I went to London over Easter Weekend and had a much needed reunion with Trinidadians (and Trini humour. I laughed all weekend long). It was freezing cold so I have no cute pics to show, but there were some true weekend highlights as well (getting my hair done, going to Lion King and then seeing all the costumes backstage *geek*, Dior exhibition at Harrods, hearing old school R&B and dancehall all night at a club…I could go on…follow me on Instagram for pics of all my adventures)

One of the best things was going to Selfridges and reuniting with all the beauty brands that Italy doesn’t offer. These are the ones I invested in:

As you know I’m looking for low cost nail art alternatives to getting my beloved gel manicures in Europe. These Illamasqua Speckled Nail Varnishes ($16.00 at sephora.com but they’ve been sold out there for weeks) come in 5 perfectly pastel shades for Spring (I picked Freckle and Mottle, the beige and mint shades you see above, but I think I am going back for Scarce and Speckle as well) and provide a unique, robin’s egg look to nails that is hassle-free, doesn’t require a design degree and is quite unlike any other nail polish I’ve ever seen. Disclaimer: please excuse my haphazard nail lengths.

MAC and NARS go head to head for the title of my favourite makeup brand, so I couldn’t help but be interested in the their newest Spring launches. Anyone who has endured the uncomfortable transition from stickiness to grittiness that some lip glosses provide knows the importance of a smooth texture in a lip product. Unfortunately, most lippies that are smooth in texture aren’t long wearing. Enter the NARS Satin Lip Pencil ($25.00 USD) which provides vibrant lip colour, smooth application and wear that can last through an all you can eat dim sum lunch, and a ten hour travel experience from London to Florence without so much as a fade. NARS recently launched a serious new media campaign, sending the shades to all the most popular fashion bloggers. I keep checking my mailbox but mine seem to have gotten lost…lol.

Watching too many Youtube makeup videos can certainly give you a new perspective on life, and after watching makeup artistas do their “complexion” I realized that my foundation regimen was seriously lacking. Sure my StudioFix Powder plus Foundation is great for everyday wear to and from class, but by the end of the day its pretty much gone and reapplying foundation throughout the day has never been my thing. Add to that the fact that recently my skin has been doing that thing where it drains of colour during the winter (while the dark circles around my eyes just seem to get more pronounced…life is mean) and I felt my foundation just needed a boost for days when I need a bit more oomph. MAC’s website now comes with a great Foundation Finder tool which actually matched me up with the same foundation I purchased in store when I entered my needs (Sheer Coverage, Satin Finish, warm undertones). The Mineralize Moisture SPF 15 Foundation in NC 45 ($33.00 USD) is a bit darker than my current skintone but exactly matches the colour I am when I’m in Trinidad, and also boasts all the great light-reflecting mineral powders to create that soft finish that the MAC Mineralize line is known for.

I like the lightest coverage possible though so even when I use sheer foundation I blot the hell out of it with tissue before setting it. I purchased MAC Blot Powder Pressed ($24.00 USD) to take away any additional shine. The results below:

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Foundation: MAC Cosmetics Mineralize Moisture SPF 15 Foundation NC45,Black Opal True Colour Creme Stick Foundation SPF 8 in Hazelnut, MAC Cosmetics Select Moisturecover Concealer in NW30, MAC Cosmetics Blot Powder Pressed in Dark, MAC Cosmetics Mineralize Blush in Love Joy, MAC Cosmetics Mineralize Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Glorify, MAC Cosmetics Eye Kohl in Teddy, L’Oreal Paris Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara in Black, MAC Cosmetics Lip Pencil in Magenta, NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Luxembourg