Clinique Lip Pops

Is anyone else feeling the pressure of blog photos under the poor winter lighting!? Apologies for the poor quality photos! Anyway moving on, you may remember a while back I did a post on one of the Clinique Pop Lip and Primer lipsticks and with a pretty darn impressive magazine freebie this month I collected a couple more and thought I would give you all the lowdown. Back early on this year, there was a a lot of buzz regarding the new Clinique launch and the sight of them still gets my heart beating. So obviously I got pretty excited when I seen this months Glamour magazine. In the current issue of Glamour UK, they are giving away a Clinique freebie which is either one of two Clinique Pop lipsticks, a mini moisturiser or mini mascara. Obviously I searched high and low for the two lipsticks picking up the two on offer.

Firstly, I thought I would just mention my original Lip Pop that I already owned, Melon Pop. This is a gorgeous summery coral shade. The formula is super creamy and moisturising although I did have a slight issue with the lasting power as it seemed to disappear off my lips pretty quickly. Despite this little setback I still had high hopes for the other shades in the collection…

There is two shades available as part of the offer in this months Glamour; Cherry Pop and Nude Pop. Both shades are pretty explanatory in shades, Cherry Pop is a gorgeous bright red which makes a great addition to my collection as most of my reds are pretty dark and vampy. Again the formula is beautiful, it feels super comfortable and is so creamy and hydrating. Whilst Melon Pop had a drawback of longevity, this answered my prayers. This shade has a pretty decent wear time and I could imagine being even better with a lip liner underneath. As I expected the dark shades in the range definitely have a much better lasting power!

Lastly, Nude Pop is a gorgeous light nude pink colour which is the perfect everyday shade. The formula is super creamy and the shade has a beautiful sheen to it. Again the lasting power isn’t the best but I would say it is a little better than Melon Pop, I do still really like this shade though!

Are you a fan of the Clinique Lip Pops? 

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September Favourites

Another month gone by, another time to round up my monthly beauty favourites. I feel like September is the last month to really say goodbye to the tinted moisturisers and coral shades in order to prepare for the darks shades and matte complexions ready for Autumn. Looking at my favourites this month I really have went for more Summery and natural picks perfect for an everyday minimal makeup look. I have found some great products this month that worked a treat during the Summer months and hopefully will work well into Autumn and I won’t have to push them to the back of my drawers.

Starting with base, there was two base products that worked perfectly in giving me a flawless complexion over the month. Firstly, I pulled out my Topshop BB cream again to start getting a little more use out of it. I reviewed this a while back now here and at that time I was a little in the middle with this one. I liked the coverage but the shade and application didn’t always go down well with me. Since I started using this again I have just been loving it. It seems so different from when I started using it. The shade seems to be a little better suited especially when I’ve piled on the bronzer and with my skin improving lately it blends in really well and sits perfectly on my skin. It’s also so great for during the day whilst I’m working as it is super lightweight but also has a beautiful glow to it and lasts really well too! Hopefully if the shade still works well with me, this will be one I will keep using into the new season!

The next base related product is from Clarins and a product I mentioned in my recent Clarins Haul post here. It is of course the Clarins Instant Concealer. This is just the perfect under-eye concealer I’ve ever used. It is so incredibly lightweight but still offers a good whack of coverage. As it is a really thin consistency a little goes a long way and it blends in like a dream. A concealer that I think will get a lot of loving from me for a long time to come.

To add a little colour to the cheeks, I’ve been loving the Clinique Cheek Pop in Melon Pop. I mentioned this here alongside it’s matching lipstick. This is such a gorgeous blush and so summer appropriate. The coral-y peachy pink shade is super natural and soft looking on the cheeks and the formula is super fine so doesn’t feel overly powdery or too much. As Autumn swings around I may have to turn back to my dusky rose shaded blushes but I definitely need to pick another one up from the range as they are so lovely!

Finally, there is probably no surprise here when I mention this well loved lip combo. I talked about these two in my Nude Lip post here and it’s been the one lip look I’ve worn for the majority of the month. Charlotte Tilbury Miss Kensington lipstick and Pillow Talk lip liner really are the perfect nude lip and as I’ve been in need for something work appropriate during the month this combo has worked perfectly for the natural makeup look. For those light makeup days, this is two that I can always rely on.

What has been your favourite products this month?

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Brands I Want To Try More Of

One of my favourite bloggers Rebecca of From Roses did a post a while back talking about some of the brands that she wanted to try more from. I totally loved the concept of the post and I thought why not do my own version. My beauty collection consists of groups of products from the same brand and then the odd ones that I’ve picked up from different brands which I’ve not really explored much further. There are so many beauty brands out there that I would love to try out more from with a range of well-loved and adored products.

Burberry: I only first dabbled into the world of Burberry beauty recently when I picked up one of their eyeshadows. They are one of the most desirable designer beauty brands out there in my opinion. Every one of their products is so beautifully packaged but also well though out. The range is a perfect size too; not too small but not too big that its overwhelming. If I had to pick one product to try out it would be their Fresh Glow foundation. The name ‘Fresh Glow’ is just screaming out to me, I can imagine such healthy flawless skin. With lightweight bases becoming ‘my thing’ I would also love to try their BB cream which again sounds so radiant and glowy. Lastly, I am still calling out for Pale Barley eyeshadow to be part of my collection, another blogger enabled purchase eh?

Clinique: You may recall my first pick ups from the Clinique line in my last post. As I said before I have been pretty impressed with the Clinique makeup range, it seems pretty appealing. I am still wanting to try out more shades from the Lip Pop range and the Cheek pop range. Although my most coveted product I would love to try is the Contour Chubby Stick, it looks like such an easy way to contour and it’s about time I got one of those chubby stick things! Also as Clinique is a skincare brand I do have good expectations for their base products. After seeing Lisa Eldridge using it in one of her videos, I would love to try the Redness Solutions base product which sounds super appealing to my skin. Also with the theme of redness I would love to try the Superprimer Face Primer which boasts a range of different primers to help correct different skin problems. Again I would love to try out the primer for helping redness as it’s something my skin still needs to combat.

L’Oreal: My only drugstore pick comes from L’Oreal. Honestly I only own two products from L’Oreal, a foundation and an eyeshadow, shocker? I don’t really know why I haven’t dabbled into the world of L’Oreal so much to be honest although I would like to try out some more of their products. Their mascaras are always highly raved about so I would love to try them out, any suggestions? Their new Infallible Matte Foundation also got a lot of loving this year when it was released in the UK so whilst matte foundations aren’t usually my thing I would love to give this one a try.

Hourglass: The brand with the most gorgeous products ever. Wow. I am still struggling to take in how beautiful their blush is. Speaking of which, I would love to get my hands on a couple more of these gorgeous blushes namely Mood Exposure and Incandescent Light. The blush formula is just so beautiful and these shades look super gorgeous. I would also love to get my hands on one of their Nude Lip Stylos particularly shade 1 which looks like a gorgeous nude pink. I am also desperate to find out what all the fuss is about with the Ambient Lighting Powders. The shade Diffused Light sounds perfect for my pale complexion. Although have you guys seen the Holiday 2015 palette!? Talk about NEED!

Chanel: The brand for the beauty lovers out there. I feel like every beauty enthusiast needs a little Chanel in their life. My Chanel wishlist is pretty much never-ending but I do have a few that make my top picks. Their Vitalumiere Aqua foundation sounds so perfect. A lightweight base which creates a glowy healthy complexion. The dream base. Their iconic Les Beiges Healthy Glow Powder is probably my most wanted Chanel product. A fine powder encased in the most gorgeous packaging. I am not the biggest powder lover but I feel like this may change my opinion. I am also loving the look of their quad eyeshadow palettes. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a gorgeous little palette!

Smashbox: I am a huge fan of the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer, easily the best primer I’ve used ever. Although strangely it’s the only product I’ve tried from the brand. As their Primers are their most iconic product and I absolutely love the Photo Finish, I would like to try a couple more from the brand. Particularly the Blemish Control Primer and the Colour Correcting Primer which both sound interesting? Also anyone tried the Primer water? Pretty intriguing. Their palettes look super pretty too! I was so close to picking up the Full Exposure palette on holiday but sadly it was sold out. I would really like to try the Double Exposure palette though which has a little pop of colour but nothing too overboard. Lastly, their Contour Sticks look super good. Jaclyn Hill is a huge fan and they look super easy to use and the soft formula sounds great.

Have you tried any of these products? What brands do you want to try more from?

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Clinique Melon Pop

Over the last few months one brand in particular that has impressed me with their new releases is Clinique. Clinique always came across as a very heavy skincare focused brand to me although recently I think they have totally upped their makeup game. A couple of products that had my heart crying out was the Lip Pop and Primer lipstick range and the Cheek pop blushes. I picked up one of each and appropriately went for the same shade in Melon Pop, think summery coral-y pink.

Back a few months ago I got my hands on the Melon Pop lipstick from their newly released Lip Pop range. It is safe to say there was a lot of hype surrounding this range and there was no way I was not going to pick up one of these gorgeous lipsticks. Firstly, a hallelujah for lipstick packaging that shows you what shade it is without having to look for a tiny label on the bottom. The mirror top with the pop of colour to the bottom definitely looks the part sitting on my dressing table. The shade Melon Pop is the the perfect Summer shade, a peachy coral-y colour that has much more intensity than a pale pink but isn’t too in your face. The formula is perfect as you would imagine. Super moisturising and comfortable on the lips. As said by Ruth Crilly, it is the perfect lipstick for those dabbling in lipstick for the first time and it couldn’t be truer. The lipstick has a perfect glide-on texture that doesn’t stick to dry or rough patches. Although if I had a criticism it would be the lasting power. This shade in particular isn’t the most long lasting, it’s the lasting power you would expect from a creamy lipstick similarly to some of the Mac cremesheen shades. Although I have heard that the darker shades in the range are pretty impressive in longevity so that may be my excuse to try out another one from the range!

Onto my more recent purchase, the Melon Pop Cheek Pop blush. These blushes were launched last year although Clinique added another few shades to the mix this year. Melon Pop was a new addition to the bunch and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it! The packaging is super simple but with a clear casing it shows off the beauty that is the embossed flower design that is truly beautiful. Who said pretty packaging ever lured me in? Never! Like the lipstick, the shade is light and summery. When added to the cheeks it adds a subtle glow to the cheeks and creates a healthy natural flushed look. This blush is one that can be applied with a heavy hand as the texture is super fine and has a buildable colour. The texture is beautiful, it doesn’t feel powdery and blends in beautifully on the skin. I think I may need another one of those…

Have you tried Clinique makeup?

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Blogger Enabled Purchases

Looking at my entire makeup collection, a very large percentage of it was some way or another enabled by other beauty blogs. Usually every-time I plan on buying a product I turn to other blogs in hope to find out if I should really be spending my money on a certain product. Basically I am a sucker for hype and my collection proves that. I have gathered a small bundle of products that I own that I basically bought because blogger hype. Although as I say this is only a small quantity so if anyone wants a round 2 then let us know! Warning: long post ahead, get a cuppa!

Anyway on to the beautifully hyped products. First up is the base I have been obsessed with lately. BareMinerals launched their Complexion Rescue earlier this year and was soon featured in so many favourites posts of many bloggers/YouTubers. Since I started to find a new love for light coverage bases I had wanted to try this out. This definitely lived up to the hype. Easy to apply, weightless on the skin and the most perfect radiant skin. A favourite of mine for a long time to come! Check my full review here.

Continuing with base products I’ve also got a concealer from Maybelline, namely the Anti-Age Eraser Eye. Now this product got a lot of loving from Anna (Vivianna Does Makeup) and being a drugstore product there was no guilt in picking this one up. Now this concealer was so popular that I couldn’t even get my hands on it for such a long time. I went to every Boots/Superdrug in my city and could not find the shade Light in any of them. It was also sold out online everywhere. Until luckily it came back in stock on Feel Unique and I quickly snapped it up. I bought this concealer for under the eyes as I did have a gap in my collection for a good under eye concealer. Although sadly I don’t think this has filled the gap. The shade range (in the UK anyway) is atrocious. Two shades both of which are too dark for my skin but neither of them are incredibly dark either. So the shade ‘Light’ is basically too dark for me which doesn’t help when trying to lighten up my under eye area. Nevertheless the concealer is ok and I do quite like the spongy applicator which everyone seemed to dislike. Honestly it’s not any bit less hygienic than a doe foot applicator.

Moving on as I realise how long this post is going to become, sorry guys! Back to a bit of product loving. I recently picked up the Body Shop Honey Bronzer which was basically enabled by Estee (Essie Button) who raves about this all the time. This is just such a lovely bronzer. The shade range is perfect. For a pale kid like me it’s spot on. The shade isn’t too muddy or orange on the skin, its just the perfect colour that warms up the skin beautifully. I think this one will become a long time fave!

On to lip products. Two very similar lip liners gained a lot of attention in the blogging world lately. First up the Rimmel Exaggerate lip liner in Eastend Snob, a dusky pink my lips but better shade. Now this got a lot of hype due to its similarities to the also well hyped Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk which also makes my list. The shades are very similar but the Rimmel counterparts edge just that little bit darker. Although If I am honest the CT version pips this to the post by a large margin. I really am not a fan of the Rimmel liner, in fact I’ve hardly used it but have so little product left as it keeps breaking each time I use it. I also much prefer the smoother finish of the CT liner in comparison to the Rimmel one which I find a little too waxy on the lips. Another hyped lip product was the Clinique Lip Pop range that basically every blogger spoke about for weeks on end. A new lip range boasting a moisturising finish with good lasting power and good pigmentation. Basically these were meant to be the top dogs. I picked up the shade Melon Pop, a gorgeous summer appropriate coral shaded pink. The moisture with these lipsticks are definitely there, they feel super comfortable on the lips. Although one thing that does let it down is the lasting power. I have heard better for other shades but this shade in particular doesn’t tend to last very long on the lips which is a shame as it’s such a pretty colour.

Another highly hyped product that I couldn’t wait to get my hands on was one of the By Terry Ombre Blackstar eyeshadow sticks. After seeing Lily Pebbles and Tanya Burr sporting the ‘Misty Rock’ shade on several occasions I couldn’t resist any longer. The mauve-plum-silvery indescribable shade is truly gorgeous and a super unique colour. The formula of this eyeshadow stick is unbeatable. Super smooth and glides easily over the eyes without tugging but with all the colour pigment. See my full review here. I need more!

Finally! Probably the most naivest purchases I could ever make although not regrettable. The Nars Laguna Bronzer and Nars Orgasm Blush are two of the most hyped products around and of course I had to have them for that reason. I bought these two back last year when I first started getting into makeup but honestly I had no idea what I was doing. At that point I probably had no idea what bronzer was for never mind spending nearly £30 on one and a blusher when blush wasn’t really my thing and the shade wasn’t even particularly me either. Although step forward a year and as you can see that bronzer has been well loved although thats because I used it everyday after buying it then when I hit pan I stopped, true story *fear of repurchase*. The blush as well is truly gorgeous, with specks of gold shimmer it really makes your complexion glow and doesn’t sit flat. Even if I never bought them last year then let’s be honest I would probably would have picked them up sooner or later cause hype… ya know.

Did you get sucked into the hype with any of these products?

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What’s in My Travel Makeup Bag?

So I mentioned briefly in my June Monthly Roundup that I am going away on holiday this month. So I thought I would share with you all some of the makeup pieces that have made the cut in my makeup bag. I am going with a streamlined approach, as I like to think anyway by only taking essentials and pretty much one of each beauty product except for lips (obviously, gal needs choices!). So here is what is in my travel makeup bag…

Starting with the makeup bag itself. It deserves its own mention alone because of course its from Charlotte Tilbury. I did a little CT splurge last month and since I never had a decent makeup bag and I was going away I thought I needed this beauty in my life. I love it but I will talk about it all in a little more detail another time…

Onto the makeup. Firstly, base. I have packed my trusty Laura Mercier foundation primer to help pro-long the wear of my makeup in the heat. Not as good as the Smashbox primer in my opinion but it’s still one of the best ones I’ve tried. I also picked up a new base in the form of the Topshop BB cream. I wanted something lightweight for Summer and so far so good with this one, the coverage is actually pretty decent! On top of that of course my favourite Nars Creamy concealer (review here) and the Maybelline Eraser Eye concealer for under the eyes which truthfully I am still a bit iffy about.

Then to give my complexion a bit of a boost. I have also added in my Rimmel Stay Blushed liquid blush in Sunkissed Cherry which is super lightweight but offers such a nice colour to the cheeks. For a little added warmth and glow the Soap and Glory Wonderbronze is a fab bronzer for the Summer months. Also, the Topshop Glow stick highlighter in Play Up makes an addition for an easy swipe of glow and radiance.

Then, in terms of eyes I’ve stuck with two reliable Benefit products. Firstly, the Rollerlash mascara (review here) which lengthens and curls the lashes super well and the Benefit Gimme Brow (review here) to give my eyebrows a little colour and definition. Of course I’ve also got the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze which is one of my favourites, great formula and perfect bronze-y gold colour.

Then I have all the choices when it comes to lips! As I am out and about for once I’ve added in some bright bold shades that deserve a little loving. I love the Nars Lip Pencils, super long lasting formula and super creamy and smooth to apply. I have Yu which I mentioned in my June Favourites, a bold fuschia pink and Iberico (LE) a stunning orange-y red that I am so excited to wear (swatches for both here). I’ve also got my two new Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks in Sexy Sienna and Lost Cherry, both perfect for Summer! Lastly, I also had to get one of the Clinique Lip Pop lipsticks and chose Melon Pop, a beautiful coral-y peach perfect for everyday wear and a little lower key than my other choices.

If you have succeeded to this line then well done, sorry for the uber long post!

What makeup will you be wearing this Summer?

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