Review: L'Oréal "Les Blancs" Collection

Nothing says Spring like pastels! 

If you love pastel nail polishes, this L'Oréal nail polish collection will surely be your favourite release of the year. It's inexpensive, really good quality and the colours are just too beautiful not to swoon!

Para que llegue la primavera, no hay nada mejor que los colores pasteles. Los compré en Druni, donde los encontraréis a 2,95€... y si sois unas obsesas de los pintauñas como yo, 
¡os los acabaréis comprando todos!

856 Peche Neglige - 859 Gourmandise - 852 Pistachio Drage- 851 Nouvelle Vague - 853 Menthe Glace

I couldn't resist and I had to buy them all except for the plain white shade (857 Chantilly Lace), because I already have two whites and I have to restrain myself sometimes when it comes to buying!

In terms of opaqueness, these L'Oréal nail polishes are just one of the best. I used two coats to paint my nails, and only because one coat doesn't smooth out nail ridges, but the colour was perfect and not at all streaky from the first coat!

En cuanto a la opacidad, estos pintauñas de L'Oréal son lo más. Para las fotos, me pinté dos capas de cada, pero con una capa el color estaba perfecto y no se veían rayas (algo bastante común con pintauñas tan claritos). 

Thumb: 852 PD - Index: 853 MG - Middle: 859 G - Ring: 851 NV - Pinky: 856 PN

851 Nouvelle Vague: is a beautiful periwinkle blue with strong purple undertones. It's one of the most saturated shades, and you definitely wouldn't mistake it with white nail polish unlike other shades. In my opinion, definitely the most surprising shade of the collection! If I had to buy one shade of the whole collection, this would be it, as it's the most difficult to replicate.

Nouvelle Vague es uno de los tonos más sorprendentes de la colección, ya que no es ni azul ni morado, sino una mezcla preciosa de ambos. ¡Si tuviera que comprarme sólo un tono de la colección, sería éste! 

852 Pistachio Drage: is an off-white green shade, a very nice alternative to the classic mint nail polish. This shade makes you look oh-so-tan! 

Pistachio Drage es una gran alternativa a los colores mentas (como Menthe Glace) de los que ya nos hartamos hace un par de veranos. Hace que parezca que hayas estado tomando el sol en el Caribe, incluso si el papel suele estar más moreno que tú (como es mi caso).

853 Menthe Glace: This is an aqua shade, and the most saturated shade of the five I'm reviewing. I'm not a huge fan of aqua shades, but this Robin's Egg blue is quite a nice one! However, it's the least original shade of the bunch.

Menthe Glace es uno de los tonos con mayor saturación y de un color azulado verdoso muy bonito. Sin embargo, me parece el menos original de los cinco.

856 Peche Neglige: is a soft peach, with orangey undertones that still manages to look pink in some lights. Definitely one of the whitest shades in the collection and the most sold one at that (when I went to purchase these, there was only one left!)

Peche Neglige es un color melocotón muy bonito. Es uno de los tonos más blancos de la colección y al parecer también el más vendido (¡cuando fui a comprarlo sólo quedaba uno y medio escondido!)

859 Gourmandise: is a purply pink shade, quite white-based as well as easy to wear. It's a common shade too, quite similar to french manicure pinks. It's very pretty, but if I had to choose between all of the shades, this one wouldn't make the cut!

Gourmandise es un color rosita con un tono morado de fondo, pero nada muy aparente. No es un color muy original, y si tuviera que elegir entre toda la colección, éste no sería el elegido.

Price: 5,95€ approx. (2,95€ in Druni at the moment!)
Final score: 10/10

Have you tried the L'Oreal "Les Blancs" nail polishes? Which one do you have or do you want to purchase? 

¿Habéis probado estos pintauñas? ¿Cuáles tenéis o querríais comprar?

<3

M.

Quick post: NOTD

MATTE + GLITTER

(Sorry for the slight mess on the middle + ring finger)

Polishes I used: Mavala Super Base*, OPI Alpine Snow [except on the ring finger], L'Oréal Matte Topcoat, Essie On A Silver Platter [only ring finger, no topcoat].

The Mavala Super Base is a recent purchase, and I'm in love with it! It's thin and makes the nail polish stick perfectly to the nails. Definitely recommend it!

<3

Summer lip trends!

The summer has started, at least for me (finally), after finishing my exams and starting to make authentic summer plans such as parties on the beach, a trip to an island nearby, etc. 

However, what beach party would be complete without a summer lipstick to wear? 

This is the reason why I have searched through my collection to find the most adequate lip products for summer, with different trends: classic red, bright fuchsia/hot pink and orangey red. There's one for everybody! 

Trend #1: Classic Red

Everyone loves a good cool toned red, it's a classic look that's been going on for decades, right? And I have the perfect colour for you guys: NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in "Dragon Girl".

This product is great for summer because it comes in a pencil form, so that means you don't need a lip brush or anything else. I put it on my lips, and then dab with my ring finger to soften any hard edges. 

I think it's a pretty easy product to use, and as it's so bright, and not a dark red at all, this is very summer appropriate. You can see more of "Dragon Girl" in this post: CLICK.

Trend #2: Fuchsia/Hot pink lips

I really love fuchsia colours on the lips, especially when they're matte, but I also find that for summer the matte look is quite uncomfortable, that's why I put together three different looks, depending if you're more of a light lip person or matte at heart, and then I threw a fuchsia lip stain too :) 

First, is my matte alternative: NARS' Lipstick in "Funny Face"

This is straight from the tube, and as you can see it's a beautiful lipstick. It's very bright, but not what you'd call a barbie pink, which I'm glad it's not, because cool toned pinks don't look too good on me. 

You can also apply this by dabbing it with your fingers, creating a matte but light look, which I think is more suitable for summer rather than the straight-from-the-tube way.

Second is L'Oreal Rouge Caresse in "Impulsive Fuchsia".

This is a sheer balmy lipstick, but it packs a punch of colour that looks really good in summer, because it's a very vibrant and beautiful fuchsia! Definitely one of my favourite lipsticks for this summer :) 

To see more, click.

And the third look is a lip stain, Stila's Raspberry Crush.

I found out this lip stain has SHIMMER. Oh, that was such a disappointment, because I had the Cherry Crush and that didn't contain any shimmer whatsoever. So I think this doesn't look right if you apply it straight from the tube.

However... 

...If you wait a couple of minutes and you take a makeup wipe, gently take away the shimmer, and you're left with this BEAUTIFUL stain on your lips. And if it looks a bit patchy like mine do in the picture below, I just apply my BodyShop plum balm because it evens it out and moisturizes!  

Trend #3: Orangey-red lips

2012 being the year of the colour Tangerine Tango, I only see fit that we talk about this colour for lips. However, I'm not a big fan of BRIGHT ORANGE lips, at least not on myself, so I think this is a more wearable way of taking advantage of this trend.

I prepared two looks, a matte one and a sheer glossy one. 

First look, is NARS' Lipstick in "Heat wave". 

Both of the pictures above show the lipstick applied onto the lips straight from the tube. It may be a little too thick for summer, or depending on what you like your lipstick to be like. That's why I also  dabbed it with my finger for a more soft look, without losing any brightness.

The second look was created with L'Oreal Rouge Caresse in "Rebel Red".

This colour is FRUIT PUNCH love. My other favourite for this summer, I just can't stop looking at it, it's SO BEAUTIFUL! And glossy, and comfortable, and it leaves a stain behind! Can you ask for more?

See more swatches here, click.

I hope you all liked these looks, and I recently bought NARS' Bolero, so I may PROBABLY do a second installment of this kind of lip trend posts. I tried mixing up high and low end brands, L'Oreal, NARS... no MAC, however, but it will be present in my second installment if I decide to go for it! 

What recommendations do you have for any of these trends? Do you own a beautiful lipstick that matches any of these categories? Go ahead and comment! 

Love,

Maria.

L'Oreal Rouge Caresse: Impulsive Fuchsia, Rebel Red and Hypnotic Red.

Summer is on us by now, and I can't keep singing and wearing light bright clothing, and makeup! By the way, I LOVE this ad:

It just makes me think about all the amazing things I want to do this summer!

And now, onto the lip products!

I went on a little trip today to a couple of drugstores, and I wanted to get the L'Oreal Rouge Caresse lipsticks. However, for some reason, they won't sell "Dating Coral" or "Aphrodite Red", which just makes me really mad because those were the ones that really stood out when I started looking for swatches online.

I did manage to buy three beautiful Caresse lipsticks, because they were on discount, so I got three for 21€ (give or take some cents), so that was really a bargain!

Impulsive Fuchsia, Rebel Red, Hypnotic Red

All of these are sheer and their packaging is a fairly sturdy transparent tube which feels quite nice, and I like the metallic showing through. Each cap is metallic on top, but a metallic colour that mimics each individual colour (shown in pictures below). They also are quite shiny, but they aren't sticky at all, but silky and smooth.

Oh, and they leave a beautiful stain on your lips after the shine has worn off, but it's not a budge-proof stain, keep that in mind. 

Impulsive Fuchsia 

 (Flash)

(No flash)

Impulsive Fuchsia: this lip colour is absolutely stunning! It's a bluish fuchsia that looks really amazing when you're a little more tanned, because it really makes your eyes and skin pop! I really love this colour, and I will show you lip swatches in the next post I am writing! Take in mind that it's sheer, so if you're scared of very bold colours, this might be a formula to try, even if it still DOES pack a punch! (The cap is a bright fuchsia pink.)

Rebel Red

(Flash)

(No flash)

Rebel Red: this is a beautiful orangey-red that looks like fruit punch to me. Take into account that flash pictures wash out colour, so look closely at the no flash pic to see how this really translates in real life! :) I think this is a beautiful summer colour, isn't it? (Has a red cap, just like Hypnotic Red).

 Hypnotic Red

(Flash) 

(No flash)

Hypnotic Red: this is colour is very different from Rebel Red, because it has this pinky berry undertone to it, which makes it stand out in my opinion. In the tube, it looks like a dark red, but it translates differently on the skin and lips! I'd use this colour all year round, even if it can be more of a winter colour.

Conclusion!

I really love ALL of the colours I picked, and I really recommend you try them, because they have the most amazing pigmentation, and feel like silk on your lips. I think you will like them if you love lip balms, or love fuss-free lipstick application that doesn't involve liners or even a mirror, because these are just perfect to put on wherever you are, and they will look nice no matter what. If you're one for matte lipsticks and long lasting lip products, then these aren't for you, I'm afraid. Take them into consideration for the summer months, though, as they are lightweight and very convenient on the go.

I picked them up for 7€ at a discounted price, but I think they'll be around 10€ or so? In the UK the price is £7.99, and in the US is $11.56. (Correct me if I'm mistaken!)

Have you tried the L'Oreal Rouge Caresse lipsticks? Would you recommend other colours such as "Dating Coral" and "Aphrodite Red"? Are you willing to give these a go?

Love,

Maria.

On its way...

Quick update!

I just bought (on BeautyBay, so it will not arrive for some days yet) the Jemma Kidd All Over Radiance Glow in Rose Gold! 

And I'm also starting to use Argan Oil on my hair (I started today), so I will try to keep up with it, and tell you how this works out!

Will keep you posted, lovelies! 

Has any of you tried the Jemma Kidd cream highlighters? I want to see what all the hype is about! 

Love,

Maria.

Next on my list: L'Oreal Rouge Caresse (I can't compare these to the Revlon Lip Butters because they don't sell Revlon in Spain, but I've heard the L'Oreal ones are more pigmented and more soft. If this is wrong, I apologize!) 

L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black vs. L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes Extra-Black (Double Review)

Hello ladies!

As promised, I am doing a MAC lipstick collection swatch and review post, but that will take me a little longer than I expected, and since I have been smothered in exams lately (I have one tomorrow, and one the day after that, JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS! What are they thinking, seriously?), I can only offer you a small but nonetheless practical review of a very talked-about mascara for the time being!

Let's talk about L'Oreal mascaras. I think the majority of us has tried one at least, and we can all agree they're not bad quality at all! I have actually only tried three... Telescopic mascara (it's quite raved about in the Internet, but I didn't like it too much), Voluminous Carbon Black mascara (one of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITES, will talk about it later on in this same post) and Volume Million Lashes (in Extra-Black, which I will review now).

Before reading more, take into account that I have just applied mascara on the upper lashes! 

Okay then, here we go!

This is my left eye with no mascara or makeup on, whatsoever. 

I have quite dark lashes, which are slightly lighter at the ends, and they're quite long by themselves. What I want is a mascara that will make them AMAZING, a little lengthier and more voluminous! 

VOLUMINOUS CARBON BLACK MASCARA 

This mascara was one of my first mascara discoveries, and it has remained this way since I was 15 years old. Actually, my original mascara tube was used up and I threw it away, and I started trying other mascaras with different results. My opinion? None could live up to Voluminous' high standards. Maybe DiorShow did some of it, and it is quite a good option, but.. hello? There's like a 20€ difference between both prices, since Voluminous retails for 10€ (approx., I think I found mine for 11€ or so), and DiorShow is nearly 30€ (approx. again, it's been to long since I bought it!).

Here are my lashes with ONE COAT of this mascara:

It looks absolutely amazing! Especially once you have an eyeliner on, because I admit there is a problem with this mascara, or with my application: I always always always mess up my top lid! Little streaks appear everywhere, but that's where liner works perfectly, or you can also use wipes to remove those. 

(Not really a pain in the ass, and once it's on, it stays put!)

Short little bristles, do your magic!

VOLUME MILLION LASHES (Extra-Black)

I have just bought this mascara (like a month ago or so), I admit, so I haven't been in the long-run with it really, since I am a fan of switching mascaras everyday and using what I have lying around as I am always in a rush!

But I wasn't quite impressed when I bought this mascara. I had heard so many great things about it! And so many are true, but people fail to talk about it's horrible smell, which you can still sniff for hours after application (and I am not a sensitive person in the whole smell department, I'll put up with whatever), and the AWFUL scratching the wand provokes! 

All in all, it's a great mascara, it does deliver a good volume and some decent lengthening, but those cons do make me think about using this some mornings, especially because when you have just woke up and are a half-zombie, you are not up to eye-scratching mascaras, if you know what I mean!

I think it gives lashes a spidery effect I am not quite liking, but I have to admit it does separate them beautifully, so you can see all your lashes! I guess it does do what its name promises: "a million lashes".

Scratchy little synthetic bristles, I hate you!

CONCLUSION

I think it's quite obvious, but I am a great fan of the Voluminous Carbon Black mascara to say otherwise,

but I do promise I tried both, and I have used them quite a lot! There's just things you love, and things you don't, but I do think Volume Million Lashes is a good mascara, but the smell is way too much for me! 

(P.S.: the Voluminous Carbon Black has a makeup-esque smell, for all of you who where wondering, and once it dries it doesn't smell at all!).

(P.P.S.: I will do a DiorShow mascara review shortly! Another thing in my "to do" list.)

Please comment below and tell me what you think about these two mascaras,

and do suggest new mascaras I should try!

Maria.