Dusty Pink Blush Favourites | Cruelty-Free

Since becoming a beauty blogger all those years ago (6 years ago if you check...) one of the biggest changes to my makeup routine was the addition of blush - yes I was one of those people who loved makeup but didn't wear blush. I've seen the light since, especially since I became more serious about perfecting my base with higher coverage products and then having the need to bring the life and colour back to my artificially perfect but nonetheless pale skin!  

There are a few shades of blush that I gravitate towards more often, and as the weather moves through autumn and into winter, dusty pink tones feel more appropriate than the warmer corals I love in spring and summer. I don't think there are too many posts out there talking about dusty pink blush so hopefully this will be interesting for other paler skinned types like me!

There are four cruelty-free options I have on rotation and I reach for all of these blushes quite regularly because they are so fuss-free, natural looking and they consistently last all day without fading. They also pair well with the cooler nude, plums and berry red lip colours I like to wear as the cold weather closes in.

Clockwise from left these are:

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush (Mood Exposure)
It may look subdued in the pan but don't be fooled. This luxe blush is marbled with ambient lighting powder in Mood Light so the soft plum provides a luminous rose glow on my cheeks. The other plus: these Hourglass blushes are so finely milled that a little goes a long way. I barely need to touch my blush brush into the pan - my favourite brush to use is the Real Techniques blush brush because it is so soft - and it picks up enough colour to liven my cheeks.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush (Exposed)
This famous matte shade is described by Tarte as a nude pink and when you compare my swatches below you can see it's ever so slightly warmer and more nude than Mood Exposure.  It's that perfect neutral shade that works with everything so I get why it's such a go-to. It's the blush I wear when I don't know what blush to wear or when I don't want to think about what blush to wear. I've just convinced myself this is the only blush I need to pack for my next trip, whenever and wherever that is...

Illamasqua Powder Blusher (Naked Rose)
Illamasqua calls Naked Rose a neutral beige pink and yes it's pretty subdued when I consider it on its own but in this dusty lineup it practically pops as a cool pink and to be honest I wear this shade from autumn through to spring!  This blush is another matte and looks beautiful on paler skin giving a hint of pink flush. I love pairing it with cooler neutral eye shadow looks.

Natio Blusher (Rosewood)
This blush from Australian brand Natio is almost a dupe for Tarte Exposed, perhaps just leaning a hint more toward peach territory - this is probably more of a dusty peach if there is such a shade. In any case it wears as a neutral, very natural looking blush on me. Rosewood is another quite pigmented powder blush so a light tap of the brush into the pan picks up enough to dust onto my cheeks. The colour seems to meld with my skin somehow too so it looks like my own healthy cheeks rather than makeup sitting atop them.

And now for some heavy swatches on my arm...

 L -R:
 Mood Exposure, Exposed, Naked Rose, Rosewood

To think I never cared about blush! I've certainly made up for it now and I have a drawer full - well, maybe half full...

What blush shades do you wear in the cooler months?


(All products purchased by me)

Tag: Addicted to blush

I was tagged by my sweet Melbourne blogger friend Emma (aka emmabovarybeauty), and a self-proclaimed #blushfiend, to do the Addicted to Blush tag and the timing was ripe!  From a regular person with a meagre/normal collection of around 4 or so blushes when I started blogging in 2011, I now have in excess of 30 so I'd say that qualifies me as a blush addict, or to put it much more nicely, a #blushfiend! 

Now onto the questions and there are some toughies in there...

 

 

What colour blush suits you the most?

 (clockwise from top left:  theBalm - Hot Mama!, Tom Ford - Love Lust, Physicians Formula Happy Booster - Natural, Canmake - CL03, Face of Australia - Outback Nutmeg, Bloom Sheer Colour Cream - Coy, Smashbox Blush Rush - Chiffon , Revlon Photoready - Coral Reef)
 

I'd have to say any variation along the coral to peach spectrum because those shades add colour and warmth to my face and I don't look too dolly cheeked - and as you can see above I have no end of choices available in that colour family! I'll always gravitate to those colours first when I'm shopping for a new blush.  In spite of that...in my heart I would have loved to say bright pink because those blushes always look so pretty but in real life it just ain't happening baby!
 

 

Pressed/cream/loose blush?

Can I choose two out of the three options here?  I love pressed blush for the ease of application especially on bleary eyed mornings, when I'm getting ready for work before the sun comes up but then on the other hand I love cream blushes for how they give luminous life back to my sometimes flat and dull cheeks - cream blush gives me a very youthful dewy look.  If cream blush wasn't quite so fiddly I'd probably lean more towards the cream and I am collecting cream blushes more and more so once I have completely mastered the art of cream blush then you'll have to ask me again!

 

 

Favourite shimmery blush?

 (Left to right:  Physicians Formula Happy Booster - Natural, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush - Mood Exposure)

 

In terms of shimmery blush choices, after sitting around being admired more than used for the longest time Physician's Formula Happy Booster in Natural has recently become an almost daily favourite for adding that naturally peachy glow.  Also I have to mention the plummy Hourglass Mood Exposure for the cooler months as I'm picking it up again. 

 

Favourite matte blush?

 (Left to right:  Illamasqua Powder Blusher - Naked Rose, Laura Mercier - Fresh Peach)
 

Now this matte blush seems to be just about everyone's favourite but, honestly, the one I reach for most consistently is Illamasqua Naked Rose for just the lightest wash of dusty pink on my cheeks - and it literally does take the lightest pat of the brush into the pan to pick up enough colour. Just to add something different from everyone, Fresh Peach blush in my trusty old Laura Mercier Lingerie palette is also a favourite pat and go shade.

 

Favourite cream blush?

 (Left to right:  Bloom Sheer Colour Creams - Shy, Coy, Tint)
 

I'm going with my little trio of Bloom Sheer Colour Creams because they were my first cream blushes and they feel so emollient on the skin without being too slippery, providing just the right amount of colour for a natural glow - even that scary old pot of Tint on the right translates to a soft berry on the cheeks. Of course I have to single out one favourite from the trio of favourites and that has to be the peach toned (of course!) Coy seen below...

 

 

Favourite drugstore blush?

(Left to right:  NYX Mosaic Powder Blushers - Rosey, Plummy)

My NYX Mosaic blushes in Rosey and Plummy are my favourites because of their versatility and also for the ease of getting a multi-dimensional look just by swirling the brush around the pan.  After consistently using Plummy over the past few years I always knew I would have to buy more from the Mosaic range and Rosey hasn't disappointed either. 

 

Favourite high end blush?

(Tom Ford Cheek Color - 01 Love Lust)

 

Tom Ford's Love Lust is a favourite not just because it's from Tom 'freaking' Ford but because the colour is a beautifully wearable peach shot with a subtle golden glow.  I hoarded this for ages (because of the Tom 'freaking' Ford factor and being too pretty to use blah, blah...) but once I started wearing it I realised this really is a quality blush from the velvety texture to the flattering warm glow it gives me.  It's too pretty NOT to use!
 

 
 

Favourite bright blush?

 (Revlon Photoready - Coral Reef)
 

Hmmm...I like blushes which may look deceptively bright in the pan but translate more softly on the skin and Revlon's Photoready cream blush in Coral Reef does just that.  I like applying this one with my fingers to melt the colour into my skin.

 

Biggest blush disappointment/regret?

(MAC Powder Blush - Immortal Flower)
 

I feel terrible knocking a MAC blush (of all things!) but MAC Immortal Flower was a disappointment because it just does NOT show up on me! It's extremely pretty in the pan but even for the once blush-shy me this is not enough.  I don't know...maybe I should try it again in the depths of winter?

 

Best blush packaging?

 (YSL Flower Crush Palette - Rosy Blush)
 

I'll interpret that as meaning the most attractive packaging and for me it was definitely YSL's Flower Crush Palette Rosy Blush from the 2014 Spring collection - I mean, just look at it *sigh*.  Those of you who've known me long enough will know just how obsessed I was with getting my hands on it and I don't regret it for one second.  And, yes, I have used it!
 

 

What's on your blush wish list?

I have two picks on my wish list:  Stila's  Field of Florals Convertible Color palette (hopefully on its way to me) and any of Milani's Rose Powder blushes.

 

Number 1 Holy Grail blush?

Ooh that's a toughie and I'm not going to stick my neck out that far - I'm still looking for that one perfect blush!! Until then I guess I'll have to keep collecting ;-)

 

****************************

Does anyone care to answer that last question?  What's your number 1 HG blush?

  

 

Admiring: Chanel Jardin de Chanel Blush Camelia Rose

This is not going to be a review post! For once I'm allowing myself the luxury of just, you know, oohing and aahing over something for a little while.  Besides I think this blush is pretty well sold out everywhere by now...

I wasn't even seriously planning to buy Chanel's Jardin de Chanel Blush in Camelia Rose until I spotted it as I walked past the Chanel boutique on a random Sunday shopping trip.  Even then I still wasn't going to buy it until my husband said, "Just go into the shop". Oh no...you know where this is going... I went in, swatched it and it was so smooth under my fingertips. Then the SA asked would I like to try it on my cheeks? Of course the two shades melded together to create the perfect spring rose pink on my face and then she tells me this is the last one they have in stock.  Limited Edition...Last one in stock...Beautiful *sigh*...and gone forever if I don't swoop now!

So, here I am $95 poorer but happier...and isn't this damn thing just too pretty to use? I will use it eventually but I've taken a whole lot of pictures first...

Have you been in this situation? Did you buy or walk away?



YSL Spring Collection 2014 picks

So my first makeup purchase of 2014 was driven by a rapidly building obsession for orange lipstick.  My second, and third - both featured here - were driven by a longer held obsession, acquired from the moment I first eyed YSL's Spring 2014 collection at the start of the year.  I have a well shared weakness for pretty things and the YSL Flower Crush collection seduced me instantly with its combination of floral embossed gilt packaging, pretty spring colours and the promise of...

 

 "Whorls of petals. A rush of roses and peonies.

A whirlwind of a thousand flowers envelops the Saint Laurent woman in a soft, feverishly sensual cloud. Flower crush..."

 

I gritted my teeth, saved my money and held out for the Australian release, ready to literally swoop on that counter. As it happens I didn't do the swooping but my partner in YouTube crime did - thank you Ling for performing my personal shopper duties yet again!  I was initially deciding between the 5 colour eye palette, Pivoine Crush or the Rosy Blush and in the end decided on both.  Call me indecisive but I think I was very decisive when I made that choice.

Pivoine Crush Ombrés 5 Lumières Eye Palette

 

 

 

The YSL website describes this palette as:
 "A collector eye palette with 5 vibrant eye shadow shades inspired by the perfect spring flower storm..."

 

Indeed the palette design itself has a highly collectable appeal. The bowerbird in me attracted to pretty shiny things was powerless to resist it based on that alone! The bright colours within are a bit of a departure from my usual choices of purples and taupes and in the palette they actually look a little too bright for comfort - I don't want to look theatrical (or as though I have an eye inflammation!) but swatching quickly put any concerns to rest.  The mostly warm shades are all surprisingly soft, even when applied over primer.  Some of the shades have a subtle sparkle but there's nothing over the top in the selection.  If you're after a very bright or shimmery look then this may disappoint but for someone like me who likes to dabble in colour in a subtle everyday way it's going to be perfect and I look forward to experimenting: 

 

 

 

 

Rosy Blush Duo Collector Face Palette

 

 

YSL refers to this beauty as:

"...a creamy powder that sculpts and illuminates the complexion. A collector face creamy powder palette that displays a graphic motif to unveil 2 marble pink shades that swirl and unravel an arty rose petal motif."

 

The blush is a duo of non-shimmery soft pastel pink blush swirled with a golden pink highlight shade in a ridiculously pretty, rather organic looking design in the pan.  YSL recommends the matte pink shade be used for sculpting the cheeks, then applying the golden highlight on the cheekbones however I've been swirling both shades together for a subtle pink glow on my cheeks - maybe because I'm fair skinned I find this works beautifully for a daytime look and I just love it because I get a healthy pink glow without anything too obvious.  Yes, there is a bit of sparkle but not too otherworldly for me so I am 100% in love with this!

 

  I can see that if you have medium to darker skin this won't do much for you as a blush, although it could probably still work as a highlight.  I've also read it can be layered over other blush to add a subtle glow.

 

Swirled and swatched on my arm:

 

These pretty things were both very much an indulgence for me but I don't regret them at all - like I said I'm a sucker for pretty and these are undeniably pretty and, importantly, wearable too. If you like pink then this might just be your thing. Both of these items are limited edition so you need to be quick to snap them up!

 

Until next time.



7 days of blush. The summer edit...

After years of being blush shy nowadays I love blush but have a habit of reaching for the same one over and over (see that one with the major pan showing above?) That's the reason why I deliberately wore 7 unique blushes over 7 days to kick that habit! This isn't a unique idea but it's the first time I've tried something like this outside of swapping lipstick shades - and it IS a fun way of acquainting or reacquainting myself with some of my blush collection. 

 

My week's selection of powder blushes...



 

...clockwise from top left:

• Australis blush (Baby Doll) - Now discontinued so that gives you an idea of how long it's been sitting in my makeup drawer.  Baby Doll is a vibrant almost electric, ever so slightly shimmery pink in the pan yet it imparts a pretty, healthy flush to the cheeks. I bought it because it looked so pretty, then decided it was scary, and now having actually worn it (Duh!) I really should have trusted my first instincts.  Bright pink blush actually translates as amazing on the cheeks! The funny thing is I already did know that because I'm often reaching for the bright pink blush in my Laura Mercier Lingerie palette (see here).
• Face of Australia (Nutmeg) - FOA still carry this blush in their core line so I'm not in trouble here.  Nutmeg is a medium brown-peach and a great natural looking way to warm up the complexion when I'm wearing cool toned shades on my eyes and/or lips - if it was slightly less peach I think it could work as a contour shade too.  An obvious choice for every day wear so I've decided to bring this one out on high rotation again.
• L'Oreal True Match Blush (Nude Pink) - My favourite every day shade as you can see by all the bare pan and because it sits on the fence of contour/blush/highlight perfectly.  The pink is a very neutral and dusty beige shade and there are - yes really - pearlescent particles in the formula, giving a natural glow to the cheeks.  I was probably cheating by including my go-to blush in the 7 day rotation but then again you probably want to know what my go-to blush is right?  Okay so a blush which does a little bit of everything is a good everyday choice for me and I'm planning on using this one regularly to the very end because it's the fool-proof understated blush of the lot.
• theBalm (Hot Mama!) - theBalm describes this blush as pinky-peach but I think of it as almost rose-gold as it has a lot of golden shimmer.  I was a little hesitant thinking it might be unnaturally shimmery on me but with a light application it's not out there at all.  I wore it as a weekday blush but with a heavier application I think it would come into its own as a shimmery cheek shade for evening.
• Smashbox Blush Rush (Chiffon) -  Another one I've had for ages and just doesn't get enough attention from me.  I go through phases where I love it then suddenly it's too bright for me - infinitely better on summer skin when I have a little more colour.  Chiffon is similar to Hot Mama! a bright peach although minus the same level of gold sheen. It goes with any eye or lip but can look a bit garish on me when I'm sporting my cooler weather pallor.   
• Illamasqua (Naked Rose) - I love this blush because it's a cool dusty matte pink and probably the most true matte blush in my collection.  In the pan it looks very similar to L'Oreal's Nude Pink but it is more distinctly pink when swatched.  It's very pigmented and powdery so a little pat of the brush in the pan easily picks up enough colour for my cheeks.  Very natural without being too neutral.  I think this would work equally well, if not better on pale winter cheeks too.
• Tom Ford (Love Lust) - Coral, with fine gold sparkle and not as scary as it may sound.  I've only worn it once - being precious because it's Tom F-F-Ford probably - but seriously it's coming out for a good airing this season because this is such a flattering coral on my skin and most definitely a summer shade. The sparkle is more subtle than I expected on my cheeks and a light application provided a lovely hint of warmth. 

Swatched L -R:

Baby Doll, Nutmeg, Nude Pink, Chiffon, Naked Rose, Love Lust



 

What are your summer blush picks?

RiRi Hearts MAC Fall 2013 collection: my picks and thoughts

I'll apologize straight up for posting on a sold out collection.  Something like this was always going to sell out quickly - in days - and despite my sincere intentions of getting this post up a whole month ago I'm still stubbornly going ahead with it now because, well, I did take the pictures a month ago and I have some definite opinions I want to share -  I'm not just talking about the stunning rose gold packaging either okay?  Yeeessss well...that's what drew me in initially but stating the blindingly obvious, ultimately it's the performance of the product inside which counts.

Well, for the sake of it, let's just get the swooning over the packaging out of the way first shall we? You may know that I have a weakness for all things rose gold and such prettiness was not going to be overlooked.  I knew I had to get one of those sleek looking lipstick bullets but I particularly loved the packaging of the blush.  So here they are in all their gilt glory:  RiRi Woo lipstick and Hibiscus Kiss Satin Powder blush...

 The packaging's so highly reflective that you can even see me photographing it...

Although the look is metallic, as with all MAC packaging these are in fact lightweight plastic so I know I will worry about the durability of the gilt finish flaking off and won't be bashing these around too freely in my everyday cosmetic purse.  Oh well.  Rest assured at least one of these will be used.  Yes, just one...

Hibiscus Kiss

Although labelled as a satin powder blush Hibiscus Kiss is not that simple, but instead a very pretty multitasking blush-bronzer. I was a bit hesitant at first but the MAC SA convinced me the bronzer wouldn't be too dark and a few swatches later I was tentatively convinced - at least enough to buy it.  What sold it to me was the idea of mixing the two shades to come up with a warm blush and the fact the bronzer was matte, and relatively 'safe'. 

Since getting it home, as a pale skinned NC20 chick I don't have any regrets about this buy at all.  The shades apply very smoothly and are all flattering for my yellow undertones.  I started off using the two shades combined but I've since fallen in love with the bronzer itself - completely unlike me because I'm a self-confessed bronzerphobe, one with a complete fear of bronzers even though I have a few!  I apply this bronzer with the largest, fluffiest brush I can find and I look a little more alive.  Completely natural, yes!  I suppose this means it's not going to be great for those with medium to dark skin tones but this is a great choice for those like me with fair skin who normally steer clear of bronzer.

Heavily swatched L - R:
blush, bronzer, blush/bronzer combined

RiRi Woo matte lipstick

Doesn't she look beautiful? Alas, she is beautiful but unfortunately not kind to me. This gorgeous cool toned red is a "retro-matte" formula and it's the formula which worked against me.  The powdery lipstick literally drags across my lips making it extremely difficult to get smooth coverage.  I did try applying it with a brush as recommended but found it only slightly easier.  Yes, I could apply it over a balm I suppose but I'm not the only one out there who feels a balm beneath a matte lipstick defeats the purpose.

The other thing which mightily bothered me was how the lipstick faded all too quickly from the inner third of my lips so I had to touch up more often than I would with a cream formula.  I know there was a matching lipliner the SA tried to sell me at the time which would have solved that particular problem - just colour in the entire lip with the matching pencil first! If only I knew then what I know now...

She's still beautiful in the swatch on the back of my hand. 
Now if only my lips could look like that too without all the hassle. *sigh*

Did you fall under the spell of this collection?



Budget beauty: a BYS makeup look

Have you ever tried a one-brand face?  I usually use a combination of brands when doing my makeup but when I realized I had a full face's worth of BYS products to try - by a combination of my own purchases and products received for review - I thought I'd go all out and try a single-brand makeup look.  I'm already a fan of BYS nail colours and matte lippies (see my full matte lipstick review here) so I was curious to try out and do a mini review of some more of their range.  

I've included the Australian prices for local readers (Products marked * were received for review).

Base

Minerals Naturale Compact Foundation (Sand Beige) - $9.95

I prefer applying powder foundation over creams and liquids because it's foolproof and offers easily buildable coverage.  The Minerals Naturale foundation appears a little rough in the pan but I was surprised at how fine and almost creamy it feels when swatched with fingers so I was prepared to invest my $10 and try it.  This foundation is formulated with 100% minerals and when worn over bare skin it delivers very natural and quite sheer coverage so it would be great for younger girls on a budget who want a no-make up look.  I personally do need a little help to cover some localized redness and pigmentation so I prefer to apply this powder foundation over a little primer or add some concealer for greater coverage and a longer lasting finish.  What I do like is the ease and portability of this compact so it's now living in my makeup purse for a quick dusting during the day.

Blush Duo (03 Miss Pink) - $6.95

Oh man, this bright powder blush compact instantly appealed to the young girl somewhere inside me so I had to buy this as soon as I saw it!  These blush shades are 100% matte and provide surprisingly heavy colour pay-off.  So heavy that a quick tap of the blush brush, particularly into the darker pink shade, is enough to get the right amount of colour onto your cheeks.  Because of my fair colouring (and fear of red streaks on my cheeks) I prefer to either use the pale pink shade alone as I've done at the end of this post, or very gently blend the two shades together on the back of my hand before applying to my cheek apples.  I'm not quite up to dolly cheeks!

Eyes

Metallics 8-pan Eyeshadow Palette (Browns) - $4.95*

These eyeshadows aren't as finely milled as some of the high-end brand metallics out there but they do feel nice and creamy rather than powdery and crumbly between the fingers and the colours pack a highly-pigmented punch and metallic sheen on the lids.  I did experience some fallout when applying so a lighter touch is definitely recommended rather than my packing it on - I admit I can be a bit heavy-handed with eyeshadow when I'm not expecting a good colour payoff so I think this eyeshadow palette took me by surprise.  Using three shades (bottom right on the inner lid, bottom left on the outer crease, and top second-from-right for the outer lid and inner crease) I created an accented daytime eye without the need for any eyeliner.  The shades actually lasted all day on my lids too without fading or creasing - for the grand price of $4.95 that, quite frankly, is just ridiculous! The dead giveaway of course is the packaging but the product inside is surprisingly good. 

Lash Fibre & Lash Extend Mascara (black) - $9.95*

These sorts of products make me nervous. Very nervous. Scared actually. I've seen unfortunate bloggers modelling bloodshot, teary eyes after lash fibres floated into their eyes - yikes! Okay, I was understandably nervous trying this product then.  What did I do? I read the package instructions and followed them TO.THE.LETTER.  The Lash Extend mascara is the pre-coat as well as the finishing mascara. This means the pesky little lash fibres have something to stick to rather than flying off and into unsuspecting eyes! I applied a quick coat of Lash Extend, then quickly and carefully applied a coat of the Lash Fibre to my still wet lashes.  I removed any noticeable white clumps before adding a single, final coat of Lash Extend.  I like the fuller, non clumpy lash look and it's about as close as I get to false lashes in my everyday life.  I was still a little nervous of any fallout or flaking during the course of the day but the mascara stayed put.  I know I wouldn't bother doing a two-step lash every day but I really like the idea of wearing extra fluttery lashes for a special occasion or an evening eye without having to glue on falsies. 

Lips

Matte lipstick (Tango) - $3.95*
I have three shades from this line of matte lipsticks now and love them all because they are not drying at all and the colour payoff is intense. Tango is a vibrant blue-based red.

Diamond Shine Lip Gloss (05 Ruby Red) - $3.95*
I wasn't expecting much from this cheap little lip gloss but this really has a lot of saturated colour, with just a little bit of understated sparkle. Sparkly shades can feel a bit grainy on the lips too but this had no noticeable graininess. There was no stickiness either and I liked the subtle cherry scent.  I applied this over Tango and it added shine and and vibrancy to my lips for a more orange-red juicy lip. Did it bleed? No.

The swatches

Left to Right:
 Blush Duo -  (03 Miss Pink - soft pink shade)
Metallics Eyeshadow (Browns as worn on lid, inner crease, outer crease)
Matte Lipstick (Tango) 
Diamond Shine Lip Gloss (05 Ruby Red)
 

The face 

(For those of you who haven't seen me on Instagram - Hello!)

Total cost:  $39.70

All of these products are available online at Fashion Addict or in-store at the following Australian locations:  KMart, Gloss or Cosmetics Plus.

(Some of these products have been provided for my consideration.  All comments and opinions are my own.)

My winter palette: Plums, berries and wine

I'm a fan of classic makeup shades and I'm really embracing the wine and burgundy lips that are trending at the moment.  I'm not much of a bronzer wearer - I embrace the pale! - so I've always turned to the darker lip shades in winter because I find they're a flattering contrast to my paler winter complexion.   And of course that translates to the nail colours I choose too.

Blackened reds, berries and plums just look so right in winter worn everywhere really so this post is dedicated to my love of these shades.  I've had a little fun diving into my own collection and I'm sure I could have posted even more but these are the makeup items I found whilst doing a 'power shop' of my stash! Stand by for lots of swatching...

Lips

Presented and swatched from left to right:

• MAC Satin Lipstick (Rebel) - Is it berry? Is it plum? Is it beet? MAC has described it as a midtonal cream plum.  I don't know how to best describe it but I love this deep but vibrant shade of lipstick so much this is my second tube.  Click here for my original rave.
• Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick (Wine With Everything) - A classic deep wine creme finish lippy.  I've had it for ages and just rediscovered it when I was going through my stash a few months back. A good shade to replicate the burgundy thing happening with lips at the moment.
• Revlon Colorburst Lipstick (Raspberry) - A semi-sheer raspberry shade.  A nice light daytime red for winter with its cool undertones.
• Bloom Lip Gloss (Tint) - Looks burgundy in the tube but translates as a sheer berry on the lips.
• L'Oreal Glam Shine Reflexion Gloss (Sheer Cassis) - Not very sheer really, but a rather opaque plum gloss with a hint of shimmer and sparkle.  I like it layered over lipstick for added impact with an evening look.

Eyes

Presented clockwise from bottom left and swatched from left to right:

• MAC Shale - I've been using this eyeshadow so much this winter I'm surprised I haven't yet hit pan.  It's such a versatile, almost neutral mauvey-plum which I'll use subtly as a crease accent or more dramatically all over my lids.  Definitely on high rotation at the moment and I can see myself getting a backup in future.
• MAC Cranberry - One of my newer MAC's and I bought it when I was going through a complete berry obsession at the end of autumn/fall. It's described by MAC as a reddish plum with a pink shimmer but it looks more warm toned to me, with a tendency towards copper rather than pink.  It's an after dark eye colour for me, and I'll wear it toned down so I don't look red eyed anchored with a strong black liner, some dark shadow and a truckload of mascara!
• L'Oreal Infallible eyeshadow (Burning Black) - Wow! A blackened burgundy eyeshadow and another one for daring after dark looks or it can be used as an eyeliner. Very pigmented so a light hand is needed or it can be a nightmare to blend out.
• MAC Powerpoint Eyeliner pencil (Bordeauxline) - My go to plum eyeliner pencil because it contrasts with the green in my eyes.  I use it every other day as an alternative to brown or black.  Looks great partnered with Shale.

Cheeks

• NYX Mosaic Powder Blush (Plummy) - This is the sole plum blush I own and probably only because it's not too plummy or dark!  I swirl all of the colours in the pan together for a very natural flushed cheek look.  However, and this is a significant however, the powder has a really strong "chalky" smell which makes me want to look a bit closer at the composition of it. 

Nails

Presented and swatched (terribly, sorry due to bad lighting) from left to right:

•  Revlon Autumn Berry - Deep plum/burgundy with a subtle gold shimmer.  Even though it's a very dark shade the gold shimmer lifts it out of being too vampy.  It was one of the first ever polishes I swatched on this blog (see some cute amateur swatching here ) and I think it's worthy of a reswatch once my nails grow out of their current nubbin stage.
• OPI Bogota Blackberry - A rich blackened berry shimmer. I'm pretty sure it's in OPI's core line.  My idea of the perfect deep red polish.  So, why the hell haven't I swatched this one on my nails???
• OPI Bastille My Heart - From one of OPI's chicest collections, La Collection De France.  It's a dark berry red creme with a very subtle shimmer.  Again, I NEED to wear this one!!
• Australis Vampy - Another berry shade.  Vampy is a bit of a peculiar name for this shade because it's a pretty berry red creme, with a hint of glitter.  I'll need to wear this one on a sunny day to show you how cute it actually is, but still seasonally appropriate for colder weather!

Is there anything here that takes your fancy?

Until next time.

Vita :)