MAC Studio Finish Concealer Review

As dark circles are the bane of my life (I'm sure some of you will relate!) trying out new concealers - regardless of price - is something that I'm always willing to do. Having heard good things about MAC's Prolongwear concealer I headed to the nearest counter and had it tried on me. It didn't cover my dark circles (which was unsurprising, but still disappointing) so I ended up trying EVERY SINGLE MAC CONCEALER. I was there for more than half an hour. And by the time I'd tried all of them I discovered that none of them actually did what I wanted. Great. But I did find and purchase what I (and the lady trying all the different concealers on me) considered to be the best.

MAC Studio Finish Concealer, £15.50, 7g; comes in a small pot and has quite a thick formula. I have it in the shade NC20 as that is my skin tone however you could potentially buy it in NC or NW depending on the colour you want to balance out (like a corrector).

I've been using this concealer for a few months now and I have to say I'm pretty pleased with it. The coverage is decent (I meant to get a with/without concealer photo to demonstrate however you actually couldn't tell the difference in any of them, so I guess this isn't a good concealer for photos?). I definitely look less like a sleep-deprived zombie with this on. That's the most important thing, I guess.

The annoying thing about this concealer is the staying power. It's not the best. I'd say it vaguely conceals under the eyes for the whole day but it is definitely more than three quarters gone (and kind of cakey where it still lingers) by the time I get home.

I tend to apply using my fingers and tap gently to blend as it definitely gets swept away by either swiping to blend or by using a brush. Having to rub my fingers into the product each time seems somewhat unhygienic to me. As it's quite a heavy concealer it's quite difficult to use without foundation so on a light make up day I definitely wouldn't go anywhere near it. It is pretty good on spots, though - so it is a multipurpose concealer!

To sum up -

PROS:

• covers dark circles reasonably well
• can also be used on spots
• decent amount of product in pot so will last me a long time
• SPF 35

CONS:

• not much staying power
• can't really be worn without foundation
• quite expensive
• fairly difficult to blend

Overall I would say that it's a good concealer, not my holy grail concealer by any means, and I might repurchase it in future if I don't find something better. I would recommend it, but it would be best for short uses rather than all day in my opinion.

Thanks for reading,

Eleanor xx

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October Favourites

I'm a few days late with this post but I figured I best put it up, favourites are always fun posts and I like to read/watch them as much as I like to write them. I haven't really been trying loads of new things this past month but there have been a few items which I have either purchased in the last month or been using a lot recently that I'd like to talk about.

Zoella Body Lotion, Impulse 'Into Glamour' Body Spray, MAC Woodwinked, MAC Naked Lunch

The first is the Zoella Beauty Creamy Madly Dreamy Body Lotion (£5), something which I have spoken about in a few posts already but have really been enjoying recently. I'm not the biggest expert on body lotions or any skincare in general but I have noticed that using this regularly makes my skin incredibly soft. Definitely a must buy at such a great price.

Impulse 'Into Glamour' (Sandalwood & Vanilla) Body Fragrance (£1.99) has a gorgeous scent which I was loving a lot at the end of October and still am. Vanilla is a fragrance that I absolutely adore and body sprays are a great way to add a little extra scent without being overpowering like some perfumes can be.

Finally I've been getting a lot of use out of MAC eyeshadows in Woodwinked and Naked Lunch (£13 each or £10 in pan form). Eye shadow is my favourite product from MAC even above lipstick (shocking, I know) and these are some of my all time favourites. In October I've been really loving these two colours blended together. Naked Lunch is a very pale pinky white shimmery colour, a perfect all over the lid shade and Woodwinked is a golden brown colour which I think is ideal for Autumn. If you're thinking about trying out some MAC eyeshadows I would highly recommend these as a starting point, they're definitely the most used shades from my eyeshadow quad.

Be sure to let me know if you've tried any of these products or what other things you've been loving this past month!
Thanks for reading,
Eleanor xx

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Autumn/Winter Nail Polish Colours

Although I'm definitely a bright nails kind of person who loves her pastel shades to death, darker and more wintery nails are something that I really love too. I don't reject my bright colours in Autumn/Winter (hopefully I won't look too crazy with bright yellow nails in the middle of January...) but the dark shades do get much more action at this time of year.

One of my favourite colours is MAC Cream Nail Polish in 'Gadabout Girl' (£11). Now MAC nail polishes don't get a lot of love from most people simply because they're pretty standard quality for a reasonably steep price. They do, however, have some really pretty colours, another example being Mean & Green - definitely something you should check out. This colour is a dark purple/red colour which looks absolutely gorgeous on. It is one that looks best with 3 coats rather than 2 though, so if that's a drawback for you then I'm sure you could find some really good dupes quite easily.

A slightly brighter colour is Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint in 'Watermelon' (£3.99). This is a dark blue/green colour which kind of reminds me of stormy seas (not watermelons in the slightest though, unfortunately) and the gelly hi-shine formula is really great. I think the fact that it's a bit darker than a lot of blue shades makes it a lot more wearable in colder months and as Boots is currently on 3 for 2 now would be a great time to pick it up!

I'm kind of ashamed to say that I'd never tried the nail polish brand Essie until this week. I had heard a lot about it and how great it is but I was kind of put of by the price tag as £7.99 a nail polish seemed a bit excessive to me but I have finally seen the light and can say that they are the best nail polishes I have ever tried. Easy to apply and quick drying, Essie Nail Lacquers in 'Stylenomics' and 'The Perfect Cover Up' (£7.99) are gorgeous colours. Stylenomics is a very dark green that looks black unless you shine a light on it. I think this would be a great AW colour - it feels kind of Christmassy to me and is definitely going to get a lot of use this Winter. The Perfect Cover Up is a dark, blue-toned grey which reminds me a bit of slate. I think both of these colours are gorgeous, particularly for this time of year and I would highly recommend them both.

Do you have any good Autumn/Winter nail polish recommendations? Let me know!

Thanks for reading,

Eleanor xx

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Red Lip Inspiration!

Left to Right: Collection Volume Sensation Lipstick (8 Cherry Pop), MAC Frost Lipstick (New York Apple), Rimmel Lasting Finish Kate Moss Lipstick (107), Soap & Glory Gloss Stick (Plum Jam)

Left to Right: Collection Volume Sensation Lipstick (8 Cherry Pop), MAC Frost Lipstick (New York Apple), Rimmel Lasting Finish Kate Moss Lipstick (107), Soap & Glory Gloss Stick (Plum Jam)

Sometimes I'm a bit afraid of red lips. I love them dearly but every now and again I'm out and about and suddenly have the fear that I look a bit silly with my bright red lipstick. I often neglect my red lip products for this very reason so I felt I should write this post about my favourite reds to inspire both myself and you to be a bit bolder with red lips!

The brightest red lipstick I own is the Collection Volume Sensation Lipstick in 8 Cherry Pop (£2.99) and this also happens to be the most neglected. It's a really pretty colour (think Taylor Swift red lipstick) and lasts absolutely ages. It has a very creamy formulation and for the price I think it's amazing. It may be getting a little cold and dark for such a bright lipstick but if you can make it work, go for it!

Next along is a darker red, MAC Frost Lipstick in New York Apple (£15.50). This is one of my favourite lipsticks but one that I feel doesn't get mentioned much. I'd say it's more of a berry red colour - good for Autumn! - and I think it would look really nice on a whole range of skin tones. The frost finish isn't the most well loved from MAC and I understand why but I do think you can make lipsticks of this finish work very nicely with a little extra effort!

This one is a very popular lipstick. No doubt you'll have heard of Rimmel Lasting Finish Kate Moss Lipstick in 107 (£5.49). Again this shade is much darker than the Collection lipstick, it's almost a purple in fact, but I would still class it as a red (wine red, perhaps?) based on the way it looks on the lips. I absolutely love this shade and out of the three lipsticks mentioned I think it is the easiest to apply and maintain throughout the day. If you haven't tried it I would highly recommend getting it next time you're looking for a lipstick of this kind of colour.

Finally, a more glossy red. Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Plum Jam (£8) is one that I love for a look that isn't quite as bold as the others. While it looks like a very dark red in the stick I think that when on it just adds a red-tinted shine that's really lovely. I think it would be a good choice if you were planning on going for heavy eye make up but still wanted a red lip. I don't find it too sticky and I think it is well worth trying out if you like a gloss!

Have you tried any of these lip products and loved (or hated!) them? Are you slightly afraid of red lips too? I'd love to hear!

Thanks for reading,

Eleanor xx

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Top Ten Tag

These posts have been floating around for a while now and although I haven't technically been tagged to do one I figured I'd give it a shot anyway!

1. Foundation - No7 Instant Radiance Founation (Cool Vanilla); Boots; £12.50; 30ml

Overall I find this to be a pretty solid foundation. I'd say that it's medium coverage and does what it says it does (improve the appearance of tired or stressed skin). Although I got it matched to me I would say that it's slightly pink as my skin is actually warm toned and this is cool, unfortunately.

2. Powder - No7 Translucent Perfect Light Loose Powder; Boots; £10.50; 20g

As with the foundation, I would say this is an overall good product which does its job just fine. I tend to only have one powder at a time as I don't really think it's necessary to have lots and this is the one I'm using at the moment!

3. Concealer - Collection Lasting Perfection Full Cover Concealer (Fair); Boots; £4.19; ???

I'm sure you've heard of this concealer. Every blogger's favourite, Collection's concealer is the best of the bunch. While it doesn't completely cover my dark circles it does cover them twice as well as any other concealer I've tried (Rimmel Wake Me Up was quite a disappointment, honestly) so it gets a thumbs up from me!

4. Blush - Sleek Blush (Rose Gold); Superdrug; £4.49; 8g

I have totally fallen in love with this blush over the last few weeks. Gorgeous pink colour with slight gold shimmer. I would definitely recommend this to anyone and I'm planning on getting some different shades from Sleek soon - they have some beautiful colours!

5. Bronzer - Collection Bronze Glow Mosaic Powder (1 Sunkissed); Boots; £2.99; 15g

If I'm being completely honest, I haven't tried many bronzers. I'm very pale (notice that my concealer is the lightest shade they do) so a lot of them look muddy. Great quality for the price.

6. Highlighter - N/A

Another moment of honesty - I have never owned a highlighter. Not going to lie, I'm a bit ashamed that I have a beauty blog and don't own one. Any recommendations?

7. Mascara - L'oreal Mega Volume Miss Manga Mascara; Boots; £8.99; 8.5ml

Very lengthening and volumising. I really love this mascara. One that you have to be careful with though as it is more likely to cause clumping with extra coats than a lot of other mascaras that I've tried. Overall I would repurchase.

8. Eyeshadow - MAC Electric Cool Eyeshadow (Pure Flash!); MAC stores/counters/online; £15.50; 2.1g

Weirdly, my dad bought me this eyeshadow. I believe it's part of a collection (?) and it's very different in texture to most eyeshadows. It's very strange - a bit like wet clay. The colour is a really nice shimmery gold and I've really been enjoying it lately. Apparently dads can buy make up...

9. Brows - Collection Work The Colour Eyebrow Kit; Boots; £3.99; 3x1g + 1x2ml

Has all the basic eyebrow necessities - a small angled brush, powders to actually fill in the eyebrows, and a clear brow gel to keep it all in place. A nice handy product.

10. Lip product - MAC Frost Lipstick (Angel); MAC stores/counters/online; £15.50; ???

My favourite lip product changes almost daily so this was a tough choice but I have been loving this lipstick recently. It's a lovely baby pink colour that doesn't draw too much attention to the lips whilst still adding colour.

Well. That took a surprisingly long time. Thanks for reading!
Eleanor xx

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MAC Autumn Neutrals Quad

I love Autumn (or Fall, if you prefer) and I'm also a fan of the make up that comes with. Recently I've been LOVING neutral eyeshadows instead of brights, I find that they look a lot better if you you have a darker lip. So with that in mind, I decided to splash out in some MAC eyeshadows. I adore MAC eyeshadows but until recently I was only in possession of three. A quad was an ideal choice for me as it will fit in a small space and didn't take too much commitment to fill!
The colours I opted for were Naked Lunch, Satin Taupe, Antiqued and Woodwinked.

Naked Lunch

Satin Taupe

Antiqued

Woodwinked

Top left to right: Naked Lunch, Satin Taupe
Bottom left to right: Antiqued, Woodwinked

Even though I wouldn't say Antiqued is that neutral as such I do think it has a very autumnal theme as it is a slightly reddish brown (reminiscent of Autumn trees, perhaps?) but it also isn't so bright that it distracts from the rest of the make up look. Naked Lunch is a great light champagne pink all over the lid colour and the other three would be great for blending or alternatively they could be lid colours too if you wanted a slightly darker eye look. Satin Taupe is a really nice colour although I feel as though it will get the least use as I tend to prefer warmer colours. Woodwinked is a lovely golden shadow and I think it will quickly become one of my firm favourites. Next stop, Urban Decay Naked Palette! Definitely need to get one of those. 

Does anyone have any MAC eyeshadows that they recommend? I always find the selection very overwhelming, although I think I've decided that my next purchase will be Sumptuous Olive.

Thanks for reading,

Eleanor xx

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AUTUMN LIPSTICK PICKS

As Summer is pretty much at an end and Autumn (fall) has arrived, everyone is going to be wearing different - most likely darker - lipsticks. Because of that I have decided to make a post showing 3 lipsticks that I'll be wearing throughout Autumn.

Left to right: Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick 107, MAC New York Apple, 17 Mirror Shine Scrumptious

Just a quick note - I've noticed that the lipsticks look a bit more pink in the images I have taken of my lips then they should, the swatches are probably more accurate representations of the colour.

Rimmel  Kate Moss Matte Lipstick (107); Boots; £5.49

A deep, wine red colour. I love this colour and it stays really well. I also think Rimmel is currently on a 2 for £10 offer at Boots - so now would be a good time to buy!

MAC Frost Lipstick (New York Apple); MAC stores or counters; £15.50

Another deep red. This has a slight berry colour which should be great for Autumn and I love it. I also think that it would make a nice Christmas colour.

Seventeen Mirror Shine Lipstick (Scrumptious); Boots; £4.79

Even though this lipstick looks purple (see image at top of post) it doesn't come out quite the way you expect. It has a glossy finish and looks like a purple-toned red. I'd say that it's fairly sheer so would not make the lips the most striking part of the make up look.

Thanks for reading

Eleanor xx

MAC Lipstick Collection

In the last month or two I have purchased a few MAC lipsticks and I have definitely been enjoying them quite a lot as would be expected from a lover of lipstick like me. I am fairly new to more expensive make up so MAC isn't a brand I have owned a lot of products from before so my collection is only just beginning and hopefully will continue to grow in the coming months/years. If anyone is reading I would love it if you could recommend some good ones as I'm kind of spoiled for choice whenever I'm at the MAC counter! Currently considering getting Impassioned.
I have 3 lipsticks from MAC at the moment (pictured below in the following order) - Angel, Bombshell + New York Apple.

If you are familiar with these lipsticks you may well have noticed that they are all of the Frost finish. This was far from intentional, these were simply the colours which I happened to like (please bear in mind that the swatches provided aren't particularly good as my camera hates me today). I am definitely interested in trying some of the other finishes when I next buy a MAC lipstick.

Angel is a fairly subtle baby pink colour that edges towards a nude, although I definitely wouldn't describe it as a nude. I really like this colour but I wear it the least as unfortunately it melted slightly and snapped off. It is now partially reassembled but I'm wary of breaking it again. May repurchase to avoid the the stress of breaking it. You could definitely wear this as an everyday lipstick and would not have to be reserved for more exciting occasions.

Much brighter than Angel, Bombshell is an eye-catching pink colour. I typically wear a pink lip rather than a red so these two lipsticks are great for me. I find it to be the least moisturising of the three but isn't particularly drying compared to some lipsticks I have.

My favourite (and the most recently purchased) of the lipsticks is New York Apple. It's such a gorgeous berry red that you could either play up for the evening or down to wear casually. It is also the most moisturising of the three from my experiences so far. I just love the colour and I feel that it would look good on most skin tones and I also think that it would be more suitable for the Autumn/Fall and Winter months so I look forward to getting a lot of wear from it soon!