Christmas Lipstick Love: MAC Rebel

Last year's Christmas lipstick choice was a roaring success for me. I felt so festive rocking my Ruby Woo throughout last year's festivities. This year, however, I fancied something a bit darker and you all know I'm going a bit bonkers for darker berry shades this season. Then along comes Rebel.... 

I've always struggled with purple tones. I have no idea why because I have green eyes so (in theory) it should be a match made in heaven. Purples always seem to drain me somehow and the yellow tones in my skin always seem to overcompensate. However, after seeing several swatches online I knew I had to have Rebel (Satin). MAC's description of this shade was music to my ears. They define it as a midtonal cream plum which means that it should work with most skin tones, even mine! I was so convinced that I swept into Selfridges this week and bought it outright without even swatching it (which also had something to do with the fact that Selfo's MAC counter happened to be CRAMMED with people and I couldn't get anywhere near the lippy rack). 

I loooooooooove this lippy! It's a gorgeous deep berry purple shade with just enough red in it to cancel out the corpse-effect. It's also dark without being too dark (ie. my dad didn't tell me I looked like a Goth when I walked off the train wearing it this afternoon). My usual Satin finish grumble does apply here: It's not my favourite and I find it to be the dryest of the MAC finishes, but it gives good coverage and lasts a long time. I had to scrub this swatch off my arm with washing up liquid and a scourer! 

I can't wait to share my Christmas FOTD with you all! I plan to team Rebel with MAC Nightmoth pencil, just like I do with Ruby Woo (which will no doubt also be making a reappearance over the holidays). 

If you haven't found your perfect Holiday lip colour yet, don't despair! I've just had a nosey on the MAC Website and you still have until 3pm on Friday for guaranteed Christmas delivery! Get on there and have a nosey... Go on, it's CHRISTMAS!

www.maccosmetics.co.uk

What's your favourite Festive lip colour??

MAC All About Orange Purchases!

Okaaaay so I was only just chatting about MAC Morange lipstick a couple of posts ago.... BUT, in my defence, as a lover of orange and peachy tones I could not let the new MAC All About Orange collection pass me by. I haven't got excited about any MAC stuff in a fair while and I ordered myself a couple of bits from this collection last week as a special treat for handing in my last University assignment. I was very restrained and did not order a lot from the gorgeous selection on offer, but I managed to get the two items I wanted before anything started to sell out. 

'Royal Sunset' is a powder blush in a satin finish, described by MAC as a 'soft, cool peach'. It's unlike any other shade I currently own and leans much more pink than any of my other peachy blushers. I do think it's warmer in tone than they'd have you believe though. I'm a warm toned lady and I love the glow this gives on me. I'd imagine that this blush could work for most skintones though. Its pink enough for the paler/cooler ladies with enough of an orange hue to keep the warmer girlies happy.

 

Sweet and Sour is a Cremesheen finish and is described as a 'soft peach cream' with a warm undertone. I knew I would adore this shade because I LOVE my Shy Girl which, I'd say, is a sheerer. more muted version of this lipstick. As with Royal Sunset, it is just that little bit more pink than any of my other peach lipsticks (such as Sleek Peaches and Cream which is heavily orange based). I also favour a Cremesheen finish and can probably say that it is my favourite of the MAC finishes. This HAD to be ordered. 

I love love love how gorgeous these shades look with a bit of a tan (fake, of course, for now). On me, peach shades just seem to make my face glow. I've also got newly blonder hair and I just think these products make it look so summery and it's a look I'm happy to wear now that the sunshine is out in force! Royal Sunset doesn't have any major shimmer to it, which I like, as this means I can either wear it natural and toned down, or add a sweep of Lightscapade or Illamasqua Gleam for a more radiant peach flush. Sweet and Sour is a seriously creamy lipstick shade and is just so pretty.

I went a bit heavy on the blush for this photo just so that I could get it to show up properly for the photos. But only by a little. How you see it in this photo is how it would appear with a little lighter hand in the flesh. For the sake of this post I'm wearing the lipstick on its own here, but I would be interested to experiment with different liners for it. I can imagine it working with pink, orange or nude toned lip pencils. Sweet and Sour really does give a lovely colour with a creamy texture which lasted around 3.5hrs on me before I felt the need to reapply.

Sweet and Sour is flagging up as out of stock currently on the UK MAC site, but it's only just hitting MAC stores and counters so I imagine there are still plenty out there to be had. Royal Sunset is still available though and you can browse the full collection here at maccosmetics.co.uk. I was seriously tempted by Razzledazzler lipstick as well but I have to be careful with my pennies as a student. I'm so glad I snapped up the items I did though. I'm all set for summer now!!

Did you go for the All About Orange collection?? What items did you pick up?? What items are on your wishlist?? Do you go potty for peach in the Summer months??

Summer Lippy Lovin': MAC Morange

What can I say, I've got a bee in my bonnet about Summer makeup lately. I've done my favourite blushers and waxed lyrical about Summer nail colours so I might as well throw a lippy or two in there as well for good measure really. To be fair, I couldn't let the Spring/Summer season slip in without mentioning MAC Morange. So I decided to dedicate a Lippy Lovin post to it, Summer style!

MAC Morange Lipstick (Amplified)

Not much more to say to describe this lipstick other than orange, orange and... errrr.... ORANGE!! This is a shade that is seriously HOT. It's actually the first MAC lipstick I ever bought! Interestingly, in some lights it does appear quite red and I've heard comparisons be drawn between this and Vegas Volt as a result. Well, I can tell you that they are NOTHING alike. Vegas Volt is a brilliant coral and has pinky, red tones in it, whereas Morange is most definitely a slightly reddened pure orange tone. I'm quite relieved that these pictures captured it's true colour. 

This lippy gives a lovely, creamy swatch. I do like the Amplified finish from MAC. It goes on really smoothly and feels very comfortable on. It also lasts pretty well, although with more vibrant shades such as this you have to pay a lot more attention to its wear time than with more subtle shades of the same finish. I'd also recommend to wear a lip liner with it as it does seem to bleed a little without. If, for any reason, you require a more wearable, toned down version of this colour, I also find it works great when mixed with a nude (I've tried it with Viva Glam GaGa 2 and Myth before and it just takes the edge off for a more subtle orange).

Apologies for the CRAP iPhone lip photo. You know that thing, where you think it's okay when you're viewing on your phone, but once you blow it up on the laptop it becomes a pixelated MESS?? Yeah, that. Well, at least it demonstrates the colour perfectly. It's just a gorgeous, tropical summer orange. Personally, I'd rock this for day or night depending on the occasion. On me it compliments tanned, bronzey makeup but also works for paler ladies and on dark skin tones. It seems to look different on different people to me so I'd highly recommend trying this on next time you pop into a MAC counter! Sure it's not the most wearable shade in the world and I only really get this out in the summer or occasionally at Christmas, but it's a BEAUT!

I'm not going to insult you and give you price and stockist information. I know you ladies all know well and good how to get your hands on your MAC hahaha. Give it a swatch!

Do you go nuts for juicy lip colours?? What are your favourite summer lip products?? Do you go bold or neutral??

The Highlight(s) of my Summer

Good evening beauty seekers!!

Another slightly late offering today. I've spent most of this weekend trying to rearrange my makeup and skincare storage so laptop time has not been that much of a priority. I hope to have a post up next week to show you my new makeup set up and storage solutions but, in the meantime, I wanna keep with this week's summery theme (finally, some sunshine at last) and instigate a bit of chatter about sunshine of the facial variety. Namely, highlighters. I own a few highlighters. Recently I've been on a quest for glowy summer skin and, after experimenting with the different highlighting products in my collection, some definite favourites have emerged. So I thought I'd pen a little post to tell you why I love them and why there is room for all of them in my life. 

This HUGE compact from GOSH cosmetics is just beautiful! It is actually a super-shimmery bronzing product which is a deeper golden shade than the other products in this post. It is designed for use on both the face and body and looks gorgeous when swept over tanned shoulders and decolletage. On my face, I only tend to use it as a highlight when I'm tanned due to the colour. At other times I'll use it as a bronzer. It swatches a lovely molten gold sheen and is so pretty!

Aurora is the latest edition to my highlighter stash and the only cream product featured in this post. I worship at the alter of Illamasqua. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that they are my favourite makeup brand of late. Their Gleam Highlighter packs some SERIOUS pale gold shimmer but without being glittery. The cream formula is quite dense but lights up my face when I dab it on my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose and cupid's bow with my finger. As it is a cream product it doesn't really 'set' as such so I sometimes feel the need to pat a little translucent powder over the top of it but this highlighter gives the best glow out of the bunch with minimal amount of product needed. I've been using it the most with their SOPHIE and Rude blushers.

I love budget products that really perform and MUA seem to be very consistent with the quality of their products lately! This little beauty costs just £3 and, in my opinion, performs to the same standard as any of the other high end products featured in this post! This product is actually quite pink in tone which I like, as it makes it different from all the others. The consistency of the powder is so soft and buttery and a pleasure to apply and blend. It's more subtle than Aurora (probably down to it being a powder product) but you don't need a lot to give the prettiest glow to the face when applied in all the same places. I must try more of their Undress range if this is anything to go by!

I couldn't not include this one as a favourite highlight product, could I? MAC Mineralise Skinfinish in Lightscapade has caused so much hype in it's time and it was a bandwagon I was happy to jump on. I don't use this product in the same way as I use Aurora or MUA as it's just not as RAWR. I love to use this to give a more glowy finish to my regular powder. A sweep of this on a big brush all over my face just gives my makeup a warmer, more glowy finish. I know a lot of people have complained that the new version of Lightscapade doesn't have the same veining and WOW factor of the original version but I love this compact for what it is, which is a beautiful, beige toned highlight that gives a stunning soft glow to my face. This may be a good one for those with oilier skins who would probably benefit from a much more subtle shimmer highlight. 

 L-R: GOSH, Illamasqua, MUA, MAC

So those are my current favourite products for highlighting. I do have other highlight products. I have the Sleek Glo highlighter (I wrote a post on it a while back which can be found Here) which is very similar to the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick and also the highlighter that comes in their Contour Kit as well as the BeneFit High Beam. To be honest I'm still to master the art of contouring my entire face but I'm really enjoying experimenting with different highlighted effects for the new Summer season now that the sun has FINALLY got it's hat on. HURRAH!!

What are your favourite Summer makeup effects?? Do you rate any of these products?? What are your favourite ways to achieve a glowing complexion??

Late Night Lippy Lovin #4: MAC Chatterbox

First Late Night Lippy Lovin post of 2013 people!! 

And it's one that i'm particularly loving this time! I've been on a bit of a quest for the perfect pink lippy recently. I have a few pink lipsticks that i really enjoy wearing but none of them have ever felt..... perfect. Either they leaned SLIGHTLY too blue, or the formula wasn't right, or it was gorgeous but just not bright enough to feel special. My favourite MAC pinks for in the daytime are Creme Cup and Hue but they just weren't FUN enough. 

Before Christmas i had a little mini swatch-a-thon in Selfridges and asked the opinion of a couple of the MUAs and they pointed me towards one that i had been curious about for a little while which was this one....

Chatterbox (Amplified Creme)

MAC describe this shade as a 'Bright Red Pink' and i think that's a pretty accurate description. Chatterbox is just that little bit different to any other pinky pink lipstick i've ever tried. It's a bright shade without being massively in your face or neon and it isn't blue-toned, which is great for me, being a warm toned girlie. I'm totally fine with the Amplified finish too. It has a creamy feel on the lips and isn't drying at all. 

Due to the foul weather and impossibly dull lighting at the moment i'm a little unimpressed with the quality of these swatches, but you get the idea. 

Wow, this photo reminds me that i REALLY need to tan!! To be fair i had to brighten it a little to reflect the true colour of the lipstick as the light was dying on me. I'm not really quite this ghostly! 

I've not been wearing this lipstick willy-nilly all the time, even though i do adore it. This is my new favourite going out/special occasion pink lippy. I've worn it with both neutral and smokey eye looks and it's a really versatile shade. You could also try it mixed with MAC Myth (or similar nude) to tone it down for more day to day wear. 

What's your perfect pink lippy??

2012 Product Highlights

Evening my lovelies!

Wow we're already almost a WEEK into 2013... That's flown by hasn't it! I've barely noticed the time passing due to being stuck in bed for half of the week with flu (and stuck at work for the other half - Booooo). So today i reckoned it was time to consider what products floated my boat the most in 2012. Now, i haven't covered all bases here... My tanning preferences haven't changed much and i'm switching up my skincare routine for 2013 because there wasn't much i was using last year that really dazzled me (expect a post this week on my new skincare routine). I'm also planning a separate post on lip products cos i couldn't pick just one or two for this post. 

Base

MAC Matchmaster Foundation: Shade 4

This one has carried over from 2011. Fact is, i ADORE this foundation and, although i switched it up a bit in 2012 with Illamasqua Skinbase (which i also love to death) and my drugstore backup, Max Faxtor Xperience, nothing really compares to it in my eyes. It gives medium, buildable coverage and is demi-matte so appeals to my combo skin. 

Cover FX Illuminating Setting Powder: Medium*

This was a late find for 2012 but i have been loving it and it works really well with the Matchmaster foundation. I was under the impression when i first got it that it might be a little on the shiny side for me, but that wasn't the case and it sets my foundation really well while giving a lovely glow to the face. It's also helped me conquer my fear of loose powders.

Murad Skin Perfecting Primer: Dewy Finish

This is, along with BeneFit PoreFessional, my favourite primer to date. It just makes for a great foundation base and my skin feels so smooth when i've used this product. I've still not yet been able to purchase the full size of this product but have done a great job of sourcing samples from beauty boxes, other bloggers and events. Don't get me wrong, the product fully lives up to the Murad pricetag, its just that i, for one, cannot afford it. Boo Hiss!!  

Cheeks

MAC Sheertone Shimmer Blush: Sunbasque

I got this from a blogsale several months back and it has barely been off my face since! To me, this is a blush, bronzer and highlight all in one product. It's glowy, buildable and gorgeous for any time of the year. I couldn't live without it now! 

Illamasqua Cream Blush: Rude

I wanted this blush for a LONG time before i finally bought it. A lot of online swatches confused me slightly by making it look a LOT scarier than it really is and when i finally got to swatch it in the Illamasqua Beak Street store i knew it had to be mine. This is also a very versatile shade and can even be worn on the lips. 

Eyes

BeneFit Creaseless Cream Shadowliners

These are a must have product in my makeup bag and i have them in several shades. I probably use them every day. I love them for using as a base for other eyeshadows. I have a platinum shade that is great for this or any of the neutral, goldy shades such as RSVP (pictured) or Sippin'n'Dippin. My favourite use for them, however, is just to give a wash of colour and shimmer on the lid for every day wear. I literally just dab this on with my finger, apply my eyeliner and mascara, and that's my eye look. Simple, pretty and they last all day.

17 Peep Show Mascara

I bought this on recommendation from another blogger. I forget exactly who but i suspect it was Zara (because it usually is, she could sell me anything) and it love it! My natural lashes are quite thick but need a bit of lengthening and sculpting here and there and this mascara really delivers that without being clumpy or over-fibrous. I'll be repurchasing the hell out of this too because it's cheap as chips! 

Nails

Essie: Mint Candy Apple

2012 was the year that i REALLY rediscovered nail polish. For the last 4 years i was working a job that involved wire scourers and constantly having my hands in water and i'd begun to believe i'd never have pretty nails again. But since i moved to London they have bounced back! towards the end of 2012 i was enjoying experimenting with nail colours again. Mint Candy Apple has been a particular favourite of mine and i picked it up at Olympia Beauty, but i;m also loving Nails Inc at the moment and i hope to bring you a lot more nail posts in 2013

Haircare

Clynol Repair: Remedy*

This leave in conditioner makes my hair so soft! It's a repairing Keratin filler which you spray into wet hair and leave. My hair isn't in bad condition due to my policy of ONLY using semi permanent colours on my hair, but i have been ombre on several occasions in the last 12 months (and i'm ombre again now) and my hatred of bleach/lighteners makes me paranoid and want to protect my hair. And it does the job! My hair is so much more resilient now that i use this and i feel more confident that i can keep my ombre in good condition. 

Urban Therapy Twisted Sista: Different Strokes Serum

This is a total bargain! I've seen it for as little as £1 depending on where you buy it from. It contains Argan oil and Green Tea and makes my hair so smooth and manageable. It's one of the best serums i've ever used. Since i've been a student i've been unable to afford Moroccan oil and i honestly put it to you that this is a worthy replacement!! Try it and see! 

Skincare

Nip+Fab Dry Skin Fix Body Butter: Pistachio Sundae*

Possibly my favourite body butter of all time because it sinks in so quickly and smells like CAKE!! I love the packaging and i totally trust Nip+Fab (the same beauty brains behind Rodial Skincare) to do what's right for my skin. My big body bugbear is the rough skin on my upper arms and this softens them up a treat! 

St Ives Invigorating Apricot Scrub

I have favoured this over the other scrubs i've tried recently. I feel like it thoroughly cleans my skin whilst moisturising at the same time and, as someone with combo skin, that is a big deal to me. It cleanses my oily bits, while looking after the not so oily bits. I love that the exfoliant particles in it are natural as well. I'm on my third bottle since i first tried some back in April. 

So those are the select few products that i feel i've enjoyed the most in the last 12months. I'm going to think on about my favourite lip products and perhaps put them all into a post later this week. I'm switching things up this year so expect updated skincare, haircare and tanning posts through the month of January as well. 

What products dazzled you in 2012?? Feel free to link me to your posts!! 

My Xmas Face!

Hello there lovelies!!

I hope everyone had a truly wonderful Christmas and that you're not all stuck indoors full of flu like i am this New Years' Eve!! Brunette Beauty Banter has been extremely quiet over the festive period because myself and the fur-babies have been away visiting family in Derbyshire and Yorkshire for the past 10 days. That does NOT, however, mean that nothing has been happening and i have a couple of festive posts to go up tonight to end 2012. I thought i'd start with my Xmas FOTD and show you what my festive product choices were...

Forget the face for a sec, the first thing you'll probably notice is that i'm back to ombre, having removed all traces of the pink/red that was in my hair. Nothing against redheads at all, and it was fun while it lasted, but its all too messy and time consuming for me. And that's that. On to ze face....

Base:

I've got no time for anything mattifying at Christmas. It's all about the festive glow (helped along by lashings of pink bubbly and Baileys later on). The foundation i opted for was Max Factor Xperience in shade 80 (Dark Gypsum). I really rate this foundation for giving great coverage without being thick, heavy and generally obstructive. It's the ONLY drugstore foundation that i go back to again and again. The powder i went for was my Cover FX Illuminating Powder in Medium*. I have been very impressed by this powder, after being initially worried that it would be shine-city. It isn't at all and just gives a lovely glow to the skin as well as setting my foundation in place. 

Cheeks:

Kept it simple with just one product this year and it was Sleek Powder Blush in Fenberry (which i believe was a LE last year in the Berry Collection). I find this to be the perfect winter hue and gives a gorgeous warm flush to the cheeks. This blush only really gets used at Christmas, but i enjoy it all the more for saving it. I had intended to use a highlight as well, but i conveniently forgot to take it with me. Silly girl. In the end i didn't actually miss it. 

Eyes: 

Does this Mally "In the Buff" Palette* remind you of anything?? I'm going to do a full review of this palette VERY soon so i'm not going to go into detail just yet. I chose this for Christmas because i wanted a nice, neutral eye that wasn't overly shimmery and this palette has a great range of matte and shimmer shades so i could find that perfect balance. 

Eyes Ctd: 

These are all staple products in my makeup bag now. I use them EVERY day. I'm sure most of us can vouch for the awesome-ness of the HD Brows palette, although i'm using it less at the moment as i have a full fringe and that means i can get away with being lazy with my brows. HA! 17 Peep Show Mascara is my current favourite and i will be repurchasing it once its gone. It gives a lovely, long lash without being overly fibrous. My current Gel liner is the Maybelline version, but i plan on branching out in the new year and experimenting with other brands. 

Lashes: 

I'm not a massive wearer of lashes, but i chose these Eylure Katy Perry lashes in Sweetie Pie* for Christmas day because they are so pretty, yet aren't too RAWR. It wasn't a party party kind of Christmas this year, more of a family gathering so i went for the subtle-yet-sweet option. 

Lips:

This Christmas face was all about the lips. I knew immediately that this year i HAD to have MAC Ruby Woo (Retro Matte) lipstick. The lipliner i got to go with it was MAC Cherry lip pencil. I always seem to want a bold lip at Christmas and i adore the colour of Ruby Woo. It's so flattering. My only grumble is that its a little drying on my lips, but a dash of Carmex underneath is all it needs. 

So those were my Festive product heroes. Once again, i hope everyone had a magical Christmas and wish you all the best for 2013. I will be ushering in the new year eating Domino's and watching DVDs in bed witha BIG mug of Lemsip (Rock'n'Roll)

What products made your Christmas this year?? What shades make you feel festive??

My Autumn/Winter Colours 2012: Makeup Edition

Hello lovelies! 

I hope everyone's had a great week and keeping nice and warm from the cold! Speaking of which, I thought i'd do a post about what makeup colours i have been loving for the new season. Autumn/Fall is a season particularly associated with stunning colours and i've found myself reaching for a certain palette of shades without even realising it! So i thought i would snap a few to show you!

I'll start with the cheek products because i really pay attention to what shades i put on my cheeks in the winter months. As is to be expected in colder weathers i'm not as tan as i am in the Summer, and rightly so (i'm not inclined to overcompensate for this, but prefer to go with it). I really enjoy glowy cheeks in winter shades. My ultimate favourite is Sleek's Fenberry Blush from last year's Berry Collection but i conveniently left it at my parents house last week so it was unavailable for photos.

(L-R)
Sleek Blush by 3: Pumpkin
I think the name says it all to be honest. This palette is named and put together PERFECTLY for this season! You have a gorgeous reddened coral shimmer, a slightly darkened pink and a juicy tangerine. I've used all of these recently and it's permanently in my makeup bag when i'm travelling around for uni as i love to be able to choose.
BeneFit Dallas
Even though it's pretty matte, i just adore the burnt peach and plum tones this powder has! It really  adds a beautiful glow to the cheeks. I often use this with a gold toned highlighter in the evening or just a sweep on it's own in the daytime.
Bourjois Delice De Poudre: 
As i mentioned before, although i like to have a glow about my skin (nobody WANTS to look like a corpse at any time of the year), i do try and tone it down a bit for Winter. I fake tan more often, but don't build it up as much, if that makes sense. This bronzer on me is very subtle. Usually i would mainly use it as a contour, but recently i have been popping a bit on my cheeks, nose and chin to add a bit of warmth.

Sleek i-Divine Palette: Avoir La Peche (Paraguaya Collection)
I can safely say that, in recent weeks, i have NOT been into much on my eyes. My staple look of late has consisted of JUST my Maybelline Gel Liner and 17 Peep Show Mascara. But when i have reached for eyeshadows lately i have only reached for this palette. I love how it's warm, but not dark and how the shades brighten up my green eyes. Again, the peach and orange tones of the shadows are so seasonal, but are kept muted and flattering thanks to the grey and brown shades. This palette was Limited Edition BUT i find the Sunset palette from Sleek to be every bit as appropriate. It's a MUST have for the cooler months in my opinion.

Can you see a pattern emerging here for Pumpkin and Berry shades?? My nail choices very much fall in with this pattern. I'm not going to wax lyrical about the shades this time (i chose them pretty much for the same reasons as everything else above), but i will list the shades for you just for reference purposes.

OPI Barefoot in Barcelona
OPI Y'all Come Back Ya Hear
Nails Inc Piccadilly Circus
Nails Inc Victoria

I haven't been wearing a ridiculous amount of lipstick just lately because i haven't had too many excuses to, but i've been absolutely loving MAC Spirit (above) for an everyday winter shade. It's just such a natural shade but it's that tiny bit darker and that, to me makes it more special than your average nude. I find it leans slightly purple on me (not really demonstrated in this pic though). It's a Satin finish, which isn't my favourite but i'll forgive it. If i want a lighter shade i'll mix it with Honeylove or Myth.

MAC Vegas Volt (above) is my other winter pick of the year so far. It's a colour i'd usually associate more with summer, but for some reason i've felt like it's brightened up my cold, tired face on a couple of occasions recently. I'd usually go more for Morange in the run up to Xmas but, my hair is a little too purple-ish for it at the moment in my opinion so i substituted it for the, slightly pinker, Vegas Volt.

So those are what makeup shades are floating my boat for Autumn/Winter. I haven't done a makeup look post in a while so i think that, next week, i will combine a few of these products and show you my 'Winter Face'.

What colours are floating your boat this season?? Do you make a bold statement or keep it natural and glowy??

My Current Top 5 Blushes

2nd post of the day for me....

It's recently dawned on me that a definitely favour certain shades in my blush collection lately so i thought i'd do a post and tell you what they are and why i keep reaching for them again and again. This post is in no particular order, they are just the top 5 that i never fail to reach for. 

I don't tend to favour a particular brand when it comes to blushes. Don't get me wrong, I have brands that i prefer, but i won't judge a product on the brand. I prefer to try the product and then judge it on shade and formulation. Obviously if it's a range i know i like, then that's going to be a major factor. Like i just ADORE the Sheertone blushes from MAC for the fact that they are amazing shades but don't flood the cheeks with colour, which means that i can build to the intensity that i want. It also makes them more versatile for day to night wear. I have included two of these in my Top 5.

MAC Sheertone Blush in Pink Swoon

This is the first MAC blush i've had that i've actually had to repurchase so far. I used all of my first one and i went back for more. It's just the prettiest pink which can be used as a subtle flush or built to achieve a POP of pink. I've worn this to work as well as on a night out and i love how versatile it is. I'd totally recommend it for anyone who likes the idea of a vivid pink blush, but is a little hesitant to just slap it on. It's hard to go wrong with this shade in my opinion. 

MAC Sheertone Shimmer Blush in Sunbasque

This is a new find of mine but i've been obsessed with it ever since. I spotted this in a blog sale last month and just had to have it. In the last month, especially as the weather in London has been so stunning, i have gone for gold/bronze shades in a big way. This is going to be a firm favourite of mine for some time to come i think. I love it for the same reasons as i love Pink Swoon. Just a sweep gives a lovely sheer glow to the cheeks, or you can concentrate it on the cheekbones for a more dramatic effect. And the shimmer is stunning. 

Illamasqua Cream Blush in Dixie

I featured this blush in my August favourites, but it's a permanent favourite in my collection. I tend to try and rotate my blushes but this one is almost permanently in my everyday makeup bag. i absolutely adore the shade, which is a slightly reddened, warm pink and the cream formula means that you hardly need any on the brush to give a decent colour. This is one that looks vivid when you first apply it but then buffs out like a dream and gives a perfect colour. I can't wait to purchase 'Rude' next. I'm totally sold on Illamasqua blushes.  

BeneFit Coralista

This is an old school favourite of mine and i've made no secret throughout my time on this blog of the fact that i love it. Amazingly, I'm still on my first one and haven't even hit pan yet. I put this down to the fact that i go through phases of not being able to put it down, but then i'll put it away and use other products for a while. Currently, it's not top of my list but it holds a special place in my heart and it will probably be making a reappearance very soon. It's a perfect pinky coral that works all year round. I find BeneFit blushes to be VERY pricey, but the packaging is as beautifull as the blush itself and these little boxes look amazing sat on my vanity.

Fashionista Blush in Shade 10 (Butterscotch)

This is a blush that i had previously written off. I have this in a palette of 4 with other blushes and a highlighter and, to look at it, this is the least visually eye-catching of the 4. I did initially doubt that it would show up on me (it looks a lot lighter in the flesh than in these photos), but when i did finally develop the curiosity and swatched it i was amazed at how pigmented it is! I actually find it quite similar to MAC Melba. It's a similar matte formula and very similar in shade, but slightly more pink. It gives a lovely glow to the cheeks and i think i will be loving it even more for A/W 2012. The pigmentation of Fashionista blushes also means that you need very little on the brush, which makes a drugstore product even better value for money in my opinion!! 

So those are the blushes that are currently floating my boat. One or two of these are probably have 'all-time favourite' status, but as i said before, my favourites tend to switch around from season to season and depending on what i want from them at any given time. For now though, these 5 are my dream team.

What are your go-to blushes of the moment?? Which shades can't you live without?? What formulas get you going??