On My Wishlist This Week #19

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Radiance Bronze // Jo Malone Earle Grey & Cucumber Cologne // Clinique Cheek Pop Blush // Chanel Le Blanc De Chanel Sheer Illuminating Base // Clarins Cream Blush

001 You may be aware already that Laura Mercier is one of my favourite makeup brands. The quality of their bases and primers is over the moon, so of course when I heard they were bringing out a new foundation primer I got really excited to say the least. The Foundation Primer Radiance (£29) is one of my all time favourites and I can't wait to get my mitts on the Radiance Bronze (£29) one, which promises to bring a pop of summery radiance to the skin. Those who love a matte finish should definitely look away but I'm all over dewy golden skin, especially with such an awful weather outside.

002 Whenever I pop along at the Jo Malone counter I take my time to stick my sniffer into every candle jar and glass bottle on display but somehow always end up leaving with Earl Grey & Cucumber Cologne (£78) lightly sprayed over a paper sample. It's light and green, with fresh notes of bergamot and something that makes me think of peaceful English summers and white china. I'm not overly fond of citrus scents in general but there's something about this fragrance that really tickles my fancy.

003 I don't think I need to say anything here. Look at that gorgeous blush! I still haven't found any information about the release date for the stunning Clinique Cheek Pop Blushes (£16.50) but there's a blush shaped hole in my life that needs to be filled and I already know that a couple of these beauties would do the trick.
Ok. Who am I kidding? I don't need more blushes in my life but since when has makeup anything to do with need, right?

004 Now, I'm still on the fence about this one. I've heard a lot of people swear about the Chanel Le Blanc de Chanel Sheer Illuminating Base (£31) and all those rave reviews made me quite excited; however during my last trip at Sephora's I've swatched it on the back of my hand, and while it looked nice and glowy at first, after a couple of minutes I couldn't tell any difference with my un-prepped skin. Uhm. What do you think, is this brightening base worth the hype or not?

005 Clarins does Spring and once again I'm hooked. Somewhere in-between a cream and a powder texture, these Clarins Multi-blushes (£18) come in four juicy shades and look absolutely perfect for springtime. That little golden compact is just impossibly cute and knowing me, I'll probably end up buying them all. Oh well. At least they won't take up too much space.

What's on your wishlist this week?

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January Favourites

Babyliss Curl Secret // Urban Decay Naked 3 // Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede Cologne // Shu Uemura S Curler // MAC Lipstick in Syrup // Caudalie Miel De Vigne Hand & Nail Cream* // NARS Blush in Sin

It seems like twenty fourteen is slipping away at breakneck-speed and I can't keep up. However, I really wanted to show you the amazing products I've discovered and loved last month, so, please, humor me and ignore the calendar just this once.

First on my list is the Babyliss Perfect Curl (£170), which is probably my favourite find of the month. It's been love at first use. With painfully straight hair which constantly struggle with holding even the laziest waved styles for more than an hour, unless it's been prepped with a ridiculous amount of product, I was more than a little shocked when my curls lasted up to three days, barely dropping as the time went by. Wow.
Perfect curl is simply genius and extremely easy to use: you just need to section your hair and decide how much heat you want to apply onto your locks and for how long, and it'll do all the work for you. If you too are looking for seriously perfect curls - spot on name, by the way -, this wand is the way to go.

Since we raised the subject, another fantastic tool to achieve the perfect curl is the Shu Uemura S Curler (£20), which kicked its well-known precursor in the back of my makeup drawer as soon as it came out of the box. Don't get me wrong, I still love the basic Shu Uemura curler, but this little guy here allows me to reach even the shortest, most stubborn lashes in my inner and outer corners without breaking a sweat, and adjust the curl depending on my mood or the look I'm going for. Definitely should be on top of a lot of ladies with unruly flutters' wishlist.

For lips, I've been using one of my favourite MAC lipsticks pretty much everyday without fail. MAC Syrup (£15) may look a little weak in the bullet but it's such a great everyday color. It's absolutely stunning, goes on beautifully, it doesn't dry my lips out and it feels quite moisturizing, which is fantastic in this weather. It complements more or less any type of makeup, from sultry smokey eyes to natural, muted down looks, and with a soft pop of mauve it's a nice change from your typical nudes and light pinks.
Next up is an oldie but a goodie I dug out of my stash. NARS Sin Blush (£21.50) is literally MAC Syrup in blush form and gives a beautiful plummy flush shot through with a diffused gold radiance to the cheeks. It's one of the most striking and unique shades I own and a true must have. Like the rest of the blushes in the range, the color is vibrant and beautifully pigmented as well as super finely milled and therefore, easily blendable. If you're on the market for the next blush to add to your collection, I highly recommend this one.

Sticking with the mauvey pink theme, I've fallen head over heels for the gorgeous Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette (£37) since the moment I yanked it out of my Christmas stocking. I haven't used anything else for my eye makeup throughout January and it's still going strong in my everyday routine. The beautiful mix of pinks, plums and taupes works for a huge variety of looks and it's extremely flattering on my skin tone. Although I'd gladly swap one of lightest frost shades for a dark matte eyeshadow, I really love the colour combination and the soft romantic hues. On lazy days I like to wear Strange all over the lid and up to the brow bone as a base and barely-there highlighter. I then work Nooner in the crease to create a template for the rest of the eyeshadow and a nice transition to blend to other shades into, for a gentle gradient. Liar all over the lid, Mugshot in the outer v and Factory softly blended in the crease help me create a beautiful, subtle smokey look, perfect for everyday.

At last, hand creams are something I can't live without in wintertime and the Caudalie Hand & Nail Cream Grapevine Honey (£5.70)* is my current bedside and on-the-go buddy to keep my hands nourished and protected 24/7. The grape and honey scent is absolutely gorgeous and the grease-free formula quickly melts into the skin, leaving my hands and cuticles smooth and super soft for hours.

Speaking of lovely scents, back in December I stopped by the Jo Malone counter to give a good sniff around and after just a couple of minutes I knew that the Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede Cologne (£39) was coming home with me. Among so many amazing fragrances, Peony & Blush Suede stood out to me for its sophisticated yet flirty vibes. The powdery notes of musk and blush suede are nicely balanced by hints of peony, jasmine and red apple and the final result is a charming, not-quite-grown-up floral scent, which lingers on the skin all day without getting too overwhelming. I absolutely adore it and I'm already contemplating my next Jo Malone purchase.

What have you been loving last month?

*Press Sample

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Quick Reviews: Foundation Remix #6

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer spf20 // Laura Mercier Moisture Supréme Foundation // L'Oreal Nude Magique Eau De Teint // Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Foundation

001 If you know me a bit by now, you'll know I like my foundations with medium coverage and flawless finish, therefore I don't usually care for tinted moisturizers and such; there are however a few exceptions, with the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Oil Free (£33) being one of them. For some reason, despite my dry skin, I never considered the basic one but went straight for the oily/combination skin version, which is wicked in summertime. During my latest visit at the counter the makeup artist insisted I tried the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer (£33) and gave me a generous sample of the shade Cameo. This is possibly the most raved product of the range and for me is definitely a hit. It's moisturizing and glowy without being greasy, and it's basically undetectable on the skin. The coverage is sheer - actually lower than what you get with the oil-free alternative - but enough to even out the complexion and cover minor imperfections and scars on lazy days. It lasts about 6 hours on me without powder but I wouldn't expect anything more from this type of product. For me it's a good skin-day kind of base but it's one of the best tinted moisturizers I've tried - second only to its oil-free twin, I think -.

002 The Laura Mercier Moisture Supréme Foundation (£33) is absolutely heart-stopping. It gives a fantastic luminous and perfected look, thanks to its hydrating formula and great pigmentation. The coverage is flawless; this stuff is so highly pigmented I hardly need any concealer at all when I wear it. It gives the illusion of beautiful, incredible skin, which appears to be tighter and fuller, and astonishingly radiant. It stays put all day without sliding around or looking greasy rather than luminous. I dare to say this could be the perfect foundation for dry and mature skins, and ultimately anyone on the market for a medium-high coverage base which is truly moisturizing and long-lasting at the same time. Quick shout-out for Porcelain Ivory which is one of the few yellow-based shades for fair skin tones on the market, and therefore helps correcting redness and discoloration on top of everything else.

003 I've wanted to try this foundation for a very long time, mainly because I've heard someone compare it to the Armani Maestro one. Now that I finally got my mitts on a sample of the L'Oreal Nude Magique Eau De Teint (£9.99) I can tell there're some similarities between the two: they both apply seamlessly, leaving the skin velvety soft and completely matte all day with no need for setting powder or a primer underneath. The coverage is easily buildable, depending on which tool is used for the application: it goes from barely-there, light coverage when blended in with fingertips, to medium-high when applied with a sponge or a dense foundation brush, such as the Real Techinques Expert Face (£11.99). Although I personally don't enjoy this opaque finish - which makes my dry skin look even drier, especially in this weather - I do understand why so many people seem to adore this foundation. I do appreciate the lightweight formula and its lasting power and I'll be curious to try it again next summer and see how it holds up in the hot weather; however, by this time I'm not wowed.

004 Powder foundation and dry skin don't go along very well in my experience but as usual Laura Mercier exceeded my expectations. The new Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Foundation Powder (£32) is super soft and extremely finely milled; it goes on so well, smoothing pores and covering imperfections and redness. The color pay-off is great and easily buildable up to medium coverage when used dry or pretty much full when dabbed on with a damp sponge. I feel the best and most natural way to apply it is with a dense yet fluffy brush, such as the Real Techniques Multi-task Brush (part of the Travel Essentials Kit £20.99) to gently work it into the skin and layer it only where needed. It's the kind of foundation that looks better as the day goes by, when some natural oils start breaking through, therefore I think it might be more suitable for normal to oily and combination skins. It's also tremendous for touch-ups on the go because it mattifies the skin and adds a bit of extra coverage as well, without looking cakey or too flat. The color stays true throughout the day and the soft satin finish looks extremely natural despite the powder formula.

Have you tried any of these foundations?

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