MAC Magnetic Nude Collection - Extra Dimension Eye Shadows REVIEW

I really love the Extra Dimension Eye Shadow formula from MAC, so much so that I haven't even tried any from their normal range (I will one day though...). Therefore when I saw the latest MAC release - the Magnetic Nude Collection, I got excited. More Extra Dimension Eye Shadows for me to purchase and love!

The Magnetic Nude Collection contains five shadows, I purchased three. I already owned A Natural Flirt (reviewed and swatched HERE) and Platinum Love just didn't appeal to me. Cool silver tones don't always look good on me.

I purchased (L-R): Sweet Heat, Silver Dawn and Amorous Alloy. Sweet heat is a soft golden with a metallic finish, Silver Dawn is a metallic khaki green and Amorous Alloy is a warm copper brown with a metallic finish. Even though these shades are quite different from each other they can really work together to create a beautiful eye look. 

The Extra Dimension Eye Shadows can be used wet or dry but I personally haven't used them wet before. I find them pigmented and smooth enough to apply whilst dry. That is my favourite thing about this shadow formula - they are all buttery soft and highly pigmented. They apply and blend easily. 

Even though they have a metallic finish I do not have any issues with fall out during the day and very minor fall out during application. I find the best thing about the Extra Dimension Eye Shadows is the wear time - I can go through a 10 hour day and my eye make up looks as good then as it did at 7.30am. I do use Painterly Paint Pot as a primer though. 

L-R: Sweet Heat, Silver Dawn & Amorous Alloy. 

Above is an eye look I created last week using Sweet Heat and Amorous Alloy. I applied Sweet Heat all over the lid and Amorous Alloy to the the outer half/third. The shades really blend together beautifully and create such a pretty metallic yet work appropriate look. 

Overall I really love the Extra Dimension Eye Shadows formula, it is easy too use and provides fantastic results. For me they tick all the good eyeshadow boxes - pigmentation, longevity, application and blendability. 

The Extra Dimension Eye Shadows can be purchased from MAC for $37.00 for 1.3g, which is the same size as normal MAC shadows. 

Have you tried the MAC Extra Dimension Eye Shadow formula? Thoughts?

Burberry Nail Polish - No.303 Oxblood

I have had this nail polish sitting on my desk for the last three weeks, just hanging about waiting to be used for the first time. Yesterday, I finally decided it was about time to paint my nails for the first time in 2014. Of course being the closest and newest polish it was a no-brainer to use Oxblood. 

Oxblood is the first Burberry Nail Polish I purchased and have tried from Burberry's recently released range of polishes. I am not normally someone who is drawn to reds or darker shades but something about this shade called to me. It is like darkened blood, soooo pretty!

I applied two coats of Oxblood to my nails. The polish has a great formula, it is the perfect consistency and almost opaque in one coat. It applied smoothly too. So far it has lasted 24 hours with no chipping which is actually good for me - I have been known to get chips within a couple of hours of painting my nails. 

I did have trouble with the brush though. It is very wide and flat with a blunt edge. I don't mind a larger brush like the Dior or Sally Hansen brushes. What I found difficult with this brush is the blunt edge. It was hard to get to the nail bed and coat the sides of the nails without getting polish on the surrounding skin. This led to a much messier manicure than normal. 

I think the brush is something I can get used to and I plan to. There are many more polishes from Burberry that I want to try. Especially the gorgeous pastels in the latest English Rose Collection. 

I really love this shade. Oxblood feels really elegant yet a little bit edgy. It is a shade I would not normally choose but I am really glad I did. I think this is going to be an iconic Burberry shade like their trench colour. I am planning on picking up the Oxblood Lip Mist eventually too. 

Burberry Nail Polish is now available from David Jones for $29.00 for a 8ml bottle. 

What do you think of Oxblood? A shade you would rock on your lips and tips?

Chanel Notes de Printemps Collection - Spring 2014

By now it should be no surprise that my heart beat speeds up when I see a new collection is being released by Chanel. Knowing I wasn't going to be near a counter any time soon and there is nowhere to buy Chanel online in Australia, I placed a call to my favourite Chanel Beauty Boutique at Chadstone Shopping Centre. Turns out they already had the collection in stock! So I placed my order and a few days later I received my picks in the mail. 

Keeping in line with my New Years Resolution of "you don't have to own everything". I only purchased four items from the collection - a cream blush, a lipstick and two cream eyeshadows. The collection actually has six lipsticks and two cream blushes. In the past I would have purchased both blushes and at least two lipsticks but I am trying to reduce my spending. See?Good justification. 

The collection has only just hit counters in-store in the last few days, therefore I thought I would show you my picks from the collection. I picked these items just off internet images which actually turned out pretty well, though I did miss swatching before purchasing. These aren't full reviews, just my initial thoughts and why I purchased these items. If you want a full review of any of the items let me know in the comments. 

Le Blush Creme de Chanel in 69 Intonation - $60.00

I love the Chanel cream blush formula (they even made it into my 2013 Favourites). This is described by Chanel as a 'warm rose'. It is more of a coral pink which is highly pigmented but like all the Chanel cream blushes, it is easily blended out. The swatch below is unblended but gives you is a good example of the colour and pigmentation.  This shade is limited edition. 

Illusion D'Ombre in 92 Diapason & 93 Impulsion - $48.00 each

I cannot resist an Illuison D'Ombre, therefore these were a must-buy for me. Diapason is a dark purple with a very shimmery finish. It has a quite brown base and the shimmer is a very fine pale purple. Impulsion is a sparkling light pink. This has a more obvious glitter like finish than Diapason's fine shimmer finish. Impulsion is limited edition.

Rouge Allure Velvet in 44 La Diva - $50.00

Another must buy for me. A bright pink lipstick - it is a no brainer! I wouldn't call this a matte lipstick though - it has quite a satin finish. Surprisingly, I don't have a true dupe in my stash, they are either a different tone or the finish is more luminous. I am wearing this as I am writing this post (at 10.30pm - the life of a beauty blogger!) and it is really comfortable on the lips. Plus the name is freaking awesome!

L-R: Intonation, Diapason, Impulsion & La Diva. 

Look at how gorgeous Intonation and La Diva are! Seriously La Diva is freaking amazing - I am so in LOVE! It is such a me colour and I am so happy I purchased it. I cannot wait to try the Illusion D'Ombres on my lids. I think they could make a really pretty eye look. 

What are your thoughts on this collection? Will you purchasing anything?

2013 Favourites

Well, this post has ended up being much later than I originally planned. Excuse? I decided to paint the passageway at home in between working and just being lazy. By the way, painting is hard work! This post was also hard work! It was much harder to pick these products than I thought. It is hard to remember a whole year in the terms of what make up I wore and loved. 

For my 2013 Favourites post I decided to go through my stash and just pick on the products that I kept coming back to in the past year. Not all products were released in 2013 but I discovered most of these products in 2013. There is one Holy Grail product that snuck its way into a consecutive yearly favourites post. With a few of these products, I haven't actually chosen a favourite shade - it is the product I love and I enjoy the shades all equally. If a product is good enough for me to buy it in different shades then you know it is a good one!

My makeup ways have changed a little over the year (and especially since my 2012 Favourites post). I am a lot subtler with my lip products thanks to work. I don’t have the time to maintain and bright pink pout nor like the comments it can bring. I also look for products with a long wear time – I now know why people like 12 hour wear products (a work day can be that long). My eye shadow preferences have stayed the same – neutral and easy. 

BURBERRY – Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base

This has become my go-to primer when I want a smooth base with a really dewy and luminous finish. This primer really helps to brighten my skin and give it that ‘glow from within’ look. It is also great to use on its own or as a subtle highlighter over foundation. 

GIORGIO ARMANI – Maestro Fusion Makeup

I was pretty skeptical when I first purchased this expensive not quite foundation, foundation. I however fell in love hard and fast. This foundation is amazing. It gives me a light to medium coverage with a velvet finish but it doesn’t feel like anything on the skin. It is so light feeling, when applying it is like rubbing water onto your skin. I also love how quick it is to apply – it blends seamlessly and is best applied with fingers. 

CHANEL – Vitalumiere Aqua Ultra-Light Skin Perfecting Makeup

This is the sneaky Holy Grail product that actually made it into my 2012 Favourites post too. This foundation is amazing! This year I actually finished one bottle and repurchased it (that is how good it is). I always reach for this when I want beautiful, glowing and natural looking skin. I see this being a Holy Grail product for years to come. Originally reviewed HERE (way back in September 2012).

NARS – Radiant Creamy Concealer

This is one product that the hype around it is well deserved. This concealer is great for under the eyes – it covers my dark circles well, is not drying, does not crease, feels light on the skin and blends easily. Yup, lots of pros and no cons with this one. Great shade range too. 

HOURGLASS – Ambient Lighting Powder

Who knew powder could be this amazing? The Ambient Lighting Powders really blew my mind in 2013. They are simply amazing. They give the skin an airbrush finish with the swish and swipe of a brush. I currently own three shades – Luminous Light, Dim Light and Radiant Light with plans to buy the other three shades in time. 

CHANEL – Le Blush Crème de Chanel

It is pretty much a guarantee when Chanel does something – they do it well. Their cream blushes are no exception. Beautifully pigmented yet super easy to apply and blend. They dry down to a powder finish that is beautiful on the skin. They wear well and there is a lovely range of shades. The three shades pictured here are Fantastic - a plumy pink, Affinite - a bright pink and Inspiration a nude pink. 

BURBERRY – Sheer Eye Shadow

Here is another freaking amazing product that I cannot (and will not) live without. These Burberry shadows are buttery soft with beautiful pigmented shades. The luxe packaging makes these an all-star product. I am hoping to grow my collection this year. The three shades I own are; Rosewood, Midnight Brown and Pale Barley. Original review HERE. 

LAURA MERCIER – Caviar Stick Eye Colour 

Another product I fell for hard in 2013 (originally reviewed HERE). These are Gods gift to “lazy eye shadow appliers” (i.e. ME). These are pigmented, easy to apply and last all day on the lids. There is nothing to not love about these – a possible Holy Grail product. I own the shades (from top to bottom); Cocoa, Amethyst, Khaki, Sugar Frost and Rosegold. 

SHU UEMURA – Rouge Unlimited Supreme Matte Lipstick

I love matte lipsticks but usually find them to drying on my lips. These have a matte finish but are so comfortable to wear. They don’t dry out my lips or start to look flakey after an hour of wear. Great shade range too. The three shades pictured are (left to right); MPK348, MPK335 and MPK355. 

CHANEL – Rouge Coco Shine in 54 Boy

This lipstick received the title of ‘My Favourite Lipstick’ (post HERE) earlier this year and that hasn’t changed. A fantastic shade that would be flattering on everyone – love the formula too. It is still one of my 'go-to' lipsticks when I need to be ready in a flash (and that is often as I snooze my alarm far too often).

MAC – Lustre Lipstick in Lovelorn

This soft pink lipstick has become my go to work lipstick when I want colour but not ‘over the top’ colour. The formula is quite moisturising which is always a bonus. Sadly mine has really melted and is looking pretty ugly at the moment (doesn't help that I dropped it with the lid off either). 

GIORGIO ARMANI – Flash Lacquer 

I am not a lip gloss person. I hate the sticky and heavy feeling they have on my lips. That is not the case with the Flash Lacquers. They sit nicely on the lips, are not sticky or heavy and are comfortable to wear. They are really pigmented and glossy too. The darker more reddish pink shade is 523 and the light pink shade is 522. 

HONOURABLE MENTIONS 

These products didn't quite make the cut because I wanted to keep the post at a reasonable length, if I wanted an encyclopedia length post then I would have included these too.

• Burberry Sheer Foundation
• Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Powder
• Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush
• MAC Extra Dimension Eye Shadow 
• Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Shadow
• NARS And God Created the Woman Eye Palette
• Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon Eyeshadow Pencil
• Tom Ford Cream Colour For Eyes
• YSL Rouge Volupte Shine
• EOS Lip Balm

What were your 2013 Favourites?

Happy New Year: 2014 Beauty, Life & Blog Resolutions

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Firstly, HAPPY NEW YEAR! I know, late to the party - again. But hey, whatcha going to do about it? 

I cannot believe 2014 is upon us. Life seems to be moving far too fast! I hope you all had a lovely New Year, celebrating the opportunities to come in 2014. I had a quiet night which was perfect for me and my family. 

I am not massive on New Year Resolutions. I feel if you want to change something, you shouldn't wait until the New Year. You can make a change whenever you decide to. However there is a couple of changes I would like to make involving both the blog and just some general beauty and life resolutions.

Cancel Sample Box Subscriptions
This is actually a pretty big one for me, I have been a subscriber to Bella Box since they launched over two years ago. I used to be a big supporter of them and Violet Box until I realised I hardly ever use the products in the boxes. Lately I am pretty much always disappointed in the boxes. I have decided I would rather save the almost $38 a month and put it towards a luxe item I actually want and will use.

Stop Impulse Shopping

I am a notorious impulse shopper or just shopping because I feel like something new and want to spend money. This year I want to stop buying random things I haven't heard anything about just because they are new in Priceline or on the Mecca Cosmetica website. I only want to buy things when I have actually taken the time to consider whether I need them and will use them.

"You don't have to own EVERYTHING"

When a new collection launches that I love, I automatically decide that I have to own IT ALL. Even if I won't necessarily wear it all or I have a lipstick that would be an exact dupe. Nope. I want it all. I need to remind myself that I don't need to own it all, just the couple of items I like and will use. Or that I don't have to purchase something from every new Chanel collection (all though this seems a little impossible). 

Start a Blog Overhaul

I realised recently that Luxury on the Lips is not travelling in the direction I originally intended. I wanted to write a blog about the gorgeous, luxurious products that are in my stash and that I purchase. Not a monotonous routine of empties, favourites, sample boxes and a couple of random reviews thrown in each month. That was not my blogging plan and I have decided to get back to my original ideas (and definitely feature many more of the luxurious lipsticks I adore). I want to do more FOTD's, Top 5 Products and reviews as collections are released. 

Maintain a Healthier Lifestyle

I think I have a similar resolution every New Year (and a few times during the year). This year I am not going for the 'diet' resolution though, I want to change my lifestyle and be healthier. I want to eat better (meaning less chocolate and junk), exercise more and try to wean myself off my Pepsi Max addiction (4 cans a day is probably considered an addiction). 

Cull the Stash

This one is pretty straight forward - I want to reduce the amount of beauty products I have. I want to use up a lot of products I have been keeping because I didn't want to finish them - stuff that! They are going to be finished. I also want to cull some of the very unloved or unliked items in my stash and pass them on or chuck them. 

Work Harder

I have recently remembered that if I want to achieve my dreams that I need to work for them. They will not fall into my lap, I have to do the hard yards and make some sacrifices. This year I want to achieve more with this blog, my job (which I want to turn into my career), my personal life and my studies (which I am resuming after 18 months deferment). 

So, there are my 2014 Resolutions, pretty simple and ones that I think I should be able to stick to. As I mentioned, I feel that Luxury on the Lips has lost its way a little over the last 12 months and I want to fix that. So it is unlikely that I will post monthly empties and favourites posts. Lately they have felt forced and I want to change it up. I want this blog to better reflect me, I swear I am more interesting and relaxed than recent posts have seemed. 

I plan to write a 2013 favourites post in the next couple of days but I just first have to actually decide on them. There are some no-brainer products but also those that become so essential I forget about them.

Also a couple of days ago Luxury on the Lips turned 2 years old! OMG! Thank you all for your support and sticking around for the ride. Blogging has been fantastic for me, it has given me an outlet, helped me meet some lovely friends and allowed me to write about what I love - BEAUTY!

I hope 2014 is a wonderful year for you all! 

What are your New Year resolutions?