Makeup Review | NARS Laguna Bronzing Powder Original vs Matte

Today, I thought I would do another post centred around one of my most recent buys as well as one of the more well used products in my makeup collection – NARS Laguna bronzing powder. When I first saw they were releasing a matte version I knew I wanted to get it as the original is one of my favourite bronzers! 

The original is described as a diffused brown with a golden shimmer and I first fell in love with it back when I got the Steven Klein face palette – anyone remember that? Anyway I upgraded to a single NARS Laguna last year in Sephora as whilst I love the palette, it’s heavy for travelling and I wasn’t making use of all the shades in there. I find it such a fool proof shade, not too warm so can be used as a contour as well as a bronzer and while it has a shimmer, this is so subtle and flattering and not glittery at all! It is so easily buildable, impossible to go overboard with and leaves a beautiful healthy glow!

Laguna Matte is described as a warm brown and although from the swatches they look similar I would say it definitely feels warmer on the face. I think this could also be down to the fact my original bronzer is so well used it’s not as pigmented now (which personally I prefer as it means I can slowly build up colour). I’ve been using the matte version now for about two weeks and it’s still hella pigmented even after tapping off so I’m being careful not to go overboard! 

Both bronzers have beautiful formulas and feel smooth to apply while being easy to blend. They work so well to add definition to my face as well as a subtle glow (especially the original) and the powder is so finely milled and not chalky at all. They also each come in four shades and I have the second lightest! Oh and don’t they have the most chic packaging? Matte black, swoon – although if you own any NARS products yourself you will know how quickly they get grubby! 

l-r: NARS Laguna orignal, NARS Laguna matte 

l-r: Physician's Formula Bronzer, NARS Laguna orignal, NARS Laguna matte, Tarte Park Ave Princess, Fenty Inda Sun

 

I’ve included a few other swatches of other bronzers I own unedited although I really don’t think they are doing any of them justice! Overall the OG NARS Laguna bronzing powder remains my favourite and the matte version has not yet knocked Fenty Inda Sun off the top spot in my eyes for matte bronzers! 

I picked the newest addition up from Look Fantastic with 20% off making it a much more reasonable £24.80 than its usual price of £31! I rarely pay full price for makeup and if you like you can read more about my favourite UK beauty sites and how to save money here! It’s an old post but still applies!

 

If you like this post you might also like my review of the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Bronzer! 

Have you tried Laguna or Laguna Matte? Tell me your favourite bronzers! 

Danielle xx

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Makeup Review | Fenty Beauty Slip Shine Sheer Shiny Lipstick in Retro Rose

Wow, what a mouthful! As soon as I saw the latest addition to Rihanna’s makeup line being advertised, I knew I would be picking up one (although there are about four other shades I want too!). A sheer, shiny, nourishing lipstick? I’m in! 

I picked up the shade Retro Rose which is described as a dusty pink and is a perfect my lips but better shade for me. It’s creamy to apply, feels super comfortable on the lips as it’s so moisturising and though it’s sheer it’s buildable to a deeper shade. It’s got a very subtle vanilla scent and it also contains pomegranate butter to condition and smooth lips. 

What I am most impressed with however is how long this lasts on my lips. Most sheer lipstick/balm hybrids wear off quickly but this stays put for hours before I even contemplate topping up and lasts through copious amounts of tea! It has a very small amount of glitter in it but this isn’t noticeable or chunky at all and doesn’t leave a grit behind!

The packaging is sturdy with a satisfactory click when closing and I love the outer casing, it doesn’t look like anything else I have! This is my first Fenty Beauty lip product but I already love their Sun Stalk’r Bronzer which you can read about here and I also just repurchased the Pro Filt’r foundation again too! I really hope she comes out with powder blushers soon too as the cream ones look beautiful but it’s not my favourite formulation!

l-r: NARS Afterglow lip balm in Dolce Vita, Fenty Slip Shine in Retro Rose, Charlotte Tilbury Superstar Lips in Pillow Talk, Jouer Essential Lip Enhancer shine balm in Rose

I’ve included swatches here too with a few other lip balms so you can see the shade and I’d say the Slip Shine is most comparable to Charlotte Tilbury Superstar Lips in Pillow Talk in my collection – both are beautifully comfortable and longlasting though, yes, expensive! But yanno treat yo self! 

I managed to pick mine up from Boots when they had 15% off but they are normally priced at £19 or $22 and available from Boots, Harvey Nichols or Fenty Beauty!

P.S. I finally got a new phone so expect photos in portrait mode for the foreseeable bahahaha

Danielle xx

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Self Tanning with Bali Body

During lockdown I had been super lazy with tan and wasn’t even bothering with makeup while I was working from home which is unheard of for me but I’ve been back in the office for over two months now so back to making an effort. Fake tan is an instant mood booster for me, it makes me feel and look healthier and as I’m not one for sitting out in the sun (unless I’m on holiday) it’s usually the only way I get a tan! 

As a serial fake tanner I was excited to be contacted by Bali Body to try out their new self-tan remover and of course their self-tanning mousse last month! I’ve been trying them out along with their luxe tanning mitt and exfoliating mitt so here are my thoughts! To give a quick rundown of the company, they originated in Australia where the products are made in Melbourne and they are vegan and cruelty free. Australians know their fake tan so that’s a good start for me but all products are dispatched from the UK so no real wait time for them arriving!  

Before tanning it goes without saying that prep is key and I have a whole other post on what I do to prep my skin in my Tanning 101 post here! The Self Tanning Mousse RRP £25.95* applies really easily and has a guide colour so you are able to see if you have missed any bits making it fool proof. I just apply in circles everywhere I want to tan and it develops really nicely overnight into a very natural looking tan. I was worried as I have previously found mousse formulations to be a little drying on my skin but this one isn’t! It contains coffee seed extract, coconut oil and pomegranate extract giving it antioxidant, rejuvenating and anti-aging properties and it also smells a lot fresher on application than some fake tans I have used in the past! It’s fast drying so I can get into my pyjamas quickly after applying and l leave it on overnight before rinsing off the next morning.

Though a fair layer washes off, it leaves a really good natural shade of tan and over the course of a week this fades very evenly and doesn’t look patchy at all! I find I usually top up my hands a couple of times during the week as I am washing and sanitising them so much more than usual so the tan is fading faster there. The Luxe Tanning Mitt RRP £12.95* feels velvety and is so much more luxurious and softer than the foam ones you can get! I find the space for your thumb makes it much easier to be precise with application and it’s streak free every time. It’s definitely worth the higher price tag in my opinion as they last so much longer with proper care!

The Self Tan Remover RRP £18.95* was the product I was most intrigued about as I always thought products like this were a bit of a novelty so hadn’t tried one before but I can’t believe how impressed I am with this! It contains aloe vera, glycerine, jojoba oil and rose extract so my skin never feels dried out when I use this and the scent is lovely. You just rub it on with your hands to areas that had tan on and let it sit for five minutes before rubbing off in the shower with the Exfoliating Mitt RRP £12.95*. Literally all my tan came off with a quick rub and the exfoliating mitt doesn’t feel rough or scratchy at all! I am super impressed with this combo especially on my feet as I find it so hard to get the tan off round my ankles! The exfoliating mitt seems a little pricey to me but like with the tan mitt, I am happy to pay more for something that will last a long time with good care and the quality feels good but you could definitely get away with some cheaper exfoliating gloves too. 

Overall, I am really impressed with the products I have been sent and if you are on the lookout for a new tan I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Bali Body! I was also impressed with how the tan and self tan remover came packaged as they were sealed and if you have ever had a fake tan bottle leak in transit you will know what I mean! Do you use fake tan? Let me know your favourite tanning brands in the comments! 

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own. See my full disclosure here. 

Danielle xx

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Forever Repurchased #9

Good morning! I’ve been doing some shopping recently so thought I’d quickly talk through the repurchases that have made the cut for me! 

OUAI North Bondi Eau de Parfum

If you have read my blog for any length of time you may know what a huge fan I am of OUAI! They are hands down my favourite haircare brand and a few years ago they released some perfumes of the signature scents of their products! I’ve just finished my original North Bondi which I got back last summer and immediately repurchased it as I am obsessed with the scent! I am no good at explaining scents and it’s such a personal thing anyway as they smell different on everyone but here are the notes for anyone interested and it smells like the wave spray and leave in conditioner: 

Top Notes: Bergamot, Apple Blossom, Raspberry, Italian Lemon

Heart Notes: Rose de Mai, Jasmine, Violet

Base Notes: Patchouli, Sandalwood, White Musk

Trusty old Look Fantastic also had 20% off so I may have treated myself to Melrose Place too hehe. I don’t find this the longest lasting perfume I’ve ever had but that might be due to the fact I can barely smell it off myself though I always get compliments when I wear it J

Tigi Bed Head Small Talk Thickifier

This is one of my most long term hair loves but I’m not sure it’s ever featured on my blog before! I think this may be my 3^rdor 4^thbottle and I know I definitely left one behind in Canada and had to chuck an old one I found when I got home! It’s a thickening cream you add to damp hair which doesn’t weigh my fine hair down at all, gives it more body through the ends, hydrates and smooths it and you guessed it, makes it look thicker! It smells like blueberries and I am so glad to have it back in my life and I am already noticing I am picking my split ends less! I would really recommend shopping round for it as it’s always on offer, I actually got this in Home Bargains for £4.99, they have such a great hair section! 

Pixi Glow Tonic

Did anyone else take advantage of the Boots offer the other week when this was £10? Again, it’s been a while since this was in my collection but I am so excited to reintroduce it as I used to love it! It’s the perfect gentle exfoliant to use daily and with consistent use I always used to see improvements in my skin texture and leftover scarring. 

Nivea Hand Creams

I’ve received these previously through PR but you know it’s good when you continuously repurchase them yourself! I’ve been going through hand cream at a rate of knots at the minute and couldn’t wait to get these back in my collection after using up some ones I had in my stash already! They are lightweight but so hydrating and they sink in quickly and smell so fresh! Can’t recommend them enough! 

Tresemme Day 2 Volumizing Dry Shampoo

I finally found some Tresemme Dry Shampoo! This was my go to brand when I lived in Canada as it was so affordable, left no white cast and give my hair some added volume! Hoping it’s the same formula here, I’ll be sure to report back! 

I’d love to know if you have been making any purchases recently? I was so good for so long but have went a bit crazy recently! Still waiting on a few to be delivered then I might do a round up haul post! 

Danielle xx

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