Lately I've Been Lovin' #15

The last few months have been a bit hectic. You probably noticed the lack of posts but I didn't have much time to just sit down and get my blog on. Aaaaaand I haven't spoketh of my monthly favourites since Jan, tres mauvais. When you don't have much time to ummm and ahhh over what products you want to use each morning it can be a bit like beauty ground hog day but the products you do reach for are the ones you know will get the job done, the reliable products that never let you down. 

Sephora Waterproof 12H Wear Jumbo Liner 'Taupe': A wee bit of me dies every time I have to sharpen this magical pencil so to save heartbreak and tears I don't sharpen it very often. Instead I'd rather wait until the plastic is scratching along my eyelid, and then I wait some more. I scribble it over my lids like a toddler let loose with Crayola for the first time then blend the edges with my finger before slickin' on some mascara. Jobs a goodun, I'm out the door.

Nip + Fab CC Eye Fix*: My product of the month throughout March and guess what? We're still in a very happy relationship. It's a keeper.

Primark Nails: The quality isn't the best I've ever tried and most of the designs are scustin' but there are a few decent ones if you look hard enough. The glue won't hold them in place for long but they will last for a night out, maybe two and there is a good side to the glue being pathetic - they ping off rather than splitting and can be stuck straight back on. I've been wearing the same set for close to a month now and will be stocking up next time I'm in Primark. 24 nails for a quid, madness.

Cerruti 1881: The warmer weather is finally here so out comes the lighter, fresher perfumes. I've been wearing Cerruti 1881 on and off since school and as soon as I'm almost at the end of a bottle another is ready and waiting to replace it. It's a very clean scent, almost soapy but I adore it. It reminds me of certain people and always makes me smile on the rare occasion I smell it on other people.

Organic Surge Extra Care Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser*: Extra Care is the first ever anti-ageing range from Organic Surge. The hot cloth cleanser is now available but the rest of the line-up won't be available until May. If like me you love cream cleansers then you're in for a treat as not only is it affordable at under 13 quid for 150ml but it's packed full of organic ingredients that really help to give your skin that smooth, healthy glow. It removes mascara with ease and keeps dry patches at bay when used with a flannel/muslin cloth. Texture wise I would say it's slightly lighter than Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish. Maybe one to try if you aren't a lover of the Eucalyptus scent. I've been using it for close to two months now and it's still going strong.

Macadamia Flawless Cleansing Conditioner*: I've used up every single bit of this time saving mousse but it's still worth a mention, and a repurchase.

What products have you been lovin' lately?

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*PR sample

Sephora 12HR Wear Jumbo Liner '05 Beige'

I adore the Jumbo Liners from Sephora. They're creamy, don't slip around the eye lids or crease, last all day and are the easiest products in the world to apply. The other shade I own '04 Taupe' works brilliantly on it own, there's no need to layer eye shadow on top unless you really want to but I use it on its own. The only thing I do is blend out the edges. 

Sephora 12HR Wear Jumbo Liner in '05 Beige' is just as good as '04 Taupe' formula wise. There's no tugging or dragging at the delicate eye area as the liner is so smooth and creamy. It glides on and sets within a few seconds so if you were wanting to use it as liner and get your smudge on, you need to act fast. I have no complaints when it comes to pigmentation, staying power or formula, my only problem with '05 Beige' is that it isn't as wearable as it looks before swatched. You can probably tell in the photos it looks darker in the pencil than it does on the skin. It's quite a pale shade and looks stark against my fair skin tone, there's no way I could use it as a wash of colour all over the lid on it's own so what I've been doing is either using it as an inner corner highlight or as a base for shades such as Stilla 'Kitten' and Urban Decay 'Sin' before adding a darker shade in the crease to stop things looking too spangly. I don't own any of the darker shades but I'm wondering if they're as pigmented as the two I have? Let me know if you've tried them and if you have any shade recommendations. :)

What's your favourite fuss free eyeshadow?

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My Go-To Make Up Brushes

When I'm wearing make up, I almost always use brushes. I can't stand how grubby my hands and other make up products get if I apply foundation with my fingers. I also like how a brush provides more coverage and buffs out any harsh edges.

For foundation I use either the Sephora Professionnel #45 Mineral Powder Brush or the Real Techniques Buffing Brush. Both do the same job - they buff liquid (or powder) foundation into the skin without leaving any brush strokes behind, they wash well, don't shed, won't break the bank and the bristles are synthetic/taklon.

As most of you know, I'm not that big on eyeshadow so if I'm not applying the likes of MAC Paint Pots I'll use the Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush for sweeping colour over the lid and adding colour in the crease. This brush is also brilliant for blending concealer under the eye's without removing it at the same time. If I've been using the Deluxe Crease Brush for concealer then I obviously don't want to be using it to apply eyeshadow so when this happens I reach for a Hello Kitty brush I got in one of those Liberty/Hello Kitty/Boots collab sets.

The Zoeva 230 Pencil Brush is great for highlighting the inner corner of the eyes, adding eyeshadow along the lower lash line and smudging eyeliner. Zoeva brushes are brilliant! I also love the 106 Powder Brush, it can be used to set foundation with powder, to lightly bronze up the skin or to apply blush. 

I only own one MAC brush, the 187 Stippling Brush and to be honest, I wish I'd never bought it. Unlike the rest of the brushes I own which are a lot more affordable than MAC, it sheds like crazy and has started to splay as you can tell from the photo's. In my opinion it isn't dense enough to apply foundation, all it does is bend around my face. Instead of letting it collect dust I've been using it to apply very shimmery highlighters and sometimes cream blush. The other brush I use for applying highlighter is the Real Techniques Contour Brush which as the name suggests can also be used to contour.

Everyone needs a spoolie for their brows. The one I own is the Rae Morris Angle Brow/Mascara Definer. I use it because I have it but if I had to start over again I would just go for the cheapest spoolie I could find, they do exactly the same job.

All the brushes wash up well without shedding (apart from the MAC 187), don't take forever to dry and return to their original shape. If you're just starting out with brushes you really can't go wrong with Real Techniques and Zoeva. They're both really affordable but Zoeva have the upper hand, you can buy all the brushes separately rather than having to buy them in collections.

Are any of these your go-to brushes?
What's your favourite brush brand?

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Sephora Flashy Liner Waterproof Eye Pencil Set

After having a look through all the blog photos stored on my laptop I realised I'd never posted about this Sephora Flashy Liner Waterproof Eye Pencil Set. I've had it for ages now, Lina surprised me with it last year. You already know I love the Contour Eye Pencils and yes, I love the Flashy Liners too. The formula is creamy, long lasting, smudge proof, can be used on the water line without causing any irritation and sticks around all day. The pigmentation puts other brands to shame. The colour you see, is the colour you get which is why I haven't risked staining my hands for swatches. All the shades apart from the black have a shimmery/metallic finish but don't look tacky or OTT. As you've probably guessed, the purple and blue shades don't get much use from me but I've still held on to them in case I ever fancy smudging some colour along my lower lash line.

After having a quick look on the Sephora website I'm wondering if the Flashy Liners have had a name change or been discontinued? I can't seem to find them anywhere except on Ebay and Amazon. Does anyone know what's happened? Even if they have been discontinued, fear not, they're still really similar to the Contour Eye Pencils which I recommend to anyone who will listen.

Sephora, I love you.

Have you tried Flashy Liners from Sephora?

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Love: Sephora Ultra Vinyl Lip Pencil 'Strawberry Delish'

Just a quick post today. If you read this post you'll already know I'm a big fan of the Ultra Vinyl Lip Pencils from Sephora. Sadly most of the shades are shimmery in an OTT way but luckily the one that jumped out to me was completely shimmer free. Strawberry Delish is as comfortable and easy to wear as Gorgeous Peach. I really love the formula and with Strawberry Delish there's a slight staining effect, so, even after the glossy finish has worn off you're still left with colour on your lips making it a great one to use on nights out when you might be a bit tipsy and the fear of clown mouth stops you reapplying. 

What do you think of Sephora Ultra Vinyl Lip Pencils?

Do you own any?

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My Perfect Nude: Sephora Rouge Shine Lipstick '04'

I know we're now in Autumn and the Lipstick Law says we should be reaching for deeper berry tones but when you're the not so proud owner of the worlds thinnest lips like me (seriously, they're like a dogs lips) then those more vampy colours can highlight just how small your lips are and sometimes make them look even thinner. I always feel more comfortable with nude shades but can't stand the 'my lips are the same colour as my skin' look so when choosing a nude I always go for shades that lean more pink and aren't fully opaque.

Sephora Rouge Shine Lipstick '04' is a moisturising lipstick, perfect for this time of year when the coldness can bring on the dreaded cornflake lip. There are so many colours to choose from and a number of finishes - glossy, shimmer, metallic. The Sephora 'S' is engraved on the side of the lipstick and the bottom of the tubes are the same colour as the lipstick inside making it easy to find which one you're looking for if you have a few in your collection. '04' is a sheer pinky nude, one swipe adds enough colour to tone down my natural lip colour but it can be built up to almost full coverage. The finish is glossy so for that reason it isn't the longest lasting lippy out there but I don't mind topping up when I need to.

If you're looking for a lip colour that won't dry out your lips or highlight any dryness you already have, you can't go wrong with the Sephora Rouge Shine formula.

What's your go-to nude?

Have you tried Sephora Rouge Shine Lipsticks?

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The One: Sephora Contour Eye Pencil 12HR Wear 'Tiramisu'

You've maybe noticed I've been MIA from my blog this week. I had a midweek break booked for the end of the month (or so I thought) but after ringing the hotel to find out why they hadn't sent any confirmation I found out we were actually ment to be there in the next few days. So, blogging went out the window and those few days were spent rushing around like a blue arsed fly trying to get things sorted but while I was away I had the chance to really put some of the new goodies from my Paris haul through their paces.

I mentioned a few posts ago how I'm trying to get back in to wearing eyeliner more often but going for slightly lighter shades instead of the usual black. I've already tried one eyeliner from Sephora, you can see that post here. I loved everything about it, the formula was perfect, it glided across the lid with zero tugging, was long lasting and the pigmentation was fantastic so naturally while in Paris I headed straight to the stand/counter fully stocked  with endless rows of Contour Eye Pencils and spent a good hour getting my swatch on. The other shade I own is Flirting Game which contains shimmer so this time I went for Tiramisu, a completely matte chocolate brown shade that glides on just as effortlessly as Flirting Game. I would go as far as saying the Sephora Contour 12HR Wear Eye Pencils are my favourite pencil eyeliners, ever. Staying power is second to none which is something I've noticed with all Sephora own branded products. If they claim to be long lasting, they are! If you have hooded lids and tend to end up with liner transfer lines then these would be a great product to go for. You barely need to touch your skin with the pencil and you're left with intense colour that lasts for 12 hours as claimed.

If you're not lucky enough to live close to a Sephora but ever find yourself near one, make sure you pick up at least one of these eyeliners. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Have you tried these eye pencils?

Are you a liquid, gel or pencil girl?

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Paris Beauty Haul

I did plan on buying so much from Sephora but most of the brands stocked there are available in the UK and actually work out a lot more expensive in Euro's so as planned I headed straight to the Sephora own brand products (you all know how much I adore them) but only 5 things jumped out at me, plus a shower scrunchie as I'd forgot to pack mine. My hotel was central to most things I wanted to see and as soon as I got off the train which was very close to the hotel, Sephora was the first shop I saw. I had a bit of a fit and ran like a wild beast while trying to take a photo (you can see that attempt here) I think I came across 4 Sephora's in total with the one on the Champs Elysees (pictured above) being the largest. I did have better luck with the pharmacies though and they're so generous with samples.

Sephora:

Daily Make Up Brush Cleaner

Shower Scrunchie

Contour Eye Pencil 12HR Wear '13 Tiramisu'

Ultra Vinyl Lip Pencil '06 Strawberry Delish'

Rouge Shine Lipstick '04'

Jumbo Liner 12HR Wear '05 Beige'

Pharmacies:

La Roche-Posay Serozinc x2

Klorane Leave-In Spray With Citrus Pulp

Nuxe Creme Fraiche Masque

Avene Gentle Purifying Scrub

Yves Rocher Radiant Complexion Treatment

Klorane Leave-In Cream With Mango Butter

Yves Rocher Malaysian Coconut Eau De Toilette

Klorane Smoothing & Relaxing Eye Contour Patches

Yves Rocher Honey & Organic Muesli Creamy Cleansing Lotion

Yves Rocher Gentle Make Up Remover

Klorane Shampoo with Desert Date

Klorane Floral Lotion Eye Make Up Remover

Nuxe Melting Cleansing Gel with Rose Petals

I've only used a couple of the products but so far so good. I'll be reviewing most things once I've had a chance to really put them to the test and I did get a few things for one of you lovely lot so make sure to check back for a giveaway in the next week.

Have you tried any of these products?

What have you been buying lately?

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Easy Lip: Sephora Ultra Vinyl Lip Pencil '07 Gorgeous Peach'

The Sephora Vinyl Lip Pencil's are yet another lippy in jumbo pencil form but slightly different from the few I've tried. Gorgeous Peach is the only shade I own from the line and as the name suggests, it's a peach shade packed full of tiny shimmer. It almost looks pearly which is something I would never normally go for but once on the lips the shimmer isn't OTT, it makes my barely-there lips look fuller and adds just the right amount of colour. What makes it different from similar lip products I've tried is how creamy the formula is. It glides on and feels extremely moisturising, almost like a thick balm. The finish is very glossy without being sticky or gloopy like a gloss. Wear time is average but it's so easy to apply (no mirror required) so I don't mind.

Lina sent me this months ago now and as I already mentioned, it isn't a colour I would have picked out for myself which is why it's always nice to have other people choose things for you every once in a while. If shimmery shades aren't your thing but you like the sound of these pencils then fear not, from what I can see there's a few which are completely shimmer free.

Are you as obsessed with Sephora's own brand make up as I am? 
Have you tried these pencils?

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Love: Sephora Classic Mineral Powder Brush #45

If you've been a reader of my blog for a while now you'll know Real Techniques are my go-to brushes. I adore the Delux Crease Brush and Buffing Brush but I have a confession to make - I've been cheating. Yes that's right the unthinkable has happend, since owning Sephoras offering I've barely reached for the RT Buffing Brush. I still love it, it's fantastic quality and the price is great but our relationship has gone from being lovers to just great friends. As you probably guessed from the name, this brush is designed to be used with mineral foundation but let me tell you something - this beauty of a brush works amazingly well with liquid foundation, so well infact that I haven't even bothered to try it with minerals/powders. I'm seriously in love with the finish I'm left with when using this to apply YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat or any liquid foundation for that matter.

In terms of size it's more or less the same length as the RT Buffing Brush and easy to hold. I can't stand brushes with really long handles so this size is great for me and they're easier to pack away when going on holiday. The bristles are synthetic, very soft and easy to clean (I use Dr Bronner's Liquid Soap) even though the bristles are soft they don't bend like crazy as they're so densely packed but there's still a bit of movement and because the top is domed, it's easy to get into places like the corners of the nose. I haven't had any problems with shedding and the brush retains it's shape well after washing.

If you're like me and don't live anywhere near the magical land of Sephora, i feel your pain. If you know anyone who will be going on holiday to America, France or any other Sephpora-fied countries I really recommend getting them to pick one up for you. As you've probably already guessed, Lina  got it for me.

Do you own this brush?

What foundation brush do you always reach for?

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Sephora Primal Instincts Eyeshadow Palette

 

Sephora Primal Instincts Eyeshadow Palette

Sephora, you're such a tease! I'm able to look at your website but can't place an order. I spend hours (and believe me when I say hours!) oogling and drooling over all the fancy things that us UK-ers can't easily get our grubby paws on. It's torture, I don't know why I do it to myself. Luckily for me I have Lina, my feeder of all things Sephora!

Just after Christmas she sent me a parcel containing this beauty - Sephora Primal Instincts Eyeshadow Palette. If you're a lover of neutrals, you'll love this palette just as much as I do. The Palette contains 14 shades, 11 of which are shimmery and 3 Smokey matte's.

Top row L-R: Universal Beige (matte), Sand, Gold, Apricot, Tea Rose, Taupe (matte), Brown (matte)
 Bottom row L-R: Camel, Bronze, Mahogony, Deep Burgundy, Plum, Steel, Must Have (matte) 

The palette is packed full of gorgeous neutral shades with a few brighter shade's (bright to me) thrown in for good measure. I love my NAKED palette to death and use almost all the shades apart from the silver/greys. They come across far too blue for my liking and are quite Pat Butcher-esque next to my skin tone. Thankfully 'Steel' is free from any blue tones which make's it alot more wearable. 'Deep Burgundy' & 'Mahogony' create gorgeous night time looks, 'Universal Beige' is spot on for blanking out any redness/veins on the lid. It helps create a nice, clean look when you only want to pair it with mascara and/or liner. 'Matte Brown' could even be used on brows if you have very dark hair and the rest of the shades are right up my street. You know me, I love a bit of the ol shimmer!

 

I have no complaints where formula is concerned. They can be used wet or dry, fall out is minimal, they all blend well and last a full day without creasing on my lids, even without primer. The mirror is the full length of the palette and the palette itself is really sturdy. Once again I'm more than impressed by Sephora products.

 

PS - Sorry about the lack of swatches but my kitten is a bit of a sicko and enjoys nothing better than clawing me to death when he's hyper.

 

Are you lucky enough to live near a Sephora?

Have you tried this palette?