Chanel Bronze Universel

I bought this product back in february after it was featured in numerous videos by Pixiwoo. I knew I just had to have it.

I heart the classic packaging!

For £26 you get 30g. Its consistency is hard to explain. I would describe it as a creamy wax which smells like Play Doh. A little goes a long way so this will last me for ages. The only downside of this product compared to powder bronzers is that brush hairs get trapped and when it comes to makeup I'm very OCD about keeping it clean.

I use this everyday as my bronzer and also to contour. I've only ever applied it with the 109 brush which does an excellent job. it really buffs it into your skin leaving no harsh lines.

In my opinion this will suit all skin tones. It doesn't look muddy at all and has the tiniest hint of shimmer.

swatched on hand

applied under cheekbone

I'm happy to declare Chanel Bronze Universel as my HG bronzer and thats without trying NARS Laguna, thats how delighted I am with this product.

The perfect lip colour

I've tried dozens of lipsticks from all sorts of brands an in all different colours however I always return to my fail safe.

MAC's Hue!

What's not to love about this colour?

Its the perfect nude for me with a mixture of peachy pink undertones.

The texture is amazing. It's not drying and adds a nice sheen to my lips. Hue is a glaze which I find can be sheer but this packs the right amount of colour. I can apply this on the go, no mirror or adjusting needed unlike Myth which has to be blended.

What is your perfect lip colour?

My summer glow

I've finally taken the plunge and experimented with fake tan.

I'm a complete beginner when it comes to tanning, in fact I only ever use Rimmel Sun Shimmer when I'm going out and that's because it washes off.

Out of all the products on the market I opted for Xen-Tan Dark Lotion.

Xen-Tan claims to produce a streak-free tan in 3 hours. I applied mine using vinyl gloves and circular motions. I left it on over night and then rinsed off in the morning.

I prefer this to gradual tanners as I like to see where the product has been applied. This left me looking like a mud man afterwards. I was seriously doubting what the end result would be.

I'll give you a hint:

A slightly bronzed arm. 

Note I'm extremely pale, this is as tan as I get.

Parts of my tan are streaky (mainly my feet) but this is nothing that can't be corrected with a bit more practice.

Xen-Tan in the bottle smells like sweets but don't let this fool you. Once the tan starts to develop the familiar fake tan scent starts to surface.

I've used this all over including my face. Because of its moisturizing properties it doesn't cling to any dry areas. I've only used this since Saturday so it may be a bit early to tell if it breaks me out.

Overall I'm happy with my first attempt at home tanning. I'm getting used to seeing myself looking a little bit more healthier compared to my previous ghostly pale skin.

The colour is supposed to last at least 7 days so I'll see how it holds up. I haven't decided if I'll stick with this beauty commitment but I'll give it my best effort.

Please share any tanning tips you have :)

Today's Lip

As part of my swap from the US I received a Cover Girl Wetslicks fruit spritzers lipgloss.

505 Guava Splash

This stuff is amazing. It smells like melon and tastes delicious. For those of you who are like myself and hate sticky glosses then these are for you. The worst thing for me is having my hair stuck to my lips but with this it isn't an issue.

The pigmentation is sheer which I don't mind and it does moisturise my lips.

As for its longevity? I applied this before my nap (don't know why I did this) and woke up 3 hours later with it still in tact. I only had to reapply after eating.

This is the gloss applied:

Lips were muted with foundation then gloss applied on top

For anyone who can recommend other non sticky glosses please leave me a comment :)

Package from California

I participated in an international swap with a lovely girl called Sarah from California.

These goodies arrived from her in the post today:

I couldn't believe the amount of things I received, the majority of which were a surprise. We have Ardell lashes, Burts Bee's products, eye shadow trios and the infamous Milani Luninous blush.

Included in this swap were five OPI polishes which are quite expensive to buy in the UK. My immediate favourite is Samoan Sand. For those who read Look magazine they featured a review on this polish. It was given top marks, beating Chanel's Django.

Thank you Sarah for my goodies, this had made my weekend :)

Everyday Shoes

I pretty much live in pumps, be it for work or outside of office hours.

The only time I wear heels is for nights out otherwise I feel overdone although i'm trying to break this habit and venture out more.

My favourite pair of flats have had their day! They were metalic style pumps from New Look which i've had for years. They are in such bad condition i'm not going to embarrass myself by uploading a picture.

Needless to say they have now been binned and replaced.

These are a nude suede pair from Miss Selfridge with peuter bows. I'm a sucker for bows!

I prefer the daintiness of round toed shoes. I especially love the gold studded detail on the bow:

What are your all time favourite shoes?

Calling all stylistas!

I've got my eye on a jacket from Topshop (pictured below).

Its £55 and can be worn as casual wear and also to the office.

Frill Swing Jacket

My problem? I can't think of enough outfit possibilities to justify the price tag.

Thats where you come in.

I need your help to provide me with ideas of what I can pair this jacket with (tops being my biggest issue).

I've been messing around on Polyvore but so far have only created the coat and skinny jeans.

Please help me with my dilemma (I really want this jacket).

New Collections

MAC's Hello Kitty Collection was finally released in the UK yesterday, however I was able to get some items from their online preview on the 25th February.

Throughout the day I had this dreaded fear that everything would be sold out before I had a chance to go to the store.

So after work I raced down to MAC.

To my surprise, everything was in stock :)

My online purchases included Pink TLC and Tippy beauty powder blush, I knew instantly that I woulnt regret these. In town I got a backup of Pink Fish and two of the nail polishes in Something About Pink and On the Prowl.

Another favourite of mine from this collection apart from Pink Fish is On The Prowl, a lovely pale grey.

I prefer this over Barry M's nail paint in Grey which is darker. For reference that is one coat of polish over a base coat.

One thing my MAC didnt have was the Grand Duo's but after asking the MA when they would be released she realised they should have had their stand out but it was overlooked.

This was good news for me. I got first peek :)

My first impressions? Very impressed indeed. So impressed I took home three.

Top: Moon River, Bottom Left: Love Rock, Bottom Right Grand Duo

I love the permanent line of Mineralize blush so it was kind of a given that I would like these.

Today I wore Love Rock which is very pigmented and reminds me a bit like Tippy so a light hand is needed unless you like the doll effect.

I'm in two minds whether to get the Hello Kitty medium makeup bag. For £25 do I really need it? For those of you who already own it what are your opinions. Should I give in and buy?

International Swapping!

Everyone from Lollipop26, AllThatGlitters21, Magpie Sparkles and now Av are participating in swaps (CP's) throughout the world.

Now I want to be part of the craze.

The basic concept is swapping makeup (a budget should be agreed beforehand) that is either hard to get or not available with people all over the world.

If you have certain items in mind feel free to provide a list or I can leave it as a surprise.

I will post to anywhere in the world.

For those interested please contact me on: kerryw121@hotmail.co.uk

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