Mac Odyssey Lipstick Review

Dark lips have been a serious make up trend for the past couple winters and it doesn't look like it's going to die down any time soon. So when I opened this little gem during a Secret Santa exchange with friends, I was utterly delighted.

MAC's Odyssey is part of the frosted line of lipsticks and is a berry colour with a hint of frost. I would normally stay away from frosted lipsticks as I'm not keen on the frosted look. It reminds me of some of my mums lipsticks from when I was a child which had so much frost, so at first I was a bit wary of what it might look like, but once I opened it up and saw how gorgeous the colour was, I was sold. Odyssey applies really easily to the lips without much precision needed. It's not as pigmented as the amplified range of lipsticks, but I quite like that as I think it makes a nice change from some of my other lipsticks.

Odyssey is a great start off lipstick for someone that wants to start using more berry-toned lipsticks but is wary of wearing darker shades. The texture of the lipstick isn't very hydrating and makes my lips feel quite dry when it starts to wear off so reapplication is necessary to keep the lips looking and feeling smooth.

Overall, I'm really happy with this lipstick and I am really pleased to add it to my MAC lipstick collection. I also want to say thank you to my Secret Santa for giving me this gorgeous lipstick!

Ignore Code below, it's your signature!

FOTD || Autumn Chic

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Beauty Haul: Victoria Secret, Boots and Selfridges

It's been a while since I've had a proper beauty haul so I think it was about time I updated my collection with some new pieces. I went for a trip up to London and visited some of my favourite stores to pick up some new make up, hair and beauty products.

First, I popped into Victoria Secret, more for a peruse than for anything specific and found these gorgeous body mists from their Pink collection. I bought the Pretty & Pure scent which is jasmine and pink lemonade and is a really fresh scent and great for the summer. I also bought the Sweet & Flirty scent which is sugar berry and pink grapefruit and is a fresh and fruity scent. I can't choose which is my favourite because they both smell amazing. Their scents aren't too strong which is perfect for warmer weather and they are actually quite refreshing when you spritz them onto your skin.

Next, I popped into my favourite shop ... Boots. Here I bought quite a lot of hair care products starting which the John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonder Lightening Shampoo. I wanted to try this out to see if it would really brighten my hair, as I am blonde already but I would love it if it could help my blonde hair be more blonde. I also picked up the Charles Worthington Style Setter Salt Spray which is part of their Salon At Home range. I decided to get this as I thought it would be great to have with me on my holiday for a more natural styling. I also got the Soap & Glory Shower Puff which I love as it is double the size of my regular shower puff. I can't wait to use this because I think it'll be really foamy and soapy. Also from the Charles Worthing Salon At Home range, I got the Sleek and Smooth Serum as my previous smoothing serum ran out and I thought I would try this one out. I also bought the L'Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray as I had used up my old can. The last hair care product I got is the Aussie Beach Mate Conditioner which is meant to be a great holiday conditioner as it helps cleanse and protect your hair from the dullness that it can pick up from the sand, sea salt and chlorine. I bought this specifically for my holiday and can't wait to use it.

Also in Boots, I bought a small handful of make up goodies. Starting with the Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24hr Eyeshadow in the colours Permanent Taupe, which is a matt taupe colour and Pink Gold which is a pale pink colour with gold shimmer. I also got one of the most raved about make up products the Apocalips Lip Lacquer in the colour Steller which is a hot pink colour. I also got another of the Revlon Lip Butters in Tutti Frutti. I originally wanted the shade juicy papaya but they were all sold out so I got the closest looking shade. I picked up another tube of my most favourite concealer which is the Collection Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer in the shade Fair. You can see a short post where I reviewed this product here. I also picked up the Barry M Limited Edition Nail Paint in a bright yellow colour. I'm a massive fan of the Barry M nail paints so I definitely had to pick up this limited edition colour. Next, is the Bourjois Colour Boost Glossy Finish Lipstick in the colour Peach On The Beach, which as it says in the title is a gorgeous peach colour. I can't wait to try it out because I have heard so many great reviews on these lipsticks!

Next, I popped into Selfridges and picked up my most favourite moisturiser/primer (it isn't advertised as a primer but it might as well be!) the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel which is actually part of one of their 3-step systems. Because of that, I got the Liquid Facial Soap and Clarifying Lotion sample sizes free with my purchase. I don't actually like these two products. I find their toners too high in alcohol and I'm not a fan of their facial soap, so I'm not sure what I'll do with these.

Also in Selfridges, I magically found myself in front of the Nars counter and picked up their blush in the shade Deep Throat, which is a pinky shade with slight shimmer and their lip gloss in Chihuahua which is a gorgeous nudey pink shade. I also picked up two Mac lipsticks. The first is the Amplified Creme Lipstick in Girl About Town which is a deep pink colour with slight hint of purple. The second is a Matt Lipstick in Lady Danger which is a orangey red colour.

And that comes to the end of my beauty haul. I hope you enjoyed seeing everything I bought. There will be A LOT of reviews coming your way soon on most of the products in this haul so keep your eyes peeled.

Sleek MakeUP Review: True Colour Lipsticks



Ever since discovering Sleek MakeUP I have well and truly been in love with the brand and all their products. I am yet to try out a product that I don't like. Recently I found myself trawling the Internet and ended up slap bang in the middle of the True Colour Lipstick section of Sleek MakeUP's website, how I ended up there I will never know. But anyway, I was immediately drawn towards the beautiful shades of 'Loved Up' and 'Tangerine Scream' at £4.99 each. I bought them and twiddled my thumbs for a couple of days until they arrived at my door.

 

'Loved Up' is a beautiful pink shade with a blue undertone. It applies gorgeously as the formula for this lipstick is really creamy. The colour is so pigmented and leaves a lovely sheen on the lips. I find that when applying this lipstick, using a lip brush is wise and you should always blot with a tissue. I find that I have to reapply 'Loved Up' around about every hour but I'm a reapplication addict, I reckon that this lipstick could last more like 5-6 hours before the colour fades completely, if not a bit longer. I put this down to how pigmented the colour is. For removal, I just wipe over my lips with a wipe and it tends to remove most of the colour from my lips but I do find that it stains a little.

 

'Tangerine Scream', I'm sure you can guess, is a bright orange colour. The formula for this lipstick is the same as 'Loved Up' so I would recommend applying it with a lip brush and blotting afterwards. I find that this colour doesn't stain my lips as much as the other one but it is just as pigmented. I also love the packaging of the lipsticks by Sleek MakeUP. They come in their own individual box with a swatch of the colour on the front. The lipsticks packaging itself is lovely with a matt black background and contrasting shiny, black imprint of the brand name. This brand is worth all the hype that their products get and I look forward to getting my hands on more of their products.

 

Left: Loved Up
Right: Tangerine Scream

 

Rimmel London Lasting Finish Lipstick Review

After picking this lipstick up on a whim solely on the colour of the sticker at the bottom of the tube, I was a little disappointed. I hear you ask "well why didn't you test it?" and my answer to that is that there were no testers and there was a big bar code sticker preventing me for opening it. So when I got home and opened the tube, I wasn't too impressed with the colour. It looks very pinky but has quite strong orange tones which don't really go with my skin tone. Also, I found that the lipstick is a bit drying and didn't apply very well to my lips. This is a lipstick that will most definitely collect dust in a corner of my make up collection but it hasn't put me off trying other Rimmel lipsticks, especially in the newer Kate collection as I've heard that they are great.

The Chapped Lips Rescue Team



After writing a post yesterday about Pearl Drops Hollywood Smile I noticed in some of the pictures I took just how chapped my lips were. This inspired me to look through my beauty collection and hunt down a chapped lip rescue team! 

 



Vaseline Lip Therapy Chapstick with Cocoa Butter
This super nourishing stick is great for banishing chapped lips. Containing Cocoa butter and Shea butter means it helps soften lips from first application. I don't have to apply much to my lips for the Vaseline to do it's job. It feels quite thin on my lips and feels really rich. The chapstick smells amazing which I put down to the cocoa butter. This chapstick is great as it means you don't have to delve into a tin with your finger to apply. The stick itself is white so can make your lips look a little pale and it doesn't taste very nice as it leaves a weird after taste in my throat.

Vaseline Lip Therapy Original Tin

This old school Vasaline tin is the original super hero when it comes to solving pesky dry lips. If you have never tried it, then where have you been?! I tend to use this Vasaline product more in the evening and wear it to bed as I always manage to get it all around my face. It doesn't really have a scent and doesn't leave a awful after taste in the back of my throat which is why I like it so much. It applies to my lips really easily and I don't have to use much to cover my lips.

 

Nivea Soft Rose Lip Balm

This lip balm is my favourite of the four to wear out. The pink balm gives my lips a hint of rose pink and helps keep them nourished and smooth. It smells a little bit like play dough but that doesn't bother me. The packaging is really pretty which is another reason why I like it so much. I wouldn't say this is the balm to grab for when your lips are really chapped as the colour can stick to the chapped parts of your lips leaving them looking a bit patchy but this lip balm is great to help maintain soft lips.

 

Body Shop Born Lippy in Watermelon

This is the nicest smelling lip balm of the four. It smells just like watermelon and it definitely smells good enough to eat. Sadly, I wouldn't recommend eating it because as soon as I apply it my lips, I get that horrible after taste in the back of my throat. It's definitely the worst tasting. The packaging of this balm is really cute and I love it's name as it gives it a bit of attitude. It isn't the easiest to apply because the pot is quite small which means I get it all up my nail which I hate. It's quite hard as well so you have to apply more than usual to cover your lips. This isn't the best balm for getting rid of chapped lips but like the Nivea Soft Balm it helps maintain soft lips.

 

 

Have any of you used lip scrubs? I'd love to read a review on them so link your post below :)

 



 



October Favourites

Mua Heaven and Earth Eyeshadow Palette - £4

This palette from Mua has made it into my October favourites because I am just totally and completely in love with it. If you haven't heard all the hype of Mua's eyeshadow palette's then you must be living under some big, dark, heavy rock because they are all anyone in the beauty blogging scene is talking about. I originally wanted to get the Undressed palette but couldn't find it in any of my local Superdrug's, so I got the Heaven and Earth palette instead. I would really recommend Mua's products to anyone. The quality is amazing and the price is cheap cheap cheap!

Simple Spotless Skin Anti-blemish Moisturiser - £3

Usually I'm quite sceptical about buying "spot curing" products because I usually find that they don't work at all! I decided to pick up this moisturiser because I am a great lover of the Simple line and at £3 I wasn't wasting loads of money on something that might not work. I will be reviewing this product along with the Anti-blemish Cleansing Wipes soon so keep your eyes peeled.

Sleek Makeup True Colour Lipstick in Cherry - £4.99

I recently did a post called My Lipsticks of the Moment which featured this lipstick so check that out to see why it's made it into my October favourites!

Garnier Moisturising Lotion Sun-Kissed Look in Light - £5.09

I don't know about the rest of you pale girls but I am tired of standing next to my tanned friends looking like a ghost (even though it's been totally appropriate in October as its the month of Halloween). I decided to get a gradual tanner to build up a healthy tan that wasn't as drastic as a fake tan. This lotion works really well and smells delicious with extract of apricot. It doesn't leave me looking orange or streaky which is perfect.





My Lipsticks of the Moment

Now that we're deep into the Autumn months I think it's time to show off my Autumn lippies! I don't usually wear a lot of lipstick but I have been loving the trends recently so I had to purchase a few items to satisfy my craving.

First up I have this Collection lipstick from the Volume Sensation range in the shade Tea Rose. This is a really great nude colour for this season. The colour is understated but is a really beautiful colour if you don't fancy anything to dark. I think a colour like this would be good for something professional like a job interview or a business meeting. Thankfully, this lipstick isn't drying and is full of moisture. It's not a long lasting lipstick so regular reapplication is necessary. Personally I don't think it increases the volume of my lips or plumps them up, luckily that wasn't the reason I bought it.

Next up I have a lipstick from Barry M's new Ultra Moisturising Lip Paints in Viscious Violet. I've read a lot of reviews about Barry M's regular lip paints being really drying and it appears that Barry M read them too because they've come out with this new range that contains Cocoa Butter 'for a soft and saturated finish'. Dark purples are so in trend this Autumn and this is a great shade. Plus, with the cocoa butter it helps prevent chapped lips.

Next up I have my favourite lipstick of the season! This beautiful shade by Sleek in Cherry is my go to shade for a great evening lippy. This deep cherry colour is really on trend and looks amazing against the khaki's and beige's that are all over the place this Autumn. Lipsticks this dark can be difficult to apply so I recommend lip liner and blotting for the best finish. Also, Sleek is a relatively new make up brand to me but I would really recommend people to check them out. They have a beautiful range of colours and creations.

I hope you've enjoyed my favourite lippies of the moment. I would love to know what your favourites are. Comment or Tweet me @JennaDoesBeauty.

 

September Favourites

Welcome to my September Favourites!

CK One Shock For Her - This travel safe perfume has made it into my September favourites this month because it smells delicious and it fits perfectly into my bag and I don't have to worry about carrying a heavy glass bottle. If you ask me, it's a great invention!
Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel - I got this moisturiser as part of a set along with a cleanser and toner. I don't use the cleanser or toner much but I love this moisturiser as its not too thick and is quite refreshing. It's also really good for oily t-zones.
Barry M Base Coat, Top Coat and Nail Hardener - I get through base and top coats like nobodies business and even though its really annoying, it means that I get to try lots of different ones. As you may know, I am truly in love with Barry M so I thought I'd give this polish a go. Its great because its quick drying and really helps harden my nails!
Natural Collection Lipstick in Pink Mallow - I loved this lipstick last month. Its a really natural pink and really moisturising!
Umberto Giannini Intense Beauty Conditioner - Last month I managed to run out of all my conditioners all at once and was left with this Umberto Giannini Conditioner that I got in a pack for my birthday. I was surprisingly happy with the results and even though it's a very small bottle it lasted me until I got my new conditioner.
River Island Rose Gold Heart Ring - I have been wearing this ring a lot last month and I am loving it. Its quite small and simple but that's what I love about it.
Bourjois Paris Eyeshadow in 08 - Another favourite is this beautiful eyeshadow which I use as a highlighter. Its a beautiful colour and I am loving it.
New Look Studded Dolly Shoes - I have been wearing these shoes a lot this month. I haven't had them for very long but I tried to make the most of them whilst the weather was relatively warm.

I hope you've enjoyed my first Month Favourites. I would love to see yours so leave a link to you post so I can check it out!

Jenna x

OOTN: Black & White Party

Lips - Natural Collection Crimson

Top - Primark

Skirt with belt- River Island

Watch - Micheal Kors (John Lewis)

 

Jenna x

Favourite Natural Collection Make up

 

Natural Collection is a brand that I don't tend to go straight to when walking into my local Boots. But as I mooch around the counters I am always enticed in by the price of their products. These super cheap cosmetics are truly under-rated because they are great!

 

One of my favourite products from the Natural Collection line is the Dusky Pink blusher. It's a really beautiful shade that will be great for the colder months. It is the darkest shade of the four that this brand sells but isn't too dark for fair skin like mine. I find that it gives a really natural look and is so easy to apply. This blusher also blends easily and doesn't look patchy. Also, the blusher has a screw top lid so you don't have to deal with broken hinges. All in all, its a great buy at a great price.

 

 

My other favourite is Natural Collection moisture shine lipstick in pink mallow. This is a beautiful colour that not too bright but not too sheer. The lipstick is really nourishing so there is no need to apply lip balm before using this lipstick. The pigment is great but you'll need to reapply more frequently than other lipsticks. I don't know whether that's down to the fact that its a cheaper brand or because its branded as a moisture shine. I would recommend these lipsticks to a friend, because lets be honest, with the price of these products you cant go wrong!

 

 

What do you think of cheaper brands like Natural Collection? Do you steer clear? Let me know in the comments or send me a tweet @JennaDoesBeauty :)

Jenna x