Keeping Up With Karen…

Keeping Up With Karen

Howdy Chums…

Yippee, it’s the first Sunday of October – and you know what that means… autumn is officially here, AS is the countdown to ‘Trick or Treating’ too 😀 *dramatic cackle* When I was a little girl, Halloween was probably my favourite time of year. There was something so exciting about dressing up in ghoulish costumes and scaring yourself witless with local ghost stories etc. Now I tend to look forward to the fireworks, pumpkin carving and curling up with a DVD; namely Hocus Pocus, which never fails to amuse me – even into my 30’s! Are you a fan of Halloween, or like my hubby do you consider it just another day of the year? *eye roll*

As for today, well I’ve a few things on the agenda – firstly a huge mug of tea followed by a good read of my favourite glossy mag ‘Glamour’. It seems like forever since I’ve sat down and spent some time flicking through the pages, cooing over all the makeup goodies and reading the fun articles. I’m also hoping to get a little filming done as unfortunately my aches and pains put a ginormous scupper on my schedule this week – so keeping fingers crossed I gather up the energy for a beauty chatter today! What’s your plans?

As always if you’re starting the day off with a dose of blog reading then why not take a peek at some of the shenanigans that’s been happening here on Confetti & Curves the past few days…

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Celebrating 200 Blog Subscribers

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Woo Hoo… it was time to crack the virtual party-poppers on Monday as Confetti & Curves celebrated reaching a whopping 2000 subscribers! *EEEEEEP* Thank you all soooo much for being a vital part of my blogging journey, your comments & encouragement mean everything chums ❤

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Fall Inspired Rose Gold Nails with Maybelline Colour Show

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Who can resist the gorgeous hues of rose gold, particularly when it’s as pretty as this pocket-friendly polish! Fancy giving your nails a fall inspired makeover? Then look no further as the Maybelline Colour Show really is the perfect polish for a stunning metallic mani!

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Bourjois ‘Golden Rose’ Little Round Blush Pot

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Hello fresh-faced glow 🙂 Are you on the hunt for a wash of pretty pigment to brighten up your cheeks? If so then check out Friday’s post as I reviewed the cutest little pot of blusher that’s currently lining the shelves of your local drugstore!

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As always, thank y’all so much for the support, comments, re-tweets, shares, likes & just darn right loveliness. You lot really are an awesome bunch. Do feel free to pop a favourite link from your blog in the comments below for the rest of us to check out, otherwise do stop by & say a quick hello!

Cheerio Chums…

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Bourjois ‘Golden Rose’ Little Round Blush Pot…

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Come in, come in…

Are you well? It feels like an age or two since I last sat down and conjured up something remotely beauty related, and if truth be told I do believe I’m having withdrawal symptoms – or at the very least, showing minor signs of madness at having hardly opened the laptop this week! But then again I’m always bleating on to other bloggers about not persecuting themselves with guilt. So with that in mind, I shall merely apologise for my absence in replying to your abundance of lovely comments and get right to work on reviewing this little pot of prettiness from Bourjois...

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Okay, so after a friend showcased this little purchase for the first time a number of weeks ago , I knew I had to check it out for myself – particularly as the subtle rose glow on her cheeks looked super pretty. Needless to say, she’s a fair-skinned blonde so these beautiful pink tones give her complexion a radiant glow. However, quite often with my dark hair, many of the pink tones can often look a little harsh and doll-like on me.

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What Bourjois Say…

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“Our timeless blusher has been around for almost 150 years and have made Bourjois famous worldwide thanks to its amazing texture and packaging.

The baked texture transforms when applied to the skin into an ultra-fine pressed powder, which is easy to apply and blends impeccably. One stroke of the brush reveals the irresistible aroma of the rose scented powder.

Its built-in mirror and brush is perfect for touch-ups on the go!

The Little round pot blush exists in 12 shades to match all skin tones”

Source: Boots Website

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The Colour Choice…

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(Image Source: Makeup Alley)

Oddly enough from browsing the colour choice online there seems to be better colour range in their blushes than in some of the foundation choices, so you’ll certainly not be stuck for choice. My local Boots only carry a small range however if you visit the website the choice becomes so much more vibrant and vast. I settled for Rose D’Or (Golden Rose) simply because it was the colour my friend had choosen and I adored it on her skin so much!

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Let’s Talk Packaging…

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Cute, chic and perfect for popping into the handbag – that’s exactly how I’d sum up this compact little pot. Though don’t be fooled by its petite appearance as you get a healthy little mound of blush along with a cute blush brush. Okay, so I’m not usually a fan of the enclosed applicators or brushes, but it could be a handy dandy little tool on a night out with the girls as well as the compact mirror. It’s small but everything you need all in one!

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What About The Formula…

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As far as blushes go, it’s lovely. In fact I’ve very little grumbles about it at all. Okay it’s cheap and cheerful drugstore stash however the texture is really velvetty and although it has the lightest hint of rose gold shimmer in it, it won’t leave you resembling a 1970’s disco ball *phew*

The staying power is reasonable, as it lasts anywhere between 6-8 hours on me and hasn’t transferred onto my hands when I’ve touched my face. Another little bonus is the scent – like most Bourjois products it has a beautiful light perfume aroma that I can only describe as smelling slightly vintage… in a non musty way of course 😉

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As for pigmentation, a little will go a looong way. It’s very buildable and easy to apply. I use a Real Techniques micro fibre blush brush which always seems to put just the right amount of colour on my cheeks without going OTT.

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Pro’s

At £7.99 (from Boots) it’s affordable yet good quality for a drug store range.

Compact & great for popping into the handbag.

Fantastic colour range online.

Comes with a cute little brush and mirror… all you need for beauty on the go.

Very pretty packaging with a little magnetic closure.

Beautiful velvety texture.

Buildable and easy to blend.

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Con’s 

Perfume scent may agitate overly sensitive skin.

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Overall Thoughts…

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Lightweight, velvety and not too harsh on the purse strings. A great buildable blush with plenty of colour choice that gives a beautiful natural glow to even the fairest of skin. I love it!

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Have you tried the Bourjois Blush Pots yet? If so, what’s been your final verdict? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below so do stop by for a quick chatter:)

Cheerio Chums…

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Catch me on:

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*Self purchased product – no affiliation or sponsorship links included in post*

Bourjois Smokey Stories Quad Palette…

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Howdy Beauty Buddies…

I think I may have a slight addiction to Bourjois. Looking back on my posts over the last few months (and at the stash of goodies I’m yet to review) Bourjois seems to crop up time & time again. Maybe it’s the chic packaging, the sexy French pronunciation 😉 or possibly that their products lure me in with a beautiful range of colour options. Either way, I’m having a Bourjois phase right now and I’m hoping the Smokey Stories Quad Palette in ‘Over Rose’ doesn’t disappoint. If you fancy taking a quick peek at my recent ‘Autumn Inspired BOOTS Beauty Haul’ then *Click Here* 

Sitting comfy? Then let’s take a closer inspection…

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What Bourjois Say…

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“Prime, shadow, define and highlight the eyes with Bourjois Quad Smokey Stories eyeshadow. Each palette has 4 complimentary shades that blend effortlessly together to create the perfect smoky eye.

And what’s more, the lightest shade has an integrated base primer to prolong colour for 12hr hold.

Available in 8 smouldering shades.”

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Let’s Talk Packaging…

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It’s chic simple and pretty. Okay so it’s plastic and probably not going to win any innovation awards for product styling but all-in-all it looks rather pretty in my shadow collection – though it does feel like it could be easily damaged  so handle with caution gals. As usual, it comes with a teeny double-ended sponge tip applicator – which if truth be told usually ends up in the bin as I find them rather useless however they are rather handy when you’re topping up your peepers on a night out.

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The Smokey Eye Masterclass…

Another cute little feature (which is great for those that aren’t too confident when it comes to shadow placement) is what Bourjois refer to as ‘The Smokey Eye Masterclass‘ – 4 simple steps to keeping you right when applying your shades correctly. You can even pop onto the Bourjois website and watch a tutorial if visual tips are more your thing…

1. PRIME with the lightest shade: apply over entire eyelid to prolong colour

2. SHADOW with the medium shade: blend into the outer corner of the eye

3. DEFINE with the darkest shade: trace along the upper lash line and sweep into the socket

4. HIGHLIGHT with the glitter: lightly dab onto the inner corner of the eye and under the brow bone to illuminate the eye

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What About The Formula…

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I must admit all shades are incredibly creamy and silky to touch – even the primer (the lightest shade) is really lovely and feels no different to the colours. According to Bourjois, it stays put for 12 hours and I have to say it’s really impressed me as it was on for a solid 10 hours with me and only faded slightly under the eyes where I applied the darker shade to ‘smoke it out’ a little. Fall-out is surprisingly minimal with the coloured shades, however, the sparkly highlighter/illuminator in the centre of the palette is quite messy so if you’re not a huge fan of shimmer approach with caution as a little goes a long way. The finish of the shadows sits somewhere between a matte and a shimmer so it really is a very happy medium!

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Pro’s…

Available in 8 quad shades so a decent range of colour choice

Beautiful buttery feel to the formula

£7.99 – a great price for quality shadows that last a good length of time

Available in a range of drug stores

Small and compact to pop in your handbag

Applicator is of a decent quality (compared to some)

Mini online tutorial to help keep you on top of your application

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Cons…

Packaging is a little flimsy and cheap

The pans of the shadows would benefit from a lip/frame to stop colours blending into each other inside the palette

Highlighter shade has masses of fall out – if only it was as creamy as the shades!

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Final Thoughts…

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Overall I’m reeeeeeally impressed with this cute little compact. The colours are incredibly easy to blend, very creamy and surprisingly long lasting. For £7.99 it’s definitely a winner in my books! *Click Here* to check it out via Boots online store.

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Have you tried the Bourjois Smokey Stories Quad Palette? If so, what’s been your final verdict? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below so do stop by for a quick chatter:)

Cheerio Chums…

Karen signature

Catch me on:

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*Self purchased product – no affiliation or sponsorship links included in post*

Bourjois Poudre De Riz De Java – Illuminating Face Powder…

Bourjois Poudre De Riz De Java Illuminating Powder

Not gonna lie ladies, face powders have never really been my thing, simply because most of the ones I’ve tried in the past have left my skin looking a little cakey, dried out and in need of a good re-hydrating face mask. Maybe it’s pale skin problems or maybe it’s my overall skin type; either way powders and moi just haven’t mixed as well as I’d hoped we would. Could the Bourjois Poudre de Riz change all that? Let’s find out…

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So before we jump right in with the review let’s take a peek at what Bourjois have to say about it:

“Bourjois celebrates its 150th birthday by reinventing its best selling cult classic from 1879! The delicately scented feather-light powder boosts skins radiance, smoothes the complexion and sets make-up. One transparent shade suits all!”

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Let’s talk packaging…

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Let’s be honest it really is the first thing that catches your eye about this little cutie, well it certainly was for me whilst browsing the Bourjois stand in my local drugstore. Personally I adore the fact it’s designed in a very chic and vintage style, which looks exceptionally sassy on the dressing table. Of course the beautiful French text and descriptions give the impression of a high end spend when in fact it’s a mere £9.99. My only grumble is that they could be a little more clearer on the description of what it does and what it’s for, okay so it’s not too hard to figure out but just a little more info wouldn’t go a miss!

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So what does it actually do?

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Apart from giving you a soft illuminating glow to your face I found it worked really well at simply setting my makeup whilst keeping my oily areas under control. The formula is incredibly light weight and has a very subtle micro glitter/shimmer running through it – which I must admit kinda concerned me that it may come across too much but it absolutely doesn’t, so for those of you who writhe in the mere thought of sprinkling unicorn powder across your face you can take a deep breath, this is far from shimmery however it does add a very soft luminosity to the skin by brightening it ever so slight.

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What about the formula?

It’s a powder, so there’s not really that much to add here HOWEVER its incredibly fine and smells of THEE most beautiful floral scent that reminds me of dried flowers, old fashioned sweets and my grandma’s perfume all rolled into one. However considering that it is delicately scented this may not be suitable for all skin types – particularly those with super sensitive skin. From personal experience my skin reacts to most things but the Poudre De Riz De Java sat so finely on top of my foundation that it really didn’t bother my most moodiest of pores. It leaves a very silky smooth texture to your skin that doesn’t seem to transfer easily, nor does it leave my makeup looking cakey or too matte.

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Application…

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It really is each to their own with this as some are happy to dab onto a dry blender sponge, however where powders are concerned I’m always a fan of sticking to good quality makeup brushes. I personally love the Real Techinques Duo Fibre Facebrush – which picks up the perfect amount of powder so you don’t need to worry about over applying. Simply tap some of the powder into the lid and apply over your finished makeup look to help set your foundation and brighten your complexion – it couldn’t be easier.

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Pro’s

One transparent shade suits all – no hunting for colour matches.

Lightweight

Great for setting makeup

Ideal for keeping oily spots under control

Smells like a little bowl of floral gems  (anyone remember those?!)

Non mattefying, so it shouldn’t change the finished look of your foundation!

Beautifully presented in vintage inspired packaging – a classy addition to any vanity table

A great happy medium without over spending on high end alternatives.

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Con’s

Not everyone might be a fan of the scent – though I can’t imagine why, it’s beautiful!

It’s not the cheapest powder available in drugstores… however it has been the only one that hasn’t left my makeup looking caked.

May be tricky getting the last little dregs of powder out of the packaging due to the sealed unit.

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Final thoughts

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As much as powders and I haven’t really bonded in the past I must admit this has been the most successful one of tried to date. It’s lightweight, smells beautiful and leaves my skin feeling silky smooth. I appreciate that Talc based products aren’t for everyone but for those who are okay to wear them this is most certainly a lovely product that looks great, feels great, lightly illuminates and is certainly worth the £9.99 spend in comparison to its drugstore rivals.

*Click Here* for more information & customer reviews on the Boots website

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Have you tried the Bourjois Poudre de Riz illumination face powder? If so, what’s been your final verdict? Or are you a fan of liquid finish rather than powder? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below so do stop by for a quick chatter:)

Cheerio Chums…

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Bourjois Air Mat Foundation…

Bourjois Air Mat Foundation Review

I’ve done it… as unbelievable as it may seem, I’ve FINALLY popped my Bourjois foundation cherry gals!! You see the teeny tiny issue I have is when I find a foundation I love (and I mean adore here) I tend to buy ONLY that brand for the rest of my days – ever fearing that the formula will change or the company will dissolve over night leaving me grasping onto my final dregs. However lately I’ve been hopping about from foundation to foundation like a dismissive cosmetic tart.

Bit of a mini back story to this purchase… a number of weeks ago (when summer declared it had finally arrived) I was getting rather tedious of foundations sliding of my face at the mere sight of a single sun ray. Deciding it was high time to tackle the issue, I took to the aisles of Superdrug in search of my next purchase… something that suggested “hey you, I’m a summer-lovin little bottle of goodness that won’t chase your concealer half way down your chest” So when I spotted the bright and chic looking bottle of Bourjois Air Mat (coupled by a rather tempting deal for a pair of free sunglasses) it comes as no surprise I was loading my basket with beauty goodies that seemed to fill me with confidence for facing the sweltering summer sun. After a few weeks of wear here’s my findings…

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So What’s The Hype?!

According to Bourjois…

“Bourjois’ Air Mat foundation has been specially developed to give skin a smooth, matte finish that lasts for up to 24 hours. Its non drying, lightweight formula lets skin breathe throughout the day and provides high coverage for a flawless finish.

Enriched with mattifying micronized powders, it elimates shine with no mask effect for an undetectable result.

Starting at the centre of your face blend the formula outwards and upwards for a flawless finish whilst erasing any imperfections.”

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Application Results

As any thorough beauty blogger would, I’ve pretty much tried this with every application tool I would normally apply foundation with. Here’s a quick peek at how it fairs with half of my face blended with the Air Mat compared to my natural skin tone…

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Stippling Brush: Tends to lean towards a dry and uneven appearance. The more I worked the brush the more disastrous the results appeared. Looked dry, skin felt very dehydrated and super difficult to blend = 2/10.

Beauty Sponge: For this I trialled it with both the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge & the original Beauty Blender. Personally I felt the RT sponge left a slightly better finish as it seemed to retain less of the product whereas I had to use a little more product with the Beauty Blender. Strange but true *sigh* Not the best coverage and looked rather patchy as the day wore on = 5/10.

Fingers: Low and behold my very own digits seemed to be the best for the job as the warmth generated when smoothing really helped to blend the product out around the edges of the jawline and across the face = 7/10.

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Formula

The consistency of the product is actually really lovely, it’s not too watery but at the same time it’s not like smearing peanut butter across your face (though I must admit I’m yet to try that so I could be wrong *ponders pensively*) Considering I picked up the shade ‘Ivory Rose’ it’s surprisingly yellow toned & should be valued as ‘warm ivory’ than what I assumed had slightly more pinkish undertones.

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Initially the smell of the foundation seemed pleasing, slightly unusual and reminded me of something I couldn’t quite place… something that I’d smelt before that could be a tad offensive if whafted in large doses. After a week of slowly agonising over the aroma it became all too clear: seaweed. Yes, seaweed – more precisely the Lush Seaweed Fresh Faced Mask. Of course once my sniff sensors registered this I’m afraid it all went a tad downhill as I slowly turned myself against the pungency of the fragrance. Maybe my sense of smell has slightly malfunctioned, or maybe I’ve just got an over active nose canal – either way the strength of my stomach doesn’t agree with it and I’m afraid to say the pong of Air Mat has slowly turned me 50 shades of green.

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 Staying Power?

I’m afraid this is where my opinions begin to landslide a little lot. Okay, so it looked decent when freshly applied but over the two weeks (and regardless what primer I paired it with) the formula began to very quickly sit in the fine lines under my eyes. My cheek bones, chin & nose all had the appearance that I’d somehow managed to miss them out during application too. Considering that it claims to be a 24HR foundation I’m assuming it’s been tested on a plastic doll as anyone with pores with inevitably find it being soaked in and (at best) lasting 4 hours, let alone another 20.

Bourjois Air Mat Foundation

Pros

At £9.99 and available from local drugstores, it’s pocket friendly and easy peasy to get your hands on.

The packaging is bright, cheery and has a hint of ‘I’m a summer staple’ about it. PLUS it’s plastic, which is great to travel with and easily trimmed in half should you need to scoop out those last remaining dregs.

It’s matte. Wait, in fact it’s VERY Matte! There’s no denying it’ll certainly eliminate shine without a hint of dewiness if that’s your thing.

Feels very velvet to touch as it leaves what feels like a very fine powdery finish over the skin.

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Cons

Most definitely not 24 HR – unless you’re completely poreless of course.

The smell. Oh the smell.

Colour choice – personally there aint much that I’ve seen available and considering the shade I picked was the lightest of the bunch, I actually thought it was pretty warm and oxidised on application. Not great for us palers! Darker skinned ladies, from what I’ve seen the choices are limited – very limited in fact 😦

Dry, itchy, flaky & patchy. My skin just didn’t like it one iota *sigh*

A nightmare to blend which can lead to it seeming very cakey around the hair line etc so smooth with caution!

Definitely doesn’t cover flaws as well as other full foundations.

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Final Verdict

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Don’t get me wrong, once applied it looks rather pretty. If anything it actually gives the appearance that your complexion is very softly airbrushed. However, as the hours whittle away so does the staying power. Maybe it’s my skin, which happens to be combo and quite often a little unsettled with matte finishes. Unfortunately I won’t be reinvesting in this anytime soon, it’s just not for me *sob*

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Have you tried the Bourjois Air Mat foundation? If so, what’s been your final verdict? Have you any recommendations for a full coverage drugstore foundation that’s tough enough to last the sunny days ahead? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below so do stop by for a quick chatter 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

Karen signature

Catch me on:

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Pink Of The Bunch! My Favourite Blush Pink Lipsticks…

Pink Lipsticks

From MAC to Makeup Revolution, there’s no denying that a large bulk of my lippy stash is made up of beautiful blush pinks. Oddly enough I wouldn’t consider myself to be a ‘pink’ kinda girl, it’s not a colour I’d ever wear, nor is it something I’d decorate my house in – apart from my 10 year old’s bedroom and even that was more sparsely pink with a mixture of other bright tones mixed in. Yet when it comes to painting my lips, pink is the first colour I reach for. It’s comfortable, like my lips only better… much better in fact. So to pay homage to a few of my most cherished pinks what could be better than starting the week off with a fun feature than showcasing just a few of these fabulous colours. Sitting comfy? Then let’s get started…

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MAC Amplified in Craving

MAC Craving

After receiving this as a little extra Christmas gift from my beloved hubby, I had only ever seen swatches of it online – and turns out it’s quite a bit darker than I realised. Thankfully it’s exactly what I need in my collection! It’s a beautiful deep pink with a hint of plum that is soft enough for daytime wear and can be built up quite dramatically at night. Needless to say the staying power is incredible, but with a modest prices tag of £15.50 coupled with their seemingly superior reputation I’d expect nothing less. Now if only they could work on making their in store customer service as good as the longevity of their lipsticks!

*Click Here* To Shop This Stash

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Makeup Academy in Shade 2

Makeup Academy Shade 2 Lipstick

The budget brand that punches well above it’s price tag. This lipstick I picked up for £1 in Superdrug, and although it’s a little more fuschia infused than I’d normally go for it’s such a pretty summery shade that works well with so many skin tones. Layer this lightly and you’ve a ‘my lips but better’ look going on, build it up and it’s a beautiful deep. For pocket money, it’s an everyday keeper in my opinion!

*Click Here* To Shop This Stash

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Bourjois Shine Edition in 24 Rose xoxo

Bourjois 24 Rose xoxo

It literally pains me to type these words *sob* but after hunting high and low it seems that Bourjois have discontinued what I consider my all time favourite pink lippy. It’s soft, smooth, moisturising and leaves your lips beautiful refreshed and natural looking. Think of a long lasting ‘pinky tinted’ balm and you’re on the right tracks! Unfortunately I can’t seem to find a perfect dupe either… maybe one day, but until then Ill be using this as sparingly as I can! *sigh*

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Max Factor Lipfinity in 60 Evermore Lush

Max Factor Lipfinity 60 Evermore Lush

Claiming up to 8 hours wear, you’d literally have to sit like a mannequin in order to get your 480 minutes worth of long-lasting wear. Mean while on planet reality, expect a few good hours of impressive colour pay off. It doesn’t dry your lips out, and is very comfy to wear. The shade selection could be a bit more dazzling for those that like to explore out of the comfort zone… however I find this a great lippy for work as by midday all I need to do is dab a little balm over the top (I use EOS) and voila, the colour is subtly revived for another couple of hours.

*Click Here* To Shop This Stash

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Makeup Revolution Lip Hug in Love Can Set You Free

Makeup Revolution Lip Hug Love Can Set You Free

This is probably one of the most complimented lipstick I’ve ever purchased. Having taken a chance on this during my most recent HUGE Makeup Revolution haul, which you can check out by *Clicking Here*, I wasn’t really expecting anything out of the ordinary. How wrong I was. The formula of the Lip Hug almost feels high end, and the longevity of the product is just as fabulous – in fact I’ve tried a few expensive lippies that would be put to shame by this. For £2.50 I’d recommend, if not insist, you treat yourself to a tube pronto 🙂

*Click Here* To Shop This Stash

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Rimmel London Asia

Rimmel London Asia Lipstick

An old favourite. Rimmel’s Asia is something I’ve been wearing since my early teens. I love the dusky mauve pink colour with rich tones of latte mixed in for good measure.. and it’s relatively long wearing too. Even though it may be a 90’s throwback, there’s no denying this colour is still well in trend 20 years later. Not bad eh? 😉

*Click Here* To Shop This Stash

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17 Supreme Shine in Barely Blush

17 Supreme Shine Barely Blush

The packaging gave me hope that it was a potential dupe for my beloved (discontinued) Bourjois, as pictured further above. However when I swatched Barely Blush I was actually surprised at how matte the formula was compare to my initial expectations. On wear it’s super comfy (and not matte at all) and although it’s not a replacement for one of my all time faves it’s quickly become a shade I reach for regularly as it compliments my skin tone and goes with a multitude of shadow staples too!

*Click Here* To Shop This Stash

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THE SWATCHES…

Pink Lipstick Swatches

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Are you a fan of blush pink lip shades? Have you any recommendations I could add to my shopping list? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below so do stop by and say a quick hello! Wishing y’all a fab week ahead:)

Cheerio Chums…

Karen signature

Catch me on:

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A Box Full Of Beauty Goodies…

Hello Mr Postman

Hey Beauty Buddies…

It’s Frrrriiiiiiday *dramatic air punch* Yes, the weekend is upon us & the sun is shining – what more could we ask for?! Okay maybe a glass or two of something strong and fizzy but that’ll come later in the evening 😉  I’m in such a cheery mood as not only is it two whole glorious days of no alarm clock bleating in my ear at an ungodly hour of the morning, but I can finally muster up a bit of free time to sample some gorgeous goodies that arrived on my doorstep a few days ago. My poor neighbours must be well accustomed to my regular screeches of excitement as I recently won an amazing giveaway from the lovely Anne over at Doves & Roses, however on Wednesday afternoon yet another burst of squeals ricocheted off the walls as my giveaway package arrived a little earlier than anticipated.

So wanna know what the postman brought? Here goes…

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Chanel lipstick

 Chanel 444 Gabrielle

After excitedly tearing through the neatly wrapped individual little parcels, the first thing I clasped my mitts on was a delectable Chanel Ultra Hydrating Lip Colour in shade 444 Gabrielle. This rich ruby red is going to be the perfect companion for nights out or by simply just livening up a muted makeup menu by adding a touch of royal red. Isn’t it beeeeeeautiful?

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Mini Chanel Makeup Purse

Chanel bag

This darling little mesh bag is perfect for discretely carrying my essential makeup must-haves on a daily basis. It’s the ideal size to pop into any purse.

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Bourjois Cream Blush

Cream blush

Cream blushes are something I consistently adore wearing. For my pale and (almost) translucent skin tone they work a treat by adding a dewy healthy glow without looking harsh or unnatural. Considering I’m a huge fan of Bourjois I was literally hugging this teeny little compact that comes with its very own miniature mirror.

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Catrice Eyeshadow Palette

Catrice Cosmetics

Catrice ROSE eyeshadow

Possibly one of the nicest range of blush toned shadows I’ve seen. This Absolute Rose Eyeshadow palette by Catrice Cosmetics in ‘010 Frankie Rose To Hollywood’ is the perfect bend of soft shimmering pink tones. Considering these are the colours I regularly magnetise too (hence my undying love for the Naked 3 palette) I cannot WAIT to treat my eyes to a skimming of these sweet shades.

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The Body Shop Lipgloss

The Body Shop Mango Lip Gloss

If you haven’t tasted this flavour already then by George you’re missing out. This has got to be one of the most taste bud tingling, sassily scented glosses I’ve ever tried. Considering I’ve always been a HUGE fan of the body shop I’m surprised I haven’t indulged in this flavour sooner, but wow oh wow am I glad I’m the proud owner…  it. is. aaaahmazing.

So there we have it guys, my fun box of giveaway goodies. A huge thank you to the lovely Anne for hosting such a super-duper giveaway, I really am chuffed to bits… not to mention a little woozy at the excitement of taking ownership of such a gorgeous array of products.

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If you haven’t already checked out Doves & Roses yet then I suggest you take a virtual hike over asap. Anne’s blog is crammed full of product reviews and goodies to make even the most sophisticated of cosmetic consumer swoon!

Wishing y’all a fun filled weekend chums…

 Karen signature