October Favorites

Happy Halloween Dolls!

I hate to be so cliched but where has this year gone!? It's properly flying by!! As always here are my favorites for October...

1. M.A.C Pink Opal Pigment

I think pink opal is definitely in my top ten mac products - it's so pretty!!! It's a white pigment with pink duochrome - on the skin you just get a flash of shimmery pink.

Before now I've kept pink opal for the eyes - as a highlight and inner corner. However on a few recent nights out I've used it as a cheek highlight which looks A-MAZING! It adds a really fun twist to face make up and is oh so pretty! In the swatch below you can see how lovely the shimmer is but sadly you can't really see the pink - it's so much more dimensional in person.

2. Lush Snow Fairy

I'm so excited it's snow fairy season again. I first used snow fairy when I was 17 - I was living in student halls with my friend Kirsty and we went and blew the last money we had on two huge bottles of snow fairy - we had to eat out of the vending machine for a week using 5p coins but at least we smelled good (magicsinthemakeup does not endorse putting beauty before food ha). As i've said before smells amazing, looks pretty and it's sparkly!

3. M.A.C Sudio Finish Concealer + Sigma E40 Blending Brush

Previously Studio Finish concealer had always frustrated me a little. The coverage is amazing and it didn't break me out but it always looked so cakey. However, after watching several you tube videos where a thicker concealer was applied using a fluffy blending brush I gave it a go - oh my goodness why I haven't I tried this before!? Buffing concealer in this way leaves such a natural and air brushed finish that lasts all day! What I love is that now I can use a much lighter base (revlon photoready, which I previously hated). If you haven't tried applying concealer in this way I can't recommend it enough!

4. Illamasqua Precison Ink in Abyss

The best liquid liner I have tried. It doesn't move, it's really black and it doesn't dry matte which adds a nice dimension to eye make up. The nib is really versatile as you can draw a really thin line or use it at an angle to achieve a thicker line.

I know £16 is expensive for a liquid liner but it really is worth all the praise it has recieved!

5. Soap and Glory Girligo

Girligo is a light moisturising mist. I moisturise twice daily once in the morning when I get out the shower and later when I'm getting ready for bed. In the morning I didn't really want to use the same thick body butter I use at night so decided to try a moisturising mist. Girligo has a spritz dispenser which sprays a really light layer of moisturiser.

It has the same delicious soap and glory scent as the righteous butter etc which really does last a long time. This mist is quite fluid and sinks into the skin really quickly meaning I don't have to do the 'hurry up and sink in' dance in the morning (not to be confused with the 'I need to pee' dance often seen in toilet queues in clubs).

6. Faux Fringes

I've worn my fringe quite a lot this month and after posting photos of it here again I've gotten quite a few emails asking about it. Mine is from a company called I&K hair extensions which has a stall in my local shopping centre. You can buy the exact same fringe as mine from hairtrade.com - it's a wee bit more expensive but it's the same! It's human hair so you can straighten it and it has side layers making it much easier to blend into your own hair!

Lots of Love
Nicola
xoxo

Emily Strange

Hey Dolls

After talking about Ginnifer Goodwin's blunt fringe I felt inclined to break mine out for a wee night on the tiles. Yep I look a wee bit like Emily Strange apparently...I'm OK with that.

Face - Revlon Photoready/MAC MSF Natural/MAC Well Dressed Blush

Eyes - UDPP/UD Buck, Naked, Virgin/Covergirl Lash Blast
Lips - Benefit Benetint/Revlon clear gloss

For a night out I'm wear remarkably little make up! My thoughts of photoready have really changed since my skin has cleared up - I really really like it!!!!

Also look at my Jack Skellington pumpkin me and Nick carved yesterday...

Lots of Love

Nic

xoxo

Style Crush: Ginnifer Goodwin

Hey Dolls

One of my favorite telly shows is an HBO programme called Big Love. It's a shame as I don't think it's very big in the U.K but it's about a modern polygamist family living in Salt Lake. It has one of the best opening credits EVER:

One of my favorite things in Big Love is the character Margene played by Ginnifer Goodwin whose style I have been crushing over lately...

You might recognise Ginnifer from films such as He's Just not That Into You (absolutely LOVED her in that) and Walk the Line. I love how Ginnifer is a style chameleon. She has rocked beachy waves, a pixie cut, a choppy bob to a full blunt fringe. Make up wise her style is so beautiful and classic - quite fresh faced with defined eyes and often quite peachy lips. I also love how she rocks feminine dresses with a quirky twist.

Ginnifer I love you!

xxx

Review: La Roche- Posay

Hey Dolls

Of late I've been a bit of a skin care ho! Since stopping using Liz Earle I feel like a keep loitering in the skin care aisles waiting for something to jump out at me to solve my skin care woes. I am still using distilled witch hazel twice daily which has really cleared up those pesky spots and has also helped to even out my skin tone. However, I still have quite oily skin and quite large pores so after watching Laura's skincare video I decided to go ahead and try some La Roche-Posay. These three products are now the corner stone of my skin care routine.

A quick over view of La Roche-Posay - they are a french skin care brand that are dedicated to providing products that are tailored to your skins needs. The majority of their products contain 'La Roche-Posay thermal spring water' which I'm led to believe is particualarly beneficial to the skin. Also their products are paraben free. All of the boxed products come with a brilliant product guide which helps you choose the products that suit your skin best.

1. Physiological Cleansing Milk

I actually picked this up by mistake as it's formulated for dry to very dry sensitive skin which I really do not have! However, I'm glad I was a little dozy and didn't read the bottle properly as I really like it. When it says it's a cleansing milk that led me to believe that it would be like a cleansing fluid - however it's quite thick in consistency which makes it feel quite luxurious to use. It has a slight menthol/minty scent and has quite a cooling sensation when used. As with all cleansers I use it twice - once to remove any make up (which it does easily though I do use a seperate eye remover) and a second time to cleanse. You get 200 ml of product and the packaging comes with a brilliant pump allowing you to control how much product you use.

As this is formulated for dry skin it's quite moisturising to use. Also, a little goes a long way - I've been using it for a month and have so much product left after using it twice daily!

2. Effaclar K

This is described as a 'daily renewal fluid for oily skin'. To be honest when I bought this product I wasn't too sure as to what it actually was - whether it was a moisturiser or a skin treatment. It probably is moisturising enough to use a moisturiser but I've been using it as a kind of treatment/serum that I use before my moisturiser. Effaclar K is formulated for people who have combination to oily skin who often have blocked pores and aims to smooth the texture of the skin, tighten and unclog pores, diminish any imperfections and brighten the skins complexion. The fluid is really quite thin that sinks into the skin really quickly and is quite lightly perfumed. The packaging is a squeezy metal tube with a really precise thin that dispenses a small amount of product (again a little goes a long way as it melts into the skin).

It leaves my face feeling unbelievably smooth and soft. After using this for a month, twice daily I honestly have seen a difference in my pores. They're definitely smaller and not as noticeable. I think the key with Effaclar K is consistency and time and I have a feeling the results will keep getting better the longer I use it.

3. Effaclar M

Effaclar M is described as a 'sebo-regulating mattifying moisturiser' and is designed for people with shiny, oily prone skin. It aims to smooth and mattify the skin whilst also adding moisture. Effacalr M really does mattify the skin - consistency wise it isn't a heavy or thick moisturiser. It's almost like a gel that sinks into the skin really quickly and it has the same faint perfumed scent as Effaclar K. Once the product has sunk into the skin (I normally give it 10 minutes before applying foundation to settle as I do with any moisturiser) I am left with a really smooth, matte base. There is no need to to use a primer as it smoothes over my pores - it honestly look like they disappear! Again I love the simple packaging - another trusty pump.

The moisturiser definitely is my favorite of the three products I have tried however I do think that Effaclar M and K are a fantastic partnership together! If you have oily skin I cannot recommend the Effaclar products enough - my Paul & Joe blotting papers are feeling a little neglected!


Have you or do you want to try any La Roche-Posay products?

Love Nic
xoxo

Lipstick Week: Pink (like Barbie)

Hey Dolls :)

I can't believe that it's the end of lipstick week booo!! Today I was supposed to be showcasing some peach lips however on the day I kept thinking about pink eye shadow and obviously with pink shadow comes pink lips...the title of today post comes courtesy of my lovely friend who said 'ooh you look all pink...like barbie'!!! And of course my barbie lips are a result of my favorite mac lipstick pink nouveau...

Overall I feel my lipstick challenge has been a success!! I have definitely broken free of my light pink lipstick rut - angel and creme cup are firmly eschewed with a firm hand! What has been your favorite day? I think mine has to be fuchsia!!

Also a couple of people have emailed asking if they could do a challenge similar to this - OF COURSE! And if you do let me know so I can see!!!

Love Nic
xoxo

Lipstick Week: Plum

Hey Dolls :)

Again I was a little dubious about embracing the dark lip trend - I had bought 17's New Black a month or two back but had only ever worn it out once - it's time to embrace the dark lip!

To be honest I wasn't too sure at how to match the rest of my face - what do you suggest? I didn't even know what blush to wear - should you go pink, peach, bronzed or none at all?

Love Nic
xoxo

Giveaway Winners!

Hey Dolls :)

Thank you all so much for entering my birthday giveaway - I really enjoyed reading all your amazing smokey eye ideas, I've definitely got some new shadows on my wish list!! This giveaway I've been more organised and even had a spreadsheet with all your entries on ha!

FIRST PRIZE WINNER

TENNILLE

SECOND PRIZE WINNER

CAZ

Well done my loves!! If you could email me at magicsinthemakeup@hotmail.co.uk with your name and address and I'll pop your goodies in the post!

xxx

Lipstick Week: Red

Hey Dolls :)

If you've read my blog for a while you will know that Revlons Cherries in the Snow is my favorite red lipstick - it's so pretty and classic and I have yet to find someone who doesn't suit it! Today I teamed it with Barry Ms red glitter gloss (number 9)...

Sadly the glitter didn't really show up on my lips in the photo so here is a little swatch...

Cherries in the snow how I love thee! Please leave any recommendations of your favorite red lippies below - I'd love to hear them!

Love Nic

xoxo

Lipstick Week: Nude

Hey Dolls :)

Today it's the turn of the nudes on lipstick week. I've never really felt that I've found a nude that I like and suits me before - 17's mirror shine in bee-hive comes close but I feel that's cheating a little as it comes out pretty much as a gloss. I decided to break out Gosh Darling again...

During lipstick week, I've tried to not wear much eye make up but felt I'd look a little dead with both naked lips and eyes so swirled on some Urban Decay's Ecstasy...

I actually quite like it, it is a bit paler than I normally like but it isn't terrible!! What are your favorite nudes?

Also, you only have until midnight tonight to enter my giveaway - click here to win some Illamasqua, Cath Kidston and Accessorize goodies (and some extra special SILLY and SNOWY surprises cough cough...)

Love Nic

xoxo

Lipstick Week: Fuschia

Hey Dolls :)

Today I got to wear one of my favorite lip products ever - OCC's lip tar in Demure.

I adore lip tars and I particularly like Demure. Look at how bright it is...

As always, the tar dried to a satiny finish and lasted the full day (I've topped it off with a little bit of pink gloss) - if you you haven't tried lip tars you are definitely missing out - especially if you're a lover of lip products!

Love

Nic

xoxo

Lipstick Week: Lilac

Hey Dolls :)

I've been least looking forward to day two of lipstick week - lilac. It's far too cool toned to suit me and far too pale...

Today I wore Barry M's lip paint in 129 (you can see how soft it is, it's began to melt boo)...

I have to admit, it's only day two and I failed a bit. Yesterday I was quite happy to flaunt my orange pout but I couldn't go out with this lipstick on - so I wore it around the house for a couple of hours until it faded. It's sad because on other people 129 looks lovely and muted but for some reason on me it's a bit like POW lilac all up in your face!

I'm looking forward to tomorrow - it's fuschia time!

Love

Nic

xoxo

PS I should also tell you that these are written in advance. So this post is what I wore yesterday etc...

Lipstick Week: Orange

Hey Dolls :)

Today is the first day of my lipstick challenge and I'm rather excited! My lovely friend Ruby has challenged me to wear a different colour lipstick each day for a week and post a photo each day - and I'm not allowed to wear seven variations of pink!

To start lipstick week off we decided on a juicy orange pout, enter Illamasqua's Perilous...

Being completely honest I wimped out a teeny bit with perilous, it is much brighter than you can see here but I had to pop on some clear gloss which diffused the colour a little. Perilous is quite matte and I much prefer an orange pout to be lovely and juicy!

I also found this pretty orange bow - it's a very rare occasion that I co-ordinate!

Will you be favouring an orange pout this season?

Love Nic

xoxo