MAC Lipstick: Plink!

On Wednesday I flew out to Madrid in Spain to visit my parents and enjoy the beautiful sunshine! One of the best things about traveling abroad by plane is the duty free make-up counters, so what better way to spend my time at the airport than looking for a new lipstick to add to my collection! As I didn't have an abundance of time to go through each lipstick, carefully choosing which one I wanted, I went for something which stood out to me that I haven't looked at before.

Knowing that I wanted a light and easy wearing summer shade, to wear on holiday and at home that would add a subtle yet warm glow of colour to the lips, I chose the shade Plink! I was torn between this and the new Cut a Caper shade from the Heavenly Creatures collection, but I decided to opt for the pinker shade instead of the coral as it was a bit too similar to my more recent purchases!

Plink! is a Lustre finish so it applies quite sheer to the lips but it is definitely build-able. Although I am not usually a fan of shimmery lipsticks, I think this is quite subtle and something which is great for a holiday to go with a more natural or bronzed make-up look. I do love the warm rosy pink tones of this lipstick and I would recommend this if you're looking for a natural and easy to wear pink shade or a nice alternative to the more baby pink colours.

What's your most recent lipstick purchase? Have you found any nice summery shades?

Ali xxx

Top Summer Beauty Products: Face

1. Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser - £33 from House of Fraser

2. Laura Mercier Secret Camoflague- £26 from Space NK

3. Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder - £6.99 from Boots

4. MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle - £21.50 from MAC

5. Urban Decay Primer Potion - £14.50 from Beauty Bay

6. L'oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara - £9.35 from Feel Unique

7. MAC Costa Chic - £13.50 from MAC

8. Blistex Daily Lip Conditioner - £2.59 from Boots

During the summer months,  I hate feeling and looking like my face is caked in heavy make-up, so I turn to lighter products that are sun and heat friendly. When the weather gets hotter, I tend to stay away from foundation and lean more towards tinted moisturisers or BB creams.  One particular product I am a fan of for summer is the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser. This sheer and lightweight product adds a hint of colour to even out the skin tone, whilst creating a natural and glowing look to leave you feeling like you are wearing no make-up at all. It also provides the the added protection of a sun cream, with SPF 20 to protect from the harmful UVA and UVB rays.

When using a tinted moisturiser, if you have any blemishes that may not get fully covered, I find a good concealer can work wonders so you don't feel like you have to layer on the foundation. My favourite product for this is the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage concealer which provides a great coverage on the necessary areas. The product also comes with two different shades which is perfect for summer when you get that bit of extra colour to the skin.

To give a golden glow when the sun comes out, I like to apply a bit of bronzer to add warmth and brighten up my face. I tend to stay away from a shimmery bronzers when I'm in the sun so I use the Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder as I find that the colour is great for my skin tone and I love the matte finish. 

To go alongside bronzer, a trusty highlighter can create a fresh and dewy look for the summer when applied lightly to the top of the cheekbones, on the tip of the nose and cupids bow.  There are quite a few to choose from and it is personal preference when deciding between powder, cream or liquid highlighters. At the moment, I am loving MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle as I find powder highlighters so easy to apply to create that natural glowing look.

For longer-lasting eye-shadow in the summer months, I find that using a primer is necessary if you want it to last throughout the day. Urban Decay Primer Potion has been loved by many and is really great at preventing smudging and improving staying power.

Waterproof mascara is a must have item for me when I go on holiday, but I am starting to use it more often to prevent smudging when it gets hotter. I usually love to apply lashings of mascara but, again, I have started to opt away from this and create a much more natural look. For this, I love using L'oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara as it seperates and adds length to the lashes without clumping, but can also be built up if you want to add thickness too.

A great bright lipstick can help to finish off a summery make-up look. My favourite shades at the moment are bright corals and I think that Mac Costa Chic is prefect to add that pop of colour. I have written a more lengthy post with swatches here. Alongside this, lip protection is also necessary to stay clear of nasty blisters! I would recommend Blistex Daily Lip Conditioner as it has SPF 15 and leaves the lips feeling silky smooth.

What do add to your make-up collection in the summer? Do you have a 'go-to' make-up product?

I really do hope the sun starts to come out and all of you have a really great summer!

MAC: Creme Cup Lipstick

 As a lover of bargains, when I browsed the MAC counter at the airport I caved in and bought myself a few products! One of these products was a MAC Creamsheen Lipstick in the colour 'Creme Cup'.

Perfectly priced between drugstore and premium brands, at £13.50, I think they definitely contenders for the best value for money in a lipstick.

I wanted to get a shade which was nude and natural looking and came out with something a bit different! Initially I thought this might have been a wrong choice as it was a bit too blue-toned for my skin and quite lilac looking in some lights. After a few wears I have really grown to love it. I find it is a nice natural looking pink; nude but with a bit of a difference. It is so easily wearable as it goes with a variety of make-up looks. I like to wear it a bit bolder with minimal eye make-up as it really makes your lips stand out; with heavier eye make-up, a simple coat of this can give your lips a subtle boost! I have found this to quickly become a staple in my handbag for a quick touch-up!

The formula itself is great - I can never complain with cremesheens. It glides over any dry parts of the lips and gives you that bit of needed moisture!

Have you bouught any new great lip products?

17 Mirror Shine On Lipstick

I have been looking for a new nude lipstick and came across 17 Mirror Shine On Lipstick in the colour Beehive. The colour is on the pink side of nude which I find suits my quite pale skin and looks really natural on the lips.

This lipstick feels more like a lipbalm on the lips which is good as it isnt too glossy, sticky or matte. It glides on the lips so smoothly and it is easy to wear, and can be applied quickly if in a hurry! If your looking for a really pigmented nude lipstick this isn't the one for you as the colour is quite light, if you apply more layers it comes out stronger.

The only downside to this is that it doesn't last too long on the lips. However, with a few re-applications throughtout the day, I find it to be the perfect natural looking lipstick.

I have uploaded two pictures, one with flash and one without so you can get a better idea of the colour!

One more downside to this lipstick is the packaging. The colour and material make it look really cheap, especially compared to the other ranges of 17 lipsticks and the it doesn't feel too secure when you close it, however, I think this could be justified by the price. The smell is also not as nice as most lipsticks or balms but I think the look overshadows this.

I would definitely recommend this as an every day, easy to wear nude lipstick - perfect to finish off a natural make-up look!

You can buy this lipstick from Boots for £4.59 and I am looking forward to trying out some more of the colours.