Estee Lauder Pure Color Illuminating Powder Gelee

Following on from my post recently regarding Estee Lauder Double Wear Powder which uses innovative technology to blend powder, gel and liquid, I discovered this new item from the same beauty house, using the same technology.

It looks really lovely...

This is a bronzer which is designed to be used all over the body, as well as your face. It has both brown and light tan/golden elements to it, and it has a pearlescent sheen to give your skin a warm, soft-focus look.

This will be ideal for Summer - I think a slight shimmer and a pearly palette looks great on Summer skin if it's not overdone. A shimmery highlight in the right places can really offset that warm, glowy Summer skin that we all covet.

Just like their other new powders, Estee Lauder have ensured this is moisturising and seamless by using their new powder blend which contains liquid and gel so you never get that cakey, dry make up look that a lot of powders create.

Estee Lauder are generally really good with their packaging and this is no different - very glamorous and chic, I definitely want this in my make up bag!

This is available now for £30.


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Estee Lauder Double Wear Invisible Powder

Normally a powder isn't something beauty brands will release for Spring/Summer but this new powder by Estee Lauder promises to be so light and moisturising that it's perfect for balmy days.

Most importantly, this powder is completely oil free so for those of you who get oily skin and worry that Summer will make it worse, this product is great.

This powder promises a 'barely there' look which will be light and breathable on your skin. 

The powder itself is different to others on the market because it is actually a blend of powder, liquid and gel - this means it will look much more natural than a standard powder and won't dry your face out or sit on top of your skin like a mask. It's also talc-free which means you don't have to worry about that tell-tale powder texture on your face, as this will blend beautifully with your skin.

When we think about face powders, the older formulations that were cakey, overly-powdery and really unnatural looking can be a big put off, but the newest formulas are much more suited to real skin and, like this one, are designed to be almost undetectable apart from the fact that your skin will look much better and polished!

There's a great colour range available for this powder and Estee Lauder have catered well to darker-skinned ladies and the less common skin tones. There's 14 colours available at the moment.

The compact costs £29 and you can get this now from John Lewis online as well as a range of other suppliers.



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Givenchy Mister Radiant Made To Measure Glow

Givenchy originally released Mister Radiant in Summer 2011 to rave reviews but they have recently relaunched it with a slight packaging change (the bottle used to be translucent and is now transparent). Other than the bottle, I don't think the product formula has changed very much at all.

Mister Radiant is a lightweight, clear gel which you apply to your face for a really delicate, healthy glow. 

The concept of this product is that the gel is full of tiny little bronzing beads in a variety of colours, which burst as you rub the gel into your skin and leave you with a very light tan  - the idea is that you look radiant and healthy after using this.

This is quite a versatile product and will be really useful in the run up to Summer when you need a little extra colour on your cheeks but a full-on tan looks too unnatural. The lightweight texture means it can easily be worn under foundation if you're not ready to go bare-skinned. 

If you are lucky enough to not need to wear a foundation or base, you can just rub a dose of this into your skin for a little glowy, warm look and off you go. 

If you have pale skin, you can go a little heavier and layer it up for more of a tan - the shades it produces are so natural and really sit well on the skin, with no tan line or orange tint!

You can get this now for £25.50 at a variety of outlets and at Harrods online. I think this is quite good value for the quality of the product and considering how useful it will be between now and he end of Summer! I'm definitely going to use this to warm up my skin before the sun arrives, and throughout Summer as a light, glowy base.



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Givenchy La Rouge Lipsticks

These limited edition lipsticks are a brand new offering from Givenchy which you can snap up for £24 each at Harrods right now.

The La Rouge lipsticks have a semi-matte formula, which is long lasting and wears really well.

Givenchy La Rouge Lipsticks in (from left): Fuschia and Coral

These lipsticks are very pigmented and give great colour payoff - just one swipe is plenty and you get a really bold, lasting colour on your lips.

My personal favourite is the Coral shade which I think would really brighten up any complexion. I love the Fuschia shade too, but it's so purple I don't think this will suit as many people and it's definitely not an everyday colour for Spring/Summer. It might be a pretty shade for Summer evenings, though.

As always, I'm a sucker for the packaging and these babies come with white leather detailed cases - if you look closely you can see the white leather parts down the side of the lid.

Givenchy are releasing some really good quality products at the moment (I'll feature a few more of these shortly!) and these lipsticks are no exception - powerful, feminine colours with a really nice texture for the lips.


Will you be buying one of these? Which colour is your favourite?


xo

Clarins Splendours Summer Bronzing Compact

I spotted this beautiful looking bronzer whilst browsing the Clarins website and had to blog about it.

I'm a big fan of bronzers that have more than one colour in them. In Summer, your face isn't one uniform shade all over so bronzers that contain different shades of browns and pinks always achieve a more natural effect in my opinion.

The thing that most attracts me to this is the intricate engravings on the bronzer itself and the little gold circle in the centre. The pattern almost looks like hyroglifics - very detailed and unique.

This compact has just the right amount of shimmer in it, without giving you an overly glowy, sparkly face. The little gold circle in the middle will allow your brush to pick up just a tad of shimmer.

This is available now as part of Clarins limited edition Summer collection and costs £30.

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Guerlain Terracotta 4 Seasons Bronzing Powder

The concept behind this product from Guerlain is interesting - the idea is that you pick a colour palette based on your hair colour, and the 4 shades within your palette will automatically suit your skin tone, all year round.

All girls know that your skin changes colour so much throughout the course of a year - whether it's getting lighter or darker. Any one who uses a bronzer regularly will know that it's a struggle to find the right colours to match your skin during different times of the year that don't make you look 'caked' in brown powder that sits unnaturally on your face.

Guerlain have designed their 4 Seasons Bronzing Powders to offer the perfect mix of bronzing and highlighting in a matte, natural looking palette. You can use the pink or dark shades as a blush, and the neutral shades for the rest of your face. 

It's quite expensive at £46.50 RRP, but looking at the colours they've included in each palette, it seems like an all-in-one product for bronzer, blusher, highlighter and sculpting. And if you can use it all year round, it would save buying different shades for different times of year to match your changing skin.

The palettes are available in ebony, brunettes, blondes, sheer brunettes, sheer blondes and ivory so there is something for everyone.

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Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Collector Edition

So many people buy Touche Eclat religiously. It's undoubtedly one of the best and most popular concealer/highlighter products around.

YSL have just released a collector edition version of the cult product.

Inspired the crystal beaded 'Edition Soir' gown, design by Yves Saint Laurent himself in the 1960s, this version of Touche Eclat is engraved and embossed to create a reflective, sparkling gold casing.

If you're a fan of Touche Eclat already, it's definitely worth picking one of these up. They will look so pretty in any make up bag!

I'm impressed that YSL haven't tried to make loads of money by releasing a limited edition version of this - it's actually being sold for the same price as the original. This is available now for £25.


Liz
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Topshop Cheek Duo Review

I was browsing the Topshop make up counter over the weekend and picked up this little beauty. I'm a huge fan of Benefits Perfect 10 bronzer and this is the closest match I've found so far. 

The colour is called 'Break of Day' and it's half bronzer half blusher with an easy to wear light bronze on one side and a subtle but pretty pink on the other. Both sides have a very slight shimmer, nothing too obvious, and blend really well together. 

The best thing about this (and Perfect 10 is good for this too) is that you can either use just bronzer, just blusher or blend the two to whatever shade you like - some days you can apply more of the bronzer and on others more of the blush depending on your mood. 


This is really easy to apply - I just swirl a bronzer brush across the whole palette and apply across the top of my cheekbones, dusting any excess across my forehead, nose and chin. As long as you don't pick up too much product there's no need to blend. 


The only criticism I have of this product is that it would be nice to have a mirror inside - it looks just like a compact and it's the kind of thing you can keep in your handbag so a mirror would be helpful. Other than that I'm in love with this, and it only costs £12.50 which is an absolute steal! 


Liz
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By Terry Hyaluronic Sheer Rouge

These brand new lipsticks from By Terry are the next generation in lip products. They contain a hyaluronic acid concentrate to smooth, renew and regenerate your lips.

The lipsticks themselves are primarily sheer but you still get a ready good veil of colour. They have a really glossy texture which gives lips a volumised, plumped appearance. 

I'm loving the colour range available for these, too. The one shown above is Nudissimo - it looks like a perfect nude lipstick.

There are a range of really flattering shades with something to suit everyones personal taste and skintones.

These are great lipsticks because they are something you can wear everyday and they actually improve the texture and condition of your lips whilst wearing them - something not many lip products can genuinely offer.

The lipsticks are available now for £25 each. Space NK  have these in stock and are currently doing free delivery on them until Sunday so if you are thinking of getting one, get there quick!


Liz
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Dior Claridges 48 Palette

Continuing the unintentional Dior theme today...

Alongside the My Lady palette which I posted about earlier this week, Dior launched an eyeshadow and gloss palette inspired by Claridges in London. The hotel was the location for the launch of the very first Miss Dior fragrance back in 1948 – it couldn’t get more glamorous than one of the most famous hotels in the world pairing up with a worldwide fashion powerhouse.

If you’ve ever been to Claridges you’ll know that it has a real art deco theme to it – think checkered and printed floor tiles, timeless chic furnishings, chandeliers, marble and ornate banisters. This palette draws on those themes to create a houndstooth printed eyeshadow in pastel pink and grey – both really flattering colours with a hint of shimmer to brighten the eyes.

You can’t see it in this picture, but the gloss is a fresh, pink, subtle tone – also really wearable.
Inside the palette, there’s a mirror for on-the-go touch ups, as well as two applicators.

It’s an expensive item at £52 and is available now exclusively at Harrods.


Liz
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Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill

These new eyeshadows by Giorgio Armani look amazing! Armani have really stepped up their game in the last few months with their make-up offerings and these eyeshadows add to an already great collection of products.

The Eyes To Kill Intense range is described as a 'breakthrough, super shine, high voltage color film that glides on and vibrates around the clock.' I'm not sure what they mean by 'vibrate' exactly but nonetheless...they do look pretty great.

The shadows are all intensely pigmented and shot with shimmery specks in various colours, depending on which shade you choose. There are loads of colours to choose from and it was really hard to narrow it down but a few of my favourites...

The way they are layered and the shine on these reminds me of foil, which I think is a good thing in this case!

These are £28 each and available from Selfridges now. Quite pricey for an eyeshadow but you're getting something really different to your average shadow.


Liz
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Stila Lip Glaze Trios

Stila have just launches these glosses for Spring/Summer and the colours are looking really pretty.

Stila Lip Glaze Trios in Flower Power (left) and Awesome Blossom

Each set contains 3 glosses. The Flower Power trio contains Pink Blossom, Pink Orchard and Lilac, and the Awesome Blossom trio contains Dahlia, Cherry Blossom and Rose Bud.

If you prefer neutral, light every day shades, I would go for the Awesome Blossom set. My personal favourite is the Flower Power trio, which has slightly stronger colours - I tend to think in Summer you can get away with a bolder gloss during the day.

These have just launched and are available from Stila or Selfridges for £12 per set - a bargain!



Liz
xo

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Sticks

I'm really excited about these new shadow sticks from Bobbi Brown. I love beauty products which are high impact but with little effort and Bobbi Brown is a great brand for easy, chic make-up.

Once applied, these last for up to 8 hours and don't crease or fade.

There are a selection of gorgeous colours to choose from. The range seems to lean towards the smokey eye look with lots of dark and metallic colours, plus a few lighter ones which will be great for highlighting and adding a touch of shimmer.

The Bobbi Brown website suggest that you layer a few of the colours for the best effect, and I think there are lots of shades in this collection that will go really well together. I've definitely got my eye on all 3 of the above shades.

Will any of you be trying this one out?

They're available now and cost £20 each.

Liz
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Bobbi Brown Limited Edition Pretty Powerful Pot Rouge

Two great reasons to buy this product...

1) It's a really pretty double-duty product that can be used on your lips and cheeks

2) 100% of the purchase price for each pot (£18) goes to charity. This year's charity is Dress for Success London, a charity that women on low incomes get back into work.

Pretty and charitable? What other excuse do you need to buy?!

Bobbi Brown Pretty Powerful Pot Rouge

You can get this now for £18 from Selfridges or Bobbi Brown.


Liz
xo

Rimmel Scandaleyes Shadow Stick

This new offering from Rimmel follows the Scandaleyes Eyeliner, which I have been using for a while now and really rate. The eyeliner has great staying power, even when applied to the waterline of the eye - it's completely smudge and waterproof, but can be blended easily for a smokey eye.

The eyeshadow sticks remind of the Clinique Chubby Sticks for Eyes, but are much cheaper at £4.99 each. 

These have a smooth, creamy formula which gives a high colour finish. The colours themselves are lovely - the one below is my favourite of the set but you can also get it in bronze, turquoise and black.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Shadow Stick in Bulletproof Beige

I would recommend using an eye primer with these. They are meant to have good staying power but I tend to think cream shadows should usually be worn with a primer, just to be on the safe side.

Would any of you purchase this product? Have you tried anything similar? 

Leave me a comment!


Liz
xo

Stila Wet-to-set Eyeshadow

Stila have just launched their new eyeshadow range. The first of it's kind, the 'Stay All Day 3D Wet-to-set' eyeshadow has been specifically designed to work with water to achieve a high performance, bold shadow look.

Using a wet brush to apply eyeshadow is not a 'new' trick in the beauty world, but this shadow is the first to be designed with this in mind and so works beautifully when combined with water on your brush.

There are 6 colours to choose from and all of them are really gorgeous, wearable shades but my personal favourite is 'Daybreak' below. The black shadow will work great as an eyeliner for an evening look.

Stila Stay All Day 3D Wet-to-Set eyeshadow in 'Daybreak'

These shadows give a velvety, long-wearing finish and the formula ensures maximum, bold colour impact when applied with a wet brush.

I would highly recommend checking out the other colours in the range if 'Daybreak' is not for you - they are all really pretty.

Each palette costs £17, which I think is reasonable.

Will you be giving these a try?


Liz
xo

Benefit World Famous Neutrals

Benefit always come out on top when it comes to fun and playful products that really deliver.

Their new offering is the 'World Famous' neutral eyeshadow kits. I'm quite impressed with these. You get 6 products in each kit - 2 creaseless cream shadows and 4 longwear powder shadows.

There are 3 kits to choose from: 'Most Glamourous Nudes Ever', 'Easiest Nudes Ever' and 'Sexiest Nudes Ever'. All 3 of the colour kits have a good mix of matte and shimmery shadows and the colours are designed to be easily layered.

Above: Most Glamorous Nudes Ever

 I can't decide whether Most Glamorous or Easiest Nudes is my favourite - they both look really wearable. The Most Glamorous kit (above) has more shimmer to it and I'm particularly liking the look of the cream shadow colours. This palette could take you from day to night quite easily

Above: Easiest Nudes Ever

 The Easiest Nudes kit (above) is the most everyday of the trio. 3 matte shadows are included in this kit, including a light pink shade that would be great as a highlighter along the brown bone or as a brightener in the corner of the eye. The pale buff colour and the darker espresso shade blend together perfectly for a nude, warm eyeshadow base that could easily be worn every day..

Above: Sexiest Nudes Ever
 

The Sexiest Nudes kit (above) is my least favourite of the three - I'm not a huge fan of purple shadows, but for anyone that is this kit does the look pretty well. I particularly like the charcoal cream shadow - paired with the darker purple and the glittery silver, it would make a really intense smokey eye.

If you are wondering how these are packaged........

Benefit usually get their packaging spot-on and these kits don't stray from that. These are ideal for carrying around with you and each kit has the varsatility to take you from day to night with not much else needed. If you're anything like me you'll appreciate the extra space in your handbag!


These kits are £23.50 each and are available now from the Benefit website.


Liz
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Estee Lauder Mad Men Collection

I'm a huge fan of Mad Men - if you are too you'll be just as excited about this collection.

If you don't watch Mad Men (why not?!) it's a big American TV drama set in the Sixties. The beauty trends of the Sixties are among the most copied ever and this collection doesn't veer to far from the classic Sixties look.

Porcelain skin, nude lips and manicured, creamy cashmere nails were all the rage and this Estee Lauder collection nails that retro style perfectly.

There are only 3 pieces to this collection - I suppose that is a good thing for our purses, and because the 3 items are so spot-on Sixties, perhaps you don't need any more than 3..

Nail Lacquer in Pink Paisley

Rich, Rich Lipstick in Pinkadelic

See-Thru Blush in Light Snow

I am lusting after the blush big time - how adorable is that packaging?! The boxes that these products come in all match that blue and yellow print which gives everything a romantic, retro touch. I kind of want a top made in this print now too...

This collection is set to launch on 4th March to coincide with the sixth season of Mad Men in the UK.


Liz
xo

Dolce and Gabbana Animalier Glow Bronzing Powder

I'm a huge fan of animal print so I love the look of this limited edition item from Dolce & Gabbana.

Leopard print has long been a source of inspiration for D&G and this whole collection is devoted to that. 

This bronzing powder mixes tones of mink, beige, bronze and coffee colours. At first glance it looks like it has quite a lot of shimmer to it which would not be ideal for the whole face but it would make a great bronzer/highlighter for the parts of the face that would naturally become sunkissed in summer.

This bronzer costs £39.50 and is available from Harrods online.
The packaging on this is so cute and a theme they have carried across a few other items too - I am ashamed to admit I might buy them all for the packaging alone! I'll do a post on the other items shortly.


Liz
xo

Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes

Following on from the insanely popular Chubby Stick for lips, Clinique have recently introduced the Chubby Stick Shadow.

The concept of the product is great in that it is an easy to store, easy to apply shadow - you literally just draw it on straight from the pencil.

The colour range is pretty impressive - there are 12 colours to choose from, ranging from beiges/nudes/browns to purples/blues/greens!

A couple of my faves...

Lots o'latte

Whopping Willow

Massive Midnight

The formula of these works great as an eyeshadow. Thhey have a non-smudge formula and it doesn't 'collect' on the eyelid or crease. 

Apparently these also contain vitamin E for soothing the eye area - but who cares really when they look this pretty...

These are £16 each and available from Clinique, Selfridges, Boots.

Liz

xo