My Small Mac Eyeshadow Collection

- Vicki 30 Comments

I’m not one of those people that needs to buy the latest Mac Collection & don’t often go to their counter, I tend to save my Mac purchases for the airport (not that often) and buy them duty free. The Few Mac eyeshadows I have I love & wear them all often. There is a common neutral theme, but I don’t wear bright shadows, so it makes more sense for me to invest in colours I will reach for time and time again. I do like the quality of Mac shadows and with a Primer I find they last all day, but they’re not the best quality I have ever tried. So I’m not in a huge rush to own every colour they have, although I do want Cranberry & Mulch.

Mac Eeyeshadows

Mac Makeup

I have 8 Mac Shadows, I did have Nylon but just didn’t use it enough, so I passed it on to a friend. The colours I have are,

A Wish Come True 3g – (Ltd edition)  This is from the Tartan Tale Colour Collection. This isn’t heavily pigmented, but it’s a very pretty pink shade with a frost finish. I use it mostly in the inner corner of my eye, it’s brightening and is pretty when the light hits & picks up the subtle silver frost finish.

Amber Lights 1.5g – Oh how I love this shade, It’s a shade I always recommend to friends. It’s a lovely buttery shadow with great pigmentation. You can use it lightly all over the lid for a really nice light copper tone, or build it up to give an intense deep orange / copper colour. This is another frost finish, it has a gorgeous metallic look to it. It’s well-loved in my collection.

Sweet Heat Extra Dimension Eyeshadow 2g – (Ltd edition) This gives such an intense almost wet look on the eyelids, it is a brown/bronze/taupe colour with a gorgeous metallic finish. This feels like silk and applies so easily with very little blending needed. It’s one of the prettiest eyeshadows I own.

Woodwinked 1.5g – This is my most worn shadow & I simply adore it. Mac describe it as a ‘warm antique gold’ shade. I find this colour easy to wear. It’s easy to blend & often I wear it on it own all over the lid. It’s my lazy day eye look, which still looks put together. If you don’t already have this shade you should invest as it’s just gorgeous.

Mac Beluga 1.5g – I was lucky enough to win this at Christmas in an Xmas giveaway. So it is a little out of my comfort zone in terms of colour (as you can see by my neutral colour addiction). Mac describe Beluga as a ‘dark charcoal with multidimensional pearl’ (with a Veluxe finish), I think in some lights it looks like they have a green undertone and a gold shimmer. It’s very pretty & perfect for a smokey eye. I need to work with it a little more as my smokey eye can often look like I have been punched or just applied far too much makeup.

Satin Taupe 1.5g – This is a staple in my makeup bag as It’s a great all over the lid shade, or it can be worn with so many other shades. It’s such a versatile colour. It doesn’t look like much in the pot, but on the lid the slight silver shimmer gives it a very pretty finish and it’s such a wearable neutral shade. I think this is a must-have shade for any beauty lover. This is a frost finish

Bisque 1.5g- This is the shadow I wear when I’m wearing very little makeup, as it’s a very light beige shade that evens out the colour on my eyelids without it looking like you’re wearing any eyeshadow at all. It’s much loved in my collection, even though it looks like quite a boring shade in the pan. It’s the ultimate neutral and has a matte finish. Not one I’d urge you to run out and buy, but I am glad I have it in my collection. It’s good as a transition colour too. I think Mac have now discontinued this shade (sad face)

Naked Lunch 1.5g – This is such an easy-to-wear colour, it gives your eyes a brightness and looks so pretty. It’s a light peachy pink with a frosted finish. It also makes a nice inner corner highlight shade as the champagne sheen isn’t too glitzy, one thing to note it that It doesn’t wear long on me without a primer. That being said, it’s a popular colour in my collection.

Mac Eyeshadows

Top – botton – Sweet Heat // Amber Lights // Woodwinked

Mac

L-R – Woodwinked // Amber Lights // Sweet Heat

Mac Eyeshadows are generally £12.50 

What are your favourite Mac shadows, are there any in your collection you’d recommend?

Mavala Techni Color Collection

- Vicki 14 Comments

I’m quite a creature of habit when it comes to my makeup. I reach for the same neutral colours and really play it quite safe, but when it comes to my nail polish thats where I like to be more bold & wear bold bright colours. Summer is the perfect season to go bright and Mavala have released their gorgeous vibrant 6 piece Techni Color Collection*. These 6 shades are a great way of introducing a little glitzy colour in to your Summer routine.

Nail Polish

There is something for everyone in this collection, from black to the bright yellow this 6 polish collection has a good selection of colours. I think this is a good day to night collection. Ideal for holidays and giving a finishing touch to those Summer outfits. I am drawn to the darker shades like the black & that gorgeous Cobolt Blue but the brighter shades in this collection are pretty too. I’ve heard from my more fashionable friends that this season is all about the white manicure, so I may well be on trend for the first time ever!

Black Night – a deep jet black colour with tiny green flecks, they don’t always show up but in certain lights they look really pretty and just give this shade a little something special. Not the most Summery shade but this would be a good option if you weren’t feeling the brights one day. I needed 2 coats of this polish for it to look opaque.

Cobalt Blue – this is the only one of the 6 shades thats doesn’t have some form of shimmer. It is a straight up beautiful bold bright summery blue shade. I love it and have been wearing it on my toes. Its such a fun feel good shade and it looks great. This shade has a really nice cream finish. This was opaque with 2 coats.

Cyber Yellow – this isn’t your average yellow polish as it has a green undertone to it, its a very bold colour. I find it hard to wear yellow as I’m very pale, I think its a shade that looks better with a tan. This could be a good holiday polish. I did find that out of the 6 colours this was the hardest to apply as it was quite streaky and needed a good 3 coats. Let me know if yellow is a colour you can pull off & if so how do you make it work?

Orange Fusion – this looks red in some lights and more orange in others. Its a colour that screams Summer and I think it looks really pretty on the nails. It has a hint of shimmer running through & a glossy sheen finish. One for long warm summer days. Its my second favourite out of the bunch. 2 coats are opaque but a little streaky so if you have time I would apply 3 to make sure the colour really pops

Arty Pink – I’d say this is the easiest colour to wear, its a sweet girly pink and perfect for any Summer occasion. It is a pop of colour that isn’t too bold or loud and the pretty sheen finish makes your manicure look professional. 2 coats are opaque.

Antarctic – this is an ice white polish with a pretty iridescent finish, its cool and bold. My more fashion forward friend tells me white manicures are ‘in’ this year. SO for once in my life I am going to be on trend. If you’re good at doing your nails and can apply the polish neatly you will get away with this white shade. It needs to look sharp and clean for you to pull it off, a messy white manicure is a no no. I am going to practise and master the art of applying this shade because it is so pretty and I want to wear it all summer long. This frosty white will take 3 coats to look opaque so take your time. Its also the perfect base if you like to be more adventurous and do a little nail art.

Bright Summer Nail Polish

This is a collection that encourages bold, standout nails so its time to ditch the more muted tones and go bright (I hope the weather catches up). I have said it before and I will say it again I love the size of Mavala bottles, they’re just the perfect size at 5ml. The brush is quite long and not too wide, they pick up a good amount of polish and are easy to work with. The formula of this collection is quite runny but the pigmentation is great & most of the colours are opaque in 2 coats.

The stand out shades for me from this collection are Cobalt Blue, Orange Fushion and Antarctic these 3 will be getting a lot of use this summer. These three are very vibrant and are all very different so I get a new look with each polish.

Mavala Nail Polish are free from parabens, formaldehydes, camphor, cellophane, animal ingredients and heavy metal. So all non toxic.

Bright Summer Nail Polishes

This Techni Color Colloection was released on 14th February 2014 and is available in John Lewis, Mavala website and larger Boots stores also from May Mavala are also available in Harvey Nichols Beauty Bazaar Liverpool at £4.75 each

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

Starting To Get Organised #1

- Vicki 14 Comments

Acrylic Muji Drawers

I’ve had my MUJI Storage for a little over a month now and I’ve still not organised them exactly how I want them, but I thought I would show you one of my most used drawers. I will say I do really like my MUJI drawers & where I’m currently living I don’t have as much space as I used to so its nice to have my most used products more to hand & these drawers look nice but the 5 drawer one I have isn’t very deep so bare that in mine, only slim products fit in.

Now on to what’s in the drawer,

Makeup in my MUJI drawers

This is my most used bronzers & highlighters (at the moment).  This drawer fits these in really nicely and being able to see them all laid out makes me want to use them all the more.

Top row

Topshop Sunbeam – This is a gold highlight and I think its nice for evening as it is more on the glitzy side. It has great colour pay off & a little goes a long way with this. I like to apply it to my cheekbones & it gives a pretty sheen to the cheeks. If you’re lucky enough to have a tan this highlighter really compliments it. As always Topshop packaging is very pretty, but there is no mirror in this which is often a pain. There is no way I will ever hit pan on this as you get so much product. Full review here. I have tried to find it online & I don’t think its sold anymore

pur Contour/Highlight Powder Duo in Uncover – I love that this is a matte bronzer and isn’t muddy or orange in colour. Its a great contour shade and is easy to blend and work with. The highlighter is a very subtle pretty pink shade and just lifts the face and makes you look flushed. The packaging is nice and sleek and it has a really big mirror in which is so handy. I like to pop this in my handbag for makeup touch ups on the go.

Mac MSF Natural in the shade Medium – I’ve hit pan on this baby and its lasted me almost 2 years of nearly daily usages. Its a great powder for smoothing out my skin and giving it natural glow thats not powdery at all. I don’t use it all over, I tend to sweep it over the centre of my face focusing mostly on my forehead. I love it & will repurchase a new one before this runs out. It just gives my skin a luminosity without looking glittery or too made up. Best £22 I’ve ever spent

Makeup

Bottom Row

Soap & Glory Glow All Out – This is my least reached for product out of the 6. It is a very pretty face powder & it gives your skin a beautiful glow. I need to use it a little more to get it to work for me. I find it sits in my fine lines. I have put it in my drawer so I remember to use it more. If you have a way this works for you let me know as its too gorgeous not to use.

Soap & Glory Solar Powder – This is my daily bronzer right now, I can’t get enough of this. In the pan it doesn’t look like much but once on the skin its just beautiful. I mix the two shades together to give a subtle sun kissed effect. I sweep it over the tip of my forehead & down on to my cheeks. This isn’t going to give you a deep colour its more for paler skin tones. It just adds such a warm glow to the skin and makes me look healthy. I don’t feel right applying my makeup & not using it.

Mac MSF Soft & Gentle – Now I have to be careful not to go OTT on this. It is a bronze highlighter and it gives the most stunning iridescent glow. I like to wear this when I’m wearing a little more makeup than my day to day simple look. It just adds so much radiance to my face & when I do wear it I fall in love with it all over again. I find this also wears a really long time on my skin no touch ups necessary So glad I have this in my collection.

Let me know what your favourite bronzer / highlighters are or if you’ve been reaching for any of the ones I’ve talked about.

My Introduction to Decleor Skincare

- Vicki 4 Comments
deleormask

Decleor Skincare

Decleor Prolagene Lift Collection

I have been trying out this Decleor Lift & Fill Wrinkle Mask* from their Prolagene range, it’s a mask more suitable to Mature Skin or for those of us that are seeing more lines and wrinkles appearing. It is for specifically targeting deep facial wrinkles, firming those areas and making them appear plumper.

This Prolagene Lift range is based on three active ingredients,

Iris Essential Oil  (boosts skins elasticity // L-PROLINE Complex (amino acid for lifting and reshaping) // Hyaluronic Acids (plumping)

Together these drip feed a blend of highly concentrated active ingredients offering immediate hydration and instantly smoother skin. Along with the instant effects, this also has long-lasting effects due to the Lifting Filler that combined with the L-PROLINE Complex encourages intercellular communication to plump up wrinkles.

Decleor Skincare

 

This has a gel-cream formula that is absorbed quickly into the skin & is suitable for all skin types, my skin is generally quite Oily but is also dehydrated around my eyes. I used this as directed twice a week as a targeted wrinkle treatment. I have quite a deep wrinkle around my eyes and around my mouth. I applied a ten pence piece sized amount to those specific areas, I left it for 10 minutes then I massaged what product hadn’t been absorbed into those areas. I like to use this after cleansing and before bed. I see the best results that way.

I think another plus of this mask is the fact you don’t need to wash it off, its fuss-free. You just rub the extra product into your skin. So it is easy to use where-ever you are and if you’re pushed for time.

In terms of results, it was quite remarkable as when I woke from using this the second time the wrinkles around my mouth were visibly reduced and not only that the area looked plump and very smooth, even my husband commented on how plump that area looked. I was very impressed with the results. Going forward and after having used this mask for 7 weeks, I think the results are undeniably good. My skin is looking smoother and my deep set wrinkles have been visibly reduced. My mum who is 56 (hello Linda) was right on this & she bought herself a tube after hearing me going on about it. I can see it visibly reducing her deep-set wrinkles and I’d say her skin is looking plump too.

Decleor

The packaging is nice and user-friendly, it has a handy pump that dispenses just enough product without being messy or wasteful. The product is lightweight and highly absorbent so no greasy feeling here, but your skin still feels the benefits of it being extremely hydrating. You get 30ml of product and as it is a targeted treatment you barely use any product, I have a feeling this is going to last me at least a year.

So if you’re in your late 30’s + and are looking for a mask that delivers targeted results on not only the first signs of ageing but also deep set wrinkles then I urge you to give this Decleor Prolagene Lift Mask a try. I don’t think I have ever used an at-home mask that’s delivered such reducing and plumping effects. Excuse me whilst I invest in the whole range.

This mask contains no mineral oil and is fragrance-free.

Decleor Prolagene Lift: Lift & Fill Wrinkle Mask* 30ml for £32.00