Little Beauty Haul (YSL, Estee Lauder, Harajuku Lovers)

Last week I popped through to Debenhams because there were a couple of things I needed. I only have a tiny amount of Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation left and can't live without that, so that was a necessity! A couple of you had enquired about which shade I wear....I do use the lightest (1C1 Shell) and yes, it is a little too dark. Most days I can just about get away with it, but sometimes I think it looks way too dark. I wish they would make a lighter shade because the finish and formula are perfect for me, I just need a better colour match. Actually when I saw all the testers on the stand I couldn't pick out which was the lightest and thought they all looked far too dark (and very similar)-I think the frosted glass of the 'real' bottle helps trick me into thinking it's lighter than it actually is.

While we're on the subject, I don't like the design of the bottle. Now I'm near the bottom, it's a struggle every day to get some out and would be much easier in a pump or tube. However, as I say, I can't live without the flawless finish it gives me and for that reason, I'll buy it again and again. Whilst in Debenhams I was looking for some perfume (more about that later) which I didn't find, but did notice they were running an offer on their beauty card for 500 bonus points if you spent £30 (the foundation is annoyingly £26.50!) and I got sucked into looking for something else. Of course, there's nothing for around a fiver, but the YSL counter is my new weak point and they had their spring stuff out and I succumbed to purchasing one of their new lipsticks! I hadn't realised it was £23.50 though-I think I'd have thought twice about it if I'd known.

The colour is 116 Milky Pink which I don't think conjures up an accurate description. I struggled to photograph the lipstick accurately too which doesn't help, however the swatch is spot-on. In the tube it's a soft coral with gold micro-shimmer (not the bright pink it looks here-more like the band around the middle of the case) and comes out more pinky when swatched, but still with a little peach to it and the shimmer is practically unnoticeable unless you're looking really closely.

this is maybe the closest I got to the actual shade below

It's a Rouge Volupte Perle formula, so it's relatively sheer and I found if you build it up too much it leaves an uneven, streaky finish because it is supposed to be worn quite sheer. It's got a slippy sort of texture which I'm not 100% sold on, I do wish it were a little thicker, but then that's why it's a Perle finish. All in all, it's a nice enough shade and the packaging is adorable. I did have £15 on my beauty card which I used, so the price didn't seem quite so intimidating. I probably would've gone for a more standard nude, had I browsed their regular lipsticks, but as I said, I was caught up in the new spring stuff! Another shade I liked was a pretty grey-ish lilac, probably 108 Celestial Mauve (again a Rouge Volupte Perle), it was very light though, so I decided against it. I also got a sample of the new Forever Youth Liberator Serum which launches this month-although I've actually been using this particular product for the past few weeks for YSL (oooh! More on that once I can talk about it). I spend a fortune on cosmetics and it just brightens your day a little to get something extra in with your purchases doesn't it? No such item from the EL counter though-but the ladies there can be pretty crabbit to put it bluntly, I always feel like I'm hugely imposing on them by making a purchase, because you know that isn't their job or anything?!

Anyway onto more freebies. I was looking for Super G (Harajuku Lovers fragrance), which I posted about ages ago but never got round to buying. I'd been waiting for a gwp, they never did one and then Jingle G came out (which I've been wearing practically every day lately) and I realised Super G was becoming harder to find and it was likely I'd miss out on her altogether and we couldn't have that, considering I've bought every other scent! Soooo, I looked in Debenhams and they had no HL fragrances at all, I asked and she said they were sold out of everything (?). Next stop Superdrug, who had one or two bits, but no Super G, then I decided to look in this wee shop next to Primark, The Fragrance House I think it's called. They had Wicked Style reduced to £10 on the counter and behind the counter one box of Super G! She was full price but rather than risk losing out, I got her. The girl that served me was very pleasant and clued up and looked in her cupboard to see what she could give me : )

This may well be my fave dolly yet (I know I say that every time), I love that her little leggy's are finally out, rather than a perfume bottle shoved up them!

I already have this, but she had a spare 'make your own G' kit which came with 'G Of The Sea', (but they'd run out of her and still had the gift) plus she popped in a couple of samples too. As I said, it makes your day when people are kind like that. I'm now going to try scribbling on one of my dolls, as I didn't want to ruin the original, but now I have a back-up it doesn't seem so scary! I'll probably make a mess of it though.