Make-up Product of the Month: May - Barry M Nail Paint Mushroom

I don't have to explain what's good about Barry M, I'm sure you already know. Great quality nail varnish, it's long lasting and good value for money. Alongside that, there is a vast array of colours to choose from, and now added to that collection there is a (much needed) choice of pastel colours. The most popular are probably the pastel pink and purple shades, they are gorgeous in person. But I was drawn to this dirty shade of griege! I don't know what it is about these shades, but I seriously love them! This one is called Mushroom, which I don't think is a particularly accurate description, the colour is more of a greyish, slightly taupe shade. The other pastel colours are named after ice cream, this would probably fit in as the chocolate ice cream of the bunch (at least in the bottle...).It really doesn't come out the same as the colour in the bottle which is more brown toned. That's ok though, I'm happy with the result, I don't own any shades in this family so this is a good start. I love the finish of this nail varnish. It's super shiny and glossy and a good formulation because I applied two coats of this yesterday and no sign of chipping yet. Another winner from Barry M.

Make-up Product of the Month: April - NARS Sheer Matte Foundation

I wanted to review this product for a while, i.e. the day I got it, as when I really love a product I want to share with you straight away. However, I don't think I should review a foundation without giving it a few weeks to see how my skin reacts to it and how the overall condition of my skin improves (or gets worse) over time first.
Most of you are familiar with this foundation in the Sheer Glow formulation. This is essentially the same foundation but called Sheer Matte, with a slightly different formulation suitable for oily and combination skin. I can't compare the two because I've only tried the Sheer Matte but I don't think there's a huge amount of difference between the two. The idea is that Sheer Matte still gives you that same "glow" even if you have an oily complexion. I would say I'm more on the combination side that oily, it's my T-Zone that suffers, and I was recommended in the store that I could use the Sheer Glow if I wanted as it would be suitable but I feel like I know my skin best and could imagine as the day wore on I would have more of a shine than a glow. Not a good look.

There is a great selection of shades available, I'm sure there's something for everyone there. I was matched with Fiji which is a light-medium shade for yellow undertones. It's perfect for my skin tone as I tend to go a golden yellow sort of tan.

I apply the foundation with my fingertips rather than a brush. I prefer the control I have over the coverage by using my fingertips, it's easier to apply it lightly. I shake the bottle upside down well before using, then apply a pea sized amount to the back of my hand and dip my fingertip in a few times until I've used all the foundation to cover my face. It's a lot more labourious without the pump I've grown used to with MAC foundations!

Not only does this foundation have excellent coverage, but it lasts ages! After a day at work I'm still shine free, the only area that might need touching up being the bridge of my nose. The real test was when I wore this at the weekend. The hottest weekend the UK has seen so far this year, and I expected my face to be a big shiny disco ball when I looked in the mirror, but I was pleasantly surprised, it really wasn't that bad.

What's particularly great about the formulation is that it doesn't leave you feeling cakey-faced. You put it on, it does it's magic and you forget about it. I also don't worry about what this might be doing for the health of my skin. My skin isn't shiny after a few hours' wear but that doesn't mean my skin can't breathe. I think the same rules still apply with this foundation in terms of it's still important to thoroughly cleanse at the end of the day and make sure you wipe it all away, but I know my skin isn't getting clogged up by using this foundation. I've noticed considerably how the condition of my skin has improved lately. I'm not going to attribute that entirely to the foundation, I have changed my skin care, using entirely Purity and Lush products now but I know this is doing my skin some good. The foundation comes with a little booklet so you can find out exactly what's in it, and it's clear there's a lot of healthy things in there, so much so, that I'm using less foundation than I would before, just because it's not needed any more.

As for any downsides, I will have to talk about the price. £29 for 30ml. Yes it's a quality product, and there's something quite satisfying about buying a product like this. Every time you use it, it feels kind of "safe" like you trust the brand because it's got such a good reputation. But £29 for 30ml? I wouldn't spend more than this I'm sure (don't quote me). It's a whole £10 more than MAC SFF and Select foundations, and I can't say that I think it's worth it. I love the skin benefits I've gained from using NARS, but unless you're really struggling with MAC, this won't really be the miraculous product I think a lot of people expect it to be. If your budget stretches this far, I'd recommend trying it, but I think there is possibly a few cheaper alternatives.

Make-up Product of the Month: October - MAC's High Tea Lipstick

I bought this lipstick whilst I was on the hunt for a shade a little bit different to what I usually reach for. I was after a nude shade, but the usual suspects from MAC, i.e. Myth, Creme de Nude and the like are not always what I’m looking for. I love Creme de nude, and it looks great with a smokey eye for an evening look, but on a day to day basis with neutral makeup, it can make me look a bit washed out, especially this time of year. Wanting to find a lipstick that would do more for my complexion led me to High Tea. It’s still a nude shade, but not in the same sense as Creme de Nude, it doesn’t make your lips paler than they really are. On the website it is described as a “beiged pink with small particle pearl” and the shade appears to be as light as the other nudes I mentioned. However, I really wouldn’t put this in the same category, and in person it is somewhat darker. It adds a nice warmth to the lips which in some lights, has an almost brown shimmer to it. If, on the other hand, you have quite pigmented lips, this would help to tone them down and I think this would also be a great nude choice for people with darker skin tones. So with that, I would class this lipstick as a more universal nude which unlike a “true” nude can be pulled off by most of us.

Make-up Product of the Month - September: Rimmel Clean Complexion Clarifying Powder

I wanted to give a little rave about a product I’ve been using a lot this month: Rimmel London’s Clean Complexion Clarifying Powder. I believe this is available in a few shades, but I bought the Transparent version, number 021 because I didn’t want the hassle of matching it up to my current foundation. I bought this because I find that when using a liquid foundation, if it isn’t MAC’s Studio Fix Fluid, then I need a powder to touch it up and keep away that shine. This product works beautifully for that and I love the fact that it contains natural minerals. I’m still a tiny bit sceptical of mineral products and how natural some of them are, and I’m not sure how this powder differs from Rimmel’s Stay Matte powder in Transparent. I haven’t used it so I can’t compare, but it is possible this is the same product marketed a slightly different way. Either way, it’s still great and I find if I apply on top of my foundation in the morning, I only need to apply it again in the afternoon to get my make-up looking new and refreshed. It’s very easy to apply but I would stress that this product is for setting your foundation and taking away shine, it will not provide any extra coverage. As for its claims it contains ingredients that help minimise breakouts, again I’m not so sure, but it certainly hasn’t increased my breakouts, so if this is a problem for you with other powders you have used, by all means try this.Clear complexion is widely available and is really cheap! I believe I only paid £3 for this. It’s quite easy to overlook because of its cheap and non-descript packaging, but it does the same job as its more expensive rivals so for that reason, I am featuring it as my MUPOTM. The only downside (and I have to say this because let’s face it most products have something you’d like to make better), is that it doesn’t come with a sponge applicator. Because I use this on the go, I prefer a sponge applicator just because it’s so easy, but I guess this leaves you the option to use a brush to apply it with if you would rather.

Make-up Product of the Month - August: Too Faced Brightening Blush

So here’s the second make-up product I picked up during my little birthday spree. You’ve probably seen it before because I don’t think it’s a new product, but I hadn’t and it was something that really caught my eye when I swatched it. It’s a “Brightening Blush” and comes in 3 different colours. You can choose from Pinch My Petals; a pink colour, Mocha Mi Amore; a brown; or the one I opted for Papa Don’t Peach; a soft peach colour (of course!). They are designed to be universally flattering which I honestly think Too Faced have nailed with the three colours they chose. Even the Mocha blush which is obviously darker than the other two would not look out of place on someone of pale complexion because these are sheer pigmented blushers which are really easy to build up if you happen to want a heavier application. You can’t really see how pretty the colour is until you swatch this product. The testers didn’t really look like they could deliver such a flattering, appealing colour, and if I’m honest it was the pretty packaging that drew me over to them. It comes in a box quite similar to the Benefit blushers and bronzers, square-shaped and made from cardboard. I love the retro design, built in mirror and polka dot pattern inside. Papa Don’t Peach gives my cheeks a lovely golden/pinky/peach glow which is just the right amount of shimmery without making my face look shiny. It gives me the exact effect I hoped and expected from MAC’s mineralise blushers that were released with the Colour Craft collection, but never achieved. This was definitely a good investment, is a product I know I will repurchase when I run out, and really want to recommend to you to go and check it out if you haven’t!
I attempted to do swatches for you, but it turned out better to just wear it! I've layered it on heavier than I would normally so you can see the colour better.