Mini MAC Haul- 'All About Orange' Collection.

I'll be honest and say I had gone off MAC a bit. After working for a short while for Illamasqua and getting to work with such strongly pigmented products, anything I swatched at MAC just seemed watery in comparison. Alas, when I saw they were releasing a collection dedicated to orange I knew I would cave. I love orange and coral. They are without a doubt my go-to colours in the summer, give me an orange lipstick over a pink one anyday.

Afer a bit of deliberation I knew I could sort of justify a MAC splurge if it was for my kit. I've got enough MAC lippies to last me a life time.

I originally thought I wanted 'Sushi Flower' lipstick as it such a 'me' shade but I opted for a slightly more wearable 'Razzledazzler' as it would have more of a universal appeal, would suit more people and would be perfect for bridal. It's a milky coral. By no means is it bright or neon-esque, the lustre finish means it has an underlying 'sheer' quality about it and a glisten-y finish. It very much reminds me of the permanent lip glass Pink Lemonade with it's mid-tone yet brightening qualities. This will suit pale and tanned girls alike though I probably wouldn't advise it for asian skin tone or deeper. It's pretty long lasting considering the slip of the finish, 2-3 hours wear and leaves a pretty coral 'just bitten' stain behind. Easy enough to top up on the go though.

After thinking one of my MAC blushes was faulty due to it's absolute lack of pigment ('Pink Swoon' FYI) I was dubious to spend money on another. Unlike 'Pink Swoon' which is a sheertone blush (which may explain it's lack of colour when swatched) 'Immortal Flower' is a satin finish which means it's not totally matte, but there's no detectable glitter or shimmer present either. It's very peach in the pan which doesn't come across in my photos unfortunately. On me, a light dusting gives a soft peachy glow, but it can be built up a little more intense. Again, this will look simply gorgeous on a bride because it hasn't got that disco ball shimmer in it and it makes you 'glow' rather than look too blusher-y. It photographs beautifully.

Both 'Razzledazzler' and 'Immortal Flower' compliment one another when worn together. I do wish I had a bit more money to spend as I would have caved into 'Sushi Flower' any way and would have probably picked up 'Neon Orange' for the hell of it too. Unlike the other MAC collections released this year, this one has impressed me.

Thankyou for reading,

E.

My Jo Malone Collection.

It won't come as a surprise to some of you when I tell you that I adore Jo Malone fragrance. It's the pairing of two (often unusual) scents to create a beautiful, sophisticated final perfume with an elegant bottle to match. I appreciate packaging, and most of all on fragrance. Bad packaging can put me off buying a fragrance completely (hi Marc Jacobs)
I remember my friend Jade telling me that she thought Jo Malone perfume bottles looked like room spray, and I replied telling her that's the reason I like it. Non fussy, just simple. 

My collection has grown slightly over the last few months. It began with Nectarine Blossom and Honey back in September, you can see a full review of that here. This remains in my top two favourites. It is so gorgeous and sweet, but not in an overpowering way. It lasts all day on me, as all Jo Malone colognes do, and I love it from the top note to the base note. 

Second and third to make it into my collection were sort of hand me downs from a friend. She works for Clinique and often blindly buys fragrance on the staff discount site, which always results in new presents for me! She herself has well over 80 perfumes at home so if she buys something that she doesn't love, she passes it on. Orange Blossom is very floral, not one I pick up all of the time as it isn't really 'me' but it is a gorgeous smell non the less. It's just a bit mature for my tastes if that makes sense.
Vanilla and Anise is a deep, rich scent which I used a lot through winter. Again, it's not one I would choose but I do enjoy wearing it a lot. It's quite mysterious and one spray is enough to last hours. It definitely packs a punch!

The same said friend knew I had been harping on about Blackberry and Bay for ages! I kept nipping in to the Jo Malone shop and spritzing it on myself, and decided that it was the scent I was going to get married in. My wedding isn't until September 2014 but Jenni bought me this as a surprise. Instead of letting it fester and potentially go off in that time, I've decided to crack it open and use it anyway. To me it is the perfect late summer/autumn scent. It's fruity, and it truley does smell of blackberry (one of my favourite fruits) but is balanced by aromatic bay. It's a really nostalgic perfume, as the website states; 

"Childhood memories of blackberry picking... stained lips, sticky palms. A burst of deep, tart blackberry juice, blending with the freshness of just-gathered bay and brambly woods. A vibrant and verdant fragrance."

Next on my list is Earl Grey and Cucumber, without a doubt. 

Thanks for reading,

E.