Product Review: NARS Travel Set

Hi Everyone,

First of all, I'm sorry for my irregular posting over the past few days! I have been really busy moving house and we are still internet-less at our new place so I am a bit limited in when I can blog... Sooo annoying as I have picked up loads of products recently that I'm dying to review!

Today I thought I would show you one of my favourite newbies to my make-up collection: this gorgeous NARS travel set featuring the famous Laguna bronzer, Orgasm Blush and Albatross Highlighter trio. I was so excited to try all three of these products and can't believe that I managed to snap them all up in one bundle!

This set I don't think is available anymore as I have been scouring the NARS website for it with no joy. I picked it up in a blog sale for just £16 over at the lovely Lipstick Fridays (she still has loads of amazing stuff for sale if you fancy a look!) and I couldn't be happier. The bronzer looks to me to be pretty much full sized and the products had only been lightly swatched so I definitely feel like I got good value for money there.

So what's the product like? Well, one of the major plus points for me HAS to be the packaging. I mentioned that it's a travel set and it is genuinely one of the most travel-friendly products that I own- perfect for throwing in your handbag for an afternoon touch up. Yes, the Albatross pan is a little on the skinny side (which is a shame as I think it may be my favourite of the 3!) but all in all it is a really handy set to have around.

All three of these products have something of a cult following so I won't bang on for hours, but they are all beautiful shades that I'd imagine would compliment many skin tones. The Laguna bronzer I had heard was great for contouring and so far it hasn't disappointed- although I did notice that it is not quite as matte as some of my other contouring products. It is less orangey than some other bronzer shades though and really pigmented so very easy to contour with.

The Orgasm blush I was really keen to try having been given the shade Super Orgasm (oo er!) by my boyfriend a while ago. Orgasm is less sparkly than Super Orgasm and slightly more red-dy and gold-toned which I really like as it gives the cheeks a really healthy, natural flush.

Finally the beautiful highlighter Albatross, which looks so scarily white in the pan but on the skin transforms into a beautiful yellow-tone highlight! I LOVE this product and have been using it every day on my cheekbones and brow arch to provide a subtle highlight. Fortunately a little goes a long way with this product and I have barely scratched the surface.

Overall I'm delighted with this purchase (as you can probably tell from my lengthy review!). I should also mention that the case is really sturdy and has a huge mirror which makes touching-up on the go an absolute breeze.

Have you tried any of these products? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Rosie x

PS. there is still time to enter my MAC Giveaway! Just click here

Today I'm Loving...

Hi Everyone,

I hope you all had a great weekend! Today I wanted to share with you some of my favourite products at the moment, as they seem to change so often. Some of these products are new and others are not so new, but they are either new discoveries or rediscovered gems that I've been getting a lot of use out of lately.

First up on my list is the Perfection Lumiere foundation from Chanel. I had been dithering over this foundation for ages but finally committed to swallowing the £36 price tag (eek!) and investing. This felt like quite a financial commitment for me and I have been using Chanel samples on and off for weeks now trying to decide whether or not it would be worth it. I had heard mixed reviews about this foundation and I'm aware that it oxidises quite a lot- the first shade I was matched with looked fine at first but turned positively orange as the day went on. In the end I found a shade that suited me well (20 Beige) and I was really impressed with this foundation's staying power- it is one of the few that I've tried that doesn't oil up AT ALL when I wear it. Since purchasing this has become my go-to foundation and I love how lightweight it feels on the skin whilst still giving a good level of coverage. I would thoroughly recommend it to fellow oily-skin sufferers, although one thing I would say is to make sure that you try it out before committing to a purchase!

Another foundation on my list is the bareMinerals Matte foundation in Medium Beige. I am still a newby to mineral foundations having recently discovered the ELF Personal Blend foundation which I LOVE. This one I find is a lighter coverage and certainly doesn't feel heavy on the skin- it is the sort of product that enhances rather than covers. Therefore, I would reserve this foundation maybe for holidays or good skin days, but it is a really hard working product that lasts all day and gives a really natural finish. 

I'm also really excited to have got my hands on my first YSL Rouge Volupte lipstick. This one is from the 'Shine' range in shade 15 (Corail Intuitive). I was a little concerned at first that this would be a bit too bright a lip colour for me but in fact it is a gorgeous light pinky-coral that is really easy to wear and not too in-your-face. As with all of the YSL Rouge Volupte lipsticks it smells divine and feels really moisturising and luxurious on the lips so I am a happy bunny! This is currently one of my favourite lip colours and the packaging definitely makes it feel like a special product- I have been showing it off constantly.

A gorgeous lipstick needs gorgeous lips, so I've also been getting a lot of use from my LUSH lip scrub in Mint Julips. I use lipbalms religiously but I can't seem to stop my lips from occasionally flaking, so this lip scrub is a real lifesaver for me. To be honest I'm not 100% convinced that I couldn't have made it myself at home with a bit of sugar and peppermint oil, but it tastes absolutely yummy (like After Eights!) and does make my lips a lot smoother after use. 

I've also recently rediscovered my love for my Nars blush in Super Orgasm. I received this as a present in a Nars gift set last year and it is a lovely powder blush with a hint of sparkle. Unfortunately the colour has not come out particularly well in the photo but it is similar to Nars' signature 'Orgasm' blush and gives you a really nice, natural flush. I am not usually one for a sparkly blush but this one is very subtle and I can easily wear it for work without worrying that my cheeks are lit up like a Christmas tree.

Finally, I have also been loving my L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil Mist for fine hair. For those that follow my blog you may be aware that I ombre'd my hair recently, and the bleach has made my ends really dry. This oil mist has been my saviour, and I've been applying liberally to both wet and dry hair to keep the ends soft. My hair is very fine and the mist works better for me than a standard oil which would weigh my hair down and make it look flat. I happen to also really love the smell of this mist, it is enriched with lotus flower extract and the scent is very subtly floral and just delicious. 

These are my current picks and all of these products have been getting a lot of use in my house recently! If you have tried any of the products mentioned or have any recommendations for me let me know- I love reading all of your comments.

Have a great week all!

Rosie x