Wishlist: Beauty.

NARS Virtual Domination Cheek Palette: £45

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipsticks in Bond Girl & Glastonberry: £23 each

MAC Lipsticks in Brave, Twig & Velvet Teddy: £15.50 each

Urban Decay Naked 3 Eyeshadow Palette: £37

Considering that francescassandra.com first started out as a beauty blog, I'm not a makeup obsessive at all. I only wear a full face of makeup when I know that I am going to be out and about for the entire day, and I like to stick to what I know which is usually my wallet-friendly Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer and Maybelline gel eyeliner. I rarely blow my budget experimenting with new brands or splurging on the latest product hypes, however, I am a sucker for having a bit of luxury in my makeup drawer every once in a while and Christmas is usually my opportunity to get my hands on one or two pieces from the high-end Christmas releases.

On the top of my list is the Virtual Domination Cheek Palette from NARS. After missing out on the highly-sought-after Guy Bourdin release last year, I have been keeping my eye on SpaceNK like a hawk and I'm glad to see that they have brought out a palette that is equally as beautiful this year. I have also been lusting over Charlotte Tilbury's Matte Revolution lipsticks since they were released a couple of months ago, but even in all their rose gold glory, their £23 price tag hasn't been justifiable.

I haven't been impressed by any of MAC's festive collections this year (how many shades of red and berry does a girl need?!), but Christmas is always a great time to stock up on a few of the trusty favourites. I am also admittedly probably one of the only girls who doesn't own one of the three Urban Decay Naked Palettes; I did own the second release but I sold it on after it sat unloved amongst my other eyeshadow palettes for the best part of a year, but I do think that Naked 3 has the most wearable selection of shades amongst the three.

Do you have any beauty products in your Christmas wishlist this year?

Frances x

Review: Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation.

I realise that I am very late on the bandwagon with this foundation, however as soon as I got my hands on the much hyped about Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation (review here) a few months ago, this made an appearance and everybody started raving about this instead. I really liked the Bourjois foundation but I am always open to trying out new products, so I picked this one up as soon as I ran out.

Rimmel claims that this foundation eliminates signs of tiredness and fatigue with radiance pearls that illuminate the skin. Peptides also increase elasticity to minimize premature skin aging.

The shade I use is 200 (Soft Beige) if anybody is interested. Like most drugstore foundations, a downfall with this product is that it is only available in seven shades, which don't stretch to cater for very pale or very dark skin tones.

The product comes in transparent glass bottle which makes it feel more expensive than it is and it has a pump dispenser, which I really like as it allows for you to control how much product you use. I'm not too sure if I like the bright orange lid, but this isn't too much of a problem, plus I must admit that it matches the "wake up" theme of the product.

The consistency of this foundation is a little thicker than the Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation which was very watery. It spreads easily and without streaks. I would describe this as a medium to heavy coverage foundation; it doesn't quite cover everything but it does leave your skin looking naturally radiant. The finish is quite dewy and there is a subtle shimmer running throughout the foundation, but I don't think it is too dewy that it would look greasy on oily skin, however I would recommend this more for drier skin. I have an oily T-Zone with dry cheeks and I don't find that this clings to any dry areas. I always use a setting powder to keep my foundation in place and I have found that this has lasted me around ten hours with minimal streaking.

L-R: Upon application, blended out.

Although it is a very close call, I do think that the Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation has taken first place over the Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation, simply for the better packaging and slightly thicker consistency that I think is easier to work with. At £8.99 for 30ml, it is slightly cheaper than the Bourjois alternative and I have seen it on offer quite a few times too (I remember paying £6.99 for mine). You can buy Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation from Superdrug and Boots.

Have you tried this foundation? What do you think? Would you compare it to Healthy Mix?

Review and Swatches: The Body Shop Lip & Cheek Stain

I have never dabbled in to the world of Body Shop make-up before, although I have always been interested in trying some, so when I saw that this full sized product was free on the cover of Marie Claire, I thought I would pick it up.

I really like the idea of lip and cheek stains, a product that lasts a long time and looks natural is always good if it lives up to it's claims. The one I picked up is shade 01- Rose Pink.

The Body Shop Lip and Cheek Stain

The product comes in a see through plastic 8ml tube with a silver lid. There is nothing too special about it really, I don't think it looks or feels tacky but it doesn't look expensive either. I think 8ml is a generous amount of product as a little goes a long way, and the tube is perfect for throwing in your bag.

Inside the lid is a doe foot applicator which is good for quick and precise application. In the tube, the product looks like it has a gel consistency, similar to a lip gloss, but once it is applied it is actually a lot thinner and more watery. It comes out as a bright hot pink colour which may look a little scary, but you will see in the swatch below that it blends out in to a subtle rosey pink.

The product dries very quickly, so if you use it on your cheeks you have to blend it out quickly and do one cheek at a time, otherwise you could end up with patchy cheeks. However, if you do work quickly, the product spreads nice and evenly.

L-R: Straight from applicator, blended out

As you can see from the above swatch, the product, once blended out, leaves a very subtle rosey glow but it can be built up if you wish for a bit more colour. As it is so buildable, I think this product would look lovely on all skin tones.

I really like this as a cheek stain as it looks natural and is a lightweight product, which will be perfect in the Summer when I don't want to cake my face in powder products. I find that the stain only lasts around four hours before it begins to fade; I don't mind too much though, as it is quick to reapply. It probably lasts around the same amount of time on the lips too, however I really wouldn't recommend this for the lips. I found that when applying it with the applicator, it just wouldn't apply evenly, settled in to cracks and dry patches, and I ended up with blotchy lips, which you can see slightly in the picture below. Being a stain, it also has the tendency to bleed. It is a shame, as it turns your lips a pretty cherry pink colour.

Overall, I rate this product highly as a cheek stain but not so much as a lip stain. You would probably like it if you just like a natural flush of colour on your cheeks. The Body Shop Lip & Cheek Stain retails in The Body Shop at £10.00 for this 8ml tube, which I think is a little steep for me, but isn't too bad when you consider that it will last a while and it is a lot cheaper than Benefit's Benetint. At the moment it is free on this month's (June 2012) issue of Marie Claire, which retails at £3.70, so if you fancy trying it go and see if you can pick up the magazine, there is also a bronze shade (02 Bronze Glimmer) up for grabs.

Are you a fan of lip and cheek stains? Have you tried this one?

Review and Swatches: Maybelline 24HR Color Tattoos

I am sure that most of you have heard of these now as they are quite raved about in the bloggersphere at the moment. I hadn't really looked in to them, as cream eyeshadows aren't something that interest me much, but I picked them up on a whim after I swatched them in store and fell in love with the shades.

The Color Tattoos come packaged in little glass jars that are clear on the bottom, which I quite like as it makes seeing the colours a lot easier. I always think that glass jars always give products a more expensive feel than plastic ones too.

The two I absolutely had to get my hands on after I swatched them were Permanent Taupe (40) and On and On Bronze (35). On and On Bronze comes off as a gorgeous metallic bronze shade and after realising that Permanent Taupe was in fact a matte cream shadow, I had to pick it up. I bought these from Superdrug as they all seemed to be sold out in Boots, but since there was a 3 for 2 offer on Maybelline products in Superdrug I decided to pick up Immortal Charcoal (55) too as I don't think I would get much use out of the other colours.

The color tattoos are quite easy to work with, which I am glad about as this is something I don't find often with cream eyeshadows, hense why I normally tend to stay away from them. The consistency of these is nice and creamy, if not a little greasy, but this isn't a problem as they dry quite quickly in to a long lasting shadow, but not so fast that you don't have time to blend them out. I find that with Permanent Taupe, you have to work a little bit faster than the other shades, as with it being a matte cream it is a little bit drier.

I also noticed whilst looking at these in store that the testers (which had no lids) were very dry and hard to swatch, so do make sure you put the lid back on properly as soon as you are finished with them.

I was very sceptical about the 24HR claims that this product has printed all over it, so for the past couple of days I have been putting them to the test. I swatched all three shades on my arm in the morning and left them on all day to test the lasting power.

 Swatches upon application (taken in natural daylight), L-R: Permanent Taupe, On and On Bronze, Immortal Charcoal

Swatches 10 hours after application (taken in natural daylight).

As you can see, after 10 hours of wear, they were starting to look faded, but they were still hanging on for dear life! They weren't given an easy time either, the swatches were on my inner forearm meaning that they were constantly rubbing against the sleeves of my jacket or my bag, which I am sure won't be an issue when they are on your eyes, unless you are a constant eye-rubber. I definitely don't think that these would last 24 hours, but I'm still quite impressed considering they are a cream formula... besides, how many of you plan on wearing your eye make-up for 24 hours?!

I also wore the color tattoos on my eyes when I went out on Saturday night. They were on my eyes for around six hours and when I got home the colours were still looking vibrant with no signs of creasing. Massive thumbs up.

As usual, the UK has got the short end of the stick with these products and they are only available in six shades (Permanent Taupe, On and On Bronze, Immortal Charcoal, Eternal Gold, Turquiose Forever, Endless Purple), wheras in the states you can get your hands on a further four shades. I hope that more colours get introduced in the UK, I really want to try out Pomegranate Punk, and I'd love it if they made a more nudey matte colour.

You can buy the Maybelline 24HR Color Tattoos in Superdrug and Boots for £4.99 each, which is an amazing price for the quality of the product. There are also 3 for 2 offers in both Superdrug and Boots at the moments so hurry and you'll be able to get a third one for free!

Have you tried any of the Maybelline 24HR Color Tattoos yet?

March Haul

I don't think I have done too bad with spending this month, I actually thought I'd bought way more than I did this month, I was kind of dreading putting together this post haha! A few of the things I actually bought right at the end of February; I made my February haul post a few days before the end of the month because I didn't think I would end up shopping again before March, but I did! Also, I doubt anybody will be able to notice but in my previous hauls, the wardrobe I use as my background was all discoloured and old, and I thought it was making my photographs look a bit nasty, so my dad repainted them white so they look good as new! Haha, dedication right there!

Anyway, on to the haul, as always I have included links to all the things that are still available online.

Clothing

 Floral Shorts: via FashionismyH2O's blogsale, £3

I bought a few things from Sarah's blog sale this month, I had never noticed that she had one before, she has some lovely things on there so make sure you take a look :) These shorts are perfect for the summer, you can see me wearing them here.

 Black Bandeau: New Look £2.99

I thought I'd pick one of these up to wear under sheer and low cut tops and they're such a good price. I think I'm going to pick up a white one too.

 Peter Pan Collar Dress: via FashionismyH2O's blogsale: £6

Another lovely piece from Sarah. I really wanted something with a Peter Pan collar and I think this dress is really cute and perfect for all year round.

 Black Bodycon Skirt: Primark £4

I think a black bodycon skirt is a staple in every girl's wardrobe and I have only just got round to getting myself one. Some of the Primark ones feel really flimsy and cheap, but this one is great quality for the price!

 Blue Silk Dress: Via FashionismyH2O's blogsale, £4

I adore the colour and the material of this dress. The cut and length of it are perfect too, this is one that I will be dressing both up and down.

 Striped Bodycon Skirt: Via FashionismyH2O's blogsale, £3

The last thing I bought from Sarah's blogsale. I am loving the stripe trend this season and this skirt fits perfectly. You can see me wearing it here. I believe that this skirt is from H&M and you can still buy a similar one here.

Wild Child Top: New Look, £12.99 £5

I couldn't resist buying this from the New Look sale. I mainly liked the back of it, which is open and ties at the bottom. I have already worn this on a night out with my black bodycon skirt and bandeau top.

Shoes and Accessories

Black Loafers: Select £12 £10.20

I had been wanting a pair of black loafers for a while and couldn't turn these down for that price! They were originally £12 but my student discount knocked them down to £10.20!

Studs: eBay £2.75 per pack of 100

I bought these studs to decorate my loafers with, Topshop Vectra style! Once I figure out how I am going to do it, I will post a DIY tutorial :)

Moustache Ring and spike rings: Miss Selfridge £5  £2 each

Definitely couldn't leave the moustache ring behind when I saw it, it's so cute! The spike rings came as a pack of 3, I love wearing them on different fingers.

Scrabble Ring: eBay £1.80

I did buy a scrabble ring from Coleyyyful, but it broke :( so I ordered another one from eBay. Unfortunately it doesn't seem like the seller I bought it from is selling them anymore.

Gold Necklace: Dorothy Perkins £10 £3

Dorothy Perkins always has such good sales on their jewellery! This is just the perfect length to wear underneath collared blouses to add something to a plain outfit.

Clutch Bag: New Look, £7.99

I went on a night out with my course mates at uni last week and wanted a clutch bag to take with me as I feel more secure with a clutch, so I just picked this cheap and cheerful one up from New Look.

Make-Up

Maybelline 24HR Color Tattoo (Immortal Charcoal, Permanent Taupe, On and On Bronze): Superdrug £4.99 each (Currently 3 for 2)

I actually hadn't really thought about buying any of these, but I decided to pick them up today after I went in to town and none of the things I really went for were in stock :( Permanent Taupe is the one that I knew I definitely wanted, but I swatched On and On Bronze and fell in love with the colour. And since there was a 3 for 2 offer I decided to pick up Immortal Charcoal as this is the only other one I thought I would actually wear. There will be a review and swatch post in the next few days :)

Topshop Lipstick in Innocent: Topshop £8

I went in to Topshop to buy this as I wanted to see what all the hype was about with Topshop lipsticks. I am definitely a Topshop lipstick convert now; this is a lovely colour and the formulation of it is lovely. Definitely going to pick up more colours soon!

Sorry about the stock photos, but I haven't recieved these items in the post yet! I bought the O.P.I. Nail Envy Nail Strengthener and the O.P.I Nice Stems Collection via BuyaPowa for amazing prices (Nail Envy RRP £18.50 £7.50, Nice Stems set RRP £12.75 £6.75)! I can't wait to try them out. I will do swatch and review posts soon so you can see proper photographs of them :)

Phew, I think that's everything! Have you bought anything nice this month?

Review and Swatch: Sleek Face Contour Kit (Medium)

 Yes, I am aware that the majority of you have probably already heard of or own this palette, but I never rule out a review because of that as I am sure there are people who may not have caught the rave, so I hope not too many of you find this review boring!

So, I picked up the Sleek Face Contour kit last Summer; I spotted it whilst scouring around Superdrug looking for a good matte bronzer as there seemed to be a major lack of these. The palette contains two powders; one contour bronzer and one highlight shade. It is available in three shades; light, medium and dark- The one that I have is Medium.

The packaging is very simple and and made of a sturdy plastic that protects the product well. The case is matte black, adorned with Sleek's signature logo in a glossy print that isn't too in-your-face. I think this makes the kit look more expensive than it actually is. Inside the lid of the compact is a good sized mirror which makes this perfect for touch-ups throughout the day.

The Medium contour palette consists of a warm matte brown contour colour and a champagne highlight that has a very fine gold shimmer. Next time I purchase this product I think I will opt for the lighter shade, as this is already quite dark and I find that the highlight shade doesn't really highlight my cheek bones, rather it just adds a bit of shimmer. It isn't too much of a problem, however, as the contour shade is actually very buildable and isn't as scary as it looks in the pan.

Both powders are extremely well pigmented and a little goes a long way- I have owned this palette since June last year and you can see from the picture above that I am not even close to hitting pan and I use this product at least three times a week. The texture of the powders is quite creamy, although the highlight is slightly chalky and I sometimes experience a bit of fall out upon application.

One particular con about this palette is it may not work on those of you with very pink undertones- I have seen quite a few bloggers saying that the contour shade looks muddy on their skin as it comes off as quite a yellowy-brown. It is definitely worth swatching these in store before you buy one.

This product has become a staple in my make-up bag and I will definitely repurchase it if I ever get to the end of this one!

The Sleek Face Contour Kit retails at just £6.50 which is so good considering the quality of the product and how long it lasts. You can buy it online at the Sleek website or in store at Superdrug.

Have you tried this contour kit?

Review and Swatch: Benefit Full- Finish Lipstick in No Competition.

I was given this lipstick by my sister-in-law as she didn't like it, and I was very excited as this is actually my first high-end lipstick, and also my first product from Benefit! I was interested in trying it out as I don't find that Benefit's lipsticks are raved about at all compared to their blushes and tints.

 
As always with Benefit, the packaging of the product is very pretty. The monochrome colour scheme makes it look classy whilst the swirly design adds a girly edge to it that screams Benefit. The lipstick is encased in a metal tube, which makes sure that it is protected.

No Competition is a blue-toned berry colour, which leans either brown or purple in different lights. It looks very vampy in the bullet but it applies sheerly and is very buildable, meaning it could still work for those of you who are afraid of darker shades.

I wore this lipstick on a night out the other night. The formula of the lipstick is lovely; it is creamy and glides on easily, leaving you with a glossy finish. However, even though it is glossy and moisturising, I would recommend exfoliating your lips before wearing this, as I found because it is a dark colour, it highlighted any flaky bits on my lips.

If I am honest, for a high-end product the lasting power of this lipstick didn't blow me away. Saying that, I wore this on a night out meaning I was talking a lot and drinking throughout the night. I would say I had to touch up after around two hours which is probably about average when you are giving your lipstick such a hard time. However, the lipstick does stain your lips slightly so there was still a hint of colour there.

I am interested in trying more of these lipsticks as they feel so nice on lips, and they come in a range of gorgeous colours.

Benefit Full-Finish Lipsticks usually retail at £14.00, but they are currently on sale at Debenhams for £12.60, making them a tiiiiny bit cheaper than MAC lipsticks, so if you would like to try out a Benefit lipstick, I would say now is the time to buy one.

Have you tried any Benefit lipsticks? Would you say they compare to MAC?

Review: Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation.

So last year, this was probably one of the most raved about drugstore foundations in the blogging world, so I am sure you have seen endless reviews of this product, but I really love it, so one more can't hurt, right?

As of late, I haven't been the biggest foundation wearer, I am used to opting for my Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream or just a little bit of concealer to cover my under-eye circles and blemishes. However, I always keep a foundation in my make-up collection for those days where my skin really falls out with me or to use on special occasions or nights out. Previously, I owned the Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation, which I chose solely because of the cheap price tag, but it was awful and applied so streakily, so this time I decided to do more research and spend a little bit more money on a product that would work well.

Here is what the Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation says:

Bourjois' 1st radiance-boosting fruit therapy foundation for a flawless complexion for up to 16hrs!

Apricot > radiance
Melon > hydration
Apple > antioxidant
Ginger > energy

Its exquisite glide-on formula blends onto the skin for a flawless, yet natural finish.

• 8 hrs moisture
• Lets skin breathe
• Dermatologically tested

The shade I got is Shade 54 (Beige). It is a tiny bit too dark for my face (don't rely on a male to tell you if your foundation matches your skin tone when swatching in store) but it doesn't look too bad, I just know to go down a shade next time. One of the first and only negatives with this product is that it is only available in eight shades, which is a problem with most drugstore brands as they don't cater for those with very dark or very pale skin.

The product comes in a pump dispenser, which I really like as it allows for you to use the right amount of product. I might have got a dud, however, as the first few uses the product just didn't want to come out, though this seems to have sorted itself out now.

The consistency of this foundation is quite thin- it started running down my hand as I was trying to take the photograph. This makes it a dream to apply, however, I just use clean fingers to apply this to my face; I tried it with a foundation brush but it didn't work. It spreads evenly and there are no streaks. Despite being of a thin consistency, this foundation does give you a medium coverage. It won't hide everything but it evens your skin tone and covers blemishes whilst at the same time looking natural and not cakey, which is something that makes or breaks a foundation for me.

The finish is very satin-y, not too matte and not too dewy; I think it really does give you a radiant glow and your skin is silky to the touch.

I don't find that this foundation needs a setting powder, although some people prefer to use one anyway. I can't say I have worn this for 16 hours to tell you if it really does last that long but I have worn it from 9AM-7PM without any touch ups and it holds up quite well with only minimal signs of wear.

I have combination skin; in the winter I tend to have dry patches, and in the summer it tends to get a little oily. Even though this foundation has a slightly matte finish, I don't think it gathers around dry patches, nor does it make your face feel even drier. I can't really comment on how well it works with oily skin yet but with it being shine-free, I have high hopes for it.

The last thing I am going to comment on is the smell. This foundation has quite a fruity fragrance that disappears when it is applied. This personally doesn't bother me as it isn't too overpowering but if you don't like scented products then this might not be for you.

I would definitely recommend that you try this product if you haven't already; it is the best foundation that I have tried so far. At £9.99 it for 30ml, it isn't the cheapest of drugstore foundations but it isn't the most expensive either, and to me it is definitely worth spending a little bit more money on a foundation that does the job well. You can buy Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation from Superdrug and Boots.

I hope this review was helpful! :)

February Haul.

I thought I would do my February haul today as I don't think I will be going out shopping again this month; I actually didn't realise I had bought so much until I was taking the photographs! In my defense, none of the clothing items were bought at their original price :) As always, I have included links to everything that you can still buy online.

 Wine Wrap Dress: LOVE £32 £15

A couple of weeks ago, LOVE held a promotional offer on their Facebook page where they were offering this dress for just £15 for one hour only. Needless to say, I snapped it up quickly; I own another LOVE wrap dress and I love them.

 Animal Print Sweatshirt: Select £14 £9

I only got this last week and I have already worn it loads, it's a perfect transitional piece from Winter to Spring. I don't know if the offer applies online, but I bought this sweater with £5 off in store.

 Wild Rebel Jumper: Internacionale £9.99

For £9.99, this is already a steal, but Internacionale were (I'm not sure if they still are) offering a 20% student discount when I bought this so I got it for even cheaper! I love the colour of this and it's quite thin so it is great for layering.

 Bird Print Scalloped Top: Internacionale £6.99

This is another thing I picked up from Internacionale whilst they were doing a 20% student discount. I love the bird print and the scalloped edges; they had this style of top in so many different colours, I really want a coral coloured one too.

 White Sheer Blouse: Charity Shop £2.49

This is a size 14 but I bought it because I loved the detail on the collar. You can see this in an OOTD here.

 Two toned T-Shirt: Matalan £7 £4

I love tops that are longer at the back and I love the colour of this one.

 Camel Suede Heels: Matalan £18 £9

I have fallen in love with these shoes already and I only bought them a couple of days ago. I've been wanting some sensible heels to wear in the day time and at £9 these were a steal!

 Pack of 3 Belts: Primark £2.50

I have been wanting a skinny white belt to go with the spotty dress I bought from New Look in my last haul, so I picked up this pack of three belts for just £2.50 from Primark.

 Blue Jewel Ring: Primark £2

I think I saw this on Claire's blog or Instagram and I fell in love with it, so I hunted it down when I went in to Primark to buy those belts.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation: £9.99

MUA Love Hearts Collection Nail Polishes: £2 each.

MUA Out There Plumping Lip Gloss in Buff: £2

You can see swatches of all the nail polishes here. If you would like to see reviews of the other products, let me know :)

I hope you enjoyed this post, have you bought anything nice this month?