Thursday 31 July 2014

Madara Moon Flower Rose Beige Tinting Fluid - A Review For My Pure*

I love the summer don't get me wrong but the heat doesn't half play havoc with your make up. Like a lot of people in the summer I switch up my make up routine. Instead of heavier, full coverage foundation I switch to mineral powders, BB creams and tinted moisturisers. I'm always on the look out for new tinted moisturisers and BB creams so for one of this months My Pure reviews I went for a tinted moisturiser, the Madara Moon Flower Rose Beige Tinting Fluid.


One the most interesting aspects of My Pure as a website is the wide range of brands that they sell. Whilst I was familiar with a lot of the brands on the site some of them are brand new to me including Madara. Madara are an organic skincare brand who rely heavily on plant ingredients and ingredients in particular from Northern Europe and the area surrounding the Baltic Sea.


Madara Moon Flower Rose Beige Tinting Fluid, is designed to tint, illuminate,and even out the skin tone, leaving the skin fresh and radiant.


It contains a wide variety of ecologlocial, and organically sound ingredients, including rose flower water, rose hip extract, chamomile and calendula flowers,  and plantain extract.


The product comes boxed, and comes in an airtight, 50ml pump action dispenser, which makes it easy to control just how much product you use.


Rose Beige as the name would suggest is a flesh toned, pink shade, perfect for my skin tone. It has a fluid yet creamy texture, and it blends into the skin easily without any obvious streaks or demarcation lines



It feels very moisturising on the skin, but at the same time it feels quite light. It dries down to give quite a matte finish making it ideal for all skin types including my current oil slick like complexion. It isn't a flat matte finish though by any mean, it seems to give the skin an almost radiant and healthy glow


The coverage isn't the heaviest so this products is definitely for good skin days, or days when you just don't want to wear much make up. My skin hasn't been the best lately so I've been using it alongside a tiny bit of concealer and setting it with powder just to try and counteract some of the redness, and some of the heat induced shine. These before and afters aren't the best to be honest but I hope they give some idea of the texture, the radiance and the coverage x Just a heads up, in real life and real lighting my neck and ears don't look as though they are a different colour - stupid lighting ;)

Before


After 



I have to say I've really enjoyed using this, and it's probably had one of the sternest tests it could have with the high temperatures and humidity. Although it is not the most full coverage product I've ever used, it's provided just enough coverage, without feeling overtly heavy or sticky and it's also provided a decent amount of moisture to my skin. I also found that it lasted pretty well, all be it with a bit of powder on the top.Mummy Lou also tried this and she also liked the feel of it on her drier, more mature skin, and she also liked how it evened out the redness across her nose and her cheeks.

No product is perfect though and this one does have a couple of drawbacks. The first one, well it's a familiar one for me and it's the smell. It has quite a strong scent, it's a natural, very green scent, that my mum described as a real garden smell, and I described as the smell when you clean out your juicer! It doesn't last very on the skin which is just as well because it is quite overpowering.

The other negative is the price, this isn't a budget product by any means, the Madara Moon Flower Rose Beige Tinting Fluid retails at £23 for 50 ml of product, although it is on offer at the moment for £18.40 from My Pure. It does seem to only come in the one shade but they also offer the Madara Sunflower Golden Beige Tinting Fluid which supposedly gives a more of a summer tan like finish. Do you switch your make up in the summer? Leave me a comment and let me know x I love reading what you have to say x 

(*Sample)

Wednesday 30 July 2014

Back To MAC Via Mail - An Update

Quite a while ago I wrote a post about the Back To  MAC scheme by mail, well this is the updated version :)

Although I've fallen a little bit out of love with MAC over the last few years, they're still a great brand with a fabulous range of innovative, quality products, and the Back To MAC scheme is just the icing on the cake. For those of you who aren't aware  Back To MAC is basically a way of rewarding customer loyalty, and helping the environment at the same time.

All you do is take 6 MAC empties (they don't have to be empty) to your nearest MAC counter and exchange them for a full sized lipstick. The only requirements are that the empties must be from full sized products so no minis, samples, or accessories, and your free lipstick must be from the permanent, main line, so you can't get for example a Viva Glam, a Pro Longwear Lipstick, a Sheen Supreme Lipstick,  or a Mineralize Rich Lipstick, and it goes without saying that you can't get anything in special packaging.

What if you don't live near to a MAC counter though, then what happens? and what happens if your counter won't take depotted packaging, i.e. pots without their metal pans? Well as I posted about many moons ago there is a solution. If your in the UK you can post your empties to MAC so they can exchange them for a brand new lipstick.

You can now post up to 24 empties at anyone time - all you need to do is enclose a letter with your name and address, and a list of of the lipsticks that you would like. I've always received my first choices but they do advise that you give them a few options just in case.

The address is that same as before but the contact has changed :)

FAO Ann Marie
BACK TO M·A·C
CONSTELLATION HOUSE
UNIT 3, KITES CROFT
WARSASH ROAD
FAREHAM
HAMPSHIRE
PO14 4FL  

It normally takes a few weeks for your lipsticks to be dispatched but if you have any queries customer services on the MAC website should be able to help.

I'm just about at my 6 empties, so my only problem now is which lipstick to choose - decisions, decisions x I hope this post was helpful x Thanks for reading x

Saturday 26 July 2014

Bentley Organic Handwash With Cinnamon, Sweet Orange And Clove Bud - A Review For My Pure*

There a couple of things that I'm a stickler for and one of them is hand washing. I can't stand dirty or sticky hands and I can't comprehend people who don't feel the same way. As a nation I think we're starting to move away from the traditional idea of using a bar of soap to wash our hands, so like many homes we've switched to using liquid soaps and hand washes.

In my opinion liquids are a lot more hygienic than the humble bar of soap. Every squirt is fresh and untouched and it hasn't had the opportunity to pick up anyone elses dirt or germs. I also find liquid hand soaps and washes a lot less fussy and messy, and you don't end up having to clean out that horrible gunge from the soap dish!

Over the years we've tried a lot of different hand washes but like most beauty products it can be a bit of a minefield. Like many other washing and cleaning products hand washes can contain a lot of chemicals and foaming agents that can effect the skin, and with some hand soaps, frequent washing can lead to dry and sore hands. There are two brands that we now buy regularly one is A'kin which I reviewed here and the other is L'Occitane. They aren't the cheapest washes out there by any means but they cleanse the skin without drying. Belts need tightening though and sometimes you just can't justify spending that type of money to wash your hands, so for one of this months My Pure reviews I decided to try a more budget friendly offering, in the Bentley Organic Handwash With Cinnamon, Sweet Orange And Clove Bud.

Before seeing the brand on the My Pure website I have to say I'd never heard of Bentley Organics. They are brand whose main focus is soap making, a trade that has been in the family for over 5 generations. They use only Soil Association Certified organic ingredients and like every other brand on My Pure they are paraben and sulfate free, and their products are suitable for vegetarians.


This hand wash which comes in a pump action bottle, contains real cinnamon, clove leaf and orange peel oils, as well as vanilla extract and vegetable glycerin, and plant based foamers.


It has a pleasant fruity, spicy aroma that reminds me a little bit of carrot cake. The smell is quite mild and doesn't really seem to linger on the skin making this ideal for use in the kitchen.

The wash itself has quite a viscous texture, but it foams easily with a small amount of water and you don't need a lot- don't expect huge bubbles though the foam is very light and gentle. It takes a little bit of rinsing but afterwards your hands are left feeling soft, with no hint of tightness or dryness.

I think that this is a lovely hand wash for everyday use and it easily compares to the more expensive products that I've tried. It's hygienic, non-drying and a little goes a long way. The mild scent means that it would work equally well both in the bathroom and in the kitchen. Bentley Organic Handwash With Cinnamon, Sweet Orange And Clove Bud retails at £4.50 from My Pure. If this scent isn't for you, it also comes in 3 other varieties, Olive, Tea Tree and Eucalyptus, Lavender, Aloe and Jojoba and Grapefruit, Lemon and Seaweed.  I can definitely see myself trying more from this line, I've particularly got my eye on some of the body washes and the Olive, Tea Tree and Eucalyptus Hand Wash. Have you tried anything from Bentley Organics before? Please leave me a comment and let me know x

(*Sample)

Friday 25 July 2014

A Trip Along The Northumberland Coastal Route

I'm breaking with tradition this week a bit and posting something a little bit different on a Friday. A usually post a Foodie Friday food inspired but instead this week I'm going to give you a little glimpse into the beautiful North East of England, a place that I'm fiercely proud to call my home.

This part of the UK features everything from busy modern cities, to wild moorland and endless sandy beaches - there really is something for everyone. Seeing as the weather yesterday was so hot and sunny me and Mummy Lou, decided to take a jaunt up the A1 into Northumberland.

Northumberland as a county has so much to offer from Hadrian's Wall and Roman ruins, to stately homes, and castles. We decided to follow a route that we've done many times before and head up the coastal route. Often nicknamed coast and castle the Northumbrian coast features a huge number of traditional fishing villages, small seaside resorts and believe it or not castles. The coast is littered with them from Holy Island in the far north, to Warkworth, Dunstanburgh and of course Bamburgh. We made a couple of stops over the course of the day and of course I took my camera along to take some pictures x

                                                                  Source

We started our day out in Bamburgh - Bamburgh is probably one of the most visually stunning places in the whole of the North East. A small village dominated by a huge castle on a high crag overlooking the beach.




So many adverts for the region has focused on this image so I probably imagine that you've seen it somewhere before. If not you may have seen it in films such as Elizabeth and Robin Hood.


The castle overlooks one of the nicest beaches you will over come across. It wide, very clean and protected by the dunes. None of my pics do it justice really but it's the kind of place that never ever feels crowded.



It was a bit overcast so you can't really see too well, but on a clear day you see both Holy Island to the north and the Farne Islands to the south. The village also features a fascinating graveyard and the Grace Darling memorial and museum (Click here to read the Grace Darling story) and of course you can visit the castle itself.


After a little walk, a drink and some of our picnic we moved on the next village Seahouses. Seahouses is probably the tourist centre of this area, and the village is filled with fish and chips shops, gift shops, arcades and ice cream shops. Dare I say it  but I find it a touch tacky! Never the less it's still a working fishing harbour and it's a lovely place to have sit down, and watch the boats come in and out especially since the sun had came out.



From Seahouses harbour you can also go on boat trips out to the Farne Islands. I've only done it once with a friend (Mummy Lou is a not a fan of boats) and despite being on a rainy October day I really enjoyed it. You can see all the places mentioned in the Grace Darling story but perhaps the biggest reason people go out is to see the wildlife. The craggy islands are a heaven for different sea birds and seals, and depending on the time of year, you will always see something different.


By this time the sun was getting really hot and we fancied a proper rest so we jumped back in the car and travelled a few miles further south to the resort of Beadnell. There isn't a lot there bar a couple of caravan parks but the real attraction is the beach.


It has the only west facing beach on the east of England and as a result it's a total suntrap. Unlike Bamburgh there is no long walk over the dunes, so me and Mummy Lou took the opportunity to have a bit of a chill and a sunbathe.


The beach is pristine, the water is clear and it stays shallow for quite a long way out, so it's ideal for children. It was quite busy as you would expect but there were still plenty of places to lie down. It's also a bit of a watersport haven so there are a few jet skis around and you can hire kayaks.



As I say there isn't a lot there bar toilets and an ice cream and food truck but the parking is free and the beach is good.



After an hour or so of lazing we headed back to the car to begin our journey home. We stuck to the coastal route back for as far as we could which takes you along the coast through some of the most lovely villages before joining the A1 traffic jam hell for the rest of the way home.

Trips like yesterday make me realise that I couldn't really live anywhere else.  The scenery is beautiful, and the beaches are amazing - with better weather you would never need to go abroad. We're definitely planning a couple of more trips before the summers out so I'll keep you posted - top of our list is Holy Island or Lindisfarne somewhere that has to be seen to be believed. I hope you've enjoyed this little glimpse into the region where I live x Thanks for reading and I'll see you tomorrow with a beauty post xx

Tuesday 22 July 2014

A Review Of The Make Up Revolution I♥MAKEUP Blushing Hearts Triple Baked Blusher In Blushing Hearts

I hope you'll forgive me for my absence over the past few days but it seems at long last that summer has arrived here in my little part of the UK. Whilst blogging hasn't been far from my thoughts whilst I've been enjoying the sunshine, wearing make up has been the last thing on my mind! I honestly don't know how some of you do it, I last wore make up last Friday and to be honest I struggled from the first minute to stop it from running in this sticky, humid weather.

It's a bit of a shame really, because last week I received a couple of make up products through the post that I really wanted to try out. The products in question come from the brand I♥MAKEUP, the little sister of brand of the moment Make Up Revolution.

The brand is a lot more playful, and lot funkier, with quirkier packaging and product designs. The I♥MAKEUP line borrows quite heavily from higher end make up brands, both in the products themselves and in the packaging. As I've said quite recently the budget duping, and inspired by products don't really bother me. As beauty junkies we're the ones that benefit and we now have the choice over whether or not to save or splurge

The new line contains a variety of products ranging from lipsticks and glosses, to blushers and highlighters, to eyeshadow palettes. Again I was restrained and just got the two things - an eyeshadow palette and a blusher. Since I haven't been wearing much make I haven't really used the eyeshadow palette enough to form a proper opinion so as soon as I've had a better chance to play with it I'll stick a review up. I have had a little bit more of an opportunity though to play with the blusher, and boy what a beauty it is.

I♥MAKEUP Blushing Hearts are a range of heart shaped baked blushers, bronzers and highlighters. There are two bronzers, 3 blushers and 1 highlighter to choose from. I went for one of the Triple Baked Blushers - Blushing Hearts.


I know what your thinking fellow beauty junkies = Don't they look very like the Too Faced Sweetheart Blushers? Yes, they do indeed! Once you get past the outer box your left with a cardboard heart shaped box, with a pink lid and a gold base, which almost identical to the Sweethearts, as is the blusher inside!


Once your open the lid you're met with the most beautiful heart shaped baked blusher, the bronzers and highlighters are solid colours with different veining, and the blushers each contain three different shades all with a bit of shimmer. The largest diagonal stripe of Blushing Hearts is a gentle raspberry pink, the middle stripe is a paler peachy, pink and the smallest stripe is an almost mauve pink.


So they definitely look the part with regards to design and packaging but what about the product itself? Well as you can hopefully see from my swatches, this brand has delivered again. The blusher feel soft and silky to the touch, and the pigmentation is excellent. Sometimes baked product can be hard to work with but not this one.


You might think from the packaging and style that this product would very much appeal to the teens out there, and I've no doubt that it will but I'm not a teenager, and I love it and neither is my lovely godmother! She loves nothing better than playing with my beauty bits and this blush was love at first sight for her She loved the shades and the touch of shimmer, and of course the packaging, so when it comes back into stock I'll be ordering one for her and did I mention  that she's 83! a product like this really is for everyone :)

Obviously I can't compare it to the Too Faced Sweethearts because I don't own one, but based on everything that I've seen and searched for online I would find be hard pressed to tell the difference without the labels. The pigmentation and wearability of Blushing Hearts is excellent and the packaging is super cute. The biggest plus point for this product though is the price. The I♥MAKEUP Blushing Hearts Triple Baked Blusher in Blushing Hearts retails at just £4.99 for 10g of product, compare that to a massive £24 for the Too Faced Sweetheart Blushers and in my opinion, you've got a bargain.

I'll definitely by looking to pick up at least one more of these, and at the moment I'm leaning towards THE  Goddess Of Love Highlighter which I've read some really good things about, but if you have any I♥MAKEUP recommendations, leave me a comment and let me know x

Saturday 19 July 2014

Foodie Friday On A Saturday - Gluten Free Gower Cottage Chocolate Brownies

This post, like a lot of my Foodie Friday posts doesn't exactly fit in with my "I'm trying to lose weight" philosophy, but as you know I'm not a fan of denial, if you deny yourself something weight loss seems much more of a challenge, rather than the lifestyle change that it should be. I have three real little treats and food things that I need in my life, and cutting them out entirely would be nigh on impossible, so I go with the flow and have the occasional treat. The three things are cheese, cake and chocolate, and this post really combines the last two.

Since I was diagnosed with gluten and wheat intolerance, I've had to change my attitude entirely to cake. The majority of bought gluten and wheat free cakes and dry, mealy and pretty uninspiring. Thankfully after a lot of experimentation and dare I say it disasters, me and Mummy Lou can make various cakes that we're proud of. 

One of my biggest disappointments with commercially  available gluten free food, is the humble chocolate brownie. You buy a gluten free chocolate brownie in any supermarket or coffee shop and I can pretty much guarantee that it will be dry, and cloying with only the smallest hint of the dense fudginess that a good brownie should have. So the obvious solution when I get that brownie craving is to make my own, and I do, I've just about perfected my own blondie and brownie recipes, which I'll show you soon, but sometimes I just want to be able to buy something yummy and as good or if not better than what I can make at home, thankfully fellow blogger Kellie from BigFashionista and QVC came to my rescue, and introduced me to Gower Cottage Brownies.


Founded in 2007 Gower Cottage Brownies, is the epitome of a cottage industry. The owner Kate Jenkins started supplying a local shop with her chocolate brownies, made fresh everyday in her cottage kitchen on the beautiful Gower Peninsula in South Wales. The huge popularity of her brownies with both locals and tourists meant that an expansion was inevitable. Kate now supplies a number of retailers and establishments throughout the UK, and she also sells direct to the public via her own website and also via QVC UK.

In reality though nothing really has changed, the brownies are all still handmade,and made fresh for every order using only the finest ingredients available including local free range eggs.

After watching a QVC presentation and reading a post from Kellie I eventually took the plunge and placed an order. There are several varieties to chose from including the Original, With Walnut and With Hazelnuts, but I went for Kate's Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies.


I ordered mine via QVC but they came directly from Gower Cottage. They are  boxed, and the brownies themselves come beautifully wrapped and then wrapped in waxed paper with a tag and tied with a ribbon. I loved the fact that was no plastic packaging. Everything has been thought of perfectly your not just opening a cake box it's almost like your opening a present, all be it a beautiful chocolate, vanilla scented present!


At this point I really should be showing you a picture of the unwrapped brownies but my mum dived into them too quickly, sniffing and portioning them out!- you get 12 small sized brownies in each box x We decided to be good and only leave a couple out. They freeze really well, just wrap them up well, and either defrost at room temperature or pop them into the microwave for 20 seconds or so to defrost and serve them warm. Each box though comes with storage and freezing instructions x

Okay, I'm sorry I'm leaving you in suspense aren't I? You wanna know what they taste like, well I don't think I have words! The smell when you open the box is exactly what they taste like, rich, rich buttery chocolate, squidgy yumminess! You can really taste the quality of the ingredients that Kate uses, these gluten free ones, have only 5 ingredients, sugar, eggs, butter, chocolate and gluten free flour, and that is what you can taste. The chocolate taste is smooth and velvety and when you heat them up you can almost smell the butter.


Yes they aren't the biggest brownies I've ever seen, but they don't need to be, they are rich, dense, and squidgy but without being sickly, they hit the spot perfectly and 1 really is enough, especially if your trying to show restraint!


Unlike a lot of gluten free brownies you don't need to drench them in cream or ice cream, the slightly crisp outside melds perfectly with the soft centre, meaning they're a treat in their own right. That said a scoop of vanilla Ice cream turns them into a decadent pud, and a bit of fresh fruit add to your 5 a day. If I didn't know that these were gluten free then I wouldn't be able to tell they really are that good.


These aren't the cheapest brownie out there by any means but what your getting is quality, unlike a lot of commercial  products, they are still made with care, and you know exactly whats gone in them. Kate has won praise for her brownies from food writers, local and national media, and to be honest I'm really not surprised. I still think I make a pretty decent brownie but I'm not sure that they are a good as this. I have to say I'm now a Gower Cottage covert x You got me Kate ;)

They maybe aren't for everyday munching but for a special treat they're perfect. You can also get a box delivered to someone else, so I think they would make a great and unusual gift for any occasion.

Gower Cottage Brownies are available from their website and also from QVC UK. 12 Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies retail at around £17.99, but prices vary depending on the variety you choose. I'd also recommend that you follow Kate on twitter, she's really sweet  and so passionate about what she does and pleasing her customers, she's also a serious enabler :) If you have any questions please leave me a comment - We have 4 brownies left so I'm away to raid the freezer  :)

Wednesday 16 July 2014

It All About Orange - My Bag Of The Moment And A Beautiful Nail Colour From Avon

If you were to ask me what my favourite colour is at the moment, I would have no hesitation in saying orange. I know it's not always the easiest colour to wear from head to foot, but I'm loving just little touches of it at the moment, not only in my clothes, but also in my jewellery and in my accessories. I own quite a bit of orange but probably my favourite orange piece at the moment is this bright orange patent bag.


Orange unfortunately isn't the easiest colour to capture on camera, but this bag is a super bright almost neon orange. Alas it was a Christmas present that my mum got me from a local independent boutique but look on any high street and I'm sure you'll find something similar. A little touch of orange really gives an outfit a summery look.

If you not brave enough to go down the clothing or accessories root then why not try an orange nail polish. I have a few in my collection, ranging from almost coral oranges to bright neon's, and one of my favourites at the moment is this newish addition from Avon.


I've probably taken around 50 pictures of this polish and this manicure and I still don't think I've got it right, it was that hard to capture, but hopefully it gives you some idea of what a summery colour this is.


Avon Nailwear Pro + in Mandarin Magic is a hot, hot, bright, rich orange (certainly brighter than it's showing here), shot through with a load of gold sparkle. I am a huge fan of the Nailwear Pro range and this polish was no different. The super wide brush makes painting a doddle and whilst the formula was slightly thicker than normal it did the job. You do need a couple of coats for full coverage but it dries pretty quick so that wasn't a great problem.





Like all orange and yellow toned colours I'd recommend you use a good based coat to prevent staining but again this shade is worth the extra effort. The orange tone shot through with the gold gives it a real summery feel, and I can imagine it would look great against tanned skin. Are you orange fan be it in nail polish or fashion accessories? Leave me a comment and let me know x

Tuesday 15 July 2014

W7 In The Buff Natural Nudes Eye Colour Palette* - A Perfect Dupe For Urban Decay Naked 2?

I've said it before and I'll say it again but at the moment I'm having a major love in with more budget friendly makeup. I love buying and owning high end products but at the moment I'm just not feeling the need to splash the cash. In my mum's day, cheap makeup was exactly that cheap - you just didn't get the quality and you didn't get the technology but thankfully now things have changed, and a cheaper product doesn't necessarily mean a bad one.

There seems to be a bit of a trend at the moment of budget brand producing palettes, and products inspired by higher end items. I know this has caused a bit of controversy in some quarters but personally I don't see the problem. Everybody from catwalk designers, to musicians, to bloggers and make up brands get their inspiration from somewhere, so at some point in time everybody is influenced by someone else or something else. It happens and as consumers in this case we're the ones that benefit, we can buy high end or we can hopefully buy something just as good at a cheaper price.

One budget brand that have consistently produced more affordable versions of high end products is W7. I have to be honest and I've only tried a couple of things from the brand mainly nail polishes, but  I've read a lot of good things and by and large I've been impressed. Recently I was lucky enough to be sent one of their most popular products to try out - The W7 In The Buff Natural Nudes Eye Colour Palette.


You know me I'm all about the nudes, so before I received it I did a little bit of online nosing and I found out that several people had described as a pretty much perfect dupe of Urban Decay's Naked 2 Palette. So as soon as I got it I dug out Naked 2 and did a little bit of comparison work.



There doesn't seem to be a lot of difference between the two does there? I'm sure you've already either got a Naked 2 palette or seen a zillion posts on it already but in case you haven't, it's brilliant the shadows are smooth, creamy and pigmented and it's a neutral shadow lovers dream, but it retails at around £37 putting it out of the price range of a lot people. Compare that to the W7 In The Buff Palette which has a retail price of around £6.95 than you could be on to a winner, how does it perform though?


Well we'll start off with the packaging. The palette comes in a similar vintage style metal tin. It doesn't feel quite as sturdy as the Urban Decay version, and it doesn't contain a mirror, but it looks nice enough on a vanity and it does the job. It also comes with a double ended brush and sponge applicator. I would have preferred a double ended brush as oppose to the sponge end but it's not bad, and I would definitely use it.


The palette comes with 12 shadow, all of which are named which is a nice touch. The colours are almost identical to those in Naked 2, you get a nice combination of mattes and shimmers, featuring everything from matte highlighting shades, to bronzes, and golds, and shades that you could even use to create an alternative smokey eye look.



I don't think I really need to tell you this as I think it's pretty obvious from these pictures but the pigmentation is superb. All the shades feel very soft and creamy without being powdery. The matte shades in particular were a pleasant surprise. They feel very soft, and there is no chalkiness just smooth pigmented colour. All of the shades blend really well, and the wear time is pretty decent.

Basically if I'd had this palette before I'd had Naked 2, I wouldn't have bought it. There shades are almost identical, the pigmentation is easily on par, and every look with Naked 2 you can do with W7 In The Buff. Yes, it's nice to have a high end product and the packaging of  Naked 2 is definitely better quality but as often as I buy products for the packaging, it's the colours and product inside that matters. If your on a budget I would recommend this product and even if your not I can't recommend this palette highly enough. W7 In The Buff Natural Nudes Eye Colour Palette has a recommended retail of around £6.95 and is available from various outlet including the official W7 website where it retails for a slightly higher price. I've also seen for less so it's worth having a little search on the internet before you buy x

After this 100% positive W7 experience I'm definitely going to be trying more from the brand. I'm quite fancying the Honey Queen Bronzer Box, the new Make Up & Glow Bronzing Base, and the In The Nude Eye Colour Palette for starters, but if you have any recommendations I'd love to hear them. so leave me a comment and let me know what you love x

(*Press Sample)