Packed To Go?

Leaving on a jet plane? Not before you’ve checked out MAC’s new limited edition travel collection – Packed To Go!

The collection contains everything you should need to fill your chic travel make up bag. Featuring gorgeous face kits, eye, cheek and lip trios and brush bags – perfect for those all important touch ups on the go.

It’s a while since I’ve been super excited by one of Mac’s collections, but this one’s ticking all the boxes. Look in a Box kits are pretty genius and as the name suggests contains everything you need to create a gorgeous themed look… in one box. The eyes, the lips, the cheeks – it’s all taken care of, everything except the foundation and at £36.50, they’re pretty good value.

• Girl Next Door – 2 Eye Shadows in Grand Entrance and Smoke & Diamonds, Iridescent Powder in Belightful, Cremesheen Glass in Deelight and Zoom Lash Mascara in Zoom Black
• A Very Stylish Girl – 2 Eye Shadow in Dreammaker and Glamour Check, Bronzing Powder in Golden, Cremesheen Glass in Looks Like Sin and Zoom Lash Mascara in Zoomblack
• Rocker Chick – 2 Eye Shadow in Electra and Black Tied, Lipstick in Hue, Lipglass in Oyster Girl, Eye Kohl in Smolder and Dazzle Lash Mascara in Black Dazzle

Packed to go Eye products

• Packed to Go: Assorted Black Eyeliners – Power Point Eye Pencil in Engraved, Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline and Penultimate Eye Liner in Rapidblack £27.50
• Packed to Go: 6 Warm Smoky Eyeshadows – Shroom, Naked Lunch, Greensmoke, Tempting, Showstopper and Stormy Love £29.50
• Packed to Go: 6 Cool Smoky Eyeshadows – Satin Taupe, Beauty Marked, Carbon, Seedy Pearl, Tendersmoke and A Brown Suit £29.50

Packed to go Lip products

• Packed to Go: Lipstick in Pretty Please, Plumful and Hug Me £28.5o
• MAC Packed to Go: Cremesheens in Boy Bait, Over Indulgence and Double Dare £32.50
• MAC Packed to Go: Lipglasses in C-Thru, Lust and Cultured £27.50

 

 

MAC Packed to Go: 4 Lips & Pressed Powder – contains Lipglosses in Poetic License, Rosehips, Riviera Ready and Quick Change along with Iridescent Powder in Belightful £29.50

Brushes

• Packed to Go: 5 Define & Blend Brushes – 129SE Powder/Blush Brush, 190SE Foundation Brush, 224 SE Tapered Blending Brush, 242SE Shader Brush and the 266 SE Small Angle Brush £39.50
• Packed to Go: 5 Shape & Perfect Brush Bag – 168SE Large Angled Contour Brush, 187SE Duo Fibre Brush, 212SE Flat Definer Brush and 275SE Medium Angled Shading Brush £39.50

And even if you’re not travelling, in fact, especially if you’re not travelling you deserve a little treat and some of these sets are really good value.  Available online.

Tropical Nails

The good old British summer is shaping up to be another washout, but don’t let that put you off embracing all things bright and beautiful. Just a couple of months from now, the days will be short, the nights will be dark; skin will be paler, cold sores and chapped lips will come a calling and dare I say the C word…..Christmas will be looming.

 

With that in mind I’m trying to make the most of this so called summer before it’s too late…. so I decided to “pimp” my nails. Revlon’s Tropical Temptation SCREAMS summer! I have been searching for a perfect coral shade for ages, and whilst this might not quite be it, it’s still striking.

2 coats

It’s a beautiful orangey coral – with hints of bublegum pink – depending on the light. It’s really bright and very opaque. The finish is glossy, but not what I’d describe as “jelly”. Although it’s highly pigmented it did apply a little streaky. It took three coats to achieve an even coverage, but it was worth it! The colour is very striking and eye catching – and still going strong after 5 days.

3 coats

Picture with flash is probably the best representation of the colour

With flash

 

Right now save £2 at Boots – Normally £6.29, currently £4.29

Holiday Beauty Essentials

Whether you’re going abroad or just kicking back in your garden, we all love a bit of sun! But with the sun also comes frizz, burns and melting make up. Here are my top tips and beauty products to help you channel your inner beach babe.

Skincare

 Suncream (Obviously!)

Suncream is sooo important – if you want to tan you’ve got to do it carefully and gradually – the lobster look looks good on no one when you’re older, who wants to look like Donatella Versace?

If you’re going abroad go armed with a range of factors. I normally start on 30, then drop to 15 where I can (gone are the days of, oh I’ll just use a factor 6 oil). I use a separate, non-greasy high factor on my face.

Boots’ Soltan family collection is really good value offering 3 factors and an aftersun for £12.99. I love a high factor sun lotion that is non-greasy, absorbs quickly and doesn’t block pores like Piz Buin In Sun Lotion SPF 30, available from Cheapsmells

Lipbalm, preferably with SPF

So many people forget to protect their lips, but if you want to rock that colour popping lipstick at night you need to protect against chapped, burnt lips – SIMPLE!

Moisturiser

After a days sunbathing you need a great moisturiser to lock that tan in! I’ve never know if it’s better to use after sun or a regular body moisturiser, but I’ve tried both and got the same results. I’ve always been a big fan of Palmer’s Cocoa Butter and Soap & Glory’s Righteous Butter – unfortunately so are FLIES! In Egypt last year I stuck to Soltan aftersun with insect repellent, which was still very moisturising. AVOID aftersuns that market themselves as a tan prolonger. If it contains self tanning ingredient, I find it doesn’t mix well with the natural tan and leads to premature pealing.

And I’d never go on holiday without Elizabeth Arden’s Eight hour cream – for burns, dry skin and chapped lips. Keep it close during the flight – it’s the perfect antidote to the moisture zapping, dehydrating aeroplanes. 

Make Up

I love holiday make up. You can take all your current routines and rules and throw them out the window cos if you can’t experiment in a foreign country where no one knows you, when can you! Even if you’re not feeling so daring, the heat and humidity forces you to change it up anyway.

I do think holiday make up should be kept to a minimum, not least because those pesky airlines get stingier on luggage allowance every year, but who wants to waste their time applying the wall paint (only for it to slide off during that first cocktail) and with your bronzed holiday glow you shouldn’t need as much, right??? I wouldn’t bother with it during the day, but if you have to make sure it’s waterproof and opt for cream products over powder.

Cream Blush – my number one holiday hero!

A cream blush is great for adding a pop of colour on the cheeks without clogging the pores. In the heat they last longer and look fresher. I love Mac Blushcreme in LadyBlush (read review) and Stila’s Convertible colours – both can be used on the lips too.  Tip – keep them in the fridge so avoid theit textured becoming too liquefied.

A Multiple Stick

Multi taskers are really all you need for beach glamour.  I love Topshop’s Cheeks in Prism, an all-in-one shimmer stick, which is super-easy to apply and looks lush on any skin tone. It can be used on checks, lips and eyes or apply in a ‘C’ shape around the temples to lift the face and complement a tan.

HOT nail varnish and lipstick

Holidays are the perfect opportunity to sport that bright lipstick you’ve been wanting to try but were too scared to. Try a bright fushia or coral – perfect compliment for a tan. I love Mac’s Girl About Town and Cost Chic.

The same goes for the nails, step out your pale pink comfort zone and reach for something eye popping or sparkly! I might even unlease the Ciate Mohita (aka shrek green) that I received in my Glossybox.

Waterproof mascara

If you can go without, do! If not, whether there’s water involved or not, better make it waterproof. The heat and humidity can be just as damaging – panda eyes is never a good look, especially on a hot summers day… or night.

Hair

A salty/touselled/ texturising type spray

You’re on holiday, frizz and waves are inevitable so save time and effort blowdrying, straightening and trying to combat the kink and ride those beach waves. Some type of saltly/touselled/texturising spray will help you look all beachy and fabulous.

I like Umberto Giannini’s grunge glamour tousled salt spray or make your own DIY spray with actual sea water!

Tangle Teezer

I don’t know how I coped without this for so long, home or away. Great for teasing out those sea salty tangles without breaking hair.

And don’t forget your toothbrush!

Coming Soon… MAC’s Surf Baby Collection

Calling all you beach babes, launching next month will be Mac’s limited edition Surf Baby collection.

“Grab the board, hop in the Jeep, cruise the Pacific Coast Highway… Surf’s up! The lure of the endless summer starts here with My Paradise Cheek Powder, Mini Blush Sticks, a Summer Stash of Crushed Metallic Pigments, Hibiscus Lipstick and Splashproof Lash Mascara that just won’t smudge. Colourful, lustrous, and full of life… journey to a world where feeling the rush means taking a risk. Hang Ten!”

Details are very hush, hush, but with hues of corals, pinks and peach, it’s the perfect addition to your summer make over. The packaging is bright and fun, but it does look a little cheap from the promo photots, but it’s what’s inside that counts. I’m chomping at the bit to get my hands on the mini blush sticks.

Surf’s up baby.