Peachy Tones

After the lacklustre weather we've been having lately it does seem a bit premature to be rocking summery makeup in the rain, but I have been swayed by these peachy offerings this month.

Ok, I admit that the mask is peach- scented and the lipstick is more of a burnt coral, but still they are part of the same family. These were mostly treats for finishing my degree and I've been pretty pleased with them all.

 I have got at least two face masks on the go, but something compelled me to buy the Origins Drink Up Intensive as the high dose of hydration seemed appealing. It has become necessary if my skin is looking flat or dry, and applying a thin layer once a week leaves my skin glowing, plump and velvety in the morning. The Nails inc. shade You're a Peach was a freebie from Instyle in May (or April?) and managed to give a suitable alternative to a nude nail whilst still being work friendly. I have never really veered towards peachy tones on my nails before; but was complemented on the shade many times and it doesn't clash with my warm toned skin (something that orange nails tend to do!). Here's a swatch.

My stubby dinosaur claws fingers, everybody ;-) But you can see how this shade can suit many skin tones without looking too stark. The polish lasts around 4 days on me with Sally Hanson Double Duty Base and Top Coat. The lipstick I picked up is Vegas Volt by MAC. I feel somewhat late to the party reviewing this, but as this is my first bold MAC lipstick this is truly a showstopper. Ravishing looked slightly corpse-like on me, so Vegas Volt is a perfect substitute for deeper skintones due to the amplified finish. I like to mix things up by lightly dabbing on the lips for a peachy daytime look or applying directly from the tube for a neon orange effect at night. 

   
Most of these have been on heavy rotation throughout May and June, so this could serve as a monthly favourites of sorts. But generally I am in a bit of a make up rut as I want to be more bright and summery, but the clouds have other ideas... here's to a bit more sun!

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Topaz VS Benefit Sunbeam

After using the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Topaz non-stop during the summer, it soon became clear that I needed a winter appropriate highlighter as a subsitute to a deeply bronzed highlight. Enter Benefit Sunbeam.

These are my favourite highlighters to date as often I find powder highlighters to look ashy on my warm toned skin. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector is a cult product with Topaz being the deepest shade of four.  Its creamy consistency means it applies effortlessly, leaving a bronzy sheen that looks more luminous as opposed to glittery. It suits me best with a tan, but for a natural highlight, this is perfect for those with deep skintones.

Sunbeam is a more flattering shade (think more golden than bronze) and helps to give a hint of depth and colour to the face, perfect for winter. It comes with a brush inside the lid, which comes in useful as the product is much more liquidy compared to the Becca formulation. The microparticles seem slightly chunkier, so the effect is less subtle despite appearing much lighter.

Top Swatch- Benefit Sunbeam

Bottom Swatch- Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Topaz

Also, check out my photography skillz! Hardly admirable, but last time I tried to capture Topaz on camera, it didn't go so well.

As the Becca Review is the most viewed post on this blog, I thought it'd be best to upload a proper swatch as it's oh so beautiful.



Unfortunately, Becca seems to be in trouble as it seems impossible to order these online in the UK right now, so I am starting to ration the stuff for special occasions only until summer (or when I can afford the massive £33 bottle). Until then, Sunbeam will fill the void as it is the perfect golden shade without going too bronze. Mine is an InStyle freebie from November, but for the full size 13ml be prepared to shell out £18.50. Considering my 15ml travel sized Shimmering Skin Perfector cost me £10, I can't help but feel like I'd rather invest in Becca. 

I thought I'd do a side-by-side comparison as others consider these as dupes, but they are completely different when applied onto the skin.

Which do you prefer? Or do you have a HG golden highlighter recommendation? Share below!

Forgotten Favourites Part 2

Hello again! Time for the second installment of the hidden gems I unearthed this summer. All items are very versatile and can be suited to many skintones. To be fair, most of these items would be worn during A/W season as vampy lips and contoured cheeks are what I turn to the most in the colder months.



Natural Collection Blush in Rosy Glow - £1.99

My first foray into Natural Collection, this blush is perfect to add a dusky glow to your cheeks. For me I tend to find glitterbombs and dolly pink blushes quite jarring, so the brown tones of Rosy Glow are very complementary to the skin. Natural Collection Blushes are quite pigmented, matte, and easily blend down into a natural wearable finish. Dallas for Benefit is similar but with extra shimmer, so if you're looking for a high street dupe of Dallas, then try this.




Benefit Hoola Bronzer- £10 as seen above with the Tan About Town Kit or £23.50 full size

This was the only thing salvaged from the Tan About Town Kit which also had Bad Gal Lash Mascara and Some Kinda Gorgeous Foundation Faker inside. The cool tones are great for sculpting and framing the face without looking harsh. After relying on Sleek's Contour Kit, this was a godsend as  I have yet to make a sizeable dent in it despite its dinky size! The shade may look lighter than my face powder in the pan, but it translates as much darker on the skin, and serves as a fantastic contour powder across many skintones.

MAC Rebel Lipstick - £14

  Rebel was the first MAC lipstick I ever bought! Vampy yet girlie, this raspberry pink shade is the perfect shade for autumn. For those with lighter skintones, it can be the more wearable of the dark lipsticks as it is less in your face. It is a satin finish, so it is non-drying and wears quite well on the lips.

Dior Rouge Hypnotic Lipstick in Hypnotic Red - £25

Let's be frank, this is quite pricey for what it is. I was pretty much obsessed with the Dior Addict scent that coincidentally is carried in these lipsticks. It is a luscious deep berry shade with high shine. Patted on the lips it comes off as almost brown, but slightly layered you can achieve the perfect wine lip. If you don't particularly care for Dior, you can get a similar effect using Revlon's Black Cherry.

L-R: MAC Rebel, Dior Rouge Hypnotic Red and Revlon Black Cherry

 As you can see, the shade is quite similar between thr Dior and the Revlon, only Black Cherry is less sheer and offers a more opaque satin finish. The swatch for the Dior would have been neater if I hadn't broken the bullet in the process. Cue me running around to remember how to fix it with a candle lighter. Despite my heavy-handed ineptitude, the moral of the story remains the same - don't forget to go through your collection every once in a while, as you may find some hidden gems.