peachy'

Brows : Collection 2000 Brow Pencil 'Blonde'

EYES

Primer : Benefit 'Stay Don't Stray'
Base : Sleek MakeUP Molten Metals 'Pewter' cream eyeshadow

Inner lid and lower lashline : Urban Decay 'Sidecar' eyeshadow (from the Naked palette)
Outer lid : MAC 'Satin Taupe' eyeshadow

Upper lashline and outer 'V' : Urban Decay 'Darkhorse' eyeshadow (from the Naked palette)
Crease :  Urban Decay 'Naked' eyeshadow (from the Naked palette)

Brow bone and tear duct : Urban Decay 'Virgin' eyeshadow (from the Naked palette)
Waterlines : Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner 'Whiskey'

Mascara : L'Oreal Voluminous 'Carbon Black'

LIPS

Lipstick : MAC 'Viva Glam Gaga' lipstick
Lipgloss : Illamasqua 'Electrify' sheer lipgloss

My eyelids are quite hooded, so creasing is an issue for me. Even with a primer, it creases by the time I get home from work, so I wasn't expecting it to last a long time I'm afraid. However, I checked my make up at a number of points through the day, and was rather pleased to find that it was holding up really well and only saw the teeniest bit of creasing. Even then I think it's only because I have issues with my hooded lids that I could see the tell-tale signs of creasing, and I doubt anybody else would have noticed if they'd looked at me. Also, yesterday was a pretty quiet day. The most strenuous activity I performed was whisking up some custard for my trifle, so I think the lack of vigorous movement like walking and working may have helped the longevity.

At 11pm, I was off to bed, so had one last check before removing my make up and this is what I found:

I am super impressed with how long the Molten Metal lasted on my eyelids. Okay, it faded a bit and I look dog-rough (which has nothing to do with the Molten Metals and everything to do with me being tired, I might add, hehe) but look - after 12 hours it hasn't creased too badly! You can't fail to be impressed by that!

On Sunday I tried out the Gold Leaf shade. I used a primer again, then blended it over my lid using a synthetic brush. It didn't seem to blend as well with the brush, so I blended around the edges with my fingers. I thought it was such a pretty colour that I didn't want to detract from it, so only used Brule eyeshadow by MAC to blend the edges, then dusted a little bit of Benefit's Lust Duster in Nugget over the top of the cream. It's such a fine, golden sandy coloured powder that it is perfect for setting a gold cream eyeshadow without putting down too much colour... or so it is usually. Less than 2 hours later, it creased:

I never honestly expected it to live up to it's bold 'never creasing' claims, but after Saturday's success I was expecting something a little better. It also felt really greasy and I seemed to wiping bits away from my crease all day. Bleurgh. That either suggests I applied too much, or the gold shade is a load of poop.

I attempted the gold again today, just to make sure it was the application and not this particular colour. I applied it over a primer using my fingers, then packed some of Urban Decay's 'Midnight Cowboy' over the top, and blended some 'Buck' and 'Naked' from the Urban Decay Naked palette into the crease. This is how it looks at the moment, after about 10 hours of wear:

It's only just starting to crease - woohoo! Clearly, the secret to using the Molten Metals is to:

♥ Apply and blend with your fingers.

♥ Pack lots of eyeshadow on top, something that isn't too fine.

♥ Use a primer underneath - I'm not brave enough to attempt them without!

At this point I should add that these make an awesome base for eyeshadows prone to fall-out. This has been the only cream product that has kept the glitter from 'Midnight Cowboy' actually on my eyelids, instead of migrating south towards my chin. That alone earns this product brownie points! I'm also aware that in my pictures, the colours don't look very metallicy. Don't fret, I can assure you it's my eyeshadow choice, as I've not really got a wide range of metallic eyeshadows. The cream eyeshadows are in fact very metallic, and true metallic too, not the type that claim to be metallic but are actually laced with glitter.

They've been likened to Illamasqua's Liquid Metals, but I've never tried them so cannot compare. What I do know though is that Sleek MakeUP's counterpart performs fabulously (when used correctly), and I for one can't wait to see what other colours they release. Sleek MakeUP have come up trumps again!

If you want to get your mitts on the Molten Metals, they will be released as part of the Sleek MakeUP permanent range on Wednesday 5th January in Surperdrug stores nationwide, and will cost just £6.99. They'll also be available from the Sleek MakeUP website, which is where you can find a list of your nearest Superdrug stockists too.

What do you think? Is this something that floats your boat? Will you be buying?

xoxo

You can never have too much glitter

My false nails finally bit the dust on Sunday (after a whole week's wear - impressive!), but not before I made them a bit more glitzy. I was feeling quite festive and was going to apply a really nice red frst, but I thought that since the nails were coming off later on in the day anyway, it would be too much effort, so I just twinkled them up. I used Barry M's silver hologram and I absolutely love it. The camera couldn't capture the reflects properly, but I'm sure you can all imagine how pretty and shiny glitter is.

I quite like it without the coloured base ya'know. I said in my last nails post that I'm not a huge fan of the french manicure look, but I think that adding the glitter makes it better. Tacky? Hell yes, but I follow the philosophy that you can never have too much glitter! A bit of tack now and again never hurt anyone :)

So enlighten me please - which polishes should I be reaching for, for a complete and utter glitterfest?

xoxo

When is a lipstick not a lipstick?

When it's a cheek highlighter! I was sorting through my make up collection a few weeks ago and came across a sheer and shimmery lipstick that was sitting unused and unloved. I decided that I'd try and use it for another purpose, but being a golden, shimmery colour it left a lot to be desired. I melted it down anyway, and have since found a lovely way to use it.

The lipstick was Maybelline's Colour Sensational in 605 Precious Beige. It got sent to me by Maybelline last year, and I loved wearing it for a long, long time. I paired it with nude lipsticks as it gave my lips a shimmery, lustre type of finish so it eliminated the need for a sticky lipgloss, plus it was a lot longer lasting. But, because it was sitting unloved for quite some time, it kind of dried up and scratched along my lips when I went to apply it. I even struggled to get a swatch of it, so I thought it was time to go. Before I binned it I made one last attempt to salvage it by melting it down, and viola, my cheek highlighter was born.

I know that some people found the colour insipid and quite frankly, they hated it, but if you have it and are not using it, have a bash at melting it down. It's a lovely, creamy product that sits nicely on my cheeks. I like using it after my blush because it's so sticky, but once it settles down it's nice. For something I was going to throw away, I'm uber impressed!

Have you rescued anything? Created something new from something old? I'd love to hear about it!

xoxo

Sleek MakeUP Shimmer Blush

Hands up, who loves pretty, shimmery cheeks? Yeah, both my hands are up. I adore them! Even when I don't use a shimmery blush, I use a shimmery highlighter. I love the definition and glow it adds, and it makes my skin look so healthy. I had a lovely little parcel waiting on my doorstep on Friday morning - 3 new blushes from Sleek MakeUP, all of which are infused with gold shimmer.

Now, when something advertises itself as shimmery, I immediately think of chunky glitter. There's no chunky glitter here though, just really fine and subtle shimmer. Tres pretty! I have been super impressed with the latest releases from Sleek MakeUP, so I couldn't wait to get home from work and have a little play.

Pomegranate - described as a shimmery blush with burgundy undertones. This is a stunning colour - a lovely deep raspberry with pink and gold reflects, so it gives cheeks the just-in-from-the-cold flush - perfect for the Autumn season. This one is going to get a lot of love in the upcoming months, but use it sparingly because you need a tiny amount to get the intensity of how it looks in the pan. This one is the least golden of the three. The pink shimmer is more evident here, but on the cheek it just gives a nice, bright flush and makes you look really awake and girly. This is a fab blush if you are going for a doll-like look.

Rose Gold - described as a shimmery blush with pink undertones. This is a really pretty pinky-peach colour, and although I don't have it to compare, I imagine it to be like NARS Orgasm. It has the most gold shimmer out of the three, and it does cling to any dry patches so I wouldn't recommend this if you have overly dry skin. It's a fab universal, everyday shade though, and I think this would look lovely over a dewy, cream blush with the same peachy-gold tones. You don't have to think too much with this colour. I wore it yesterday and loved how it looked.

Sunrise - described as a shimmery blush with brown/red undertones. I was a little bit scared of this one when I first saw it. It's a lovely bronzed colour, but it looks super duper dark It has red/brown/plum undertones and looks almost like a bronzer in the pan, and to be honest, I almost dismissed it as a blush for darker skinned ladies. It's turned out to be my favourite of the three though and I'm wearing it today. It gives my cheeks some warmth and the gold gives it a bit of a glow. It looks really natural because it's not a bright colour, and can be built up beautifully until you get the intensity you desire. My new favourite blush, without a doubt.

The blushes are released on the 29th September in selected Superdrug stores, and are priced at £3.99 each. No, I didn't mis-type the price, they really are £3.99 each! That is an absolute bargain in my opinion, and I'd have no qualms about treating myself to all three. I love the packaging, I think it's so sleek and cute with a handy mirror in the lid. It seems quite small in my hand but you do actually get a lot of product crammed in there (8g). I absolutely love these blushes. I am ghostly pale at the moment and all three look quite pretty on my cheeks, so don't be alarmed by how bright or dark they look in the packaging. They have a permanent range available here too, which I'm definitely going to check out the next time I'm in Cardiff.

Which ones take your fancy?

xoxo