Battle of The Blues...

As I was half-heartedly tidying up my makeup storage today, I realised I have 3 navy polishes. Who the heck needs 3? We have, from L - R...

GOSH Attitude Illamasqua Propaganda Chanel Blue Satin

GOSH's Attitude is a Limited Edition shade and is the brightest of the 3. It's a completely flat colour, no shimmer, no duochrome, nothing. Like poster paint (except it's glossy).

Illamasqua's Propaganda is a shade I swatched instore over the top of Rouge Noir & it looked incredible. I don't think I've tried it on it's own since I bought it.

Chanel's Blue Satin is a firm old favourite. I've probably had this bottle for at least a year, hence the crust around the top! It has a slight micro-shimmer through it and is the deepest of all 3.

GOSH Attitude is very thin & streaky. But it dried in about 1/2 a second.

Illamasqua Propaganda is slightly darker & thicker to apply, but still quite sheer. Streaks not as bad as GOSH, but still not completely opaque.

Chanel Blue Satin was opaque on the first coat. Regardless of age, it is quite a thick polish and isn't the easiest if you've got narrow nails.

I added a 2nd coat of the Chanel, but you probably can't tell. This takes ages to dry, but once it is, is rock solid for days.

The Illamasqua is about 85% opaque, but I quite like the hint of the bright blue coming through the dark.

The GOSH is fun and I really like the colour. I don't think it's very fair actually to compare it to the other two, as they are really quite different in colour, once they are applied.

Before, this comparison, I think I would have automatically said the Chanel was my favourite, but I think I actually favour the Illamasqua. The Chanel is so dark, it's almost black. I really like how Propaganda has that little flash of bright, although I think it could do with being the teeniest bit more opaque. The GOSH will be nice to have, but I don't think I'll get *that* much wear out of it.

What about you? Do you like the blues?

Chanel Quartz

I showed you Chanel's Peridot a few weeks ago and promised to swatch Quartz up, but then completely forgot. Thanks to my mum tweeting today asking about a nice grey, it reminded me I hadn't, so here you go!

Like Peridot, the application is very smooth, but does need a good two coats to get full coverage. Unlike Rouge Noir, it dries in about 2 minutes with no top coat!

It has an amazing colourful shimmer running through. It appears plain silver in some lights then with the tiniest flick of the wrist, the colours just jump out!

Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Swatches

I wish someone had told me it was Chanel week on BBB; I would have dressed up!

Lets turn our attention to Chanel Illusion D'Ombre. Described as long-wearing luminous colours, I was dubious at first after being very unimpressed with my first swatching session on Friday. I went back on Sunday however & was completely blown away by both of these shades Mirifique & Epatant. (I have since been back & purchased Emerveille, don't tell anyone...)

I suppose they could be compared to the Armani Eyes To Kill Intense shadows, but they do feel a bit different. The Armani shadows still have an element of powderyness to them; although the Chanel pots look crumbly, they are almost gel like in texture. This is, apparently, thanks to the unique silicone base - helping them glide on beautifully & of course last for hours & hours & hours (and hours).

These finger-tip amounts are all you need to completely cover an entire lid. The pigmentation is high & true. The glitter stays put & I experienced no drop-out when I wore Mirifique in this FOTD...

And finally! No crappy little sponge applicators in sight. Chanel have included (for your £22.50!) a compact little spatula shaped brush, which is perfect for covering the entire lid & creating a gorgeous cat eye, or for creating a lovely sharp line.

LOVE!

FOTD Feat. Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Mirifique

I was going to post full review pics up of these first, but I loved today's makeup so much, I thought I'd get an FOTD up asap! I tweeted this morning about my 'disco goth' look, which was completely inappropriate for the office, but it was my first day back after my wee trip to hospital, so thought I'd glam it up!

I had checked these out on Friday & my gut reaction was that the black was too sparkly, the white too cheap, the plums too meh but after going back in on Sunday, a bit more relaxed & swatching properly, I have completely changed my mind. Mirifique is gorgeous. These swatches were taken at about 6pm, a good 8 or 9hrs after applying my makeup. Apart from a little creasing just around my crease, this stuff did not budge. Glossy, wet-look lids anyone?

I topped my moody rocking look off with some skull studs from Talullah Tu.

The Chanel Illusion D'Ombre pots are available from £22.50 each. Thoughts? Have you already snapped up your favourite shades?

Chanel Peridot

I haven't really splurged for ages... in fact, I think it was probably June the last time I bought something more exciting than basics & today I got rather carried away in Chanel. I popped in for a re-purchase of Rouge Noir (Jane from BB recently said if she was cut open, her dna would be little double 'c's - my blood runs Rouge Noir through & through..) and left with more than I'd intended. *ahem*. Please don't tell my husband.

I will be covering the eyeshadows and 'Quartz' over the next couple of weeks; today is all about Peridot. This picture below just screams 'christmas' at me!!

Like you (probably!) I have seen 100's of blog swatches of Peridot over the last few weeks and had been left completely cold by what I'd seen and so, until today, I hadn't even bothered checking out for myself. I had it marked down as a yucky green (the same way I felt about Paradoxal), metallicy bogey colour that had no place in my strict nail wardrobe of creme black, red & nude. Look how wrong I was!!! Just look at the amazing, gorgeous complexity of this shade! It's stunning!

It's very green/gold on me. I know on some the pay-off can be very yellow (Louise from Get Lippie did not want!). These swatches are all over a clean nail, no base coat, 2 coats of polish with the Chanel top coat as a final layer.

Brush marks are evident very slightly in some lights but generally the application & finish was very smooth & even.

I'm in love. Are you? Have you snapped it up or giving it a miss? Incidently, I also swatched Graphite today and I did not like it. Disappointing, but all the more for you die-hard metallic fans!

Easy Fresh Spring Makeup

Another YouTube vid, another FOTD post...

A few weeks ago, I got a request to 'do something' with MAC Sumptuous Olive E/S. This is a shadow that can easily become muddied if too much smokeyness is added, so I kept the inner corner light and just blended the Sumptuous Olive out at the crease. Teamed with glowing coral cheeks & lips, this kept the overall look fresh and spring-like.

I know I wasn't pouting when I took this pic, so not sure why it looks like I was !!

Chanel Pro Lumiere

Sleek Primer Palette

MAC Sumptuous Olive E/S

AVON Gel Shock Liner

Clinique Naturally Glossy Mascara

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara

MAC Omega E/S (brows)

MAC Select Cover-Up Concealor NW20

DIOR Capture Totale Loose Powder

Benefit Coralista

Estee Lauder Blazing Sun Crystal Lipstick (available online from 28th Feb)

FOTN - Birthday Dinner

Dinner, Dancing & Cocktails

This is the makeup I wore last night; embracing my K$sha-ness, I went for a rock chick smokey eye, with a perky pink nude lip. A video will be up later on YT, but in the meantime, here are few piccies!

Products used were...

FACEAtelier Foundation

MUFE HD Cream Blush in #6

Chanel Bronze Universel

NAKED UD Palette: Sin all over the lid & as a highlight in the inner corner, Gunmetal over the lid & Creep in the crease. I also ran the 217 along the lower lash line, so a mix of the 3 went underneath.

AVON Gel Shock Liner in Khaki on the waterline

MUFE Aqua Smokey Lash

Clinique Fine Brow Pencil in Soft Blonde

Estee Lauder Lip Gloss in 'Nude Rose'

And this is my outfit! I'm still not brave enough to do a OOTD type thing - whenever I have taken pics, they are awful - so Polyvore will do instead! This is not my exact outfit - the blazer for example here is £1000 from Net A Porter and I think mine was from Tesco! I kept it black & simple! (ps the top I'm wearing above is just a pyjama top...)

My black skinnies were from New Look

Black mid-length sleeve top from Zara

Black patent pumps from Dorothy Perkins

The feather bag pictured is my actual bag from ASOS which I think is like 2 or 3 years old

My current favourite earrings from V Westwood

Beauty Blogging Blonde is 1 year old! - CLOSED

** CLOSED**

I can't believe my little baby blog is 1! As per usual, thanks to you all for reading, commenting blah blah blah... Lets get to the good stuff! This isn't just a birthday, this is a Chanel birthday!

I wanted to do a special giveaway to give someone the opportunity to win a product they wouldn't necessarily be able to buy themselves and give back to you all with a little touch of luxury. On that basis, I decided not to gather half a dozen prizes & instead picked one of my top faves, from my all time favourite brand...

So, for one of you, you will be winning a Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel powder bronzer! I usually use the cream version of this, but unfortunately it was sold out! Everywhere - gone! So, I picked the powder version (the shade is the same one as the cream version).

(I've popped a promo photo up as your one is already all gift wrapped in Chanel ribbon.)

The Rules

A) You must be a follower (Duh!) I will check!!

B) Please leave a comment on this post saying 'Happy Birthday'

C) That's it! I would love to have time to be able to allow more than 1 entry, but I don't have time to check tweets etc. Please do feel free to tweet about it, but 1 follower - 1 entry.

D) Competition closes 11.59pm Tuesday 18th January.

E) I will pick a winner at random. I will contact that winner by email & you will have 48hrs to respond. If I do not get a response, I will pick another winner.

Please play by the rules & everyone will be happy!

xxxx

Nude Nails!

I think I must be ill or something because last night I looked at my gorgeous dark purple manicure and just shuddered - I wanted something light, natural and fresh. It was like, at that moment, I was just so over all the christmassy, wintery dark cold colours.

I ripped the gel overlays off (I didn't even soak them!), gave them a bit of a buff and headed upstairs to my stash to look for Chanel Particuliere nail polish, but I couldn't find it. So, I plumped for Chanel Inattendu instead.

But after painting 3 nails, my fingers looked grey & horrid - the Inattendu is such a warm peach that it really brings out the blue in hands. I guess it's a summer colour! So, I took that colour off, renounced the designer polishes and settled on a bottle of £2.99 polish from H&M. This is 'Latte To Go' and was the perfect nude grey that I was looking for.

Sorry for the crap pics, but I was taking them on my iPhone. And yes, that is a Maoam sweetie you can see..

I'm really pleased with my mannequin hands! Was just the effect I was after.

What about you? Are you over glitter & dark shades? Ready for spring??

Bobbi Brown & Chanel Brushes

**Warning! Pic Heavy!**

Decided to treat myself to some new brushes... I've used both Chanel and Bobbi Brown brushes in the past (I do already own a few) and I've found them to be reliable, easy to use and stay in top notch condition after washing time and time again. So they were a natural choice for some new investments!

BB Bronzer Brush

Probably my favourite out of the bunch, this has a super chunky handle and is amazingly soft. It's called a bronzer brush, but would be fine as a powder, blush or just as a general face blender.

Retractable Lip Brush

This isn't actually retractable - instead it comes in 2 parts, so when you're finished using it, you just pop it back in it's cap!

Eyeliner Brush

Bobbi Brown actually do a couple of really nice liner brushes. This is a firm, flat synthetic brush that would be suitable for lining both wet & dry, could probably be used for applying concealer to blemishes and for applying cream eyeshadows.

Eyebrow Brush

Super stiff angled brush for filling eyebrows. Made from goat hair, this would not be suitable for using on the eye area as it would be too scratchy, but it will be great for shaping brows!

Foundation Brush

Chanel Synthetic Concealer Brush

This will be a general brush for creamy eye products for me. It's beautifully soft so will be great for concealing around the eye area.

Mascara Spooly/Brow Comb

Random new pot of gel liner from Clinique!