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

Shopping My Stash #1: Lip Products

I had a wee rummage through my collection of lip products at the weekend and discovered a few hidden treasures! A couple of these products are fairly recent purchases which have yet to be used properly and the others are neglected old favourites. 

The two new products in this post are the Revlon ColorStay lip liner in Plum and the ELF Studio Matte Lip Color in Rich Red. I bought these over a month ago but have yet to use either. The lip liner is quite dry, which puts me off using it, but the staying power when swatched was impressive so I'm expecting great things in that respect. The ELF matte lipstick is a super bright red with a slight blue undertone. It's quite in-your-face so not really something I'd wear every day.

L-R: Revlon in Plum, ELF in Rich Red, MAC in Red Dwarf, MAC in Delectable, Revlon Nude Lustre

Two of my old favourites are limited edition MAC products; a Pro Longwear lipstick in Red Dwarf and a Mattene in Delectable. Red Dwarf is a beautiful pinky plum shade that I love to wear with loads of mascara and NARS Madly blush. I wore that combination today, actually! The texture of this lipstick is a bit odd and I don't think it's especially long lasting but I love the colour and it doesn't feel uncomfortable so I'm planning to wear this more regularly from now on. The Mattene is, as you'd expect, matte. However, unlike a lot of other matte lipsticks it doesn't feel or look heavy on the lips. This is particularly important to me because I find lighter shades like this peachy nude can look incredibly chalky if they have a matte finish. I've not been reaching for any shades like this recently but I remember loving it when I did wear it so I'm hoping to rekindle that! The last long-lost lip product is a Revlon Super Lustrous gloss in Nude Lustre. The tube is more than half used because I went through a phase of wearing this all the time; it looks nice over brighter lipsticks as it mutes them a bit but it's also great for warming up a nude shade.

Have you shopped your stash recently?

Stace xx

PS - I also set aside some bits and pieces for a blog sale when I was having a clear out. Check it out!

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

What's in my make up bag? [10-Minute Face Edition]

Hello!

I've not posted a 'what's in my make up bag?' post for a while; partly because I've not posted anything for a while and partly because I've not been organised enough to have a make up bag. I've just been reaching for the same few products over and over again but this week I've decided to give myself a few more options in the mornings. 

Lip products are one of my biggest weaknesses; I have lots of beautiful shades but find myself sticking to the same safe neutrals on a daily basis. With that in mind I've given myself three different colours this week. A bright berry pink in the form of Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush, a glossy orange YSL Glossy Stain in #6 and a neutral pink Rimmel by Kate Moss lipstick in 19. The two stains are firm favourites of mine; they're both easy to apply quickly and last amazingly well throughout the day. The Rimmel lipstick is quite new but I've been enjoying using it over the past little while so it's my neutral of choice this week; expect to see a blog post on a couple of the Kate Moss lipsticks very soon. I've also put an EOS lip balm in Tangerine in there.

I like to keep eye make up to a minimum when I'm in a rush; I can easily spend twenty minutes messing around with several different shades and liners if I have the time. I'm going to try using YSL Shocking mascara this week and I'm a tiny bit worried about it smudging, if I'm honest. If I do fancy wearing a lid colour I'll use my NARS Smudgeproof Shadow Base underneath either LUSH's Sophisticated cream eye shadow or MAC's Pro Longwear shadow in Sweet Satisfaction. I have the Lancome Le Crayon Sourcils in 030 Brun and a brow gel (not included in the photo because it looks disgusting!) for my brows. 

The most important part of my make up routine involves these four products. I've been skipping a primer recently but I've yet to use my repurchased Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro primer so I've added it to my make up bag this week. My foundation of choice is the L'Oreal True Match (I wish I could tell you which shade I have but I can't find it on the packaging anywhere). It's so quick and easy to apply; I use my fingers. For concealer I have the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer in Medium 3 for any blemishes or discolouration and Rimmel's Wake Me Up concealer for underneath my eyes. Drugstore base products are definitely growing on me, it seems!

I won three powder products in a Famous giveaway hosted by Cherry a while back and whilst I've used the No Shine Face Powder in The One and Only regularly, I've only used the Shining Star Shimmer Brick in Rihanna Shimmer and the First Date Blush in Scarlett a couple of times. The shimmer brick doubles as an eyeshadow palette and the blush is a gorgeous dark rose shade. I've thrown in a Dior blush in Peachy Keen because it's one of my favourite winter blushes. 

So, there you have it.

What's in your make up bag right now? If you've posted something similar, leave me a link in the comments.

Stace xx

September Favourites - Make Up

I've not posted a monthly favourites for a really long time but this month I didn't rotate the products I was using as much as I usually do so I have some definite favourites. 

YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat 

I held off on purchasing this for a while because I didn't need a new foundation but when my Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua ran out I decided to pick this up and I'm so glad I did. The coverage is a lot better than I had expected after reading the initial reviews and I love the way it makes my skin look. This is definitely not something for a fan of heavy coverage but it is a gorgeous foundation for anyone looking for a light, buildable base. I have it in the shade B50 which is just a tiny bit too light for me right now.

YSL Glossy Stain #6

I've had this product since May; I went to the counter and demanded a lipstick to cheer me up and this is what I came home with. And it does cheer me up. It's up there in my all-time favourite lip products because I just love wearing it. If you've not tried a Glossy Stain yet (why not?!) they're mango-scented glosses which leave a stain behind on the lips once the gloss has worn off. I like to apply a couple of layers of this gorgeous orange shade because I like the deeper colour pay off I get and find it stays glossy for longer too. I've been reaching for it even more than usual this month.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush

Lip products with 'stain' in their name seem to be doing it for me just now because the other lip product I've been wearing a lot this month is this one. The colour isn't something I'd typically go for; it's a deep pink shade which can be applied lightly or more heavily depending on how dark I want it to look. It makes a nice change from the reds, oranges and nudes I usually prefer. The staying power of these balm stains is incredible and they don't feel uncomfortable or drying at all. 

NARS Blush in Madly

This has been my blush of choice for months now. I know it doesn't look like much in the pan but on the cheeks it gives just enough colour to give you a healthy glow. It has a matte/satin finish so it doesn't provide the same sheen that you'd get from something like Luster (another hot favourite of mine) but I think that works better on my slightly oily skin. Since it's not a really in-your-face blush shade it's so easy to apply in a hurry. 

Lancome Le Crayon Sourcils in 030 Brun

Okay, so I lost my favourite brow brush back in August and had been using a different one with my usual brow powder of choice but it just wasn't the same so I decided to try a pencil. I'd heard some good things about the Lancome one and picked it up at the beginning of September. It's a good colour for me and I've been enjoying using it. It's easy to subtly fill in my brows with, which I like. I found my brow brush last weekend (in a suitcase!) but I've not felt inclined to go back to using my brow powder so I think I've been converted!

What were your favourite products this month? If you have a post, link it in the comments!

Stace xx

Revlon ColorStay Base Coat

I've been using the Revlon ColorStay base coat for each manicure I've done over the past several months so I thought it was about time I reviewed it. I picked it up when the ColorStay range launched in the UK as the base coat I'd been using had become to gloopy to use. I was interested in trying it because I'd seen a couple of positive reviews. 

I use a base coat to try to prevent staining and to aid the application of my nail polish. The Revlon base coat has a nice wide brush which means it's really quick to use. It dries quite quickly too so I don't have to wait to apply my nail colour. In my experience it seems to prevent some staining and I do find that my polish goes on a little more easily when used over this as a base. Since the idea behind the ColorStay polish range is to deliver long-lasting manicures I'm not sure how the base coat stacks up. I don't really think it keeps my polish chip-free for longer but then I don't think any base coat could do that. Let me know if I'm wrong!

The main thing that would put me off repurchasing this base coat is the fact it's not  as good as the one I was using previously; Essie Fill The Gap. I found that that one left my nails feeling so smooth and it made applying streaky or dark polishes a breeze. It's an okay base coat but not one I'd recommend anyone rushing out to buy.

Have you tried the Revlon ColourStay base coat? Did you like it?

Stace xx

August Empties

It's empties time again! I didn't get through a lot of products this month but I did use up more make up items than in previous months.

Garnier Body Tonic Sugar Scrub

I mention this body scrub far too much on this blog but it really is my favourite! I've already bought another tube of it.

Sanctuary Mum To Be Shower Oil

I got this as an extra in a swap once and thought it was a bit strange to be sent something meant for pregnant women but I decided to use it up anyway. It's just okay.

The Body Shop Green Apple Shower Gel

I love the scent of this product; it really does smell of apples. It's not the most moisturising shower gel out there but I still like it.

Osmo Berber Oil Rejuvenating Shampoo

I enjoyed using this shampoo. I recently reviewed a trio of products from this line (here) including this shampoo. 

Clean & Clear Dual Action Moisturiser

This moisturiser is great if you have blemish prone skin. I apply a thick layer of it before bed when I feel my skin needs it. It also works well under foundation so I sometimes use it in the mornings too. I've already picked up a couple of new tubes of this.

Revlon Lip Butter in Fig Jam

This is/was my favourite lip butter shade. It's a dark brown/plum shade that is a lot more flattering than it sounds! I actually tracked down a MAC lipstick to dupe this because Fig Jam is sadly not available in the UK. 

Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Sample

I mixed this with my Chanel Perfection Lumiere foundation sample to help with staying power/oil control and loved the combination but I won't be heading out to pick up the full size of this.

Estee Lauder Pure Color Gloss in Electric Cherry

These glosses smell delicious and I love the non-sticky formula. This particular shade looks a bit weird on me (according to my boyfriend anyway!) and it was limited edition, I believe, so I'll not be repurchasing it. I am interested in trying other shades from the Pure Color gloss range, though.

Maybelline One by One Mascara

I liked this mascara and reviewed it (here) but I don't think I'll be repurchasing it for a while because there are so many other mascaras I still want to try.

Chanel Perfection Lumiere Sample

I used this up by mixing it with the Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid and loved the results but on it's own I wouldn't recommend this foundation. 

Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash Sample

I really liked the effect of this mascara but it was so dry and quite difficult to use so I'm not sure if I'd purchase the full size. Besides, I've not managed to find a UK seller which stocks this.

MAC 188 Brush

I want to cry about this one! This isn't an empty as such but I managed to break/ruin my MAC 188 brush. I was washing it and pulled a little too hard on the bristles so the whole brush head popped out. I've had this brush for well over a year and it was my favourite highlighting brush. Let this be a lesson to you all...be nice to your brushes. 

Sally Hansen Insta Dri Top Coat

I've already repurchased this. It's frustrating when I have to get rid of these when they're still half full but they just become too gloopy to use.

Did you use up many products this month?

Stace xx

Worth The Hype? Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains

I've decided to do a little series on the blog called 'Worth The Hype?' My aim is to do a post once a week about products or groups of products that receive or have received a lot of attention from the beauty community. I usually try to make sensible decisions when buying new make up but sometimes when a product is talked about so much, I just have to try it and see what the fuss is about!

This week I'm going to be talking about the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains which launched in the UK this summer. Despite hearing good things about these products from Stateside bloggers and YouTubers I told myself that I didn't need them. I wasn't a fan of the Clinique Chubby Sticks that everyone seemed to be comparing these to so I thought I'd save my pennies. 

However, I was in Superdrug one day and spotted the Balm Stains. They were on offer for £5.99 (and still are in Boots - link) so I swatched a few. They were so much creamier and more pigmented than I expected and reminded me more of the Tarte Lip Surgence pencils than the Clinique Chubby Sticks. So, of course, I bought one. I picked up Rendezvous because it was the shade that caught my eye; I love orange shades!

Rendezvous

I decided to give it a whirl the next day and the first thing I noticed was how easy it was to apply. I applied a few layers for the most intense colour and went about my day. I topped it up every three or four hours (after eating/drinking) with ease and by the end of the day my lips were still orange. More importantly, my lips weren't dry at all. I've used this quite a few times now and can safely say that I love it. The sweet minty scent/taste helps as well!

Crush

So I went and bought another shade; Crush. It's a medium berry-red shade which I think will be perfect in during the colder months of the year (which in Glasgow means September - July!) I've only tried this shade once so far but in terms of texture, pigmentation and staying power it performs exactly like Rendezvous. 

Rendezvous 

On a final note I want to mention the packaging. I should have mentioned that first but got a bit carried away!  I've become a bit obsessed with a variety of chubby pencil type products and find that they're particularly great when it comes to lip products. I have relatively thin lips and sometimes normal lipsticks are difficult to use if I'm in a hurry, especially if they're quite pigmented or bright. I like the fact the Balm Stains don't require sharpening, too.

Crush

Are the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains worth the hype?

Yes! 

Rendezvous, Crush

Do you agree?

Stace xx

July Haul

I didn't think I bought too many products this month but I guess I was wrong!

I needed a new shampoo so picked up the L'Oreal Ever Strong Reinforcing Vitality shampoo; it's from their new sulphate free range. Having tried (and enjoyed) another (much more expensive) sulphate free shampoo, I've been keen to try another one. The E45 lotion was a necessity because the skin on my back and shoulders has been feeling so irritated recently. It's a decent moisturiser in general and something that's handy to have on hand when scented lotions are too irritating.

I popped into The Body Shop because it's my birthday month so I had a £5 reward plus a £5 reward on my reward card. I needed to replace my African Spa Hand & Foot Butter so I used my £10 of rewards on that.  From the sale I picked up a Raspberry body butter, a Green Apple shower gel and a Passion Fruit cleansing gel. I stupidly thought the Passion Fruit cleansing gel was a body wash, though. I added a Born Lippy balm in Pinkberry at the till and I've been enjoying this lip balm so much. It smells like a strawberry Opal Fruit.

I picked up the famous Rub Rub Rub body scrub from LUSH and have been loving it so far. The scent is really unexpected; because it's blue I was expecting it to smell fresh but it's actually a lot more floral.

I did a little blog sale shopping this month. From a US blog sale I bought a mini Make
Up For Ever Smokey Lash mascara but unfortunately it's very dry looking so I don't think it's usable. I bought two more Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Punch and Cherry Me. Despite the naff packaging, these are great little tinted balms. I also picked up a Hard Candy 'bronzer' (what?!) in Tiki. It's a lovely highlight powder.

I accidentally bought another highlight powder from Lou's blog sale; this time it was Topshop's Sunbeam. This one is very pigmented and golden. I also bought a mini Burberry lip cover in Rosewood because I didn't get it in my Harrod's Glossybox and felt I was missing out! It's very cute.

I clearly had a thing for honey scented lip balms this month given that I purchased both the Nivea Milk and Honey balm and the Burt's Bees Honey balm. I have to say, I prefer the Nivea one. I picked up a couple of the new-ish Revlon Kissable Balm Stains in Crush and Rendevous. I wanted to try a waterproof mascara so picked up the L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes Waterproof in Black; I've been enjoying using it so far. I had to replenish my stock of Collection Lasting Perfection concealer in Medium, too.

I attended a make up lesson at Urban Decay that I'd won and the make up artist used this concealer on me. I really liked the coverage and texture of it so I picked up the Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer in AFI. Expect to see a review on this sometime soon. The final product in this haul wasn't purchased by me. A lady I babysit for gave me this because she didn't think the colour would suit her. I've been hankering after a NARS Larger Than Life lip gloss for a while so it was a nice surprise. This is in the shade Place Vendome. 

Swatches

Hard Candy Tiki, Topshop Sunbeam, Urban Decay AFI, Collection Medium

Maybelline Cherry Me, Maybelline Pink Punch, Revlon Rendevous, Revlon Crush, Burberry Rosewood, NARS Place Vendome

If you'd like to see reviews of any of these products, please let me know!

Stace xx

Current High Street/Drugstore Favourites

I had quite a few requests recently to do more posts about drugstore or high street make up so I thought it was about time I did a drugstore favourites post. Regular readers will know that I try to keep my stash under control so I don't have a favourite drugstore item from each category; like foundation, for example. I also don't consider a product a 'favourite' unless I use regularly so there are only ten items in this post. Of course I do enjoy other products from the high street but these are my top picks right now.

MUA Primer 

This is a great basic primer; it makes foundation application much smoother. It's not particularly heavy duty in terms of controlling oil and prolonging wear but it's a nice product and I've been using this every day recently. 

Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer

I bought this on a whim alongside the foundation and to be honest, I wasn't expecting much. However, I was pleasantly surprised and I've been using this almost daily under my eyes. It's a lot lighter than the other concealer I use so it's nicer for the under eye area.

Collection Lasting Perfection concealer

What beauty blogger worth their salt doesn't have this in their stash? I know it can be a little drying and the shade range is somewhat limited but this stuff is great on blemishes and discolouration. This is my third tube and it's on its way out - I have another waiting in the wings, of course!

MUA Clear mascara

I'm embarrassed to even show you this but I use it as a brow gel; either by itself or over the Smashbox Brow Tech. It's only £1 and again, it's something I use every day.

L'Oreal Color Infallible shadow in Sahara Treasure

I reveiwed this a couple of days ago. It's a great neutral shimmery shade that's easy to work with. It's one of the few high street eyeshadows that has managed to impress me.

MUA Out There Plumping lip glosses

I have this in the shade Buff which is a nice neutral colour. I've also tried a couple of brighter shades which were really pigmented. It does make my lips tingle a bit but it's not painful (for me, at least). 

Revlon Super Lustrous lip glosses

The shade pictured is Nude Lustre which is my most used Super Lustrous gloss but I find the formula to be pretty consistent across the board with these and would recommend most shades. They're not sticky at all and I like the packaging.

Revlon Super Lustrous lipsticks

This is one of my favourite drugstore lipstick formulas. In fact, if you discount the two I'm about to talk about, it's my favourite 'traditional' lipstick formula from the drugstore. They're pigmented and quite long-lasting without being drying.

Revlon lip butters

I had to include these. I'm almost out of my favourite shade, Fig Jam (sadly a US exclusive!) which is saying something. These are sheer but buildable and feel very comfortable on the lips. The one down side is that they're not particularly hydrating so don't really live up to the 'lip butter' claim in my opinion.  The shade pictured is Tutti Frutti. 

L'Oreal Rouge Caresse lipsticks

These are similar to the Revlon lip butters in that they're sheer lipsticks but they feel a lot lighter on the lips. I find them to be a touch drying but they do smell nice. I have a couple of these and find myself reaching for them quite often.  

What are your favourite drugstore/high street products?

Stace xx

Revlon ColorStay Polish in Pale Cashmere

I've been wanting to blog about this polish for a couple of  weeks now. I'm just going to put this out there: it's amazing.

I have a love hate relationship with pale pink polishes like this. I love them because they look quite natural even when they're applied opaquely (I'll get to that...) so they go with everything. For me, they're a lighter alternative to other neutral shades like Chanel Particuliere. I hate them because they're often on the sheer side so it's difficult to achieve an opaque finish. I knew that when I bought it so I'd resigned myself to the fact I'd probably need about ninety coats of the stuff to get the look I wanted.

Thankfully I didn't need ninety coats, only four. Only! The nail line is still somewhat visible but it's not visible enough to annoy me so I can live with it. The first two coats looked pretty streaky but coats three and four sorted that out. The brush itself is quite large (not quite OPI-esque but getting there) and easy to use. The handle is excessively long, though. 

In the swatch I've used the ColorStay Base Coat and Sally Hansen Insta-Dri as a top coat. The finish isn't exactly how I'd like it to be; mostly because I had to apply so many coats and was in a bit of a flap about my family descending on me for my graduation. So, I'd say this is a take-your-time polish, even with a fast drying top coat like Insta-Dri. 

Did I mention that this polish didn't chip on me for a week!? Yes, a whole week, despite having to apply so many coats and not taking my time. And I probably could have kept it on for a few more days but I fancied a change. This is the first 'long-wear' polish I've tried that actually does what it claims to and I'm thrilled. 

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the fact this polish allows me to get away with only painting my nails once a week. I'm a three-times-a-week minimum sort of girl usually; partly because I get bored of the same polish and partly because most polishes chip after two days on me. I've got another shade to try out which should be a bit easier to work with so expect to see a post on that sometime very soon. If it performs as well as this one, I'll definitely need to try more shades.

Have you tried any of the Revlon ColorStay polishes? What did you think?

Stace xx

Ps - these are £7.99, which is a lot for a 'drugstore' polish but I'm too in love with it to care...I did get it in a 3 for 2 offer.