Bourjois Parisian Summer

The Irish Summer has pretty much been (for about five minutes) and gone already which is why there has been a complete lack of Summer inspired posts on the blog. However I'll be going on my holidays to France in a few days so I'll finally get to wear my Summer wardrobe and use the Summer make up products that I had been waiting to use for the past few months.

I attended the Bourjois Summer press event at the beginning of the season and we were treated to a preview of the gorgeous Parisian Summer collection.

Sunlight Elixir, BB Bronzing Cream, Mat Illusion Bronzing Power, Sun Illusion

The Sunlight Elixir is a tinted sparkly dry body oil. It has the same wonderful Summery scent as the rest of the collection and comes in a glass bottle which is less travel friendly than the BB Cream. I've mainly been using this on my arms, décolletage and legs for a very subtle glow and a soft sheen to my skin. It also has SPF 15 making it ideal for those days when you want to look slightly more healthy very fast and still have some sun protection. I have to be honest I'll probably only wear this on really sunny days or when I'm on holidays because it's too much for everyday use. At €16.99 it's not cheap but it should last you for next Summer too.




The weather was so bad this year that I think everyone has had to fake their Summer glow. This is where the BB Bronzing Cream came in for me. I don't like to sit out in the sun unless I'm wearing very high sun protection so the only colour I really get on my face is some enhanced freckles. This BB Cream is one of my favourite products from the collection, I prefer to wear it beneath my foundation as a sort of bronzing primer (unfortunately the Sun Illusion, pictured below was the wrong shade for me). Worn alone it's slightly too dark for me, but I intend on bringing it on holiday with me to wear instead of foundation.

The Bronzing Cream claims to have eight benefits in one product, those include: a golden glow effect, an even skin tone, radiance, 24-hour hydration, tan enhancement, a fresh effect, SPF 15 and high resistance. I can't speak for some of these as I had no tan to enhance, nor did I wear the product for 24 hours so I can't say as to whether it would keep you feeling hydrated for that long. I do find it very refreshing on the skin during application which is always a bonus in hot weather. I agree that it does give a golden glow, radiance and an even skin tone. It just makes you look instantly healthier and like you've been on holiday, which is never a bad thing. It also smell incredible and comes in a handy tube which is great for taking on a plane.






It surprised me how much I liked the Mat Illusion Bronzing Powder. It only comes in two shades so it's not going to work for every skin tone, however the Light Glow shade actually works quite well on my fair skin. As you can see in the photo above it gives an overall healthy look to my face which is mostly what I use bronzer for. It's supposed to offer a matt finish and smooth refined look, so this could be nice to wear as a substitute for your usual setting powder if you want to wear less make up on holidays. Once again this has the amazing coconut/fruity scent of the other products in the range that instantly brings to mind Summer holidays.




I was given two shades of the new Aqua Blush range, 04 Berry Nice and 02 Cocoricorail. I've never before tried a blush formula like the Aqua Blush. It has a very light mousse/gel texture and a little goes a long way, you only need a small amount of this to get a gorgeous natural flush. You can apply with your fingers, but I prefer to use a stippling brush. You do have to work quickly to blend it on otherwise I've found it can leave a slight stain on the skin. Despite the fact that these are a Summer launch I can see myself wearing them in Winter to get that natural rosy look to my cheeks. I think Berry Nice could look amazing in the colder months with minimal make up, lots of mascara and matching berry lips.

Once again Bourjois have given these a fresh rosy scent which I adore, but if you're not a fan of scented make up products you may want to test it out first. It also has a similar cooling effect to the Bronzing Cream making it an excellent choice for applying on warmer days. The claim is that they last up to 12 hours and I've found they really do last well, so much so that I'll be bringing them on holidays with me to wear in the hot weather and in the water. At €10.49 it's definitely worth picking up at least one of these.




So what are your favourite Summer products? Do you have any recommendations for any hot weather essentials?

Emma x

Urban Decay Afterglow 8- Hour Powder Blush

Blush is not something I would associate with Urban Decay as a brand. They have numerous other products down to a tee, their most famous being eyeshadow with the now cult beauty status Naked palettes. They have added to their repertoire with this latest release, the Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Blush range which contains 12 beautiful shades ranging from soft nudes to a vibrant purple and bright orange- red. The formula is infused with light-diffusing pigments to enhance and perfect the skin, something I think we can all appreciate as sometimes blush can serve to highlight if we're having a bad skin day (or week). 

I may have squealed when I opened the boxes to see the stunning packaging. The blushes are cased in a shiny gunmetal compact with a fishnet cut out UD on the lid that allows you to glimpse the colour contained inside. There is also a magnetic closure which added to my excitement. 

I received three very different shades, Quiver (a medium red), Rapture (a deep mauve with a hint of shimmer) and Indecent (a light peachy nude). The shade range is excellent, I'd imagine these will be popular with make up artists for editorials and because there are great options for a wide array of skin tones. 

Rapture is the only blush of the three that has shimmer. The shimmer however is very fine and not noticeable enough to highlight larger pores or any other skin "imperfections". I found it similar to that of a satin eyeshadow. The only blush I have that is comparable to Rapture is NARS Sin, a similar plum/mauve shade that is perhaps slightly lighter, however this is more finely milled and the shimmer isn't as noticeable which I prefer. 

Indecent is a very natural matte shade, I find I just need a touch of this on my skin tone or it can look a bit muddy. I love to wear shades like this with brown/ bronze eyeshadows like the one I'm wearing above. 

Quiver was probably my favourite of the three in that I have nothing like it in my make up collection. It's a stunning shade in the pan and I was concerned at first as to whether it would work on my very fair skin. Again, you only need a touch of this to get a beautiful rosy red flush. This is the kind of shade that can make blush the focal point of your make up, a look I adore. I've worn this with just lip balm as you can see below and also paired with red lips which works a treat and looks so pretty. You definitely have to be careful to not overdo it with a shade like this, but I think if you're going to invest in one of these blushes I would highly recommend one of the more unusual shades like Quiver. 

I have to say I was totally taken by these blushes from the moment I laid eyes on them. The packaging is without a doubt the most beautiful I've seen in a long time. The texture of the powder is so fine and almost creamy making them a dream to blend on the skin. I love that there is a mixture of matte and shimmer shades and the pigmentation gives them great lasting power. 

I love a blush that gives you that lit from within look, and they do just that, hence the name Afterglow  as well as all the cheeky blush names (which I love). 

Priced at €28 they don't come cheap, but I think they are worth the money in comparison to other high end blushes I've tried like the NARS ones which are more expensive. 

They are available now at Debenhams and House of Fraser Dundrum. 

Emma x

Sin

If you read beauty blogs or watch beauty videos you'll know that their blushes are the products NARS are most well known for with shades like Orgasm and Deep Throat being among the most popular. Those shades never really interested me as any time I swatched them at the NARS counter I found they were too shimmery for me.

I adore my MAC Well Dressed blush and I can't imagine not having it now, but I felt like there was room in my collection for a deeper shade to wear with darker lips for the Winter months.

I always loved how Sin looked whenever I saw it used in photos and tutorials and went to check it out in person. I loved the deep plum/golden colour and thought it would be perfect for Autumn/Winter. 

Other Make-up:

Face: Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint in Bare 01, Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in 1 Fair

Brows: Revlon Rich Sable

Eyes: Urban Decay Sin and Buck, Revlon Vintage Lace (on brow bone), Revlon Photoready 3D Volume Mascara

Lips: NUXE Reve de Miel lip balm


I must admit having used only very subtle blushes in the past I did find this difficult to use at first due to it's high level of pigmentation. You need only a tiny amount of this to get a good amount of colour on your cheeks, I would recommend being very light handed with your blush brush, otherwise you might end up looking like a clown.

Once I got the hang of it I loved how it looked on my cheeks as it's completely different to my other blushes. As you can see above it actually looks quite subtle, but still brings life to your face.

There are two downsides to this blush, one is the price at €29, I would consider them very expensive, however, because you only need the tiniest amount, I can imagine they will last a long time. The other downside is the packaging which I already knew about from reading lots of other reviews, it gets dirty very quickly and everything sticks to it. If you can get over that, the packaging is actually really nice.

You can find NARS products on their website or on ASOS for the slightly less expensive price of €27.64 with free shipping.

Emma x

Well Dressed

I've never been big into blush, I've stuck to my Bourjois Little Round Pots for a long time because they are inexpensive, they last so long and smell amazing. My favourite one is Lilas d'or (shade 33) which I really should have reviewed by now (I will soon) since I wear it most days.

I wanted to try out a new blush coming into Autumn to change things up a bit. I actually only have four blushes, two cream and two powder. I kept seeing people wearing this on blogs and on youtube and I loved it every time so I decided to go for it after swatching it in person at the MAC counter. Well Dressed is perfect for giving a rosy glow to the cheeks for Autumn.

Foundation- YSL Le Teint Touch Éclat BR20
Concealer- Collection Lasting Perfection Shade 1
Powder- No 7 Loose Powder in Translucent
Brows- Revlon Rich Sable
Mascara- Estée Lauder Sumptuous Extreme
Eye Shadow- Urban Decay YDK, Revlon Vintage Lace
Eye Liner- No 7 Stay Perfect Metallic Eyes Pencil in Blackest
Lip Gloss- Benefit Nudie-Tude
Highlighter- Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc in Starlet Mosaic


As you can see the colour is so subtle and just gives a nice light flush of colour to the cheeks. It's a cool toned pale pink with a satin finish and very minimal shimmer if any. It's also not too pigmented so you won't end up looking like a clown if you have heavy hands with application. MAC blushes retail at €22.50 so it is pricey compared to the Bourjois ones but I think it's worth it since blushes always last so long.

What's your favourite blush for Autumn?

Emma x

PS. A very Happy Birthday to my Mother today!

Estée Lauder Mad Men Collection

I mentioned a few posts back that I had ordered something from eBay that had caused a bit of a drama for me! Well it was this, the Estée Lauder Mad Men Collection . When I first heard that Estée Lauder, one of my favourite make up brands was working on a collection inspired by one of my favourite television shows Mad Men, I knew I would have to get my hands on it. The collection consists of just two items, a cream blush in the colour Evening Rose and a lipstick in the colour Cherry. Both come in the most beautiful gold packaging and boxes inspired by original 1960s Estée Lauder packaging. 

Foundation- YSL Le Teint Touche Éclat BR20

Eye Shadow- Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette, Bootycall and Tease. Revlon Vintage Lace

Eyebrows- Revlon Rich Sable

Concealer- Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Porcelain

Mascara- Boots 17 Wild Curls Waterproof

Eye Liner- No. 7 Amazing Eyes Pencil Brown

Powder- No. 7 Perfect Light Loose Powder Translucent

Lip Liner- Rimmel Exaggerate Full Colour Lip Liner Red Diva

For some reason the only place that seemed to be selling the collection was on the US Estée Lauder site and unfortunately they don't ship internationally. So after month's of deliberating and waiting to see if there was anywhere that would ship here I decided to bite the bullet and buy it, arranging to have it shipped to my friend in the US who was so kind as to agree to forward it to me. 

I excitedly placed my order and received an invoice and everything was dandy! Until I got an email the following day to say that my order could not be processed. I contacted Estée Lauder to find out why as the money had already been taken from my card. They said that because my card was not issued within the US or Canada, they could not process my order, even though I was having it shipped within the US and they had already taken the money. I swear, the emails I got from their customer service representative were the most cryptic emails I have ever had the displeasure of trying to read in my life. In the end I gave up trying to understand the responses I was getting and I asked them to refund my card. Luckily I managed to find a seller on eBay who agreed to ship to my friend and everything worked out fine!

But enough of that rubbish and onto what I think of the products. I could find very few reviews online about them and being someone who reads as much as I can about a product before I buy it ( especially something as expensive as these) I was a bit worried about not liking them as there was no way for me to swatch them at a make up counter. 

Thankfully as soon as I opened the packaging and tried them on I was in love! The cream blush is a gorgeous rosy colour with a really creamy consistency and is very easy to blend and build the colour. I'm sure it will take me some time to use up the blush but when I do it will become my new compact as the gold packaging is too pretty to not reuse. The lipstick is the most beautiful cherry red, it applies beautifully and smells so nice, it's quite a creamy consistency too so if you want it to last it definitely needs lip liner. The only problem I have with it is that it's a smaller lipstick than the normal EL lipsticks. For $25 you get 2g of products in comparison to the 3.8g you get with a normal EL lipstick. The cream blush is $40. In my opinion they are very much worth the money!

Other than that I really can't fault these products or recommend them highly enough. I really think they would make an excellent gift for anyone who has an interest in vintage make up. I only wish they weren't Limited Edition! Estée Lauder are set to release a second collection in 2013 to mark the sixth season of Mad Men, hopefully the will ship internationally by then!

Emma x