Currently...

Unfortunately I haven't been doing any make-up shopping recently, or any shopping at all for that matter which is making me ever so sad. I'm going through that awkward stage where I can't bring myself to spending any more money on pretty summery things as I go back to the; grey, wet and downright miserable Manchester soon. But I'm in Dubai! A place of shopping galore and ultimate luxury, and I just so happen to be staying a 10 minute walk away from The Dubai Mall. I can hear the fancy fountains as I type this and see the sun beaming off of the Burj Khalifa. #Beaut

As blatant as this may seem, I need a trip to Sephora. The Sephora in The Dubai Mall has got to be the most hectic store that I have been to in the Middle East. You almost begin to panic in there. But i'm going to brave it and hopefully come out with some goodies. My wish-list is as follows:

1. A new UD Naked Weightless Concealer. I'm jumping on the bandwagon by stating that this is the best concealer I have ever used, but I still have my eye on the NARS Creamy Concealer. I just feel like i'm getting a lot of bang for my buck with Urban Decay.

2. Laura from Buy Now Blog Later recently published a post on her blog dedicated to Urban Decay's 'Riff' eyeshadow. I plan on having a quick swatch and buying it right there and then. It looks like the perfect crease shade. (Doesn't the word crease sound weird?)

3. My BeautyBlender suffered a tragic injury. What I thought was a gentle massage resulted in the tip almost ripping off. It's still a useable tool and I've tried to substitute it for the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge but I am a tad bias when it comes to my pretty pink BeautyBlender. I plan on accumulating up to ten of them by Christmas. They're amazeballs!

4. I'm having a 'Shall I, shan't I?' moment with the By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Misty Rock. Beautiful shade, dreamy creamy texture, gut wrenching price tag. I'm a firm lover of cream eyeshadows, especially those that come in stick form. But with brands such as Kiko offering the same product range for more than three quarters of the price, I can't bring myself to spending so much. I will, however, continue to swatch and swatch until I give in. Which I probably will, eventually.

5. NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser is on the list. I'm still yet to try a tinted moisturiser that totally floats my boat and i've watched YouTube video after YouTube video on this product. So far, i've gathered that it offers a good amount of coverage for a tinted moisturiser, evens out skin tone, adds radiance and you can slap it on with your fingers if you're in a rush. That is everything I need and want in a base product at 8am to prepare me for my day at University.

6. All of the Kat Von D things. Kat Von D Beauty has landed in Dubai and I want everything from the contour kit to the liners and the liquid lipsticks.

Which beauty products have you feasted your eyes on lately?

The Sephora Haul, Face and a Ramble

WARNING: Ramble on the way.

The excuse went a little something like... 'I have a loyalty card, I should probably go and buy some things to wrack up the points', and it seemed fair enough to me! 

The damage:

1. Benefit Roller Lash Mascara

2. Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer - Medium Neutral

3. Original Beauty Blender (I just fancied getting another one)

4. Marc Jacobs Sheer Lip Gel - New Nudes - 106 Moody Margot

5. Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick - Melted Fig

6. Sephora Triple Action Cleansing Water (Impulse buy)

7. Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 Palette

8. Sample: Sephora Smoothing Primer which i'm kind of loving!

I won't bore you with all the details but here are my thoughts.

Let us start with Marc Jacobs, an exclusive brand to Sephora. The only thing i've tried from Marc Jacobs Beauty is the Highliner Gel Eye Crayon's, it's a product I love and highly recommend. In all honesty the packaging is what caught my eye the most. The lid is magnetic making it OK to literally chuck into your bag and i'm a bit of a sucker for nudes. The colour itself is a muted sheer peachy nude that is great for everyday and accommodates any make up look. The formula is smooth and comfortable to wear but most definitely isn't forgiving on dry lips. Exfoliation and moisturising are a crucial step to take before application.

After binge watching Lily Pebbles YouTube videos, I was so eager to try out the Urban Decay Naked Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer (longest name ever). I find this concealer to be quite moisturising and a little smidgen definitely goes a long way. This product is a joy from the design and size of the container to the applicator. Many bloggers have compared it to the Nars Creamy Concealer, and pointed out the similarities between the two, but that is a product that i'm still yet to try. When experimenting with concealers I either think: too light, too orange, too thick or too drying. But I was pleasantly surprised by this so overall, a bloody good buy.

I'm going to be brutally honest here when I say that the Benefit They're Real! Mascara did absolutely nothing for me. But it's just one of those things whereby you either love it or you hate it. Anyway, I was reluctant to purchase the Roller Lash Mascara purely for that reason. However, I had done a bit of research on it (reading 90% positive reviews) and the packaging is pink, cute and just rather lovely. The pink lid has a rubbery texture which makes it quite the delight to apply and the product itself leaves my lashes long and separated with a fluttery and flattering curl.

DUPE ALERT: SEVENTEEN Falsifeye HD Mascara (£6.99)

I've been meaning to try the Too Faced Melted Lipsticks for a while and after picking up Melted Fig I can't really fault them. In fact, I need about another 10 shades. The formula is soft, not at all sticky and pretty long lasting. The oval shape of the spongey applicator makes it easy to follow the natural shape of your lip and encourages seamless application. Plus the colour is gawjus! (See picture below). 

I'm loving it, loving it, loving it.

Practicing to achieve perfection with eyeshadows over the last year has encouraged me to want to wear subtle washes of colour on my lids on a daily basis and I thought that this Naked Basics 2 palette suited the criteria. This small and petite case includes 6 matte eyeshadows that are appropriate for everyday day-to-night looks. The pay-off of Urban Decay eyeshadows is something that i've always been a fan of, however they can sometimes seem a little too powdery when I dust my 217 into them.

The Rest:

• Beauty Blender -  I just fancied another one.
• Sephora Triple Action Cleansing Water - I recalled reading about this somewhere, so I picked up a mini tester. There was also a lady in front of me who seemed to be buying everything in the shop (good on her!), so it was a bit of an impulse buy. Oops.
• Sephora Smoothing Primer - The lady assisting me kindly popped lots of testers into my little striped monochrome bag, and I really like it! Moisturising, smoothing...'blah blah blah'... you know the drill. 

And breathe... I love a good ramble about all things make up!

Do you enjoy going mental in a beauty shop/department beauty hall like I do?