Givaways! Prizes! Free Makeup!

Giveaway time!  Freebies galore!!  Prizes!!!  Competitions!!!!
If you're not in, you can't win!!!!!
And other annoying overly-effusive declarations, spoken in the most irritating accent imaginable, punctuated by multiple exclamation points!  Whohoo, yeah, baby!

So, I've been doing some reviewing (hey that kinda rhymes!) and even though it's been a quiet (on the blog front) few months, due in no small part to mania (on the home/work/fun front), I can confirm that my stats are looking good and I'm happy.  While I appreciate some of the figures below may be considered small fry to some, I'm happy with then and to say thank you to everyone who follows me and reads the stuff I write... and so I wanted to have some giveaways.  Not just one or two, but five, five freebie prize giveaways for absolutely nothing - just so say thanks!

Avant-Première de Chanel - Chanel's latest lipstick & nailpolish collection

Chanel Avant-Première de Chanel - campaign visual
... and it's making me crave the sun...

Chanel's has three Le Rouge Chanel collections due out this year, all featuring lipsticks/lipglosses, the latest of which is named Avant-Première de Chanel, and features new shades of lipstick (both Rouge Coco, Rouge Coco Shine formulas) and nail polish.

Cosmetics à la Carte Skin Velvet Foundation

Cosmetics à la Carte
Skin Velvet Foundation

The Foundation

Another Cosmetics à la Carte foundation - today is the turn of their Skin Velvet foundation.  According to Cosmetics à la Carte, this is a "good coverage, silky foundation for a long lasting, demi-matte finish".

Make Up For Dolls Bootcamp Class

Smokey Eye

You know, I write and produce content for other products and brands, so why not my own!

I've been inundated lately with queries on my Bootcamp class - I run these several times a year and they're a huge amount of fun.  Read on if you'd like to hear more about the only makeup class in Dublin which will teach you Everything There Is To Know About Makeup, and promises you individual attention to detail for your own very specific personal requirements!

Sephora Targeted Eye Remover Swabs

Read the name, seriously!  Hilarious!

*sniggers* I kid you not, this is actually what these things are actually called.  In English at least.  The French translation is more accurate.

If I go with the English translation, these things are useless (at removing eyes) but great (at removing makeup).

Cosmetics à la Carte Skin Tint Foundation

Cosmetics à la Carte
Skin Tint Foundation

It has been a while since I've done a foundation review, and I wouldn't mind but I have a bunch of them queued up, almost ready to go.  Today I'm looking at one of the two Cosmetics à la Carte foundations that I've been trying out for the last couple of weeks.  I'll edit and post the other review next week.

Berber Lipstick

Berber lipstick - no, this *is* actually lipstick!

And now for something completely different...

I recently was given the gift of what seemed like a lid for a tiny pot.  Great, thought I, where's the rest of the pot.  No, I was told, this is Moroccan lipstick.  Intrigued, I took it away and have been using it a little bit since.

MAC 205 Fan Brush v Hakuhodo Fan Lash Brush

Teeny tiny fan lash brushes
T -> B : Hakuhodo J4006L, MAC 205

Fancy some fluttery eyelashes minus the clumps?  These are the brushes for you...

Cosmetics à la Carte Stay Put Eyeliner Pen

Cosmetics à la Carte - Stay Put Eyeliner Pen

I have been fortunate enough to receive a full sized sample of this liner for consideration ahead of its release (it's now available through Cosmetics a la Carte's online site or via stockists).

PAI Skincare - Sample Pack Review

Pai Skincare Sample pack

As I'd had a particularly great experience with a sample of Pai (ref previous post), I thought I'd purchased their sample pack of products (available here if you're in Ireland ) to give some of the other moisturisers a whirl.

Illamasqua I'mPerfection Launch

Illamasqua's latest campaign - I'mPerfection

Back on 31st of January, Illamasqua launched their latest collection, called I'mPerfection, which as I'm sure everyone knows by now, is a play on both "I'm Perfect" and "Imperfection".  I am usually not in London for their launches but by a lucky chance, happened to be over there this time around, and went along to the Soho store on the day to take a look.

This campaign aims to celebrate, rather than mask, what most people have traditionally consider their flaws; freckles, birthmarks, you name it.  Illamasqua have taken that premise and very particularly carried it through into the Speckled Nail Polishes (see below) and the Speckled Eye Liner (application method).

So what did I buy?

Illamasqua Blush-Up Brush v MAC 163

T -> B: MAC 163, Illamasqua Blush-Up Brush

A relatively recent (ok, a month or so ago now) trip to London saw me at the I'mPerfection launch in the flagship store in Soho... where I got my caricature drawn (more on that later!) and purchased some items from the collection.  Some are LE (like the nailpolishes, more later) and some are permanent line - like the new Blush-Up Brush.

Being a brush junkie :-) I decided to purchase and bring home to compare with the MAC 163, which I bought from the Face & Body collection in 2012.  This is a quick-n-dirty compare post on the two...

MAC Fluidline Brow Gelcreme

MAC The Stylish Brow: Fluidline Brow Gelcremes

Ever since I saw these used at the most recent MAC Pro Masterclass I have been dying to try them out.

And they haven't disappointed.

La Mer The Concentrate & The Body Crème: Scar-Reducing Miracle Combination

Miracle stuff!

This stuff is beyond amazing.  It would want to be, given the price.

Chanel Les Beiges

Chanel Les Beiges collection of Sheer Glow powders

This week is in danger of becoming "Chanel week"!  Nonetheless, I wanted to write about Chanel's latest Makeup launch, Les Beiges, due out on 15th March, a range of Healthy Glow Sheer Powders in compact powder form.

Chanel 1932: so what is it actually like?

Quick update.

I had so so wanted to like this stuff.

Released on Friday last in the Chanel boutique in Brown Thomas Dublin as part of the Les Exclusifs de Chanel range, 1932 is an EDT and costs a whopping €130 for a 200ml bottle.

Poudre Signée de Chanel - just another highlighter?

Poudre Signée de Chanel highlighter

Chanel's Spring Summer 2013 Makeup collection features a LE highlighter, Poudre Signée de Chanel, which is a beautiful warm subtle peach-beige.

I had decided, quite sensibly, that I didn't need this.  Yet another highlighter, I thought.

I had thought (see previous post) that it was just a more warmed-up peachier version of a previous Chanel highlighter (Lumière Sculptée de Chanel), but I was wrong; that one (Lumière Sculptée) was matte - this one (Poudre Signée) has a gorgeous but grown-up shimmer.

So who was I kidding.  As soon as I saw this, I realised I had to have it.  Another highlighter, perhaps, but a stunningly beautiful one.

Return to normal operations...

I'm back!

I'm sorry for the hiatus.  It was a necessary one.