Italy Sephora Buys

Of course there was going to be a Sephora trip whilst we were away in Italy. In fact, I think we ended up going into three, haha. Due to the lack of Sephora's in the UK, I just had to make the most of it whilst I could.. It would have been rude not too. Here are the bits that I treated myself too.

Mac 'Yash' and 'Whirl' 
Technically, Sephora don't sell Mac, but I brought these two whilst we were away, and I couldn't not include them. As after all, who doesn't love a new Mac lipstick?? Yash has been one of my firm favourites of their matte lipsticks, since first trying it in first year of university. I had been missing it dearly since I had used each last bit of it - I had even been using a lip brush to not waste the product at the bottom of the bullet.. So you could say it was well loved, and that it was overdue that I picked up a new one. It goes perfectly with Mac Whirl lip liner. Again, I had sharpened the pencil until it was miniscule and thought it be best if I replaced it. Both are lip products I love to use on the daily, or with a blown out brown smokey eye, for an evening look.

Nars Climax Mascara
There isn't a mascara that has such an impact on my lashes as this one. Only one dunk in the tube is needed to coat the entirety of my lashes, top and bottom. It adds volume, without making clumps as well as separating the lashes, fanning them out. It's one of my all time top favourite mascaras - the wand and formula is just amazing!

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in 'Good Times' 
I was yet to try any of the Nars lipstick range, and this one caught my eye after swatching half of the whole lipstick collection. The shade Good Times is a nude brown shade I would say, and goes really well also, with Mac Whirl lipliner. It's the perfect handbag size and feels super comfortable on the lips. It's a very similar colour to Mac's Yash, but looks darker when it has been applied.

Nars Orgasm Afterglow Lip Balm
After falling in love with this in the Sephora in Rome and it being out of stock, I was gutted. Especially as I knew it was a product that was a part of the infamous Orgasm range. Having stumbled across a second Sephora in Nice, there was one left. I knew it was meant to be. This has been an everyday staple for my routine since buying it. It's super lightweight and gives the lips a lovely sheen, whilst moisturising at the same time. Of course, it would be cheaper to buy a tub of Vaseline, but this lip balm is bloody beautiful.

Here are some terrible swatches of all of the lip products mentioned in this post. As you can see both of the lipsticks are very similar! I didn't actually notice this until they were side by side, but they're both beautiful. If you're a lover of a good nude lipstick, you'd be a fan of either of these. From the bottom: Mac Yash, Nars Good Times, Nars Orgasm Afterglow Lip Balm, and lastly, Mac Whirl Lipliner.

Have you tried any of these make up bits? Do you wish Sephora was in the UK?

Amber X 

Another Mac Addition

This lipstick now marks the 12th in my ever growing collection. Taupe was kindly gifted to me for my birthday, thank-you Rachel! You can never have too many Mac lipsticks, and they genuinely make sure a lovely gift for anyone. Taupe is described by Mac as being a "muted reddish-taupe brown", a perfect autumnal shade. Mac's matte range is definitely my favourite that they do. They're creamy, and not drying on the lips at all. They sit super comfortably for long periods of time, and don't smudge when eating. What more could you want from a matte lipstick?! 

I cannot wait to wear this lipstick with every jumper I own, and throughout the colder months. 

What's your favourite Mac lipstick?

Amber X

My New Love

Who doesn't love a brand new Mac lipstick? Whether it be the packaging, the vanilla kind of smell, or the excitement of trying and wearing a new lip shade, Mac lipsticks are just great. We'd all by lying if we said that we didn't have a list of shades that we want to eventually add to our collection, whether it be hidden away on the notes in your phone, or written down in a pad somewhere. The newest shade to my ever growing collection is 'Honeylove'.

Definitely one of Mac's cult shades, as I'm sure we have all heard of this lipstick at some point. I was wary at first, thinking that it would be 'too nude' for me, but to my surprise, it's perfect. The Mac website describes the shade as being 'light toned beige toned with rose'. I am a massive fan of a brown toned nude shade, and this is exactly that. If I had to compare it to any others in my collection, it would be the love child of 'Yash' and 'Velvet Teddy'. It's a matte formula - my favourite of the Mac lipsticks, and I love it paired with 'Whirl' lip liner. It's definitely going to be a shade that is worn to death. 

Right - Velvet Teddy, Centre - Honeylove, Left - Yash

What's your favourite Mac lipstick? 

Amber X

Favs From February

The end of another month only means one thing... A favourites post of course. I never seem to accumulate enough things over the course of the month to be able to speak about them when a new month starts, but hey, that's a good thing in my eyes (or so my bank account thinks). Here are a mixture of things that I have rediscovered or have come to love throughout the month of February.  

Mac 'Retro' Lipstick and Mac 'Chicory' Lip Liner - These two I have had in my collection for aaaages, but are products that I never find myself reaching for. On a whim, this month I have been trying more shades for my lips than my usual go-to combo, and have fallen back in love with this pair. Together they make a beautiful, muted brick red/brown shade. Nothing too bright or bold, but definitely a step away from the nude side of things. 

Lingerie - Is this TMI? Oh well. Recently I have been well and truly into pretty, lace underwear sets - this one being just one gorgeous set that I have picked up. This number is from Asos (shock) and looks cute under little strappy tops, and even slouchy, baggy jumpers. Asos have so many beautifully detailed pieces on their website at the moment. If you're in the market for some cute bras, take yourself over there now! There is definitely something about wearing delicate, matching underwear that makes me feel like I have everything together haha. 

Flowers - I am never usually one to have flowers in my room, but this month the change was made. Flowers are a great way to add more colour and life into a room, in a temporary way. The smell and sight of them is definitely something I have enjoyed this month. Especially as Spring is slowly but surely creeping upon us all, flowers have made a lovely new addition to the corner of my chest of drawers. 

Clothes - As I have mentioned on my blog before, I am the worst when it comes to finding new pieces for my wardrobe. I am just so fussy, and consider where I will truly wear something before I make a purchase. But as of late, I have found SO many pieces that I just couldn't be without. This Topshop dotty cami has been one of them. The button down detail is gorgeous, and I am a fan of light, floaty tops to wear with jeans and sandals. You'll definitely be seeing a lot of this one in the warmer months to come. 

What have you been loving in the month of February?

Amber X

Christmas Reds

Christmas is the season of the red lip. Of course, by all means, you can wear a red lip any time of the year, but for me, red is definitely my Christmas lip colour of choice. Finding the right red lipstick can end up being quite the chore. There are so many undertones to consider... so I thought I'd share with you my favourite red lipsticks that I will without a doubt, be wearing the hell out of up until Christmas.

Younique Splash Liquid Lipstick in Sizzling

Last Christmas, this was all I wore on my lips. Red lips make me feel super festive, and I couldn't put this one down. The formula of this lipstick is somewhat like a mousse, and this makes application easy. It lasts on the lips - even after eating Christmas dinner, so that must be saying something haha!

NYX Perfect Red Matte Lipstick

Every time I have worn this red, I am always asked what I have on my lips. Even though it is matte, this lipstick doesn't dry out the lips and is comfortable to wear for a long period of time. It definitely is a perfect red shade that looks amazing with winged liner and lots of lashes. I'd definitely like to try more colours of this range from NYX, especially as it's the most affordable of my favourite red lipsticks.

Kylie Cosmetics Matte Liquid Lipstick in Merry 

Merry is a much deeper red in comparison to the other two I have mentioned so far and it dries down completely matte. I love the berry/pink tones in this liquid lipstick, but I am not massively keen on the formula. The smell is a bit too overpowering, and I found it made my lips feel very dry. That being said, Merry looks gorgeous with a red gloss over the top, which also helps with the drying formula. 

MAC Diva

Diva was one of the first MAC lipsticks I ever got, and I used to wear it non-stop. I find that applying this lipstick in different ways gives you a different shade of red, which I am not mad about. Dabbing this lipstick onto the lips creates a slightly lighter, but still deep toned burgundy red, whilst applying like a normal lipstick gives an intense burgundy finish. I cannot wait to whip this one out again!

Charlotte Tilbury in So Marilyn

So Marilyn gives the lips a beautiful red sheen. It's not a matte lipstick, it's definitely more on the satin side. It's not hard to wear, doesn't dry out the lips and is the perfect size to throw into your handbag. I love the fact that these lipsticks are mini... You can essentially give the shade a proper try before you commit to a full size lipstick! Who can resist a mini lipstick though?!

What's your favourite red lipstick?

Amber X

Repurchases

When it comes to repurchasing beauty bits, I am quite picky. If I don't have a melt down when that product is nearly empty or all used up, then I know it's a product I can live without... I thought to share which products I have repurchased recently and definitely, cannot be without!

Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder - £29

SO many youtuber's have raved about this powder that I caved in and bought my first pot last summer. It's become something I use everyday to set concealer under my eyes and other areas of my face, and also to clean up my contour/bronzer. Only now am I buying my second pot - that's crazy! Being pricey for a powder (in my eyes) it's definitely something I can justify buying as it has, seriously, lasted that long. It's super light feeling on the skin, doesn't feel drying, and prevents creasing. 10000% worth trying if you haven't already. 

MAC Eyebrow Pencil in Shade 'Spiked' - £14.50

I have been using this eyebrow pencil for aaaages now and have never managed to find anything that even comes close. I am definitely not the best person at shaping my brows with any kind of product, but this pencil helps 100%! This colour is perfect for me (it's a rich brunette tone), it's self-sharpening which makes life so much easier, and fills in sparse areas whilst still looking natural. However I will say, the only downfall it has, is the pencil sometimes 'crumbles' and ends up snapping, wasting product :-( 

What products can't you live without?

Amber X