Sephora Haul-all the lipsticks

There's no lip six post this week sorry, due to travelling last week I didn't get the shots I needed but instead I recently placed another Sephora US online order and when it arrived I realised I had basically bought all the lipsticks.  So it's a lipstick post just not lip six. 

Here's what landed in my basket with some swatches.

Give Me Some Lip is a collection of best sellers at an amazing price-a kind of 'try before you buy' if you like.  Who doesn't love miniature lip products?  This worked out at £16.97 which is amazing value for what you get.

Everything in the set I would wear-Lolita from Kat Von D is the only one that looks a little brown for my taste.   I really think they is a great little selection of shades, textures and finishes.

Bite is one of my favourite lip brands-it's such a shame it isn't in the UK or Dubai.  I have tons of their products now but I purchased two new shades from the Frozen Berries collection and I love both!  There was also a 250pt perk which included a Bite mirror, lip gloss and lipstick in the shade Bellini-an uber bright pink.

Lastly I got two more of the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks-I already own Berlin and Bachelorette and the formula is outstanding so I have now added Mother and Beloved-how stunning do these shades look?  I wore Beloved in the evening the other day and it's a beautiful colour and so easy to apply.  Finally I picked up a new lipgloss formula from Sephora's own range.  I am a total sucker for a really glossy gloss!

Have you tried any of these formulas?  Which is your favourite?  Would you like me to review any of the shades?

PS-I am thrilled to have been nominated for 'Best International Beauty Blog' in the Bloggers Blog Awards-you can vote for your favourites here.  Massive thanks to Hayley from Tea Party Beauty for all her very hard work with these awards!

Bought......

I know I know-this might not be the US mega haul you were expecting, but in all honesty it was so outfacing when I unpacked it all that writing the post would have taken days!  So I thought I would share a UK Space NK and a John Lewis haul that arrived this week.

First up, I had £50 of N'Dulge points to spend that were expiring so that is how this haul started.  Kevyn Aucoin was mainly the target of my affections!

What caught my eye first was The Celestial Bronzing Veil powders in Tropical Days and Tropical Nights.  I. do. not. need. any. more. bronzers.  But they're my latest obsession so humour me.  These little pans are so beautiful, they're little pans of gorgeousness and I can't wait to try them.  Swatched, Tropical Days looks a perfect match for my pale skintone (NW15 in MAC, Mont Blanc in NARS, BR20 in YSL).  Tropical Nights looks scarily dark so I will see how I get on with it.  The bronzer is a powder but it felt almost creamy when I swatched it and I think I am going to love it.  These bronzers contain 'crystal pigments' in bronze, gold and silver to give you the most natural glow and they don't seem to run either too cool or too warm.  I'll review fully when I've tested them thoroughly.

I also picked up two of the Eye Pigment Primatifs in (top) Titian and (bottom) Horizon.  I had seen Sam from Pixiwoo use these recently in a tutorial.  When I opened them they are almost exactly the same as the Chanel Illusion D'Ombre texture-spongy and mousse like.  You can see how they have shrunk away from the sides and this is so common with this type of formula as every time you open them they dry out a little more.  You can prolong the life of these by storing them upside down to keep moisture at the top of the pan.  Titian is ridiculously pigmented and a rich reddy brown but Horizon seemed to lack pigment on my arm.  It's a pretty champagne colour and I'm going to test these out this week.  I haven't been much of a fan of this type of eyeshadow in the past because I do think they dry out quickly.  They're great for a couple of months but then start to crack and crumble until they're unusable and at this price point it's difficult to swallow.

I also indulged in a little more Sarah Chapman.  I am currently using the Overnight Facial and I like the fact that when I wake up my skin always looks calm and a little clearer than when I went to bed.  This product is a non glycolic based exfoliant that claims to unclog pores, soften wrinkles and even out blemish marks gently.  It can be used in conjunction with the overnight facial so I am hoping this will be a blemish fighting cocktail for my fickle skin.

My last Space NK purchase was the Laura Mercier Faux Lash mascara.  I remember seeing Michelle use this in a tutorial and it gave so much volume to her lashes.  I have my fingers crossed!!

I also did a little John Lewis online order and purchased the YSL Le Teint Saharienne Blur Perfector in the shade Sable.  Remember a couple of years ago when every beauty blogger was raving about the Chanel 'Soleil Tan De Chanel' that came in the big round pot? Well I feel like this is YSL's version of it and it comes in 5 different shades rather than just one universal Chanel version. 

It does however look a little orange when I have swatched it so I do need to see if I can make it work.  I should have gone for the lightest shade!  I got all cocky going for the non palest version there.

Finally I got something I have been lusting after for a while-Urban Decay eyeshadow in Space Cowboy.  This is purely to flatter my magpie/glitter loving/all the shiny things side.  I love Urban Decay eyeshadows and I am hoping this sparkly champagne colour will add a little something extra to night time looks.  I am already dying to layer it over the Kevyn Aucoin shades!

Have you tried any of these?  I'm dying to know your thoughts!

Haul post! Show and swatch...

I automatically know that when James my assistant reads this post he will take the mickey out of the above picture as he frequently states I am the most uncool person he knows and I shouldn't pretend otherwise!

But yey I have been spending and consensus on twitter was that a haul post was in order so here it is!

After declaring firmly that given the price of the Gucci Magnetic Color Shadow Mono eyeshadows, I would not be purchasing any more here somehow I ended up back at the Gucci counter picking up 3 more!  This time I picked up a darker brown-Cocoa-which has kind of a matter texture than the first two I picked up and has tiny tiny gold flecks set into it.  It still swatches smoothly and in store I layered Oxydus over it and it created an insanely beautiful shade.

I also picked up Sasso which is a medium steel gray colour and good for every day.  It has a satin finish and no obvious sparkle to it when swatches.  It has that lovely smooth, velvety texture to it which tells me it will be a dream to blend.

And finally I was able to get my hands on Iconic Gold which I have wanted for so long but it was always out of stock.  Just look at that shade-look at it!  It's so complex and dazzling I can't wait to use it.  It has an almost foil like finish to it and is a dirty green/gold with teeny tiny microshimmer.  I can't wait to wear it on the lid with a black on the outside or to wear it combined with my Armani Eye Tint in Green Iron.

I have done a little bit of research on Gucci make up since my last post and there aren't a huge amount of reviews out there.  It's pricy stuff so I hope my reviews will be helpful for anyone considering a splurge.  The single eyeshadows do definitely however seem to be the most highly rated of all the products in the line.

I then picked up two limited edition products (so sorry......).  Both are oh so beautiful as well.
The first is an extremely limited edition, exclusive to the Middle East (and Asia I believe) highlighting powder from Guerlain called Poudre De Soie.  I first came aware of this when Sara from Color Me Loud tagged me in an instagram picture of it and said would I look out for one for her.  Well I fell in love with it at first sight and managed to get one for her and one for me.

This is a rose gold highlight with a beautiful embossed pattern on it which is inspired by beautiful Asian fabrics but also the ancient art of Origami.  It's such a beautiful pan but I feel the outer packaging is very unimaginative and cheap.  Especially compared to Guerlains usual beautifully packaged offerings.  The outer compact is a plastic pale pink with a screw off lid-it's functional but not overly exciting.

I have very very gingerly swatched it-you know when you just can't bear to damage a pretty pattern??  It's a very smooth and finely milled rose gold with very very tiny bronze and silver microglitter.  I wouldn't say it was overtly sparkly per se and it doesn't have large chunks of glitter but there is an undeniable radiance to it.  But it is definitely a highlight rather than a setting powder.  It's more shimmery than the Meteorites powders for sure.  If any of you got your hands on Guerlains 'Cruel Gardenia' highlight from a couple of years ago, Poudre De Soie is definitely slightly warmer in tone but very similar.

The second limited edition compact I picked up was the Givenchy Le Prisme Color Confetti face powder.  This was enabled by another Sarah, the one from And Beauty Or Something.  I keep telling her she needs to get her shit together and write some posts because I love her blog and she has been slacking.  Sarah posted this on instagram saying she needed it and I knew it was here in Dubai so I managed to get her one-and decided to get one for myself too. 

The compact is really cute and fun and has multicoloured tiny floating balls in the lid.  The powder inside has the same colourful 'ball' pattern on the top half.  Swatched, the powder is very finely milled and contains no glitter.  It very much looks like a radiance adding powder and it reminds me of the MAC Maleficent Beauty Powder that I absolutely loved-it has a very subtle peachy undertone but should suit everyone.  I think it will add luminosity to the skin but will let you know if I feel any different once I have a good play with it.

I picked up three more Armani Eye Tints.  I picked up two from Nordstrom and reviewed them here and I am just obsessed.

Three more shades were added-Shadow, which is a mid grey with a slight purple undertone to it.  In artificial light it has tiny multicolour glitter in it but I can't detect it on the eye or in my swatch above.  It is just a gorgeous shade.

Cold copper is the kind of colour I live for!! Strange name for the shade as it's not dark or orange enough to be a true copper and is more of a cool biege-y colour reminiscent of Stila 'Kitten'.

Rose Ashes is a warmer light bronze-y colour with a definite pink undertone.  It's kind of duochrome on the lid and has a bit of sparkle in it.  But because of the formula of these there is no fallout of glitter on the face.  It kind of reminds of me of MAC Vex but without the green undertone.  This one is the least pigmented of the five I own on the initial swipe across the eyelid but it's definitely buildable.

I am so in love with this launch-the formulas seem so consistent across the range-they are wetter than a cream but they're denser than a liquid.  I find the best way to apply is to literally swipe directly on and blend with a finger or fluffy brush.  They set after about a minute to an immovable powder and they last all day!  They have enough pigment to stand up just fine on their own but they are also great for using as a base shadow and applying more shadow on top.  However because they dry quite quickly, you need to work fast if you want to add a pigment on top of them to ensure it 'sticks'.  They can be easily built up and not one of them has cracked, creased, faded or smudged on my eyelid.  I've been testing them out this week in Cairo where I work really long days and they're just fabulous.  Love love love, well done Armani.

My last splurge was on a non beauty item.  I really love the Louis Vuitton Monogram Shawls and the Leopard Stoles and have about 6 or 7 now in different colours but I wanted something a bit warmer.  Yes I know, bizarre when I live in Dubai and it's never really 'cold' but as I am not travelling frequently again to Egypt I was very cold on my last visit here (when it was a freezing 17 degrees-don't roll your eyes!) and I also often get really cold on planes too.  So I went to Louis Vuitton and picked out this LogoMania scarf in the colour Pearl Gray.  I do really like it but it's not as soft as I hoped it would be.  I have also seen people say this is reversible but I it isn't, the pattern is just embossed right through the scarf.  My main concerns with this scarf is that it will pull very very easily and I think it might start to look tatty quite quickly because it is 97% wool.  But it has definitely done the job this week as I was so cold on the flight before I whipped this out!  I probably wouldn't buy any more of these though, I prefer the silk pashmina style shawls.

Phew I feel like that was a long and wordy post-thanks for sticking with me if you have got this far!  What have you been splurging recently?

Sneak peek: The Sephora haul

Another sneaky peek haul post today-I would love to know what you're interested in me reviewing first!!

This was a Sephora US order to the UK which was then forwarded to me in Dubai by my lovely mum so these are all items that Sephora 'permits' to be shipped to the UK.

In the haul are:

The Sephora Favourites 'Draw the line' gift set with liners from Kat Von D, Urban Decay, Marc Jacobs, Nars, Sephora and Stila

2 x Sephora Lustre Matte lip colours in the shades Nude Pink Lustre and Pink Flush Lustre

4 x Kat Von D Studded Kiss lipsticks in the shades Love Craft, Backstage Bambi, Bachelorette and Sexer

Kat Von D Tattoo liquid liner in Trooper

2 x Marc Jacobs Kiss Pop lip colour stick in the shades Heartbreaker and Wham

3 x Bite matte creme lip crayons in the shades Tatin, Fraise and Sucre

2 x Marc Jacobs Highliners in Blacquer and Lunatic

2 x Marc Jacobs Twinkle Pops in Three Shakes and Au Revoir

So, what do you reckon?  What should be the first thing I crack open and get testing?

Sneak peek: The Nordstrom haul

So you'll have noticed a distinct lack of haul post around these parts recently and it's true to say my irrepressible hauling did take a temporary hiatus whilst I have been unwell but that's not to say one or two didn't take place!

Below is my latest Nordstrom online haul.  Currently all untried and untested-just a little sneaky peek.

First up a Sarah from and beauty or something enabled purchase.  She raves about the Guerlain liquid eyeliner incessantly.  And when you see eyeliner skillz like Sarah you know you gotta jump right on that bandwagon so here it is in all it's glory.

I have literally been dying to try some Clé de peau makeup but it's not available in Dubai and I am not even sure if it's in the UK.  But after reading several US blogger reviews I could not pass up on the A/W2014 eyeshadow compacts in Baby Universe and Satin Moon.  They just look utterly beautiful.  Neutral-ish and absolutely my cup of tea.  You have to buy the compact and the 'refill' separately which is a tad irksome but they're undeniably beautiful.

I also could not resist picking up this gorgeous highlighter.  It's one of the most stunning pieces I own inside and out.  I need to use it though and not make it one of my 'The Untouchables' just because it's pretty.

If there is one fragrance house you can buy from blind and 9/10 times NOT be disappointed it's Jo Malone.  I read so many reviews of the new 'Wood Sage and Sea Salt' cologne I was sure I would love it.  You can read a fantastic review on my blog of this very fragrance by the lovely Louise

I couldn't resist another Dior 'Rouge Dior' lipstick in the new shade Rose Tutu-a gorgeous neutral pink.  My Rouge Dior collection is well into double figures these days.

Last up, I could not resist the Smashbox mini version of their Full Exposure palette.  More neutral eyeshadows?  Hell yeah!

Do let me know what you would like to see a review of first!

Heathrow haul

Let's forget about the big 'C' word for the moment and go back to what I do best-shopping!!  I am going to be honest, if I were to do haul posts to cover everything I bought on my recent trip to London it would be ridiculous-but it's fair to say I had the best time ever and there is plenty of material for my blog!

This is my Duty Free haul-the bits I treated myself to on the way home to Dubai.

First up, two lipsticks-Tom Ford Casablanca which had never interested me before until I saw some gorgeous swatches of it online recently and Dior Rouge Dior 663 Guipure.  Tom Ford and Dior Rouge Dior are possibly my favourite lipstick formulas in the world.

The Origins Ginzing moisturiser is a repurchase-I recently finished my pot and I loved it so much.  It's the perfect light, cooling, hydrating pot of goodness that doesn't clog pores and is great for hot and humid environments.

I have a little love affair with Jurlique at the moment after trying a couple of their products and I picked up this calming mist as a hydrating toner.  I don't suffer too much from redness but my skin can be a little sensitive at times and I also think this would be a great pick me up whilst travelling-and also whilst I am in the hospital this week.

I wanted to pick up the Clarins Exfoliating Toner which I love, but it was out of stock so I thought I might try this Clarins Daily Energizer Wake Up Booster hydrating toner.  Clarins do amazing skincare and I don't think I have tried anything from them I haven't liked.

I've been on the cleansing balm bandwagon for over a year now but I wanted to try something lighter for summer-in the form of an oil-as long as it doesn't have mineral oil in it (which isn't as easy as it sounds).  I picked up two to try as my first evening cleanse, the one where I remove all my make up.

The first is from Origins and I am sure I have used this before and that it smells great.  The second was the Decleor Micellar Oil.  I also picked up and Origins lip balm-although I seem to have about 20 lip balms at the moment!

I had a bit of a splurge at SKII picking up their moisturising undereye mask-they're quite expensive but actually one of the cheapest on the market of high end eye masks given that you get 14 in the pack.  I also picked up their raved about Facial Treatment Essence which seems to me to be a hydrating toner although the sales assistant said it wasn't!  But the way she described it to me (balances skins PH, prepares skin for the next layer of skincare) made me think it is!

In the MAC concession I picked up yet another 217 and 239 brush-I swear I collect these but they're my absolute favourites for applying eyeshadow.  The 239 is the perfect brush for packing eyeshadow on the lid and the 239 is perfect for blending.  I shun all my other brushes for these babies daily.  I also got the limited edition duo fibre 132 brush which I haven't worked out what I will use it for yet-I am thinking under eye concealer, although MAC say its a foundation brush.  I also picked up a replacement 'Phloof' eyeshadow which is the perfect brightening pinky neutral shade that I recently finished up and a Prep and Prime Highlighter in Light Boost.  I have read such good things about this under eye highlighter that I can't wait to use it!

Lastly I picked up another Jo Malone candle which is in the first picture but I forgot to photograph again!  I have got a little addition to Jo Malone candles at the moment, they burn so cleanly and smell amazing.  I am currently burning Sweet Almond and Macaroon at home which is candle perfection and I love it so much!  I want to immediately repurchase it!  At the airport I picked up English Pear and Freesia, lovely for summer.  Wild Jasmine and Mint and Orange Blossom are definitely next on my wish list