Bourjois lashes: Faux and Fabulous More Volume Urban Chic

BOURJOIS Faux and Fabulous lashes: More Volume Urban Chic* £6.99 from boots.com

"Bourjois More Volume False Lashes will give you that dramatic look that will stop them in their tracks.

Bourjois volume lashes have a textured effect that creates volume where it counts most!"

I mentioned many times that I adore Bourjois, especially their liquid 16h eye liner- my Holy Grail liner.

I actually had an obsession with their products for a couple of years and I think I had every single eyeshadow, lipgloss, mascara etc from the Bourjois stall in Boots :) haha

It is definitely my favourite high street brand. 

I also love false lashes, so when I received some new products from Bourjois I did a happy dance :)

I got two pairs of lashes: More Volume and Miss Couture. Today I am reviewing the first pair.

I really like the size of the lashes, they are perfect for adding volume and length.

What I love about these is the unique design- the lashes are short and fine in the inner corner and thick and long in the outer corner, which makes them look really natural.

They feel light and the application is very easy. 

Once applied, they stay in place all day.

Perfect! 

I will be reviewing the other pair tomorrow with a very elegant Halloween look  idea :)

FACE: Mac Sculpting creams in Accentuate and Copper Beech, Revlon PhotoReady foundation mixed with Nourish Golden Glow Toning Souffle, Collection 2000 concealer, Clarins Odyssey Face Palette, Lily Lolo Mineral Shimmer. Cheeks: Look Beauty blusher- Pinch. EYES: Clarins Rosewood eye shadow quartet, Bourjois 16h liquid liner in brown, Bourjois Queen Attitude Mascara, Bourjois Faux and Fabulous More Volume lashes. LIPS: YSL Rouge Volupte 02 Sensual silk.  BROWS: Stargazer semi-permanent pencil in brown

Clarins Limited Edition Odyssey face Palette review

CLARINS ODYSSEY FACE PALETTE* 11g £35.00 link

"A special edition Christmas case to whisk you away to the elegant and sumptuous world of Ancient Greece. 

This golden case houses a silky, fine and lightweight compact powder, to enhance and even out all types of complexions. Decorated with a medallion with engraved edges and scrolls scattered with gold-coloured mother-of-pearl, it lights up the face and neck with a shimmering effect that's perfect 

for the festive season. Dermatologically tested."

The Odyssey Face Palette is another gorgeous limited edition product from Clarins new collection.

I reviewed the eye shadow palette last week (here) and many of you decided to buy it or put it on your Christmas wishlist. I am sure you won't regret it. It is a beautiful palette.

The face palette is absolutely stunning too. The beautiful design in the front is actually a 3D design and you can feel the details with your fingers and it looks very luxurious.

The gold case comes with a big mirror inside and a red velvet pouch to keep it safe and prevent scratching. 

I love pretty packaging and if a product is beautifully presented, the chance of me buying it goes from 20% to 99% :)

The design on the inside is breathtaking and when I opened the powder for the first time I struggled to actually swatch it, because I didn't want to ruin the embossed masterpiece :) I am being serious!

When I actually swatched it, I discovered that the gold glitter comes off with the first sweep, so you don't need to worry about a glittery finish on your face. The light beige powder itself feels soft and velvety and gives a lovely matte  finish. I use it on top of foundation and it works really well at keeping my face matte for about 6 hours. After that period I need to top up, using a powder brush or a powder puff/applicator. 

Some powders make my pores appear more visible, but this one doesn't. It won't clog pores or dry skin. It feels light and looks very natural. It will suit any skin type and most skin tones.

I adore this face palette and I use it every day. Sometimes if I decide not to wear foundation, I just use this powder to even out my skin tone, cover blemishes and prevent my t-zone from looking shiny.

Just like the Odyssey Eye Shadow Quartet, this Palette will make a perfect Christmas gift.

You can buy it from www.clarins.co.uk/ and from Clarins counters.

NOTD- Back to Mint Green

I hope you are having a lovely Sunday and enjoyed an extra hour in bed :)

For me it isn't the clock telling me when to get up- it is my baby boy, so I never get extra sleep :) haha

When I was organizing my nail polishes (again) I couldn't resist painting my nails with the gorgeous Mint Candy Apple by ESSIE. It is such a beautiful shade!  

The only problem is the chipping, it chips after one day, unless it is used on fake nails (lasts for a week). 

I added a bit of sparkle with Deborah Lippmann's Mermaid's Dream and I loooooove it :)

Do you go back to summer colours sometimes in Autumn and Winter?

SMILE :)

Hi everyone.

I just went through my blog photos on my hard drive and when I was deleting the old pictures I found this one and I thought that it will be nice to actually add a picture of me smiling :) 

We all pull weird faces for blog photos sometimes, don't we?

When my baby boy looked at this photo he actually smiled and laughed so it must be a positive one  :)

I think I was actually very happy that day :)

Have a nice weekend!

Sandra xo

Cruelty free Youngblood lipstick : Tangelo

YOUNGBLOOD LIPSTICK in shade Tangelo* 4g £14.00 link

"Get gorgeous lips with Youngblood’s colourful range of luxurious Lipsticks . The hydrating, lanolin- free formula contains a special blend of natural oils and vitamins that fill lips with rich, velvety and colour that stays fresh-looking for hours. Youngblood’s Lipsticks are made with natural ingredients such as sunflower oil and candellila wax and enriched with vitamin E to keep lips moist and protected. Designed to apply smoothly with no dragging, these cruelty-free Lipsticks contain no animal products such as lanolin and are free from perfumes and chemical dyes. Youngblood’s Lipsticks are available in 25 vibrant colours within the shade categories of sheer, metallic, pearl, cream and matte."

I have been asked about this gorgeous lipstick many times and everybody seems to love the look of it, including me :) I adore this shade and the formula is amazing! It is the most hydrating lipstick I have ever tried and it is full of natural oils an vitamins to keep your lips nourished.

I adore the shade I received- it is called Tangelo and it is a sheer coral orange shade. It looks very flattering against tanned skin, but I also had a look at some pictures of this shade on pale skin and it looks incredible! I usually prepare my lips with a scrub and lip balm before applying lipsticks, but this one feels like a lip balm so doesn't need any preparation :) It glides on beautifully and feels incredibly hydrating and you can actually see the moisture in the formula. (see swatches) Amazing!

If you are scared of bright orange shades, you can dab it on with your finger or apply it on top of a lip balm for a lovely coral tint. I love coral lips, so I just apply it straight from the tube and go for full coverage to get the bold/statement lip colour I love :)

It stays put for 3-4 hours and it fades evenly, leaving a nice looking coral tint fro hours after application. 

Green light for all cruelty free bloggers- this lipstick is cruelty free, paraben free and lanolin free!

I am in love with this shade and I have a couple of other Youngblood products on my wish list after getting some recommendations from lovely ladies on Twitter.

You can buy the lipstick and other Youngblood products from www.ybskin.co.uk

Friday wishlist- foundations

Hi everyone!

Happy Friday! :) Most of you liked the idea of Friday wishlists and I love preparing this type of posts, so here is a new one, this time it is my foundation wishlist :)

I mentioned many times that I usually stick to my Holy Grail - Lancome Teint Miracle, which stops me from buying new high end foundations.

I really want to try all the ones I included in this post, especially the Clarins Skin Illusion in both liquid and powder form. I have seen some rave reviews and I am tempted to buy them

The reason why I am thinking about all these products, is the fact that I read blogs and beauty magazines, but to be honest, I have enough foundations to last me for a couple for years!

Anyway :) Here is the list with links and prices.

1. YSL Touche Eclat £28.00 link

2. Estee Lauder Double Wear £27.50 link

3. Lancome Teint Idole Ultra £27.00 link

4. Clarins Skin Illusion Natural Radiance £24.00 link

5. Clarins Skin Illusion Loose Powder Foundation £28.00 link

If you tried any of the above, I would like to hear what  you think.

Oh, and I know that I don't say it often enough, but I really appreciate all your comments and I love talking to you on Twitter and reply to your emails, so feel free to contact me if there is anything I can help you with :) Twitter is the best way to talk to me, as I always reply the same day. My twitter name is @TheBlackPearlB

Sandra xo

My lipstick collection- with swatches of all colours :)

Hi everyone!

Remember when I asked on twitter what post I should prepare at the weekend?  Well... Most of you said- lipstick collection, so here it is :) It took me ages to prepare it, but it was worth it. I am glad I did it, as some of my lipsticks were old, so I binned them and I only kept the ones I can still use - a total of 36 lipsticks (I think). I actually thought that the number will be higher, but I think that under 50 is a reasonable amount :)
I could probably live with just 10, but let's face it- I love makeup too much :)

I picked my favourite shades and I reviewed most of them already so I will link all the reviews just in case you want to have a look. Most of the shades are recent purchases, like the AMAZING YSL Rouge Volupte in Sensual Silk. I adore this shade- it is the perfect nude/beige, very hydrating and creamy and I will be reviewing it soon. The next one is the beautiful Vegas Volt by MAC and you can find the full review here.

MAC Fanfare was my first ever lipstick- a giveaway prize from Kimmi (thank you lovely!) review here. The Lancome lipstick is my most worn colour and I will probably need a new one soon. If you would like me to review it, let me know :) Clarins Joli Rouge in shade 710 is my recent bargain purchase- it was £3.99. It is gorgeous!

The Lily Lolo lipsticks are amazing- I got one as a sample and ordered another shade the same day, because I fell in love with the formula. You can find my review here. Next, we have L'Occitane Pivoine Delicate (review here). It is a perfect sheer peachy shade.

I also love MUA lipsticks and shades 15 and 16 are my favorites. I wasn't in love with the first one at the beginning, but I kept reaching for it and I really like it now :) Review of shade 15 here. Another new addition to my collection I seriously love is the Youngblood lipstick in shade Tangelo- it is a gorgeous orange colour, creamy and moisturising. You can see how it looks like on the lips here. The last one in my favourites is the DuWop Private Red lipstick and you can read the full review here.

THE REST:

Trying to take photos with a very nosy toddler around isn't easy :)

I am wearing a ribbon necklace from www.oasap.com

I hope you enjoyed this post :) xo

Autumn picks: MUA Lip Boom- It's a situation

MUA Lip Boom It's a situation* £3.00 link

I always loved deep burgundy lipsticks, so I was very happy to receive the Lip Boom with my MUA order a couple of weeks ago. My order  was very, very late due to some items being out of stock and a high demand, so I got a couple of products to compensate for the delay.

"It's a situation" is a very dark and warm burgundy shade, very creamy and very pigmented.

I like the way it feels on the lips and it stays put for 3-4 hours.

I am not a fan of  lipglosses anymore, but if you want to add a bit if shine this duo is perfect.

I wonder if MUA does the same shade in their £1 lipstick line?