5 Mini Makeup Reviews

There was a time on this blog where I used to post daily, and I was a lot quicker at reviewing the products that I was using and loving. Nowadays life is a bit more hectic, and posting twice a week is about as much as I can manage right now. In the spirit of not leaving anything out, today I thought I'd feature five of the new beauty products I've been using over the last couple of months and I'd talk you through what I liked (or didn't like) about them. I've tried to include a mix of products - because, honestly, given the chance I can rant and rave just about lipstick for hours - and I hope that you enjoy this post and that it's helpful to anyone looking to make some purchasing decisions. 

6 Summer Beauty Essentials

New Goodies from Illamasqua

Finding the Best Summer Lipgloss á la Blair Waldorf

March Beauty Favourites

Spring Makeup: Lipgloss Picks

Spring is close at hand and I've started sharing some of my spring makeup picks - I started by sharing some of my favourite spring blushers and lipsticks, and today I thought I'd walk you through the lipglosses I'll be reaching for! You can probably tell that one of my personal spring beauty trends is going to be a glossy neutral or nude lip. I love teaming bright or bold eyes with a minimal lip, especially with some added shine! 

Illamasqua Sheer Lipgloss in Enchant

I really like Illamasqua's Lipglosses - they have a sweet scent, are quite thick without being sticky and they are really lovely and glossy. Enchant is a really easy to wear shade. It's relatively sheer (unlike Illamasqua's Intense Lipglosses which are almost like liquid lipsticks) but gives just enough colour for rosy lips. I find that it's the perfect product to slick on when I'm wearing heavy eye makeup or a bright blush (like Kevyn Aucoin's Creamy Glow in Liquifuchsia) but when I don't want a totally "neutral" looking lip. If the price puts you off then I'd recommend keeping your eyes peeled for Illamasqua's seasonal sales. I picked Enchant up about 50% off in a sale last summer and there are equally good bargains to be had on other shades too. 

Japonesque Pro Performance Lip Lacquer in Shade 01*

It might be cheating to place Japonesque's Lip Lacquers in a blog post about lipglosses as they're the sort of product that straddles the boundary between lipstick and lipgloss. They have an incredibly creamy and thick texture (that's more hydrating and comfortably to wear than many standard lip glosses) and they offer opaque colour on the lips. Shade 01 is a modern take on a classic warm-toned nude - with it's creamy, opaque formula it makes your lips look incredibly plump and the colour looks just slightly golden. It's going to be an incredible shade on anyone with tanned skin, but coupled with a bit of bronzer I find this incredibly flattering on my skin tone too. I'm really happy to have been introduced to Japonesque's makeup range, they're a recent discovery of mine but they've very quickly made their way into my everyday essentials!

Laura Mercier Lip Glacé in Bare Naked *

If you're looking for a really nude toned neutral lip then you might like Laura Mercier's Bare Naked. It's a relatively new colour to me - I've never been one to opt for the completely "nude" lip look before - but I quite like the finished effect given by a gloss rather than a lipstick. It isn't completely opaque so it doesn't entirely blot out your natural lip colour, it just really tones everything back to give a much more neutral canvas. If you like really smokey, heavy, black or grey smokey eyes then this is the kind of lip colour that is a gorgeous accompaniment. The formula is a little bit more sticky than the other products I'm mentioning in this post, but it isn't too bad - nothing like some of the lip glosses I used to buy when I was a teenager!

RMK Vintage Drop Gloss in Shade 04*

By now you can probably tell that I have a big thing for glossy nude lips. RMK's Vintage Drop Gloss is another gorgeous nude shade, slightly darker than Laura Mercier and much less golden than Japonesque. Another difference is that RMK's Vintage Drop Glosses give you almost icy looking lips - the glossiness is incredible and it isn't even a little bit sticky! This does mean that it requires reapplication, but all the products I've mentioned today are like that. With really glossy, non-sticky, lip products I always find that top-ups are essential. But all the lip glosses I've mentioned today have really sleek, aesthetically pleasing packaging - and RMK's Drop Gloss in 04 is definitely my favourite looks-wise. It's from a collection based on vintage sweets and it's gorgeous multi-coloured swirl is incredibly reminiscent of old fashioned hard-boiled sweets. It even has the rich, sweet scent of Butterscotch which won't be to everyone's tastes but I personally really love the smell. When makeup looks and smells this good it's hard not to want to reach for it everyday, and I must admit that I have already been using this a lot since I got my hands on it!

Are you a lipgloss fan? 

What do you think of the shades I've picked out?

FOTD: Playing With New Makeup #2

As a beauty blogger I get the opportuity to try out quite a lot of new products each month but I'm not a big fan of featurng review and review of individual products. Last month I started a post series that I'm hoping to continue throughout the year where I put together a makeup look featuring some of the new makeup I was most excited about that month. Along with a photo of the finished look, I'll also be sharing a review of each of the new products, sharing my overall thoughts after using them throughout the month. This way I get to talk about lots of new makeup and you can see all the products in action! 

Claudia Louch Natural Skin Clinic Flawless Finish Liquid Face Make Up in Cool Neutral

RRP £52.50*

Claudia Louch Natural Skin Clinic Flawless Finish Liquid Face Makeup offers a medium coverage makeup base that's 94% natural and non-comedogenic. I find that it offers excellent coverage without feeling too heavy on the skin, and it actually still maintains a slightly dewy finish which I find more flattering than a completely matte foundation. The lasting power is also excellent - I can wear this from morning until evening without any problems whatsoever - and on my combination skin it doesn't cling to dry patches or emphasise my oily t-zone. It really is a very good foundation and more than lives up to its high-end pricetag. It's also really nice to see that it doesn't contain harsh chemicals, fragrance or parabens. All in all, it reminds me that sometimes you really do get what you pay for. So if you're after a medium coverage foundation that will wear really well and doesn't contain harmful ingredients, I would definitely check this one out. The shade "Cool Neutral" is definitely more of my summer foundation shade but it works okay on my skin so long as I bronze up (which I did using Nars' Matte Multiple in Altai). 

Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink

RRP £18.00*

I recieved this Gel Eyeliner from Bobbi Brown as part of a giveaway win at the end of 2014 but I've only recently started using it. I expected a lot from this eyeliner as it has almost cult status with so many people - including some of my favourite bloggers. What I found was that it was indeed much better than the gel eyeliners I've tried from Boots and Superdrug before, but it didn't blow other eyeliners I've tried before out of the water. It's a very easy to use product - you dip your brush into the pot and then draw along your lashline. I use a Real Techniques Eyeliner Brush and find that it gives an even colour and application and doesn't smudge once it's dried down. It doesn't give a very harsh looking black line - which is both good and bad. I quite like striking black eyeliner, but I found that Bobbi Brown's Gel Eyeliner is better for a more smudged into the lashes effect. When I did try and make a thicker, bolder line I found that because I have hooded eyelids the product would transfer onto my upper eyelid. Overall, I think it's a good gel eyeliner but for me it isn't a "holy grail" find. I actually prefer using my W7 Liquid Eyeliner Pot which is incredibly affordable and gives me that intense black line I like, with amazing staying power to boot. 

Esteé Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara

RRP £23.00*

At first I was head over heels in love with this mascara as it really does give lashes a serious dose of volume. However, what it doesn't do so well is hold a curl and I find that after I curl my lashes this mascara just doesn't make my eyes look as wide as I would like. In my opinion it's going to be a toss up between whether you like length and lift or whether you want in-your-face volume. I'm definitely going to be reaching for this mascara whenever I want a bolder, heavier looking eye, but on a day-to-day basis I prefer soemthing more fluttery.

Illamasqua Matte Lipstick in Sangers

RRP £18.50

I was so excited to try out another Matte Liptick from Illamasqua as I simply love the one I already own - Magnetism. What I found was that Sangers isn't as matte as Magnetism, which initially I thought was a shame as I assumed that it would affect it's staying power. However, Sangers is a gorgeous red shade and because it isn't totally "retro-matte" it has a creaminess to the formula that makes it a bit easier to apply from the bullet. The colour applies opaque and stays opaque, and I actually don't notice much fading for hours after application, it's a brilliant long-lasting lipstick. I think Sangers is a marriage between Illamasqua's super-matte and satin lipstick finishes, which in my opinion gives it the best of everything! I'd definitely recommend it.

If you enjoyed this post then do check out last month's FOTD. I'd love to know if you've tried any of these makeup products before and if you liked them. And if you have any recommendations about what you'd like me try and review next month then please do leave them in the comments.

You Beauty Discovery Box March

YouBeauty's Discovery Box is a monthly beauty subscription box with a little bit of a twist. First, it has a lower price than most beauty boxes at £6.95. Secondly, you get to choose two products from a list (usually of approximately eight options) and then along with these products you also get a couple of surprise "extras". These extras can really vary, sometimes they're excellent - or really handy, like the extras in March's Box are - and sometimes they're less exciting. However, I love being able to pick the products that I'll receive and very often they have incredible bands and products making appearances. For me, the star of YouBeauty's March Discovery Box is definitely Illamasqua's Sangers Lipstick - but, obviously, if this doesn't excite you then you could have chosen any of the other options. Anyway, I'll just detail the products I chose below (if you want any more information about the products then just click on their names):

Extras

Dove Advanced Hair Series Youthful Vitality Shampoo

RRP 250ml £5.99 - sample value £1.20

Dove Advanced Hair Series Youthful Vitality Conditioner

RRP 250ml £5.99 - sample value £1.20

Nakd Berry Delight

RRP £0.99

My Picks

Vintage Cosmetics Company Eyelash Curlers

RRP £7.00

Illamasqua Matte Lipstick in Sangers

RRP £18.50

YouBeauty's March Discover is still available online so if you'd like to pick up some of these goodies for yourself for just £6.95 then check out their website (link here) and subscribe (and I know from experience that it's easy to unsubscribe if you only want to get this month's box). Let me know if you choose to get one of these boxes for yourself! I think it's excellent value for money.

My Top Sale Picks from Illamasqua

all images taken from www.illamasqua.com

Despite not having tried a very wide range of their products, I can still wholeheartedly say that Illamasqua is one of my favourite makeup brands. Everything I've tried from Illamasqua has always really impressed me and their lipsticks and cream blushes are some of my most reached for beauty products. Illamasqua have amazing seasonal sales where even some of their most loved beauty products get incredible reductions - and not just 10% discounts, you can find discounts of up to 70% with free delivery on all orders. It's incredibly tempting and I've been browsing the website quite a lot in the last couple of weeks so I thought I'd share the products that have gotten me particularly excited.

Illamasqua's Matte Lipsticks in the shades Resist (rose pink) & Growl (rich brown)

available for £9.25 each, reduced from £18.50 - 50% discount

I've shared my thoughts on Illamasqua's Matte Lipsticks before - I own the shade Magnetism. I find it to be incredibly long lasting and the rest of the colour range is really wonderful. Resist looks like it would be a perfect shade for spring/summer, whilst Growl would be a gorgeous vampy option for evening wear. In a dream world I'd own handfuls of these lipsticks as they're just fantastic.

Illamasqua's Multi Facet Palette in Aura 

available for £22.50, reduced from £45.00 - 50% discount

This has been a palette that I've lusted after for some time. It contains a blush, a highlight,  a cool-toned contouring product, an eyebrow powder and four eyeshadows - pretty much everything you need all in one palette. There are two Multi Facet Palettes but Aura looks better for my pale skin, whilst Semblance would be better for warmer skin tones.

Illamasqua's Precision Ink Eyeliner in Glister (opalescent nude)

available for £8.00, reduced from £20 - 60% discount

Illamasqua's Liquid Eyeliners are incredibly long lasting. Once they've set they really don't budge! I already have the shade Scribe, a true white, but Glister looks like a gorgeous colour that I haven't really seen in the drugstore - so at its reduced price of £8.00 I'm seriously tempted to test it out. 

Illamasqua's Cream Blushes in Laid (bright rose pink) & Libido (vibrant red)

available for £10.75 reduced from £21.50 - 50% discount

Illamasqua's Cream Blushes are my favourite - they're just wonderful products and I already own five! Libido is a really great colour, a slightly orange-toned red that gives a very naturally looking flush. Whilst Laid looks like a perfect addition for bright, perky spring-summer makeup looks.

Illamasqua's Cream Pigment in Delirium (rose taupe)

available for £7.00, reduced from £17.50 - 60% discount

I haven't tried any of Illamasqua's Cream Pigments before but Delirium looks really pretty for pale skin tones. It perhaps isn't going to work as a contour shade, but it would make a very subtle spring-summer blush and all the reviews on the website state that it works really well as a lipstick too. This is another product that I'm seriously tempted to buy!

These are my top picks from Illasmaqua's sale. I'd love to know if you've already picked anything up in the sale or if there are any products that I missed off this list that you think I should try out next.

Nude Lipsticks for Winter

Kylie Jenner seemed to single handedly turn the beauty world back on to darker nude lipsticks. I've been a big fan of darker nude lips for a long time and they're a particular favourite of mine in the winter. If you find the right shade then they can be really flattering, and work perfectly coupled with autumnal clothing colours and make-up shades. Swatched above are four of my favourite nude shades, and as you can see they're all quite different.

Illamasqua's Glamore Lipstick in Minx - RRP £16.50

This is the darkest nude shade I own, and you can clearly see that it has a rich, warm, rosy undertone that's quite unlike my other nude lipsticks. This shade would be great for darker skin tones, but I still enjoy wearing it (you can see photos of me wearing it in this post). It can be blended into the lips to create a long lasting dark stain, or worn heavily as a very bold, dark nude. If the shade isn't for you I would still highly recommend the formula, and Illamasqua has a whole range of nude shades designed to suit to a variety of skin tones. I'd love to try more from the range!

Revlon's Matte Lipstick in Mauve it Over - RRP £7.49

This is one of my most longstanding lipstick shades. Despite looking decidedly orange next to Minx, Mauve it Over is a very wearable nude with a matte finish. It's widely heralded as a dupe for Mac's Velvet Teddy Lipstick, but I haven't tried it so I can't really confirm or deny that. It lasts ages on my lips and it's very nude without being too dark and washing me out. It won't be a shade that's to everyone's tastes but I'd definitely recommend swatching it next time you're in a Boots or Superdrug store, you might be surprised at how much you like it. 

Gosh's Lipstick in Nougat (Brown #122) - RRP £6.49

Nougat is a deep brown with just  hint of pink. It's quite dark against my light skin tone and I think it would work well for a lot of different people. The formula is gorgeously creamy, definitely the creamiest drugstore option I've ever come across, and it wears really well. If you're after a drugstore lipstick that feels high end then I'd definitely head for the Gosh counter. If nude lipsticks aren't your cup of tea then I'd definitely check out Gosh's bright lipsticks, they're equally lovely and the formula works well with statement colours. 

Sleek's Sheen Lipstick in Liqueur - RRP £4.99

If you have very pale skin then I think you'll find this lipstick from Sleek the easiest to wear. It's definitely a nude but it has slightly pink undertones and it isn't anywhere near as dark as the other shades in my line up. Sleek's Sheen formula is thick and creamy, but not as good as the formula of Gosh's lipsticks. However, for £4.99 I think you'd be hard pushed to find a better option and if Liqueur isn't the right shade for you then there are some other wonderful colours to choose between - I've featured some before on my blog which you can read about here.

Are you a fan of nude lipstick? If so, what shades do you like wearing?

Makeup Multi-Taskers

My friend Candy inspired this post when she sent me a tweet saying that she'd used tinted lip balm as a blush and I just went "why have I never tried that before". I was sent into a spiral of new ideas of using my makeup and I discovered that almost anything cream based presents delightful opportunities to get creative with makeup. If you saw my post over the weekend about cream blushes then you'll know that enjoying makeup, and having fun with makeup, is something that's on my agenda this month. 

My makeup look above relied on using a whole bunch of products either "unconventionally" or using them as multi-tasking products by applying them in more than one way.

 I began by applying my new Monu Illuminating Primer* as a primer, but once I'd finished my makeup I also used it as a highlighter. It's an absolutely gorgeous, champagne-toned highlighter that wakes up skin like nothing I've tried in years! It reminds me of L'Oreal's Lumi Magique Primer which I used to love, but Monu's primer feels so much more luxurious and hydrating - a lot more like skincare than makeup. And yet it works really well as a highlighter too! You just have to be sure to not use too much, or if you do then you just have to blend, blend, blend. Alternatively, for a more natural look, you could also use a highlighting concealer as a highlighting product. I've tried using L'Oreal's Lumi Magique Concealer in Medium which offers a very natural way to add some radiance to your skin.

I popped on some of my Glo & Ray Mirage Mousse Eyeshadow in Caramel Candy* but I only used it as an eyeliner to give my eyes a bit of definition. It works surprisingly well like that, and the colour really makes my eyes stand out without any of the fuss of eyeshadow. 

On my lips I applied a healthy dose of my Illasmaqua Blush in Crush, which gave me a deep berry coloured lip. The Illamasqua cream blushes work really well on the lips as they have a thin, creamy consistency which means they're not too drying but they also don't slip. Inika's Rosehip Creme Colour* is another gorgeous multi-purpose product that looks gorgeous on both the cheeks and the lips. I'm not wearing it in my photo but it gives a lovely dose of terracotta that's an absolutely pleasure to wear. I'm going to be sharing my full review of this soon including some pictures of me wearing it on my cheeks and lips.

In my photo I'm actually wearing Lanolips Lip Ointment with Colour in Apples* on my cheeks. I dotted a healthy amount onto my cheeks and then blended the product out with my stippling brush. It works well because these lip ointments have a very thick consistency with a sheer dose of colour. Although the finished result was a little bit stickier than normal the colour lasted well on my cheeks and gave a very natural looking flush. Alternatively, I've also tried using a bright lipstick as a blush. My pick was Bourjois' Rouge Edition Lipstick in Fuchsia Graffiti, it's a really bright pink with blue undertones and it sheers out when blended to give the most beautiful colour. If you've never tried this before then I'd definitely recommend it!

Getting Creative With Cream Blushes

I'm always lusting after new shades but sometimes it just isn't affordable to buy new products so it's great when you discover new ways to wear things you already own.  One of the real benefits of cream products is that you can change them up - by mixing two cream products together you can end up with a totally new colour. This week I've been playing around with mixing my cream blush shades to create new and unique colours for my makeup looks. 

I've been using my Real Techniques' Stippling Blush to apply some blush to my hand and then I mix in a second shade with my finger. Once I've fully blended them together with my stippling blush I just apply the cream blush as I normally would. Creating my own new shades has brought a lot of fun back to products that have been in my collection for a long time as it has made them feel new all over again. It's also allowed me to use colours that I don't otherwise own. I've been mixing my RMS Buriti Bronzer with a hint of Stila's Convertible Colour in Lilium to achieve a light brown blush shade that I really love. Another great combination can be made by mixing two of Illamasqua's Cream Blushes, in the shade Libido and Rude. The result is a lighter, more orange toned red that completely enlivens my complexion. 

The best part is that the possibilities are nearly endless! Not only can you experiment with colour but you can also adjust the consistency of your blushes by mixing very creamy or even liquid blush with thicker and stiffer blush to create entirely new textures. I've found it fun, and it's reminded me that although ultimately make-up is about helping us look a certain way it can (and I think should) be an enjoyable and creative process.

My Eyeliner Collection

Pencil eyeliners were among the first beauty products that I ever started buying and I wear them most days. They're easy and quick to use, they come in wonderful colours and they add some much needed definition to my eyes. Pictured above is my entire pencil eyeliner collection and I'm going to talk you through some of my top picks and why I like them. Hopefully this will give you some ideas on which ones might work for you.

Best Value for Money

Essence Stays No Matter What Waterproof Eyeliner in Black

I picked this up a while ago now and it remains one of my favourite pencil eye liners - it's cheap but lasts really well on me. I like to use it to tightline my eyes (I use it on my upper, inner lash line to make my eyelashes appear fuller).

Favourite for Daytime

Rimmel Scandal Eyes Kohl Kajal in Taupe

This is one of the easiest colours to throw on when you're in a hurry. It's matte, long lasting and offers light definition that isn't at all harsh. It's a great alternative to dark liner during the day time. 

Favourite for Evening

Mac Pearlglide Intense Eyeliner in Lord It Up

I think that this is my favourite shade of eyeliner but I do have problems with it smudging and transferring so I tend to reserve it for special occasions. I don't think that the product itself is worth the money but it was my first ever Mac purchase (before I knew better) and the colour won me over.

Longest Lasting

Eye of Horus Eyeliner in Nubian Brown*

Generally speaking, Nubian Brown is my favourite eyeliner to wear because once I've applied it I don't have to give it a second thought. It doesn't smudge, transfer or disappear throughout the day and it's a very wearable matte dark brown. I'd highly recommend it.

Most Worn "Coloured" Liner

Gosh Velvet Touch Eyeliner in Fashionista

Recently, I've been experimenting with some eyeliners that aren't my typical black and brown shades and Fashionista is just such a wearable navy that I've been reaching for it more than some of my more neutral options. It's a great drugstore pencil liner, it's creamy and it lasts very well on me - couldn't ask for more.

Natural Options

Green People Eyeliner in Brown and Inika Organic Eyeliner in Black Caviar

If you're into natural makeup then the two eyeliners in my collection that you might like are from Green People and Inika. I've used a couple of Inika's eyeliners in the past and they're soft without super lasting power, but I do feel more comfortable using it around my eye area than other products. Green People's pencil liner is a very new addition to my collection but I like the mid-tone brown shade and the formula seems very nice so far.

Creamiest Formula

Maybelline Master Drama Khol Liner in Charcoal Grey

This is the creamiest eyeliner I've ever tried. It is like butter - but in a good way. It's easy to apply and blend out into a natural looking smokey eye and then it just sets and doesn't budge. It's a really great drugstore option and I'd definitely recommend the grey shade, it's a lovely alternative to black and brown.

Least Creamy Formula

Illamasqua Medium Pencil in Elate

The "hardest" and least pleasant to use formula is (although I'm sad to say it) from Illamasqua. I was really excited to try their white eyeliner but I just don't find myself reaching for it very much as I don't enjoy applying it. 

Least Favourite Overall

Mac Eye Kohl in Smoulder

For a Mac product I find this eyeliner incredibly disappointing. It smudges left, right and centre and seems to have zero lasting power on me. It does offer an incredibly deep black shade, but I never reach for it anymore. You'd be better off going for one of Rimmel's Scandal Eyes Eyeliners or Inika's Organic Eyeliners. 

Would you like to see any of these used in makeup looks? What are some of your favourite or least favourite eyeliners?

Wearing Red: With a Twist

Wearing red during the Christmas season has become somewhat of a tradition. Over the last couple of weeks I've really noticed the predictable surge in the number of rouged lips and scarlet manicures. Now, I'm not against traditional Christmas colours but I am going to suggest three ways that you could wear red that are all a slight twist on what's "traditional". We have to at least try and keep things interesting!

Textured Top Coats

Bring on the red nail polishes by all means but finish off your manicure with an interesting topcoat. I've been loving Seventeen's Glitter Nail Effects Polish in Red*. It just gives my nails a little something extra that helps them stand out from the crowd.

A Flush of Red

If you want an interesting way to incorporate red into your routine then invest in a red cream blush. All you need is a dot on each cheek, blended out with either your fingers or a stippling brush, and you'll have replicated a natural looking flush of colour. My pick is for this look is Illamasqua's Cream Blush in Libido. 

Blotted Lips

I've seen some very "perfect" looking red lips gracing London's streets lately. Whilst they look mightily stylish, a perfect pout requires quite a lot of time and effort. My preference is for a hint of matte red, blotted into the lips. Apply your lipstick, take off excess product with a piece of tissue and then really rub the remaining lipstick into your lips. The final effect is a stain-like finish that's very easy to wear. For this look I like reaching for Rimmel's Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 101.

My Experience with Illamasqua's Sheer and Intense Lipglosses (Enchant and Frenzy)

I really, really like Illamasqua's products. I started my love affair with their cream blushes, then I ventured into the lipstick territory and now I just can't get enough of their lip glosses. I picked up two shades over the summer, Illamasqua's Sheer Lipgloss in Enchant and Illamasqua's Intense Lipgloss in Frenzy. Both have a similar formula with the most gorgeous sweet scent (it reminds me of gummy-sweets) but the sheer lipglosses are slightly thinner and much, much less opaque. Illamasqua's Intense Lipglosses are so opaque that they remind me of liquid lipsticks and the colour that you see in the tube really will be the colour you get on your lips! I've included lip swatches of both shades below (Enchant, followed by Frenzy).

In my photos you can really see that Enchant is very sheer and only offers a slight tint of colour, whereas Frenzy is much more opaque. By offering both of these kinds of lip glosses Illamasqua allows make-up lovers to pick exactly the type of product that they might want. If you want something very easy to wear then I'd opt for the sheer lip glosses but if you want a super glossy, liquid lipstick look then I'd definitely recommend the opaque glosses. I personally like them both, I find that they're pretty long lasting considering that they aren't sticky and they feel very comfortable to wear. There's also a pretty impressive shade range, I've already sussed out the next shades I'd like to try - Intimacy, a nude pink brown and Belladonna, a deep pink.

Have you tried any of Illamasqua's Lipglosses? Which do you think you would prefer, the sheer or intense lipglosses?

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Illamasqua Glamore Lipstick in Minx (compared to Magnetism)

I finally got my hands on one of Illamasqua's new Glamore Lipsticks in October's YouBeauty subscription box. I received the shade Minx, a dark rosy nude that is a perfect colour for the autumn/winter season. It also helps that I don't have anything like it in my collection so I know that I'll be reaching for it whenever I want a slightly vampy nude (when I apply it heavily) or a more subtle dark nude stain (when I apply it lightly). 

I only own one other Illamasqua lipstick in the shade Magnetism, which I picked up in Illamasqua's summer sale this August. It's a gorgeous purple/berry shade (which the the sort of colour I've been wearing a lot this year) and it has an incredibly matte texture. I've included photos of Magnetism (left) and Minx (right) below so that you can get an idea of their colour and also of their texture.

Magnetism is incredibly matte whereas Minx is much creamier in consistency. Minx doesn't drag when I apply it to my lips which makes it slightly more comfortable to wear and I also find it easier to apply it lightly. It also has very good staying power for something so creamy and when I'm not eating or drinking it lasts for hours without fading. It isn't quite as long lasting as Illamasqua's matte lipsticks but this is to be expected. Magnetism's staying power is really quite incredible and I love to reach for it when I don't want to have to worry about my lip colour. 

All in all, I really like both formulations and I think Illamasqua's shade range is pretty amazing, especially now that they've expanded their collection to include nude shades. Magnetism and Minx might not be to everyone's liking, but if you want very high quality lipsticks that are going to feel great to wear and are going to last a long time then I'd definitely recommend them. I certainly prefer them to my Mac lipsticks and I find the customer service when I shop in Illamasqua stores has always been impeccable.

Have you tried Illamasqua's lipsticks? What do you think of the two shades I own?

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YouBeauty's October Discovery Box

I stumbled across YouBeauty's Discovery box at the very end of September and I promptly signed up for their October beauty box. YouBeauty's Discovery Box is different to other beauty boxes that I've tried before. Each month there is a menu of different products and you get to pick two from the list that you're guaranteed to receive and You Beauty then add a couple of little extras to your box. Coming in at £6.95 including postage I found this system quite affordable and when I saw what the choices were for October's box I was pretty much sold...

The two products I chose from October's beauty menu were a full size Wild About Beauty Eyeshadow and a full size Illamasqua Glamore Lipstick. 

Wild About Beauty is stocked in FeelUnique who price their eyeshadows at £13 and I received a very wearable brown shade called "Eva". The brand Wild About Beauty was co-founded by Louise Redknapp and make-up artist Kim Jacob. The range is paraben free and contain ingredients designed to benefit your skin. Whilst I'm not convinced that their make-up is "good" for skin the product is cruelty free and the shade I received is a very wearable as an everyday colour which is a nice change from some of the beauty boxes I've tried before where I've received lovely products but in completely unwearable shades. I'm definitely going to be giving this eyeshadow a try to see how it performs.

The Illamasqua Glamore Lipstick is priced at £18.50 on Illamasqua's website and I received the shade Minx, which just happens to be one of the shades I've had my eye on for a while now. I don't know what other shades featured in this month's box but Minx is advertised as a dark, rose-hued "nude". After falling in love with Illamaqua's matte lipsticks I'm keen to see how their new Glamore lipsticks compare and I'm planning on doing a comparison post soon. 

The beauty extras I received are really not much to write home about (a collagen drink and a sachet sample of a Cowshed night cream) but I'm really happy to have been able to pick my own products and I think the overall value for money of YouBeauty's Discover Box is incredible. It's also really refreshing to be able to find a beauty box where you can choose to just receive make-up - as someone who likes to regularly try new make-up this really appeals to me! If you're interested in nabbing yourself a box (and remember if these make-up items don't appeal to you there are 6 other products to choose between) then you can still find them online here.

What do you think about this month's YouBeauty Discovery Box?

Expanding My Collection: Illamasqua Cream Blushes (Seduce, Dixie, Rude)

My obsession with Illamasqua's Cream Blushes began last summer when I stumbled into their Carnaby Street store. I'm not usually one to shop for make-up online without having seen products in the flesh. I'm painfully aware of how fussy I am when it comes to high end make-up - if I'm making beauty "investments" I want them to be the sort that pay off. Having not swatched or played with any of Illamasqua's products before I didn't know what to expect. However, when I had the chance to see their 'Seduce' Cream Blush in the flesh I knew I had found something that I needed. Luckily, it was in their summer sale and I picked it up at the reduced price of £10 (they're usually £18). I put a full review up of "Seduce" last summer with a swatch and a make-up look that I did featuring it, so if you want to see it in action you should take a look at that post here. Since then I've been waiting (with baited breath) for another Illamasqua sale so I could justify trying out some more of their Cream Blushes and this month I found two more, "Dixie" and "Rude", at the same £10 discounted price.

"Seduce" has served me pretty well so far. I've found that it offers very intense pigmentation but is incredibly blendable so you can use it to create very subtle flushes of colour as well as being able to build it up into a more dramatic colour. Since I've gotten my hands on "Dixie" and "Rude" I've found that they work similarly well and have the same dreamily creamy consistency as "Seduce". "Dixie" is a different shade of pink - it has a touch of red to it that lends itself to a watermelon-esque shade. Whilst "Rude" leans very orange but when applied to the cheeks creates a beautiful coral flush. They're both very pretty and different enough from "Seduce" to justify me owning all three.

Top to Bottom: Dixie, Rude, Seduce.

I am a big lover of cream blushes and I've tried quite a few now including Stila's Convertible Colours (review here), MaxFactor's Creamy Touch Blush (review coming soon), Catrice's Lip and Cheek Colours (currently not available in the UK) and Bourjois' Cream Blushes. I personally find that Illamasqua's Cream Blushes are my favourite - although I think that Stila's Convertible Colours are a close second. Illamasqua's offerings have the most gorgeous texture, I find them really easy to apply and I love the way they look on my skin. They're definitely worth their £18 price tag, but I can only afford to stock up on them when they're a bit cheaper than that. 

Left to Right: Seduce, Dixie, Rude

All in all, I love the colours I own and I'm sure in a couple of months I'll be looking to try out some more shades. I'd definitely recommend them and with their colour range there will be a colour to suit everyone's tastes. You can find Illamasqua's Cream Blushes on their website here, but the blushers that they put on sale won't appear here so it is worth looking in the sale section on their website. 

Do you like cream blushes? Have you tried any products from Illamasqua? I'd love recommendations for other cream blushes to check out too, I'm always on the hunt for good ones.