The New Thing: Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm, Elusive

I don't think I'm going to be saving any money anytime soon! The Boots '3 for 2' offer got me again... Remember my latest Wish List, that left me pining for a Revlon Colorburst Matte Balms? Well, I picked up the shade 'Elusive' a week or so ago and I'm impressed.

'Elusive' is a really wearable pink, and perfect for Spring in my eyes. Revlon seem to have perfected a matte offering that doesn't leave your lips feeling chalky- instead they're oh-so-smooth, no flaking in sight. I'm also in love with it's fresh, minty scent. Definitely a nice change from some of the funky scents my other lip products have. 

They're super easy to apply and touch up, and they sit comfy on my lips. I definitely want to go back and scout out the rest of the collection- there's a peachy orange I have my eyes on. 

NOTD: Luxedo

Last week I visited the shops for a bit of a search through the sales, and only bought one thing that was actually in the sales. This Essie polish isn't it, but that doesn't matter because it's so pretty that I couldn't resist. Luxedo is a polish that I've heard lots of people rave about, and it's just as pretty in person. It's reminiscent of Chanel's Vendetta, (remember how much I went on about that one?) minus the little bit of shimmer it has. 

With two coats it comes out much more black than I thought it would, but when it catches the light it's a gorgeous plum colour. The two coats lasted about 3 or 4 days before I saw a chip. Pretty good to say that I couldn't be bothered with a top coat. The formula is lovely, and the brush is that perfect size- just big enough to cover the nail in two oh-so-easy swipes. 

Have you ever tried an Essie polish? (If not, why not?) 

Great Photos, Beauty and Writing #4

Great Photos, Beauty and Writing #4 by rubysterland 

Great Photos- Fashion Envious- Cross My Heart. I've been loving reading Mariana's blog at the minute, her outfits are always brilliant and her editing always looks great! Definitely check out her blog for inspiration.

Great Beauty- I Covett Thee- Chanel Rouge Noir. It turns out I'm not the only one who'll forgive Chanel's polishes for being prone to chipping. I'm in love with this colour and Alix's blog. Check out her YouTube channel too! 

Great Writing- Kerralina- The University Diaries. You'll have seen me write about Kerralina before. I love reading all her little anecdotes, and this one about starting university is no exception. 

WOMF #3

This face was so simple, it didn't even take me 10 minutes. I kept my face really bare (no bronzer/contouring, just a little blush) and focused on the eyes.

I blended Rimmel Match Perfection in Light Porcelain using my fingers to create a base, and then took the Natural Collection Cover-Up Cream in Fair under my eyes and on any blemishes. This was blended in using a fluffy brush. The colour selction for the concealer is pretty awful to say the least (I think there might be 3??) but I'd heard it's got good coverage and I wanted to try this range which I'm new to. Luckily, it matches me pretty well, and yep, I can confirm that it does cover my dark circles, really well in fact. (It's just a shame that the packaging isn't nicer, but I guess you get what you pay, right?) 

I used my fingers to dab a little of the Bourjois Cream Blush in Rose Tender on the apples of my cheeks, and my base was done! Now to the eyes... I cracked out the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze, which I blended out with a fluffy eye-shadow brush. I used the Natural Collection Liquid Eyeliner to thicken my lash line, then the trusty They're Real by Benefit on my lashes. I was quite impressed by the eyeliner too, the brush was tiny which meant it's really easy to use. I left my lips bare, and that's it, done. 

What's your usual make-up routine? Would you try something like this, or would you add in a bit of contour and something on the lips? Let me know in the comments!

WOMF #2

Here's another WOMF offering, inspired by Scarlett Johansson's cover for this month's Harper's Bazaar UK. I'm never been a red lip kinda gal, but I think this changed today. I'm wearing Rouge G de Guerlain in Girly. It's a gorgeous cherry red, although maybe not quite as vampy as Scarlett's lips. The texture is really nice- as you would expect with a high end lipstick. It's creamy and really pigmented, but I was really easy to perfect and clean up any smudges. (Basically, my whole chin wasn't left looking red) 

As usual, I used Rimmel Match Perfection in Light Porcelain, with the 17 Hide Away Concealer in Fair under my eyes and on any blemishes. No.7 Natural Blush Tint in Honey is a peachy, brown blusher which works really nicely for contouring. I applied it sparsely- it can build up to be quite orange! I bought it up to my temples to try and recreate Scarlett's bronzed complexion. 

I went back to my The Rich is Back palette by Benefit, and started off with a base of Disco Dust, the lightest colour. Then I swept Get Down Brown all over my lid, and Solid Gold in the middle of my lid. I wanted there to be a hint of purple, so lightly patted a Korres eyeshadow, Plum, in my creases, and blended it out. Finally, I layered on the They're Real mascara from Benefit. 

What do you all think? It's more than I would usually wear, (I'm not really that much of an eyeshadow girl) but having said that, I love this look! Change ain't always a bad thing, I guess. 

NOTD: Lychee and Sour Apple

If you read my last post, you'll know that I love a textured nail polish every now and again, even if my nails don't. You'll also know that I got this new beauty to for my birthday, and it was only a matter of time until I tried it out! 

It's Sour Apple by Barry M, and is described as a confetti effect polish. The polish is clear, but there are tiny flecks of turquoise and neon yellow in there, which I think have a really striking effect. I toned it down a little with my favourite nude, Lychee. I've waxed lyrical about this polish and my seemingly undying love for it, all of which you can read about here. 

I'm all ready for Autumn and to me, this looks more like a spring/ summer colour, but who cares, it's so darn pretty. I have yet to try and remove the stuff though- and something's telling me that it ain't gonna be easy. 

August Favourites

 I haven't really tried tried anything new beauty-wise that can merit being called a 'favourite' of the month, purely because I haven't had time to use them enough! However, there have been a few things that I kept coming back to over the past month. 

Shirt, Afflecks Palace- I bought this a few months back from a little independent store in Affleck's Palace, Manchester. It looks great with a pair of black skinnies and can be dressed up too! It's a little bit different which is why I love it. It featured in an outfit post a month or two back, which you can see here. 

Wish Bone & Feather Necklace, H&M- These two bracelets are both so delicate and pretty. I usually like big, chunky necklaces but these look really pretty together, and because of their neutral colour I can wear them with everything! 

Rose Necklace, New Look- I've had this necklace for a year or two and it's a favourite of mine. I like wearing it with a button down shirt, see my post Blue x 2.  

Beau Jardin Hand Cream*- This stuff smells so good. The fragrance is 'Citrus Grove', which has Limes, Lemons and Oranges in it. It also makes the claim of having no sulphates or parabins, which is pretty handy. Oh lord, I apologise for that joke, I regret it already... 

That's it for this month, but what have you been loving? Let me know in the comments!

*PR Sample

Wearing: Vendetta

I can't believe I've never blogged about this nail polish. Along with a few pastels and nudes, it's my favourite nail polish colour. It's purple, almost black colour means that I only wear it in Autumn and Winter so I have to admit, it feels a bit strange to be wearing it mid August, but I couldn't resist any longer. 

This polish was a birthday present from a friend a few years ago and I've used it so much it's not far away from running out. *cries* It's the only high-end nail polish I own so I'll probably still keep it once it's all gone, just because the packaging is so pretty and I'm a sucker for it. I like a really opaque colour on my nails and for that you would definitely need two coats, but its finish is really glossy and in theory, you could get away without a top coat, if only it were more chip resistant! Having said that, I couldn't say a bad word about this nail polish (even though I have £4 polishes which are more chip resistant). 

Wish List: 21/08/13

Wish List: 21/08/13 by rubysterland 

Spiked Rhinestone Necklace, Forever 21- I love me some rose gold so this ticks the box. When I was last in London I spent a long time in Forever 21 and I wish I had bought some jewellery from there, because there is a LOT of jewellery in there.

Mighty Black Leather Zip Boots, Topshop- Woah, that's a long name. I already have a pair of black heeled boots but hey, can you ever have too many? Topshop have some very tempting boots at the minute and the next are no exception.

High Top Wedge Trainers, Topshop- I've been umming and aaahing over these for a while now: I could never decide if I liked them enough to buy them. In the end I decided that yep, I like. They look super comfy and I can't say no to a pair of comfy heels.

Jersey Dress, H&M- Carly from the blog A Walk In The Park wore this in her latest post, which I read this morning. She looked amazing in it and I'm a cat person, so it makes perfect sense that I need this.

Contrast Embroidery Oblong Shirt, Marks and Spencer- Marks and Spencer isn't really somewhere I would shop (for amyone unfamiliar with it, their target market is probably twice my age...), but they were featured in the August edition of Vogue, so of course I headed over to their website. This would be great with black skinnies and the Topshop ankle boots/ sneakers.

Jersey Top, H&M- H&M have some great pieces at the minute and I always go there for basics like this tank top. I tried one on recently and the fit is really flattering- it doesn't drown you. I'm definitely going back to get a few of these.

Nail Polish in 573 Accessoire, Chanel- Red nail polish isn't something I would usually go for, I tend to shy away from the bright colours. This oxblood, purple red would look really nice in Autumn  and Winter, which is when I branch out to darker colours. I think this one might be staying on the Wish List, so I'm looking for a dupe!

Nail Polish in Bit Faker, Butter London- Damn you beauty bloggers, you're such enablers. Anna from Vivianna does Makeup is responsible for this one. I like a bit of glitter and this bronze-y brown isn't too bright for me, I think it will go with everything this Autumn/Winter.

Great Photos, Beauty and Writing #2

Great Photos- Classy Girls Wear Pearls- I Like Large Parties. First of all, a great name for a blog. Secondly, always great photos. I especially love these though. From the cute little headbands and Great Gatsby-esque style to the energy captured. These are the kind of parties I need to be going to! 

Great Writing- Kerralina- Escape. Kerry's blog is awesome for making me stop and think. This post was no exception- even though the subject was running. (something I don't have much of a passion for). However I've decided that, even though it'll be an ugly sight, I'm going to go for a run tomorrow morning. Yep, you heard it here first. I guess now it's on the blog I've got to do it. Follow me on twitter to find out how it goes...

Great Beauty- Amelia Beauty- Top 5 Summer Nail Shades. I really should not be allowed to read posts like these because I've recently developed a huge weakness for nail polishes. I have my eyes on that gorgeous lilac by Butter London, because you can never have enough lilacs, right? 

Let me know who's blogs you're all reading this weekend- I always love finding new ones! 

Meeting Lily Pebbles! (+ Anna & Amelia Liana)

Before I get to the exciting part, I'm so sorry! I've been climbing the walls because I haven't blogged since Monday. Some of you might think that I'm a bit sad to be stressed out by this but seriously, the most I go without a new post is normally two days, not four. So please accept my apologies- and I hope this was worth waiting for! 

Talk about serendipity- the week I'm in London and I get to meet some of my favourite beauty bloggers. Last night John Lewis hosted an event with Grazia magazine and Lily Pebbles, who writes her blog What I Heart Today. I dashed from work to get to John Lewis to hear Lily and the Grazia girls talk about their summer beauty picks.

After the talk we had time to mill around, get our nails done, and have a chat about all things beauty with Lily. Surprise surprise, Lily's beauty-blogging friends Anna from Vivianna Does Makeup and Amelia Liana from Liana Beauty came along too! We chatted favourites of the month, nail colours, skincare, haircare- it was THE best. Like typical bloggers, we also talked about things like scheduling posts and organising your blog (I obviously need to take their advice on board and schedule more...) 

I met two other fab bloggers- Simmi from the his and hers blog Made in Marylebone and Georgina, who writes her blog Forks and Brushes. I think you might be able to tell that I had loads of fun, and I still can't believe I got to meet my favourite bloggers and have the most friendly chat with them, it feels kinda surreal. 

I cannot believe what a mess my hair is- this is me post London Underground rush, with no straighteners either- eeek.

Wish List: 22/07/13

Wish List: 22/07/13 by rubysterland 

 Here are a few beautiful things I wish I owned. (If only my bank account were larger.) Although, maybe that's a good thing, because I'm not sure I would know when to stop if that were the case.

Colour Block Bowler Bag, Topshop- I love pastel colours and the boxy shape of this bag. I'm always drawn to big bags, which probably does my back no good because I manage to pack everything into my handbags. (Things get lost in there)

Color Tattoo, Maybelline (in On and On Bronze)- I've heard so many good things about this range so I don't know why I haven't tried them for myself already. I think the bronze is a really pretty, subtle colour, so that's the one I would go for.

Double Blouse, Zara- I love these delicate v-neck tops, I think they look so simple but really flattering. With all the crazy warm weather in the UK, I think it's light enough to get away with.

Printed Jumpsuit, Zara- This is in the sale so I'm going to have to be quick to get it. I think it looks so comfy, but the silky material means you can dress it up too. It also looks like a pyjama, and if I could I would live in my pyjamas, so this is close enough.

Stuck In Love- I went to see this movie at the cinema and I loooved it. I would definitely recommend that you watch it- it's funny, sad, and full of relationships and also books, because the protagonists are all authors. 

The Holiday Picks

Solana Beach Body Mist & Moisteriser- Hollister

Shades- New Look

Gelly Nail Polish in Greenberry- Barry M

Shorts- Fat Face

When I go on holiday I wear shorts and a t shirt 90% of the time. I keep it simple with bright nails (Barry M have some gorgeous summer colours, and there's no guilt because they're super affordable!) I choose one fragrance for the week and this time it's Solana Beach  by Hollister. Make up is minimal (as usual) and I keep skin looking fresh by using a BB Cream rather than Foundation. 

T-Shirts- Primark

Flower Print Bikini Bottoms- Next

Watch- River Island

BB Cream- Garnier

June Favourites

1) White Crochet Top- H&M- I've had this for over a year but I've gotten so much wear out of it, especially recently! It's really versatile, I've been wearing it with shorts, jeans and it goes with smart trousers too.

2) Hand Food- Soap and Glory- I love Soap and Glory products and this is one of my favourites. It smells good and doesn't leave hands feeling greasy.

3) Necklace- River Island- I've worn this lots recently!

4) Skin Food- Weleda- I've been suffering with the joys of a cold over the past few weeks and my skin has been needing extra nourishment. I know this was in last month's favourites but it's such a great, multi-purpose moisturiser.

5) Summer Glow- Dove- Thanks to the English weather, I tend to stay pale all the way through summer. This is my go to product because it's so gradual that I think you could call it fool proof. I've never had a streak. I recently (very briefly) strayed away to try a Fake Bake gradual tanner and got streaks on the first use, so would definitely recommend Summer Glow by Dove.

6) Vanilla Cinnamon Shower Gel- Korres- My mum went to Greece a few months back and bought this back as a present. I've nearly finished using it and love it. Okay, it smells like Winter but I don't care, I'm going to use it even though it's Summer, it smells THAT good.

7) Berry Ice Cream- Barry M- Another thing I've had for ages. It's just a cute lilac for summer.

8) The Sartorialist- Scott Schuman- I'm always catching up with The Sartorialist's blog and love his work. This book is a great reference book and is a great place to find inspiration.