Which Shade of Touché Éclat is right for me?

When YSL launched 7 shades in its iconic Touché Éclat last year (they’ve since added another 3 to confuse us further) I thought it was great for people with darker/lighter skin tones, but didn’t really affect me. You know the adage, if it aint broke don't fix it and I was happy with the original one (read my review here). But when I ran out of Touche last week (a week when I had major heavy duty bag by the way) I got to thinking... should I try another shade, because if I'm honest, the original touché is sometimes a touch pink for me.

So the search began and I soon discovered it aint easy to discover the shade that's right for you. I started having a look for some reviews and swatches but couldn’t find much of a guide or comparison. YSL has a tool on their website to match your skin tone to the right shade, which pointed me to No.5 but I felt that was too dark for my needs. Also, and this is the crucial point, if you want to use Touche for highlighting, you won't want a shade that matches your skin tone, you'll want one that's lighter. 

Here's a summary of the 10 shades...

No.1 Luminous Radiance: The original highlighter for fair to light complexions with pink undertones

No.1.5 Radiant Silk: For light to medium complexions with yellow or golden undertones

No.2 Luminous Ivory: For fair to light complexions with golden undertones

No.2.5 Luminous Vanilla: For fair to light complexions with warm undertones

No.3 Light Peach: For warm and golden-beige complexions

No.3.5 Luminous Almond: For medium complexions with warm undertones

No.4.5 Luminous Sand: For medium complexions with pink undertones

No.5 Luminous Honey: For medium complexions with olive/golden undertones

No5.5. Luminous Praline: For Medium complexions with golden undertones

No.6 Luminous Amber: For deep complexions with red undertones

No.6.5  Luminous Toffee: For deep complexions with neutral undertones

No.7 Luminous Mocha: For dark complexions. 

After much deliberation I opted to try No2 Luminous Ivory. 

I wouldn’t say I have a fair complexion (MAC NC30 for refernce purposes), but I’m definitely at my palest right now. Plus it was on of the the only one for golden undertones that wasn't too peach or too dark. To find the right touché you have to first decide what you intend to use it for, if it’s covering the undereye area like me, you need to have a look at those pesky bags to see what colour they are. Mine are more purple/blue, which are corrected by yellow based products. I also use it as a highlighter (down the nose, cupids bow etc) and for that reason it needs to be lighter than my skin. So my verdict on No.2. Luminous Ivory....



I'm wearing it under my eyes, down the bridge of my nose and the cupids bow



I won't lie, I was nervous about my decision, I've never purchased a face product with "Ivory" in the title but I love it. I'd say it's almost perfect! Yes, it's light, lighter than I'm used to and I probably won't get away with it when I have a tan, but those yellow undertones make my bags magically disappear. The shade blends into my skin perfectly and as you'd expect with this little gold want, it's very luminous! It's a fantastic highlighter and brightens my face up in an instant. It's a great tool for contouring and highlighting. What I think really sets Touché Éclat aside from its competitors (and there are many good ones) is its durability. It lasts me all day and I don't find I have to reapply later in the day.

I hope that's been helpful and makes your search for the perfect shade a touch easier (no pun intended). YSL Touché Éclat UK RRP £25, available from Cheapsmells.com from £19.99.

Where's my Chauffeur?

I'm tired of winter. It's cold, it's dark, it's snowy, I'm cracking out some pastels to make me feel summery. 

It's another hit from Essie... Where's my Chauffeur is dope! It's such a pretty colour, yes it's similar to Mint Candy Apple, but it's darker and has more of a turquoise edge. It reminds me of the Tiffany blue. With my first few strokes I worried the formula was a little streaky but it evened itself out with two coats. It's best to apply this one with a heavier hand to get fully opaque results. I finished off with some Leighton Denny One For All and I just love the gorgeous creme finish. 

I found this one in the ASOS sale, £5.99. Also available from Boots and Superdrug £7.99.

Sleek OMG

OMG indeed! I love it when a product takes me by surprise and this one sure did! When I received this in December’s glossybox, I wasn’t sure it was my colour. I was thrilled to see a fill size lipstick but OMG looked very red in the bullet... and I struggle with reds – they wash me out unless they have strong pink or orange running through them and OMG is definitely more of an orange shade.

It’s a difficult shade to describe, a brightened orangey red is the best I best I can come up with. I can’t liken it to anything else and there’s no dupe I know of. It’s a highly pigmented, vivid and super rich shade with just one coat. It glides on easily from the bullet but for neater application I’d recommend using a brush. Sleek call it a sheen finish but it’s much more than a sheen! If I’m comparing it to MAC it’s somewhere between Satin and Amplified. It’s slightly creamy, moisturising and long lasting! In fact it stains the lips somewhat but I’ll forgive it that. It’s a surprisingly wearable colour I think, yes it’s more of an evening shade, but it’s bright without being overbearing. It didn’t was me out, but I’d imagine it would look even better in the summer months with some colour in my face. Overall I’m super impressed by this very affordable lippy and I’ll be heading to Sleek to check out their other shades.



Spot the photo bomber... thanks Ozzy



Sleek True Colour Lipsticks £4.99 Superdrug. Let me know what you think.

First Purchases of 2013

If you saw my Christmas presents you'll know I'm well stocked up in the beauty department. I told myself that I'd abstain from purchasing any new products in January... but I failed, miserably. Blame the sales, blame my lack of will power but I just couldn't resist...

L’Oreal Lumi Magique Foundation  

I blogged about this foundation last year when it was launched and my love for it has grown. In fact I love it so much, I bought it in a lighter shade. Lumi Maquique is a firm favourite of mine but W5 Gold Sand is too dark for me at the minute, seriously my colour has evaporated, so I purchased  W3 Gold Linen, plus Superdrug had £3 off so I aint feeling guilty. It was between that and N4 Pure Beige, which was a touch too pink. I know this foundation has divided opinion, but for me it’s just the right balance of everything. It has decent coverage, yet feels and looks fairly sheer. It gives a dewy, luminous glow without being shiny. It applies effortlessly and lasts all day. I feel good when I wear this foundation – enough said!

Lumi Magique Foundation comes in just seven shades - C1 Rose Pearl, W3 Gold Linen, N4 Pure Beige, C4 Rose Beige, C5 Rose Sand and W5 Gold Sand. £10.99, currently on offer at Superdrug £7.99.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir

When I shared my 2013 Beauty Wish list earlier this month there was over whelming love for this. Inspired by Queen Isabelle of Hungary’s famous elixir of youth, the Caudalie Beauty Elixir is packed with vitamins, minerals and serum designed to smooth features, tightens pores, and gives the complexion a burst of radiance. I purchased the small, 30ml bottle to test it first. Will it live up to the hype? A full review coming soon.

 Revlon Lip Butter Creme Brulee

Another purchase I’m blaming on the sales. I talked about my love for Lip Butters in my Best of Beauty 2012 post so I won’t bore you again, but needless to say I can’t get enough of this lipstick/lipbalm hybrid.  Creme Brulee is a warm nude with a subtle peach shimmer. It’s a great way to wear a nude lip in the winter without drying out the lips.

Boots are selling selected Revlon nail and lip products for £5.

Essie Where’s My Chauffer

Essie was a big part of my nail attire last year – they do pastels like no other! Where’s My Chauffer is an opulent blue/turquoise. I knew it would be mine one day, but I was in no rush to buy it, until I stumbled across it on ASOS for £5.99, SOLD. I haven’t tried it yet but you’ll be the first to know when I do.

Glossybox January 2013

I've been away for a few days and look what's been waiting for me....

Apologies for the poor quality and lack of photos, someone stole my memory card (you know who you are)

January's Glossybox is all about the Detox (surprise, surprise). This month's products "will stimulate your sense with their uplifting scents and textures, while rejuvenating your spirit for a replenished new you". So this is what I got... 

Paul Mitchell Super Strong Daily Conditioner 100ml (300ml, £11.50)

Designed to strengthen and repair damaged hair. Definitely happy to see this! My hair needs all the help it can get right now and the bottle is a decent size. 

Elemis Fresh Skin Face Exfoliator 30ml (100ml £12)

I WAS happy to see this (there's always room for another face scrub in my collection) until I realised that I was too old for it! According to Glossybox this range is designed for the teens to mid-twenties age group, oh well that's me out. Still I'll give it a go... note to Glossybox - read your customer profiles.

Duck Island Body Lotion 30ml (500ml £24.95)

This smells nice, very aromatic BUT tiny body lotions are a bit of a pet hate of mine. 30mls aint gonna cover much of my body and it's not a squeezy bottle so you find you can't get much out.

Monu Aromatic Mask 30ml (100ml £24.95)

I've received a few Monu products now and I've loved them all. I'm also in need of a new face mask (just ran out of my beloved Soap and Glory Pore Refiner) but again I'm annoyed with the bottle. I've just thrown out a Monu body moisturiser in the exact same bottle because despite all the squeezing and tapping I could only get a tiny bit of the product out.

Jason Lips Be Healthier Lipbalm £1.99

Made with Bees Wax and Aloe, it's cute and useful. As is the 6th bonus gift, the Glossy dreams eye mask.

Overall I'm quite happy with this box. Some good brands, decent size products and not a perfume vial in sight. I'm most excited to try the Paul Mitchell conditioner and the too young for me Elemis exfoliator. It's a shame that it's nearly all skincare though, where's the make up at? You can find out more about the Glossybox subscription service here.

Max Factor Clump Defy Volumising Mascara

Proving a girl can never have too many mascara, Max Factor have added yet another one to their already bulging collection. The new Clump Defy Volumising Mascara is designed to beautifully separate, defined and volumise lashes without clumping them.  

It’s all about the brush! The state of the art curved bush has tight, evenly spaced and criss-crossed bristles that hug and tease out each individual lash. Stroke after stroke you can build up the look without clumping.  

It gives great lift and volume at the roots, separates and defines them perfectly. The curved wand navigates into the inner corners easily and brought out lashes I didn’t know I had. It’s definitely got the separation and definition down (and not a clump in sight) but as for volume, not so much! Whether you’ll love this mascara depends completely on your personal preference. If you love your lashes maxed out, this one ain’t for you, but if you prefer the soft flutterful look, this could just be your bag. I’d say it’s a great day time mascara. For me it gave fantastic length and curl without looking over done.

RRP £10.99 currently £7.99 at Boots stores and online

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

I couldn’t contain my excitement back in October when I blogged about OPI’s Skyfall collection, but I had to exercise some restraint and wait until Christmas before I got in on the action. After way too much deliberation I opted for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

This royally wonderful shade is packed with ultra fine glitter in hues of gold, green, magenta and purple to create a gorgeous shimmering gunmetal shade with holographic finish. It’s tough to convey with the camera how gorgeous it is. It’s one of those that looks different in every light. I can’t decide if it’s more blue or grey or green, either way it’s lush!

As ever with OPI application is smooth and easy thanks to their exclusive ProWide™ Brush. The formula is fairly thin but yields full coverage with three coats. It dries quick and lasts really well; three days before there was any chipping.

£9.49 at Lookfantastic.com Enter code HAPPY2013 to save further 20% for a limited time.

Lush Lips

Chapped, dry, flaky lips – don’t you just love winter! I tell you I’ve been getting very ticked off with my flaky lips lately, they severely limit my lipstick wearing days... Lush Sweet Lips to the rescue.

Lush’s lip scrubs are made from castor sugar to act as a gentle scrub and jojoba oil to be wonderfully moisturising but light enough not to leave you feeling greasy. Simply scrub and buff a small amount of the product on and around the lip area and lick off the excess. Yep, you heard me, lick it off. Sweet Lips smells and TASTES of chocolate and from my very first go my lips were softer and smoother.

I’ve popped mine in my handbag for whenever I feel the flake. It also provides a great base for lipstick helping to ensure you have a smooth base for application. Despite trying to refine my beauty regime I keep managing to add to it, oh well, this one smells and TASTES of chocolate so it’s worth it.

Lush lip scrubs are available in other gorgeous flavours including bubblegum, mint and popcorn and keep lips in tip top condition, for kissing, pouting, talking or anything else you wish to do with them.... Find out more here.

What's on my Beauty Wish List for 2013?

After I did my Best in Beauty 2012 post, I got to thinking (Carrie Bradshaw style) about the products I want to try in 2013? Of course I don’t have a crystal ball and can’t lust after products that haven’t been launched yet, but I do have a wish list of so-called-fabulous products that I haven’t tried yet....

Caudalie Beauty Elixir

Am I the last beauty blogger to try this? Everyone raves about it and it frequently tops best beauty poles. I’m a big fan of MAC’s fix + and I assume this operates in a similar way. Despite the hefty price tag (£32 for 30ml), I’m going to have to get involved.

Seche Vite Top Coat

The top coat to end all others I’m told. The only reason I haven’t tried this sooner is because I’m stocked up on OPI top coat, but I’ll make it my resolution to get around to it.

Philip Kingsley Maximizer

Oh how I crave thicker hair! There can’t be many volumising products out there that I haven’t tried. This one is supposed to be the daddy, but then I’ve heard that before! Let me know if you’ve tried it before I waste more cash in my quest for volume.

By Terry touché veloutee Highlighting Concealer

I’ve heard this is even better than YSL’s touché éclat? I’d love to try it but the price tag puts me off, £35 ouch! It does look a bit more heavy duty and I like the wider brush.

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

My friends rave about this stuff and I realise there must be a reason. I love the No7 Hot Cloth Cleanser which is probably why I haven’t stepped up to the plate... yet!

Let me know if you use, love, hate any of these products.

Best of Beauty 2012

As we start a new year I've been looking back over my beauty highlights of 2012. 2012 was my first full year of blogging, I went nail polish and lipstick mad and now have more products than I could use in two lifetimes (not that I'm complaining). I've poured through the archives to bring you my Best of 2012....

Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover

I've got no hesitation in calling this my product of the year! Since its launch in April I've been completely obsessed. Who'd have thought a little pink pot could bring so much joy. It magically removes nail polish in record time and without the need for cotton wool. If you change your nail polish as often as you change your pants, you need this in your life. Read my full review here.

Revlon Lip Butters £7.99

Early in 2012 the World went mad for Revlon Lip Butters. Unless you've been living under a rock you'll know all about these gems and hopefully you love them as much as I do. I'm pleased that they haven't been a flash in the pan and I think they'll be a product that stands the test of time... certainly in my collection. I've got Sweet Tart, a bright, yet delicate fushia and Strawberry Shortcake, a creamy candy pink. I'd happily have them all but I'm making myself use up some old lippies before I buy any more.

Sweet Tart and Strawberry Shortcake

Real Techniques Brushes by Samantha Chapman from £6.99

Finally the beauty industry gave us top quality brushes at affordable prices, it's just a shame we had to wait until 2012. The blush brush has been my go to brush since April. I love it so much I gave one away in my first birthday giveaway. The shape, the quality, the super soft bristles, these brushes are faultless. More recently I added the Expert Face brush to my collection, which is fantastic for flawless foundation application, and for Christmas my friend bought me the fabulous 4 piece Core Collection, which looks great.

L'Oreal Lumi Magique Foundation £10.99 30 ml

The Lumi Magique foundation is a Light Infusing liquid which gives luminosity to the skin to provide a perfect coverage without masking. I think it's the best in its price range and works very similarly to YSL's Touche Eclat foundation diffusing light and providing luminosity (in case you're wondering, it's not on this list because it makes me skin too shiny). Find out more about the Lumi Maqique range here.

Body Shop Honey Bronze Shimmering Dry Oil

OK, this one wasn't new to 2012, but it was new to me. This indulgent body oil gives a gorgeous shimmery glow and I'm hooked. See my review here.

Benefit Bella Bamba Blush £23.50

This has been my go to blusher since I picked it up in Duty Free back in June and I could kick myself for not buying it sooner. This multi-tonal blush is laced with shimmering gold undertones and creates the illusion of sculpted cheekbones. Whenever I'm feeling tired and my skin looks dull, I reach for Bella Bamba. See more pics and swatches here.

Benefit, They're Real

I've saved the best till last. There's a reason this mascara remains the number one best selling mascara in the UK. It has the WOW factor and gives va-va-VOOM results every time. It's so good, I can't wear it everyday because I look like I'm wearing falsies! My Mum even steals it out of my overnight bag when I go home... but the results give her away! See it in action here.

So they were my beauty highlights of the last year, what were yours?