Stila Magnificent Metals: Worth the Hype?

The Magnificent Metals by Stila are very much loved by bloggers and as someone who loves shimmer the thought of long lasting, sparkly eyes intrigued me. Magnificent Metals aim to be ultra smooth and give a sequin-like shine with plenty of glitz. For reference the set I am referring to in this post is the 3D Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow Set that was released as a limited edition festive trio in 2018. It contains the shades Golden Girl, Perlina and Kitten Karma.

The cost for one full sized shade wasn’t justifiable and the minis were roughly the same price as one full sized shade. They worked out better value for money too as I ended up with more product. One full sized shade contains 4.5ml and the set of minis contains 3 x 2.25ml – a total of 6.75ml.

Honestly, I’m on the fence over this set. I’ve been testing the colours out for four months now and the shades in the set perform differently to each other. I still haven’t found the way I prefer to wear these and the way the shadows perform best. I have tried applying the glitters to the eyelids on their own, applying them over top of a primer or a base shadow and applying a small amount as a glitter topper. I also can’t decide whether it’s more effective to apply and spread the shadows with the applicator or apply them to the middle of my eyelid with the applicator and spread the glitter with my finger. Personally I find the applicator is gentler and the glitters look more pigmented but if you’re applying the glitter over top of another eyeshadow the applicator picks up some of the colour underneath as you try to spread the product.

Top to bottom: Golden Girl, Perlina and Kitten Karma.

I’m going to rank the three shades from my least favourite to the best performing and give a quick rundown of each:

• Golden Girl – The formula is drier, streakier and less pigmented than the other two shades. There is also less glitter and the shade is a little lacklustre. This would be so much nicer if the glitter was more prominent.
• Perlina – This formula is more like what I was expecting and is more pigmented than Golden Girl. The formula gives you enough time to spread it without drying down as fast as Golden Girl. This shade is the most unique in the set and it tends to work best over top of other powder shadows. It pays not to wear too a pale colour underneath as the eyelids look washed out. Perlina will move the base colour and make it look like you’re wearing nothing on your eyelids and not in a good way.
• Kitten Karma – If I could give a piece of advice it would be to forget about buying this set and just purchase the full size of this shade if you’re curious to try the Magnificent Metals. Kitten Karma is a beautiful champagne with silver and copper sparkle and one of the most popular shades in the range. This shade is the most pigmented of the three and performs the best on it’s own without the need for additional eyeshadow.

Pros:

• Good value for the three piece set.
• All shades are wearable and go with a number of looks.
• Smaller size means less product to finish up and less risk of product drying out.
• Can easily see how much product is left.

Cons:

• Pigmentation of all shades is not the same.
• Not sure of the best application method.
• Applicator picks up eyeshadow underneath and can get dirty.
• Product doesn’t last all day.
• May not be good for sensitive eyes – the first couple of times I used these I experienced stinging for a few seconds. Thankfully the stinging went away quickly and didn’t cause any lasting irritation.

So, the important question: Are Stila’s Magnificent Metals worth the hype?

In my opinion, they aren’t. That’s not to say all the bloggers that rave about these and swear by them are wrong, products work differently for everyone and we all have our own preferences. I definitely think the shades I tried aren’t a good representation of the rest of the line and I’d hope there are more shades that perform like Kitten Karma in the range; pigmented shades that contain a decent amount of glitter/shimmer and don’t fade throughout the day. I don’t think I’ll be picking up any more of these to try. I am glad I got to give the product a go, even if it’s not something I reach for often. I will endeavour to use up each of these and hopefully by that time I have discovered an application method that works for me!

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Have you tried the Magnificent Metals, if so which shades? Are you a fan?

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Products I Want To Finish In 2018

Hello! I have noticed a number of Project Pan posts and videos appearing on the internet and Dal over at Little Beauty Loves inspired me to get involved after seeing hers. I did a seasonal Project Pan in 2016 with Ingrid, Stashy and Jodi and it was a lot of fun!

I want to get my beauty collection down to products I truly love and get excited to reach for. I have chosen 18 products to try and finish by the end of 2018. I want to use up products so I can try others – some I’ve had for a while and some I just want rid of. Let’s do this!

Face

1. Makeup Revolution Ultra Face Base Primer – 1/3 full

I’ve had this primer for 18 months or so but didn’t use it regularly until November/December 2017. It’s a decent primer and I want to finish it before it goes bad.

2. The Body Shop Vitamin C Face Mist – 1/3 full

This is my second face mist from The Body Shop and it smells really good! I don’t find face mists do a lot for me and I just want to use this up.

3. MAC Studio Moisture Cream 30ml – 1/3 full

There is quite a few MAC products in this post but not because they’re bad, this moisturiser is divine. My MAC products are some of my most loved and I want to use them up so I can put them towards Back To MAC.

4. MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW10 – Mostly full

I’ve had this concealer a couple of months now and it works wonders on my skin. I use this concealer on days I do my makeup from home and I have a different concealer I take in my overnight makeup bag because I don’t want to break the packaging. I included this concealer purely to see how long it lasts me and how many uses I get.

5. Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in 010 Light Porcelain – Nearly full

When the shade Fair Ivory was available this foundation was my favourite. Since the formula has changed and that shade was discontinued I haven’t felt the same. I’ve got other foundations I like more.

Eyes

6. Max Factor Excess Shimmer in Copper – 1/2 full

This is one of my holy grail makeup products and in the two years I’ve owned it I’ve used it so much! My go to eye look when I need something quick and easy is a brown powder shadow all over the lid with this applied on top. The texture hasn’t set or hardened and I want to use this up before it does.

7. Rimmel Professional Brow Pencil in 002 Hazel – 1/2 left

I have had this brow pencil for two years and it is all I use to fill in my brows. The colour is perfect.

Lips

8. BYS Fuschia Surprise – Almost empty

This is the first lipstick that was properly mine and it is still my favourite! The pigmentation and colour payoff is incredible. I have already purchased a backup for when I finish it.

9. MAC – Syrup – 1/2 full

My first MAC lipstick! I have a similar shade to Syrup from Revlon and I have actually been saving Syrup and using the Revlon so I don’t use it up. The sooner I finish Syrup the sooner I get to get another one.

10. MAC – Patisserie – 1/3 full

This is pretty much the same story as Syrup. Patisserie is my go to peachy nude and the only one I need in my drawer.

11. MAC – Blankety – 2/3 full

This lipstick is one of the lightest nudes I have and it is so creamy to apply. I don’t wear this enough and I want to wear it more. I love Blankety with Revlon’s lipgloss in Super Natural applied over top.

12. Lancôme Juicy Shaker in Berry In Love – 3/4 full

This lip product is perfect for days when you’re running errands but still want to look put together. It’s not the longest lasting on the lips but the colour is lovely and it feels nice to wear.

13. Elizabeth Arden Luscious Rasperry (Sample) – 1/2 full (I’m guessing?!)

I have no idea how much I have used of this sample but the colour is bright and beautiful! I got this sample from an old work colleague. It applies like a gloss but has the colour payoff of a lipstick, it doesn’t feel sticky and lasts all day.

14. MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Revved – 1/2 full

This peachy pink isn’t as nice as Patisserie and I prefer traditional lipsticks to wind up pencils. I want to use this up to add to the Back To MAC pile.

Body/Fragrance

15. The Body Shop Sparkler – 2/3 full

I went crazy looking for this two years ago and I always forget about it tucked away in my beauty basket. It’s body glitter that you apply with a perfume atomiser. It has a subtle vanilla scent.

16. Bath & Body Works Waikiki Beach Coconut Fragrance Mist – 3/4 full

I won this in a giveaway. I’m not the biggest fan of coconut scents but I don’t mind this one.

17. The Body Shop White Musk Fragrance Mist – 3/4 full

Mists don’t last as long as perfume. I’d rather invest in perfumes as they do last longer and don’t need to be purchased as often.

18. The Body Shop Black Musk Fragrance Mist – 3/4 full

Black Musk is spicy and sensual and nice for work. Same reasons as product #17 for wanting to use this up.

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I will do an update every few months and share progress. If I manage to finish at least half of these products I’ll be happy!

Are you doing anything similar with your beauty products this year?

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Essie Nail Polish in Glow Your Own Way

Nail polish is another of my beauty weaknesses. Today’s post is all about the latest addition to my nail drawer; Glow Your Own Way by Essie. Essie is one of my favourite nail polish brands, the shade range is extensive and the quality is excellent!

I purchased Glow Your Own Way a fortnight ago and painted my nails with it that very night – I was so excited to try it! Glow Your Own Way is part of the Luxe Effects Collection along with two other shades (In the Mood Ring and Disco Doll). These shades can be worn on their own but have also been designed to pair well with existing Essie shades and act as a glitter top coat. Glow Your Own Way has flecks of gold and silver confetti glitter and looks the same on the nails as in the bottle.

The texture is rough when first applied but softens up after a day or so. The texture resembles that of OPI’s liquid sand. The polish applies nicely and the coats aren’t overly thick despite the inclusion of glitter. I actually found three coats of this built up the colour more nicely than two. If being used as a top coat over another polish one/two would definitely be enough. I went for three so the entire nail was covered and there were no gaps.

Upon painting my nails with this shade my first impressions were I didn’t like it. The next day my thoughts changed and I fell back in love with the colour I’d seen in the bottle the day before. The evening light didn’t give a true reflection of the colour and its beauty and shows how different lights can distort colour.

Matching my coffee cup.

After a few days wear.

I’ve received a number of compliments about this polish. The colour looks glamorous and I really like the gold against my skin tone. I’m pale so I tend to prefer silver but I’m beginning to think I have a neutral skin tone as both colours suit me. It’s the same with silver and gold eyeshadow, both work on me.

The polish has good lasting power too. I painted my nails on July 30 and at the time of writing this post on August 8 the colour is still going strong. The polish started to chip around the seven/eight day mark but only at the tips. I haven’t tried to remove this shade with nail polish remover yet but I’m guessing it will be stubborn like other glitters. EDIT: I removed this polish after drafting this post and it was SUPER stubborn – I’m putting that down to three coats and next time will be tempted to go for two.

Overall, I’m really happy and I actually see this being a shade I wear a lot. The gold tones make Glow Your Own Way more of a neutral shade and one that can be worn with pretty much anything. Glitter is always in style and looks beautiful! I also look forward to trying this as a top coat over some of my other polishes. I’m thinking it will look nice over Take Me Outside (also by Essie) which is a mauvey-grey.

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Have you seen the Luxe Effects Collection in stores yet? What was the last nail polish you bought?

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Christmas Nails

Hi everyone! We are officially 4 days away from Christmas!!! This week I’m kicking things off with a post about my Christmas nails and which nail polishes I used for them. Also, make sure you check back on Wednesday where I’ll be showing you my Christmas makeup look. I decided on my nails and makeup about a month ago and they tie in beautifully with each other. The looks are both simple to achieve whilst still being Christmassy and are sure to add a bit of glitz to your day!

For my Christmas nails I wanted to keep the colours traditional and I came up with the idea of painting them red and using silver for an accent nail. (I selected my ring finger as the accent nail). The two polishes I used are Revlon Red by Revlon and It’s Frosty Outside by OPI. Revlon Red is a classic bright red which I believe everyone should have in their collection and It’s Frosty Outside is a silver liquid sand from Mariah Carey’s Holiday collection. It’s Frosty Outside has hexagonal glitter and micro-glitter giving it more texture than a straight silver polish.

I used It’s Frosty Outside on it’s own for my Christmas nails last year and I absolutely love this polish for all occasions. The red and silver look stunning together and I’m really pleased with how my nails turned out.

Each polish only required two coats and I then applied a top coat over Revlon Red to make it even more shiny and less likely to chip before the big day.

Let me know what you think of the colour combination I came up with and how you’ll be doing your nails.

P.S. Don’t forget to check back on Wednesday to see my Christmas Day makeup menu!

Ready For The Weekend

Hey there everyone!

The inspiration for this post came from what I got up to this past weekend and wanting to share it with you. The title comes from the Calvin Harris track of the same name and I thought it fitted in nicely as I pampered myself to ensure I was ‘ready for the weekend’ and what I had planned.

I stayed over at a friend’s on Friday night and did my nails as well as opting for a quick and easy makeup look. I literally only used a handful of products to cover the basics.

1. Simple Kind To Skin Replenishing Moisturiser

I have used Simple moisturiser for years and have never had a problem. The special blend of moisturising goodness contains one vital vitamin (Pro-Vitamin B5), three skin loving ingredients (Glycerin, Bisabolol and Allantoin) and zero perfume and colour.

2. Concealer stick – ‘Light’

Oh how I wish I knew what brand this concealer was. I have used this for years too and it never fails to disappoint. It is perfect for covering spots and redness!

3. Thin Lizzy 6 in 1 Professional Powder – Light

This versatile compact can be used as a blusher, bronzer, eye shadow, face framer, contour and lip colour. I personally use this over my face after I’ve applied my concealer and foundation and it gives my skin a healthy glow. On Friday I used it as a bronzer.

4. Rimmel Scandaleyes Lycra Flex Mascara – Black

I have not stopped loving this mascara since I purchased it back in October 2014. My lashes always feel soft when I wear it and it doesn’t clump which is what you want in a mascara. Short, careful strokes ensure you get the most out of the product and your lashes look nice and full.

5. L.A. Colours Glossin Go Lip Gloss – Sherbert

This lipgloss is AMAZING! I got it as a birthday present back in 2013 and it is one of my go to lip products for everyday makeup. Sherbert appears mostly clear once on but it has a slight peachy tinge which adds a hint of colour to my lips. The lipgloss is enriched with Vitamin E and is silky smooth so it doesn’t give your lips a sticky texture. It also has a light vanilla scent.

I painted my nails on Thursday using OPI’s Kiss Me At Midnight from the Mariah Carey Holiday Collection. This was the last of three mini polishes left to try and it certainly doesn’t disappoint! I love how glittery and sparkly these polishes are and how easy they are to use. Upon removal they don’t stain and the thicker formula aids application and makes it very hard to make a mistake. The only downside is after trying these three shades I want to try the rest of the range!

The finished look! Ta-da!

This weekend also involved me catching up on some of my favourite TV shows, either shows I watch online or episodes I missed on Friday. I’m mentally trying to prepare myself for the final episode of The Mentalist (excuse the pun) and how much I’ll miss laughing at Patrick Jane and how adorable he is.

The cricket was a huge spectacle on Saturday and I’m proud to say New Zealand absolutely smashed it and are now in the semi-finals. I couldn’t watch it but had a live commentary tab open and kept up to date throughout the day. Opening batsman Martin Guptill played incredibly and now holds the record for the highest World Cup score; 237 not out. I predicted he would be player of the match and he was!

Would love to hear about your weekend! Let me know what you got up to 🙂

Chanelle x