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Wednesday 31 October 2012

NARS Andy Warhol Larger Than Life Lip Gloss Candy Says

Nars lip gloss candy says £19*
This beautiful shimmery gloss is part of the Nars Andy Warhol range which is a really lovely limited edition range out in time for Christmas! This is Candy Says named after a Velvet Underground song, who were produced by Andy Warhol, I've been getting a music history lesson from my boyfriend *he even has a book about it*. It's described by Nars as a shimmery strawberry pink, I think it's really wearable shade either on its own or on top of darker colours to add a hint of shimmer.

The consistency is lush, it smooths on really easily and is the perfect level of opacity to be worn by itself (this with the revlon eyeliner reviewed here makes a perfect 60s/ Adele make up look) but it's still sheer enough to go on top of my darker lipsticks to add luminosity. It's not too sticky so your hair is safe, normally my biggest lipgloss bug bear. The gloss lasts pretty well too but I'm more than happy to pull this out of my bag for reapplication as the packaging looks beautiful and I've had a fair few people ask about it.
The brush is teeny tiny which worried me at first but it's actually really good and makes application precise and smooth. Another plus to the small brush is to use it just in the centre of my lips and blend out a little which makes them look all 3D and huge.
This is it on by itself but I'm definitely going to include it in another post on top of lipstick as that's how I mostly wear it. The more I look at this photo the more I like it like this too. It's just so easy to wear and I'm usually a lipstick girl so I'm surprised how much I like it. I have a few more Nars/Andy Warhol bits on my Christmas list (Penny Arcade & the Edie set namely!)

Have you checked out this range yet? Are you a lipstick or lipgloss fan usually?

Cariad xxx

 

Sunday 28 October 2012

What I've been up to ...

Another busy week, I can tell the good weeks just from these posts!

I have been loving my Schnauzer pyjamas! | Beautiful Mollie Makes (so many ideas) | Trying out the bridesmaids dresses (with a newly engaged friend) | Poppy cat came up for cuddles

I had a brilliant night Saturday with so many lovely bloggers all enjoying food, drinks and fashion in Cardiff. We met at Jamie's Italian and there were absolutely loads of us, I was really surprised at how many bloggers there are around me and there were some faces that I recognised from their blogs but I didn't expect to be a Welshie!

The fashion show outside was excellent! I've never really seen one before (this was Cardiff's first fashion week) and the models were dancing and strutting around like nobody's business, clearly not caring that it was absolutely freezing. The outfits on show were lovely too, especially river island! Oh and I really liked the compare as well he was very cool trying to get us all involved.

A few of us went to Nandos after as well but I was too busy munching and chatting to take any photos which is a pity, but it was a lot easier to talk in the smaller group, most of us hadn't met before so it was amazing how easily the conversation flowed. I feel really privileged to be part of such a lovely blogging community, to attend amazing events like this and to have met such lovely girls! (Aw I've gone all soppy on you)

Lots of the girls have also written posts about the event so I thought I'd link them all here for you to have a look and maybe find a few new to follow!

Make up pixi

BonjourCupcake

Tantibacix

CutePanda

Cosmetics, Shopping and Intoxication

What Laura Did

Cardifforina Girl

Bitch With Bite

Gem - Fat Frocks

Charli dot dot dot

Have you guys been to your local fashion week? I'm definitely going again next year, I might even try to make it to bristols as well! Ps I've got so many good things to post over the next few weeks so keep a lookout, I'm aiming to get a few up this week.

 

Cariad xx

 

Saturday 20 October 2012

Real Techniques Blush Brush

My last review was my beautiful new Nars Laguna bronzer & Orgasm blusher (click to have a look!) I was really nervous using the bronzer as I'm so shockingly pale, so I bought this huge real techniques blush brush and it is working a treat!



I love that when you buy a real techniques brush you get all this extra info and advice from the packaging and website, Sam is one of my favourite youtubers and I'm going to perfect her contouring one day soon!



First the brush is pink which pleases me no end, second the quality is amazing but I'm sure you all know that already plus it's super soft and feels lush on your face. I went for this brush particularly as its big and fluffy so I hoped it would stop me applying too much bronzer and looking a bit tangoed which it does perfectly.




When I feel like a need a bit more colour than a normal sweep gives I find myself patting the flatish sides of the brush in the pan and then patting it onto my cheek, I then use the fluffy end to buff this out and that works really well for me.




I'm planning on getting a nice eyeshadow brush and the powder brush soon too as I'm asking Santa very sweetly for some mac eyeshadows and mac soft and gentle!

Does anyone have any eyeshadow colour suggestions? Also which brushes are on your wish lists?

Cariad xxx


Saturday 13 October 2012

Nars Orgasm & Laguna

I bought these little beauties with my birthday money over 2 months ago (you can tell by the sunshine in the photos) I have been giving them a thorough testing and I'm in love!

The packaging looks so nice and pristine here but it doesn't last for long, the matte finish is beautiful but totally impractical!
The names really make me chuckle, you do have to be careful just casually taking about them though as I got a few raised eyebrows from my friends who aren't really into beauty things and just thought I was crude!

Soo pretty!
I was worried about using bronzer as I'm so very pale but I've heard so many bloggers say that this one is suitable for pale skin so I asked the lovely MUA at nars about it and she offered to show me how it applies which was really lovely of her and clearly a good sales technique!
This was the only nars blusher I had heard of so I asked the MUA to put a little of this on too. When I am buying high end makeup I always try it on my face first as so many things have looked beautiful in the pan and then awful on me, I also leave the counter and try to see how the product lasts on me and how it looks in different lights too. After a day of trying to catch a glimpse of my cheeks in every shiny surface I went back and happily bought both (from the same MUA as she had put the work in).

It took me ages to have my first try as I really didn't want to mess up these pans (that's pretty sad I know) but I have to say I have used these everyday and they barely look touched so I'm sure they will last me an age.
This is Laguna on the top and orgasm on the bottom, both are swatched with 2 swipes as I don't find them very strongly pigmented which I'm glad of as I'm a little heavy handed and especially with the bronzer I didn't want thick heavy stripes of it.
Before / After Laguna
Before / After Laguna
I apply this with a real techniques blush brush which I will be reviewing on here soon too. I mainly apply this to my cheeks and very lightly dust it all over (to try and look alive) I have recently been practising contouring but I'm useless at it!

Before / After Orgasm applied, I put quite a generous amount on for the photo but it still looks really subtle and the shimmer is the perfect amount as I was a little wary of it for everyday use. They both last all day on me and look totally natural yet polished.

I wear both of these everyday and am pretty smitten with them so will be putting a peachy nars blush on my Christmas list!

Has anyone else started a Christmas list yet? I've even bought my first present (and then decided I might keep it myself!)

Cariad xx

 

Wednesday 3 October 2012

Want List #8

I've started thinking about Christmas presents already, I'm hoping to make a few for friends and family this year so I need to start on that pretty soon. While thinking about presents for everyone else I may have thought of a few things I'd quite like for myself too!


1. ASOS Open Link Chain Collar Necklace Although this is huge and I would probably be a little afraid to wear it really I love it. 

2.Origins Drink Up™ Intensive Overnight Mask I have tested this on my hand a few times and I love them smell so much, like a sweet citrusey smell. I'm not sure which is better this or the 10 minute one but I plan on interrogating the girls at the counter on Saturday. 

3. Topshop Knitted Open Stitch Jumper Okay so I have already bought this but its an oversized style so looks pretty baggy on me, I'm going to get it in the size smaller this weekend so technically still wanting it!

4.Benefit They're Real Mascara Everyones holy grail product so not much to say! Hoping I can still pick up the one with the mini too.

5. Dorothy Perkins Peplum stretch tee I'm going for a "hen meal" with the ladies in my boyfriends family soon so I have been planning what I will wear as I want to look my best! I'm thinking of a top like this with my leopard print pencil skirt and a statement necklace, any thoughts?

I have written a Guest post on the lovely Abi's blog if you'd like to go have a look.
I'm off to see whats occuring on the #bbloggers twitter chat maybe speak to some of you there! 

Cariad xxx