[Review] The Library of Fragrance - Cherry Blossom

Spring was shaping up quite nicely there, then all of a sudden... Poof! It vanished! I was actually quite liking the weather perking up a little, but i've had to reach for my winter coat and umbrella again over the last few days! I've even gone and caught a cold, so pretty much all I want to do is live in my duvet right now. It's all sniffles, splutters and Beechams powders, yuck! But before I lost my ability to smell things and the rain returned, a lovely addition to my perfume shelf arrived that really had me feeling ready for Spring time!

Beauty At Tesco Advent Calender

Hows everyone been enjoying this fine Monday?

Today, i'm looking back over all the goodies from the Beauty at Tesco Advent Calender! The Calender had a selling price of £50, but I picked mine up a few days into December at half price! Mainly because I forgot to buy it before the month started.... But it worked out even better for me that way. :p

The first thing to say about this calender? It's a beaut. I mean, it looked pretty in the pictures Tesco posted online, but when I finally had my paws on it? It is absolutely gorgeous!

I wasn't expecting it to come with it's own matching bag! I didn't pay enough attention to the pictures of the product on the website, whoops! Tesco have seriously out done themselves on the packaging alone. The entire thing, complete with the pretty bag, looks and feels really luxurious. So much so, that I almost didn't want to ruin it by opening the doors... Almost.

So now all doors are open, lets have a peep at what's inside!

[1] Eylure False Lashes [2] Tanya Burr Midnight Sparkles Nail Polish [3] Paul Smith Extreme Female (5ml)

[4] Sue Moxley Light Up Lip Gloss [5] Katy Perry Meow Solid Locket [6] Little Soap Company Mini Soap

[7] Candy Kitten Turquoise EDT [8] Elizabeth Arden Red Door [9] Pro Formula Peel off Face Mask

[10] Nip+Fab Viper Venom Eye Cream [11] So Eco Foundation Brush [12] Korres Citrus Shower Gel

[13] Tesco Compact Mirror [14] Dead Sea Magik Delicate Boosting Mask [15] Royal Moroccan Moisturising Shampoo, Royal Moroccan Hair Mask Treatment, Royal Moroccan Hair Serum Treatment Sachets

[16] Baylis & Harding Body Lotion [17] Ghost EDT [18] Mini Stylefile

[19] Baylis & Harding Bath & Shower Gel [20] Manuka Api Nourish Face Mask [21] Denman Mini Hair Brush

[22] Vaseline Lip Therapy Tin [23] Dr Lewinn's Renunail Triple Strength Pomegranate [24] Natio Spa Heavenly Hand Cream

:: The Hits ::

Tanya Burr Nail Polish, Nip+Fab Viper Venom Eye Cream, So Eco Foundation Brush, Ghost, Vaseline Lip Therapy Tin

I was so excited to find the Nip+Fab Viper Venom eye cream behind door number 10, as I have awful dark circles under my eyes and I did want to try this anyway. I don't know what it is, but I absolutely go crazy for teeny tiny bottles of perfume, so the mini ghost behind door number 17 made me really happy. I'm also really looking forward to trying the Tanya Burr Polish,  and extra brushes and Vaseline for winter will always be a good call.

:: The Misses ::

Eylure False Lashes, Tesco Compact Mirror

I never use false eyelashes, so I really wasn't fussed about having these in the calender. Maybe I'll give them a go to see what all the fuss is about. The mirror was also a bit of a miss, as well... Everything else seems to be of such a high quality, this is a bit of a let down.

Overall, would I be interested in buying next years beauty calender from Tesco? Yes. Yes I would. Although it'll be interesting to see how they improve on the packaging! It's flawless already so the design team have a tough act to follow. As for the products inside? There was a great mix from all the different brands the beauty department carry, so it'll be interesting to see what there is in store for next year.

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[Review] O.P.I Little Northies

Did you see me feature this gorgeous little set in my Stocking Fillers post? Well I went ahead and snapped one up for myself. O.P.I's Little Northies set contains four minis from the stunning Nordic Collection. The OPI minis are an adorable little bottle of polish containing 3.75ml of product, which is more than enough for a few uses.

My Dogsled is a Hybrid || Do You Have This Color in Stock-holm? || My Voice is a Little Norse || How Great is Your Dane?

The Nordic Collection is one of my favourite OPI polish collection so far, 'inspired by the Northern Lights and moody waters'. I believe there are 12 shades in the collection, three of which are amazing nudes which will suit a range of skin tones. The Little Northies set contains two bright colours, a gorgeous neutral and a sparkly top coat.

My Dogsled is a Hybrid : Enliven your environment by wearing this creamy sea green shade.

This shade is a really interesting greeny dream. It's going to really stand out when used as an accent colour for stripes or pokadots, especially against 'How Great is Your Dane'. I'm really looking forward to trying out this combo.

Do You Have This Colour In Stock Holm? : Stock up! This icy blue-violet is in hot demand!

This one seems gorgeous, but I think it'll look better on the nails. Everything seems to come off streaky on these clear nail wheels. I love how OPI do these blurple shades, I think this will be the next colour on my nails.

My Voice Is A Little Norse : This prismatic super-shimmer is worth shouting about.

The shimmer in this reflects the same shades as some of the other collection polishes. I always find glitter topcoats are practically indestructible so it's going to last on the nails. The glitter makes it great for the festive party season too.

 

How Great Is Your Dane? : Pass up this cinnamon coffee? You're barking up the wrong tree!

This deep brown is gorgeous both on its own and with 'My Voice is a Little Norse'. It's what i've got on my nails right now and it's a great combo. This one isn't like anything i've already got in my collection, which makes me like it even more and it was definitely one of my top picks from the collection, so i'm really glad to see it in this set.

I love every shade in this set of minis and think it'll make a great stocking filler or secret santa gift this Christmas. Checking out the rest of the collection, I think these are definitely four of the best but i've got my eyes on 'Thank Glogg It's Friday', a gorgeous vampy bold red.

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[Review] Kat Von D : Studded Kiss Lipstick Set

Following my review of the Sephora Give Me Some Lip set, I thought i'd show you the other set I picked up in my order. So today I have the fabulous Kat Von D Studded Kiss mini lipstick set to show you. The set costs $39, which is about £25.77 and contains 9 mini lipsticks.

When the Studded Kiss Lipsticks were first released, I bought the shade Gothica almost straight away because on the original swatches it stole my heart as soon as I laid eyes on it. The 'sparkling bronze' shade wasn't like anything I owned, so I had to have it! I later went on to pick up Lullabye, a 'sparkling magenta violet' in a blog sale.

Sephora say this set is worth $126, so $14 for each mini. Each mini contains 0.04oz, about 1.2grams. A full size Studded Kiss lipstick is $21 and contains 0.10oz of product, which is over 2.5 grams. So at almost half the size, i'd have said each one would be worth about $11 at a bare minimum, so i'd agree with the estimate worth of the set. Especially when looking at the attention to detail on the packaging.

Size Comparison.

The set contains six matte, one metallic and two iridescent lipsticks. So it's predominately matte lipsticks. There's a nice range of colours as well, four of which are red toned, two neutral, two brights and a nice dark cherry shade.

 Countess || Adora || Hexagram

‣Countess : Matte Hot Orange Red.
I actually liked this a lot more when I swatched it than I did in the bullet. It seems very orange, but the hints of red come out when on the skin. I wont wear this over the Winter, but it'll be probably be topping my list of colours to wear in the Summer.
‣Adora : Metallic Golden Red.
Adora is seriously beautiful, and performed really well in the shower test, and came out virtually untouched. The metallic gold tone to this red gives it a nice shimmer. Words are actually failing me to describe this. I think you have to see it and try it on to really appreciate how stunning this one is.
‣Hexagram  : Matte Blood Red.
I wouldn't personally call this a blood red, but it is a really nice deep blue based red. I do prefer a darker colour especially with reds, and the blue base makes it a nice fit for my pale skin. It's a good winter shade too, so it's a thumbs up from me.

 Sexer || Bachelorette || Wonderchilde

‣Sexer : Iridescent Fluorescent Pink.
Sexer is a really bright sexy pink and it looks amazing. Although it says it's iridescent it doesn't seem very sparkly or iridescent at all... Although it is definitely fluorescent!

‣Bachelorette : Matte Reddish Fuchsia.
This pink based red looks more like a red based pink to me, if that makes any sense. It is most certainly a red/pink blend even though it looks quite red in the bullet. I can see this being really nice for day time.

‣Wonderchilde : Iridescent Neon Lilac.
There's a strange scuffing on the bullet of this one, which made me a little sad. I expected this to be a little grainy like the texture of Lullabye and Gothica, but it wasn't really. It is a really bright and sparkly neon colour.

Lovecraft || Mötorhead || Agatha
Rabbit fur gets everywhere...

‣Lovecraft : Matte Mauve Pink Nude.
This one is everything I had hoped it would be. A very pretty neutral that gets a 10 on the staying power scale. I wore this out for a work meal, and didn't touch up once. It didn't feel too drying to me either, but it might be a tad on the dry side now the weather is colder.
‣Mötorhead : Matte Black Cherry.
This one looks quite dark in the bullet, maybe even more brownish than black cherry, but it is a seriously lush darkened plummy cherry shade when worn. It seemed to transfer off really easily and didn't last through eating a meal. Although my fork was a lovely purpley shade when I was done...
‣Agatha : Matte Pale Peach Nude.
This one stood up pretty well to the shower test, some had come off but the overall colour remained. However, it looked absolutely awful on me. I can imagine this being gorgeous on a darker skin tone, but i'm pretty pale, and it was just icky.

I was hoping to do some on the lips swatches, but since the cold weather arrived it's played hell with my poor lips, so I just swatched them on my arm instead. As my luck would have it, the scratches Remy left on my arms at the vets have cleared up just nicely by now.

I like darker lip colours, and shades like Hexagram and Mötorhead are great for autumn/winter. So they will probably be my most regularly used in the upcoming months. The stars of the set for me are Adora and Lovecraft, both absolutely stunning colours. I don't see myself wearing Agatha, as it really doesn't suit my skin tone. The others are all nice extras to have in my stash, so that makes me a happy bunny indeed!

I really like these lipsticks, and i'd definitely consider buying more shades. I've got my eye on Poe, Wolvesmouth and Cathedral.

Are you lusting after any of Kat Von D products?  Let me know what you fancy!

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[Review] Lime Crime - Black Velvet

Hello everybun!

With Halloween brewing I thought I'd talk to you today about a very lovely black lippy from Lime Crime that could well be the perfect partner in crime for many a festive look.

I am an absolute sucker for matte products, and I was dying to try the Lime Crime Velvetine's for what felt like forever when they first came out, and they always seemed to be sold out. Then I could never chose a colour. Then they sold out again, and so the cycle went on. With the 'Gothatine' release, I loved all three colours and it was more of that cycle. But my friend managed to get hold of one from somewhere (the goddess!!!!), for my birthday! She chose Black Velvet.

The Velvetine's come in a cute red and rosey little box, that matches the cap. They have a small doe foot applicator, which I find easier to control than other similar applicators i've used.

It is a pretty thin formula so tiny bit of product goes a long and colour payoff is amazing. It didn't really seem overly drying, which is pretty important really with a matte product. It actually smells really nice, and i've seen a bunch of different opinions on what that scent is but I think I most agree with it smelling like frosting. Maybe it's meant to be red velvet cake? I'll investigate this later. :p

But for me, I think is the most impressive thing about Black Velvet and i'm assuming the rest of the range, is the feel of the formula. It's like wiping something really soft and, well velvety across your mouth.

So I put it to the test the way I have been trying my matte lipsticks recently. I wore it in the shower! 

I am very saddened to report that not all of it survived the shower and a strip wore off right in the center of the mouth. However, I tested it without wearing any primers or liners, so I imagine it'll last longer if I did, because what was left did hand around for a fair few hours afterwards.  I actually I was wearing it and one point and wondered why Remy kept poking her nose at my mouth. I thought I was just getting bunny kisses! Turns out she was just investigating why the outside of my mouth was black.

This is in the pricier end of the scale, and you're looking to pay £13-£15 for 2.6ml of product. Which really does seem like quite a lot if you consider that the MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquers are roughly the same size for £3.

Lime Crime x MUA Luxe size comparison.

Overall? I really like this. It may not last as well against the shower test as a cheaper product i've tried out recently (which i'll show you soon ;)) but by far the Velvetine feels the absolute best. I'd say it is definitely worth it even if I have to team it with another product can keep it in place longer. I'd definitely recommend having at least one of these in your collection of goodies. (Maybe Salem. So it can mysteriously vanish with me...)

Have you tried Lime Crime's Velvetine liquid lipstick? What did you think?

Let me know if you have any other alternatives. I need more matte liquid lipsticks in my life!

P.S How cute is the Thumper cushion I scored on Ebay for Remy?

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What's in my make up bag? [Short Trip Edition.]

I'm on a train going on an adventure today, and I won't be back until tomorrow! Which meant I needed to scoop up my make up essentials and toss them in a bag with some PJ's before I left this morning. This is also a pretty nifty test run for my travel make up picks, and this little lot looks like it'll need only the teeniest of adjustments and no matter where in the world i'm off I think I know exactly what i'll be reaching for.

B.Prepared Makeup Primer // Seventeen Phwoarr Paint // Charlotte Tilbury Eyebrow Pencil in Grace K // Urban Decay Naked2 Basics // Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Eyeliner in Perversion // Bare Minerals Lash Domination Mascara // Kat Von D Tattoo Liner // Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick Mini in Naked // Baby Lips Electro in Pink Shock

I fell in love with the Urban Decay Naked2 Basics palette when it arrived. The shades are matte yet beautiful and soft and perfect for adding a subtle amount of colour, and it looks great teamed with the jet black Kat Von D and Urban Decay liners. I need my Phwoarr Paint to tackle my perpetual '4am bedtime' dark circles. Charlotte Tilbury and Bare Minerals finish everything off nicely. I'm taking two lip products with me, the Urban Decay mini which is a really soft nude, and the Baby Lips is a really nice bright pink balm. One thing my little go-away kit needs, is a light BB cream, so if you have any good recommendations, let me know!

Real Techniques Eye Starter Set // Kat Von D Unlock-It Make Up Remover Wipes 2 Wipe Sample //

Benefit It's Potent Eye Cream // Rituals Cool Mini Spray // Topshop Tweezers

I'm rather excited to try out the Kat Von D wipes, and this dinky little two pack sample that I got with a Sephora order, and the pack is perfect for this trip. Other than that, the Real Techniques brushes and Topshop tweezers are my ultimate tools, and the mini Benefit eye cream is a perfect size for travelling. P.S. Yes, the Rituals deodorant is mens, but I didn't realise that when I ordered it online. Whoops! I quite like the smell anyway, and it's a little travel mini so i'll chuck it in my bag.

Illamasqua Freak Perfume.

Perfume wise, I chose my trusty Illamasqua Freak. This is by far my favourite perfume, and I actually have two of the larger bottles as well. This is one of the scents I plan on decanting a bit of into a teeny spray bottle so that I can take it travelling with me. It's definitely a perfect scent for autumn/winter but I like it that much i'll wear it all year round.  [Check out my review?]

Catseye London 'Coyote' flat bag. 

The Coyote flat bag is no longer on the Catseye London website, but you can get the Coyote Coin Purse or the flat pouch in a few different styles. I actually picked mine up in TK Maxx for around £3.

Well, there we have it! My little 'face to go' kit.

What beauty products can you not go a day without?

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