Oops I went to MAC.

After watching Amarixe do a tutorial with MAC Stars & Rockets, which you can see here, I knew I needed to get my hands on this gorgeous shade. It is just such a gorgeous shimmery pinky mauve with a slightly bluey silver sheen, and it is just so pretty.  I've included photos in natural sunlight and also with the flash on so you can see how the colour translates.

It most certainly lives up to its name! 

This particular trip to MAC also saw my first dip into the Pro Palette ocean, and boy oh boy was that probably a mistake because now all I want to do is fill it! 

Amerixe uses Cornflower pigment to add depth to Stars & Rockets, but I didn't fancy getting a pigment so I went for Freshwater instead, which I think will compliment it fantastically, and is just a beautiful stand alone colour anyway! 

The pigmentation of these eyeshadows really is incredible, this is the colour pay-off with just one sweep of my finger so you can only imagine how amazing it could look if you really packed it on to the lid. 

I wanted this in the pan so I could add it to my palette, but they didn't have it in stock so I had to go for it like this.  I should have waited but I just couldn't help myself! 

In natural daylight it looks so fresh! 

The next purchase was from the Reel Sexy collection, and it is the The Dynamic Duo 3.  On the left we have Pearled Earth which is a gorgeous shimmery grey which MAC describe as a 'dirty-toned purple', which has a hint of warmth which I really like.  I have also found it really morphs into different colours in certain lights which I think helps to make it a really wearable colour.  On the right is a limited edition colour, Teal, this is a matte colour which means it is the perfect partner to the frosty Pearled Earth. When I bought this duo the lovely makeup artist at MAC used Pearled Earth all over my lid and then ran a shot of Teal along my lower lash line, and it looked gorgeous and was so simple to do.  I can't wait to try them out properly! 

Swatcharoos in natural sunlight

I then picked up something that is essential for me, I have very unruly brows and thought it was about time I brought them in to line (literally) once and for all! I got the Clear Brow Set because I use a pencil or powder to add definition to my brows anyway so I don't need a coloured gel. 

And finally I picked up a short handled 129 Blush Brush, which I've been wanting for ages.  I went for the short handle mainly because it came in a re-sealable pouch that would make it ideal for traveling but in all honesty I wish I'd gone for the regular length handle because I never take brushes out and about with me and if I am going somewhere I take my brush roll with me anyway...I'm a moron I know! 

I'm sorry this is just a photo heavy post but I hope you can enjoy the visuals as much as I'll enjoy using the products. 

I'll do full reviews and show you how I'm wearing the colours and how I'm getting on with the products once I've given them a fair try! 

Have you got anything from the Reel Sexy collection? What is your favourite eyeshadow duo? 

xxx

Naked Palette. Big Love.

In my manic rampage of beauty counters this week I purchased the Urban Decay Naked Palette.  I can't have spent longer than 30 seconds at the counter, I probably spend longer choosing a bunch of bananas (in fact I definitely spend longer choosing bananas because it's tricky to get the perfect bunch, but that's another story!). 

Other than on nights out (which are pretty rare these days) I'm quite unadventurous as far as my eye make up goes, usually I slick on some eyeliner (L'Oreal Super Liner in Carbon Gloss) and some mascara and I'm good to go but I really want to change this and I thought the Naked palette would be the perfect way to do this.  It provides a good range of neutrals (mostly shimmery ones but there are a couple of matte colours) and they are all there for you to choose from which I like as I hate rooting around in my make up bag because I always forget I have certain colours. 

Virgin is a really delicate slightly peachy vanilla.  These shadows are so finely milled that it feels like applying silk. This shade gives a subtle sheen as I think it makes for a beautiful highlight, base colour or works amazingly in the tear duct to really brighten the eyes.

Sin is a rich shimmery rose gold.  It's just a beautiful colour!! Worn alone I think this is the perfect subtle summer shimmer!  

Naked (sorry my fat finger is covering the name), is a simple matte base colour, it can be used to create a lovely base for other colours or to soften the insensity of other more vibrant colours (Stars N Rockets for example).

Sidecar is a warm toned pinky gold, and it's just beautiful.  End of. I've used this over the inner half of my eyes in the images at the bottom of this post. 

Buck is a warm tan colour, a soft brown if you will, and can be used to add definition in the crease for a sophisticated simply day look or to add definition and depth to basically any other shadow! 

Half Baked.  What a colour! This is just a beautiful gold with a slightly bronze tone running through it! Applied to the tear duct, this colour will just make your eyes look incredible! 

Smog is, as the name suggests, a bit of a dirty goldy with a bit of a rusty edge to it. Like the other true shimmers in this palette it is just so finely milled and highly pigmented, and the colour pay off is so full and luxurious.

Darkhorse has a really subdued shimmer to it that is only picked up in certain lights and it creates a pretty good seductive smouldering look (get my trying to be sexy!)

Toasted is a shimmery pinky brown.  I love it.  This is used in the middle of my eye in the look at the bottom of this post. 

Hustle is a purply brown, and is the third colour I used on my eyes in the photos featured at the end of this post! 

Creep is a deep grey shot through with silver glitter.  The colour can be used boldly to create the intense colour shown in the swatch above, or it can be blended right out to give quite a sheer coverage, and therefore it's really versatile. 

And last but not least, Gunmetal is a gorgeous pewter shimmer.

The photos below are of my first ever time using my Naked palette, and I'm pleased as punch! I used Tanya Burr's tutorial  which you can view here as my instruction, and obviously mine is nowhere near Tanya's (mainly because I screwed up my eyeliner big time) but I'm hoping with practice it'll improve! 

Products - Eyes

Urban Decay Primer Potion (comes with the palette) all over the lid

Using a 217 apply Sidecar to the inner half, right into the inner corner

On a 239 pack Toasted onto the centre section of the lid

On the other side of the 239 combine Toasted and Hustle and draw that out from the lash line to create the wing, then pack more Hustle in the outer corner to create depth

Then using the leftover product on the 239 draw the shadow under the eye.

Use a 217 or another fluffy brush to blend all the colours and soften the edges

I used Sin as a brow highlight

I then used L'Oreal Gel Intenza to line the water line, my upper lash line and to create a wing

Finally lashings of L'Oreal Telescopic mascara adds great definition

On my brows - No. 7 Perfect Brows pencil in Black

Products - Face

Benefit Erase Paste in Medium

Mac Pro Longwear in NW20 and NC25

Mac Studio Sculpt in NW25

Mac Magically Cool Liquid Powder in Truth & Light

Nars bronzer in Laguna

Mac blush in Plum Foolery

Benefit Highbeam to highlight

Lips

Clarins Joli Rouge Brilliant Perfect Shine lipstick in 06 Fig

If you have made it to the end of this blog post then thank you so much, and congratulations, it's a bit of a mammoth post!! 

The Urban Decay Naked palette is available here or at a zillion other places either on-line or at Urban Decay counters in Debenhams etc

What are your feelings on the Naked palette? What are your favourite looks to create using it? 

If you'd like me to provide links to the other products just ask in the comments and I will willingly do so :) 

As always the beautiful back drop to my product shots is by Gabrielle Vary, she makes incredible luxury knit-ware items which are available here. 

xxx

I ruddy well won something!!

I'm not what one would call one of life's winners, don't get me wrong, I've achieved and I've achieved highly, but I haven't won - sports day, definitely not my thing, raffle prizes also allude me, as do lucky dips and competitions. But my luck has changed, and okay I have won the item that holds the least monetary value of anything I've ever entered but I don't care, I did a squeal of excitement both when I found out and when my prize was delivered today!! I also know that other people won as well but I simply do not care!! 

Look at how beautifully they were wrapped - it felt too nice to open...

...But I did... and now all my Real Techniques brushes have their own special home, which, for someone like me who likes everything in it's rightful place, is perfect. 

Thank you Real Techniques! 

Click here for my review of the Stippling Brush! More reviews coming soon! 

xxx