Nail Colours of Spring: Pastel Pink

Seems I've picked the darkest, murkiest day of the last fortnight to come up with this post haha. I'm getting in the mood for SPRING just lately and, having painted my nails this morning in a gorgeous, dusky, nude, pastel pink shade I realised that I have several such shades in my collection. Do I really need all of them? My mum thinks I'm bonkers when I declare that I NEED a certain shade of nail polish and then totally reject 5 or 6 shades fitting the description because they're just not 'right'. So I've decided to pull out my Top 5 of the pale pink shades in my collection and have a little swatch-fest.

Here are the shades under scrutiny today (L-R)

OPI 'Steady as She Rose' 

Nails Inc Gel Effect 'Mayfair Lane'*

Essie 'Fiji'

Nails Inc 'George Street'

and

Look Beauty Nail Pop 'Petticoat'

I wouldn't say that any of these shades are the same. A pink nail polish is rarely just a pink nail polish anymore (especially for a beauty blogger). Some are cool, some are warm, some are nude, some are.. you get the point. And a lot of them look completely different on the nails to how they look in the bottle. 

When you look at the shades side by side on the nail wheel it turns out that this is really a collection within a collection. No doubt I will wear all of these at some point over the coming warmer months. All of these shades are really wearable and look amazing with a bit of a tan. Fiji is the palest of the bunch while George Street is the deepest and also the most opaque. Favourites?? It's got to be a toss up between Steady as She Rose and Mayfair Lane but for completely different reasons. I love the grey tones in Steady as She Rose while Mayfair Lane is the perfect peachy pale pink. The Nude Award of the bunch has to go to Petticoat. This polish works on its own and also as a base for pink glitter polishes. So, basically, there is definite justification for me having all of them... HURRAH! 

I think I might stretch this post out into a series as I also covet mint greens and duck egg blues during the Spring/Summer months and none of the shades I have will be going unloved this year. So expect more swatching in posts to come!

What are your top Spring nail colours?? Must you have ALL OF THE PINKS?? Do you have a favourite shade of pink??

Valentine's Day Makeup with Superdry Beauty

There seems to be a LOT of pink going on on this blog of late. Today's post is no exception. I've got my hands on some gorgeous Valentine's Day themed items by Superdry Beauty and, seen as though I haven't shown my face on the blog in a while, I thought I'd put together a Valentine's makeup look to share with you. I've had so much fun playing with all these amazing products. 

Products I used...

Superdry Beauty Powder Blush - Rapture Pink*

Superdry Beauty Professional Lip Paint - Electric Pink*

Superdry Beauty Professional Volumising Mascara - Jet Black*

I also received the cutest makeup bag I've ever seen in my life (Valentine's themed or otherwise) and a great size kabuki-style face brush. I'm such a fan of the Superdry Beauty packaging and the products are really rather good! Back in September I posted about my Bento Beauty Box by Superdry which was every bit as cute and quirky.

I wanted to create a really simple, soft look for Valentine's Day, but also one that is super wearable for the upcoming Spring season. The blush really is perfect for that as it gives a really subtle pink flush to the cheeks. I had to build it up a little on myself as I'm quite medium-skinned but this would be an ideal shade for fair skins. I love the colour.

Croyde Crew Neck Cable Knit* - £44.99 Superdry (Link)

All emphasis with this look was on the lips. Electric Pink really is the star of the show. As a result I kept my eye makeup almost non existent and opted for just the Superdry Volumising Mascara. It's definitely more of a daytime look but all you'd need would be a slick of eyeliner and a dusting of a neutral eyeshadow to take it into the evening. That pink lippy though.... The shade is gorgeous and extremely wearable. The formula is hydrating and really comfortable to wear.

And, finally, I can't not mention this beautiful cable knit. It's the jewel of my Spring wardrobe so far! Perfect for all this in-betweeny weather we've been having. I'm going to absolutely live in it. I've been wearing it with my acid wash Topshop Joni jeans today but can't wait to dress it up with a black skirt, opaques and Chelsea boots.

You can browse the full range of Superdry Beauty Products at superdry.com.
 They have a fantastic range including makeup, nail polish and a range of mirrors and nail tools to go with them. I'm definitely a fan. I have more Superdry Beauty to share with you in the run up to Spring.

Have you discovered Superdry Beauty yet?? What are your favourite products?? Does Valentine's Day make you think pink??

Monday Manicure #3

Good evening my lovelies!!

This was almost a Tuesday Manicure! A little late on in the day for me to be blogging but i really wanted to do something with a Valentines theme again this year (last year it was girly, pink lipgloss) and this year i wanted to incorperate it as a theme for this week's Monday Manicure!! I'll be honest and admit that i consider the whole concept of Valentines Day to be a load of marketing BULLHONKEY, but i'm never one to resist a themed post and i've been enjoying dreaming up themes for my Monday Manis and couldn't let this one pass me by!! Plus it's an excuse to get all pink, girly and romantic (even though, instead of the man of my dreams, i'll be curling up with two ferrets this Valentines.... Face look bothered though???)

So here are the polishes....

Look Beauty Nail Pops in Bling and Petticoat

(The OCD in me is SCREAMING out about the smear on the cap in this photo, but it wouldn't shift)

I picked these polishes up as part of my cheeky little Look Beauty haul in January (see the full extent of the booty i snagged in my haul post HERE) and this is the debut outing for both of them. I did buy them with the intention of using them together somehow and they seemed very appropriate to the theme this week so i decided to go for it! I got the idea into my head that i wanted to try a kind of glitter gradient effect but, please keep in mind, that i was on a moving train when i did these and didn't have all the tools one would usually associate with doing a gradient effect. However, being a Virgo, i improvised...

(In artificial light)

This manicure consists of.....

2 layers of OPI Nail Envy

2 coats of Petticoat

A single coat of Bling

Finished with lashings of Seche Vite

For the (supposed) gradient glitter effect, in the absence of any type of sponge, i started by making sure that i'd wiped almost ALL of the polish off the brush to the point that it was almost a dry brush and started brushing from the middle of each nail, out towards the tip, adding more wherever i thought it needed it. I did also dab some extra glitter onto the very tips of the nails to ensure that the ends were more opaque and emphasise the fade between polishes. It's definitely not as effective as ombre/gradient nails done the proper way, but for a fast fix option i don't think it looks too bad at all!! I'm by no means an expert at nail art and do NOT have a steady hand when it comes to fiddly stuff, but i'm learning to experiment and am getting more creative lately!

(In natural light)

Petticoat is such a pretty pale, dusky pink nude. Reminds me of ballerina slippers, especially when teamed with the glitter! It isn't wishy washy like similar shades from other brands that i've tried and was lovely and opaque after two coats. 

Bling is reminiscent of it's ruby red cousin, Dorothy (see Monday Mani #1 HERE), only the glitters are ever so slightly bigger and are the most beautiful yet subtle pink colour. It gives a lovely sparkle without being too garish or over the top (i'm still coming around to glitter in things but my interest in glitter nails is mounting). As with Dorothy, if you're using this polish on its own, two coats is sufficient but you may want to use three depending on how much Bling you fancy. 

So that's about as much warm, fuzzy and romantic as you'll get out of me. I'll be going to bed on the 14th with a pack of choccy biccies, my electric blanket and my two fur-babies. 

Have you tried anything different with your nails recently?? What colours get you in the mood for romance?? Have you fallen head over heels for Look Beauty??

Late Night Lippy Lovin': Loreal Color Riche, Electric Fuchsia

Good evening again beauty seekers!!

ANOTHER late night lippy swatching extravaganza for you tonight. This time in the form of Loreal Color Riche lipstick in shade 402 - Electric Fuchsia. I was very kindly given this lipstick by the lovely Yu as she hadn't got along very well with it and thought it might be up my alley. So i gave it a bash and i thought i'd share my thoughts on it as you don't, generally, see an awful lot of Loreal on this blog.

This lipstick is VERY attractive in the bullet. On first impressions you could think it was a dupe of MAC Girl About Town (which i STILL do not own). Sadly, it's not, but it's not without its redeeming features!! In fact, i've had ups AND downs with this lippy.

The thing i noticed first when i put this on is the SMELL!! It smells bloody AWFUL!! Like old lady perfume and pot pourri!! Blehhhh.... However, it feels nice and moisturising on the lips which means it's a pleasure to wear and doesn't feel drying which makes up for it. 

The biggest surprise i got with this lipstick is how SHEER it is! In a way this is a blessing, but it also disappointed me slightly, as the colour in the bullet really is stunning. This swatch was built up a bit for the sake of this photo, as is the lip swatch below. The sheer nature of the product would most likely appeal to those who are a little shy of brights, but still want to experiment with a wash of colour. Alternatively, if you're a BIG fan of bright but want something more toned down for work/daytime wear, then this could be the fuchsia lippy for you!

After weighing it up... I DO like this lipstick. It definitely has a place in my collection, but the heavy scent of the product really does put me off it. If you don't mind scented lipsticks, then great, but if you're not a fan i'd steer clear. 

Have you tried any Loreal lip products lately? What did you think? Are there more vibrant shades in the range? Is it worth me investigating?

Butter Me Up Baby!!!

Afternoon lovelies!!

How crap am i lately?! Been just over a week AGAIN since i've posted. So much going on i've hardly had a minute to pick up my camera or laptop! I can't believe that i have had these little beauties exactly a week and am only JUST writing the blog post!! Especially as i was so excited about them!

They are, of course, the Revlon Colourburst Lip Butters.....

(DISCLAIMER: Please don't hate me for my hairy lips in this post..... just another thing i haven't had time to deal with this week lol)

I have to say that these have been a total BALL ACHE to source. Living in the middle of nowhere like i do i didn't hold out much hope searching round all my nearest (relatively small) Boots and Superdrug. Half of them don't even carry Revlon products! I finally bit the bullet and clicked onto Boots.com and got them on a 3 for 2 deal. 

These products are a nifty little hybrid between a lipstick and a lip balm. They contain mango, shea and coconut butters to provide maximum moisture as well as a sheer/medium pop of colour (this coverage seems to depend on which shades you purchase). I was very restrained and stuck with the 3 i am posting about today. To be honest i find them a little overpriced at £7.99 a piece so will probably not be tempted to buy more. I only have 3 because of the Boots offer. 

Here are the shades i picked up....

Cupcake

This was the first ever shade of Lip Butter i ever glanced at. As you know i am a MASSIVE fan of Slave2beauty on Instagram and always want EVERYTHING she photographs and this was one of those things. It is a gorgeous girlie pink which is a LOT more wearable than it looks, thanks to the sheer nature of the formula. I did worry that it would result in the 'corpse' effect on me, as i am quite warm skinned and this is a cool pink, but I'm really liking it and can see myself reaching for this a lot over the warmer months for day or night.

On my lips i personally find this shade quite similar to MAC Hue, but with Cremesheen kind of finish (if that makes sense to you??). It's much more opaque than Hue but not too much that it whites out the lips. I have to say that it looks a lot bluer in the bullet than it does on the lips, which i am kinda thankful for! 

Creme Brulee

As we all should know by now i am a sucker for a nude (lippy) and there was no way i wasn't going to pick this one up after i saw lip swatches. I just WANTED it! Its just a lovely creamy shade which, to me, doesn't seem to lean either warm or cool. Extremely wearable for those days where you want to wear a lippy but don't want it to LOOK like you're wearing one (if you get my drift). 

On the lips this gives off a gorgeous creamy sheen, but isn't at all 'in your face'. On paler skintones than mine (I'm an NC30) this may give more of a colour payoff but i love it for what it is. Totally natural but giving a hint of moisture and gloss. 

Lollipop

This is such a fun shade!! This is another one i've spotted on Instagram over the last few weeks and, being a pink freak, i just had to get it! I adore it because it is an intense, fuchsia pink, but is so much more wearable than other comparable shades due to the finish. I know i keep going on about the finish but I'm a HUGE fan of a Cremesheen finish in MAC and i find these so similar. With this particular shade it means that it is still a striking colour, but not too SHOCKING on the lips. 

This really is a beautiful colour. Everyone i have heard of who has it seems to love it. Even if you're unsure of bright pink lipsticks i'd say you should still buy it. It may change your mind! 

I'm so pleased with the colours i picked. They're perfect for what i like and i really love the formula. In terms of longevity they're not going to last as long as a regular lipstick due to the balmy nature of the product but i still managed a good 2 hours out of them before i felt like i needed to touch up. 

From what i gather, opinion changes on these lipsticks throughout the shade range. It appears that some shades are more hit/miss than others and i guess you would have to actually go instore and swatch you head off to really seperate the wheat from the chaff...

But i would totally recommend these shades. They are available for around £7.99 from Boots.com and larger Boots stores. I'm unsure on Superdrug at this point in time but i'm pretty sure most Revlon stockists will have them eventually. Methinks Revlon need to get their butts in gear and get them out there a bit more!

What are your Must-Have Lip Butter shades?? Do you love the lipstick/balm combo?? 

My Everyday Pinks

It's a late one from me tonight girls....

I'm doing this as TOMORROW'S post as i really need to knuckle down to some uni assignments tomorrow and want to remove all temptation to blog. This is a post i did the photos for a couple of weeks ago but then got so distracted by my new MAC lipsticks i never got round to posting it! Didn't want too much lipstick overload. 

This post is dedicated to my everyday/nude pink lipsticks. I know everyone has their own idea of what nude is but I'm categorising it as my most wearable shades of pink.

So i have 5 different variations on my idea of nude pink. Some drugstore and some MAC. Thought i'd take the opportunity to swatch them all seen as i've recently aquired a new one and there are so many people out there who seem to be on the hunt for that perfect pink for every day!! 

 Maybelling Moisture Extreme - 'Pinky Beige'

This is the newest edition to the stash and one that i had been searching high and low for (for the full story see my February Favourites post). This is actually the darkest toned of all of these lipsticks, although it appears darker to swatch than it appears once applied to the lips. In fact, in the bullet it looks rather brown.  I suppose the name says it all when it comes to describing the colour. I'd actually say it's quite cool toned, despite being beige, although not so much that it clashes with my warm skin tone. The formula is super moisturising and i am really enjoying wearing it... A LOT!!

 Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate Moss - 03

I'd describe this lipstick as a slightly warmer, less pink version of the Maybelline lipstick. If you like that one then i can guarantee you will like this one (and vice versa) and i'd say they are different enough to justify having both. The formula, in my opinion, isn't quite as long lasting as its name would suggest but, for a drugstore lipstick you get a decent 2 hours wear out of it before any touch ups are needed. 

Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick - Rosewood Pearl

This is probably my least favourite of the bunch. The reason is because it is a pearly kind of finish (kind of like a Frost finish) and reminds me of old lady lips. The colour is nice enough. It's cooler than most of the other lipsticks featured in this post. It also lasts quite well. But it's never going to be my go to lipstick. Sorry Maybelline. If you like a frost finish then maybe this is one to go on your 'to-swatch' list next time you're in Boots. 

 MAC Glaze Lipstick - Hue

This is probably my favourite (and most used, judging by the photo of the lipsticks in the bullet) of all these lipsticks and one i reach for the most often. This has changed slightly since i got Pinky Beige, but i absolutely adore this colour for everyday wear. It is the palest out of all the shades, but it is a Glaze finish so doesn't white out my lips. I did build it up a little bit for the sake of this lip swatch but a quick swish of this is just PERFECT for every day wear. 

MAC Cremesheen Lipstick - Creme Cup

I suppose this ISN'T really a nude pink as such, but i find it such a wearable shade that, when i'm feeling slightly more girly, i find myself reaching for this even if i'm just popping into uni. It's a blue based pink but i don't think i've seen anybody that this shade doesn't suit. The Cremesheen finish is probably my favourite of all the MAC finishes so i'm more than happy with this lipstick and it has become one of my most loved MAC lipsticks. AND it's perfect for Spring so it's a winner in my opinion. 

(L-R) Creme Cup, Rosewood Pearl, Pinky Beige, Hue, Kate Moss 03

So thats a little trip through my nude pink lipstick selection. A lot of the shades are very similar, yet subtly different at the same time. If i was pushed, i think i'd say that first place would go to either Maybelline Pinky Beige or MAC Hue, but i love all these lip colours for different reasons (except maybe Rosewood Pearl, but thats just about the finish rather than the colour). 

Just to make you giggle, i've added this second swatch photo to show you all what i have to put up with in the name of blogging.....

Pedro decided to jump up on the ledge and start washing my arm HAHA!! Total ferret blog takeover!! 

So what are YOUR go-to everyday pink lipsticks?? Are you a lover of nudes like i am?? (That sounded so wrong) hehe.

MAC Viva Glam Nicki Minaj

Afternoon gorgeous readers!!

This is 2 for 2 on the pink MAC lippy posts for me. I had wondered if i should keep this post for another day and do something different but, of course, i'm just TOO excited about it and it's far too special not to be shouted about straight away. There was no way i was going to put it in the 'blog later' drawer and not play with it! So here's what's got me all excited.....

MAC Viva Glam Nicki!!

I got a lovely surprise email last Wednesday from MAC inviting me to order their new Viva Glam Nicki Minaj collaboration lipstick BEFORE the official UK release. Well, of course i whipped out the Mastercard straight away and off i went.... Being skint wasn't going to stop me!! Bit naughty of me really after my 2 Shop MAC purchases but this lippy really shouted out at me. 

(Photo taken from MAC)

This new Viva Glam release is with both Nicki Minaj AND Ricky Martin, who has put his name to the new MAC lip conditioner. As you're probably aware, every penny of the sales of these products goes directly to the MAC Aids Foundation to help men, women and children all over the world who are fighting HIV and Aids, so in my opinion it's money well spent. A donation to charity with a MAJOR bonus. See and hear what Nicki and Ricky think of the project on the MAC Cosmetics YouTube Channel 

But what do I think about it?!?! 

This lipstick jumped out at me straight away the first time i saw it. The main reason being that it is a YELLOW based shade of bright pink. Most of the bright pink lipsticks i own (MAC included) have been blue-based and, as a warmer toned lady, sometimes i think blue pinks wash me out a little (with the exception of MAC Naughty Sautee which i ADORE - See previous post) so a yellowy pink was just a MUST for my collection. 

Viva Glam Nicki is a Satin finish which, in all honesty, is probably my LEAST favourite of the MAC finishes as i find it dry on my lips (i might add that it is not as drying as other formulas from other brands, but for MAC i find this the most drying of all the formulas). Having said that it has decent longevity, so i guess it's swings and roundabouts....

The colour really is gorgeous. A few people said they weren't wowed by the photos and swatches of this lipstick but i personally think it's VERY different to a lot of pink shades out there. Most of the pinks i've seen described as WARM have been peachy pink shades, which i also love, but this is definitely a pure, yellow-toned pink. I guess it could be put in the pepto-bismol category along with Naughty Saute, but this doesn't wash me out at all and is such a pretty shade! I'm so glad i have it!

So there you have it!! 

I'm unsure of the official launch date for this but i think i can safely say it will be in March. It will be available in MAC Stores and Concessions and at maccosmetics.co.uk for a whole YEAR after its release so there's plenty of time to get your hands on it! 

Did you manage to bag one already?? What do you think of the Viva Glam/MAC Aids Fund projects?? Or do you just ADORE pink lippy like i do??

STOP PRESS!!! Shop MAC....

Afternoon my gorgeous followers!!

Today is a GOOD day in the world of BBB. I received a little parcel earlier that has made my lipstick YEAR so far!! I made a cheeky little order from the Selfridges website over the weekend. As a few of you may know, the Shop MAC, Cook MAC collection is not officially released in the UK until next Thursday BUT Selfridges have had it exclusively on sale for a little while and i just HAD to order the shades i wanted BEFORE the big rush! I've only gone for lippy this time but OMG!!!

MAJOR Lipstick Porn!!!

The shades i went for were Naughty Saute and Quick Sizzle. I really did get a little giddy while i was unwrapping these!! I woke up this morning with a STINKING cold, but BOY did i find my second wind when these turned up! 

I've gone to town a bit on the photos for this post, purely because these lipsticks are so PRETTY!! I will take you through them one at a time.

DISCLAIMER: I really am feeling rough as a bag of spanners so please excuse how PALE and BAGGY i look in the photos haha. 

Naughty Saute (Bright Pepto-Pink)

Naughty Saute (Cremesheen) was the first thing that caught my eye when i stumbled across this collection. It really is the colour of Pepto-Bismol haha. It is a blue-based pink which kinda scared me a bit to start with because i REALLY did not get on with Saint Germain when i had that. However, i am DELIGHTED to report that this appears much warmer on than SG and is nowhere near as pale. The Cremesheen finish is possibly my favourite out of all the MAC finishes and, although Naughty Saute does drag a little during application, i find it practically PERFECT in all other respects. 

Looking at the lip swatch, it appears a LOT cooler in tone than it really is and the full face photo is probably a more accurate indicator (maybe the dodgy lighting in my flat - it's murky and rainy outside). I really am soooo PLEASED with this lipstick!! I've been going a bit nuts for pink lipsticks recently but i think i may have found my ultimate pink crush in Naughty Saute!!

Quick Sizzle (Bright Pink)

I have been umming and ahh-ing for what seems like AGES as to whether i want Girl About Town or Impassioned (not worth me having both, before you say anything, I don't have that many places to wear them out to) but when i saw this BRIGHT blue-based fuchsia, it seemed like the ULTIMATE cross between the two so i snapped it up. Quick Sizzle (Matte) is the first matte finish lipstick i have owned from MAC and, i have to say that they have got the formula pretty damn perfect! I find a lot of matte lipsticks VERY drying on my lips but this is a pleasure to wear!! It also seems like it will be SUPER long lasting. In fact, it did stain my lips a little. Maybe a softly, softly approach is needed rather than just whacking it on straight from the bullet. HA!!

Oh god, i really do look rough don't i!! Like my skin is about to start falling off haha. No amount of bronzer apparently can save me but thank the LORD for Quick Sizzle haha. Oh well. 

This really is a GORGEOUS pink and makes my green eyes REALLY pop out. I could sit and look at it for hours! I'm not sure how often i will get to wear it, but i'm going to give it a damn good go over the warmer months! This is lipstick lust in it's purest form, ladies!!

Here are the swatches for both....

So those were my must-buys from the Shop MAC collection. There are several other lipsticks in the collection which you can find and perv over on Temptalia amongst other places. 'Watch Me Sizzle' is shaping up to be the one to snap up QUICK with these two not far behind. 

Next up..... VIVA GLAM!!!

Are you excited for the Shop MAC collection?? Did you already snap up your favourite items?? What's your ULTIMATE pink lipstick crush??