Nars Multiple Duo - Maldives/Riviera

It's a sad fact that time doesn't often seem to allow for clean, concise make up. Trains have to be caught; children need to be feed; work has to be done. Yes, it seems on the days we wish we could look our most glossy, the laws of physics just won't let it occur. Doctor Who - that machine is wasted on you.

Fortunately it seems the next best thing to a Tardis is this: the Nars Multiple Duo Maldives/Riviera. A nifty little blusher twin set incased in a sleek rubber palette complete with generous sized mirror.

Nars Multiple Duo Maldives/Riviera

As we trek our way through the daily 2 hour commute to work, our skin is often faced with a barrage of sweat, humidity and rain. Any make up we spent carefully applying at 5am is soon removed and replaced with a puffy, flushed complexion complete with token frizzy hair. It's safe to say by the time we begin our 10 hour shift, our confidence is looming somewhat low. Let's face it - we've all been here. It sucks, right?

Well, Mr.Nars has prescribed our remedy...

Maldives/Riviera moderately swatched

Ideal for throwing straight into your handbag, these two creamy colours are essentially a palleted version of the cult stick product. Easy to blend, Maldives and Riviera offer the most deliciously subtle blusher/bronzer duo in shades especially suited for all skin tones. Buttery in texture and sheer on application, it's as easy as pie to manipulate this formula into both the ideal depth and coverage.

After 6 hours wear on bare skin in very sweaty conditions

We find ourselves topping up on this product every few hours. As you can see from the picture above, our sweaty face managed to remove a large percentage of the colour over an afternoon, allowing for just a simple gentle sheen to remain. Our work conditions are pretty full on and we usually find our make up eventually slipping and smudging regardless of it's staying claims. The Multiple is the perfect pick-me-up for pulling our overall look back together and adding a hint of freshness to our otherwise extremely tired complexion.

If you're someone who is constantly on the go and needs a quick, simple product to help fight any signs of fatigue or tiredness, this blush duo will certainly do the job. The perfect colours for summer skin, we've been practically living out of this palette for the last 5 weeks. Giving good wear in even the most demanding of conditions, this would also make an ideal holiday essential. Expensive, but highly worth it.

Nars Multiple Duos are available with limited availability at narscosmetics.co.uk for £33.

*this product was purchased by the Beauty Bite*

Chanel Nail Colour - 15 Beige Naturel

This is - without a doubt - our ultimate go-to polish.

We've struggled for years to find a pale nude that doesn't streak, and it seems this little liquid loveliness finally decided to come to our rescue. Requiring no more than 2 coats to achieve an even finish; this often lasts up to 5 days chip free.

Honestly, we can't remember life before it's name.

Chanel Nail Colour is available worldwide and at boots.com for £16.50

*this product was purchased by the Beauty Bite*

Aussie Dual Personality

Firstly we'd like to say a huge sorry for being somewhat quiet these past few days - work has been intense to say the least. However, we've got some great products to review for you all over this forthcoming week, including In The Groove; the gorgeous new mineralize collection from MAC. Hurrah!

But to begin with we wanted to mention a little wonder product that's been serving us very well lately: Aussie's Dual Personality Volume + Conditioning Mousse.

We always crave a bit of OOMPH! to our roots, and this cheap and cheerful can of wonder has never knowingly let us down. Containing Wild Cherry Bark extract, this product is one of the best we've ever used in terms of noticeable, instant volume.

Mousse sprayed from bottle

With just a simple shake and spray of the bottle, the expanding mousse is generously applied to damp hair and styled as desired. We find the volume usually lasts between 8 to 10 hours, but after a day's wear our hair is generally a lot greasier than normal. It's because of this we don't reach for this product on a daily basis; it's only flaw in an otherwise glowing report.

Non sticky, reliable and an absolute doddle to use - we're sure most of you already have this in your bathroom cabinet. Let us know your thoughts! We'd love to know what your ultimate volumizing weapon is.

Aussie Dual Personality Mousse can be picked up at various drug stores internationally and boots.com for £4.59.

*this product was purchased by the Beauty Bite*

The Clothes Show London

If you're down in the Capital over the weekend, then you could certainly do worse than popping over to the annual Clothes Show London. Packed full of fashion, food and the famous - we headed over to Earls Court to see exactly what the beauty side of things had to offer...

The busiest beauty stall by far was Sleek's. Situated right at the front of the exhibition, customers were able to enjoy complimentary make overs, product demonstrations and more cosmetics than you could shake a stick at. Although it didn't offer any discounts or previews, punters were given a free nail polish in exchange for their e-mail address. After working our way around the whole show, it appears Sleek were just one of a few brands openly offering a freebie. We mention this because most women we spoke to felt pretty miffed with the general lack of goodies on offer.

The real hub-bub for beauty fanatics was the over-flowing discount stall. O.P.I bottles were reduced by up to 50%, Designer fragrances could be snapped up for as little as 12 quid, and countless tubs of swanky hair goodies were slashed down to a very reasonable £5. Let's just say our purse was very happy indeed...!

Superdrug are currently using the event to exclusively promote their new 'Scarlett and Crimson' range. Created by Ruby and Millie, the make up extraordinaire's were both on site to offer tips and advice to eager visitors. If you do make it down to Earls Court, don't forget to pop up to the top deck of the bus to receive your very own fantastic S & C make over. Be warned, though - it's incredibly hot in there!

Benefit was literally bursting at the seams with visitors making the most of the generous 15% discount. There were no new products to preview, but a goodie bag containing nearly £40 worth of lipsticks and mascara could be yours with the purchase of 3 products.

However, our favourite stop of the day was the gorgeously relaxing Elemis Spa Bus. With 10% off all products, visitors can be pampered and preened within the luxurious settings of, what has to be, the world's most glamourous double decker. We picked up a couple of lovely smelling lotions to review for you all over the forthcoming weeks.

If you're a big fan of fashion then most definitely get your bum down to Fulham this weekend; the show is literally OVER FLOWING with boutiques, cat walks and discounts. However, if you're thinking of going just for the beauty side of things - we highly recommend you save yourself for the IMATS.

Anyone heading down? Let us know how your day went!

Clinique High Impact Mascara

We love Clinique. We love their mascaras. But for us, this just doesn't seem to work.

Intended for those who desire a thickening effect, the wand's large fluffy brush evenly coats the lashes from root to tip. However, possessing a wet formula, we are yet to use this mascara without experiencing clumping. Not only did we find the application messy, after a couple of blinks we were repeatedly finding scatterings of mascara all over the brow bones. This was not the high impact we were hoping for.

Before:

After:

Plus:

3 hours later, we were still experiencing sticky lashes.

In all honesty we'd probably like this more if it didn't claim to add "maximum volume, definition and length" - or - "dramatically thickened, separated lashes". Because it doesn't. Sure it makes the lashes look far more glamourous than their natural state, but we actually feel Maybelline's Stiletto Voluptuous provides far superior results in the "impact" stakes.

We wanted to like this; after all, Clinique produce some of our favourite mascaras. But this formula just seems to consistently under perform on what we think are some major product promises. If you've tried this let us know your thoughts - any tips on how to best work the formula would be hugely appreciated!

Clinique High Impact Mascara is available at counters internationally and clinique.co.uk for £14.50.

*this product was a free sample obtained by the Beauty Bite*

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF20

Every year as sunnier climates dawn, the hunt for the perfect light-weight coverage continues. Gone are the days of suffocating pores with heavy foundations; the most relaxing holiday for skin is simply the opportunity to breathe. So whilst the wind is soft, the grass is fresh and golden rays soak up the skies, why not join us in taking the plunge and stripping down?

Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer is a beauty institution. Available in a range of 10 shades over 3 finishes (regular, oil-free and illuminating), this product offers the ideal light weight, natural effect coverage that all skin types crave. With the added bonus of SPF20, it always provides extra care for those of you who mightn't be the most religious appliers of sunscreen.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer swatched/blended

Easy to blend, this non sticky liquid glides gently over the skin leaving the most wonderfully fresh, radiant and dewy complexion. Featuring an antioxidant vitamin complex, it creates a fine barrier protecting the skin from any aggressive effects in it's surrounding environment. We've been wearing porcelain - the palest shade on offer - and are still yet to encounter any streaking, patchiness or tide marks.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer applied to bare skin

If you enjoy the credentials of a heavier foundation, then don't completely write this product off just yet. Like any sheer base, it can be easily built up to provide more coverage when and where needed. For instance, one coat does a stella job at muting down our freckles. If you're looking to ease your way into a more bare skinned appearance, this tinted moisturizer is a great place to start. It gives fantastic wear and, once removed, leaves the skin feeling both super soft and hydrated.

Extreme close up of product applied to cheek

We've tried many Tinted Moisturizers over the years, yet always seem to come back to Laura Mercier. It covers, it protects, it radiates and it lasts. For fresh faced summer beauty, we honestly couldn't think of a better starting block.

Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer is available from lauramercier.com ($42) and johnlewis.com (£32 for 40ml)

*this product was purchased by the Beauty Bite*

Lipstick Queen - Fired Up Power Gloss

If you're someone who constantly seems to shy away from the classic red lip, then Poppy King (a.k.a the Lipstick Queen) has developed a unique modern solution: Fired Up Power Gloss.

Enriched with vitamin E, this non-sticky formula bathes the lips in a sheer coating of fire engine red. With just a squeeze of the tube; the built in brush oozes gloss enabling you to either confidently load the colour up, or gently mute it down.

Fired Up Power Gloss swatched

As you can see from the swatch above, the pigments in the formula turned pink when applied directly onto our skin. This reaction is due to the gloss working in sync with your natural tones; meaning any worries of not finding your "perfect red" are diminished.The more layers of Fired Up you apply, the bolder and brighter the colour becomes. Simple!

Fired Up applied directly to lips

Offering around 3 hours wear, Fired Up is the ideal way of easing yourself towards a stronger lip. We adore it as a punchy day time red and love how plump and sexy it makes the pout when generously layered. Some of you might not be too keen with the built in brush for hygiene reasons, but it does do a great job at delivering a clean, even finish.

With all the comforts of a gloss and the vibrancy of a lipstick - we really couldn't enjoy this product more. Definitely one of our favourites of 2010.

Fired Up Power Gloss is available from lipstickqueen.com for $18 and spacenk.co.uk at £15 for 8.8g (0.31 fl oz)

*this product was purchased by the Beauty Bite*

No7 Colour Calming Primer

Last weekend we posted about the undeniably boring, yet equally fantastic E45 Dry Scalp Shampoo. Today we're travelling down a somewhat similar avenue with this: a dull yet handy neutralising base from Boots No7.

Designed to cool and calm rosy complexions, this thick green cream is intended to be gently blended into the face straight after moisturising. With caring, conditioning ingredients, the pale pigments instantly neutralise unwanted redness leaving skin tone visibly more even. Although it can be worn by itself, we found it necessary to apply foundation to ensure a fresher, more natural finish.

Calming Primer lightly blended/heavily swatched

If you suffer from redness you'll appreciate just how vital a product like this can be. We know many people who've picked up a tube and no longer feel self conscious about their cheeks burning up. However it can appear a bit patchy at times - which is no doubt the last thing you want if you're aiming for a smoother base. That being said, it does gives reasonably good wear and, most importantly, doesn't sting when applied.

On days when you find yourself piling on more and more foundation to block out constant blushes, this primer will definitely save both time and effort. Since being repackaged and renamed - it can also be purchased in Lavender. A soft, lilac tint intended to correct sallow and dull complexions.

When we find our face feeling a bit too hot and flushed, we're always pleased with the results this gives. At £10.75 for 40ml it's noticeably cheaper than most options provided by premium brands, but we do advise that you swatch in store first. Redness - whether it be on your nose, cheeks on chin - varies from case to case so be sure to check out if this formula works comfortably with your specific needs. Hypo-allergenic - this cream is suitable for those with both eczema and sensitive skin.

Boots No7 Colour Calming Primer is available from stores worldwide and boots.com for £10.75.

*this product was purchased by the Beauty Bite*

Nars Multiple Tint - Cadaques

As some of you may remember, a few weeks ago we checked out the highly vibrant Nars multiple tint in the gorgeous shade of Turks/Caicos (click here if you missed out!)

Today we'd like to introduce you to it's sister, Cadaques; a sheer pop of hot jelly pink.

Exactly the same as it's siblings, Cadaques is a versatile blush/stain that can be easily built to enhance the pigments depth against all skin tones. Designed to give the skin a natural flush, the Multiple Tint offers a soft, easy to blend formula that holds up against the cheek for around 12 hours. (We applied this yesterday morning and found it still going strong by midnight.)

Cadaques swatched heavily

Unfortunately we don't have any pictures of the product applied to the face as of yet, but do trust us when we say it really is a divine effect. The colour melts seamlessly against the complexion creating the most wonderfully fresh, semi translucent blush - if you like your make up to be 'girly' than this could certainly be your new best friend.

Nars multiple tints are available internationally from all Nars counters, plus narscosmetics.co.uk for £27.

*this product was purchased by the Beauty Bite*

Badger Ginger & Lemon Lip Balm

Available in a wealth of flavours and formulas, if you're looking for a purse friendly, natural balm to use under lipstick then this cute little creature is the perfect solution.

With an ingredients list containing only Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Golden Yellow Beeswax, Castor Bean Oil and extracts of Aloe Vera, Rose Hip & Seabuckthorn Berry - our lips feel positively spoilt when coated with this stuff.

Ideal as an intense night treatment - Badger also offers SPF packed balms created to solve a wide range of skin problems. We've been chuffed with the results this formula has given us, and have really enjoy the lack of greasiness due to it's exclusion of petroleum.

Organic. Effective. Tasty. Cheap. What's not to love?!

Badger Ginger & Lemon Lip Balm is available at drug stores worldwide - plus amazon.com for $2.70, and soorganic.com at £2.49 for 4.2g. (type in the code 'badger' at checkout to receive an extra 15% off)

*this product was purchased by the Beauty Bite*

Bobbi Brown Beach Shimmer Brick

Ah, the sea side! Bearded Sailors, fish and chips, watching your nan take a donkey ride...these are probably just some of the things Bobbi Brown was no doubt envisioning when she dreamt up this coastal beauty:

As part of the highly sought after summer collection, Beach's 5 pearlised bars swirl together to produce the most deliciously deep, sparkling bronze. The same size, weight and formula as it's predecessors, this limited edition block is certainly one for all you ladies chasing that much lusted after sun kissed glow.

Beach Shimmer Brick individually swatched

Transcending from a peachy yellow to a rusty burnt red - for most skin tones this palette would probably be best used as a collection of shadows. We blended it against our cheeks using a large fluffy brush and found the initial colour pay off quite harsh. Buffed down it becomes more wearable, but for those with light to medium skin tones, this is certainly one to swatch in store.

Beach Shimmer Brick applied to bare skin and buffed down

The golden tones packed into the powder make this one very shimmery shimmer brick. If you're self conscious about pores or acne then this is best left on the shelf. However, if you feel confident with your skin then go for it - we absolutely adore the radiant up-light this creates on the cheekbones.

If you're a big fan of Bobbi's then it probably won't take much to tempt you towards this summery special. It's limited edition status may draw the crowds in, but if you already own the shimmer brick in Beige then control the urge: it's basically different but the same.

Beach Shimmer Brick is available for a limited time at all Bobbi Brown counters and bobbibrown.co.uk for £29.50.

*this product was purchased by the Beauty Bite*

Arbonne Make Up Primer

We love this product. As far as first sentences go in a review, we don't think you can really get much better than that.

Arbonne's newly revamped primer is an astonishing little force at combating the pains of fine lines and pesky pores. With just a few quick pumps of the clear liquid gel, the entire face can be prepped and set; helping you create an all over flawless soft finish.

Arbonne Make Up Primer Swatched

When applied, the Arbonne formula feels somewhat similar to that of L'Oreal's Studio Secrets. Blending into a dry velvety texture that hugs the skin, it enables a smooth, even layer of foundation to be faultlessly applied on top. The pump action of the light-weight bottle dispenses just the right amount of product needed to cover half the face (nice to see a packaging system that isn't too over enthusiastic!). We found with just a thin layer of this formula our foundation both sat better and appeared more "natural."

For some women primer is often seen as a step too far. However, we all have those occasions when we want to look better than our best. Arbonne's dreamy primer will not only help improve the appearance of your skin - but more importantly - make your usual foundation work harder and longer. On our testers it's worked equally well on dry, oily, normal and combination skin.

We loved how this product felt to wear. It held our base firmly in place and didn't feel at all drying. If you already have a primer in use, then this would be the perfect candidate for your next bottle. We've said it before and we'll say it again: we love this product.

Arbonne Make Up Primer is available from both the UK site at £24 for 30ml - and the American site at $36.

*this product was a free sample obtained by the Beauty Bite*

MAC Eye Shadow - Swimming

Firstly, sorry if we're a little bit distracted. There is a 15 year old boy on Countdown who is, quite frankly, beyond human. He is playing against a man with very shifty eyes. Now there is another man wearing a shirt covered in pictures of goldfish. If this gets anymore exciting our minds might actually explode.

However, something that's even more exciting then man in a tragic shirt (now he's doing magic tricks!) is this: MAC's Swimming. A gorgeous sea green lustre finish packed full of glistening silver shimmer.

Soft on the skin and smooth to apply, this bright green shadow is ideal for summer days. It's vibrant tone is perfect for making the eyes 'pop!' and is a fantastic compliment for all you out there with brown, blue or grey peepers.

MAC Swimming swatched

Rich with pigment, Swimming can be easily layered to increase the colour's intensity. We applied a single light coating using a fluffy eye brush, shading it out slightly towards the crease. The powder doesn't drop on application and, without primer, gave around 6 hours wear.

Swimming applied directly to eyelids

If you want to translate this fresh look into a smokier affair, simply layer with an olive toned shimmer and flat, matte, blackened green. We chose MAC's Green Smoke and it's sadly discontinued Femme Noir (Bourjois does fantastic dupes of both).

MAC Swimming, Green Smoke & Femme Noir swatched

Keeping it simple, we swiped across the lid with a large shadow brush working the matte powder into the crease. We then lightly blended the olive based shimmer upwards to soften the line. This look is great for a smouldering work eye or, loaded up with liner and lashes, a vampish evening ensemble.

MAC Swimming, Green Smoke & Femme Noir applied directly to eyelids

If you're someone who shys away from grassier shades then why not dip your toes in and take a swim? You never know - you might find it very refreshing.

MAC Swimming and Green Smoke and available internationally and at maccosmetics.co.uk at £11 for 1.5g.

*this product was purchased by the Beauty Bite*

Revlon ColorBurst Lipstick - Peach, Coral & True Red

Yes - we know we're slow coaches - but yesterday we finally got the chance to test out the brand new Revlon Colorburst Lipsticks. Caution: swanky packaging alert!

Peach, Coral & True Red

After a rather lackluster affair with Revlon's Matte lipsticks back in the summer of 2009, we were a bit dubious about how the ColorBurst formula would stand up against the hype of it's revamped look. We needn't have worried - with just one brush against our pout the sun shone brighter, crying babies laughed and Lionel 'yes it's me you're looking for' Richie sung like the 1980's pop god he is. Yes, this was the real thing. This was love at first swipe.

Peach, Coral & True Red swatched

Possessing a somewhat sheer consistency, ColorBurst builds up to leave the lips looking unashamedly bold. The texture sits comfortably against the skin, and the slanted bullet allows for both quick and even coverage. Out of the three shades, we adored the versatility of Peach - a brown based pink offering a truly fantastic take on the classic nude lip.

Peach applied directly to lips

Coral applied directly to lips

True Red applied directly to lips

(please excuse the bleeding around the lip line. We didn't thoroughly remove our cleanser!)

Each colour gave around 2 hours wear, although the boldness of True Red and Coral meant they could have done with touch ups about 60 minutes in. The formula feels ultra light to wear and is free from any type of greasiness (which blissfully stops the colour slipping around after application).

Revlon haven't reinvented the wheel here, but we can think of several high end brands they've definitely trumped. If you haven't already, this is certainly one to check out.

Revlon ColorBurst Lipstick is available worldwide at all good drug stores and boots.com for £7.99 (currently on a limited 3 for 2 offer).

*this product was purchased by the Beauty Bite*

Rococo Nail Apparel - Starlet Creme

Rococo Nail Apparel is what we like to call "our best kept secret". Coating the tips of the fashion conscious since 1995, this cult London brand offers long lasting thick formulas in a stunning array of shades and finishes; plus it's completely free of chemicals.

And that's not all...

...who doesn't love a varnish that comes IN A BOX?!

After using possibly the worst lacquer remover in the world (TM), our nails have been having a bit of a tough time of late. That's why we enjoy nothing more than slicking on a couple of coats of this brown based beauty - a gorgeous dark pink known as Starlet Creme.

Due to the formulas heavy pigmentation - like most Rococo polishes - Starlet Creme requires nothing more than 2 coats.The long brush does collect a lot of varnish so be sure to wipe it down against the bottle neck to prevent any glooping (is that even a word?!). We topped ours off with a lick of OPI's Start to Finish and, for the past 4 days, have found it's remained completely chip free. Although our middle finger has dented slightly in the centre, we're still hugely enjoying rocking this colour.

Priced at £11.50 for 14ml, Rococo is definitely one to save for those "I'm awesome and deserve a treat" days. However, if you like your nails to show some bling then DEFINITELY check out the gold leaf polish. It's. Incredible.

Quick drying, long wearing and gorgeously thick - this certainly is luxe lacquer at it's best.

Rococo Nail Apparel - Starlet Creme is available at both UK and USA Space NK stores and spacenk.co.uk for £11.50.

*this product was purchased by the Beauty Bite*