Blog Sale

Hey everyone,

I've got a few beauty bits and pieces to pass on so decided to pop them in a wee blog sale. I'm moving flat in a few weeks so I've added a few bits and reduced prices or pulled together some bundles at lower prices. I'll consider offers on a bulk purchase.

The general rules/instructions are noted below but do let me know if you have any questions. Happy browsing!

• All items have been purchased by me and either tested or lightly used (unless otherwise specified) 
• UK shipping is £3.00, there's no extra charge for additional items
• Contact me for international shipping rates
• Please comment on this post or email stacey.mckane@googlemail.com with your request and Paypal email address 
• Payment via Paypal only - please pay within a couple of days 
• Parcels will be shipped within two days of payment receipt

Now, onto the goodies!

Laura Mercier Mineral Powder foundation in Natural Beige - used 6-8x - £16 now £10

MAC Studio Sculpt foundation in NC40 - used 5x - £12 now £9

MAC Mineralize concealer in NC35 - used 1x - £8 now £5 

NARS blush in Exhibit A - used 3x - £14 now £9
NARS blush in Gina - 85% remaining - £8

Illamasqua blush in Sophie - used 6-8x - £9 now £6

BeneFit Watt’s Up highlighter stick (smudger lid missing) - 90% remaining - £8 now £5

MAC Pro Longwear eyeshadow in Sweet Satisfaction - 90% remaining - £7 now £4
Laura Mercier creme eyeliner in Violet - 85% remaining, still very creamy - £5

Sleek eyeshadow palette in Vintage Romance - used some shades 4-5x - £3 now £1.50
Maybelline Color Tattoo in Pink Gold - 85% remaining - £1

Lancome Le Crayon Sourcils in 030 Brun - sharpened 2x - £4 now £2

Wet’n’Wild eyeshadow in Envy - used 1x - £1

YSL liquid liner in Gunmetal Grey - swatched - £1
No7 Stay Perfect Metallic Eyes eyeliner in Camouflage - swatched - £1.50
OR ALL 6 FOR £4

Essie Bikini So Teeny - used 2x - £3

Essie Sand Tropez - used 4x - £2

Essie Navigate Her - used 2x - £2

Essie A Crewed Interest - used 2x - £2

OR ALL 4 FOR £4.50

 Butter London in Pillar Box Red - used 2x - £4
Nails Inc in New Oxford Street - used 2x - £4
Deborah Lippmann in Hit Me With Your Best Shot - used 3x - £5
OPI in Live Love Carnival - used 2x - £3
OPI in Ogre The Top Blue - used 3x - £3

Super Facialist by Una Brennan in Rose Hydrate moisture mask - used 3x - £3 now £1.50 

The Sanctury Time Reversal face mask - used 2x - £3 now £1.50

Nip+Fab Glycolic Instant Fix face mask - used 1x - £4 now £2

Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Reviver - used 1x - £5 now £2.50

Garnier Moisture Match for Dull Skin - used 1x - £1 now 50p

Body Shop Honeymania cream body scrub - tested, 95% remaining - £4 now £2

Body Shop Vineyard Peach cream body scrub - new - £4 now £2

Haul: Chanel, LUSH, MAC and some polishes!

You know that week right after payday where you start flinging money at things you don't really need? Well, I just had one of those weeks (or fortnights...)
First up, a couple of Chanel impulse buys:

I'd read some fairly good reviews on the relatively new cream blushes so after a swatching session I settled on 62 Presage. It's a bright coral shade which leans more orange than pink. I've not used this properly yet but can say my first impressions are just so-so. The packaging is much smaller than I expected and very light; it definitely doesn't feel worth the £27 price tag. The Rouge Coco lipsticks, however, have gorgeous packaging and the product itself is something I'm pretty fond of. I have one of these in Bel Respiro and love it. I went for 21 Rivoli this time which is a blood-red shade. The formula is super easy to apply, has a nice satin finish and wears for a decent amount of time. If you're not a fan of floral scent, avoid! I had lots of Beauty Club Card points so ended up paying just over £30 for both items and I got a £10 voucher back too. 

I took a wee trip home last weekend and on the way made a customary stop at the MAC counter. I really can't deal with the staff at my nearest MAC counter and I like the fact I get a bit of a discount in duty free too. I picked up a couple of lipsticks; Diva (a matte) and Creme in Your Coffee (a creamsheen). Diva is a super dark berry which I'm hoping will satisfy my berry lip requirements for now whilst Creme in Your Coffee is a gorgeous darker nude shade. It looks much less brown when it's applied and the creamsheen finish is nice and glossy.

Now that I finally live in a flat with a bath again(!) I needed to pop into LUSH to pick up my beloved The Comforter bubble bar (it had already been used by the time I got around to taking these pictures) It's a a chunk of deliciously berry scented bubbly goodness which I'm very glad to have back in my life. While I was there I picked up another favourite; the BB Seaweed fresh face mask. I've lost count of the number of times I've recommended this as it works on loads of skin types and is pretty cheap. The only downside is that you need to use it all up within a month of purchasing. I was at the till when I spotted Santa's lip scrub and despite the fact I know that these are messy, I had to have it. It smells and tastes like old school cola. Yum! 

I've been branching out a little with polishes; shimmers and glitters are no longer off the menu. Illamasqua Bacterium made its way into my ASOS shopping basket a few weeks ago (it was only a fiver, how could I say no?!) and when it arrived it went straight on my nails. This slightly odd nude shimmer lasted a full week on me without chipping which is almost a miracle so I'm sure I'll be adding to my Illamasqua polish collection sometime soon. The Barry M Gelly polishes went under my radar initially as to me 'jelly' means translucent and if there's one thing that really drives me crazy, it's a sheer polish. After having a look at the formula I've realised that it's not sheer at all - just super shiny. I've got Watermelon here which is a nice teal green. It's going on my nails in the next couple of days and I have high hopes.

My final haul item is one of those products you pick up thinking 'yeah, this could be cute'. And it is cute; In the bottle. As I said, I've developed an interest in glitter polishes recently so this candy pink packed with pink, blue and silver glitter of varying sizes looked pretty great. I knew that I'd need a few coats but after trying three or four it just wasn't working as it was still too sheer. I took it off and reapplied over a couple of coats of Essie Fiji (almost-white crème finish pink) but I still needed three coats and the effect was too patchy for my liking. There's a photo on my Instagram if you want to have a look you can search for staceisace6. The glitter looked great though so I kind of wish Revlon would have packed more of the glitter into a clear base as then it would have been much more versatile. Anyway, it's Revlon Girly if any of you aren't put off by the above!

What have you been buying recently? Or are you being good and saving your cash for Christmas presents?

Stace xx

Beauty Shopping List: February

Recently I've been hankering after a bright pink blush and NARS Desire is right at the top of my list. I've never been disappointed by a NARS blush so I expect great things from this one. The Tom Ford Black Orchid fragrance has been on my wish list for some time; I'm determined to pick it up this month! It's not for everyone but I think it smells sexy as hell. Another fragrance-related product I need (okay, want) to purchase in February is a Yankee candle in Clean Cotton. I've been through several of these in the past; they make my entire flat smell fresh and lovely. Two 'staple' products on my list are the Clinique Airbrush Concealer and Illamasqua Masquara; I've not tried a new concealer or mascara for a while and after reading good reviews for both of these, they've made their way onto my shopping list.

What's on your beauty shopping list?

Stace xx

Illamasqua S.O.P.H.I.E. blush

Say hello to my new favourite blush! This is S.O.P.H.I.E. and it's a powder blush from Illamasqua. I used it for the first time about three weeks ago and have struggled to put it down since. The brightening effect it provides is helping me through this dull and dreary January.

I don't know if you can tell from the photos but this blush looks like an absolute glitter bomb in the pan; that's usually a huge no-no for me. However, you can see in the swatch that it's only slightly shimmery and on the cheeks I think it looks almost matte. Illamasqua describe it as a 'golden coral shimmer' which I suppose is fairly accurate. 

Texture-wise S.O.P.H.I.E. is easy to apply and blend. I've been using a duo-fibre style brush to avoid applying too much colour, which works pretty well. I get a good 6-8 hours of wear out of this blush; that's longer than average for me!

All in all, this is a nice product from a lovely brand. I think the colour will work for most people too so it's definitely worth checking out the next time you're at a counter. It's also a bit of a feel-good purchase because the proceeds go to a charity. If you're not familiar with Illamasqua's involvement with the Sophie Lancaster Foundation, go and read about it!

S.O.P.H.I.E. blush is priced at £18 online and at counters.

Stace xx

The Illamasqua Sale - My Top Picks

Whilst I do love a good bargain. most beauty related sales and offers fail to interest me. This is usually either because the discounts are fairly meagre or because the products offered wouldn't sell at full price in a million years. Puke-coloured nail polish, anyone? Thought not. 

One brand which has impressed me with their current sale is Illasmasqua. They're offering decent range of products with up to 70% off. Okay, there are a few cement-toned lipsticks and lots of base products I'm not interested in, but my current basket includes:

Intense lipgloss in Succubus - £5

This intensely pigmented gloss essentially functions as a liquid lipstick. The shade Succubus looks like the perfect glossy blood red which would suit most skintones. 

Liquid Metal in Surge - £5

I've never tried a Liquid Metal before but this shade reminds me a bit of BeneFit's Skinny Jeans which I loved but found to be a bit too green for me to reach for on an everyday basis. I think this might be a nice alternative shade. 

Precision Ink in Havoc - £5

I've had my eye on this for a while; it's a dark aubergine purple shade which I think I'll love. I was always put off by the £17.50 price tag for such a tiny amount of product but at a fiver, it's a steal!

Nail varnish in Baptise - £5

Most long-term readers of this blog will know that I have a real issue with shimmery nail polishes; I hate 99% of them. This beauty is an exception though; I need it!

Blending Brush 2 - £10

Technically this isn't in my basket; I already own one of these brushes but I wanted to include it in this post because it's an excellent brush. It's a large blending brush so it's not great for precision eyeshadow looks but it's handy for blending in under eye concealer, powdering under the eyes and applying highlighter.

Have you picked anything up from the Illamasqua sale?

Stace xx

*All images from illamasqua.com 

What's in my make up bag? [Using my Naked palette]

Everytime I look through my eye make up I spot my Urban Decay Naked palette and quietly scold myself for not using it more. I'm determined to make good use of it over the next couple of weeks!

I'm mixing up the base products I'm using (with the exception of concealers) to incorporate my new bottle of NARS Sheer Glow. I don't normally use a setting powder with this foundation but if I need one I've included LUSH's Emotional Brilliance loose powder. If I want to use a primer I have a little Murad primer sample to use up. For concealer, I'm sticking with my trusty duo of Collection Lasting Perfection and Rimmel Wake Me Up. I've also thrown in a BeneFit Sunbeam highlighter sample which I used for the first time today; I like it!

For blush I'm giving myself a bright shimmery coral option with S.O.P.H.I.E. from Illamasqua and a natural satin option in NARS Madly. Madly is definitely my most used blush and has been for about six months now whereas S.O.P.H.I.E. is brand new and crying out to be used for the first time. Both shades should work fairly well with the Naked palette's shadows. 

For eyes I have, of course, my Naked palette; I plan on wearing at least one eyeshadow every day! I'm going to use NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base underneath the shadows and LUSH's Eyes Right mascara. I've added a couple of Milani Liquf'Eye liners in black and brown in case I fancy using one. For my brows I have Smashbox Brow Tech but I realised this morning that I've lost (for the second time!) the brush I love to use with this so I may have to switch it out and use my Lancome brow pencil instead.

For lips I have two neutral shades; 17's Mirror Shine lipstick in Beehive and Rimmel by Kate Moss in 19. Beehive is lighter and glossier whereas 19 is a rosier shade with great staying power. If I want to wear a bolder colour it's going to be either Rimmel by Kate Moss Matte in 107 which is a medium berry shade or a warm toned pink in the form of Illamasqua's medium pencil in Titivate.

What's in your make up bag this week?

Stace xx

November Beauty Haul

I've not posted a haul for quite a while but that doesn't mean I haven't been shopping. I've been totally out of the beauty blogging loop so I've not been overly inspired to buy lots of new make up; if you've tried anything new you think is worth checking out, let me know in the comments!

Lip products were my thing this month; it seems. I picked up one of the recently repackaged 17 Mirror Shine lipsticks in Beehive. I've owned this before and used it up completely because it's such an easy lipstick to wear. I like the look of the new black packaging compared with the old shiny blue tubes but it's a faff to use! It's rectangular and there's a little mirror which slides out; basically it's annoyingly difficult to close. 

I finally purchased a couple of Rimmel's Kate Moss lipsticks and I have to say I'm incredibly impressed. I have the matte lipstick in 107 and the original formula in 19. I've worn 19 a lot already because it's a great every day colour. Both shades/formulas have great staying power and feel very comfortable on the lips. I may need to pick up a few more of these!

The fourth lip product in my haul is the YSL Glossy Stain in #22. This was a bit of an impulse buy but I've been on the hunt for a dark, glossy lip colour for a wee while now and this seemed to fit the bill. I wore it today and it is a bit difficult to work with but it looks amazing. Finally I picked up a medium pencil from Illamasqua in the shade Titivate because the counter assistant was wearing it and it looked awesome on her! I've not worn this one yet so can't share my thoughts on it.

I had a £10 off voucher for LookFantastic so snapped up a bottle of OPI Live and Let Die from their Skyfall collection. It's a gorgeous dark green with gold shimmer running through it. I was really impressed with the formula of this polish too; it was almost a one-coat wonder! Earlier in the month I bought this metallic Bourjois polish in the shade 20. I love the brushes on these polishes but I'm not totally sold on this shade in particular; it's almost like a metallic version of a nude.  

I replaced a couple of my favourite base products this month; Collection's Lasting Perfection concealer in Medium 3 and NARS Sheer Glow foundation in Punjab. I use the concealer almost every time I wear make up and the foundation is my favourite for winter because it offers a bit more coverage. I've not had a bottle of Sheer Glow since spring time so I'm excited to use this again. I picked up the Illamasqua blush in S.O.P.H.I.E because I've had it on my wish list for a while. It's a bright slightly shimmery coral. I've been good and not bought a blush in a long time so I thought it was about time I tried something new. 

What did you buy this month? If you've posted a haul, leave me a link!

Stace xx

Berry Lips

Berry-toned lip products have been catching my eye in recent months. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a big fan of the red lip but I've found berry shades much easier to wear during the day as well as in the evenings. I'm now of the opinion that there's a perfect berry lip out there for everyone and with that in mind I wanted to share my small, but growing, collection with you.

L-R: MAC Pro Longwear in Red Dwarf (LE), Illamasqua Magnetism, MAC Spice It Up!, Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in Crush, Rimmel Kate Moss Matte in 107

The first berry lipstick I tried was released in MAC's Daphne Guinness collection last year. It's a Pro Longwear lipstick in the shade Red Dwarf. I like this one because it's quite a light, warm toned berry shade. I prefer a matte finish when it comes to bold lip colours so Red Dwarf ticks that box as well. Sadly, it's no longer available to buy but if you like the look of it there are similar shades out there; I think it's universally flattering.

Next up is the much hyped Magnetism from Illamasqua. This was released in their Generation Q collection and it was one of those products I just had to have. It's a dark raspberry colour with a satin finish and can be worn lightly as a stain or built up for a more intense look. Unlike other Illamasqua lipsticks this one feels very comfortable on the lips. I really need to wear this one more because it's a beautiful lipstick. 

MAC Spice It Up! is a lustre finish lipstick from their core collection. I stumbled across it when I was looking for a dupe of my beloved (and not available in the UK) Revlon Fig Jam lip butter. Some might consider this shade more of a red than a berry but I see it as a nice compromise between the two. Formula-wise it's sheer and slightly glossy so it's a nice option if you're in a rush or not sure about wearing a more intense colour. I do find it to be a tad drying but I can live with it because I like the lipstick.

L-R: MAC Pro Longwear in Red Dwarf (LE), Illamasqua Magnetism, MAC Spice It Up!, Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in Crush, Rimmel Kate Moss Matte in 107

Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush has very quickly become one of my most worn lip products and I'd recommend that everyone give it a go! I like these balm stains in general but this shade is a great berry pink. The finish is slightly glossy and the staying power is excellent. 

The newest addition to my berry collection is a Rimmel by Kate Moss Matte lipstick in the shade 107. It looks a lot brighter on the lips than it does in the bullet but I love the matte finish. I've worn this a couple of times now and the staying power has been great. At only £5.49, this is the cheapest option on my list but it compares well with the pricier alternatives so it's worth a try if you're not sure you'll suit these sorts of shades.

One of the few glosses I own is Wild About Beauty's Nutrilips Gloss in Astrid. Admittedly, this was a total impulse purchase but I was so drawn to the colour that I had to have it. I've not had the chance to use this a lot yet because I find glosses in general a bit difficult and messy to wear, especially when they're as pigmented at this one but I do like the lightweight, non-drying formula. This product is very similar in colour to MAC's Red Dwarf. 

Are you a fan of berry lips? What are your favourite shades?

Stace xx

Illamasqua Highlighter Brush

I'm blaming Cami for directing me to the Illamasqua counter to purchase the Highlighter brush. She said it was fabulous and brilliant for pretty much everything and you know what? She was spot on. So, if anyone reading this post hasn't heard about this wonderful brush before, you should be heading to Illamasqua's website to buy it in approximately three minutes, I reckon. 

I was a little hesitant to spend £24 on a brush from a brand that isn't especially famous for them but my doubts were put to rest when I got my Highlighter brush home. The quality is excellent; in fact, this brush and the other I have from Illamasqua are probably the best quality brushes I own. They feel more sleek than MAC or Sigma brushes and are much easier on the eye than my beloved Real Techniques brushes. I've washed my Highlighter brush countless times and not experienced any shedding or colour bleeding. It still looks and feels almost exactly like it did when I purchased it almost a year ago. Illamasqua brushes are also cruelty free and made from synthetic fibres if that's important to you.

It's all well and good if a brush looks and feels lovely but what you all need to know is how it performs when applying make up, right? I think Illamasqua are missing a trick by labelling this brush as a highlighter brush because it can be used for so much more than that. I have used it with cream or liquid products such as concealers, foundations, cream and liquid blushes and liquid highlighters. I've also used it with powder blushes, face powder, powder highlight and contouring products. Basically if you had a stash of these brushes you'd never need to use another face brush again. Well, perhaps you'd want a big fluffy powder brush (I'm currently coveting this one from Illamasqua.) My favourite way of using the Highlighter brush is with cream or liquid products because I find that it works them into the skin beautifully. Because the brush is on the small side it's good if you're trying to be precise. That does mean that it takes a bit longer if you're using it for foundation but I like the finish I get when using it for that purpose so I don't mind taking an extra few minutes. It's a nice size for applying face powder to specific areas if you're not wanting to cover your entire face. I like to focus mine on my T-zone and under eye area. 

I honestly don't think I've ever felt this way about a brush. And I feel like a bit of an idiot for just typing that but it's true. I honestly think that any beauty addict worth her salt needs to own at least one of these brushes. For me, it's the absolute epitome of a 'multi-tasking' brush and I love that.

With special thanks to Cami and her enabling abilities!

Are you tempted yet?

Stace xx

Illamaqua Generation Q Lipstick in Magnetism

It's not often I'm this excited about a lipstick. I've been stalking the launch of Generation Q from Illamasqua since I read Cami's amazing post and have been most excited about the raspberry pink lipstick in Magnetism.

 I got an email yesterday saying the collection was launching in Debenhams today so I popped in to have a look. I spent a while chatting to Lauren at the newly positioned and very snazzy looking counter before parting with my pennies and leaving with Magnetism.

I got home an hour ago, took photos of the lipstick and quickly applied it. I'm obsessed with it already. It compliments my favourite scarf (which I conveniently happen to be wearing today; it's fate) beautifully. 

The colour is a deep raspberry pink with a (very tiny) hint of purple and I think it's one that will flatter almost everyone. The texture of this lipstick is a bit different to the matte lipsticks we've all come to expect from Illamasqua; whilst it's incredibly pigmented, Magnetism is also a bit glossy and thus feels a lot more comfortable on the lips. I can't comment on how long it wears (because I've only had it on for 45 minutes) but I can say that it's easy to apply straight from the bullet which is handy for re-applying on the go. If I was doing things properly I'd use a lip liner and a lip brush but neither are really necessary.

Isn't it gorgeous?! If you buy one thing from the collection, make sure it's this lipstick. Magnetism is available nationwide at Illamasqua counters and online from tomorrow. It is priced at £16.

Please excuse the fact that the rest of my make up doesn't look too great; I wasn't planning on taking pictures!

Will you be checking out Magnetism or any other products from the Generation Q collection? Let me know!

Stace xx

Wishlist Wednesday: Illamasqua Generation Q Collection

The new Illamasqua collection, Generation Q, is available to preview online and it looks great so I decided to dedicate this week's wish list to the products I'm after from the collection. Illamasqua are offering customers to vote for their three favourite products from Generation Q and the most popular three items will go on sale online on the 28th of August. Here are the products that will be getting my vote:

(link)

First up is the lipstick in Magnetism. This seems to be the most coveted item in the collection and I can see why. Illamasqua describe it as a deep raspberry pink and since I don't really have a shade similar in my collection I feel as though I need it in my life!

(link)

The second item that I'm keen to try is the Empower palette. It's a palette with three powder shadows and a liquid metal (the black shade). I don't know how much I'd use the pink toned shade but the other three look like great neutral shades that I could use all the time.

(link)

Allure blush is described as a dusky rose pink shimmer. These are the only pink shades I feel I can wear as most typical pink blushes look odd on me. I've never tried a powder blush from Illamasqua but I'm keen to have a look at this one.

So, which products from the Generation Q collection get your vote?

Stace xx

*all images from Illamasqua.com