FYF Cosmetics Review

For a while now I have been using a few products by a relatively unknown cosmetics brand called Flawless you Forever. Ever since I got the products have been using them all the time because I love them so much but just hadn't found the time to properly review them! For example some looks where I used FYF products can be found here, here and here!

Flawless You Forever (FYF) offers a "range of core and mineral make-up, skincare and spa products specially designed to keep you looking the way you should. Gorgeous! Launched by the prestigious ONYX label, FYF is more than a brand name. It's a mantra.

Created using a perfectly balanced blend of minerals and pigments, every FYF product comes with a promise of flawlessness. Not just for your outer appearance but your innner well being as well. The fine crystals are silky to the touch and overlap seamlessly on your skin, allowing it to breathe freely.

FYF products are also long-lasting, water resistant and well suited to all climates, giving you the freedom to go through even the most hectic day without and touch-ups.
Truly, FYF is the last word in beauty and luxury.
And it's yours to enjoy... Forever!"

So now onto these lovely products, here is a recent Fawless You Forever look;

Products used:

♥ Mineral Loose Powder 'Impeccable'

♥ Floral Blush in the shade 'Romance'

♥ Mineral Couture Pout Lipstick in 'Michelle'

Mineral Loose Impeccable Powder in the shade Medium (link) $30/£19.40

Medium; for light to medium skin with medium undertones (available in 8 shades)

FYF Impeccable Mineral Loose powder is ideal for all skin types and suitable for sensitive and skins prone to breakouts because it is talc-free and very gentle. It offers the coverage of a foundation in a natural and weightless powder form. It brings your complexion alive and creates a healthy look, along with providing sun protection (SPF18). I love using this powder mineral foundation, it gives me a wonderful glow!

Floral Blush in the shade 'Romance' $35/£23 (link)

This compact is just so pretty but luckily it doesn't just look pretty in the compact, it also looks lovely on your cheeks :) The FYF Blossom glides on smoothly and offers a semi-matte finish which is long lasting. It gives you the option of using countless hues in one single blush. Use with a blush brush and apply on the apples of your cheeks for a natural blush.

Mineral Couture Pout Lipstick in 'Michelle' (link) $20/£13

This is one of my favourite work lipsticks at the moment. The shade is a gorgeous rosy pink nude. The formula is super creamy, rich and very long lasting. Formulated with shea butter and lip conditioners like avocado and jojoba oil, they hydrate your lips and keep them soft and supple.

Price wise I think all these products are pretty good value for money. FYF Cosmetics is a US company and their make-up is sold online from their website Flawless You Forever but they ship internationally!

What do you think - do you like the look of any of these products?
Had you heard of FYF before and if so let me know what you've tried! xoxo

New MAC purchases: Warm Soul & Richer, Lusher

So when I was at MAC getting my makeup done for the Pre-Wimbledon party (see the post here) I ended up buying two new MAC products to cover my £25 fee for the 'make-over'.

The first product I got was the MAC Mineralize blush in 'Warm Soul'. The makeup artist used this in my look for that night and said it was his all time favourite blush. I normally tend to go for more pink or coral toned blushes (like MAC Well Dressed or NARS Orgasm) so this warmer more beige toned isn't something I would have picked myself. However, once he applied it on my cheeks, I just loved the effect! 
Mineralize Blush is baked mineral refined into a powder formula to provide exceptionally sheer and lightweight application. Colour builds lightly, layer after layer, without heavy coverage. It enhances the cheekbones with a luminous pearlised shimmer.   MAC describes this blush as a 'mid tone beige with gold pearl'.

Here is the blush swatched:

Natural Light                                                                    Flash

Really loving this blush. It gives me warmth and a subtle glow at the same time :) It has a lovely sheer pigmentation but you can easily build up the colour. I think Warm Soul would also look amazing on darker skinned girls or for people that are scared of using bronzers as it gives such a nice warm glow without the brown/orange undertone of some bronzers.

Warm Soul retails at MAC Cosmetics for £19.00/US$23.00/€23.00

The second product I got was MAC Cremesheen Glass in 'Richer, Lusher'. For a while I have been looking for a sheer peach toned lipgloss and this gloss just caught my eye! 

Cremesheen Glass is a creamy, milkier gloss than say MAC Lipglass. Even though it's very creamy, it's not too sticky or thick on the lips. It's vanilla-scented and has a nice colour/sheer effect on the lips.

Richer, Lusher is a creamy, peach coral. When you see the gloss in the tube or even on the swatched on your hand; you think the colour is going to be very in-your-face peach coral and very rich......

But once on my lips, it actually gives them a lovely soft peachy look! Great smooth, non sticky formula ♥
Warm Soul retails at MAC Cosmetics for £16.00/ US$18.50/€19.00

Have you bought any new MAC Goodies recently that you are loving? Please do share :) xoxo

Estee Lauder - Bronze Goddess Soleil Summer 2011

Recently I was invited to a stunning (10th floor!) hotel suite at the Metropolitan Hotel, overlooking Hyde Park, to get a preview of Estee Lauders 2011 Bronze Goddess Soleil Collection! The Collection is inspired by the warm hues and atmosphere of the Mediterranean. 

"Experience the casual luxury and seductive spirit of a goddess with shades that sparkle, shimmer and shine for eyes, lips and nails, while face and decolletage are transformed into golden, glowing perfection!" Check out this beautiful promo shot for the collection featuring model Hilary Rhoda:

Click here to see step-by-step instructions on how to re-create the makeup look from the above photo!

At the event we got shown all the products from this collection ranging from products for eyes, face, nails and body. I instantly fell in love with all the gorgeous items on display! So let me break down the Bronze Goddess Soleil collection:

Eyes:

♥ Bronze Goddess Island Oasis Eyeshadow Palette £31.00

Inspired by hues from the surf and sand, this limited edition eye shadow palette  has six irresistibly wearable shades, brightens and defines eyes by day and transforms them by night. The eyeshadows’ delicate iridescent pigments allure with radiance and luminosity in warm sand shades of copper, bronze, gold and coral balanced by cool surf hues of turquoise, seashell pink, silver and seaweed.

It's such a luxurious compact with great shades to wear alone or together—the possibilities are endless! 

I definitely have my eye on this little beauty....

♥ ShadowStick Duo in Gold Bronze and Pink Teal £17.00 each

These unique duo's are the perfect, fun eye accessory for summer. Each pencil features two complementary shades in a water resistant, long wearing formula that is ideal for warm summer months. Whether you want a precise line or a smokey look, with these pencils you can do both! 

I got the Pink/Teal pencil. I'm already a fan of wearing a pop of teal on my eyes, as you can see in this tutorial, so I can't wait to play around to create more fun 'goddess looks' this summer with my new pencil!

♥ Sumptuous Waterproof Mascara in Black £19.00

"A waterproof mascara that gives you gorgeous lashes, just the way you love them. Full, curled and virtually indestructible. Now lashes look beautiful in all wet conditions, from steamy humidity to a splash in the pool!" I don't normally wear waterproof mascara but can see the benefit when in hot weather or on holiday so am going to trail this out when I'm off to Spain for the Easter break! 

Lips:

♥ Pure Color Gloss in Limited Edition Sun Burst Sparkle £15.50

♥ Pure Color Gloss in Blazing Coral Sparkle £15.50

♥ Pure Color Gloss in Plum Divine Shimmer £15.50

♥ Pure Color Crystal Lipstick in Tiramisu $24.00

Nails:

♥ Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Limited Edition Shimmering Bronze £14.00

This is a gorgeous bronze nail polish. Swatches will feature in a NOTD soon :)

Face:

♥ Bronze Goddess Soft Matte Bronzer £26.00

♥ Bronze Goddess Soft Shimmer Bronzer £26.00

♥ Bronze Goddess Soft Duo Bronzer in Amber Bronze Medium and Amber Bronze Rich £26.00

♥ Limited Edition Bronze Goddess Luminous Liquid Bronzer £21.50

♥ Limited Edition Bronze Goddess Sea Star Bronzing Blush £29.00

The last one, the Sea Star Bronzing Blush, is my ABSOLUTE favourite of the entire collection! It's so beautiful; I almost I didn't want to use it, so not to ruin the lovely design of it :)
"The new Limited Edition Bronze Goddess Sea Star Bronzing Blush is a beautifully-crafted, feather-light illuminating blush that enhances any skin’s bronzed complexion with a perfectly warm sun-kissed glow. Featuring an artful starfish resting on a shimmering sand-inspired background, the silky, soft powder bronzing blush gives skin a naturally radiant, smooth, sun-kissed finish. Color-true and with buildable coverage, this unique bronzing blush enhances your natural cheek color with an added touch more summer radiance with every stroke. Easy to apply and blend, the blush can be worn alone, or over any Bronze Goddess bronzer and will not streak or settle into pores."

I have been using this blush/bronzer almost daily and love the warm, pink glow it gives my cheeks!

The Bronze Goddess Soleil Collection is previewing at House of Fraser now and will be available at Estee Lauder counters and online from 2nd May. 

This collection has definitely got me in the summer spirit (Ok..the recent gorgeous weather in London helped a little too...)  So do you think you will be picking up anything from Estee Lauder to transform you into a Bronze Goddess this summer? xoxo

First Kiss >

Want perfect gorgeous pink cheeks with a subtle golden sheen to it for a bargain price? Then look no further!

I recently discovered ‘17 Blusher’ in the shade First Kiss and have been using it almost every day since. The colour is a great dupe for NARS Orgasm Blush, which is one of my holy grail products. However First Kiss is a more wallet friendly version because this amazing little blush is only £3.49!

First Kiss came out with 17’s Spring 2011 collection. The blush comes in a small screw top container. It’s a nice soft powder, that is well pigmented and lasts all day long. It blends so nicely and is just such a pretty colour! I definitely recommend checking it out. You can get it from Boots here. They even have a great deal on at the moment: get 3 for 2 deal on any of their 17 products!

Thought I'd share a FOTD with me wearing this lovely blush:
♥ Face:
MAC Studio Finish Concealer NC20
Revlon PhotoReady Liquid Foundation
Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder
MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural in Medium Light
17 Blusher in First Kiss

♥ Eyes:
Urban Decay Primer potion (all over lid as base)
MAC Patina eyeshadow (all over lid blended up into the crease)
MAC Satin Taupe eyeshadow (lid only, up until crease so patina still shows in crease & lower lash line)
MAC Shroom eye-shadow (tear duct and underneath brows as a highlight)
Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Black (waterline)
MAC Fluidline in blacktrack (to line upper lash line)
Bourjois Volume Fast & Perfect 'Rotatif' Mascara

♥ Lips:
Forever21 Nude Lipgloss

What do you think of this blush - will you go check it out?
Plus what other drugstore blushes are you loving at the moment? xoxo 

"Flushed" Cheeks

One of my favourite shops in London is Topshop. The one on Oxford Street is just SO massive, you could get lost in there....(actually I think I did almost get lost! haha) Beside clothes they have an amazing range of shoes, accessories, jewellery and since not that long also MakeUp! I had read a few reviews on their products, so I was excited to try out some Topshop MakeUp myself. 
I ended up buying a cream blusher, called "Flush"

What Topshop says: "Lightweight cream to powder blush that melts into the skin giving a natural luminous, radiant finish" 

Flush is a pretty rose pink with a slight coral undertone. It looks very bright in the pan but I feel its a lovely soft shade of pink when blended onto the cheek, giving you that "flushed" cheeks look. The blush has great pigmentation, lasts really long and it it applies from a cream to a soft powdery finish. All I do really is dot it onto my cheeks and blend! Plus it can also be worn as a lipstick/stain.  I say for £6 it's a bargain!

Swatched on my hand in natural light. Left: not blended. Right: Blended

Btw I ♥ the packaging - the dots are too cute!

Face of the Day and showing off my "flushed" cheeks :)

♥ Face:
Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation 
Revlon ColorStay Concealer
Max Factor Creme Puff powder in Translucent (#5)
Topshop Creme Blush in Flush
Rimmel London Natural Bronzer in Sunlight
♥ Eyes:
MAC Tempting e/s (all over lid & lower lash line)
MAC Nylon e/s (under brow bone)
MAC Smolder (waterline)
MAC Fluidline in blacktrack (upper lash line)
Maybelline Collosal Volume Express Mascara
♥ Lips:
MAC Blankety lipstick

Have you tried any of the Topshop MakeUp range, if so what did you think? xoxo

Who says DIY is not for girls? :p

Hi my lovelies,
So the other day I accidentally (duh) dropped my MAC Springsheen blush compact on the floor..and **SMASH** all the powder was broken and spread across the wooden floor :( There wasn't that much left in the compact but I still didn't want to just throw it away. So I picked up the broken pieces and decided to DYI fix it! This is how I did it:

The main subject - the broken blush :(

1) Move the broken product into a paper towel & with a spoon (or other object) gently crush it down to a powdery consistency. 

2) Place the powder into a little bowl and add some drops of rubbing alcohol (not the kind of alcohol you can drink girls!) haha

3) Mix the powder & alcohol until it becomes like a paste.

4) Spoon the paste back into the compact & smooth out with cling-film.

Remove the cling film and leave the compact open to dry. This could take anywhere from 1 to 4 hours. For best results, let the make up to dry overnight to allow the alcohol to evaporate and for the powder to become stiff and ready to use!

Tada, my DIY fixed blush. Such a proud moment!

Who say's DYI is not for girls right? ;)

ELF Blush & Bronzing Powder

I recently bought the E.L.F. Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder. I had read a lot about this product and many people call it a possible dupe to the Nars Orgasm/Laguna compact. I already own NARS Orgasm blush (love it) & NARS Laguna bronzer has been on my wish list for a while. Therefore felt this ELF compact would be worth trying out, especially because it was a bargain at only NZ$16.90 (or online for only US$3)!

What does the  E.L.F.’s website say?
"Create a healthy and natural glow all year long. The Blush highlights the cheeks to add a flush of color, while the Bronzer accents and contours cheekbones for beautiful definition."

Swatched on skin, no flash

(Bronzer quite heavily swatched to show colour)

The compact, which contains a blush and a bronzer, looks very sleek and similar to the NARS packaging. But the E.L.F.’s one isn’t rubbery, which makes it easier to clean. It comes with a big mirror but no brush. I don’t mind that since I never use those brushes that come with products anyway - they are never any good!

There's a good amount of each product in this compact. The powder is finely milled but not very well pressed which makes them a bit on the powdery side. So use a light swipe with your brushes. Both shades are very pigmented and a little goes a long way. The bronzer is great for contouring but like I said use a light hand because otherwise the colour may appear a bit muddy & you'll end up looking like a bit of a drag queen :p The blush gives you a nice peachy pink glow with light flecks of gold shimmer. Very wearable.

FOTD wearing the bronzer & blush

Eyes: Sleek Storm Palette - gold & brown eye shadows

Lips: MAC Creme D'Nude l/s & NYX Whipped lipgloss

Overall think this compact is pretty good value for money! Nice blush & the bronzer is a little bit dark but OK for contouring if lightly applied. NARS laguna is still on the wish list though..haha