My September Favourites

Time if flying by so fast. On one hand, it's a good thing as I am counting down the days until I can officially quit my job and on the other hand, it's crazy how life just goes by in a blink of an eye.

I decided to finally get my a&& in gear and start doing my monthly favourites again.  Last month was a very good makeup month for me in terms of quality of products (both old and new).  I am excited to share with you these products as I really felt that they made a huge difference in my regime. So let's begin...

Dior BB cream

This has been going on my face almost everyday now for the last month or so.  I love the dewy finish and the healthy (warm) and medium coverage it provides. I feel like my skin is hydrated and covered and that's something that I was not able to achieve with other bb creams.  I can't tell you how much I love the scent to this as well (so fresh and so clean!).  But the best thing about this bb cream is that it doesn't wash me out nor leave that odd grey tint to my skin like other bb creams have done.  Hands down...favourite bb cream of all times!

Chanel lift lumiere concealer

I always felt that eye concealers were super cakey for some reason.  Maybe it's just the ones that I tried, but I am loving this concealer by Chanel.  It really soothes my eye area (which has been looking darker and dry lately) and I can't tell you how "awake" I look now vs. before.  This is definitely a product for us 30+ who need that youthful and awake appearance.  I think next time I will go for a lighter shade, but as far as consistency and coverage it checks all the boxes off in my list of what I want an eye concealer to do.

Diorskin sculpt lifting smoothing concealer

The reason why I have been using this so much lately is that it is reaching it's shelf life. I have had this now for 2 years and realised it is time for me to use it up.  I am quite sad however that it is coming to it's end as I really love the colour of this concealer.  It gives my face a very clean finish. What I mean by that is that it really blends into the foundation that you have on and it just enhances and lightens up the area without looking like I have a different product on top of my foundation.  There is minimal blending involved and it really brightens up my face.  I've been finding areas of my skin that are darker than the rest and this does the job in concealing those.  I will definitely buy another one once this is finished.  I will say however that I do not like the applicator on this as it looks like a lip gloss wand.  It is totally useless but the product itself is great.

Dior nude foundation in 040

Rachel (my Dior SA) gave me this sample and I have been using it nonstop.  It is one notch above the bb cream in terms of coverage.  It is buildable and it gives you an amazing fresh dewy look.  I am not a beauty scientist, so I don't know the chemical compounds of foundation, but whatever it is, Dior knows how to make their products shimmer without being overly glittery (Chanel does this too).  It is a superb construction and I absolutely love it along with that trademark Dior scent.  I can not wait until the 11th for the Boots advantage points night, so that I can purchase this and rack some much needed points.  I am very excited about this product.  It looks like this came just in time as my bb cream and the Dior extreme foundation is coming to it's end soon.  Also...make sure you go a shade above what you usually take in the Dior foundations as these run much paler than the others.

Chanel illusions d'ombress in Mirifique

What can I say about this bad boy?  Ever since I saw the promo pics of the cream shadows, I have raved and raved about them. So I won't bore you guys again with my nonstop blabber about how these are my favourite cream shadows on the market.  I will say however that I use this as a gel eyeliner and that sparkle really makes my eyes pop.  I am in love with this and my MAC blacktrack has taken a back seat for awhile.  It is also lovely to use as an eyeliner and the smudge it slightly for a dramatic day time look.  

Benefit sugarbomb blush

This is another oldie but a goodie.  I pulled this one out again last month and I love the warm peachy and slightly pink blush for this time of year.  It is a perfect transition blush from summer to fall in my opinion.  

Dior shimmer powder in Amber Diamond

I don't know what I would do without this highlighter.  This has turned my dull face into a brightened and lively face in seconds.  The weather is awful here in England and I refuse to let that show on my face.  This shimmer powder has to be my #1 favourite item of the month.  It is such a chameleon (as it works with every skin tone) and blends beautifully into the skin.  I am so glad to hear that this once highly sought after/hard to find highlighter is now a permanent part of the Dior line.  Good move Dior!

Dior nude tan in 002

Ok. Ok. I know this sounds like a Dior month, but in all fairness, it wasn't intentional. I can't help it that all the Dior products have been the best performing products in my collection this month.  This was an impulse buy before my holiday as my skin was so pale and embarrassing that I knew that I needed something to fake a tan while I was abroad.  This is the first bronzer that has not made my face look muddy.  It is a few shades darker than my normal skin colour without being too orange or mud brown.  You know what I'm talking about all you fair skin ladies out there.  How many times did it look like you smeared mud on your face? I am so happy that I finally found a bronzer/contouring shade for my face.  It also comes in a beautiful silver case and an amazing little kabuki brush that I absolutely adore. Yes the price is steep but I have used it ever single day and do not plan on putting it down.  This one is bound to make the monthly favourites for quite some time now.

Tom Ford eyeshadow quad in Golden Mink

This next favourite was a huge huge lemming of mine for months.  I was able to obtain it through a swap with a lovely lady in the states. I officially can not afford to pay the amount of money that Tom Ford is asking for.  As much as I believe that this palette is worth every single penny, it's not something that I see myself shelling out in the near future.  Having said that, if you have some birthday money or you are just rich lol, you MUST get this palette. It is like the Bentley of nude palettes.  Urban Decay's naked palette wishes it could be this palette.  The four colours in this palette are silky divine goodness.  I thought I died and went to e/s heaven when I swiped this with my finger.  Other than Dior, I have not felt an eyeshadow so finely milled and luxurious.  I am absolutely in love.  One of the eyeshadows is very shimmery and glittery and perfect for that glammed out nighttime look, so you can easily use this palette for day-time and night-time.  I cherish this palette and really grateful for WM for swapping with me.

Last month was all about high end products, but this month has been all about more affordable beauty products.  I can not wait to show you all the new products that I have got this month, so stay tuned...

Nail Mail: Tom Ford Coral Blame & Illamasqua Selfridges Pantone 109 Set

There is something so exciting about nail mail.  I guess the cliche statement is true, great things come in small packages.  I should really name this old nail mail as I've been sitting on these two awesome polishes for quite some time. 

I've been wanting to try Tom Ford makeup items for quite sometime, but the price tag has scared me away.  I had an amazing swap on MUA and this beauty landed on my doorstep from the states.  As usual, it was cheaper there than there.

I requested Coral Blame as I am loving these coral, tangerine, bright colours this summer. I almost said spring as the UK is just now getting spring/summer weather (about time!).

The package exudes luxury from it's textured box to the Tom Ford golden logo'ed square bottle.  It's heavy and for some odd reason I equate expensive with heavy things (I apply this logic to handbags too). I'm so happy to have this polish despite not swatching it yet.

 

My photos made the box and cap look black, but it's a very dark dark brown in real life. 

it's very luxurious to say the least.

I'm so in love with anything Tom Ford at the moment, so I welcome this little piece of TF into the collection.  The formula looks creamy and absolutely amazing. I can't wait to swatch this one.

Retails £25 

The next polish was an exclusive set for Selfridges.  It is my favourite shop in the UK, and when I heard that one of my favourite brands was doing an exclusive set that featured a bright yellow, I just had to jump at getting it.

Retails £21 exclusively at Selfridges

 

The duo comes with Self and Scorch. I really bought this duo for Self, but the Illamasqua ad really won me over.  I love the contrast of two very bold colours. Superb!

 I have actually worn Self recently and I got loads of compliments and also loads of odd looks as this really is a solid bright yellow creme.  The only downside to Self is that it does stain, and yes I even wore a base coat.  It is still worth the colour pay off, so I will just spend extra time scrubbing my nails, that's how worth it the colour really is.

So these are my two newbies to the collection.  I'm trying not to splurge too much on polish at the moment as I'm saving up for the AW rococo bag, but when products like this come along, I am too weak to resist.

What have you gotten in the mail lately?

Tom Ford Ultra Shine Lip Gloss in 02 Rose Crush

Today's review is on a product that took me months to purchase.  It took me this long not only due to it's hefty price tag, but the fact that I couldn't make up my mind which colour and whether or not I should splurge on a lipgloss.  I'm sure many of you have been there.  You ooohhh and awwww at it online, you try to rationalize how you're going to afford it, and then you take a deep breath and quickly check out online as fast as you can before you change your mind :).  That was me for the last few months.  I must look at Tom Ford makeup on a daily basis online.  It's just beautiful to me, and yet it wasn't something that I was ready to spend my hard earned money on.  A year ago, an online friend graced me with some Tom Ford lipsticks, and the rest is history.  I just couldn't stomach the Tom Ford prices, but something kept drawing me to them.

So last week, I finally did it!  I said to myself "Sue, grow up! You need to stop being so wishy washy and just do the damn thing".  So I listened to myself and purchased a lip gloss.  I couldn't decide on the colour, so I decided on a colour that I would wear the most.  If I was going to spend this kind of money, I was going to get the most use out it as possible.  I eventually settled for Rose Crush.  It was the perfect subdued nudey pink that I could find for my skin tone.  I'm very glad that I did get it.

Let me show you the photos first, and then we shall discuss the lipgloss in more detail.

The sun was going down as I snapped this picture.  It is a bit warmer in person, but as you can see, it really is a lovely nude/pink shade.  

 

 

The lip gloss is slightly scented with a vanilla hint.  Instantly, I knew it was a familiar scent (MAC lipsticks).  It's not heavy, but it's definitely there.  Rose Crush was very opaque and pigmented.  I wasn't expecting that, but I was happily surprised.

Yes I could go on and on about how much I love the packaging, but that's a given right? We always expect a level of luxury when it comes to these higher end products.  So I'm sure you are wondering...Is it worth the money?  I guess it really depends on what you value.  If you are looking for luxury packaging, this has it.  If you are looking for a pigmented product, this has it.  It definitely isn't an economic purchase, nor will everyone find that it's worth this price, but for me, I find that it delivers everything that I wanted.  I don't know the next moment of insanity that I will have to purchase another one (looking at you Naked and Sahara Pink), but this is the best lip gloss that I have in my stash.  I do want to try an Armani lip gloss before I can say that this is THE best, but for now TF lip gloss reigns supreme amongst my other lippies.

Tom Ford can be purchased at luxury department stores such as Harrods, Selfridges, Neiman Marcus, and Saks.  This is not wallet friendly, but it's a little piece of heaven, especially if you love your lippies.

Next up is the Tom Ford eyeshadow quads.  I definitely don't have the budget to purchase it, so it's coming from the states through a swap, so it might be a few weeks before I can do a review.  So check back later for that review.

All I have to say is that I've been on a splurging spree. I got to chill.....and stat lol! 2 Guerlain lipsticks, this lip gloss, and I finally nabbed the Guerlain Cruel Gardenia off of evilbay.  Yep, my wallet is hating me right about now.  Plus, I want to get the new Chanel polish in Holiday next week as well.  I guess I will be packing my lunch all next week and the week after (and the week after that too lol). Chat with you all later :)

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TUNE OF THE DAY

and my jam!

Kraftwerk - Numbers

My Top 3 Tom Ford Nail Polish Picks in African Violet

Tom Ford has won my heart with his sleek packaging.  You put black and gold together with a modern minimalist twist, and I'm running for my wallet.

Selfridges just got them at a whopping £25, vs. $30 USD.  So act fast as some colours are going quicker than others.

Here are my three picks: African Violet, Carnal Red, and Flo Viper

 

If you like pinks and nudes, Tom Ford also has several shades in that arena.

I'm obviously steering clear of those.

I did see that African Violet was a bit lighter than the promo pics, so I'll have to go see for myself next week when I head to Selfridges.

Don't you just love these?????!!

New Tom Ford Eye Quad Collection

Available now at Selfridges, the new Tom Ford Collection is absolutely stunning, elegant, and mature.  It is the packaging and quality of the previous lipsticks that I own, that has me drooling over this collection.  

If I won the lotto, I would definitely have a huge vanity full of Tom Ford :)

Out of the collection that features: eye quads, lipsticks, lip gloss, eyeliners, foundations, brushes, and blushes; my favourite are the eye quads, blushes, and lipsticks.  Therefore, I have taken the time to show you all each colour, because I just think they are stunning. Don't get me wrong, they are all stunning, but these three products have peeked my interest.

So onto the eye quads.

They each retail £62.

Burnished Amber

Cobalt Rush

Cocoa Mirage

Cognac Sable

Crushed Amethyst

Golden Mink

Sahara Haze

Silvered Topaz

Titanium Smoke

Violet Dusk

New Tom Ford Cheek Color Blush Collection

Here are the very gorgeous Blushes from the new Tom Ford beauty collection. They are all available now at Selfridges for £45.  These are in stunning black and gold packaging, a huge allure for me. My favourite of this collection is Wicked.

Flush

Love Lust

Ravish

Savage

Wicked

New Tom Ford Lipstick Collection

Selfridges is now carrying the new Tom Ford Collection.  Here is the entire lipstick collection as seen on their website. I see some familiar colours, and I wonder if they changed them or just the case.  Either way, they are so luxurious.  Personally, I am eyeing Flamingo and Spanish Pink.

Black Orchid

Blush Nude

Casablanca

Cherry Lush

Coco Ravish

Crimson Noir

Deep Mink

Flamingo

Indian Rose

Nude Vanille

Pink Adobe

PInk Dusk

Scarlet Rouge

Spanish Pink

True Coral

Violet Fatale

Wild Ginger

Available now at a steep price tag of £36.  I was fortunate to be gifted a Tom Ford lipstick, and I honestly have to say that it is the best lip product in my collection, and I will be picking up another lipstick during Christmas.

The New Tom Ford Lipsticks

It is that time...the much anticipated Tom Ford beauty line is slowly starting to come out in stores.  I recently was shown the new colours that are out now 

Images taken from saks.com

The price has gone up to $48 USD (Yikes!)

It doesn't have seem to come to the UK, so we are just going to have to wait patiently...sigh. :)

Anyone pick any up? Or intend on picking these up?

Tom Ford's New Beauty Line Launching this Fall - I'm officially screwed!

Just when I thought I was getting a grip with my beauty obsession, I come across this news.

This fall, Tom Ford is coming out with a 130 beauty product line.

130?!?!?!!? It's bad enough I wanted ALL of his lipsticks, now I have to obsess about an entire line? My hopes is that it's crap, but I honestly doubt it, and to make things worse, look at this ad...

GORGEOUS!

STUNNING

Look at that beautiful packaging!!! He opted for black instead of white, and with gold. Black & Gold is my #1 favourite combination, I can't resist. My heart is beating too fast and what the heck is that? NAIL POLISH?!?!?! He's doing Nail polish now, just kill me. Just take my money now why don't you.

I'm super excited about this, can you guys tell?

I'm definitely interested in the eyeshadow quad and the Nail polishes.  Maybe I can convince my hubs it's an early christmas gift.

So if you are interested like me, here is the low-down on this new line

*Launching in September
* 130 pieces ranging from $30-$250
God knows what it will be in the U.K. - I'm almost afraid to find out
* Available in Tom Ford stores, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, and Saks
* In the U.K. - Available at Harvey Nichols and Selfridges

Bon voyage gifts - TOM FORD Private Blend Lip Color in Blush Nude, Cherry Lush, and Pink Dusk

I have a sweet sweet online friend of mine who sent me a lovely gift in the mail.
I was blown away by the awesome package, and want to thank my friend for thinking of me - especially during this crucial time in my life.  This bon voyage gift contained tons of goodies, but I wanted to review my favorite items.

TADAH....

Not only are they my biggest lemmings this season, but my #1 favorite lipsticks now.

TOM FORD lipsticks are to Die for! I can see why people are spending $45 each for these lipsticks.  They are creamy, moisturizing, pleasantly scented and absolutely gorgeous in their white and gold cases.  They scream luxury and deliver luxury to your lips as well.

I was given Cherry lush, Beige Nude, and Pink Dusk.  All 3 colors are gorgeous and very different and yet all flatter me.

Cherry Lush is a blue toned hollywood red.  I have been searching for a bright red for so long and this one suits me so well.

Beige nude is a clean beige nude.  It isn't muddy and contains enough pink to not wash me out.  So in love lol

Pink Dusk is such a mature pink color.  I don't look like I'm trying to be 15 with pink lipstick.  It is a wonderful blend when you mix it with Beige nude.  It is so neutral and glistening. I can't rave about these enough......seriously.

I love these so much, that I have decided that once I am done with all the lipsticks that I currently own, that Tom Ford will be the only lipsticks that I will purchase for myself.

A little piece of heaven in a lipstick tube and I am content.
ahhhh......now only if you weren't $45/tube lol