NEW Sigma Beauty Creme de Couture Collection Swatches! GET YOURS FIRST!

Yes, this is an extra sweet and special weekend post... So the Creme de Couture collection literally just hit my doorstep earlier today. I have no self-control and HAD to play!

So this super sweet Sigma Beauty collection is completely inspired by yummy confections. Seriously, all the names, packaging, even the colors make me hungry.  

Let's dig in...

So this collection contains 3 blushes and an eye shadow palette containing 16 colors.  I LOVE the packaging. Reminiscent of a box you'd find yummy little confections inside of...

Here are the blushes...

I seriously cannot handle all this cuteness. Do you see the little inserts inside describing the color? Presh, right?

swatched left to right below: Blackberry Essence, Strawberry Ambrosia, and Cherry Apple 

$12. each

And finally, this beauty. 

Perfect eye shadow-y goodness.

Seriously, my heart can't take it.

swatched in order by rows below

$32.

You can get your hands on this new, yummy collection HERE.

Get yours now, as this collection is limited and selling fast!

Oh, and don't forget to use code "LJW2013" to save 10% off your entire purchase through September 30th!

What are YOUR favorites?? 

I honestly can't pick. But I'm especially craving the Strawberry Ambrosia blush and obviously, the eye shadow palette is a must! This baby will be showing up in lots of future tutorials so stay tuned! ;)

Products provided for my consideration by Sigma Beauty with no agreements or obligations to feature or review. Post contains my safe affiliate links.

My beauty product obsession that makes no sense!

I suppose we could also call this my perfume collection post!  Why pointless?  Well because I have no sense of smell!!

Seriously, I haven't been able to smell since May 2012 following a particularly nasty bout of the flu.  On a good day I can catch a top note-the first drop of coffee as it hits the cup or the top note of a perfume but 95% of the time you could put a tub of vicks under my nose and I wouldn't be able to detect even a whiff.

It can be quite depressing though-it's amazing how self conscious you become-in fact my perfume collection has grown massively since I haven't been able to smell because I am so obsessed with smelling good.

I'm actually seeing a new doctor at the moment and trying some new medication-there has been a little improvement in the past week but things either all smell the same or smell differently to how I remember them!  He did say I would need to wait 2 weeks to see if there was any real improvement though so fingers crossed!

So how do I pick perfumes?  Well I like floral, clean and fresh perfumes.  I don't like musky or powdery perfumes.  I basically buy off descriptions-the slightest mention of 'an orchard at sunset' or 'a barefoot walk along the beach' and I am sold!

So here is a photo heavy post of my current perfume collection.  Many lie unopened at the moment as, with everything, perfume has a shelf life once open of about 12-18 months and there is only so much perfume you can use at one time!

My perfumes are displayed in a beautiful leather tray from Lucrin.  Lucrin is a french company that produce gorgeous leather goods and ship worldwide.  My trays are monogrammed as well with my initials.  They're absolutely beautiful and very hard wearing.  Mine are made of granulated cow skin and are the 'large miscellaneous holder' in fuchsia.  I love the studded details in the corners as well.

I am obsessed with monogramming!  Love the details on these trays.

When Jo Malone released this collection in Spring this year I went absolutely crazy and bought 2 of everything!  They all work SO well together and layer up really nicely (I've been told lol!)  Ginger Biscuit is my absolute favourite and one I can actually smell!  I wish Jo Malone would release this in the permanent collection.  My best friend Danielle loves this scent too.

Issey Miyake has been a long long time favourite and so a safe bet!  There was a point last year that I could pick up one note in it but it was quite musky and it made me feel unwell.  This week I have been picking up the top note I love so much again!

The top note of Jo Malone red roses is so lovely I think.  But none of the boys in my office like it when I wear this perfume!

When Estee Lauder re-released Bronze Goddess this summer I had to have it given everyone was saying it was like holidays in a bottle!  I am so easily led!

And I don't just have one tray of perfume, there is a second!

I bought Stella Summer on description alone, I can't catch any of this perfume when I spray it!  I love the design of the bottle though.

I keep one of the trays on my dressing table right in the corner.  They're so easy to clean which is great with the amount of cat hair that collects!

The second tray sits on top of my ikea make up drawers on the other side of my dressing table.

Do you have any pointless make up obsessions?  Maybe like you can't stop buying lip glosses even though you hate the feel of it or a certain eye shadow colour you know you can't pull off?  Please tell me I am not the only one with a strange obsession!

Do you see any of your favourite perfumes in my collection?

OOTD's that didn't make the blog...

Let's just be honest... have ANY OOTD's made the blog lately?? haha ;)

So I've been majorly slacking with OOTD's for the blog lately. Most of the time, I'm running out the door snapping a quick photo for my Instagram with my iPhone rather than setting up the camera outside and doing a full-on photo shoot.  Hey, that's life.

So today, I'm putting together all of my recent OOTD's (that may have made Instagram, but not the blog) with a ton more info on each outfit and where I wore it, done Instagram-style complete with iPhone camera awesomeness.... no.

Toward the bottom, some of these go way back! Seriously did not realize I hadn't done this in so long!
Hope you guys enjoy it :)

This is my "hanging on to Summer" look. With last week's cooler weather (and hello, college football starts this weekend!!), it's reminding me that Summer is coming to a close. So I thought I'd wear this fun, Summery outfit while I still could!

details:

Forever 21 top, J. Crew shorts, necklace from shopdressup.com, Tory Burch shoes, thecurrentcustom.com cuff bracelets, clear studded bracelet from Forever 21

This is what I like to call a "cooler weather" outfit (for this time of year, at least). It's been hotter than you-know-where around here lately, so the little "chill" we had in the air last week was very welcome. And called for my favorite skinny jeans, obviously.  May have to invest in a new pair of these this season!

details:

top: PacSun, 7 For All Mankind "The Skinny" skinny jeans, Tory Burch wedges, Louis Vuitton Lumineuse PM, Tom Ford Sunglasses, cuff bracelets from thecurrentcustom.com

This was a fun and comfortable little outfit. My friend came into town to stay with us so I wore this to the airport to pick her up and then out for a fun day of shopping around the city.

details:

Forever 21 top, Club Monaco scalloped shorts, Forever 21 shoes, Louis Vuitton Lumineuse PM, Stella & Dot pendant, Michael Kors watch

LOVE. THESE. PANTS. I scored these on a major end of season sale at Club Monaco last year. I also got them in another fun print that I can't wait to wear. Perfect for Fall.

details:

Express tanks, Club Monaco pants, Forever 21 shoes, Louis Vuitton Lumineuse PM, Michael Kors Watch, thecurrentcustom.com cuff bracelets, Henri Bendel sparkle bracelet, Jennifer Zeuner monogram pendant

 This outfit is so easy and comfortable. Yet looks so put-together. Love outfits like these...

details:

dress from shopdressup.com, LV Lumineuse PM, BCBG necklace, Michael Kors Watch, Henri Bendel bracelet

Another super-easy, comfortable look. Gotta love a good maxi dress.

details:

J. Crew dress, Sam Edelman leopard Gigi sandals, LV Lumineuse PM (can you tell I love this bag?), Jennifer Zeuner monogram pendant, Michael Kors watch, Tom Ford sunglasses

This outfit was the most perfect and easy "shopping day" look. Comfortable, put-together, and easy. Love it.

details:

LNA top, Club Monaco shorts, Forever 21 shoes, LV Lumineuse PM, Stella & Dot necklace

hmm... I really must love these shorts too! ;)

 details:

Michael Stars top, Club Monaco shorts, Forever 21 shoes, Nashelle initial pendant

This picture freaks me out. Maybe its the hands coming together...  Most of the time, I'll edit photos together like this on Instagram because they crop it into a square and it's hard to see the whole outfit. If you do it side-by-side like this, you can see more of it, closer-up. It makes sense, I swear. ;)

details:

Lucca Couture romper, Henri Bendel earrings

I love this top. It's so soft and comfy and perfect for traveling! I was headed to New York that particular morning.

details:

Club Monaco top, 7 For All Mankind zip-ankle skinnies, Forever 21 shoes, LV Lumineuse PM

I LOVED this look. Besides wearing one of my very favorite tops, the skull belt gave it something extra.

details:

Zara top, 7 For All Mankind skinny jeans, Tory Burch wedges, LV Neverfull GM, belt from shopdressup.com, Stella & Dot necklace

And finally, this look proves that an awesome pair of shoes can make the most basic look look fabulous.

details:

Club Monaco top, 7 For All Mankind zip-ankle skinnies, Steve Madden shoes, Jennifer Zeuner pendant

So especially with Fall coming up around the corner (and lots of new looks to try), I'll definitely make it a point to do more OOTD posts for the blog! I miss them ;)  If you're a fan of OOTD's, don't miss my current videos where I'm starting to throw them in at the end!

Have a fabulous weekend!!

Guerlain Le Voilette De Madame collection Fall 2013

I am a big fan of Guerlain cosmetics-unfortunately they are super expensive but they are oh so luxe.

Their newest collection 'Voilette de Madame' does not disappoint in the luxe stakes and I knew as soon as I saw it I would snap up the limited edition blusher.  After I read Sara from Colour Me Loud's post on the eyeshadow duo's I was smitten!

The packaging is sleek and shiny!  The eyeshadow comes cased in a gold compact embossed with Guerlain with a long mirror inside.  The blusher is packaged in a glossy black shell.  Seriously sleek on the outside, seriously beautiful on the inside.

The blusher is the key piece of the collection and it's absolutely stunning to look at.  The compact houses a raspberry pink, coral, peach and neutral pink.  The 4 shades can be swirled together to create a unique combination of colour or you can use your brush in a more concentrated way on each of the 4 colours.  The silver overspray disappears after a couple of uses but the embossed circle pattern remains.

The blush is fairly sheer which for me makes it perfect for day wear, but the formula is long lasting.  I love the way you can vary the colours by sweeping your brush across different parts of the palette making it a really versatile product-it works well on my pale skin tone but I do wonder if darker skintones would see the same colour payoff.  The cooler tones are towards the bottom of the palette and the warmer tones at the top.  It also has a matte finish.

The Ecrin 2 Couleurs Eyeshadow duo comes in 8 fairly unusual colour combinations and me being a sucker for green I chose 'Two rock' which is a combination of sage green and a glittery black.

The sage colour is a matte formula with a satin finish; swatched it looks a little flat and unimpressive in my opinion but on the eye it really brings out the colour of my green eyes.  The black is a glitter and looks like it has a gritty texture in the palette but is actually as smooth as silk to apply.

When I received these in the post (I bought mine from Selfridges online) I was dying to play with them so one morning as soon as I woke up I started to apply the shadow to a naked face and without an eyeshadow primer.  Seriously within 1 minute I had created the best smokey eye I have ever done-the colours were so easy to blend and really flattering.  The black doesnt look harsh at all and could easily be blended out BUT it is very glittery and has a fair bit of fallout so I would recommend doing your eyes first before the rest of your make up so that you can clean up any glitter spilling all round your face!

Overall I am not disappointed with either purchase and feel like I don't have anything similar in my collection.  Totally ready for their Christmas collection now!

Has anything caught your eye from this collection?

Lorac Pro Palette Swatches & First Impressions

Hello, Loves! Today I'm bringing you a peek at my newest palette, the Lorac Pro Palette.

I picked up this beauty during a recent trip to Ulta where I went to spend my rewards points and pick up some sunscreen.  Well, a full-out haul happened.
Oh, Ulta... Isn't that always the way?

You can check out my newest haul video on my YouTube channel showing this palette and all the other goodies I picked up. But since I found this palette to be so special, I figured it deserved its own blog post.
Full of swatch-y goodness.

The palette sells for $42 and contains 16 eye shadows and one Behind the Scenes Eye Primer.

I'm loving the colors... This is seriously one of the most versatile palettes I've ever seen. EVERY SINGLE color is very pigmented and swatches like butter.
Besides the amazing quality, the color selection is absolutely awesome. I've said this a ton of times, but with palettes, I can't justify spending a lot of money on something that I have to add a lot of other colors to to make it work. This one has a mix of matte and frosted shades that work beautifully together, as well as a great mix of highlight shades, darker shades, blending shades, and some fun colors as well.

*swatches of the left side of the palette*

*swatches of the right side of the palette*

For more on this palette and the other items I picked up at Ulta (& an OOTD), check out my Ulta Haul Video below!

What do YOU think about this palette? Have you tried it? Will you be picking it up?