American Woman.

[images from Google]

So I had a couple of days off in the week last week (not sick, I work shifts so Saturday/Sunday weekends don't exist for me) and I spent most of it trawling the internet, lusting after products from across the pond. It really annoys me how brands sold in both UK and USA sell completely different products, or when products come out 6months earlier in US than in UK and then we don't get all the shades in the end anyway (Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balmstains I'm looking at you). So here's my mini wishlist from the land of the brave. 

1. Revlon Colorstay Seude Lipstick- I've not seen anything about these on the blogosphere and I do follow a fair few American bloggers. But I like the look of these- they're meant to be balm-infused lipsticks for strong colour pay-off with lip care built in. I'd like to think of them as grown-up lip butters as I find them a bit shimmery and wishy-washy for my tastes. From the swatches I've seen, these Colorstay Suede Lipsticks look like they're super wearable with great colour pay-off. These retail for $8.49 in Target. 

2. Kat Von D Everlasting Blush- Kat Von D makeup in general is the main thing I wish was sold in UK. I do own two of the eyeshadow palettes and some of the lipsticks but I want it all man! I've just seen that she's launched some blushers and me-oh-my the shades look stunning. I love the packaging of all of Kat's makeup but this blusher looks particularly amazing. If anyone fancies buying me the shade Por Vida, then you go right ahead. This blush costs $25 from Sephora.

3. e.l.f Long Lasting Lustrous Eyeshadow- This is another case in point of a brand sold in the UK but with different products available in the US. This looks like it could be a dupe for the amazing Chanel Illusion D'ombre eyeshadows. I'm loving the look of shades Gala and Soiree in particular. Hopefully these will be available in UK soon! These are a bargainous $3 from e.l.f. 

4. Maybelline Color Whisper Lipstick- These are Maybelline's answer to the Revlon Lip Butters and L'oreal Rouge Caresses. I've actually just ordered two of these off ebay (UK from an American seller). From reviews I've seen online, these look amazing and they seem to have the best colour pay-off of the lot! If and when these hit the UK, I can assure you I will be buying most, if not all, of the shades. I love that they're not shimmery or glittery like the Lip Butters seem to be. They retail at $5.49 in Target.

5. Maybelline Baby Lips- Every UK blogger I know wants to get a load of these bad boys. I've searched on UK ebay and I've found Thai sellers and American sellers but the shade/flavour range seems to be different but very similar (the Thai sellers are cheaper for anyone interested). Essentially, these are flavoured lip balms with a hint of colour and SPF20. I'd love to try Peach Kiss (love the lilac packaging) and Grape Vine. They retail for $2.97 in Walmart.

6. Benefit World Famous Neutrals Palettes- I've already posted about these because I'm super mesmerised by them already! I sincerely hope these come out in UK because I can't wait to get my hands on them. I'm actually bidding for one of them on ebay atm so fingers crossed! I'm most excited about the Easiest Nudes Ever and Sexiest Nudes Ever palettes (I could take or leave the Most Glamorous Nudes palette). I love the packaging, the combo of cream and powder shadows and the shade range. Perfect. These cost $30 from Sephora.

What are your American beauty lust-haves? 

Style Steal- Kat Von D Shabby Street Look.

 

1. Jacket- River Island; 2. Sunglasses- Topshop; 3. Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in Sinner- Sephora; 4. T-shirt- Van Halen Merch; 5. Handbag- River Island; 6. Shoes- New Look; 7. Jeans- River Island.

I'm one for style stealing- especially of my favorite celebs. Kat Von D has to be my ultimate all round icon but I particularly love the way she dresses. I chose this outfit of Kat's because I think it's super casual but smart at the same time. I've tried to find bargain alternatives on your fair British high street for bargain prices so we mere mortals can replicate this outfit on a budget. Can I just note that the piture of the t-shirt is the men's version of the t-shirt I've linked. I wish more bands did women's jersey style baggy t-shirts because let's face it, most band t-shirts are really unflattering to those with curves. I've really enjoyed putting this outfit together and I'll definitely be doing some more in the future. Hope you've safely got through your Monday.

Kat Von D Wardrobe Envy!

OK, so I'm having major wardrobe envy right here. As you may, or may not know, Kat Von D is my ultimate style icon as well as being a true artistic inspiration. Kat has recently taken to youtube to give us mere mortals a sneak peak inside her stunning wardrobe and shoe closet. I've always loved Kat's style in terms of her clothes, makeup and hair and would so love to be let loose in her wardrobe!! Please note, these aren't my videos, they have been uploaded from Kat's personal Youtube channel which you should subscribe to for sure. Enjoy!

Top 10 Makeup BLOW-OUTS.

Following on from yesterday's 'Top 10 makeup bargains' post, today's top 10 features makeup blow-outs- high-end, luxury products with a hefty price tag. These are the items I've dreamed about and either saved up for or been lucky enough to have been bought as gifts. As with my bargain post, these aren't just any old expensive makeup items, they're the ones that I think are worth the money and are worth lusting after as they're great quality and generally deliver on all fronts. Most of these products are available in department stores like Debenhams, some are also available in Boots- apart from the Kat Von D palette which is only available in Sephora in the US (or sneaky ebay). 

Urban Decay NAKED palette (£36). 

Kat Von D Beethoven palette ($34). 

Chanel Jous Contraste Blusher (£31); MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural (£21).

Chanel Illusion D'Ombre (£23). 

MAC Lipstick (£14); Chanel Rouge Coco lipstick (£24). 

Benefit Porefessional Primer (£23.50). 

Dior Addict Ultra Gloss Pearl (£21); Clinique Chubby Stick (£16).

What are your favourite high-end makeup products?

In Your Face: KVD Mini Painted Love Lipsticks.

 

Kat Von D Tattoo Chronicles Lipstick in Celebutard, Lolita, Cathedral, Underage Red, Hellbent and Rosary.

I know, you can’t get it over here in the UK but a family friend bought it for me on a trip to America upon request (I gave her the money). So for $28 I got this bad boy. Firstly, the packaging is stunning- in true KVD style, it’s made to look like an old book with beautiful gold writing on the covers and spine. It’s very much in the style of her two real books. Inside, there are six 1.20g mini-lipsticks nestled in their own compartments. They have the same tubes as the full sized lippies and can be purchased individually in full size for I think $18 each. The size makes them perfect for carrying round in your handbag, especially tiny bags on nights out (not that I go on many of those any more!). As with all Painted Love Lipsticks, the products are pigmented, smooth and long lasting. I’d consider them to be matte, although not in a chalky way.

Celebutard has to be my favourite of the set- it’s the lightest shade and is a lovely peachy nude (see my MAC dupe review). This is for sure the shade I wear the most out of this set for the fact that it is so wearable no matter what the occasion. Lolita is a browny-pink shade which I would also class as an everyday nude shade. Cathedral is a more intense, darker version of Lolita in my opinion which I think would suit a lot of skin tones. Underage Red is the KVD signature red- it’s forever selling out on the Sephora website and is the most flawless cherry red you ever did see. I say cherry red because it’s definitely got some pinky undertones to it. Hellbent is more of a blood red with brown undertones and looks really vampy. Finally, Rosary the darkest shade, is a beautiful plumy colour which I really like against pale skin. It’s that real red wine colour that just looks so luxurious. I’m definitely going to start changing up my lipsticks more often and put on the more daring, darker colours. I need to stop being mard and just wear whatever makeup I want during the day. Celebutard is definitely one I’d love to have in full size but my MAC dupe should satisfy me for now. If I ever go back to America, Sephora is my first stop! 

In Your Face: KVD Painted Love Lipsticks.

Kat Von D Painted Love Lipsticks in Stiletto, Backstage Bambi, Adora and Misfit.

This is another sneaky Kat Von D makeup post (see eye shadow palette reviews here). Again, these products aren’t officially available in the UK but you can buy them off ebay (for a lot more than you’d pay in the States) or buy them in Sephora USA stores/online but they don’t ship outside the US. As standard with KVD makeup, the packaging is stunning with Kat’s signature tattoo design roses adorning both the boxes and the lipstick lids. I love the clear base of the tubes so that you can see the colour without needing to look at the label. The lids have that rubbery-textured finish to them (like NARS products). I just love the packaging but it’s not at all a disguise for a rubbish product.

I love a bright lipstick and here are four. The formula is so creamy and the product is so pigmented and lasts for ages. Backstage Bambi and Misfit were the first lipsticks I got from the collection and of all four, Backstage Bambi is hands down my favourite. Its the pinkest pink ever! It’s a blue-toned hot pink which I love wearing on nights out. Misfit is a dark, browny red- I guess you might call it a blood red in comparison with Stiletto which is an orange-toned red. I dunno, there’s just something about Misfit it’s a really winey colour and it’s quite gothic in a way. Adora is a mid-toned red with the most beautiful sparkle in it- think Dorothy’s ruby slippers in the Wizard of Oz. I guess the lipsticks (apart from Adora) are quite matte in the sense that their not metallicy or shimmery but they’re not at all drying or cakey. Adora, on the other hand, is definitely a metallic Christmas-y red; I guess it’s quite foily in its appearance- although Kat has brought out actual foil finish lipsticks. I can’t tell you how pigmented these lipsticks are- they give full lip coverage in just one slick and just look flawless.

I’ve been a bit sneaky because these aren’t the only KVD lipsticks that I own- I have a set of miniature one’s which I thought I’d review some other time (they’re so tiny and cute) but these are my only full-size KVD lippies. Oh how I love them. I’m freaking out a bit because Backstage Bambi is getting really low and I dunno if I’ll be able to get hold of another one! There are a fair few other shades in the collection that I wouldn’t mind getting full-sizes of but I think (apart from the foil ones) I’ve pretty much got them all between my full-sizes and minis set. Deffo check these out if you can, they might seem expensive but trust me they’re up there with the best lipsticks I’ve tried and are in funner, younger shades.

p.s please don’t laugh at my attempt at swatching!