Wednesday 25 May 2011

Haul & Swatches: Topshop Makeup

I quickly tried to edit the video I promised to show you next. It featured the gorgeous green nail polish I've been wearing recently, but instead I've decided to go back to my original plan of the images I took (and had previously been holding off showing-such a procrastinator), because the video is kinda crap (I'll see what I can salvage from it next week).
A fortnight ago I went shopping because I needed some Lancome things and wanted the gift in Debenhams. I also noticed Topshop had a cool makeup GWP on their site, so I managed to get myself along to the store too rather than buying online without swatching first. With 3 makeup purchases you get a 'festival kit' (me at a festival, laughable I know!) and it comes in this little drawstring baggy, you get a full pack of wipes (worked wonderfully removing these swatches from my hand, but I have to admit I wasn't so keen on them on my face-felt like it dragged a bit), a packet of colourful kirby grips-always need them! Then a Topshop Liner, a felt pen style liquid liner (I like this, although not as much as Lancome Artliner/L'Oreal Superliner which have a slightly more flexible tip). All in all, a nice little gift though-very practical! I was actually pretty impressed with my cool 'Topshop' swatch of the liner, my sister mistook it for a tattoo (probably because the pen took over and wrote nicely rather than my usual scrawl).
So what did I get? Well, I had my eye on a couple of their new lipstick colours. One was Muted and although it was pretty in the flesh, it wasn't entirely unique in my collection (a light tan mocha) and I decided against buying it. I really, really wanted Nevada though and I know you're going to say that's definitely not a stand-out lippie among my collection of nudes, but it's me+nudes, there's no way I was walking out of the shop without this! It's absolutely glorious, not an in your face colour, not too light to wash me out or make me look deathly, just a nice, pretty neutral light nude. It doesn't have that strong orangey, peachy quality that Desert has either. Let's just say I've used it tonnes already and will continue to do so! I also checked out On The Town, a pinky lilac-the tester was truly manky and so it was really hard to swatch and get an idea of how it would look un-gunked. It wasn't anything I didn't already own from MAC though.
Then I noticed this beautiful shadow (Duo Eyeshadow in Solar Cell) from the current Sandstorm collection. A baked formula with the two colours in the pan (there was another colour Meteoric which I wasn't as taken with) and it can be used wet or dry. It's super shimmery and one of these that the more you use it, the more glitter you uncover. The tester, because it had been quite well played with was superb and had me sold immediately. In the swatches (I've only used it dry), I've picked out (from L to R) the pale blue side, the black and then finally mixed together.
The nail colours, wow! There was an entire side of the stand dedicated to nails and I honestly want every single one. I already own a couple (Big Smoke and Parma Violet), but after careful consideration, I got 101 Green Room (currently OOS online), the stunning bright green I've been wearing on my fingers and toes all week, that has had sooo many compliments! Now to put it bluntly, it's a bitch to photograph, like seriously impossible, even Topshop struggled with their online images. I've tried different camera settings, different backgrounds, different lights and still couldn't get a realistic colour. My images are coming out blue-ish, even through the lens I can see a totally different colour than the naked eye. On video, it was slightly better but still looked mint green. It is actually a bright green, really, really bright (thus causing the issues). Obviously the last image of it on my hand is not good lighting, but possibly the closest colour match-just imagine it amplified in good lighting!
Finally all the swatches, with and without flash. The shimmer in the lipstick is only caused by the flash, there's no shimmer in the tube or on the lips as far as I can see. Fyi, I would also recommend the Cheek Duo in Desert Sun, very soft and pretty.

2 comments :

  1. i've never tried topshop make up, although the packaging always looks lovely..

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love that nail colour. I must not buy more nail polish, i must not buy more nail polish.....

    ReplyDelete

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