Christmas

Hello avid beauty readers!

   Just a quick note to say that I hope that everyone has a fantastic christmas and a happy new year, sorry for not posting a lot recently, but hopefully after christmas I will receive new makeup that I will be trialling and testing, and of course writing reviews! I hope you have a fantastic and magical day tomorrow, and will speak to you in the new year!

Lots of love,

   Samara xoxo

NARS Velvet Lipgloss

After recently getting a fringe cut in, i tend to be steering more towards coloured lipgloss and lipsticks, as my eyes aren't on show as much as they where before. So after having a route through all my lip products i stumbled across this velvet lipgloss once again for NARS. The colour that i have been using is called 'Club Mix' and retailing for £17.50 i defiantly think it's worth the money!

The colour is a really subtle purple red, the way i would describe it would be plum. The jumbo pencil not only makes the lipgloss easy to apply, but also allows more precision then a lipgloss wand allows. Also this being a pencil means that you reduce the feeling of the famous, sticky lips, where too much lipgloss has been applied and therefore your lips get stuck together! This product is enriched with Vitamin E plus a blend of moisture-rich hyaluronic spheres that make lips appear fuller. Also another benefit of this product is that because its so lightweight you don't even notice that you are wearing any product, win win!

Samara xoxo

Autumn Leaves NARS sheer lipstick

So as well all know autumn is upon us and as we know with a new season comes new makeup! So i thought i would share this lipstick which i thought was rather fitting, as the name of this NARS lipstick is called "Autumn Leaves" one of there sheer lipstick, and i have to say, this is one of them lipsticks that i have had in the bottom of my makeup kit and i have been wondering whether to use for a while, but on a trip to London with a flick of eyeliner and a sweep of this lipstick adding subtle shimmer and a orange red subtle tone, it is the ultimate autumn lipstick. Also facing the cold English weather, this lipstick contains ingredients that improve the condition of the lips, which is great for this time of year with the dreaded chapped lips just around the corner. Although the idea of an orange based lipstick may sound scary, this lipstick just adds a subtle hint of colour and adds a subtle shine to the lips. I personally really like this lipstick and i definitely regret waiting so long to use this product, at £18.50 it is slightly pricey, but defiantly worst investing in over the winter seasons, and with the added bonus of it conditioning the lips, it does good for your lips and looks fabulous at the same time, whats not to love?

Samara xoxo  

Illamsqua Cream Pigment in Hollow

   I am a great lover of Illamasqua products anyway as i always find that there products are always so pigmented, and the colours that are shown on the products always come out the colour that is shown! So whilst out i picked up an Illamasqua cream pigment in the colour Hollow, as it seemed to be a good 'all round' colour, and i am in love with it!! It acts as a great base for eyeshadow, as it is a really neutral colour, and more or less any colour can be applied on top of it, or it is nice just worn on its own to just add a hint of colour. Also because it is a cream i always finds that my eyeshadows apply a lot easier with a cream shadow underneath, as the pigment from the colours have something to stick to and therefore stay put for a lot longer. Although this product is fantastic for the eyes, another great benefit to this product is that it can also be applied on the rest of the face and body, and because the product is so pigmented a little defiantly goes a long way, and especially being pale, this cream pigment acts as a brilliant contour colour on pale skin, and i would definitely recommend this product, retailing at £17.50 may seem a bit pricey, but it is defiantly worth the money, as you don't need a lot in able to get great results, and as i said, a little goes a long way!
Have you tried this product? If so let me know in the comments below!
S x

CHANEL Soleil Tan De Chanel (Bronzer)

   When the weather is meant to be shining, but living in England (not surprising) summer is never sunny. So whilst the I have been and come home from my holiday and my tan is slowly fading, what better way to try and keep up a bronzed look then with bronzer! I have to say that I am loving this bronzer by Chanel, as I find that where other bronzer can make me look orange, this one gives that polished bronzed look that many a woman is after! However, this product does come at a price, retailing at around £46 its not a cheap buy, but if you feel the need to treat yourself you defiantly wont regret buying this product! Another facter that i am loving about this product is the subtle shimmer in the bronzer, giving you that all together healthy glow. Also something else i really love about this product is that the brush applicator isn't actually that bad, which i was pleased with as i find that usually the applicators that come with products can not be very good. Another benefit to this product is that it is oil free, which is particularly good as I have oily skin, so this product doesn't feel heavy on my skin! Overall I really like this product and i would definitely recommend this product, however i do realize that this product is rather pricy, so as a birthday present or a treat to yourself would maybe be the way forward!
Tell me if you have used this product, if you have used any other Chanel products, give thoughts and opinions in the comments below!!
S x  

Estee Lauder Double Wear

Hello!
   Feels like a long time since i last wrote on my blog! So today i am going to write about Estee Lauder's double wear foundation, i know this foundation has been out for a little while now, but i have only just got around to getting my mits on the foundation, and i have to say i am in love with it!
   
   It has SPF 10 in, which means that this foundation will photograph really well, but not only this but i love how long the foundation stays on, as i do have oily skin i find it difficult to find a foundation that i can apply in the morning and not have it slide off my face half way through the day or make my face look really shiny. Another factor that i love from this foundation is how heavy the coverage is, i know that not everyone likes a thick coverage however i love my skin looking flawless, and this foundation does exactly that, however i know that Estee Lauder do a lighter version of double wear for those of you who don't like such a thick and heavy coverage.
   My only problem with this foundation is that you do have to pour the liquid foundation out and that there isn't a pump as i always either tip out too much foundation or to little and at being priced at £28.50, its not a cheap buy, however i would still recommend, as i really am in love with this foundation, and i can definitely say that it's becoming a firm favorite!
    Tell me what you think of this foundation in the comments below!
S x

Superdrug Look At Me post!

My new post on Superdrug look at me website is now live, please go and take a look at how to achieve the perfect smokey eye!

 Go to: http://www.superdruglookatme.com/samara-smoky-eye-how-i-do-it/
S x

Real Techniques expert face brush

Hello beauty readers!

   Sorry this post has taken me so long to upload, and that i haven't made a post in what feels like a life time! But exciting things have been happening, one you will hopefully be finding out soon, but for now it is my little secret!

   Anyway, back to the products! Today while browsing my favorite beauty store (Superdrug!) i came across the real technique brush. I knew about these products already as i am an avid pixiwoo youtube, twitter and facebook follower, (little obsessive i know) i have watched a majority of there videos, and i love them and the work that they do. So as i was saying i have known about there brushes for a while now, but for some reason never brought one, and boy do i regret that now. Because i have lots of brushes all ready, especially for eye makeup, i though that i would go for the espert face brush, as they almost always use this brush to apply there foundation with, and a foundation brush is the only brush that i don't own, for £8.99 for one brush could be seen as a little pricey, but i can guaranty you know that you will not regret buying this product!
   Firstly the brush hairs are all synthetic, so there is no animal hair used! (yay!) also the brush hair are so super soft! Also because the brush hairs aren't long and are close to the handle of the brush, this gives you loads of control in how you move and where you apply your foundation, but if you aren't sure how to use there brushes, then the best part about this product is that if you go onto there website: http://realtechniques.com
and then click to 'how to' and then 'brushes' there are videos showing you how to use your brushes, which i think is a brilliant idea, as sometimes you can buy a really amazing looking brush,  to go home to you discover that you have no idea how to use it, and if you don't know, its really hard to find out, which would then lead to wasting your money. The actual brush itself is amazing, i have never used nor owned a foundation brush that seamlessly blends into my skin, and has fantastic coverage of not to heavy nor to thin, also the brush hair don't leave any lines on you skin where the brush almost drags the foundation, leaving lines which you then have to blend with your fingers, and that then defeats the object of a foundation brush.

 Overall i think this is a fantastic product and i would 100% recommend anyone to buy this product, i'll defiantly be investing in some different brushes to see if they are as good as this first real techniques brush i have brought!
S xoxo

Brand new foundations and blushers from Rimmel!

Hello readers!

Sorry this post is a little late but I have an exclusive for you! As you know I went to Rimmel London presentation, were I not only got shown a brand new product that isn't even out yet, I also got given some in my goody bag to take home! What is this product I hear you ask, well these product are firstly a Stay Matte foundation, and also a Stay Blushed liquid blusher! And this is what they look like in the packaging:

And this is what the product looks like on the skin:

Personally I love them both, and I will explain why separately...

Firstly the foundation, I have oily/combination skin, so finding a foundation that has good coverage, but most importantly won't make my face look shiny and can control my shine is really important to me when finding a good foundation, and this product does exactly what it says on the packaging! "Feather-light, liquid mousse blends flawlessly for natural-looking, all day shine control. Silky smooth formula leaves a perfectly matte, baby-soft finish. Lightweight texture won't feel heavy or greasy." Although to be honest when first being told about the product I thought it was going to be similar to Maybellines dream matte mousse, remembering this from my youth as being highly thick that cakes your skin. However this foundation is completely different, as it doesn't sit heavy on the skin, and does indeed last all day, not to mention that it smells lush! 

Secondly, the other new product I received was the Stay Blushed, mine in the  colour 004, sun kissed cherry. To be honest I am more of a bronzer type of girl, and I can never find a blusher that complements my skin tone. However, after trying this product out, I feel as though it leaves a natural glow, and I can put on a small amount for a subtle rosy cheek, or I can layer the product for a more dramatic and bolder look. Also it's light weight and liquid, this blush blends seamlessly and instantly into the skin, applying with my fingertips for a natural flush of colour, unlike some powder blushes which can really make you look rosy in the cheeks. Also another bonus with this product is that because it is liquid, the product doesn't budge and therefor lasts all day! This product also smells really nice.

However, these products have not come out onto shop shelfs yet, with the products being available in late August in Superdrugs, and then early September in Boots, so hopefully not too much longer!

Thank you for waiting for this post, many more will be coming today as I have a very long drive ahead, so blogging can keep me occupied for a long time on a long journey! 

Rimmel London AW trends 2013

Hello fellow beauty lovers!

So today I was asked to go to a Rimmel London trend report AW 2013, with makeup artist Kirsten Piggott, rimmel Londons official makeup artist, and Adam Slee, rimmel London's nail expert, where they both spoke about up coming trends for this years autumn and winter.
The first makeup trend for the AW, is a graphic eye, inspired by the Anna Sui catwalk and the sixties. It's a strong black graphic flick upwards into the socket line and dots added along the lower lash line. With the drama of the eyeliner and with a sweep of mascara, there is no need for fake eyelashes! All this looks needs is a little blush and a nude lip!

The second makeup trend for AW is taken from Christian Dior, with a futuristic fifties look. This classic cat eye is made with silver eyeshadow, with the lips made to appear smaller with faded lips in a beautiful deep fuchsia stain, using two different tones of red to make a just bitten look. Keep eyebrows natural, and not to bold, as you don't want them to distract away from silver liner.

The last makeup look, and personally my favourite, is inspired from Louis Vuitton and the femme fatales, beautiful Hitchcock women and decadent glamour. There is bold eyebrow and extravagant chocolate eye with a bold black flick that connects with the lower lash line. This is also worn with a red/ plum lip, all worn with a fresh complexion. I love this look as it is simple, but almost has a classic, yet vampy gothic look.

The second part of this presentation was with Adam Slee, when he talked through the AW 2013 nail trends, the first nail look for autumn that Adam spoke about inspired from Gareth Pugh, following on from last seasons black and red nails with another strong nail look, this is achieved by using an Ombré technique using a white shade, a navy blue and then an almost purple grey right at the base of the nail, creating a graduated, Ombré effect. 

The second look was taken from Chanel, it's a simple yet effective look of opting for bright nails, bucking traditional winter trends. At Chanel, the look was grunge, so having the bright nails, in a soft coral pink, created a feline edge and contrast. On top of this they then applied a glossy top coat.

The last nail look was inspired by Kenzo, this look was darker, traditional winter nail. A twist of colour was achieved by applying a darker pigment on the outside edge of the nails. This gave the illusion of a thinner, longer nail, and using traditional autumn winter colours like dark greens, blues and purples, instead of lighter colours like white and pinks.

This is a summary of what happened today, although I will be reviewing different products that I received in my goody bag, including some exclusives over the next week! So make sure you come back tomorrow to find out what they are!!

Samara xoxo