NOTD: Models Own 25 Carat Gold

Especially for the lovely Fashion Teller!  Finally managed to track down a Models Own display in Boots, and honed in on their fabulous selection of nail varnish colours.  I think there was an offer which was 2 for £5, so it would have been rude not to partake, non?  One of the ones I selected was 25 Carat Gold, a completely OTT yellow gold.

This is one coat - these varnishes apply really nicely.  Slightly streaky but nothing a couple more swipes can't cover up.  I love this shade.  It's very summery, like molten gold shining away on my fingertips!  Seems to last well too - am two days in and no sign of chips or tip wear.  Me like.

Available to buy here.

Mac Stereo Rose MSF

So, I wasn't, and then I was, and then I wasn't, then I was, and blah blah blah I was boring myself, so on Thursday, I hotfooted it to the Mac Pro Store in Foubert's Place and got me some Stereo Rose.  If I'm honest, 95% of the reason I bought this is because of the hype, and I'm kicking myself because I NEVER IN MY LITTLE LIFE have bought make-up of any particular value based purely on hype.  But what can I say?  I was feeling ruinous.

As I'm sure you all already know, Mac's Stereo Rose MSF has been re-released as part of the new In The Groove collection.   I wasn't interested in anything else in the collection, and have never even owned an MSF before, so quite why I got such a bee in my bonnet about owning this one is beyond me, but them's the breaks if you're going to tool about reading blogs and watching YT videos.

Brilliant picture number 1:

Stereo Rose costs £19.50, which is the most I've ever spent on a single item of make up.  I need results.

Brilliant picture number 2:

It is a pinky coral with a gold/copper vein running through it.  It is undeniably yum, but still...£19.50?  As I said, I need results.  I swatched in the shop and bought it and ran home cackling all the way at my triumph purchase, and got home and swatched some more (and did the outstanding photoshoot with it) and looked at it and oohed and aahed and swatched some more.  Behold:

It looks like Mars.

As I hope you can see, it's a lovely subtle pinky peach with gold sheen running through it. I don't seem to have any chunky glitter going on which is great, and I do really like it.  BUT.  I am admitting complete Make-Up Ignorance here...I don't really know how best to apply it.  Do I use it like a normal blusher? Do I use it on top of my normal blusher? Do I use it as a highlight?  Help!  I feel like such an idiot, but I am just not completely sure how to make this work best.  I have medium skin that currently has a tan.  I can carry a decent amount of make-up but don't want to look overdone.

Any advice would be brilliant please as I don't want to be the dick who uses her MSF as a finishing powder or something...*blush*

 Despite my numptyness, I do think Stereo Rose is a gorgeous product, and one that you MSF experts will no doubt be getting, or will already have.

Hotter Than The Sun

I am such a stereotypical Brit.  I moan for the 11 months of the year when it's cold enough to freeze a gnat's knackers off, and the second the temperature rises above 1 degree, I am all "Oh Jesus I am actually melting please someone get me an igloo, and make it snappy!"  Readers, I have been suffering.  Not only have I had to contend with it being 1 million degrees for the past couple of weeks, but I've been moving house (i.e. packing my make-up collection in a nice holdall and leaving the rest for the men to deal with) AND suffering with a particularly vicious onslaught of hayfever, or as I like to call it, Not Yay-fever.

Thus, I have been finding my make-up and skincare routine somewhat shonked, and have been trying to find a way to deal with shiny shiny oily skin, red and runny eyes and nose, hands and nails that a bricklayer would be proud of and make-up that won't slide off as soon as I've tightened the lid on my mascara.  I'm going to be completely honest - I haven't worn a scrap of make-up for the last 48 hours, and man, is it good!  I have been out and about in real life public, and no small children screamed, no cars crashed, no pigeons flew into shop windows, so I think I will probably continue the week in the same vein.  Not completely make-up free, that would just be boring, but I will do what I've been doing for the past fortnight.  

I give you Pixie's 'It's Properly Pissing Hot Today So I Will Lay By The Fan Instead Of Grooming' Guide to Summer Beauty:

Awake, gulp down a yummy Not Yay-fever tablet and five gallons of water.

Eye drops, nose spray, more eye drops, more nose spray (I know, the glamour)

Shower - v cool water, some clarifying shampoo (currently loving a Charles Worthington men's one I accidentally bought) to rid my locks of sweat and pollution and pollen, and a v light conditioner (Herbal Essences straightening one).  

Cover my face in Neutrogena Deep Clean 2 in 1 face wash and mask whilst still in shower, and leave on whilst dealing with legs, underarms and other key areas.

Rinse everything and leave shower.  Immediately start sweating and cursing.

I always splash my face several times with cold water after showering, as it helps tone my skin, reduce my pore size and wake me the hell up.  This is even more welcome in the heat.

Apply eye cream and my Protect & Perfect serum.

Sweat and curse some more.

If I think I need it, I apply a dot of Botanics Pore Reducing oil-free moisturiser, which is brilliant.  If I don't need it, I go straight to the next step.

Apply a dot of primer all over face - I don't normally need it all over but in this weather I need all the help I can get.

Apply a dot of tinted moisturiser - currently the Botanics one, which is a little on the orange side but I can pull it off now that I have a bit of a tan.

A very light dusting of finishing powder - E.L.F. HD - AMAZE.

A swipe of my HG (yes, it's that bloody good) mascara - Miss Sporty XXLong.  A little clear mascara on my brows to tame them.

Plain old Chapstick on my lips.

Comb out hair and pin up or leave down - ALWAYS WET.  The mere thought of going anywhere near a hairdryer in this weather makes me want to eat my own eyeballs.

A spritz of perfume - Givenchy's Hot Couture is v lovely in the heat.

Aaaaaaaand SWEAT. All day long, walking, on the Tube, in the office, walking.  All. Day. Long.

How are you coping please? I am pining for knitwear and hats with bobbles on and boots and rosy cheeks and lovely thick moisturiser.  I think I shall move to the South Pole, and start a Product Penguin blog instead.

Tag - What is your beauty style?

Well, this is *extremely* exciting and unexpected.  Lovely Ms. Lipglossiping has popped my tag cherry with this mini quiz (I know it's not techincally a quiz but I love a quiz, especially when I know all the answers).  So, without further ado...

1. What is your beauty style? (Natural, trendy, etc.)
As natural but flawless as possible I think.  I don't wear masses of make up, but what I do wear is in the vain attempt to give me glowing and perfect skin, enhance my natural features, and maybe add a nice swipe of lip colour.  Definitely not trendy - I don't think I've ever tried to copy a look in my life - and not particularly adventurous either, just the best version of me I can be.

2. Where do you get your beauty inspiration from?
Well, having said I don't copy looks or trends, I'm not really sure where I get my inspiration from.  Or at least I don't know where I got it from before I discovered all the YouTube beauty people.  I think it's more a case of me seeing a product I want, and working out how I could make it work for me.  Oh, and Audrey Hepburn, obvos.  Who doesn't?

3. What beauty products do you have the most of?
Probably lip products, which is weird because they're my least favourite beauty product (on a scale of LITERALLY MY FAVOURITEST BEAUTY PRODUCT EVER to ONE OF MY FAVOURITE EVER BEAUTY PRODUCTS). Lip balms in particular. Obsessed.

4. What's your favourite/Holy Grail colour for:
Eyes: An 'enhanced' nude: Mac Paint Pot in Groundwork is my all time favourite.

Lips: A pinky red: Barbara Daly had an amazing gloss pot that I used up and can't get any more. Also love Pink Cadillac by Sleek and Mac's Speak Louder.

Cheeks: Taupe/nude.  Currently obsessed with Blushbaby, Instant Chic and Taupe for contouring.

Nails: Nude. OPI Barefoot in Barcelona is my HG nail colour. Although Zoya Max and Essie Bordeaux are runners up for colour.

5. Three favourite brands of the moment:

E.L.F. - I wish I'd never discovered it.  Am well on the way to becoming their main benefactor I think.  Particularly love the eyeshadow brush, the Mineral Infused Face Primer, the HD powder and the mineral lipsticks.

Mac - their Paint Pots and blushers are now staples.

17 - I wouldn't normally choose 17, but their Mirror Shine lipsticks are fan-frigging-tastic.  I have six and love and wear them (not all at once) every day.

Et voila! J'ai complete le tag!  Hope that was a little insight into my make up mind. 

I tag:

Bubblegarm
Lollipop26
Belledujournyc
Gemsmaquillage
Kelanjo
MizzWorthy
TheFashionTeller