MAC Whisper of Gilt Extra Dimension Skinfinish

Whisper of Gilt Extra Dimension Skinfinish - MAC/Selfridges - £21.50

Finally! I've been so excited to get my hands on this gorgeous product from MAC; it's from their newest collection Glamour Daze and is described as a liquid-powder highlighter to sculpt and highlight the face. 

First of all the limited edition packaging. I know it's not such a crazy, noticeable difference but it's shiny (yey) meaning it won't get dirty in my make up bag, and really it just adds a hint of luxury to it. This isn't the only luxury to the product- just look at the embossed 3d design, how gorgeous! Kind of makes me hesitant in using it, I don't want to ruin the design!

I decided to purchase this rather than Superb mainly because it's suited more to my paler skin, it just looks more natural and compliments the ranges of blushes I use, however I do think that this would flatter most skin tones. The colour is a soft gold, champagne or even a peachy nude with a lovely shimmer. It isn't sparkly or too flashy on the skin, despite the highly metallic finish in the pan, it just gives a great sheen and highlight to the face. 

In terms of texture, MAC describe this product to have a liquid-powder effect. I find that it goes on so smoothly onto the skin, it's very soft, almost creamy but in powder form? MAC claims that it wears for ten hours which I think is definitely true to a point, I would personally say around eight hours then very slight fading. 

One negative, and there is only one in my opinion, is that this product can emphasize my pores if layered to create a more dramatic highlight of the skin. However this isn't too much of a problem because I feel I much prefer this as a day time highlighter, using just a very light application which has little to no effect on my pores. Overall I'm pretty much in love with this skinfinish, it'll last forever thanks to the mighty 9g worth of product you get, it completely compliments my skin tone and it just feels and looks so luxurious!

Have you tried any of MAC's Extra Dimension Skinfinishes? What are your thoughts? 

Weekend wishlist #6

1) Open Shoulder Asymmetric Tunic - Topshop - £16 2) Blot Powder Pressed - Mac - £20 
3) Bronzer in Desert Sun - Topshop - £12.50 4) Zero Oil Deep Pore Cleanser - Origins - £17
5) Zero Oil Instant Matte Finish for Shiny Places - Origins - £12 6) Essie Polish in Bikini So Teeny - Superdrug - £7.99
7) Moto Supersoft Skinny Leigh Jeans - Topshop - £38

1) I first saw this top on one of my absolute favourite bloggers, Lily, here. When I found the image on the Topshop website I thought it would've definitely been an item I scrolled right past because it honestly doesn't look that appealing to me. I'm so glad I've seen it on somebody though because it looks so much better! I will always have a thing for oversized, baggy tees that are perfect for throwing on for uni. It's really simple and would look great with jeans or leggings to create a casual look, as well as with statement jewellery, disco pants and chunky wedges for a night on the town! 

2) So I've been searching high and low for the 'perfect' powder to combat my skin type. I have an oily t-zone mixed with dry patches and it's pretty much just a nightmare to find products that work for both these problems. After researching and testing out a ridiculous amount of products over the years I thought I had found my true love in Mac's Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation and sure enough I've been using it for a long time and been through so many compacts. Recently though I find it leaves my face looking too 'made up' and if I touch up during the day it can leave my skin looking cakey and patchy. I've read endless reviews on Mac's Blot Powder and it just seems too good to be true, perfect for removing shine, setting foundation without noticeable texture as well as touching up throughout the day. I need to try this out asap!

3) I noticed this bronzer, as well as another shade, on Topshop's website this week and they just look adorable! It claims to be a bronzer, although without having swatched this yet, it looks to me more like a blush/highlighter duo. I will definitely be taking a closer look at this item and testing it out in store.

4) I haven't tried out Origins products before, mainly due to the price tag and because I've been using Clinique's skincare products since before I can remember and, until now, have been happy sticking to them. As mentioned above, I have an oily t-zone; this can develop during the day and I find myself touching up my powder multiple times. In the past I thought just changing my make up would help this but I'm now coming to terms with the fact that I may need to change my skincare routine and look for something to combat oil! Another one of my favourite bloggers, Aimee, recently posted about her Origins haul, here, and this cleanser was featured with a positive review. I feel like I absolutely definitely want to try this out, if I can splash out £17 for it...

5) Another Zero Oil Origins product. This 'Instant Matte Finish for Shiny Places' product claims to instantly blot up any oil to leave skin looking matte without over drying. I feel this would be perfect for applying before make up, although Origins say it can be used over make up as well. 

6) I purchased my first ever Essie nail polish this week; Tart Deco, review coming soon. I absolutely love it and I can now see myself spiralling into an Essie addiction. For £8 it's definitely at the top end in terms of how much I would be happy paying for a nail polish. This shade, Bikini so Teeny (coolest polish name ever?) is a lovely shimmering sky blue from the Summer collection now available in selected Boots and Superdrugs.

7) Last on my wishlist is a pretty boring item, but as it happens I don't actually own a pair of jeans. Not even one. It seems the Leigh jean style in Topshop is the most popular these days and perhaps the most flattering. Every time I've bought jeans in the past I've just had the most horrific experience; they'll fit my legs but that zip has no chance of going up, or they'll fit my waist but be way too baggy around my legs. I always hear positive reviews on the fit of these jeans, the only downside being they can fade really quite bad after just a couple of washes. Do you guys have any recommendations for jeans? Where's your favourite place to get them from?

Topshop Highlighter in Sunbeam

Highlighter in Sunbeam - Topshop - £9

So my search for the perfect highlighter for my skin has been a long and somewhat expensive journey. I've tried products from the high street and higher end brands, creams, liquids and powders but nothing has ever worked for me. Now I'm not saying that Topshop's highlighter is absolutely perfect, but it's certainly ten times better than anything I've tried before, and for the price you definitely can't go wrong.

When I first tried Topshop's make up products we definitely did not get along. Their liquid eyeliner was absolutely terrible and the texture of the cream to powder blush is just not for me. Therefore I was hesitant when I saw this in the Manchester Arndale store. After swatching it on the back of my hand I fell in love with the gold shimmer and decided I had to buy it, for £9 it's literally a bargain! I originally set out to purchase Nars highlighting blush in Miss Liberty but I decided to hold off and see what I made of this one first. 

The compact is simple but cute in their signature white packaging with dark grey patterns, this product has tiny little stars on the lid which I thought was sweet! The only downside is the fact that it's only been in my make up bag for under a week and it's already filthy from other products/the general horrendous state my make up bag is in. I know this is my fault and I should really clean it out but due to how lazy I am it'd be nice if Topshop brought out a range with dark packaging!

I was so eager to try it I applied it as soon as I got home, over my make up that I had on all day after numerous powder touch ups. Therefore I was disappointed when I got a cakey effect and really not much product appeared on my skin. The next day I was still disheartened but applied it over a fresh face of make up and what a difference it made! You only need a very minimal amount, and with the whole 6.5g of product you get this is definitely a product that will last forever. I applied it over Estée Lauder blush in Alluring Rose and got the effect shown in the bottom photo. The product isn't too shimmery and the sunlight picks out just enough shimmer to give glowing cheekbones. It holds wonderful golden tones perfect for the face and body. I find that I sometimes require a quick touch up on an evening but apart from that I can't really fault this product.

Has anybody tried Topshop's highlighter or any other Topshop product that you'd recommend? After this I'm eager to try more!

Mac Light Year Mineralize Skinfinsh

Mac Light Year Mineralize Skinfinish - Mac - £21.50

Mac's mineralize skinfinishes are so good for highlighting areas of the face and adding subtle but beautiful hints of colour and shimmer. Therefore I couldn't help myself when I strolled by their newest collection Heavenly Creatures. After swatching this one as well as the other two shades that were in stock, 'Center of the Universe' and ' Star Wonder' I decided upon purchasing 'Light Year' because the lovely peachy, golden shades compliment the blushers I use the most.

On Mac's website this is described as a 'peachy pink with gold shimmer' which I feel is definitely true depending on which colours you pick out or if you swirl them altogether. I personally prefer to use a mixture of all the colours as it gives a better golden effect. I was extremely happy with my purchase and intended to use it on my cheekbones to create a highlighted effect. However Mac claim this can also be a multipurpose product and can be used as a general blush, buffed on the body to add shimmer as well as dusted all over the face. I personally wouldn't use it for these purposes as I feel it would add way too much shimmer to my face.

When I got home and used it before going out I was actually quite disappointed. When I was purchasing it I was in a bit of a rush and therefore only swatched it on the back of my hand rather than testing it out on my face. Therefore I was surprised when I applied it to my cheeks and wondered whether I had been given the product I asked for, as it looked nothing like it did on my hand. The colour doesn't look half as pigmented as it does when I swatched it and although it does glide on really easily and evenly it just did nothing for my skin. There was a shimmer but no peachy/pink/golden tones coming through whatsoever.

My mom tested it out and it looks so much better than it does on my skin. She's pretty dark and wears Mac NW35. Her skin completely glows when this product is applied and the shimmer is literally stunning. I don't know whether this shade therefore suits darker skin tones or maybe it's just not suited for me.

Has anybody tried this shade? What are your favourite Skinfinishes?