Swatching It Up

Hello There!

I thought I'd just drop by and share a thought I've been having. Since I started my serious make-up quest in January I've been getting used to swatching make-up, something which I didn't have the patience for in the past. But I'm not sure what's happened to me over this past month. I'm just going to have to say it - I'm Grace and I'm a swatch-a-holic.

This kind of thing it regular for me. I know this doesn't seem thaaaaat bad, but it's everyday.   I always manage to do it, sometimes without noticing! And then I get the awkward conversations - 'Oh that's a big bruise'... 'Actually it's eyeshadow'. And then I get the kind of disgusted look - either I don't know where eyeshadow goes, or I don't wash enough.... 

But I enjoy it. I love spending time at the make-up counters leisurely finding the perfect shade of lipstick that I want, or the right kohl eyeliner. I guess that's the burden I have to bear now that I'm a make-up fanatic. 

Are you hands swimming with swatches? Do you suffer as I do?

Let me know in a comment - share the burden!

Ciao for now, G x

Collection 2000 | Lasting Perfection Concealer

Hello There!

Ok, so everyone and their mother's and their cats know about the Collection (2000) Lasting Perfection Concealer. I've seen this about a lot on youtube, and that was what made me purchase it in the first place. And so I know that everyone's probably sick of hearing about it.
If anything, it's just another great review to add to the others.

As you can see what's amazing about this is it's ability to get rid of redness. This picture speaks for itself really. It's easily blendable, something which I look for in make-up - and also versatile (for blemishes/reducing redness). So that means that it works well with contour powders and foundation. 

This is one of the few products that I swatched in the shop. Usually I just buy the lighest colour of everything and because I'm so pale it'll be the right colour or even slightly too dark. 

But for some reason, I decided to swatch it, and I wasn't the palest shade - *Shocker* SO just a word to the wise, swatch before you buy just in case (or just know that its darker than other products usually are).

Obviously it's Collection so it's super-affordable - absolutely bargainous at £4.19.

It's nice and compact and a tube - definitely a plus for me with concealer - you don't have to faff with putting your fingers/brush in a pot. 

It has a doe-foot applicator that you can use to place dots under your eyes for the baggies, and anywhere else for blemishes. It also has insane coverage - there are no signs of what's underneath when you've got this on. 

Have you been feeling the love for this product?  I swear everyone has this in their make-up kit!

Ciao for now, G x

Dolce & Gabanna Make-Up | Eyeshadows | Gold Smooth Eye Colour Duo

Hello There!

So, if you've read a few of my posts you;ll realise that my favourite make-up brand is Dolce & Gabbana. I know I'm a little bit different, everyone else loves NARS and MAC, but, hey, I'm a fruit loop in a bowl full of cheerios :)

If your going to start using D&G products, I'd recommend starting with the 'Secret Eyes Mascara' (review here). It has never let me down, and I always end up going back to it!

Anyway I digress. Today I'm talking about D&G eyeshadow.

Now, I'm a serious rookie when it comes to eyeshadow. I've been easing myself in, only buying low-end/budget products to get myself familiar with the different looks and techniques. But, I've decided to try more, and thought I'd start with my favourite make-up brand. 

And here's what I got. I'm starting subtle and when I've perfected my technique I'll maybe get into brighter and bolder looks. But for now, I'm sticking with the 'Gold Smooth Eye Colour' palette. I say palette, its a duo with two eyeshadows. But I've been very pleased with them both! They come in a gold compact with and two sponge-tipped applicators. These photo's don't really do the colours justice. The swatches are better representatives of them - a true yellow, and a coppery brown, both metallic.

Here's the end result:

 I know that these aren't the greatest photos, but it does create a really natural look. The colours are glittery/metallic and I've learnt that products containing 'glittery bits' (like Rimmel's Wake-me Up foundation), give you a fresh, wide-awake look. Whenever, I've worn this, I been told that I look 'well' and 'awake' (which I hope are compliments). 

I also like that they aren't grey/darkbrown, which are the colours I've been sticking to until now because I love a good smokey eye. But I have decided that yellowy/orangey/browny tones are the go-to colours for me now. I think they work best with dark hair and pale skin such as my own, because they add a colour to my skin, and whereas dark eyeshadows can sometimes give me a sullen look, these lighter colours lift your eyes and make them look bigger and brighter!

The quality of these D&G eyeshadows is increadible. They last all day without any movement, even without eye primer (something which budget eyeshadows do not do!) They're really pigmented as expected, but are really buildable as well because they're a fine powder - so again great for smokey eye'd looks and blending. 

In these pictures I've teamed it with the Bourjois Queen Attitude Kajal eyeliner (review here) and Mac Zoomlash mascara.

So, overall, I've been loving this look, and plan to hit pan on these eyeshadows eventually, because I'll be wearing them everyday! I'm also going to be getting more colours as well and see what other looks I can come up with.

 What have you been up to this weekend? Anything planned for the week?
I'd love to hear in a comment :)

 Ciao for now, G x

H&M Nail Polish | Active Blue

Hello There!

Today I'm talking about this little snip I bought in H&M. I'd read some blog posts about H&M nail polishes, so when I was in Manchester at the weekend I dived into H&M to grab a nail polish or two. 

So I spotted this beauty and bought straight away. I'm not going to lie, if the nail polishes weren't only displayed in the queue area I would have bought more, but I was pressured by other shoppers who wanted to make their purchases.

It was literally a snip at £0.99 only, and I really didn't have high expectations for this nail polish, as with most products on my blog it seems. I just thought 'that colour's cute for a night out' because it's really sparkly. It was so pretty I tried it as soon as I got home. 

It only took 1 layer to get a thick coat of polish which I was thankful for because let's face it, it's a pretty small bottle.  And then, I had 3 days of chip-free polish - and it's not long-lasting or anything. I was literally gob-smacked! I am an expert at chipping all nail polishes even non-chip polishes, and it didn't happen :O

So a truly smashing nail polish and I will be sure to pick up a load more next time I'm at H&M. I'm recommending to everyone!

Have you been really impressed by a nail polish recently?

Let me know in a comment!

Ciao for now, G x 

Gucci Premiere Perfume | Evening Scent for Spring

Hello There!

Today I'm talking about Gucci's perfume called Gucci Premiere...

This was an Autumn purchase for me, and I had so much on that I kind of forgot that I had this perfume. (I know that sounds strange for the price of it, but you know, it happens.)

I bought the 30ml version and this size retails for £45. 

It is also available for purchase in 50ml and 75ml versions.   

So the reviewing bit:

The Bottle: Undeniably the theme is gold. Gold, gold, gold gold. There couldn't be any more bling on the packaging. But, it's not tacky gold, and personally I love a bit of bling now and then, it looks great on your dressing table. But it's actually a clever design because it is translucently blue (if you get my drift) in certain light so you can see the fluid inside. 

(and you'll know when you're near to re-purchase!)

The Scent: Lets face it, most people don't buy perfume for the bottle design (though sometimes we do...), but lets face it, the smell is pretty important. It's a musky scent described on the Boots website as 'woody and musky'. I'd rather describe it a newcarsmell crossed with orangy/fruity smell crossed with flowery smell. But I guess that's not that great a description. 

This is how Gucci describes it:

"Inspired by timeless hollywood glamour, it is an invitation to embrace one's own red carpet moment.

- a sophisticated woody musky fragrance

- top notes of bergamot and blackberry

-heart notes of orange blossom and musk

- base notes of patchouli and sandalwood"

So I was actually pretty accurate, yay! I can smell!

It's a heavier scent, which is why I wear it as an evening fragrance for dinner-out/party etc. 

It's also a really elegant scent, also making it great for 'posh-dos and that'. 

The undeniable quality of this perfume is the duration of the scent. Once you put it on, it will smell exactly the same at the end of the evening. It lasts forever. Which is a quality I really appreciate in a perfume because I hate being forced to carry a bottle around in my handbag because a scent doesn't last long enough. So that's another yay from me!

This is a definite new favourite of mine. And it's become a regular on my dressing table. 

(That's quite an achievement)

Have you got a signature scent? Have you been surprised by a scent recently?

Tell me in a comment, I read them all and I'd love to know!

Ciao for now, G x

Bourjois Queen Attitude Kohl Kajal

Hello There!

Today I'm talking about one of the scariest looking eyeliners that you've ever seen!!

Bourjois Queen Kajal Eyeliner

Prepare yourself...

Ok, so it's not thaaaaat bad.. But imagine if it got shoved in your eye.. It'd hurt. Bad

It used to be pointier, but I've used it quite a lot so it's now less pointy and dangerous...

This was a February addition to my make-up collection, and I've been using it since. I'm a big fan of khol eyeliners because I prefer a smudgy (is that a word?) look, but haven't tried many kajal eyeliners. 

So I decided to give it a go. It's supposed to be an eyeliner that will stay on your waterline all day. And it does surprisingly. It does fade, but it's still there! 

I've had an on-off relationship with putting eyeliner on my waterline because:

a) it hurts my eye (I tend to poke...)

b) it doesn't last long

So this definitely conquers the second one, maybe not the first...

It applies really easily (like a kohl), but makes a defined line (like normal eyeliners).

But the best feature is the kajal bit. Where you can smudge it into your eyeshadow so that it looks like you've used powder as a liner (without black powder ruining foundation), which is the look that I prefer, YAY!

I'd recommend this kajal to people who are fans of eyeliner in their waterlines. It lasts way longer than any other eyeliner I've used in my waterline. So, it applies like a waterproof eyeliner, but the best bit is that it removes just like a normal eyeliner with an oil-based make-up remover.

It is now a regular eyeliner for me and has replaced  Dolce & Gabbana Colour Intense Eyeliner (review here) as my everyday eyeliner. 

Have you tried Kajal eyeliners?

Let me know what you think of them in a comment!

Ciao for now, G x

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara

Hello There!

Today I'm talking about a lovely little find - Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara. 
Ok, so as you can probably guess it's specifically designed just for bottom lashes. But it has the price tag of a normal mascara that can do both the top and bottom lashes... 
So why buy it?

Well the brush is way smaller - I know that's obvious, but it really makes a difference. You can literally reach every eyelash, something which a normal-sized brush doesn't do to the same extent. And there's 0% chance of it clumping.

Another plus - it gives you 'spider-eyes' as I like to call them 

(where bottom lashes are nearly the same length as top lashes). 

I know that sounds like a bad look, but it's in a really subtle but 

eye-opening way so it's a good look. 

The best feature of this mascara is it's 'non-dropping'/'non-flaking' feature if you get what I mean. Applying normal mascaras to bottom lashes can lead to flakes of mascara dropping onto your under-eye/cheeks during the day. 

With the bottom lash mascara, it's no longer a problem, YAY!

It's also so much easier to use than trying to use a normal size brush on your lower lashes, so if you haven't tried it - give it a go!

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara
v.s Benefit They're Real!
(Brush Sizes)

I bought this in the colour 01-Black, and it is now a must-have for my make-up collection and I never fail to have it in my handbag 

(it's the perfect size!)

I use it along with Dolce & Gabbana's Secret Eyes Mascara (review here) for my everyday look.

What do you think of the Clinique make-up range?

Ciao for now, G x

Nailed Polish by Sleek | Quick Drying

Hello There!

So today I'm talking about an impressive new addition to my nail polish collection: 
Nailed Polish by Sleek

I wanted to try out some more of Seek's products and thought that a nail polish was a good way to start. The first thing that I saw on this was - Quick Drying. I thought 'Ha, as if!'
So I bought it so I could laugh at the bottle... (sad, I know)

I decided on the colour Crimson because, you know, you can never have enough glittery red nail polishes. I bought it and I prepared myself to have a good laugh.

And I was sooo disappointed that I couldn't mock this nail polish :(

(I really tried)

I know that sounds strange, but I honestly couldn't fault it. It dried quickly - like super-quickly (hard dry, not touch dry). And the polish is really pigmented so it literally only takes one layer to get a polished look. Yay!

Ok, no it's not the longest lasting nail polish that I've used, but that's not what it's designed to be, and if you're looking for a real quick fix to add colour to an outfit if you're going out, this is a good choice.

So, for once I have actually been impressed by a so-called 'Quick Drying' nail polish. I've tried so many different quick-drying polishes, but this is the first one to make it onto my blog (so that's saying something!)

There's not that much else I can add to this post except - if you want a nail polish that does what it says on the tin (or label), then this is a great one to get :)

Have you been really impressed by a specialised nail polish recently?

(non-chip/supershiny/quick-drying)

Let me know in a comment!

Ciao for now, G x

Barry M Lash Vegas Mascara & Advert

Hello There!

Ok, so there's been a lot of hype about Barry M's new mascara Lash Vegas. Well, in particular their advert. Featuring limousines, showgirls, and fireworks, the advert sets the scene for all manner of exaggerations - particularly false lashes. BUT, shocker, there aren't any. Barry M have said that they're tired of adverts that use false lashes and lash dyes and whatnot, and so this is their attempt to break the mould. If you haven't seen the advert yet, here it is:



I'm not going to lie, the first time I watched it I was a little bit disappointed. I mean, we're a so used to seeing false lashes and creative eyeliner and what-not, that when you see the mascara as it is in real-life, you do think - is that it?  But once I understood the message Barry M were trying to convey, I warmed to the idea of the advert. And when you watch the advert again, you look at it from a 'real-life' perspective and think, hmm will this look better or worse than my mascara at the moment? It gives you a realistic expectation.

So, how did the mascara compare with the advert in 'real-life'?

Barry M Advert 'Lash Vegas'

My Eyes with Lash Vegas

Pretty well I'd say. Obviously we all have different eye-shapes and eyelashes so its going to look slightly different on everyone. But I think the gist of it is there. It's supposed to be an all-rounder mascara. Here's what the website says:

"'New Lash Vegas Mascara features a new spiral shaped brush that has been specifically designed to separate, define and reach the smallest of lashes giving exceptional length and unrivalled definition. 
Featuring bristles that work close to the root for ultimate oooomph, this brush promises to give you show-stopping volume!.'"

So basically, it's supposed to be a magic mascara that does everything. Personally, I'm a big fan of lengthening mascaras, and it does the job for me. I'm not sure about the volumising aspect of it - I think there are more volumising mascaras on the market, but, they don't lengthen and separate as well...

There are three things that stand out to me about this mascara:

1. The Brush - is a bristle brush instead of a plastic brush, which was quite a surprise to me because almost all of the mascaras under the £10 mark have plastic brushes. The advantage is that the brush catches your lashes and provides more resistance so that more product goes on your lashes. I tend to find that bristle brushes don't provide as much separation and length as a plastic brush - but I was proven wrong in my assumptions! If this mascara does anything, it makes your eyelashes look longer and more separated. 

2. This is what I call a 'wet' mascara. I'm not usually a fan of these types of mascaras (where if you look up after 10 seconds of applying you'll get an imprint below your eyebrow), but actually that wasn't much of an issue with this mascara. I also find with 'wet' mascaras that they clump up my eyelashes and so I look like I've only got 5 eyelashes, which surprisingly was not the case for me this time. It definitely separates and doesn't clump. So it's a thumbs up from me :)

3. It lasts for ages without smudging. I occasionally am completely lazy/extremely tired, and have fallen asleep wearing this mascara. But, the next day, you wouldn't have know that I had - I didn't even have to reapply it for the same effect. That's definite kudos for this mascara.

The only downside I can find with this mascara is the bottle/tube/holder thing? As with most volumising mascaras it's a curvy little thing and for me that's just not handy . I much prefer a straight up and down tube that I can just throw in any size handbag and fits comfortably in my hand. But the tube shape isn't a deal-breaker and I still bought it regardless.

This mascara retails at £6-8 and is available at: 
amazon.co.uk (where I got it from), ebay.co.uk, superdrug.co.uk, boots.com & barrym.com.

I don't think I'll be switching from my current (and favourite) everyday mascara D&G Secret Eyes (a review of that here), because it has a more subtle effect. But Lash Vegas undeniably produces a blacker and fuller-lash effect, so I will definitely be using it for a night out with a  smokey eye.

Do you find the advert refreshing?
Should we see this type of advert more often?

Ciao for now, G x

Just Checking In

Hello there!

So just a short post to let you know what'll be coming up in the next few weeks..

1. I'm going to be talking about the new comedy additions to UK television....

2. There's going to be more Technology Thurdays

3. A new motivational Mantra

4 . A selection of products that I'll be telling you about :)

5. And my revelation of the best-quality-at-insane-prices-website, YAY!!

So it's going to be a jam-packed month and kick-off is tomorrow!

Have you got any products that you're looking forward to trying?
Hope its a great month for you :)

Ciao for now, G x

SKII | Airbrushed Foundation

Hello there!

My subject for today is about airbrush foundation. 

I've recently been using the SKII Air-touch foundation and I've fallen in love with it. 

So what is it exactly? - Honestly, I'm not sure. It took me a few goes to get the gist of how to use it. 

You basically hold this about 20cm away from your face and press the button. You then feel a slight mist against your face. The mistake I made initially was to hold it really close to my face to try and get coverage that I could see straight-away. But I just ended with patches. When I left it further away from my face for about 30 seconds, I opened my eyes and was astonished! I have never seen my foundation look so seamless. It was completely even coverage. - COMPLETELY EVEN. It adjusts the amount of foundation to your skin tone, so it covers any blemishes. 

I know it sounds clichéd, but I looked airbrushed (in a good way). 

  However, as the saying suggests (falling in love), you're likely to get hurt, and my heart has been broken - it's discontinued. And, it got discontinued so long ago that I can't even buy refills on ebay or amazon.

So I have now embarked on a new quest - to find a new airbrushing-machine thing that will give me the same completely even coverage. I've also read online that I can fill this will the MAC Pro Airbrush Foundation, so I think that will be the first avenue I will try. 

I have been so impressed by this product that I will 100% be trying alternatives and I encourage you too, because my bet is that you won't be disappointed. But, I'll update you on my progress in further blog posts :)

Has your heart been broken by a discontinued product?

Have you tried airbrushed foundation? 

If you have an alternative please tell me in a comment!

Ciao for now, G x

March Favourites | Pantene Aqualight | Aussie | D&G | Rimmel

Hello There!

YAY! It's my first favourites post. I have literally never been so excited about anything, ever  in my life... Ok, so that's an exaggeration. But I'm still very excited about it. We've reached the end of a month and I want to tell you about the products that I've been loving through March. I've divided them into two parts - haircare and make-up products. 
Here we go!

Haircare products that I was loving in March:

I am facing an eternal plight against frizz, and these are two discoveries that I made which really have helped me make progress in my fight.

Left: Pantene Pro-V Aqualight Conditioner: So I succumbed to the adverts and purchased a bottle to try out the range. I tend not to be that fussy about shampoos so I just started with the conditioner. As for quite a lot of people my hair type is fine hair - but a lot of it. This actually makes it really difficult to find hair products that work. But for once, I purchased a conditioner specifically for fine hair - a first for me. And I have honestly never had a product work so well, and seen really noticeable results. I literally applied no other products to my hair and never before have I seen my hair less naturally frizzy. It looked as sleek as when I straighten my hair, but had its natural waves in it. A super-product that I am recommending to everyone.

A must-have for frizz-prone hair!

Available instore and online at ebay, amazon (3 bottles), superdrug (only 75ml), boots

£1.50-£7

Right: Aussie Curl Definition+Soft Feel Serum: The name says it all. It helps define natural waves and curls, and makes you're hair noticeably softer. When I used this product I had a massive fear of horrid greasy hair full of product, which I have experienced before from similar products. But I was in for a surprise when I plucked up the courage to try this serum. It really does help tame my hair. Especially when it feel particularly damaged after heat styling. I have to say that the Aqualight conditioner above is overall more effective than this serum, but you do have to change-up shampoos and conditioners pretty often so they stay effective. So in-between using the Aqua-light conditioner, I will be using this to keep frizz to the minimum, because it really does work. I'll also be exploring more of this range soon, so watch this space if you're interested.

Available instore and online at ebay, amazon (3 bottles), superdrug, boots

£5-10

Now onto Make-Up products that I loved in March:

Dolce & Gabbana Secret Eyes Mascara: Ok, so it's no secret that I have a massive make-up crush on this mascara. I've written a 'why should I buy this mascara?' review here, so I'm not going to add to this post except for saying that: I love this mascara. 
It's an investment for beautiful eyes. Go get it.
Available here or at a D&G counter. £23.50 + delivery. 

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation

Colour 100, Ivory: 

So this product has been raved about a lot on youtube and so I bought it in February. 

Since then it has become a regular liquid foundation for me. It applies really well, and has a nice consistency, it is dewy - but not so much so that it makes you look sweaty. It actually has what look like to be tiny-weeny little pieces of glitter or something (it sparkles basically), well it reflects light so it really does give you a 'woken up' appearance and makes you look noticeably radiant. 

It has a medium coverage, so you're likely to want concealer, but it does mean that it can be used as both a  summer and a winter foundation. 

An added bonus which I've really appreciated is the SPF15. For the winter days (like at the moment) it protects against harsh winds and rays from cloudy days, and then I can use it for the summer because it'll provide extra protection against the sun. Lovely jubbly.

And with my super-sensitive skin, I haven't reacted to this foundation either, which is a break-through for me. I've remained faithful to Maxfactor for a number of years, because I know their foundations don't react with my skin. But I bit the bullet and bought this foundation and have not been disappointed by blotchy skin, Yay! It also hasn't dried out my skin, which is always a worry for me with liquid foundations (weirdly). But it ticks all the boxes on the skin front. 

A definite all rounder liquid foundation, that will work for all the seasons. 

A must-have product. 

Available instore and online at ebay, boots, superdrug.

£6-£9

What products have you been enjoying for the past month?
If you any recommendations for me, or products you'd like me to review, give me a shout at graciiousme@hotmail.co.uk


Ciao for now, G x