Going for Gold on Halloween

This weekend if you're not a big Halloween fan and want to keep things more subtle with an amped up everyday look and I have just the line up for you today. You can even argue you're jumping on the Bond bandwagon with a nod to Goldfinger for your costume inspiration.

Despite Make Up Revolution taking over the world right now I'm fairly late to the party and now I've joined, I'm not leaving. The Iconic Dreams Palette* is nothing short of amazing, and just £4 (and that's before you even think about adding to 3 for 2 offers).  The Make Up Revolution Palette contains 12 amazing shades which are pigmented and long lasting. This palette immediately reached the expectations that my Chanel palette sadly didn't. I have been using this consistently for a number of weeks now in a variety of shade combinations. If you haven't tried any of the affordable palettes from Make Up Revolution I suggest you get yourself down to your local stockist and have a browse.

Of course if you want add a little something something more to your eye look you can always start with a base of 24k Gold from the Maybelline Colour Tattoo range and throw in some glitter like the one from Wet n Wild or dig out your the bright yellow gold colour tattoo from Maybelline

Once again I advise if nothing else do something with your nails, it's the easy option with golds and glitter from the likes of Max Factor and Rimmel and what better way to warm up to glitter as we enter the festive season.

Don't forget to return tomorrow as I'll be sharing some details of my Halloween 'costume' this year.

*This post contains press samples

Nailing the dark side this Halloween

Whether you're a Halloween fan (and I think it's clear I am) or just looking for some Autumn tones here are some that have made their way into my testing pile recently. 

Despite celebrating their 30th birthday just recently and being Germany's no 1 selling make up brands, ARTDECO is still fairly new to the UK market. I was introduced to them via the Mystical Forest collection, inspired by 'enchanted forests'. I have are 702 Couture Dark Queen*  and 794 Couture Dim Grey* still left to try and 700 Couture Mystical Heart* which I loved. It's a darker version of Chanel Rouge Noir and I really enjoyed wearing it and it's made a home straight into my stash. Unlike 707 Couture Crown Pink* which I really expected to love but didn't. I expected a richer raspberry type shade but it is more of a reddy brown which I don't favour, despite compliments and my mum has subsequently pinched it from me as she was such a fan.

In terms opacity I can only speak for those I have tried and they both required two coats to achieve the look I desire. Both lasted longer than I expected with only Crown Pink which I'm still wearing now experiencing some chipping, largely due to an IKEA visit at the weekend!

If you prefer your gel nails then Sensationail have you covered. I've yet to try Midnight Rendevous* but I hear it's great with glitter on top but Moroccan Rouge* was on my nails last week. This was a bit of a strange one for me, it was a rich burgundy but with a shimmer through it which I can't decide if I loved or not. Unlike the red I used to test my Sensationail Starter Kit out with this was a little harder to apply, as darker shades often are. Some nails I thought looked great others not so much and it all depended on the light I was in. Of course this is no fault of the polish, merely my application skills and possibly why I've been cautious at testing Midnight Rendevous. That said the love for Sensationail gel nails continues and my biggest problem remains removing the colours and fighting the urge to go straight back in with more gel when I have other products to try.

What nail colour will you be sporting on Halloween?

*This post contains press samples

Shopping my stash - The Halloween Edition

As Halloween fast approaches I decided to have a look through my make up collection and see what products I have that can help me get into the Halloween spirit this weekend and was pleased with what I found.

I think we all have a black liquid liner in our stashes and Pixi Cat Eye Ink* in Intense Black is one I've been using lately. The slanted tip makes it easier for me to create an almost perfect cat eye flick that lasts long into witching hours. 

Winged eyeliner is the perfect accompaniment to any smoky eye and if you want to keep things dark my find was Drama Eyes Eye Inspire Catwalk Quad from MeMeMe*. Four baked eyeshadows that can be applied wet or dry depending on intensity wanted in shades of black, blue and grey. A heavy dark smokey eye will transform any little black dress into something from the darkside.

If you want to be a bolder with your choice then I love Barry M Dazzle Dust*. At just under £5 and often available on 3 for 2 they make a more affordable choice than Mac Pigments when looking for some more colourful options. I have shades 72 - bright emerald, 73 - pinky orange and 74 -violet purple and all can be applied lightly and built up for a heavily pigmented statement eye. A little goes a long way with the Barry M Dazzle Dusts but adding definition in the crease and a heavy cat eye it makes for a wearable look that will make you stand out from the crowd.

The next item might not strictly be a 'Halloween colour' on the lips but it'd certainly be fun to pull out Barry M Genie Lipstick* whilst attending your parties. I love this lipstick as firstly it's a great shade of pink (and perhaps better suited to Summer wearing) but peoples faces when they see me applying it on the train is priceless. I might just take this along for my niece to enjoy while we're trick or treating on Saturday. For those interested Barry M also have a Halloween Bundle available from Boots here. 

Finally are two favourite products of mine which are very wearable and often sported during the Autumn months. Desert Festival is one of Fergies palettes with Wet n Wild, a set of five all you need eyeshadows which can create day to night looks without any fuss. I wore this a lot last year as you might have read in my review here and it's one I'll definitely be returning to way after Halloween. 

And finally another lip product that will compliment any pumpkin theme is NYX Cherry Cheesecake Butter Lip Gloss* which you can now find in Boots - hooray. NYX Butter Glosses have been raved all over the blogosphere and I can see why. I'm not typically a gloss fan but these are not sticky and give a medium to sheer coverage I can wait to buy more.

What do you have in your make up bag that you could use for a Halloween make over?

*This post contains press samples

Partylite Candles | Forbidden Fruits

Partylite is a direct selling company you may be familiar with and with over 68,000 consultants in 18 countries it's very possible you've even attended a party selling Partylite's range of candles. I know had before I was reintroduced to the brand recently.

With origins dating back to the 1900s and continuing to expand as the years go by its a business model you'll know, local consultants host parties in your home and you are able to handle the products , see demonstrations of them in action and most importantly where scented candles are concerned, smell them.

I was sent the Forbidden Fruits Trio* of candles to try and share my thoughts with you today and two are sitting very nicely in my front room adding a sophisticated Halloween touch. The trio of candles are contained in a lovely box perfect for gift wrapping (can you tell I'm getting into Christmas mode already) and would make a lovely gift.

An element I particularly like about Partylite candles is unlike typical brands the glass jars are decorated with patterns or left plain rather than heavily branded. It's rather unusual for a brand to allow the product to speak for itself rather than the name.

Pomegranate Passion, Fig Fatale and Tangerine Tease were the scents contained with Tangerine Tease being the overwhelming scent that came from the box. Perhaps my only criticism of this gift set is the scents didn't necessarily blend well with some overpowering the others but it wasn't unpleasant and was in fact enjoyable to receive a waft of scent even if it was one more than the other.

The candles themselves burned easily and possibly due to their size I wasn't left with the usual black rim you often find with the larger types. Another plus to their packaging is that once the candle has burnt out you have a cute glass to use whether for storing cotton buds, make up brushes or popping a votive candle or similar.

Similar to other direct selling companies Partylite isn't limited to attending a party any longer and you can shop online. It's a slightly fiddly process as you have to enter your location to track down a local seller with an online site but it's fair easier than having to leave the house.

I've had a look at their Autumn/Winter catalogue and there's one or two things I can see myself adding to my Christmas decorating theme this year.

Have you used Partylite candles?

*This post contains press samples

Happy Halloween with Sleek

As we rapidly approach Halloween weekend it's time to have a rummage in our make up bags to see what products are appropriate for the season or treat ourselves to something new. Maybe you're not into dressing up and just want to add some appropriately orange touches to your make up routine next weekend and Sleek certainly has some perfectly named products to choose from. 

First on the list is the Sleek's Blush by 3 Palette in Californ-i-a*. We all know by now how good Sleek Blushers are, they certainly give Nars a run for their money and for £9.99 it's a bargain for some of the longest lasting blush around. Some people have complained about the mix of power and cream blush in these palettes so this time there are three creams to choose from and no complaints necessary. If you're a cream blush fan and enjoy shades of peach and coral. The three shades housed in the familiar black casing are; Newport Beach a pinky coral with a radiant and dewy finish, The Surf a lighter peach with a gold shimmer which applies quite sheer but works nicely combined with Newport Beach or alone as a highlighter for a more natural look and finally OC a dewy finish of coral colour and the most buildable of the bunch.

All shades are creamy and easy to blend and last me well into the late hours of the day. My favoured application technique is fingers when I'm feeling lazy or a stippling brush if I'm paying greater attention.

The appropriately named Tangerine Scream True Colour Lipstick* from Sleek is the perfect orange shade for those Halloween parties and you'll certainly stand out in this bright and bold colour. One colour you might already have in your lipstick collection is Papaya Punch True Colour Lipstick* as it's been a very popular shade over the years. A matte shade with a touch of pink and coral that provide a more subtle nod to Halloween festivities. Of course don't forget to pick pick up a complementing Eau La La Liner with Pumpkin* being the perfect accompaniment.

Painting your nails a deepest darkest black is possibly the easiest way to add a Halloween touch to your day and Sleek Loves Nails colour in Raven* is perfect for a homage to Alfred Hitchcocks film The Birds. Blacks can often appear patchy and require lots of effort to build up but Sleek have created an jet-black shade which will apply with full opacity.

Finally the easiest way to create any Halloween make up look is by lining your lips in black. I've used this trick many times over the years adding a spooky look to my usual red lipsticks. Pick up Noir Eau La La Liner* from Sleek for a creamy, long lasting application. 

Sleek also have put together at Halloween Bundle including the fabulous Enchanted Forest eye shadow palette which you can find online at Boots or all products are currently 3 for 2. 

*This post contains press samples