OCC Lip Tar

Whilst I was in Vegas back in November, I couldn't help but indulge my inner spend-a-holic with a trip to beauty Mecca Sephora.

I've been desperate to get my hands on Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics  Lip Tar's for a good few years now, after swooning over their vibrant shades in various make up magazines and trying them at the yearly IMATS trade show after I'm all spent out. So luckily for me and my purse, Sephora had a fantastic four piece mini set, ideal for my globe trotting kit!

The kit features four shades, a light peach pink, rich fuchsia, pillarbox red and deep dark plum, all of which can be mixed to create customised shades. Each shade is richly pigmented, meaning a little goes a very very long way! 

OCC Lip Tar offers the longevity of a lipstick in the easy of application of a liquid gloss. On application, I noticed how fluid lip tar is, it leaves the lips super glossy until it dries down within a minute or so, to a satin finish. Once dry you can barely feel it, which is exactly what I like in a lip stain! Unlike most stains, Lip Tar contains Hemp and Peppermint oil and vitamin E, meaning lips stay hydrated during wear. 

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I'm really loving the bold red, and think this one is bypassing the kit and straight into my handbag! So, I just need to hurry back to the sunny states to stock up on more shades!

Illamasqua- Sacred Hour Collection

I know I shouldn't be wishing the Summer away, but I am really loving all the new collections available on the high street right now. And if there is one beauty collection I always look forward to, it's got to be Illamasqua.

Sacred Hour, which is now available nationwide after a period of exclusivity at Selfridges, is one of the most wearable collections they have launched. Each and every product could be worn by any age group and even by the most colour shy. A tad different from the Paranormal collection then.

Illamasqua describe Sacred Hour in this poem-

'I lay down my body in surrender to the elements. My spirit soars, wiser than before. A raw force of nature. Yet I conquer. Stronger. I arise victorious. I am the dawn spirit. A am the dusk warrior. This is the universe. I am magic. Welcome to the sacred hour.'

First up its the Reflection Palette, which following the Paranormal palette, is a water resistant, silicone formula, which feels a bit like a soft putty to apply. I personally like to apply these with my finger tips to the lid area, then for a stronger, evening look, layer a complimentary powder on top.

The four shades are all gorgeous metallics- a soft gold, taupe, grey and bronze, shot through with a beautiful shimmer.

Next is the stunning cream-to-powder Velvet Blusher, available in two dusky tones, Sleek being a coral and Peaked a rose. Simple to apply with either fingers or a brush, these leave a pretty flush of colour to cheeks, without looking overly made up.

My favourite item from the collection is Shard lipstick, the perfect Autumn lip colour and one that will be my handbag staple. The red-violet tone suits most skin tones, and is a softer way to embrace a red lip. Definitely a worth while buy!!

L-R. Sleek, Peaked and Shard Lipstick

Suffering from an end of summer sleep meltdown (I know I certainly am!) then you need the brightening, concealment of Skin Base Lift. Designed to disguise uneven under eye pigmentation and appear to visibly lift the area, it's also really easy to blend with fingers. Not only is this available in a wide range of shades, you can also mix in a touch of White Light, which adds an extra brightening effect when we need it! (Monday morning essential for me!)

Finally the collection also includes a gorgeous set of fluttering lashes and two new nails colours-Facet and Hemlock, which can be worn alone or together. 

I truly adore this collection, and can't wait to start using them not only on myself but on my clients too!

New Bourjois Collection

Looks like I'll be clocking up a lot of Boots advantage card points in the next few months, as there is so many new products from Bourjois that I can't wait to get my mitts on!!

As I mentioned in a previous post, Bourjois celebrates their 150th birthday this year, and their next collection is a real testament to the brands success. 

So, what can we expect?! Well, how is an illuminating complexion, fuller lashes and a fool-proof liner for starters?

Back in 1879, Bourjois released Java Rice Powder and by 1897 it had sold 2 million worldwide. To continue the birthday celebrations, the silky soft powder has been re-released, and its even packaged in a similar way to the original! 

A definite collectors item!

The powder isn't matte and chalky, but instead has an soft iridescence  which will leave skin with a healthy glow. Perfect for brightening a dull, winter skin tone!

Available now at Selfridges.

Next up, is two fantastic cheats for a fabulous complexion- Happy Light Concealer and Blush Exclusif Smart Blush. 

Happy Light Concealer is available in 5 shades, offers a professional, good coverage but is still lightweight enough to look undetectable.  

Just like Bourjois Rose Exclusif Lipgloss launched back in 2010, the pigments in Blush Exclusif Smart Blush adjusts the shade depending on the pH of your skin, creating a shade unique to you!

We have a great complexion, now lets turn to eyes! These two products are really innovative, but I wouldn't expect any less from the inventors of Coup de Theatre! First we have Eraseable Eyeliner- a glossy liquid liner perfect for creating a sexy feline flick, with a hidden beauty tool for those of us who can never get matching flicks...a rubbery eraser! Simply run over the mistake and start again! Ideal for creating a sharp edge to your flicks too, a job I always needed a bottle of cleanser and a Q-tip for- until now!

Secondly, we have Twist Up The Volume- a 2 in 1 mascara, enabling you to choose the amount of lash volume you require! (If only we could do this with bra size- can someone invent this too please?!) Simply twist the white cap at the top to change between fine bristles for a longer, defined lashes or fuller bristles for a voluminous look.

Finally, we have a selection of 6 shades in Shine Edition Lipstick. Providing moisturisation for 10 hours thanks to mango butter extract, the finish is ultra glossy and shiny. My favourite is Famous Fushia, a gorgeous summery pink, perfect for a rich holiday tan!

Red Lips even in Summer?

As a girl who wears a matte pillarbox red lip on a daily basis, when it comes to Summer I am usually at a loss as which lip colour and texture to turn to.

Last year, for example, I rocked orange toned reds, such as MAC Vegas Volt and Lady Danger finished with a slick of MAC Lip Conditioner to protect my lips from the UK's mild sun.

The year before I even headed down the pink route, with my all time favourite MAC bright  Girl About Town, but this year I was really at a loss.

Left- Vegas Volt.                   Right- Lady Danger

That was until the team at No7 introduced me to their new BB Lips and High Shine Lip Crayon.

Both offer a sheer slick of my favourite 'real red' colour, perfect for the long hot summer we are all awaiting!

I must admit I was a little bit wary of BB Lips to begin- really yet another product spouting this 'BB' / 'CC' nonsense?!! (I'm a little concerned this will carry on until we reach 'ZZ' in 2038....)

But, one simple application later and I had quickly reversed my opinion. 

My initial reaction was to how pigmented my 'Berry Rose' shade was. I imagined it would be a very sheer tint, but it actually gave me the depth of colour I usually experience from a cream or moisturising lipstick. The angled plastic end makes for simple application, even when mirror-less. But as the colour is so strong, I would still advise taking a peek in your compact just to check its looking good and neat!

With such a glossy finish, you would usually expect a sticky, tacky texture- but surprisingly BB Lips feel smooth and  very comfortable to wear. Packed with rich emollients and anti-oxidents, as well as an SPF 15, its the ideal lip care product to wear all year round.

Now, onto my High Shine Lip Crayon, in which I chose the red toned shade (surprise, surprise) 'Berry'.

Shaped like a kids jumbo crayon, these glossy lip colours are perfect for a soft lip look. But, if like me you have an odd lip line, you may want to lightly line your lips in a matching shade, just to act as a guide line when applying.

One application leaves my lips with a slight hint of colour, but brilliantly, you can re-apply as many times as you wish to achieve as strong a colour as you wish! Like BB Lips, the finish is glossy, yet feels smooth and highly moisturising. 

Priced at only £8.50 and £9.00, and currently on a Buy 1 Get 2nd Half Price offer, these are definitely two summer staples I won't be without!