Transitioning

I personally am one of those people that wears whatever makeup they fancy at all points in the year - I'm not very seasonal about it. But I can appreciate that some of do like switching it up when it comes to the colder months, and today's post is all about some great products that'll see you well through Autumn and Winter.

First up is my new lipstick love, the NARS Audacious Lipstick in Audrey. It took its sweet time getting to me thanks to a Space NK stock problem but it was well worth the wait. It's a beautiful "almost red - but not quite" shade with berry undertones. The pigmentation is unbelievable, providing full opaque coverage in one swipe, and an even stain remains on your lips after it's worn off. The packaging is impressive too; it's chunkier than your average lipstick but it contains a very satisfying magnetic closure with sleek, matte black casing. If there's one product that deserves its hype, it's this.

I recently added some long awaited eyeshadows to my MAC quad. Patina and Satin Taupe have been sitting in there for almost a year now and I thought it was high time I completed it - with Haux and Blackberry. Haux is a rosy brown and combined with Blackberry, a burgundy plum with brown undertones, it's a match made in heaven.

Tarte's Exposed blusher is the perfect neutral. It allows you to go as light or as heavy handed as you like to build up the colour, and it creates a lovely natural hue on the cheeks. Exposed is a well known dupe for NARS Doeceur, however I think the wear time and pigmentation are slightly more superior. This is all dependent on how you like your blusher though!

What are your favourite transitional products?

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5 Blushers

When I started blogging, the first products I fell in love with were blushers. Granted, I wasn't the greatest at applying them and I often ended up with clown cheeks (I would provide you with evidence, but that would be embarrassing). Enough with the nostalgia however, I've now managed to get to grips with using blusher correctly and have accumulated quite the stash. Here's my top five picks!

I was after NARS Douceur for quite a length of time. It was often sold out online, and every time I went into a Space NK they were out of stock. I tried a local Space NK again a few months later and they were still out. Thankfully though a lovely woman in the store provided me with a free delivery code so I could order it online, and it became mine. It's a beautiful neutral blush, more brown than pink, more pink than orange and it just works. It's perfect for those that are scared of going overboard as I find you need to give the brush a swirl a few times before it picks up a lot of colour.

The Tarte Blusher in Exposed (I have mini Tarte blushers, fyi) is often deemed a dupe for Douceur. I find this leans more pink however, and it's definitely more pigmented. I would suggest going for Exposed if you fear Douceur would look slightly muddy on you.

On to my favourite blusher of all time, MAC Briar Rose. I was incredibly lucky to pick this up in a blog sale last year, and despite using it most days since, it looks untouched. It is the perfect pink blusher for me, and I really hope it's rereleased one day (hopefully in another Disney collection *wink*). 

I bought the newest blusher in my collection using my Birchbox store points, and it's the Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colour in Lush Nectarine. This particular colour has received a huge amount of hype, and I have to say it deserves it. It's a gorgeous peachy shade with the tiniest hint of pink, and a welcome change from all of the others I own.

Last on the list is another Tarte offering, this time in the shade Thankful. This was part of the Thoughtful Treasures collection released before Christmas last year and is a lovely golden pink that really perks up the skin. Just like Exposed the pigmentation is astounding, so a light hand is needed. However if you're looking for pigmentation in your blushers, Tarte is definitely the way forward.

What are your favourite blushers?

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Spring Radiance

I don't know about you, but the gradually lighter mornings and evenings put me in such a good mood. Maybe it's the fact that it's not dark when I go to work and dark when I finish anymore, but the start of Spring has inspired me in more than one way this year, makeup included. Here's a few products that I've been using to get the fresh-faced, radiant look.

The NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser is something I didn't initially get along with. Even with £10 off, I was disappointed at the lack of coverage it offered for the price and I was genuinely confused as to why everyone raves about this. Enter the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. Using a stippling brush, the tinted moisturiser didn't cover much of my redness at all without applying layer after layer. But the Expert Face Brush gives it slightly more coverage and a much more even finish. This will definitely be coming to Florida with me in May!

I've been switching between two blushers over the past few weeks. First up is the Bobbi Brown Powder Blush in Nectar. A matte peachy pink that will look flattering on most skin tones, Nectar is definitely one of my favourites to brighten the cheeks without overdoing it. My other blusher pick is Tarte Exposed. A slightly pinker alternative to NARS Douceur, Exposed is great for giving a natural flush to the skin. It's incredibly pigmented though, so a light hand is needed.

The Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer was added to my collection after Sam sung it's praises. I have pretty dark circles under my eyes but the slight shimmer in this works to brighten and illuminate without the heaviness. Definitely my favourite concealer for under the eyes.

My most recent purchase is the L'Oreal L'Extraordinaire Liquid Lipstick in Molto Mauve. A lipstick/lipgloss hybrid, these new lip offerings from L'Oreal give a buttery soft sheen of a lipgloss combined with the pigmentation of a lipstick. The formula feels similar to the NYX Butter Glosses. I tend to prefer deeper coloured lip products however Molto Mauve does a great job of looking natural without washing me out. I wish I'd taken advantage of the 3 for 2 offer when I bought this!

What are your picks for radiant, Spring-ready makeup?

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Tarte Thoughtful Treasures Gift Set

Tarte Thoughtful Treasures Gift Set - £22.99

Shortly after I reviewed the Amazon Escape palette I headed back to Roses Beauty Store and decided to place an order for the Thoughtful Treasures best-sellers set. It consists of 3 miniature products - a sample of the Pure Maracuja Oil, a limited edition blusher in Thankful and a Lipsurgence Skintuitive lip tint in Energy. 

Before ordering this I hadn't heard all that much on the Maracuja Oil, but after doing some research it appears to be a holy grail product for many. Now, I've only used this a few times since receiving it but it's definitely living up to the claims. You only need a few drops for your entire face and it leaves the skin incredibly smooth and hydrated. I'll definitely be treating myself to the full-sized bottle in Florida next year.

Thankful is a beautiful golden pink with a satin finish, exclusive to the Thoughtful Treasures set. I really love this blusher - it delivers in terms of pigmentation, longevity and texture. I don't find myself having to top it up during the day which is a big bonus.

Energy is a self-adjusting lip tint that applies as a baby pink and over time changes to a personalised shade to match your skin tone. On me it adjusts to a bright fuchsia-pink which doesn't look heavy or over the top, unlike a lipstick, and is great for everyday wear. It has a sweet minty scent that is far more bearable than the Revlon balm stains, and lasts a good while.  I don't find it drying, rather it glides on without any tugging or pulling at the lips.

The Thoughtful Treasures set over here is a bit expensive compared to the US price, but I do think it's worth it. I know all three products will last me a while!

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Tarte Amazon Escape Palette

Tarte Amazon Escape Palette - £27.99

When Roses Beauty Store added a whole heap of Tarte products to their website I just couldn't resist. I've been really getting into palettes as of late and the Amazon Escape made a very warm welcome into my ever growing collection.

Consisting of two blushers and six eyeshadows, the Amazon Escape palette is a definite must have for Tarte newbies. But the great thing about the palette is the size - this thing is big! The blushers weigh in at 0.16oz each whereas the eyeshadows come in at 0.06oz. Compared to a lot of palettes on the market that's a huge difference. The colours inside are as follows:-

• Blusher in Free - Bright orange based coral, very pigmented and requires a light hand.
• Blusher in Exposed - Dusky rose, office-friendly despite the high pigmentation.
• Eyeshadow in Tame - Shimmery bone white, beautiful highlight shade.
• Eyeshadow in Rope - Matte beige, great for a base.
• Eyeshadow in Canopy - Rich chocolate brown, intensely pigmented.
• Eyeshadow in Rare - Subtle warm peach.
• Eyeshadow in Camo - Shimmery olive brown, very rich in colour.
• Eyeshadow in Tribal - Deep plum, requires a light hand.

One thing that was consistent for me among Amazon Escape was pigmentation. All of the shades impressed me, particularly Rope, which evens out the colour on the eyelid brilliantly. My favourite of the bunch has to be Camo, it works exceptionally well to create a beautiful bronzed look on the eyes without overdoing it. Out of the two blushers, Exposed is the most flattering on my skin. While Free is a great colour, it just doesn't work for me. 

I found that both the eyeshadows and the blushers lasted 8+hrs without fading or creasing, something I really look for in makeup. Those of you with an extensive eyeshadow collection probably won't need this palette as the majority of the shades are dupable, however the quality is outstanding and makes it well worth the price.

If you're interested in US beauty products and don't have a trip planned anytime soon I'd really recommend Roses Beauty Store - while some items are slightly overpriced compared to their dollar equivalent, if you're really after something it's worth it!

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