Laura Mercier - Secret Brightening Powder

Hey lovelies!
This has been one of the products I've been meaning to review for such a long time. I picked this little beauty up on my trip to Florida as one of the many things i splurged on in Sephora, but luckily this is actually available in the UK! I've been using this without fail every time I've worn makeup to set my undereye concealer since October, so it really does deserve a full review!

As far as I'm aware Secret Brightening Powder only comes in two shades, 01 the shade i own, which is translucent with an extremely fine (not detectable on the skin) shimmer and 02 which is more yellow based. I've not explored the world of Laura Mercier too much since its one of the pricier brands available, but i do have a love/hate relationship with their tinted moisturiser.

My main reason for picking this up is that no matter what i use, my under eye concealer creases constantly. Its one of my little bug bears of makeup and something i really wanted to change. I'm pleased to say, since picking this up late September.... absolutely no creasing! I apply it with a 217 style fluffy brush and it works wonders on setting my concealer and on a lazy occasion, most of my face.

I'm not 100% sure why this is so much better than regular loose translucent powders, but at a guess I'd say it is much more finely milled. It is a little pricey at £18.50 here in the UK, but considering I've been using near on every day since October and I'm not even close to being half way through i think its doing well! I wouldn't be surprised if it lasts me an entire year!

I can honestly say, i don't think I'll ever look for another under eye setting powder again and I'll continue to repurchase this as long as they make it! Its gone from a product i didn't really see the point in to something i wouldn't live without. If i lost all my makeup, this would be one of the first things I'd rush out to pick up!

Have you tried this product?

Whats your Laura Mercier favourites? Let me know in the comments!

xox

USA Haul: Sephora!

Ello lovelies!

Its taking me a long time to get through these hauls! This is the second to last, i promise! I was like a kid in a candy shop in Sephora, i spent quite a long time just looking around at what they had, and they have an awful lot! As you can see i went a little Tarte crazy, i SO wish we could get hold of this brand in the UK because there was SO much more i wanted to get, but my damn luggage allowance wouldn't allow it!

I wasn't lying when i said i went crazy on Tarte! I actually had a little makeover done in store and i am gutted i didn't pick up their Amazonian Clay Foundation as my sample is getting low and i bloody love it! September was an awesome time to visit Sephora as they were just starting to get in their Christmas gift sets. I was also lucky enough to have some birthday money to spend which is my way of justifying the ridiculous amount of blush i purchased! I've added prices for all the products listed, and if you want to find out more about them they are all on the Sephora US website.

I'm planning to review the majority of these at some point, but if theres something in particular you'd like to see one on, let me know!

Tarte - Amazonian Clay Blush - $25

As you can see i picked up four of these, i wanted to try a range of colours because blush has been, until now, the smallest part of my collection. There are 16 shades, so choosing wasn't an easy task. But i settled on: Exposed, Glisten, Flush and the infamous Tipsy. 

 Tarte - Blush & Bronze On The Go - $15

I spotted this duo after i had chosen the first four and thought, why not? It contains a mini Dollface blush and a mini Park Ave Princess, and at only $15 i thought that was quite a steal. The blush contains 3.4g of product which is over half the size of the regular ones, fantastic!

Tarte - Baby It's Bold Outside - $35

Contains four new (i believe) limited edition shades, again in just over half size. This was on my second trip to Sephora, i just couldn't help myself. Its such a steal at that price and i rarely go through an entire blush. I can see these getting a ton of wear! 

Tarte - High Definition Eyebrow Pencil - $19

This was used on me during the little makeover i received. I am shocked to just stumble over a nice, taupey brow pencil! I find it SO difficult to find brow products that aren't too dark or too warm toned, this is perfect!

Random bits and bobs...

Makeup Forever - Aqua Cream #2 - $23

Apart from the Mascara i picked up at IMATS earlier in the year i don't actually own and MUFE so thought it was time i rectified that. Steel is described as a "Grey Silver Shimmer", but i think it'd work really well under taupey smokey eyes!

Josie Maran - Argan Color Stick - $22 

The sales assistant got an easy sale with this one. Had an "ooooooh its soooo prettttyyyy" magpie moment. I've not had a chance to try this out yet, but it is an extremely pretty pink cream blush. Josie Maran products contain a whole host of skin loving ingredients and im really looking forward to giving this a bash.

 Urban Decay - Good Karma Brush - $24

My new favourite foundation brush. You NEED this in your life. Review coming very soon!

Laura Mercier - Brightening Powder - $22  
I'd wanted this for SO long, but i wasn't going to pay nearly £20 for an under eye setting powder here in the UK. Well, i may have to when this runs out! Again, I'll post a full review of it soon. 

Anastasia - Brow Powder Duo - $22

Another product I'd lusted over for a long time. Full review up soon! 

  

Fresh - Sugar Kisses Mini Lip Duo

It was my birthday while i was away and i was a little cheeky and signed up for a Sephora Beauty Insider card... oops! So on top of collecting points for a few 100 point perks i also received this super cute lip duo. One of their lip balms actually retails for over $20, madness! They are damn good balms though.  

Jack Black - Lip Balm - $7.50

I'm a lip balm whore. I adore this, it smells so fresh and being a "mens" product doesn't leave too much of a sheen on the lip, perfect! 

Urban Decay - Naked 2 - £30

I eventually caved. I was set on not buying any expensive eyeshadow palettes while i was away, in fear of smashing them travelling home. This little beauty appeared on the duty free book on the plane home and i just couldn't resist any longer! Only a £6 saving on buying it in the UK, but an excuse to get rid of all my extra dollars. 

Point perks! I was a little bit bummed they had finished their MUFE Lipstick perk by the time i got there, but these are very decent sized samples. I'm also only a few points away from another perk when i next go, bonus!

Phew, that's it!

This was a MUCH longer post than i expect, so sorry for whittling on. You'll be pleased to know that i only have one more haul to share with you, hurrah! And i think i saved the best till last, my Drugstore haul! And just a quick warning, its going to be a whopper!

Do you live by a Sephora? Whats your favourite product? 

Or are you like us UK girls, longing for them to open up shop here again?!

xox

My not so little USA wishlist!

Anyone i know in real life will probably at this moment in time want to throttle me, its got to the point where I'm even annoying myself. But on Friday i jet of to (hopefully) sunny Florida and I'm SO EXCITED I COULD DIE! (hehe, Despicable me). It's my first holibobs without the parents and my first one in about three years, so I'll blame my constant excitement on those factors. I get to spend both mine and the Bf's birthday out in the sun spending our days in theme parks, it doesn't get much better than that! Needless to say I've been accumulating quite a big ol' list over the past few months of some of the USA goodies i hope to get my paws on...

1: Tarte Blushes

2: Zoya Polish

3: Hard Candy Products

4: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation

5: Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara

6: Anastasia Brow Products

7: Wet & Wild Mega Last Lipsticks

8: Wet & Wild Eyeshadow Palettes

9: Bath & Bodyworks Candle

10: Bath & Bodyworks Fragrance Mists

11: Maybelline Colorstay Whipped Foundation

I fully intend to go round Walmart Supermarket Sweep style shoving all the makeup goodies i can grab in my trolley, maybe not to that extreme but I'll probably look like one of those crazy ass shoppers you see online, ha! So *fingers crossed*, my haul will more or less look like this in a few weeks just with some added Disney goodness, or whatever else my shopaholic hands get hold of. I've got a couple of posts lined up while I'm away so it won't be all quiet here, but i intend on tweeting updates while away, so if you don't following have a little clicky on the Twitter button to the right!

Thanks for reading lovelies!

xox