Lets firstly address that this is my first post. Yes, my first post. Eeeeeeek. So what better way, i thought, to kick off this little blogging journey than to share with you all the products i'll be lusting after when i make my little trip to see our friends across the Atlantic in a week or so, and hopefully be bringing back to Blighty with me...
As you won't already know, I'm currently studying Law in college (amongst Psychology and English Language) and I will be flying out to New York with the Law and Drama department on February 10th, and whilst i'm budding with excitement that we're visiting iconic landmarks like the Empire State Building, Statton Island and Broadway (lucky me!), the thing i'm most itching to get my teeth into are the drugstores, and, of course, the beloved Sephora...
Whilst when i first scattered everything down onto paper that i longed to add to my collection it come to the grand old sum of $902, i have whittled it down to the things that i think are the best of beauty in the States.
- MAC products - Now i know Mac is readily available in the UK, but the exchange rate means that they are considerably cheaper across the pond than here at home, so i've drawn up a list of the products i'm dying to try from the brand. Where eyeshadows are concerned, i list could have been endless, but i've popped three on the list - Naked Lunch, Brun and Club. Brun is simply on there for when i run out of my Urban Decay brow box, as its a great match for my eyebrows, whilst Naked Lunch simply had to be on there thanks to Tanya's ravings about it. I thought i'd add a little wild card in the form of Club, as it isn't a colour i'd usually go for and seems as i wear alot of black on nights out i think it will add a little more dimension to a dark outfit. I've added the pro palette and insert too, as these are also cheaper in the States. As for lipsticks, the iconic Hue has made the list, as i like the natural nude hue (see what i did there?!) it gives the lips without making them look like foundation lips. Face and Body foundation, Gingerly blush and Vanilla pigment have too made the cute - i'm curious to see what the foundation is all about, i've been wanting to the try the blush since Allison recommends it and I have loved the pigment ever since the lovely ladies at Peaches and Cream applied it as a highlight when i got peached, but there is more to come on that at a later date. I'm thinking about repurchasing another 217, which i've fallen head over heels with in just a month and can't bare to be without, as well as getting a 239, which i've heard pretty strong claims that it is the best shader brush any company has ever put out - i'm excited to see how it holds up against my beloved Lauren Luke shader brush.
- NYX products - While you can get NYX products in the UK, they are quite hard to find, so i'm going to take advantage of American drugstores and pick up a few products i've tried before and some that have been recommended in the beauty community. I've decided on the Slide On Pencils in Jet Black and Brown Perfection - i already have the Urban Decay Glide on Pencil in Perversion and since i've heard that the NYX counterparts are just as good and cheaper, i thought i'd give Jet Black a whirl for when i run out of the UD one. Brown Perfection will be for days when black is just a little too harsh, and a softer colour is much needed. Apart from the pencils, the Cream blush will also be in my suitcase on the way home, as i've tried these before and the formula is just fantastic - it's slightly balmy, which means it has great staying power and looks fab on the lips too. Red Cheeks, Glow, Natural and Orange are my shades of choice - Glow and Natural give a lovely natural dewy look, whilst I think Orange and Red Cheeks will look gorgeous in the summer.
- Maybelline products - when it comes to Maybelline, it's all about the lips. The Baby Lips lip balms will be in my basket, partcularly Pink Punch and the Too Cool Dr Rescue balm, which you can't currently get in the UK. The Colour Whisper lipsticks, which i've heard are Maybelline's answer to the Revlon lip butters, are also something i'm keen to try, in Lust for Blush and Who Wore It Red-er. The former is a soft, everyday neutral pink type shade, whilst i've chosen the latter as i really struggle to wear bold lip shades because of my wonky shaped lips, so a sheerer formula is perfect for adding a pop of subtle colour without it looking too full on. While i'm in the US, i may also try the Baby Skin primer after seeing Lily's post, as i'm really interested to see how the drugstore compares with higher end primers.
- The rest of the drugstore - i'm keen to sample the rest of the best American drugstores have to offer, and that includes a few cult items. I'll be searching for the Wet n Wild Vanity palette, which when i've seen swatches online has a few shades similar to some of MAC's most popular eyeshadows; i've also heard that the Reserve Your Cabana powder is a drugstore dupe for the powder of the moment, Hourgass Ambient Lighting powder, and at $40 cheaper, i'm going to go with the drugstore option on this one! L'Oreal Infallable Eyeshadow in Continous Cocoa has also made the list, for when i just want a one colour smokey eye. I did originally have 3 other shades down from this range - Smoldering Plum, Midnight Blue and Endless Pearl, but decided against them as i feel that i already have those colours in my collection, especially Midnight Blue, as from the images i've seen MAC Contrast looks pretty similar. I'm excited to try the EOS lip balm in pomegranate raspberry as these are another iconic American product that everyone seems to rave about, so i'm going to jump on the band wagon! One of Allison's other recommendations, NYC Sunny Bronzer (how appropriate!) is on my makeup lust list, as i'm looking for another contour colour and didn't feel like forking out for NARS Laguna after my last one smashed (sob). Elsewhere, my talons will be treated to a number of polishes - Essie Topless and Barefoot, which looks like the perfect neutral no-brainer polish, China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy, which is a gorgeous summer colour with an even more gorgeous summer name, and OPI Black Onyx, which is a just a bog standard black glossy shade that i need as i haven't got a black polish in my ever expanding nail polish stash believe it or not. Since i've had so much luck in the past with Real Techniques brushes, i've popped the Duo Fibre Collection and the Powder Brush on the list, as i've heard great things about both, although i'm not to sure as to whether the duo fibre set is still available.
- The Sephora purchases - I've saved the best till last - the Sephora list. I can't put into words how excited i am to visit this wonderland of beauty products - i'll be worse than a kid in a sweet shop, lets just say that! Clinique Chubby Stick in Whoppin' Watermelon will be in my basket, after seeing my auntie use it last year and falling in love with the colour and finish. I'm interested to see how i feel about these chubby stick type lip pencils after it seems like every brand has brought out their own version over this last year, so I hope the original gloss balm bad boy squares up to my high hopes. Over in the blush arena, Benefit CORALista and Tarte Amazonian Clay blush in Natural Beauty have found their way on to my list. I've had a mini Coralista before and liked it so much that I wanted the full size, whilst the Amazonian Clay blushes are so iconic it would be rude not to dip my toe in the water whilst i was over there! Natural Beauty is the most beautiful, gorgeous, stunning (can you tell i like it?) red-pink sheeny hybrid that i've ever seen, that looks amazing sweeped across the cheeks. Now where nail polishes are concerned, I'm going to try the Formula X polishes, after Tiffany fell in love with them after the launch and now seems to have accumulated a hefty chunk of the collection. I originally wanted Curiosity, but after coming across Infatuated online and drooling all over the keyboard on my laptop when i seen it i knew it was the shade for me. You could have a powder blue nail clipping and i'd be after it.
That's all that's on my list for now - I may tweak it slightly before i go, as i have another week before i go yet so it could be subject to change. What have you bought when you've been over to the States? Let me know if you think i've missed anything off!
xx, gabrielle
