MAC Prep + Prime BB Beauty Balm SPF35 Review

The past few month the make-up industry as gone BB Cream crazy and every brand I can think of is bringing out their own version, I've tried a few now and I'm not that impressed by any of them really but somehow I expected MAC to really deliver with this product and it just fell short.

This is how MAC describe the product: Prep + Prime Beauty Balm is lightly tinted in a nearly sheer beige tone to work on an array of complexions, it creamily re-texturises the skin and then goes on to excel at being a face primer with high everyday UVA/UVB SPF 35 defense.

As you may be able to tell by the swatches above the product is incredibly light, much lighter than my skin tone and I'm quite pale, it's also incredibly cool toned and gives the skin an ashy tinge which quite frankly makes me look sick, think bout of food poisoning.

I'm usually a NC20 in MAC foundations but this would be a NC10 if they did such a shade, it's coverage is sheer but it's enough to zap all the life out of your face and make you look like a corpse.
The texture of this is also quite thick and tacky and takes a while to absorb, even then it still feels like theres a slightly waxy film on the skin and it's a feeling I don't like.

The only good thing about this product is it's a decent enough primer and helps any subsequent products apply a lot smoother, however this kinda defeats the purpose of a BB Cream as they are designed to be a one step product (moisturiser, primer, foundation, concealer) I shouldn't have to add any extra product if I don't want to.

There's much better products out there and I'm not entirely sure I get the whole BB Cream thing, give me a tinted moisturiser any day.

Tinted Lip Balms - Round Up & Review

Over the past few weeks I seem to have lost the love for lipsticks and glosses and prefer  a quick slick of tinted lip balm to keep my lips hydrated and had a tint of colour.
I've manage to accumulate a fair few of them and have decided to do a quick review on all of the ones I have to give you all an idea of which one I like and the ones that I don't.

MAC Tinted Lip Conditioner £11

One of the most popular choices and also the very best! Nice selection of shades, very pigmented for a tinted lip balm and they moisturise brilliantly.
The texture is quite slick and ever so slightly greasy but they don't feel uncomfortable and they last a considerable amount of time on the lips before you need to re-apply.
Some people won't like these because they come in pot, however MAC also makes a stick version which is just as good.

Clinique Chubby Sticks £15

One of the most moisturising of the bunch, but also one of the more sheer options. A lot of the shades look quite different in the tube but pretty much look the same on the lips, the shade I have is Wopping Watermelon which is a sheer, medium pink shade.
The texture of these is quite thick but by no means sticky however it does feel a little heavy on the lips,  they do last ages on the lips though.

 YSL Volupte Sheer Candy £21

The most expensive of the bunch but the packaging on it makes it worth it in my opinion but it's the product inside the packaging that I'm more intrested about.
Nice sheer, juicy shades that sort of stain the lips even after the balm as worn off, non sticky or greasy these have a light gel texture and feel comfortable on the lips.
Because of the light texture these need re-applying quite often which I don't mind, also they are not as moisturising as I would like but they don't dry out you lips either.

Dior Addict Glow £20

Not you're typical tinted lip balm, this is clear in the tube but changes colour when you apply it to your lips and creates you're very own personalised  shade of pink.
Sounds quite gimmicky but it's actually really good, texture is slightly waxy but light at the same time and really does moisturise your lips while leaving them with a pretty pink sheen.

Korres Mandarin Lip Butter £7

These are more like a gloss stick than a lip balm, nice sheer, slightly shimmery colour but not all that moisturising.
The texture of these is thin, not sticky or heavy and wears off fast and when it does wear of my lips are left quite dry which is a shame as the shades are really pretty.
I find these are better used as a gloss on top of a lipstick of similar colour.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment £14

My absolute favourite of all the ones I've tested!
I adore the packaging, a metal tube with a twist off lid which means it does not come open in your handbag and it's also a lot easier to apply because of the stick format.
The texture is lovely, very creamy and moisturising but not heavy or greasy and surprisingly it lasts ages on the lips before you need to reapply it.
I have it in two shades (rose and Honey) and I love them both, they look more like a translucent stain than a tint and look very natural, they also smell really nice like sweet lemonade.
The only negative thing is that they are not so easily accessible, you need to buy them trough mail order which can be a bit of  a pain.

ELF Conditioning Studio Lip Balm £3.50

The cheapest option but also the worst one in my opinion. Quite thick and heavy in texture, it seems to just sit on the lips but does nothing in terms of moisturising. The smell is atrocious, vanilla mixed with plastic and quite frankly I just can't manage it on my lips for longer than 10 minutes.
The only good thing about these is the colour selection  which is quite varied and very pigmented for a tinted balm.


What do you think of tinted lip balms? Which ones are your favourites and which ones should I try next?

MAC Semi Precious Haul

Semi Precious is the latest collection by MAC and one I wasn't all that intrested in, I knew I wanted one of the items and I ended up with 3.

I also got a cute little mini tube of strobe cream from the Sized To Go collection.

Semi Precious Rose Quartz 

Mineralize Skinfinish

This is the item I knew I would get, it's a soft rosy pink with a swirly centre of minty green, icy pink and copper.

It's a lot softer in pigmentation than I expected it too so I really have to layer it for it to show up on my (NC20) skin but it's very pretty and it just brightens the complexion.

A lot of people have compered it to Stereo Rose but they are nothing alike, Petticoat is actually closer but still too different to be called a dupe.

L-R Centre, Outer, Swirled 

Semi Precious Pearl

Mineralize Skinfinish

A soft champagne base surrounding a swirly centre of bronze, plum and white. 

Didn't think I would like this one as much as I do as I have tons of highlighters but this is actually gorgeous when swirled together, it's the most perfect peachy glow and I prefer it to Semi Precious Rose Quartz.

L-R Center, Outer, Swirled

Pressed Amber 

Mineralize Blush

This isn't a color I normally wear but I picked it up to use as a soft bronzer and contour color, turns out that when used very sparingly it makes a lovely warm blush too. I love the texture too it's so fine and silky. 

L-R Strobe Cream, Pressed Amber

L-R Petticoat, Semi Precious Rose Quartz, Stereo Rose

Stereo Rose is far to orange toned to be comparable to Rose Quartz, Petticoat is similar but a smidge warmer and darker.

What did you get from the new Semi Precious collection? 

March Favourites

I've not been buying too much new stuff as I want to get trough what I already have so a lot of the products mentioned are old favourites that I use day in day out with the odd new product here and there.

Chanel Hyramax+ Active Moisture Fluid, expensive but worth every penny. Gives me just enough moisture without being greasy and is an excellent make-up base.

Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Serum and Night Cream, I use this combo before bed to exfoliate my skin, in the morning skin is softer, brighter and more even toned.

MAC's Brushes # 187, #138 and #224, I can do my whole face using these 3 brushes alone. I use the 187 to apply my foundation and cream blush, the 138 to apply powder products and the 224 to apply and blend my eyeshadow.

Keihl's Lip Balm #1 in Vanilla, nice and glossy and not heavy feeling while still being really moisturising.

Shu Uemura Art Of Air Essence Absolue, so much better than Moroccan Oil (which I still think is good). Leaves my hair feeling so nice and smooth and cuts out frizz completely, smells amazing too, I also tried a sample of the shampoo and conditioner and they were fantastic.

Laboratoire Physcience Hair Sublim and Wassen Silica-OK, I've been taking these help make my hair grow faster after my disastrous hair cut and I think they work really well. I feel my hair as grown faster but also it seems thicker and healthier too.

Neutrogena Deep Clean Make-Up Remover Refreshing Oil-Free Wipes, these are amazing at removing make-up really quickly without leaving my skin feeling irritated and they smell good too. I stocked up last time Superdrug had their 3for2 offer.

Britney Spears Fantasy Perfume, best fragrance ever!!

MAC Spring Colour Forecast & Too Fabulous Haul

I must admit I went a little crazy with these two collections, infact I could have easily picked up a few more things but I stopped myself.

Spring Colour Forecast is huge probably MAC's largest collection to date, or at least that I can think of.
The thing I wanted most was Ripe Peach and my store had sold out of Ripe Peach in 3 hours, I had to ring around and did manage to find a store that still had them but I couldn't use my pro discount as I bought from a counter and to be honest now that I've got my hands on it I don't think it's that great.

Too Fabulous is composed entirely of lip product and if I had any self control I should have skipped it entirely but they were so pretty i couldn't resist.

Spring Colour Forecast


Colour 4 Quad - Full of nice bronzy neutrals not that I need more of them.
Bubblegum Lipstick - Funnily enough I don't have anything like this in my collection, great pinky purple shade but you really have to layer it to get the color to show.
Ripe Peach Blush Ombres - Pretty but overated, wouldn't bother to search for it if you missed it.
Victorian Lipstick - Love, love, love!
Azelea Blossom Blush Ombres - Might be going back as I have a million colors like it.
Ember Glow Lipglass - Lovely peachy shade with gold shimmer, saving this one for when the weather warms up.

Too Fabulous


Deelight Cremesheen Glass - a great natural shade with an hint of brown.
Just Superb Cremesheen Glass - a neutral pink that would look great with a smoky eye.
Richer, Lusher cremesheen Glass- a lovely peachy coral that's not overly bright.
Two Virtues Mineralize Blush - Going back cause I have too many colors like it.
Naked Lip Pencil
In Synch Lip Pencil
Trimmed In Pink Lip Pencil
Boldly Bare Lip Pencil

MAC Warm & Cozy and Love Lace Haul

I know I'm really late posting this, I've had the items a couple of weeks now but just haven't bothered to show you all, very naughty I know.

I don't think either collection is particularly unique but I personally loved Warm & Cozy just because it's full of nice everyday wearable neutrals.
Love Lace I wasn't has keen on as a lot of it his very frosty but I do love the Khol Power pencils and I'm very tempted to go back for Sense Of Style.



Care Blends Essential Oils in Grapefruit + Chamomile - I've only used this once since I got it so I cannot really say how I feel about it yet, it certainly didn't make me oily and did had a little bit of extra moisture but I'm not sure if it's worth £14.

Mineralize All Over Lotion - OMG do I love this or what? It is the best moisturiser I've come across in a long time, very thick in texture so it takes a couple of minutes to absorb but it leaves skin feeling deeply hydrated but not greasy and creates the best base for makeup. The bad part is it's not permanent so I'm gonna have to stock up while it's still available.

Lipglass in 2N - I bought this the last time it came out with the N Collection and while I absolutely loved the color there had been a problem with that particular batch and it when rancid within the space of a month, this new batch has no problem and the color is gorgeous and so worth getting.

Lipstick in Pretty Please - Love the color in the tube but on my lips it just shows up has frost so I cannot use it on it's own, however it looks nice over other light pink lipsticks such as Creme Cup and Angel.

Tinted Lip Conditioner in Feelin' Good - I love this color so much I bought 3 of them and I hardly ever buy backups has I usually have trouble finishing the first one. I'm glad I did cause I've used quite a lot of it already, it's a gorgeous milky pink and it helps tone down my lips while keeping them moisturised.

Mineralize SkinFinish in By Candlelight - I looked at this one and passed on it at first cause it looked way to frosty but I saw a swatch of it somewhere, I can't actually remember were, but it looked so pretty I went back and got it and I'm glad I did cause it's gorgeous. It is very shimmery but not in a greasy way and it's a beautiful peachy pink shade that just suits me so well.

What did everyone else get?

October: The Good and The Bad

I'm sorry everyone but I haven't had much of a chance of updating my blog this month, I've been busy with work and haven't felt like doing much of anything when I get home.
At the start of October I'd put myself on a no-buy and that didn't really go to plan, I still bought new things but not as many, I am trying really hard to buy less and I've decided that I'm gonna put a lot of the stuff I don't use very often up for sale.

The Good

MAC Volcanic Ash Exfoliator and Volcanic Ash Thermal Mask - I've been using these quite a lot this month and I love how soft they make my skin feel, I love the warming effect that the mask gives.
Bare Escentuals Foundation - the only foundation I like using when my skin as broken out and since my skin as been awful the past month I've been using this every day.
Korres Monoi Bronzer - I like this bronzer more than NARS Laguna, I got the darker shade of the two and it doesn't look orange or muddy with a very subtle shimmer.
Benefit Coralista - I got this a while ago, used it a couple of times, loved it but then forgot about it. Then I was looking for a coral/gold blusher and remembered I had this and fell in love with it all over again, I've literally used it every day for the past 2 weeks.
L'Oreal Lash Serum - I'm still loving this but I only feel it adds volume and not lenght.
MAC Lipstick in Angel, Creme D'Nude and Creme Cup - I love these shades anyways but I've been wearing them non stop this month.
Lush Big Shampoo - Love the volume it gives and the fact that the shine I get from it isn't down to silicones.

The Bad

My Skin - I've broken out really badly lately and I don't know what to do to get it to calm down.
I'm now trying a Clearasil cleanser, Clean and Clear moisturiser and Sudocreme as a spot treatment, fingers crossed it will work.
Mario Badescu Drying Mask and Drying Cream - Bought these as I'd read they were good for broken out skin but they did nothing more than make it dry and give me two huge new cystic spots on my cheeks.

MAC Style Black, DSquared & Dazzleglass Creme Haul

My small collective MAC Haul, I would have bought more but I'm trying to cut down on the spending.
I've included swatches this time.



Volcanic Ash Exfoliator
Volcanic Ash Thermal Mask
Greasepaint Stick in Black
Glimmerglass in Blackfire
Dazzleglass Creme Creme Allure
Lipstick in Nude Rose
Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline



From top to bottom:

Greasepaint Stick in Black
Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline
Glimmerglass in Blackfire
Dazzleglass Creme Creme Allure
Lipstick in Nude Rose

MAC Style Black, DSquared2 and Dazzleglass Creme

Like I said in my last MAC release/review post I've been disappointed with the collections they have been putting out lately, nothing as really grabbed my attention and it's all been boring and unoriginal.
I knew by just looking at the promo images of Style Black that I would absolutely love it and that I would end up getting a few things, black is one of my favourite colors and I absolutely love the way MAC as managed to create an entire collection based on it.
DSquared2 is nice but most of it is repromotes and as for Dazzleglass Creme I could have past on it entirely and not cared.
Trend F/W09 and Zoom Fast Black Lash haven't been realeased yet in the UK so I can't give my opinion on those.

Anyways on to the actual collection breakdown:

Style Black

I loved most of this collection and if it hadn't have been for the fact that I've bought so much make-up lately I would have got more, even my sister loved it and she's hard to impress.

The eye stuff is gorgeous but I passed on most of it as they were other thing that had to take priority, I really liked the mineralize eye shadows, very sparkly and quite pigmented, the Cream Color Bases are pro items so I can get them at a later date if I want to, Smolder eye Kohl is permanent, the Penultimate eye liner is rubbish as it dries out real fast so the only thing I got is the GreasePaint Stick. I've only tried it on the back of my hand so far and I love the texture, it's so creamy it just glides on however I don't know yet how well it will wear and if it will crease or not, we shall see.

The lipsticks were all very bold and as much as I whish I could wear black on the lips I know I wouldn't be able to pull it off, the sister wanted Night Violet but by the time I went back to get it it had sold out :(
I was kinda dissapointed with the Glimmerglass, I got Blackfire and while I love the fact it's sheer I was expecting the shimmer to show up more and the nail polishes were nice but again I passed on them as I have laods.

The standout of the collection is the Volcanic Ash Exfoliator and Thermal Mask, I actually like MAC skincare in general as I find it's very basic and doesn't aggrevate my skin and these are no exeption.The exfoliator is very nice, the particles are quite large but I don't find they tear my skin or leave it raw like some do and it does leave skin feeling very smooth. The mask heats up when it touches damp skin, it does get quite warm and it's almost like you can feel it sucking up all the dirt and oil out of your pores. I've found they are a little drying but as long as I put my moisturised on afterwards it's okay, the only thing I'm not keen on is the scent, I can't even think of what it smells like but I can't say I'm keen. I got two of each as I wanted to stock up but I've had to give a set to my sister as she wanted them too but forgot to tell me to pick some up for her on release day and they have now sold out.

DSquared2

A nice collection but I would have prefered less repromotes, I only got Nude Rose lipstick and a backup of Feline Kohl Power eye pencil.
The Greasepaint Sticks were nice but if you get the one from Style Black you don't need the others in my opinion.
I hated the Sculpt and Shape powders the first time round and I still don't like them, there are better products out there to shade and highlight your face.
The 165 Tapered Cheek/Highlight brush is one of my favourites and for me it's a must have and so is the Feline Eye Kohl, I love how dark it is and it smudges really nicely if you want a smokey look, infact this one is a back-up.
I liked both of the lipsticks but I had to limit myself to one, I got Nude Rose and it's pretty but nothing special and quite sheer actually, Blood Red is actually more pink and again not particularly unique.
The Tinted Lip Conditioner and Clear Gloss are permanent and so is the Lip Erase even if only at the Pro Store.

Dazzleglass creme

These are supposed to be a creamier version of the regular dazzleglass,however I just find them to be too thick and heavy and while I love sticky glosses(cause they last longer) these are way to tacky.
Looking on the MAC website there were at least 4 that I had my eye on but when I looked at them in person the only one I liked was Creme Allure, a bright blue based pink that goes on quite sheer, pretty but the texture is awful and mine came with a dodgy brush.
I could have easily passed on this collection.

September: The Good and The Bad

I cannot believe September is already over and that it's only 11 week away until Christmas, time as literally flown by. I've been loving quite a lot this month and I've been enjoying wearing darker color more fitting for the Autumn.

The Good

Creme de La Mer - I know Nivea Creme supposed to be similar and they do both moisturise really well but the La Mer version as the added benefit of making my skin look radiant and fades acne scars.
Revlon Colorstay in Buff - The best drugstore foundation I've ever tried, similar to MAC Studio Fix Fluid but better cause it doesn't break me out and as a nicer smell.
MAC Eye Shadows in Satin Taupe and Shroom - When I'm pushed for time I'll use Satin Taupe all over the lid and Shroom as an highlight, it's simple but effective and the look I get the most compliments on.
L'Oreal Lash Serum - I've only been using this for just over a week and I feel my lashes are looking a little fuller, might just be my imagination tough.
Urban Decay Eye Lash Primer Potion - Hands Down the best lash primer I've ever used, it makes my lashes look longer and fuller and it doesn't dry them out.
L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black - I wish I had discovered this sooner, this combined with the above lash primer gives the most amazing false lash effect.
Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Katie - I'm surprised how much I love this, it's a very soft pale pink and it gives me the perfect flush of color on the cheeks.
By Terry Baume De Rose - When I originally bought this I thought it was nice but too expensive however I've found myself using this over any other lip treatment and I will be re-purchasing the second it runs out.
Illamasqua Lipstick in Avenge - This is part of the new Dystopia collection and it's the brightest neon pink in existence, I absolutely adore it.
Revlon Super lustrous Lipstick in Cherries in the Snow - Fabulous pink based red that's very wearable and the lasting power is better than MAC.
Illamasqua Sheer Lipgloss in Rouse - I've been reaching for this non stop, it's perfect on it own for a sheer pink tint but it also looks amazing over pink and red lipstick.
MAC Cremesheen Glass in Partial To Pink & Petite Indulgance - I hated these glosses when they first came out but for some reason I love them now, they are light and not sticky and feel really moisturising on the lips.
Nails Inc The Hills Collection in Rodeo Drive - The most gorgeous dark teal shade that I've worn non stop for the past couple of weeks.

The Bad

Urban Decay Primer Potion - Going back to UDPP as made me realise I much prefer Too Faced Shadow Insurance as it makes eye shadow go on a lot smoother. UDPP is so drying and it makes any color you put on top of it dull and flat.
Facial Cleanser - I've got a few on the go at the moment but I'm finding them all to harsh and drying.

MAC Make-Up Art Cosmetics,Nail TrendF/W09, Flirt With Fall & In High Def

For the past few month all MAC as done is dissapoint me. Every collection they have released as lacked originality on both the products and promo images, nothing seems to grab my attention and I don't get excited about the new releases anymore.

The 4 new latest collections are no acception and out of the 4 things I bought I'm regretting 3.

Make-Up Art Cosmetics - an incredibly large collection and the one that I hated the most, this one as been hyped up for month and for me it was a complete let down, a lot of the product just felt cheap and lacked pigmentation others were just plain boring.
The eye shadow quads are nice but nothing special, if your new to MAC they are a good investment as they are cheaper than buying 4 single shadows, In The Gallery
(the purple one) was my favourite but I have tons of similar colors so I passed.
The individual eye shadows have poor pigmentation and appear dusty, I have Violet Trance and Haunting from previous releases and never reach for them, the Technakohl Liners just look awful to me and I'd rather stick to my Urban Decay 24/7 pencils.
The lip products for me were just boring and safe and same goes for the cheek products.
The only thing that intrested me were the glitters and the pigments. I loved the look of the glitters, especially the Fuchsia and the Gold but I didn't get them, I very rerely use glitter so getting a full jar of those 2 would be a complete waste of money plus they aren't eye safe.
I got 3 of the pigments; Cocomotion which is a beautiful dirty gold shade and very wearable, Push The Edge which is a deep violet/purple shade and Brash & Bold which is a pink based red. Now while I actually do love Push The Edge and Brash & Bold I know I will never use them up as a little of these two goes a long way so I am regretting buying them, Cocomotion on the other hand will get a lot of use and it's the one item everyone should get.

Nail Trend F/W09 - not much to say about this one as I hete the formulation of MAC polishes as I find they go on streaky and chip easily. Cool Reserve is really pretty (and now sold out) but not worth the money so I will be looking for a dupe.

Flirt With Fall - a collection dedicated to false lashes none of which are very wearable. I like my fake lashes to look somewhat natural, full but a reasonable lenght, these were just to over the top for me so I passed.

In High Def - the nicest collection out of the 4, well for me anyways. Yes it's mainly made up of permanent products but those products certainly don't dissapoint, I absolutely love the Mineralize Skinfinish Natural face powder, Face & Body foundation is a fantastic product if you can find the right shade and I love both my 187 and 188 for applying cream blusher.
The lipsticks are the only limited edition products of this collection and I actually did like 3 of the 4 but only got Close To Real which I now also regret, not because I don't like it but more because it actually resembles GOSH Darling and I have enough back-ups of that to last me a while.

August The Good and The Bad

I can't belive it's the end of August and summer is over even though the UK hasn't really had any good weather, before you know it Christmas will be here.
On the plus side all of the new Autumn/Winter makeup collections are being released and I'm excited for that.

The Good

MAC Cleanse Off oil, as been my favourite cleanser for the past few months and I'm almost out and looking for a replacement.
The Body Shop Seaweed Deep Clensing Facial Wash, only recently started using this but I'm loving it so far.
Illamasqua Rich Liquid Foundation, my new HG foundation, I want to try the cream version next.
MAC Eyeshadow in Blanc Type, Modest Tone, Dark Edge and Satin Taupe, I've been doing a lot of neutrals lately and these fit the bill perfectly.
Illamasqua Bronzing Duo in Glinth/Write, I've been loving this but it will probably get retired now were going into autumn as I generally don't use bronze shades when it gets colder.
Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Rude, I've worn this pretty much every day since I got it and I adore it.
Illamasqua Lipstick in Sonnet and Maneater, I love the texture and lastability of Illamasqua lipsticks and these two colors are fab.
Maybelline ColorSensational Lipstick in #112 Ambre Rose, this is my dupe for MAC Color Crafted lipstick.
MAC Mattene Lipstick in Kirsch, I've been wearing it dabbed on and mixed with a balm, it's very dark but perfect for autumn.
By Terry Baume De Rose, expensive but so moisturising and it give a pretty tint of color.
Barry M Nail Paint in Pink Flamingo, I've been wearing this every chance I get, it's the perfect pinky coral.
Boots Build Up Removal Shampoo, I've been suffering from awful product build up and my hair is lank and dull, one wash with this shampoo and my hair looks and feels healty again.
Marc Jacobs Lola Perfume, this is my new scent, it's sweet and heavy and the bottle alone is reason enough for me to get it.

The Bad

None, there's nothing this month that as dissapointed me enough to put it in this section.

MAC Latest Releses Overview

MAC as launched 4 new collections this month and I can honestly say that not one of them is in any way particularly exciting, they are Euristocrats 2, Baby Bloom, Love That Look and Graphic Garden.
I think the trouble with MAC is they release far to many collection all at once that none of their latest products are unique enough to make me buy them, if your make up collection is smaller than mine you wouldn't have that problem but for me personally to many of the color overlap with ones I already have so they are not deemed as essential for me.
I had a chance to fully test the products on counter but out of the 4 collections I got one one item and that was the Studio Moisture Tint.

Euristocrats 2

Probably much more exciting to people in the US because in the UK we got the lipstick part of this release over a year ago and I can't say it really impressed me back then.
The lip pencils are all permanent and easily dupable with drugstore brands plus I much prefer the Cremestick version to the regular pencils.
The lipstick are all very plain and boring apart from Saint Germain which is a bright pastel pink and one of my all time favourites and as much as I love lip gloss, especially Dazzleglass I have to many that are similar to these that I had to pass however they are all very pretty.

Baby Bloom

A collection comprising of 5 tinted moisturisers and 5 liquid lip balms that been launched way to late in the summer (not that we've had one in the UK)to really appeal to the consumer.
The lip balm were being described as a liquid version of the Tendertones however they are nothing like them, I found them to be thick and sticky and with absolute zero pigmentation in contrast to the Tendertones which are soft and balm like, super moisturising and while sheer they still provide way more pigmentation than the Suntints.
At £10.50 each they aren't cheap and actually I would rather use a regular 99p chapstick than these any day.
The Studio Moisture Tint is nice but again probably not essential, I really like the feel of it cause it's thick and moisturising and simply glides on skin with minimal effort. The coverage is sheer and while I haven't yet tested it on my face I feel it would do a good job at evening out skin tone but you would still need concealer which is pretty much standard for tinted moisturisers.
On a negative it stinks, I don't know of what but it's not pleasant but it does fade out after a while.

Love That Look

The largest of the new releases, some of the shadows are worth checking out but again not particularly unique.
The brushes and mascara are permanent so no need to rush out and get those and the Pearlglide liners are just average, the reflective sparkle they supposed to have really doesn't show up that well and I found the didn't go on as smooth as my UD 24/7 liners.
Some of the shadow are pretty but I'm not keen on the finish, it's very soft and smooth easy to blend and the pigmentation is great but they are a little to frosty for me, even more so than MAC Frost and Veluxe Pearl formula.
Having said that I'm tempted to go back for Smoke and Diamonds and Style Snob as I love those sort of shades but I do wish they were in a Satin finish.

Graphic Garden

Exclusive to the website and Harvey Nichols the collection consists of 2 palettes, 2 lip sets and 2 brush set.
The packaging is tacky and cheap looking and the colors are all very close to past releases.
Short Edition brush set are machine made and therefore not good quality, you can really feel the difference between the SE version and the regular single brushes. They may cost more but the regular ones will last you years while the SE ones I got a couple of years ago are now ready for the bin.
The lip set are pretty but not unique and the same goes for the palettes, I guess if you need to get a birthday gift these might be nice but otherwise I'd skip them.

Latest Collective Haul

Okay so even though I've told myself I need to stop buying cosmetics I have no self control so here is another haul but please bear in mind this as been building up for the past 3 weeks.



Soap & Glory Hair Supply, great lightweight hair mask and it leaves my hair super smooth.
Soap & Glory Flake Away, I've used this before works really well at exfoliating dead skin and leaves you moisturised but not oily.
Soap & Glory Clean On Me, a gorgeous shower cream that cleans without stripping.
Soap & Glory Heel Genius, an overnight foot cream that leaves feet baby soft by morning.



Barry M Natural Dazzle Bronzer, everyone raves about this one I'm still not convinced.
Barry M Nail Paint in #305 Pink Flamingo, I love this shade.
Sleek Curious Palette, great quality as usual but I feel Sleek are running out of color choices as these are not particularly unique or different to the other palettes of theirs.

Lush have an offer on at the moment, when you spend £20 or over you get a free product of your choice from a selection of their 20 newest ones.



Lush Ultra Bland Cleanser, takes of make-up in seconds but it also leaves me feeling like I've used butter on my face, not sure if this could cause me breakouts.
Lush Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter, works awesome and smells great too.
Lush Vanilla Dee-Lite Lotion, this was free for spending £20
Lush Cosmetic Warrior Fresh Face Mask, the SA gave this to me for free, used it once smells awful (like garlic) but work okay.
Lush New Shampoo Bar, have re-purchased this countless times, love it as a clarifying shampoo.
Lush Strawberry Fields Massage Bar, I use this on my legs as they get really dry and it works amazingly well.
Not pictured: samples of Catastrophe Cosmetics, Aqua Marina and Dark Angels



RMK Creamy Make Up Base Mat in 01, bought it cause on pixiwoo's blog this is described as the bast matte primer ever.
MAC Studio Moisture Tint in Medium, haven't used this on my face yet but I tried it on my hand in store, feels wonderful but the scent is awful.
RMK Herb Mist in Rose, the same sort of thing as Fix It+ but smaller and more handbag friendly, smells of roses would you believe.
RMK were doing GWP when you bough 2 products, I didn't take a picture but it was a gold flip flops and nail polish set that I'll probably never use.

July's The Good and The Bad

I can't believe another month as passed so fast and in contrast to last month the weather in the UK as been absolutely awful, it' done nothing but pour with rain and to be honest it's depressing me.

The Good

Alpha H Rejuvenating Cream, a glycolic and vitamin C based face cream that exfoliates while you sleep and lightens acne scars.

MAC Studio Sculpt foundation, I've gone back to using this because it covers all of the blemishes the Garnier stuff as given me.

Make Up For Ever 5 Camouflage Cream Palette, 5 shades of concealer to cover any imperfection.

MAC Fast Response Eye Cream, helps diminish dark circles and lately mine have been really bad.

Too Faced Shadow Insurance, I'm almost out of this and I realise am gonna miss it.
MAC Naked Honey Skin Salve, the most perfect lip treatment ever.

Estee Lauder Pure Color lipstick in Vanilla Truffle, lovely moisturising nude lipstick that's not too light or dark.

Estee Lauder Pure Color Crystal Gloss in Honey Glaze, pair perfectly with the Vanilla Truffle.

L'Anza Healing Colorcare Trauma Treatment, a leave in protein treatment that leaves my hair feeling stronger and softer.

The Bad
Garnier Pure Active range, I got the cleansing wash, scrub and moisturiser and found that it made my skin worse rather than better. I got horrendous breakouts that I'm still trying to get rid of. I shall be doing a full review.

MAC Naked Honey perfume, I sprayed myself with the tester in store and it smelled gorgeous, a few hours later the lovely honeysuckle scent had turned into sweaty socks and sour milk, it's going back.

My hair and the rain, the tiniest amount of moisture in the air turns it into a frizz ball, the constant monsoon weather we've been having means by the time I've got into work my "styled when I left the house hair" looks like crap.

Color Crafted Lipstick

I'm kicking myself for not buying this when I had a chance and now that it's sold out at all 3 of my MAC counters I want it so badly.
I'm considering getting it off Ebay but before I do that does anyone know of a good dupe for it?

MAC Color Craft Haul/Review

Color craft is huge and could potentially mean you spend loads however I've found a lot of it is similar to past releases, the color payoff was poor or just not unique enough to justify purchase.

This is what I got: Sunny By Nature and Cheeky Bronze MSF, Daft Pink MB, Girlish Romp MES and the #131 brush. Also pictured is Florabundance lipglass but that's not part of the collection.





Mineralize Eye Shadow: I'm not gonna go into detail for every one of those as they are all pretty much the same, pigmentation is rubbish and it's mostly just shimmer and no color payoff. Natural Flare and Girlish Romp are the only too that I was drawn too and while I like the colors of Girlish Romp in the pan I really have to use these wet for it to show up on my eyes, Natural Flare is probably the most pigmented of the six and I'll probably go back for that one.

Marbelized Lipglass: boring, I hated the previous release of these that came out with Sugarsweet as they were too sheer, the Color Craft ones are more pigmented but they are too pricey for what they are. They are a less sticky version of the regular kind in a "hard to get out" tube, the colors aren't anything unique or amazing and they cost £2.50 more than normal lipglass. No thank you I'll pass on those.

Mineralize Skinfinish: if there one thing MAC does well it's their Minaralize Skinfinishes, these are no exception.

Triple Fusion, a lovely gold shade with hints of peach, would make a fantastic highlighter.
Smooth Merge, sort of like a more pigmented prettier version of Petticoat, might go back for this one.
Warm Blend, a gorgeous creamy golden bronze shade that's better suited to darker skin, lighter skin can wear this but you need a very light hand.
Porcelain Pink, a re-promote from High Tea and Goldplay making this one a must have for collectors, I already had this one from before and it's not one a reach for often. It's a pretty pink shot trough with gold but I find it quite plain and boring.
Sunny By Nature, lovely bronze shade with the most subtle pink iridescence, really light up my face and makes me glow.
Cheeky Bronze, a sparkly peachy bronze that work very well over Sunny By Nature, this one is the one to buy as I find it suits everyone.

Lipstick: the only one I wanted was Color Crafted but by the time I got back to my MAC counter it had sold out. The other colors in my opinion are boring and easily dupable.

Mineralize Blush: most off these have no pigmentation whatsoever they are just highly shimmery and work best layered over a similar color blush.
However I don't regret getting Daft Pink, it's a unique shade and I didn't have anything similar in my collection. The only other one that caught my eye was Style Demon which is a warm red with copper shimmer.

#131 Duo Fibre Powder/Blush Brush, I've used it for blush so far and I like it a lot better than the #187 or the #188. The shape of the brush is a lot easier too work with and I can see it being useful for applying foundation too.

#109 Small Contour Brush, part of the permanent line so no need to rush out and buy however if you use a lot of cream based blush or bronzer (Chanel Bronze Universel in particular) this brush is a must have.

#226 Small Tapered Blending Brush, why is this brush limited edition? Perfect for defining the crease and blending harsh lines.

Must have's of Color Craft: Cheeky Bronze and Smooth Merge mineralize Skinfinish, Color Crafted lipstick, Daft Pink and Style Demon Mineralized Blush, #131 and #226 brush.

MAC Naked Honey Haul/Review

The only thing I knew I would be getting from this collection was the Naked Honey Skin Salve, the Naked Honey perfume caught my attention in the store but I'm regretting getting it now.



Naked Honey Body Wash, over priced and as zero scent or at least I can't smell anything.

Naked Honey Hand and Body Cream, basic lotion and didn't feel particularly moisturising. Again over priced and as the same scent issues as the body wash.

Naked Honey Skin Salve is fantastic, I've never come across a balm that feels as moisturising and nourishing as this one does.
The texture is phenomenal too, thick and smooth but not waxy or greasy, this is NOT expensive Vaseline as some people have pointed out.
In my opinion this is the star of the collection and the only thing worthy of a possible backup.

Creations Hue Naked Honey, smelled really quite lovely in the store, like pure honeysuckle but turns rancid once you've worn it for a couple of hours, seriously regretting buying this one.

Creations Hue Africanimal, smells like honey and formaldehyde, really need I say more?

High-Light Powder in Honey Light, a basic flesh toned powder covered in gold overspray. Once the overspray is gone this is pretty pointless as it does nothing to highlight skin and is matte.

High-Light Powder in Golden Nectar, a light tan shade with gold overspray, again once the gold shimmer top coat is gone your left with a matte light bronzer, pointless.

Creme de Miel e/s, a basic light shimmery gold shade, pretty but MAC's released tons of this shade in the past.

Pollinator e/s, a light frosty peachy coral, pigmentation is rubbish and the color isn't unique.

Buckwheat e/s, a pretty dark warm brown flecked with gold, this one is worth getting if you don't have many browns in your collection.

She's a Star l/g, pretty light gold and would look great over a nude lipstick but I have plenty of glosses similar to this one.

Queen Bee l/g, a light sparkly peach and absolutely no pigmentation on my lips, disappointing.

Buzz l/g, a medium coppery red/brown, not my kind of color but would look great on darker skin tones.

Things I'd recommend: the skin salve, Creme de Miel and Buckwheat eyeshadows and She's a Star lipglass.

June's The Good and The Bad

Thanks to the lovely heat wave we've been having in the UK I've been having trouble keeping my make-up on, the air conditioning system were I work is broke and I'm literally melting.
The humidity is so bad that as off today I'm not even gonna bother straightening my hair anymore cause it either turns into a ball of frizz or goes flat and limp.
Consequently I've found myself not using as much because I'm too sweaty to be bothered.

The Good:

MAC Cleanse Off Oil, still loving this from last month, I don't think I'll ever find a product that cleanses so well.
Elemis Sensitive Cleansing Wash, I use this to wash my face in the morning. It smells amazing, is super gentle on skin and it moisturises.
MAC Prep + Prime Face Protect SPF50, I'm using this as my moisturiser and sunscreen in one, it's not a thick and heavy as my moisturiser.
Sleek's eye shadow pallates, the quality is amazing and they only cost £4.87.
NARS Laguna, I keep trying new bronzers and always go back to this one.
MAC Mineralize Blush in Dainty and Pleasantry.
Dior Lip Glow, perfect shade of translucent pink and the texture is light and not greasy.
MAC lipsticks in Brave New Bronze, Angel and Saint Germain.
Barry M lip paints in Peachy Pink and Dolly Pink.

The Bad:

Moisturiser, it's too hot and sticky for me to want to use one and the ones for oily skin are lighter but don't actually moisturise.
Foundation, because of the hot weather and no air conditioning I can't get any of my foundations to stay.
Hair straightening, again because of the heat and humidity my hair does not stay straigh no matter what I do.
Lush Porridge soap, I had a feeling this was the cause of breakouts on my back and chest and I was right.

Latest Haul

You've guessed it another haul but bear in mind that I do not buy all of this in one day it's been accumulating over the past 3 weeks and I'm too lazy to update every time I buy something.

Lush:



Sugar Babe; this is basically a solid sugar scrub bar enriched with Coconut oil for it's moisturising qualities. Not quite sure how you're supposed to use it but I split mine in four and used a quarter on damp skin and gently massaged it in to exfoliate, it starts melting as soon as it gets into contact with water so you have to work quick but I did like the feel of my skin afterwards.
Porridge Soap; this smells absolutely amazing, just like an oat cookie however my skin as broken out and I'm not sure if it's this that's causing it.

Urban Decay and Dior:



Urban Decay Get Baked Palette; I'm pretty damn sure I have most of the colors in this palette but it was too cute not to get.
It contains 4 eyeshadows in Twice baked' Half Baked, Flipside, Baked a mini 24/7 liner in Bourbon and a mini Sin primer.
The color are all very wearable and perfect for summer.
Dior Lip Glow; supposed to give your own personalised shade of pink, personally I can't see that and I find it goes the same shade on everyone.
Dior Lip Maximizer; this is supposed to plump your lips instantly as well as long term with continued use, again I've not used it enough to say if it works or not.

Barry M:



Dazzle Dust in:
#98 Petrol Black
#94 Teal
#93 Block Blue
#39 Tan
#44 Bronze
#89 Oyster Grey

Glossy Tubes in:
#4 Matte Pink
#9 Flamingo Pink
#11 Passion Pink

Korres:



The Korres Color range is amazing and I love everything I got, I will be doing a review on what I got.

Organic Face Primer
Wild Rose Foundation SPF20
Ginger and Vitamin Lightweight Foundation SPF 10

MAC:



Style Warriors impressed me more than I taught it would, I might actually go back and get a couple more things.

Lustre Drops in Pink Rebel and Bronze Hero; absolutely adore these as they are multi-purpose, they can be used as a liquid luminizer mixed with your foundation, as an highlighter and the darker shade can be used as a bronzer on lighter skintones.
Solar Bits in Scatterrays; there a reason why I didn't get these the first time round and that's because they were too chunky and glittery, I'm still trying to figure out why I bought one this time round cause I dislike it with a passion.
Wanna look like a disco fairy then these are a great buy however if you don't avoid like the plague.
Eye Shadow in Bright Future; Chrome Yellow's easier to blend and more wearable cousin.
Lipstick in Brave New Bronze; this is great for a warmer more natural nude lip and it's a satin which happens to be my favourite finish in a MAC lipstick.