Haul - MAC, The body shop and Urban Decay

I did a little shopping today, okay more than a little, and picked up a few makeup and body bits.
These are the first things i've brought in weeks, since I've been trying to use up items that I've barely touched
(I also went through all my nail varnishes working out which ones i'd used in the last 2 months then made myself try out all the others, as a result of which 3 were thrown out because they were awful).

MAC Prep + prime skin base visage, Creamsheen lipstick in CrossWires and Satin blush in Cubic.

Crosswires is a lovely red with pink and blue undertones. I'm planning a post with swatches of all my MAC lipsticks so a swatch will follow (as will a review on the skin base once i've used it a few times).
Cubic is what I was hoping for from Benefits Dallas, a muted pink-brown that isn't too harsh on pale skin like a typical bronzer.

I'd like to spend a moment just enjoying how pretty the box of this is, it has glitter!
My Porefessional was an item i've finished so I was in need of a new one and having ruled out all the ones in Boots and Superdrug as too thick and decided Porefessional just isn't for me I settled on this (shortly after I knocked a half full MAC palette off the counter breaking two of the eyeshadows, I was so embaressed).

Urban Decay Skyscaper Mascara
My mini Benefit Bad Gal had began disappointing me and i'm now hunting something that gives me proper curl and volume.

Body shop Pink Grapefruit shower gel, Wild rose hand cream, Strawberry scented hand sanitizer and Japanese cherry blossom body mist.

I've nearly finished my current shower gel (a little 100ml bottle of Lush's Happy Hippy) and I don't think i'll be repurchasing so a new shower gel would have been needed probably by the end of next week anyway.
The hand cream smells lovely so this and the hand sanitizer have been earmarked for school use.
The body mist is lovely, very cherry-ish but not overpowering.

MAC On Hold lipstick

I was fairly restrained in Brighton last weekend, I only brought two things in MAC (not including the lipstick I traded in empties for).
 

Its a blue-orange based red with a little shimmer to it (the shimmer is more luster than frost, spread out and not chunky). It can look a little pink depending on the lighting.
Its a really wearable colour because its slightly sheerer than most reds and I can see this suiting anyone.
If you're a little hesitant of red lipstick I'd check this one out, I'd say its a fairly fool proof colour.
On hold is a creamsheen, I thought it was luster until I started writing this because its more luster than creamy, and wear time wise it  lasts 3 or 4 hours.

Current favorites #1 - lipsticks

Yesterday I started posting again after a few months of nothing so i'm doing a few favorites posts just to be sure my blogs caught up.
I'm starting with lipsticks with nail varnishes, eyeshadows, blushes and my usual everyday makeup to follow. 

Left to right; MAC Hold on, MAC Lovelorn, MAC Fanfare and Nars Happy Days.
Taken in natural dull light.
The swatches look pretty much true to colour on my screen so I wont describe their individual colours.

MACs - Hold on and Fanfare are creamsheen and last about 4 hours, Lovelorn is Luster and lasts about 3 hours.
Nars - This is a Velvet gloss lip pencil, its sheer and lovely (I usually layer a little of Fanfare over it for some added colour). Wear time is only about 1-2 hours. Review to follow on this one I think. 

MAC Fanfare lipstick

At the weekend I went to Brighton with my mother for two nights and I headed straight for the MAC store, I had empties to trade in and this was the lipstick I picked. 

Fanfare is a creamsheen finish, I prefer luster usually but this is such a pretty colour.
Its pink but borderline nude which makes it subtle but still gives you a bit of colour.
It reminds me a bit off a more pigmented version 17's Beehive lipstick (beehive and I had a disagreement after it melted so I'm not buying that particular lipstick again). 

Wear time is about 3-4 hours, less if you eat or drink obviously, not too bad as lipsticks go.
Creamsheens do tend to last longer than the luster finishes which I hold so dear. 

BB cream sample reviews - L'oreal

Over the last few weeks i've received samples of three different BB creams (via the brands facebook pages or L'oreal Insider which also has UK only money off vouchers like £2 off any of their products).
L'oreal sent one of each of their creams and Maybelline sent three of the same one which for me makes Maybelline the best sample wise though all the samples were in shade 'Light' which while good for my skin tone isn't going to be good for everyone - maybe NC25 or lighter would be okay.

I knew I was going to have to dismiss the L'oreal ones right away because of the shades they sent out;


Medium and Pure Beige... not a good start.


Sorry about my lack of other makeup.
One side of my face has one and the other on the opposite side.

From this photograph its not too bad colour wise but that's just fairly bright natural lighting and a decent camera setting.

L'oreal Nude Magique in Medium.
(I wrote the letters, in UD Perversion eyeliner, to remind myself)

Its claims to give;
Flawless looking coverage
Perfectly even looking skin texture
Fresh dewy look

The reviews basic because I can't wear these for long, wrong foundation isn't a good look.
Coverage - poor. Freckles, dark pigmentation and blemishes aren't covered.

Skin texture - Uneven. Pores improved very slightly.
Dewy? - No,  greasy.

 L'Oreal Lumi Magique in Pure Beige.
(I'm not sure if this is a BB cream but the L'Oreal samples came together)

Coverage - Some freckles covered but this could just be due to them being similar colours. Skin texture - Pores enhanced not covered. Breathing and hydration - This one feels much lighter than the other but to the touch its even more oily.

This is the Lumi version, to give you an idea of how beige these both are,
I know i'm naturally pale (NC15) and I don't really tan at all but these are bit dark. 
Did they send different colours to different people and I was just unlucky (?) because it seems to be that pretty much every sample sent out or in magazines are beige. 
Maybe its just me and this of sort Beige in the most common foundation tone brought in the UK but this just seems so silly.

Rant over and to end the post, a picture of my blue dip blue for anyone whose interested.

Its a slightly faded Sky blue by Crazy colour and the Brown in shade 5 by garnier nutrisse.