Review: Mac Studio Care Blend Pressed Powder

This is one of my favourite products to use and I don't know why I haven't posted about it before.

I buy lots of powders to keep my T-zone shine free during the day and for touch ups.

I've been through a lot of them, and some are ok, but nothing works like this beauty!

I use the Medium colour which shocked me, as I'm very pale and am usual an NW20 in foundations from Mac.

I think the Light colour would probably wash me out as it is the right colour, just didn't expect it!

As always I love the sleek black packaging. It makes them easy to throw in your bag, it just annoys me how easily they scratch and tarnish as I love how they look when they're shiny!

This comes with a mirror and sponge as you would expect so it really is perfect for touch ups on the go

It doesn't last me the entire day when I apply it in the morning, though I expect this is more likely to be down to the primer and foundation I use as I'm trying to use up other brands at the moment that aren't quite as reliable as Mac.

This powder is amazing in my opinion, though I would much rather it be at a lower price obviously!

It does hit pan quite quickly when you use it every morning and also for touch ups throughout the day and the £20 price tag for 10g is a little steep.

However you get what you pay for, and with Mac you always know where you are!

What powder do you use to keep your make up set for the day?

I have a few others that I might do a post on soon to try and encourage me to use them up!

L xxx

We're still running our giveaway for one of the Selfridge's Beauty Boxes that sold like hot cakes, find it here to enter!

Review: Clinique Superdefense SPF 25 Age Defense Moisturizer Combination Oily to Oily Skin and Super Rescue Antioxidant Night Moisturizer Combination Oily to Oily Skin

Hey all. 

Today I bring you my first indulge in expensive skincare. With skincare I like to use the products for a good month or two at least before reviewing. I'm now addicted to Clinique and here are my thoughts on some of it.

So a few months back now I decided it was time to try a more premium brand skin care for my day and night cream. I'm only 23 but I've always been told prevention is easier than cure. A motto I like to live by. So I decided to look for day and night creams, aimed specifically at oily skin types that will still help combat the first signs of ageing.

I hadn't looked at reviews of products online and decided to stroll into boots and see what counter hit my eye, the scientist in me was draw to Clinique with the white coats reminding me of lab coats and there clean looking display. As I walked up to the beauty counter it was one of those days I need a lot of help and advise and a good chat with an assistant. Unfortunately she decided to ignore me. Nice eh? When you need them they don't bother. I decided to try House of Fraser as by this point I was set on Clinique. As I strolled in she finished serving and then had a chat with me about what I was hoping to get from my skincare and what my problems were and the main ones I wanted to target.

Nice free gift bag

 My free gifts. How generous are Clinique!! Lots for me to test out 

 One of the things I loved the most about Clinique is you can buy most of their products for different skincare. I was told I was a 3 and could use products aimed at 3 or 4. I was recommended the superdefense SPF 25 age defense moisturiser for combination oily to oily skin. It comes with a slightly eye watering price tag of £37. But as L once said to me if you'll spend it on a dress or bag why not on skincare. So I splurge and as they were offering a bag of goodies if you bought two items I picked up the night cream to which is the super rescue antioxidant night moisturiser again for combination oily to oily which is £35.

Both products are paraben free, allergy tested and 100% fragrance free. Great for if your skin is a little more sensitive. Something both L and I try to look out for. The day cream is gorgeous. A light product that just sinks into your skin and leaves it well moisturised without feeling greasy or tight. I find some products for oily skin leaves my skin feeling so tight it's uncomfortable. For the price you get a reasonable 50ml. I've been using mine most days now for 3 months and I'm probably 2/3 through the pot. I try to use only what's needed and make this product last. It also contains a healthy SPF 25 so great for protecting the skin from the sun and hopefully preventing even more wrinkles.

As you can see it's a good consistency and blends into the skin without leaving a greasy residue. I've been so impressed with this product. I've had no product related breakouts. Which is always a worry with my skin type and my skin is left feeling moisturised and healthy.

I love the night cream just as much. These two work together so well and I'm so pleased I splurged out on them. They are so worth it. This is again 50ml but I feel I'm using it quicker. One thing I don't like about the night cream is that it's in a tube. I prefer a pot so I can get out just the amount I need easily and I can see how much I have left. I feel like this may run out before the day cream which will bug me as I like them to run out at the same time. 

The night cream is a slightly thicker consistency but still sinks into the skin well without leaving the skin feeling oily or coated in product. I can't say how well they work on wrinkles really as the few fine lines I have do appear a little reduced but I'm hoping this will more be protecting my skin against further.

Even though these products are more than I would normally spend on day and night creams I'm completely converted and would repurchase without a doubt. They have lasted a while so isn't as expensive as it first seems.

I would wait to repurchase till there are good freebies though as Clinique are generous with their free gifts and you get a lot of products to try. I especially loved the eye cream and the serum I got in the free gifts and I am considering purchases those along with a foundation. I've heard so many great things about Clinique lately I can't wait to try more products.

The lady in House of Fraser was lovely and as I had a delay at the till was kind enough to give me all these samples along with my free gift.

Successful first trip to Clinique I think. I'm still working my way through the samples and I'm loving some and will purchase some not so much like the eye make up remover. You can find my thoughts on that here.

Have you tried Clinique products? Any recommendations?

Love M

Don't forget our giveaway. Some great skincare products in there! 

NOTD: Rimmel Sky High and Max Factor Fantasy Fire

Hey all

A nail of the day to show you today. Ever since I picked up Max Factors Fantasy Fire I've loved it's duochrome finish what I didn't love was how many coats it took to achieve the desired look. I've tried using it as a top coat over various shades of nail varnish and have loved the look on most. 

I love how it looks different in different lights. I tried it over Rimmel 60 seconds polish in the shade sky high. This isn't a colour I use much and not even sure when I bought. I used two coats of this.

The finish is ok but if I wasn't using Fantasy Fire it would definitely need three coats. I love using Fantasy Fire over a bright purple so I was interested to see how it would look over blue.

One coat looked like this, a slight purple and turquoise hint to blue. I decided it definitely needed two coats.

Pre clean up (I'm a messy little painter ;)) I love this colour. Every time I looked at my nails I just thought of under the sea/ mermaids. It looks so pretty and shimmers so many different colours.

With flash you can really see a royal blue through it and a gold fleck.

I love the colour this turned out and I'm thinking of trying it over a pink shade soon.

Do you have fantasy fire? Do you layer sheer polishes over different shades?

Love M

xxx

Don't forget our giveaway found here, we are so excited we keep talking about it lots.

Oops I went shopping again!

Today I had to pop into Primark to get my gorgeous little niece's birthday present. (she know has her first pair of black skinny jeans, wardrobe staple) I love the clothes for little girls in Primark it's cute on trend and her mum tells me it's good for wear too! Her first pair of skinny jeans I got her lasted her 18 months!! She's so girly already I love it. At 3 she's obsessed with nail varnish and I've just got her children's nail varnish (rumour is it comes out of carpet).

Enough of my blabbing on about her. (I'd share a photo but her mum doesn't want photos of her online so you'll have to trust me that she's cute!! ha). Primark is usually hit and miss for me. I usually only find one thing lately and I'll put it back down to the long queues. Today I went first thing to avoid these. If you saw my August wishlist post you'd have seen I was eyeing up lots of gorgeous Kurt Geiger shoes ready for my holiday. When I saw the flip flops all half price in Primark I thought I should save myself some money and pick these up.

I love the jelly type material one these shoes. I have some French Connection ones similar to these that I literally wear all the time so I'm hoping these will be as comfy. Plus I adore the gorgeous bow detail and charms and for £2 who could resist. I wish they'd had the black in my size!

I've been wanting dolly shoes like this since seeing the Vivienne Westwood collabortion with Melissa for the AW09 collection and seeing the gorgeous leopard print ultragirl bow flat (I'm desperate for a pair of these). I love how simple they are and I'm hoping they will be super comfy. Another bargain £2. I really want these in a coral colour.

 This is the last pair of shoes I bought today and the most expensive. I splashed out an extra pound on these!! For £3 I thought they would be great for in the sun perfect with dress for day wear and the bow detail will make them pretty enough for evenings. I'm going away with my other half and as he's the same height as me heels are a no so I try to find pretty flats with sparkly detail and these fit the bill. I tend to favour this type of flip flop at the moment and recently realised I know have no traditional flip flops!

I was looking for a black strapless top but couldn't see them in Primark (if you know where to get cheap plain tight ones please let me know) but couldn't resist picking these up. Vests are a staple and you can never have too many. I tend to favour my select ones I bought a few years back but they have since changed the style so I'm back to trying to find my perfect vest. At £2 each I picked them up in the colours I wear the most.

Since picking up my sunglasses in last weeks haul I've been looking for a case. I wasn't prepared to spend £8 on the ones in Topshop. Now this print isn't great but for £1 my sunglasses won't get scratched in my handbag and it's big enough to fit most styles in.

I couldn't resist these at the till for £1 I thought they were worth a try and after biting all my nails a few weeks ago looking at my nails is bothering me. I was surprised when I got home to find they came with glue. I didn't expect much from it but it works just aswell as the elegant touch ones I'm used to.

I love false nails and used to wear them a lot before growing my natural ones. I love how quick and easy you can have a perfect mani for days. This pattern is so cute and they had a great variety of styles. My only complaint is the nails are a little large for my fingers. I have the smallest ones on and could have done with smaller. I would definitely re purchase though. If you like false nails give these a try.

Then as it was raining I thought the best thing to do would be stroll through boots to escape the rain (What was I thinking) I should have got wet I can never resist buying in boots. I like using these Lee Stafford products honestly I don't know if they work but my hair is a bit longer now and I've just had it highlighted and they are great for conditioning. I only pick them up when they are on offer as they are £7.99 a pot but are currently on £3 for £12

As it was the mega points event and you need to spend £15 to get 10 points to the £1 I picked up a mini shampoo and conditioner for my holiday. I usually use John Frieda when I have blonde hair but they didn't have the one I wanted in the minis so I'm hoping these Trevor Sorbie ones will be good. They were £1.99 each and had 75ml in compared to the other brands having 50ml.

So that's all I bought today. Now I really need willpower to stop shopping!!

Have you picked up any bits in the last of the sales?

Love M

xxx