Sunday 29 April 2012

YSL Glossy Stain in 6 Camel Croisiere


I finally cracked and picked up one of the hyped YSL Glossy Stains. I popped into town a few days ago for no particular reason and ended up at the YSL counter in Debenhams talking to Fred Letailleur, YSL's European make up artist. 


I told him I needed a lipstick to cheer myself up and we decided on this peachy orange Glossy Stain in shade 6 - Camel Croisiere. I had previously tried a darker, brighter orange shade but I thought it was too similar to some lipsticks I already have and not a colour I'd wear all the time. 


I've not stopped wearing this since I bought it. I'm sure you've already read lots of reviews so I'm not sure I have anything new to say. The formula of this product is so odd. It feels just like a gloss when it's first applied but within ten seconds it feels very gloopy and tacky. Around twenty seconds later it dries down a bit but still looks very glossy. I find it's best to apply a couple of layers but because this is a more subtle shade it's more low maintenance than some of the more bold colours. I can reapply on the go very easily if I need to. 


The packaging is pretty but I'm not completely sold on the black and and gold; I'd prefer if it was all one colour, I think. I like that I can see how much product I've used. The applicator looks strange but works well with this product. It's very wide, thin and flexible with a pointed tip. 


I think I'm going to have to pick up a more vibrant shade next! They are priced at £22.50 (link)

Have you tried these? Let me know what you think!

 Stace xx



Saturday 28 April 2012

Clinique High Impact Mascara


I remember when I started uni (almost four years ago now...time has flown!) and this was my favourite mascara. I used to buy at it the airport every time I flew home. For the past three years I've been trying other mascaras but I recently got this in a gift with purchase and decided to see how it compared with everything else I've been trying since I last owned it. 


The wand is fairly standard and easy to use. I don't struggle with clumps and find the wand picks up the right amount of product. This is definitely a defining and lengthening mascara for me. It doesn't give the same amount of volume as BeneFit They're Real despite being marketed as a thickening mascara. That doesn't mean that I don't like it though! It's a great every day mascara for me. I don't experience any flaking or smudging with this mascara which is probably why I stuck with it for so long.


I'd recommend Clinique's High Impact for anyone with reasonably thick lashes who just wants some length and definition. It is priced at £16 and is available in Black and Black/Brown (link)

Stace xx

Friday 27 April 2012

April Glossybox


I didn't expect to be writing this post but I stupidly didn't unsubscribe properly after the last box so I got an email THREE weeks ago to say they'd taken my payment for this box. It wasn't dispatched until the 25th because of a hold up at the warehouse due to the Easter break. 


The box and inside are all very natural colours as this is the 'Natural Beauty Box'. I quite like the look of it, actually.


This is what was inside. Initially I was excited to see a Caudalie product and a coconut shower gel that I assumed was from a high end brand. There are five products in here but one of them (the perfume oil which is attached to the little green square of paper) is absolutely miniscule. I realise that this sample is from the most expensive full sized product but I don't think it counts as a deluxe sample. However, there are three full sized products in the box this time. 


First up are two of the full sized items. The shower gel is from Ayuuri and priced at a whopping...£4.95. Mmm...luxury! It doesn't smell anywhere near as coconut-y as I'd like but perhaps it will in the shower. We shall see.

[Edit - The shower gel isn't quite full sized!]


Next up is a Figs & Rouge lip balm which is another cheap item at £3.29. This is in the Rambling Rose scent. I just tried it and not only is the balm an odd consistency (gritty and weirdly soft) it tastes like I'm wearing perfume on my lips. I've had other rose scented lip products and liked them so this is a disappointment. I'm still gagging!


The third full sized product is from Inkia, a brand I've never heard of. Yes, folks, it's another eyeliner in a fugly colour which I will probably never wear. What is with these beauty box companies and eye liners? I feel as though they're the only make up items they include any more. 


This liner is priced at £11.25 and I have it in the shade Peacock Blue. It's quite a creamy liner, which I appreciate but the shade is a frosty mid blue which just reminds me of something my mum would have worn as a child. I don't think I'll be using this one, unfortunately. 


This Caudalie Vinosource SOS Thirst-Quenching Serum is the product I was most excited to see. I really like all the products I've tried from Caudalie in the past, particularly from the Vinosource range. 


This sample tube is 10ml and the full sized product is priced at £29.00 for 30ml. I went to squeeze a little out on my hand and had to squeeze almost to the top of the tube before any product came out. I'm beyond disappointed with this. I realise that these tubes are never going to be full to the brim with product but that doesn't mean they can only have a tiny bit of product in, either. 


Finally and most under-whelmingly, is this perfume oil sample from Kai. According to the Glossybox card the full size of this product is priced at £41 for a mere 3.6ml. I'm not sure if that's a typo! My little sample was only half full.


I've tried a tiny bit of this and whilst the scent isn't really for me, it's very strong so you do only need a very small amount. 

So, there it is! My last ever Glossybox post (I promise this time, I've definitely unsubscribed properly!) As you can see, I'm pretty unimpressed. Beauty boxes in general frustrate me, I wish I'd kept my £13 and spent it on something I actually like. I was even more frustrated when after I unsubscribed I got several emails from Glossybox begging me to come back and offering me 30% off a box I'd already paid full price for!

I'm going to end this rant here! Let me know what you think of this month's box if you received it!

Stace xx

Thursday 26 April 2012

My Face Brushes



I was doing some brush laundry yesterday and decided it was about time I did a post on my favourite face brushes when they were clean enough to photograph! Whilst there's nothing wrong with using your fingers to apply foundation, concealer, cream blushes or highlighters, I prefer to use a brush. I've tried lots of different brushes, particularly for foundation, in the past so I know what I like. I've done a good spring clean of my brush collection and I'm really happy with all of the face brushes I currently own. 



Illamasqua Highlighter Brush (link)
I bought this brush because Cami raved about it several times and I have to say, I'm so glad I listened to her. I've used it for foundation, powder blush, cream blush and highlighter but I have it on her good authority that it's excellent for contouring too. It is quite small so it takes a while to apply your foundation with but the finish is worth it. I love using this with my Daniel Sandler Watercolour blush too. I've not experienced any shedding with this one.

E.L.F. Powder Brush (link)
The £3.50 wonder brush! This is the first non-traditional foundation brush I ever tried and as you can see, I've not looked back. I like this one so much that I have two. Admittedly I no longer use it for foundation but it is great if you're just starting out. I find that it provides quite heavy coverage so it's nice to use with tinted moisturisers to get a bit more coverage from them. I do actually use this as a powder brush - I expect most people who own this don't use it for that purpose! I like using this with a light finishing powder when I want my base to stay in place all day. It can get a bit cakey though, so be light handed! This brush is also great for using with a bit of MAC Fix+ to dab away excess powder. I use it to buff out the edges of my blush sometimes if I've gone a bit overboard but it's also nice to apply cream blush with (imagine a sort of stamping action followed by a lot of buffing). This is a great all rounder and if you don't already own it, you should! The only downside is that it can be a pain to clean because it's so dense.

Real Techniques Stippling Brush (link)
Since the day I bought this brush and until I picked up the Illamasqua Highlighter and Real Techniques Buffing brushes, this was the only thing I would use for foundation. At the time I was religiously using Neutrogena Healthy Skin foundation which has a thicker consistency (quite like NARS Sheer Glow). I really liked that foundation but found it was easy to overdo so this brush was perfect for that. I probably use the Buffing brush more for foundation now because it's quicker than using this one. This brush is excellent for applying cream blush, especially ones which have a drier consistency, like the Topshop cream blushes. I like that this one is sold individually, too.

Real Techniques Powder Brush (link)
I didn't have a decent powder brush so I picked this one up at the same time as the Stippling brush. It's just okay but then a large powder brush is never going to be that exciting, is it? I like using this with heavier coverage powders if I'm just using them as a setting powder. I've actually done a full review of all the Real Techniques brushes I had a while back if you want to check that out for more information about the brushes in general. This one is also sold individually.

Real Techniques Buffing Brush (link)
I reluctantly paid £21 for the Core collection just for this brush. I probably wouldn't have bothered if I hadn't already tried other Real Techniques brushes and liked them. It's really annoying that this comes in a set - I've since gotten rid of all the other Core collection brushes and I think £21 is pretty steep compared to the £12 I paid for the Stippling brush. Anyway, it's a lovely brush. I can use this with almost any foundation I own. I still prefer the Stippling brush for any of my thicker foundations, though. This gets the job done in two minutes flat which I appreciate. I've not tried using this for anything else but I'd imagine that it would work well with any cream blushes, highlighters or bronzers.


Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush (link)
See my rant about the brush sets above! This is yet another brush I paid £21 for. I rarely use any of the other brushes in the set which is unfortunate. However, this is a really nice brush to use with concealer. I find it works best with thicker concealers because it just buffs away anything which only offers light coverage. I've never tried using this as an eye brush and to be honest, I don't think I ever will as I think it would deposit far too much colour in the crease and then blend it to the point of looking muddy. I kind of wish this was called a concealer brush and that it had been included in the Core collection.

MAC 224 (link)
If I'm not using my Real Techniques Deluxe Crease brush for my concealer, I'll be using this one. I particularly like using the 224 on my under eye area with a liquid concealer as I find it blends it out beautifully without rubbing it all away. Again, I've never tried using this as an eye brush. I've not experienced any shedding with this one either and I've had it for over 18 months.

MAC 188 (link)
I use my 188 with powder highlighters, very pigmented blushes (hello, NARS Taj Mahal!) and sometimes with cream blushes. I use it most often with powder highlighters just along the tops of my cheekbones. I really like the effect and can't imagine reaching for anything else when applying those sorts of products. I realise that this is a more expensive brush but I tried Sigma's version of it and it just didn't compare in terms of softness and the way in which it applied the product. Again, I've not experienced any shedding.

MAC 168 (link)
This is my all time favourite brush for powder blushes. I pretty much use this one every day unless I'm wearing a cream blush. I know this is meant to be a contour brush but I don't do any contouring so I can't comment on how great it is for that. I just like the way I can sort of bounce this on my cheeks to deposit the colour and then blend it out. This is one of those brushes that just never lets me down. If I can't apply a blush nicely with this one, I blame the blush! Again I've not had any problems with this brush and have had it for almost two years.

I hope that was helpful to some of you and I (sort of) apologise if you've been cringing at my crazy love  for brushes.

Stace xx



Wednesday 25 April 2012

Wishlist Wednesday: Laura Mercier

Laura Mercier Wishlist

I've been lusting after a few Laura Mercier products recently. The only product I've tried from the brand has been their tinted moisturiser. I wasn't a huge fan of it to be honest; I think I'd need to try the oil free version.

It seems that eye products are pretty high on my wish list! I've heard great things about Eye Basics in Buff (£20.50),  Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Khaki (£20.50) and the Metallic Creme Eye Colour in Rose Gold (£18.50). I think out of the three, the Caviar Stick is the one I'm most keen to try.

I think I need to take the plunge and pick up a pot Mineral Powder (£31). I'm not sure which shade I'm going to need so I'll have to pop in to get colour matched. I'm not sure which brush to use with it though so if you have any suggestions, please let me know!

The final product on my wish list is the Creme de Pistache Souffle Body Creme (£43.50). I don't think I could ever justify buying this for myself, though! I'll be keeping an eye out for it in a set or on sale.

Do you have your eye on anything from Laura Mericer?

Stace xx


Tuesday 24 April 2012

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm

I've been meaning to write a blog post about this product for the longest time. I bought it back before Christmas and I always use it if I'm going somewhere special or if I just want to perk up my skin. It's one of those products I always want to have in my collection.


I bought this on a whim because I'd read so many rave reviews about it but I wasn't sure how it would work on my oilier skin. I didn't know if it was supposed to be a moisturiser or a primer or something in between. Considering its price tag of £28, it was definitely an impulse buy. 



I know the price can be off putting so I thought it would be useful to let you all know how I use my Beauty Flash Balm and why I love it. 

The instructions say to apply it in sweeping motions over a clean face before make up. Don't be tempted to rub it in too much! I only use a little (see the above photo) and I apply my foundation immediately. I find that my skin instantly looks brighter without looking shimmery or greasy. It leaves a nice fresh feeling on my skin. I don't find that Beauty Flash Balm extends the wear of my foundation or that it controls oil but I don't find that it reduces wear time or increases oiliness either. 

It's so difficult to describe how this product works! It's one of those things you have to try for yourself  to see if you like it or not. I think one of the biggest mistakes people make when using this is rubbing it into their skin too much. It feels a bit unnatural to apply a cream product without buffing it in so that's probably why. I have combination skin but this product is recommended for all skin types. Basically, if you think your skin is looking a little dull and tired it might be worth giving Beauty Flash Balm a go. 

If you've tried it, please let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Stace xx

Ps - I'm sorry for the lack of posts! I had two important exams yesterday. 

Wednesday 18 April 2012

Haul: NARS, Chanel, Illamasqua, Revlon, Nails Inc, Milani & Maybelline

I went a bit mad buying make up recently so I thought I'd share what I got. It'll be the last haul for a while; partly because I just booked a holiday and partly because there's not really anything I want right this second. 


I popped into Boots today and picked up a couple of Revlon polishes as they were in a two for £8 offer. I got Impulsive (the purple) and Dreamer (the light blue). They both have a creme finish, which I love! I also bought Nails Inc Baker Street from ASOS and it arrived today. I've been looking for the perfect true blue for a while so I hope it applies nicely!


I had some Debenhams Beauty Club card points so I decided to treat myself to a Rouge Coco Shine from Chanel. I wanted one of the more vibrant shades but my local counter didn't have the one I was looking for so I got Evasion which is a lovely neutral peachy pink shade. I can see myself getting lots of wear out of this one.


A few weeks ago I bought Illamasqua Skin Base foundation and Rude cream blush. Both of these products have been on my wish list for quite a while so I'm pleased to finally have them in my collection. I got the Skin Base in shade 11; it's a little bit too dark right now but I tan very easily when the sun comes out so it'll be a nice summer colour for me. 


I stopped by L'Occitane on a whim. I've never tried any of their products but I recently heard some good things about foot cream so I picked that up. I couldn't resist the mini hand cream because whilst I love my Clarins hand cream, the tube is too big to keep in my bag.


My Too Faced Shadow Insurance finally ran out so I've replaced it with the NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base. I'm excited to try this out.


Finally, I picked up a few bits from a US blog sale. I got a couple of Milani HD Advanced Lip Colours in Candy Apple and Classy Nude, a Maybelline Baby Lips in Peach Kiss and the controversial Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Coffee Cake.


So, that's all for now! 

Have you bought anything nice recently? I'm off to paint my nails with Baker Street!

Stace xx

Saturday 14 April 2012

My Top Five: Tips For Downsizing/Controlling Your Make Up Collection

Almost every beauty blogger or enthusiast will have issues keeping their make up collection under control. We can't help it if we want to try lots of pretty or new products. The path to a holy grail foundation is often long and expensive, eyeshadows and lipsticks come in a plethora of beautiful shades and we need them all, don't we?

I thought I'd share a few tips on how I keep my make up collection under control (under the watchful eye of my boyfriend who says it's all 'brown and the same') in the hope that it will be helpful to some of you. Please feel free to share yours in the comments too!

1) Spring Clean Often
One of the easiest ways to keep your stash under control is to go through your collection regularly. I do it at least once a month and sometimes more depending on how many new products I've added to it. I throw away anything which has gone off and set aside any products I know I don't like or ones which no longer work for me. I find that this helps me a lot because it reminds me about products I have which may have been neglected.

2) Keep What Suits You
This may seem really obvious but I've been guilty myself of buying a certain product because I know I have nothing like it only to try it and find that it doesn't suit me at all. I used to have a lot of colourful eyeshadow palettes and whilst it was great to have the option of wearing colour, I rarely used them. I've seen some people suggest that you should swatch similar shades together and then decide which you want to keep but that doesn't work for me all the time. I love neutral eyeshadows and peach toned blushes. I'm always going to love those shades because they suit me and I'd rather have a collection of make up that I can wear all the time than a range of colours which I'll only wear a couple of times. Be honest with yourself; if you don't suit that bright purple lipstick, it's probably time to pass it on.

3) Rotate The Make Up You Use
I've been trying this most weeks for the past few months and I like the concept. It used to take me forever to do my make up when I laid all my products out to choose from. I still do that sometimes if I've got lots of time or if I want to do a very specific look, though. I put a mix of old favourites and new products in the bag so that I have products I can depend on as well as the excitement of trying something new. I will rarely get into a rut of using the same eyeshadow palette or blush for weeks on end now, which I like. If I feel as though I'm forcing myself to use something just because it's in the make up bag, it might not be a keeper.

4) Finish Products!
For the longest time I was terrified of using up a product I loved. I don't know why because I think it feels pretty good to use something up. I feel that the product was worth what I paid for it if I used it so much that it ran out and regularly using up products makes me feel that my collection size is justified (a little). I'm rubbish at those 'project ten pan' challenges I see others trying. I always try to cheat by including a bunch of products which are almost finished anyway or three mascaras which are just about to go off. I went on a no-buy once and ended up spending a fortune once I came off it which kind of defeated the purpose, really! I wouldn't force myself to use up something I didn't like (see point one!) however it is possible to find other uses for some products. I wasn't the biggest fan of MAC Fix+ as an all over face mist but I love using it on my brushes before applying foundation, for example.

5) Write A Wish List
I like to keep a running wish list of products I'd like to try in the hope that this will help me make more sensible purchases. I stick to it quite well when it comes to higher end make up but I do sometimes struggle in the aisles of Boots when everything's on 3 for 2 and one more product won't hurt. My wish list often includes products I'm about to run out of, for example, right now I'm running low on eyeshadow primer so the NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base is on my wish list. I look up swatches and reviews of the products before I add them to the list. Sometimes I'll just write down something like 'peach lipstick' to remind me that I want to track down that sort of product. If I go through and add up the value of my wish list, it's often a shocking amount of money so it reminds me that I can't have everything on the list at once. I also go through and cross products off when I've purchased them or if I've decided it's not something I 'need'.

That's it for now; if you'd like to see more posts like these, let me know and please share your tips in the comments or if you write a similar blog post, send me the link!

Stace xx

Friday 13 April 2012

NARS Blush in Gilda


This is another of my more recent NARS purchases. I'd seen it on a few blogs and it had been on my wish list for a while so I was pleased to finally pick it up.


Gilda is a coral shade which leans more peach than pink on my skin tone. MAC Melba is a similar shade but it looks a touch more pink on me. It has a matte finish but it's not at all chalky looking. I do have to be a bit more careful when applying this blush as it is so pigmented so I like to use a MAC 188 if I want a light flush of colour. If I want a stronger colour on my cheeks, I'll use a MAC 168.



I can see myself using this a lot in the spring and summer so Gilda is a welcome addition to my ever-growing NARS blush collection. It's not a shade I hear an awful lot about but I think if you don't like shimmery blush and you have a warmer skintone, this is a great option from NARS.

Stace xx

Thursday 12 April 2012

MAC Fix+ (and how I use it)


MAC Fix+ is one of those products people seem to have a love hate relationship with. Some people say it's glorified water whilst others rave about using it to refresh their make up or to get a foiled effect from their eyeshadows. I've tried using it for both of these purposes and it left me feeling a bit 'meh' so my Fix+ languished in my collection for about six months until recently. 

It all started with a sample of Chanel's Perfection Lumiere. I found it looked really cakey on me when I applied it with a dry brush so I set aside until one day when my Real Techniques Stippling brush was still a bit wet after being washed. I'd never thought of using a damp brush to apply foundation before because most of my foundations offer lighter coverage and I didn't want to sheer them out with a damp brush but it worked really well with Perfection Lumiere. I wanted to see if there would be any difference between using water and Fix+ so I tried both and found that the foundation's staying power was improved by using Fix+. I'd say I got around an extra two hours of wear. My favourite thing about using Fix+ in this way is that it prevents heavier foundations from looking too cakey or flat on my skin.

The only other way I use my Fix+ is if I'm using my MAC MSF Natural as a powder foundation (usually over my Origins Vita Zing moisturiser). I'm quite heavy handed with the powder so to prevent my face from looking too powdery I like to spray some Fix+ on an ELF Powder Brush and then sort of stamp it all over my face. 

I've not tried any other products like Fix+ so I can't really compare it to anything. I do think it works a bit better than water when it comes to using powder or heavier foundations so if you use these products regularly, I'd say it was worth the investment but otherwise I don't think it's a necessity. I'm not sure if I'd repurchase it but I've only used about a fifth of the bottle so who knows how I'll feel when I run out of it!


A 100ml bottle is priced at £12.50 (link)

Do you use Fix+?

Stace xx

Wednesday 11 April 2012

Tag: Seven Deadly Sins!

I'm finally getting around to doing this tag. I don't make YouTube videos so I've decided to do it as a blog post instead. Here goes!

1. GREED - What is your most inexpensive beauty product? What is your most expensive? 


My most inexpensive beauty products are probably my Wet'n'Wild single eyeshadows. I have the shades Brulee and Nutty. The quality of these is great the only reason I don't use them more is that I tend to use palettes more often. Nutty is a gorgeous shimmery taupe and Brulee is a matte highlight shade.

My most expensive make up product is my Urban Decay Naked 2 palette, I think! I'm sort of surprised by that as I never consider it to be a luxury item or anything; probably because it's pretty good value for money. I do use this quite often. 

A while back my boyfriend went through my collection working out how much a product cost per millilitre or gram. He must have been bored! I think he was hoping I'd stop buying overpriced products. Anyway, he found that my Chanel Illusion D'Ombres were the  most pricey per gram. 

2. 
WRATH - What beauty products do you have a love/hate relationship with? What has been hardest to find?



In general, I have a love/hate relationship with mascaras. A lot of them run on me so even if I love the effect they give, the panda eyes I end up with make me dislike the mascara. The ones which don't run on me are always a pain to remove which is also annoying. I just can't win!

I don't often go in search of products which aren't easily available but I guess MAC Cut A Caper lipstick was a bit hard to find as I'd missed out on it when it was released. I managed to pick it up in a blog sale, though. I wasn't dying to get my hands on it but I did want to try it. 

3. GLUTTONY - What are your most delicious beauty products?


Oh! My MAC Tendertone in Purring is my latest most delicious beauty product. It smells so yummy and fruity.

4. SLOTH - What beauty product do you neglect due to laziness?



I'm not sure if I neglect this product due to laziness or due to lack of technique! I never, ever use bronzer. I've tried a few and no matter how many tutorials I watch I always end up looking/feeling stupid with it on. I have a medium skintone so it's not that it looks too harsh or anything. I don't know! Post your bronzer advice below, please!

5. PRIDE - What beauty product gives you more confidence?


I'd have to say foundation because when my skin looks nice and even, I feel a lot better about my face. 

6. 
LUST - What attributes do you find most attractive in the opposite sex?



Hmm...I could give a really soppy answer about my lovely boyfriend but I don't think that would have much relevance to this post!

7. ENVY - What item would you most like to receive as a gift?

I love receiving perfume as a gift. I never buy expensive perfume for myself unless I've been given money for Christmas or my birthday so it's nice to receive it as a gift. I have my beady eye on a couple of the new DKNY Be Delicious scents for summer. They smell gorgeous!

That's all folks! Have you done this tag? Leave me a link!

Stace xx

Tuesday 10 April 2012

Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara


Since my Revlon Grow Luscious mascara is about to die a death, I thought it was about time I reviewed it.

I actually got this in a gift with purchase set around Christmastime but if you want to buy it, it's available from any Revlon stockist and is priced at £9.99 (link)


The first thing I noticed about this mascara was that the brush is huge! If you've tried Diorshow or BeneFit Bad Gal, it's similar in size to those. I don't like big brushes as I tend to end up with mascara all over my eyelids after using them but I didn't find that to be a huge problem with Grow Luscious. 

The main selling point of this mascara is that it's supposed to promote lash growth. I can't say I noticed much lash growth when using this but I didn't use it consistently so that's probably why. I think the results of lash growth products vary considerably from person to person so I wouldn't advise buying this on the premise that it will make your lashes grow. 


After a couple of coats, this mascara leaves my lashes looking nice and full, which is great...for a while.

I find that I end up with too much mascara on my lashes which weighs them down meaning that any curl they had doesn't last very long. I also find that the mascara never completely dries so my lashes often felt sticky. Grow Luscious is another mascara which runs on me but most mascaras do and this one wasn't as bad others I've tried so if you don't typically struggle with mascara running, you shouldn't have a problem with this one. 

All in all, it's an okay mascara. I won't be rushing out to buy it again but it's not terrible either.

Have you tried Revlon's Grow Luscious? Did you like it?

Stace xx

This Week's Make Up Bag

I got out of the habit of posting my weekly make up bags a while back. It was because I'd sort of given up having a make up bag. I need to start some serious exam revision this week so I'm going back to having a little stash of make up to choose from in the mornings rather than several boxes full. I'm trying out some new things and trying to use some old favourites. I've stuck to warmer shades this week.

MUA BB Cream (Medium) & Primer - I'm so impressed with both these products so far. I need to test them out a little longer before posting reviews but hopefully my opinion won't change!

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer in Soft Beige - my current concealer of choice, I reviewed it recently if you fancy scrolling down.

Chanel Perfection Lumiere sample - I just want to use this up, really.


NARS Taj Mahal - I love this blush but I don't use it often because it takes a bit of effort to make sure I don't end up looking like a clown. I will try to do a Face of the Day post when wearing this because I had someone ask me to recently.

MAC Soft & Gentle MSF - I've been neglecting this recently so I've dug it out again. It makes a really pretty eyeshadow too.

MAC Peaches - One of my all time favourite blushes!

Clarins Ever Matte Face Powder - This has replaced my MSF Natural as my every day powder. It's much lighter but still offers a little coverage. I'm quite heavy handed with it but it never looks cakey and it does control oil pretty well.


Urban Decay Naked Palette - Do I need to explain this one? This is another product I've been neglecting a lot so I'm hoping to get back into using it more often. 

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Liner in Black Ink - I've had this for a really long time and it's still as creamy as when I first bought it. I do want to use it up soon-ish, though.

Too Faced Shadow Insurance - This is another product I've had for such a long time. It's running out right now so hopefully in a few weeks I'll be able to try a new eyeshadow primer. This is my favourite right now but I've not tried the NARS base, yet!

Clinique High Impact Mascara - I got this little sample in a gift with purchase and since I'm on a bit of a mascara rampage right now, I thought it wouldn't do any harm to try another. I've bought this in full size a few times in the past but I've not used it in about two years.

MAC Teddy Eye Kohl - Okay, so I only own this because my cat is called Teddy and I can't resist anything with his name...but I do like the colour. I don't find the staying power to be too great, though.

Smashbox Brow Tech in Soft Brown/Taupe - I used this for my brows all the time until last summer when I stopped for some reason. It's a really nice brow product for natural, groomed looking brows.


MUA Love Hearts Lip Balm in Great Lips - This is another new product to me. It's a nude shade and smells delicious.

MUA Lipstick in Shade 16 Nectar - I can't wait to try this out - the orange/peach shade is right up my street.

17 Mirror Shine in Beehive - This is one of my most loved lipsticks; it's subtle and glossy.

Jack Black Lip Balm - This didn't live up to the hype for me at all. It's just okay so I'm working on using it up.

Clinique Super Balm in Rootbeer - This is on it's last legs right now so I'm hoping to finish it up this week.

Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfector in 02 - I always seem to have this in my make up bag, it's one of my favourite make up products, ever.


Stace xx