Stila One Step Correct

 

 

Hello ladies ! I hope everyone has had a fabulous Friday and is looking forward to the weekend :) It's the first of December tomorrow and I'm guessing everyone is going to attempt to decorate their Christmas trees or in my case stand back while my Mother takes over, as per usual ;) So seen as it's practically 25 days till Christmas, the rush to find everyones crimbo prezzie is on and with that in mind I thought I'd share with you a blemish healing luxury goody that would please any girl to find in their stockings or wrapped up under their trees!

 

 

 

 

 

Stila One Step Correct 30ml- Now, if you're like me, the odd spot or slight un-even skin tone can really get you down and sometimes concealers just won't do a good enough job of hiding it, so one day last week, after fighting with my skin, I headed down to my local Boots in search of something to freshen up my slightly blemished face. After scouring the isles I came across the Stila One Step Correct formula and I have to say I loved the packaging/bottle of this product, pretty swirls of mint, lavender and peach really grabbed my attention and I was intrigued to find out more. Luckily, a lady also admiring the Stila make-up range assured me that the One Step Correct formula was "Brilliant" and that she uses it everyday to "Brighten up her skin", I pretty much took her word for it seeing how lovely her complexion looked and decided to buy. Once home I squeezed a small amount onto my hand and smoothed it out, the mint, lavender and peach mixed together to form a very pale green colour. Now, some people might be wondering how a green formula would help blemishes but trust me it's a known fact that it does ! Basically, the green pigment cancels out redness around the face plus the added lavender hides sallow yellow skin under the eyes and the peach can brighten/illuminate the skin ... clever right ? Baring all this in mind, I cleansed and moisturised my face then applied the formula to the blemishes. I could immediately see a difference to the redness, the green settled the blemish into a very unnoticeable pale pink and I could definitely see that my face looked refreshed and renewed, I then applied my normal make-up over the top and after a few moments I could barely see any blemishes, super impressed! After, I carried on with my day as normal but occasionally checked up on my skin to see if this wonder formula was keeping up the good work and non surprisingly it was, no redness, no dull skin, no problem! Happy days :) The Stila One Step Correct can be found on the Boots website here and is priced at £24, this may seem expensive but it's worth the spend down to how effective and beautifully pigmented the formula is, so if you want to treat your skin or someone else's this Christmas I'd definitely recommend the Stila One Step Correct to diminish those pesky blemishes all winter long.

 

Have you tried the Stilla One Step Correct ? What are your views ?

 

 

XXXX

 

El Mac

 

 

 



Japonesque Safari Chic Bronzer Brush

 

Hey there guys ! I hope everyone is having a nice start to their week ? I have to say I'm a tad under the weather, the British flu has caught me out again and I'm feeling slightly miserable, so I thought what better way to distract myself than writing a short post on my new favourite Kabuki brush.

 

 

 

 

Okay, I have a confession to make, this nifty little brush was bought for me nearly a month ago now, I lovingly placed it in my make-up draw then totally forgot about it ! How could I ? Well, It unfortunately got coverd in other make-up related products and was hidden for that long, out of sight out of mind ey? I kind of thought I'd lost it :( silly me ! Anyways, let me get back to the point, as you can see from my pictures the design of this hand made Kabuki brush is unlike any other brush on the market, it's animal printed style is so striking it's hard not to fall in love with it instantly. The Safari Chic Bronzer Brush is made up of high density synthetic bristles which quite brilliantly grab an abundance of any powder product, I tend to use a lot of mineral based face powders and this Kabuki is the one I reach for every time, it's even replaced my beloved Mac Kabuki so trust me it's good ! As for the texture it's heavenly, really soft and gentle, I could literally sit all day applying powder to my face it's just so silky. However, there is a slight down side to this amazing mini Kabuki...the price! It's a mega £19.50 and yes that does seem a little steep but I suppose you pay for the quality you want, I've never had a brush like it and I couldn't imagine using anything different now. Japonesque also offer a three piece set with a shadow, crease and powder brush all in the identical safari style that I'm guessing are of the same high standard as the Kabuki. So if your looking for a new brush to add to your collection or a cute Christmas present for a friend or family member, you really can't go wrong with the Japonesque Safari Chic Bronzer Brush, trust me it's worth the splurge.

 

Have you tried Japonesque brushes before ? What do you think of the Safari Chic range ?

 

 

XXXX

 

El Mac

 

 

Japonesque Safari Chic Bronzer Brush available at

www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk

 

 



Beauty Bargains

 

 

Hello there guys ! I hope everyone is well ? I'm feeling quite chilled this evening as I've spent most of the day wandering around Lytham St.Annes picking out Christmas decorations for my humongous tree. I don't quite know why my Mum and Dad felt the need to buy a 7ft snow frosted Christmas tree but I'm having fun selecting all the sparkly baubles to go with it! Whilst in Lytham I naturally drifted toward the make-up/skincare/haircare counters throughout each shop and I found myself getting progressively angry at the ridiculous prices of some certain brands, I mean I love a good highlighter but I'm not going to pay £44 for it ! With this in mind I thought it would be a good idea to show you a few beauty bargains that can match up to the big name brands in hope of saving everyone a little money over the festive season, so here it goes....Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

17 Dazzle The Night Shimmer Rocks- Okay so I'll admit it, I'm a bit of a make-up snob and I wouldn't normally go over to the 17 range in Boots but in the past couple of years I've noticed that it's upped its game and produced some surprisingly nice products. After browsing the range I opted to buy the beautiful Shimmer Rocks, I've owned the L'oreal Bronze Mineral Pearls in the past and I've been looking for something similar but in a highlighter, so I thought this would be a good alternative. Once home and armed with my trusty make-up brush, I applied a little to my cheeks to see if the rocks would look as good on my skin as they did in the pot and with a couple of applications either side there was no denying its shimmery brilliance ! The Shimmer Rocks leave a cool silvery pigment with a slight plumy coloured base that almost works as a light weight blush... not bad eh? As for the texture it's super soft and the rocks seemed to hold their shape nicely with no crumble insight, however, it can be a bit messy as the powder tends to fly away from the brush a little, so make sure you have a towel or some tissue to protect your clothing. I've used the Shimmer Rocks a few times over the past couple of weeks and I've loved the festive glow it gives my cheeks, they're even nice to use over your arms and shoulders on a night out to add beautiful accents to your skin plus they stay put through the wind and rain as I experienced today and that can only be a good thing ! 17 Dazzle The Night Shimmer Rocks are a cheap as chips £4.99 so there's no doubt there buy worthy, 17 also offer Bronzing Rocks and I can only imagine they're of the same standard as my beloved Shimmer Rocks, so I'll be snapping them up soon too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

V05 Smoothly Does It Frizz Free Creme 100ml- Seen as it's winter and the weather is well ... HORRENDOUS ! It's really hard to keep your hair in control throughout the wind,rain,hail and snow so with the crappy weather that lies ahead of us I went on a little mission to find a frizz free product that would keep my locks at bay. Generally, I'm quite lucky as my hair is pretty much straight and I don't have to bother about it that much but as any girl knows a bit of frizz is inevitable in the winter and especially whilst styling it. Over the past 3 years I've used Bed Head Control Freak but at £21 a pop I really can't bring myself to spend that again so I decided to buy V05's Frizz Free Creme as I've heard some decent reviews on it dotted around the blogging world. Now, this product pretty much guaranteed frizz free hair and I was blissfully anticipating a smooth shiny fly-away free hair after one use ! So whilst at home after a shower I applied a small amount of the Frizz Free Creme into the palm of my hand then smoothed it through my damp ends, I tend to avoid my root area when using creamy products as they usually make the top half of my hair quite limp, however, if you think your fro' can hack it by all means work it in. I have to say the creme smells lovely and the texture isn't sticky or runny like some other serums, after a few minutes the product had sank into my locks so I grabbed my hair dryer and a brush then proceeded to dry my hair on a cool heat for around 5 minutes. The first thing I noticed was the way my hair felt, It definitely seemed smoother and the very ends of my hair where straighter... brill ! After my hair was sufficiently dry I brushed it through and heated up my straighteners, as it says on the tube the Frizz Free Creme supposedly protects your hair from high heat so I was guessing the best way to test it was to apply 200 degree heat right ? I sectioned my hair and worked the straighteners through and non surprisingly, my hair didn't singe or dry out, the creme left a glossy finish with no greasy residue, so impressed ! Next, I really put V05 to the test and let my hair embrace the elements, after maybe 5 hours my hair was still under control and there wasn't a fly away in sight, it still felt smooth to touch and the shine was even holding out, all this without an ounce of hairspray... it's a Christmas miracle ! The V05 Smoothly Does It Frizz Free Creme is a low cost £3.89 from Superdrug and it's a handy hand bag size that you can grab at anytime for a touch up on dry hair, V05 offer a whole Straight and Smooth range so there's an abundance of products that work along side it and at such a low prices, I won't hesitate to return for more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Collection 2000 Shimmer Shades Blushalicious Blusher- I have to say I'm quite a big fan of Collection 2000 and I particularly like their pressed powders and blushers, so when in search of something to brighten up my cheeks I found the fabulous Shimmer Shades, there's something about a quad blusher that really appeals to me, I feel like I'm getting a bit more for my money if that makes sense. As you can see from the pictures above Shimmer Shades offer four beautiful pastel like shades that you can use individually or mixed together to add a flush of colour to your cheeks, I've shown how each colour looks swatched on the skin and considering the colours aren't that bright the pigment is gorgeous and the palest pinks have a beautiful sheen to them too. After sweeping my brush across the Shimmer Shades I applied it to the apple of my cheeks and worked upwards, all four shades complimented each other nicely but overall the colour came out as a shimmering candy pink which worked fine for me. Texture wise the blusher is quite smooth not grainy or rough, it settles nicely on the skin and doesn't leave any unwanted fly away powder, there's nothing worse then noticing pink powdery blotches all over your clothing after finishing your look, so no worries with this one. I used the Shimmer Shades the day before last whilst out shopping and the colour lasted pretty much all day, I only touched up once after the rain attacked me so I was quite impressed ! Collection 2000 offer the Shimmer Shades in 'Blushalicious Blusher' and 'Way To Go' which is the exact same thing but a golden bronzer palette instead, they both come in at £4.19 at Boots Cosmetics but I'm pretty sure you can get your hands on any of the Collection 2000 range at the larger supermarket stores such as Asda or Sanisburys. So if your in need of some low cost blush with a bit of an edge you know exactly where to head too, I'm thinking of offering the Shimmer Shades in my 100 followers giveaway so keep an eye out guys !

 

 

 

Whats been your best beauty bargain this month ?

 

 

XXXX

 

El Mac

 

www.bootscosmetics.co.uk

www.superdrug.com

 

 

Nars Haul

Hi guys ! I hope you are all well ? Guess what ?! NEARLY A MONTH TILL CHRISTMAS ! .... Crazy right ? Where has this year gone ? Anyways, enough of my rambelings, I thought it was about time I do a Nars cosmetics post. I haven't really tried Nars before this year.. why ? I don't quiet know, as I absolutely love my recent purchases and I've been kicking myself that I haven't tried it sooner, so without further or do here's my in depth Nars post, I hope you enjoy !

 

 

 

 

 

Nars Blush Orgasm 4.8g - Well despite the rudey-dudey name ! This blusher is extremely sweet and innocent. I spotted this beautiful blush on the Nars website and decided it had to be mine due to its cutesy pink colour and daring name, I don't really own many blushers so I thought 'Orgasm' would do nicely as I've been looking for a day to day blush that will be become a staple to my everyday make-up needs. When my Nars order arrived in the post I didn't hesitate to test it out, YAY ! The colour of the blusher was even better in real life and once swatched on my hand a pretty gold undertone emerged through the deep pigmented pink, blusher heaven ! Once I applied the blush to my cheeks it appeared so shimmery and bright, the gold flecks gave my skin an almost glowy look which, you may have noticed in my other posts, I can't get enough of. As for the texture, it's super soft, probably my favourite powder touch wise and its staying power is impressive too, it pretty much lasted a good ten hours without touch ups... BONUS ! I know for a fact this Nars blusher will suit most skin tones due to its dense pigmentation and it's a great way to brighten up your look over winter, I'd even say it would be perfect for the party season at Christmas just because the gold sheen is so glam and chic. This lovely compact blusher comes in a smooth matte pan with a convenient slim line mirror concealed inside, very handy indeed, as for the price, well it isn't the cheapest at £21 but it's worth the splurge to brighten up your winter. All in all a great buy in my books, I'm extremely happy that Nars whipped up this little beauty and I'll definitely consider delving into other Nars blushers in the future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nars The Multiple Riviera 14g- Now this is just genius ! 'The Mutiple' has to be the best buy of the month for me, down to the fact it can be used in so many different ways and I'll explain how. Admittedly, when I came across this on the Nars website I was slightly doubtful that it would work for my eyes, cheeks and lips, I couldn't see how it was going to do a decent job on each very different parts of the skin, however, after much deliberation I gave into my beauty brain and decided to buy it. Once 'The Multiple' arrived I gave it a swatch, so so so pretty, the rich formula was creamy, light and smooth to touch, I could now see what everyone was raving about. Once smoothed onto my cheeks the colour was to die for, simple pink brilliance, I couldn't knock it at all, it left a beautiful dewy shimmer that seemed so effortless and chic. Next, I applied a little to my lips and the benefits of this product just kept coming, it blended perfectly with my own natural lip colour but added a gorgeous sort after sheen that gave my pout an extra OOOMPH ! I added a little gloss to give it a bit more of a shiny edge but you could quite easily leave 'The Multiple' as it is if you like a natural matte finish. Now for the eyes, I wouldn't normally use the colour 'Riviera' for an eyeshadow, I usually go with gold, bronze or smokey colours but never the less I gave it a whirl. I applied the product with my finger tips and dabbed it gently across my lids, the creamy formula works wonders and doesn't leave any excess mess that you would get with normal powder eyeshadow, unfortunately, I didn't love the colour on my eyes, I'm just not one for wearing pink shadow I don't feel it suits my eye colour but I would recommend this to anyone who loves bright summery eye palettes it's definitely the one for you. This practical cute chubby stick comes in a twist tube which gives you the ability to control how much you'd like to apply and believe me it's totally worth shelling out £29 due to the fact it can be used in so many different ways. There's another 14 shades to choose from so I'm sure there's a colour for everyone and Nars even offer a bronzing multiple for any girl that loves a golden glow... WANT! After my successful Nars purchases this month I'm definitely going to be visiting their site more often and I'll be adding an abundance of their products to my Christmas lists.... NARS LOVER FOR LIFE <3

 

 

Have you tried any Nars products ? What's your favourite ?

 

 

 

XXXX

 

El Mac

 

www.narscosmetics.co.uk

 

 

 

 



FM Cosmetics Make Up Haul

 

Hi guys ! I hope you're all doing well and looking forward to Christmas ?! Personally, it's my favourite time of the year and I love the whole process of giving and receiving gifts, especially because my family is very female dominated and I spend a lot of time browsing beauty counters deciding what to buy everyone .. GIRL POWER ! So, with Christmas presents in mind I thought it would be a good idea to introduce to you a company I recently discovered that supply pretty much every type of beauty must haves from eyeliners right down to perfumes ! FM Cosmetics was introduced to me on Facebook via a lovely girl named Kirsty, we arranged a meet up so she could show me what FM had to offer, we went through an abundance of products and she explained to me what FM Make Up was all about. Basically FM produce mineral based make-up, perfumes and other beauty goodies that match your high end faves but offer an affordable price tag... what's not to love ? Now I can't lie, I was hesitant of this company at first as I'm really picky when it comes to make-up and I always go with well known brands to avoid disappointment but that worry diminished after testing just a few of their products ! Kirsty kindly let me borrow some of FM's make-up products to review for my blog so here's my post on my favourite FM must haves....Enjoy!

 

 

 

FM Baked Powder Sun Kissed Effect 7g- So I got slightly giddy over this powder as it mimics my beloved Mac Gold Deposit skin finish. If you have G&D you'll know it's gold pigment is unreal and very hard to match to any product, until now. From swatching it on my fingers the resemblance was uncanny, glimmery gold pigment, super soft texture and shimmery bronzed flecks stood out to me immediately ... so impressed ! I decided to put it to the test and wore it on a night out recently to see if it would last, the mineralized powder held well on my brush and once applied to my cheeks the gold pigment blended nicely with my skin tone leaving me looking slightly bronzed and my cheeks looking shimmery/dewy. Baked powder is pretty much a multi-use product and can be applied to your shoulders, arms and legs on wet or dry skin to give yourself a bit of colour and definition. My favourite way to use this product at the moment is to apply it to my eyes as an eyeshadow, it works well with dark smokey liners and compliments bronzed eyeshadows too, it has a great festive feel to it that will glam up your look for Christmas. I have to say this Sun Kissed effect powder reflected light well and disguised any parts of uneven skin tone on my face and shoulders, which is a relief, as I didn't worry about any blotchy skin standing out through the night. All in all, I'm so pleased with this powder and I can't believe it's over taken my favourite Mac skin finish ! At £9.99 you really can't say no to this little beauty.

 

 

 

FM Silicone Base 15ml- As you may know from previous posts I'm not a lover of primers and I haven't found them any use so far. However, FM offer a Silicone Base serum that helps reduce pore size and benefits the application of your choice of foundation, to be honest it looked very intriguing so I thought it was worth a shot. I squeezed a small amount of the Silicone Base on to my finger and the formula was gel like and silky to touch, I still wasn't convinced how this was going to work on my face but after applying it to my T-zone area I could see a noticeable difference. My pores looked smaller, my skin was less shiny and my face felt really smooth, I was pleasantly surprised and decided to apply my foundation over the silicone to see if this made any difference to the appearance of the formula. I have to say I could see a transformation in the way my foundation settled on my skin, the silicone base almost created a barrier between my skin and the foundation so it didn't feel as heavy on my face. I'm really loving the matte finish it leaves and I'd highly recommend you to use this product on days when your not feeling the whole make-up look, it leaves a nice dewy finish on your skin that doesn't need any powder or foundation to enhance your facial features .... very Au Natural. I'd brand this a wonder serum and it's really worth spending a small £9.99 on it as a little goes a long way so I wouldn't think you'd run out of this product that quickly. Seriously though guys, give it a try you'll really see the differences that I've mentioned.

 

 

FM Mineral Powder Bronzing Effect Amber 8g- I love my bronzing products and I particularly like this FM bronzing powder named Amber. I'm forever seeing bronzing powders with daft sparkly sun shapes in the middle that quite frankly don't match my skin and are far too dark for anyone to wear in my opinion ! That's why I'm quite fond of this two tone Amber Mineral powder, it offers a cool sandy colour along side a rich bronzed brown pigment that would really compliment any girl with a medium skin tone. After mixing the two powders together with a  brush and lightly dusting it over my face it really brightened the look of my complexion, it left my skin feeling really soft and there was no sign on cakeyness which I've had trouble with whilst using other bronzing powders in the past. The best part about this product is how natural it looks and I know from previous experiences how hard it is to create a natural tan whilst trying to avoid the full on UmpaLumpa/Tangerine vibe. So I wouldn't worry with Amber it really does leave you with a nice bronzed colour without any shine or orange under tones. Last but not least this superb powder includes important UV filters that protect your skin from the sun, I cannot stress how important it is to defend your skin from UV rays and because this product is a powder it's covering your entire face so will help cover delicate areas such as your under eye skin that can be easily damaged by sunlight, plus it will keep those wrinkles away in later life ... FOREVER YOUNG ;) Amber Mineral Powder is priced at £7.99 and comes with a handy sponge to create even coverage, need I say more ?

 

FM Glow Powder Pearls 18g- These Powder Pearls really are exciting to look at aren't they ? and they're an absolute delight to use too ! I'm all for a glowy facial look and I'm in love with any kind of skin finish so, you can probably tell why I was thrilled to give this product a go. The shiny multi-coloured pearls are to die for, each individual colour offers a beautiful metallic sheen and when mixed together adds different dimensions of luminosity to your face, arms and neckline. I know at first the powder pearls can seem a little daunting due to there brightly coloured appearance but don't fret because each pearl has a very fine pigment and it only deposits a high glimmery sheen to the skin. The Glow Powder Pearls come with a cute Powder Puff that grabs the product efficiently so you can dust the formula where ever you please. I opted to use the product over my face and I couldn't fault it at all, the powder gave my skin a fresh glow whilst highlighting certain facial features such as my cheeks and jaw line. Unfortunately, I couldn't really get a good enough photo to show you the effect as it's quite gentle but don't let that put you off as it's a definite must have to finish off any make-up look. The Powder Pearls are packed full of vitamins A and E that keep moisture locked in and harsh natural elements out, this diminishes any dull areas of the skin and generally brightens your complexion, which will keep your skin happy over the winter months. I would rate this product a massive 10 out of 10 for its originality, coverage and soft metallic pigment, FM has really got a winner here and the  £13.50 Glow Powder Pearls are definitely going on my Christmas list !

Have you tried any FM prodcuts ? What are your favorites ?

 

 

I'm now currently working for FM cosmetics and if you are interested in having an FM make-up party or want to buy any of their products please email me on ellie921@hotmail.co.uk for more information. Please note I can only host parties in the Preston area at the moment.

XXXX

El Mac

www.uk.fmworld.com



Topshop Highlighter Crescent Moon

 

 

 

 Hello Ladies ! I hope everyone is doing well ? I'm feeling slightly blue today due to this horrid British weather and the lack of sunlight :( So, to cheer myself up I thought it would be a good idea to share with you my new favourite highlighter I purchased the other day from Topshop. As you may know from previous posts, I absolutely love Topshops make-up range and I find myself drawn to the make-up stand even if I've set my money on buying clothes, It's turning into a habit ! I wonder if anyone else has this problem ? ;) Please have a read girlies and let me know what you think .....

 

 

 

 

 

Topshop Crescent Moon Highlighter 6.5g- Basically, I cant get enough of this highlighter and if you're into Mac's mineralize skin finishes you'll definitely be over the moon with this product, no pun intended ;) I'd actually set out to buy some more eyeshadow from Topshop when I spotted this little beauty, the starry outer casing was literally screaming at me to open it, so I gave in ! WOW, it was so shimmery and the light peachy pastel colour was to die for, If you own Mac's 'Soft & Gentle' or 'Lightscapade' skin finish it's pretty much the same thing but for a cheap £10 so, if you're not feeling a splurge with Mac I'd opt for this Topshop twin like highlighter, I'm sure your bank balance would appreciate it. It was time for the swatch test and the positives to this product kept accumulating, the pigment was really dense on my finger tips and the shimmer seemed to intensify, I love a good sparkly highlighter as it defines your facial area and adds that bit of dewy glamour to your cheeks. After, I smoothed it over my hand and it blended so well, I'd say it would work with most skin tones as it tends to leave more of a goldy shimmer than a blocky peach colour once spread out across the skin, so don't worry if your a darker skinned lady it should still compliment your complexion. That was it, I didn't need anymore convincing, I bought Crescent Moon without a second thought and in the process was given a free Louise Gray purse mirror ... oh Topshop how I love you ! I'm guessing this offer must be on in store over November so get yourselves down to your nearest Topshop quick and grab yourself a freebie with any make-up purchase. Once home, I did the usual brush test and applied the highlighter to my face, the pigment,shimmer and colour was still just as good, possibly even better then when I tried it in store. I do see Crescent Moon lasting me a while and I wont even hesitate to re-purchase it due to its value for money status, I can see myself buying a few more of the powder based products Topshop have to offer as I was so impressed with the pigment of this highlighter, I just hope they keep Crescent Moon well stocked because I can't imagine not using it everyday!

 

 

XXXXX

 

El Mac