My Ultimate NARS Products

Hello Ladies!

My post tonight is about my ultimate NARS products. NARS is one of my favourite makeup brands. Although it is expensive, I consider it an investment. The products are all of such high quality and so luxurious. In my opinion; worth every penny!

I have chosen 6 of My favourites to show you. I always feel too restricted by 5... There's always a bit of leeway with 6!

My first favourite is a blush, one of the most beautiful blushes I own... I give you 'Angelika'. It is the most exquisite pink, with almost a peachy sheen to it. The iridescent glitter that runs through is amazing. If you're not a glitter fan when it comes to blush, fear not! Somehow it manages to give the most perfect flush to the cheeks and it's not one you have to worry about being heavy handed with!

'Angelika'



Next on my list is one of NARS well known eyeshadow's in single form... 'Lola Lola' This is a beautiful brown shimmer that I find perfect worn on it's own. The shade was made famous by Audrina Patridge from The Hills. It is a powder shadow but once on it looks amazingly creamy. I find that once blended out it looks almost like you have two separate shadows on the eye... Gorgeous!

'Lola Lola'

Next is another blush, this one came out in the Spring collection, but I have it on good authority that it is to become part of the permanent line. This is 'Gaeity'. A stunning bright pink that just gives the most perfect pink flush to the cheeks. It is a matte powdery finish but just so so pretty. Perfect for spring to brighten up any look.

'Gaiety'

Next is an eyeshadow duo in 'Paris' a creamy shimmering grey complimented by a matte black with a small amount of iridescent silver glitter running though it. It's perfect to create a sultry smokey eye.

'Paris'

This is my favourite red lipstick of all time. This is a pure matte lipstick in 'Mascate'. I cannot begin to describe my complete adoration for this product! It's just perfection for me. It's everything I have ever wanted in a red lipstick. The only thing I will say is that because it's matte it can be drying on the lips but once I put this on it does not budge for at least 8 hours. It doesn't matter what I do, eat, drink or dance the night away I know it hasn't budged.

 'Mascate'

I've kept the best for last... Lhasa. Sweet Sweet Lhasa. I think I could safely hold my hand up and say that this is my all time favourite eyeshadow. It might not look like much in the pan, but trust me, this is STUNNING!

It originally came out as part of the Spring collection but has been made part of the permanent line and thank goodness for that! I would not be able to live without this eyeshadow. It's the most beautiful mauve colour and I find it works brilliantly with any light creamy colour for example 'Morning Frost' paintpot by MAC.

Here is a look I put together using NARS products. Face: NARS sheer glow foundation, Angelika blush, Mascate lipstick, Dior show mascara, Eyes: NARS Duo in Paris.

This shows the Duo eyeshadow a little better, the silver all over the lid and then the black through the crease and blended out.

So that's it lovlies, I hope you enjoyed. Any questions or comments, let me know!

Tell me some of your favourite NARS products!

Thanks for reading and see you soon...

Aundrea xoxo

Urban Decay Deluxe Shadows

Hey ladies!

I was pondering what to blog about, when I saw Sarah's room tour. Sarah is someone I've recently been chatting to on twitter. She's an Irish blogger/YouTuber just like me! I'll link her Twitter and YouTube at the end of the post. I noticed that she had the Urban Decay Anniversary palette, and that gave me the idea to do this post.

I am a self confessed Urban Decay junkie. I have never bought anything from Urban Decay I haven't loved. I have quite a substantial palette collection and a wide range of other product. UD eyeshadow are my love. I haven't found any other brand of eyeshadow that matches up to the high standard of UD.

This post is about their 'Deluxe Shadows'

There are 15 shades in the Deluxe Collection, which are shown above. I have to admit I was immediately drawn to the packaging. All 15 shadows have individual designs, it just embodies everything I adore about Urban Decay, it's such a fun, funky brand that stands out from the crowd.

So, whats so special about these eyeshadow? Apart from the amazing packaging, these shadow are just incredible. The creamy formula is silky to the touch and they blend beautifully and with minimum effort. The colours range from vibrant brilliance to the most exquisite nudes.

Isn't the packaging incredible??

Once again my camera has failed to show the pigment but the swatches say it all!

on top are: Heat, Ransom, Shag.

bottom: Zero, Peace.

Peace, Zero, Shag, Heat and Ransom.

On top: Sting, Fishnet, Honey

Bottom: Freakshow, Scratch.

Sting, Fishnet, Honey, Fishnet, Scratch

On top: Ruthless, Graffiti, Underground

Bottom: Frigid, Adore.

Underground, Ruthless, Graffiti, Frigid, Adore.

The colour payoff on these is spectacular and the pictures really do not do them justice. I cant stress enough how incredible these shadows are.

So that's it for now, I really hope you enjoyed.

Let me know if you have tried any of the deluxe shadows!

See you next time lovelies

xoxo

Sarah's Twitter: @Adoreabubbles

YouTube: adoreabubbles

She's pretty fantastic... Go check her out!

Revlon Lip Butters

Hey ladies, hope you're all well and enjoying the weekend.

My post today is about the infamous Revlon Lip Butters. The hype started long before they were released on our fair island, and needless to say I was excited to try them. In true Boots style they arrived in my local store about two weeks after general release for the rest of the country. They were put out on salesplan at a very good time 3 for 2 and my local store had 7 to choose from.

To the best of my knowledge, although I could be wrong I believe 14 shades out of a possible 21 are available in the UK/Ireland,

Altogether I have 10 shades. It may seem a bit excessive but makeup is my hobby and most of them were bought through Boots points and all were on 3 for 2 as I previously mentioned.

These were the shades that I thought most wearable, for me at least. I find the texture of these a little strange... Almost grainy. Most are very well pigmented, others quite subtle. In all honesty I have been reaching for these a lot more than my old reliable lipsticks. I have also found that pairing these over a lipstick for meetings or events really spruce up whatever look I have gone for, an example of one of my favourite's would be pairing the lip butter 'Cotton Candy' with MAC's 'Snob'. Has anyone else tried a combination look? If so please let me know!

From Left to Right:

Candy Apple, Tutti Fruiti, Peach Parfait, Creme Brulee, Sugar Frosting, Lollipop, Sweet Tart, Strawberry Shortcake, Cotton Candy and Cupcake.

Excuse the quality of these two pictures but the flash on washed the swatches out.
Left to Right: Candy Apple, Tutti Fruiti, Peach Parfait, Creme Brulee and Sugar frosting.
As you can see some are more subtle colours, and others quite pigmented.



Left to Right: Lollipop, Sweet Tart, Strawberry Shortcake, Cotton Candy, Cupcake.

The colours are showing up quite washed out here, but there really are some beautiful shades here. I would love to see them bringing some more shades out both here and the UK.

All in all I'm really enjoying the lip butters, they are expensive but I think its justifiable when they're on 3 for 2 don't you? ;) At least that's what every addict tells themselves to justify the splurge...

Thanks for reading lovlies, I hope you enjoyed!

Till next time, stay beautiful.

xoxo

Top 6 Spring Fragrances

Hey Ladies! I thought I would do my very first blog post on Spring fragrances.

I am a perfume-a-holic. Now that you know this and it's out in the open, I don't feel like I'm hiding it from you!

In my collection I would say I have maybe 30 bottles ranging from reasonably priced to very high end. I keep them all in rotation and out of sunlight. I haven't found that they 'go off' at all. In fact quite to the contrary.

A famous perfumer once said 'A good fragrance much like wine, develops with age and often matures into something more complex and beautiful than how it began'

I have to say... I like this idea. Mainly because I have a 6 year old bottle of Cinema by Yves Saint Laurent that has turned the colour of Captain Morgan's rum and I just can't bear to part with it!

So without further delay and in no particular order here is the first on my Top 6!

Yves Saint Laurent - Parisienne EDT

To me the fragrance starts very sweet and fresh, and the scent is packed with the juicy sweetness of berries. The heart of it is built on several flowers, rose and lily of the valley.The drydown contains musk, and iris, which give the fragrance a powdery feel. I think this fragrance is glamorous, very modern, romantic but with an edgy twist at the same time.I read somewhere when it was first launched in 2010, that YSL stated it contained notes of Vinyl and high heels. Call me crazy but I don't get that from this fragrance! NOT that Im one to go around sniffing peoples high heels but, I could be wrong! All that aside, it is a firm favourite in my Spring favourite's.

Ralph Lauren - Ralph

This fresh, fruity fragrance was launched in 2000. I don't mind admitting I was the tender age of 14 (flashback to chubby shorthaired specky braces girl agghhhh!) I was on an AerLingus flight to Italy for our 5th year school trip browsing through the in flight catalogue when i saw this perfume. I bought it and fell in love. I am happy to report it is a love affair which has lasted through the years, and now it reminds me of Italy and a time when things were a lot simpler. Top notes are Japanese osmanthus, apple leaf and Italian mandarin; middle notes are magnolia, boronia and yellow freesia; base notes are musk and white iris.

Ralph Lauren have discontinued the 100ml size of this which annoys me to be honest. But love reigns supreme and this is something that will always be in my collection.

Vivienne Westwood - Naughty Alice

Naughty Alice? I'm not quite sure where the 'naughty' comes from. Perhaps it's a play on words. There is nothing naughty about its fragrance. This is another one of my all time favourites. I adore this scent. Admittedly it's not for everyone, but it's right up my street. It was a gift from my other half earlier this year. He said it reminded him of me, when i asked why, I got the typical male response 'I dunno, it just does.' To me this scent reminds me of innocence, it's powdery, clean, inoffensive and gentle. It makes me feel safe. Strange, I know but its the equivalent of a security blanket in perfume form and i cannot tell you how many compliments I receive when I wear this. The notes of this are violet, musk, black rose and ylang ylang. Its spring perfection in a bottle.

Emporio Armani - Diamonds

To me, Armani fragrances are amazing. This is no exception. It's fresh, watery, floral, fruity and totally intoxicating. The notes in this are bergamont, pink pepper, rose petals, musk and vetiver. This smells of holidays to me, its refreshing but at the same time very seductive. I think that the entire Armani Diamonds range is great, this is the eau de toilette but the staying power on this is actually a lot longer lasting than the EDP which i used own. Truly a beautiful Spring scent.

Chanel - Chance

Done to death I know, but I could not have done my favourites without including this. What can I say about it that has not already been said? It reminds me of Oscar De Larenta's Live in Love just a better version. I find it a very elegant classy perfume although I have heard a lot of different opinions on this one, not all good. I like the idea of veering away from the classic rectangular bottles for this, which is no accident. Chance literal translation from French to English is of course Luck so the bottle was modelled after the wheel of fortune. Take a Chance and spin the wheel with this fragrance this Spring... You might get lucky!

Yves Saint Laurent - Belle D'Opium

Last but not least is Belle D'Opium. First let me say I am crazy about the bottle! I know YSL have struggled to try and rebrand the whole Opium range. General consensus was that it was perceived as an older woman's fragrance. I personally love Opium but it's not everyones cup of tea. Hence the massive ad campaign featuring Emily Blunt. So rooted is the stigma attached to the Opium range that some time after Belle D'Opium was released YSL expressed that it should not be referred to as Belle D'Opium anymore but just Belle. It saddens me that this fragrance is so often overlooked because of her supposedly offensive older sister. Containing notes of Casablanca lily, sandalwood, gardenia, white pepper, jasmine absolute and hookah its a very youthful fresh scent. A younger fresher model of Opium yes, but both equally special.

So that's it, my Top 6 Spring Fragrances, I hope you enjoyed!

Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you all again soon.

xxx