Homeland Holiday Haul

   I suppose the shopping started on my way out here at Heathrow duty free, where I picked up a new Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara.  I bought a tube of this after it had had a lengthy absence from my life a while ago and I have to say, it’s my favourite mascara ever.  Although I’m still using up the last dregs of my other one, I decided I might as well pick up one for when it finally runs out.

   I also finally caved and bought a Paint Pot from MAC.  I bought Bare Study which is the one I had always harboured a secret longing for, even though my Untitled Paint is more than good enough as an eyeshadow primer/base.  I have to say, we're having a bit of a rocky start, it’s creasing on me and also looks quite chalky and caked, no matter how little I apply.  I will persevere and try and make it work as so many people love the these!

  For the shopping IN Sweden, most of it took place in Gina Tricot, where I picked up three nail polishes in Gold, Clay Blue and Emerald Sea.  Gold is beautiful, a subtle shimmery gold.  It was on my nails as soon as I got home (sans base or top coat) and it was five days before I had my first chip so the formula is definitely a winner.  The other two haven't been road-tested as yet, but I can’t see myself having anything but love for them either.

   Also in Gina Tricot, I found this eyeshadow duo which I thought looked really pretty and neutral and were an absolute steal.  The darker shade is a really lovely rich chocolate with a hint of taupe shimmer and the lighter shade is a silvery white that works really well as a inner corner highlight.  The formula is really nice and creamy with no chalkiness at all and they work well either sheered out and subtle or can be built up and more glamorous. 

   The other eyeshadow is a shimmery champagne colour, aptly and imaginatively named Champagne.  It’s a lovely, goes-with-anything shade and something that I didn’t have anything similar to.  It has a lot more shimmer in than any other eyeshadow I have, but as it’s so neutral, it’s still wearable and you can class it up with some matte shadows alongside (I love the Naked Basics palette for this).  The longevity of these Gina Tricot eyeshadows isn’t that great on their own, but with Bare Study underneath, they are practically waterproof and considering their low price point, I couldn’t ask for anything more from them.

 

  The last item is possibly my favourite – Essie’s After School Boy Blazer.  After yearning after it enough to always search in Boots and Superdrug (to no avail), I finally came face to face with this in Kicks forever my favourite shop.  Although it was a lot more expensive than it would have been back in England, I decided to take the plunge along with some encouragement from my step mother, and I am so so so in love. The formula is lovely, opaque in two coats and quick to dry, but the colour is just beautiful.  So much has been written about this polish online already so I’ll spare you the ramble, suffice to say, I love it and I will probably be wearing it until the bottle runs dry.