Sunday, 31 July 2011

NOTD - Estee Lauder Metallic Sage (from the Modern Mercury collection)


This is Metallic Sage, a new limited edition Pure Color nail polish from Estee Lauder. It's part of the Modern Mercury collection for A/W 2011, which is released on Monday 1 August. Metallic Sage is the only nail product in the collection, but it definitely holds its own within a collection of edgy metallics eye shades and matte lip colours.


The base is a very dark khaki/olive green, which is lifted by bronze metallic shimmer. It's essentially a creme + shimmer particles, rather than a metallic shade - the bronzey effect is quite subtle. It's much more obvious in the bottle than on the nail, but it's definitely there, and is particularly noticeable in dim lighting.


Wear is predictably excellent. I've been wearing it for 4 days now and it's only just beginning to wear off at the tips.


Pure Colour Nail Lacquer is £14 for 9ml, available from counters nationwide and at esteelauder.co.uk


Disclosure - PR sample

Saturday, 30 July 2011

Review - Boots 17 Falsifeye mascara (and free gel eyeliner)


It may look like a big, tasty crabstick, but in fact this chunky rectangular object in bright 80s Barbie pink is actually the latest volumising mascara from 17, Falsifeye. (Got to love a good pun in a product name).

It belongs to that "big tube, big brush, big lashes" genre of mascaras.  I've never really understood how big brushes are meant to create big lashes, but there must be something in it based on the amount of brands that go for this strategy. (Or maybe it's just a psychological device.)




Falsifeye comes with a GWP at the moment - a pot of gel eyeliner with a miniature brush. I didn't realise this was a GWP at first, thinking it was a new part of the permanent range. I'm surprised that 17 would go to the trouble of producing a new product format just as a one-off GWP. Perhaps this is a harbinger of a permanent range of gel eyeliners in the future?


The liner is not particularly pigmented, but it glides onto the eye more smoothly than the swatch here suggests. It also doesn't set, which makes it a bad choice for precise cat-eye looks. However, it works much better as a smudgy kohl.


Back to the mascara... like most of 17's mascaras, the formula is on the dry, siliconey side. Their mascaras never err on the side of splodgy or goopy, so they avoid the sticky, clumpy problems that wetter formulas can sometimes create on the lashes. On the downside, they tend to dry out faster, although if you throw away your mascara after a few months like we're apparently supposed to, this won't be a problem.



The results are excellent in terms of volume. This is two coats. The picture also shows the gel eyeliner on the upper lid, worn smudged.



I did find it difficult to apply this precisely, because of the giant brush. You can see here that despite my best efforts, quite a few speckles of black ended up on my lids. This could be a real pain if you've carefully applied eyeshadow beforehand, so it's worth being aware of this tendency before you apply it.

Falsifeye is available now from Boots, costing £6.49 for 9ml

Thursday, 28 July 2011

Review & Swatches: ELF Brightening Eyeshadow Quads

 Day 2 Night

Day 2 Night 

Be warned - this is going to be a very image heavy post!  I recently scored 10 ELF brightening eyeshadow quads as a free gift with an order - so I figured I'd better swatch them.  Costing a mere £1.50 each, these eyeshadow quads are certainly cheap - but are they cheerful?  Continue on after the jump to see a whole heap o'swatches...


Wednesday, 27 July 2011

Review: Biotherm Lait Solaire SPF50

Being a pale and pasty person, I often find myself slathering myself with suncream in the summer.  I often find myself sticky, clammy, and feeling a bit coated, as my preferred sunburn prevention weapon is SPF50.  I recently broke out a sample of Biotherm sun cream I received quite some time ago - and I was pleasantly surprised by how light it is.

Lait Solaire is a sun milk, rather than a cream, and Biotherm go as far as to describe it as a "melting milk".  It really does melt into the skin - the light fluid spreads easily and sinks in within a minute, which is very impressive for something with such a high SPF.  It also leaves no residue whatsoever - I've experienced no dragging when getting dressed after application.

Performance aside, it also smells of Calpol.  What's not to like?!

At £16.50 a bottle, this is definitely at the expensive end of the sun cream market.  I'm not sure I'd take it on holiday with me; I don't mind a bit of a residue if I'm going to be lying about in a swimsuit all day, and would rather go for something cheaper given how much cream I can get through on a holiday.  For day-to-day use in high summer, though, it's perfect, and I'd imagine that my bottle will easily last me through until autumn.

Biotherm Lait Solaire SPF50 is available online and instore at Boots, where a 200ml bottle will cost you £16.50.  What do you think?  What's your favourite sun cream?  Would the Calpol scent put you off?  Let us know in the comments!

Disclosure: PR sample

Tuesday, 26 July 2011

Philosophy comes back to Boots - with a GWP in tow...

It's been around 10 years since US brand Philosophy has been stocked in Boots. Damn, I feel old writing that. But it was with youthful glee that I rushed to the stand in Tottenham Court Road Boots the other evening, to take a closer look at the shiny new display of my old favourite Philosophy products.


The Philosophy offering that's just landed in stores is an edited line-up of skincare, fragrance and the much-loved 3 in 1 bath and shower gels, plus a few gift sets. (I'd guess there will be plenty more seasonal items added to the line-up if the brand proves to be a success for Boots this time around.) I also spotted a limited edition mini tub of their Hope in a Jar moisturiser at the trial-friendly price of £10 (it's usually £34 for a full size jar), although this doesn't seem to have made it onto the website.

There's currently a rather tempting GWP on Philosophy too - buy 2 products and get a mini gift set with 4 trial-size products in it. Will I be indulging? Well, it's an emotional reunion, so if my debit card should temporarily be compromised, I'm sure it would be understandable...

Monday, 25 July 2011

Review: No 7 Pampering Dry Oil Body Spray



I'm incredibly lazy when it comes to any kind of body maintenance.  I prefer abrasive gloves to a pot of body scrub, and I generally steer well clear of body moisturisers because they take so long to apply and rub in.  Plus, given a long soak in the bath, I'm generally far too relaxed and sleepy to bother with lotion anyway.


Luckily, I have the kind of skin which is reasonably soft without the need for moisturiser.  That said, I do love a bit of extra silkiness - so long as it comes with absolutely no effort.  I've long loved dry oil sprays for that very reason - spritz over damp skin, wave hands over body a bit, air dry, and voila!  Moisturised, silky soft skin.

I recently treated myself to a bottle of No 7's Pampering Dry Oil Body Spray, which comes in a generously sized 200ml bottle and costs a reasonable £8.75.  I've been using it after baths as and when I can be bothered, and have found that much like the classic Avon dry oils I've used in the path, the No 7 spray is rather lovely - inoffensively scented, it smells slightly powdery on application, and once it's sunk in, leaves no discernible fragrance on the skin.  It sinks in quickly, requiring only minimal smoothing across the skin, and leaves absolutely no residue at all.  

Packaging wise, it's not the most luxurious looking product in the world - but with it's frosted embossed scrollwork, it's pretty enough to leave on display.  The spray head dispenses a perfectly fine mist which covers a decent amount of skin, making it very quick to apply.

One word of caution: whilst dry oil body sprays are indeed excellent for lazy moisturising, they are also pretty lethal if you spritz yourself whilst standing on a tile floor and then try to walk out of the room.  I've taken to applying mine whilst standing in the bath, and then climbing out very, very carefully, to avoid the worst of the slipping potential.  

Aside from the potential danger caused by my own ineptness, I'm pretty much in love with this affordable, accessible dry oil spray - the light, subtle scent and quick absorption make it a must have in any lazy lady's bathroom.  If you'd like to try it for yourself, you'll find it both in store and online at Boots, where a 200ml bottle will cost you £8.75.  What do you think?  Love dry oil sprays, or prefer to invest time in a body butter?  Let us know in the comments!

Sunday, 24 July 2011

Laura Mercier Colour Classics palette - review and swatches

Quite a few places are selling this little eye and cheek palette at a discount at the moment, so I thought it might be helpful to provide some swatches and a bit of a review of it. I picked mine up in the Space NK sample sale for around £20. I think the RRP is about £55.

The palette is very compact, at around 20cm x 15cm. It's reasonably deep though (at least 1.5cm) and has quite square corners, which means it is probably a little more bulky than you'd like if you want to take it out for the evening in a clutch bag or something.


It has a snakeskin / crocodile design - you'll either appreciate this or you won't. Personally I would have preferred something more neutral and minimalist, but it's not horrible.


Inside, you'll find 6 neutral / cool eye colours (Rose, Topaz, Coffee Ground, Deep Night, African Violet and Sparkling Dew) and two pink powder blushes (Baby Pink and Plum).



 The dark colours are very pigmented indeed and make excellent liners or dramatic crease colours. However the paler shades are quite sheer - there's little in between in this palette, so if you want a strong lid colour, you'll need to supplement it with another product.

The blushes are excellent - lightly textured and very buildable. They're probably the highlight of the palette. There's also a miniature gloss included in a very pale shimmery pink.


Have you seen this palette on sale, or have you bought one? What did you think?

Saturday, 23 July 2011

Review: Traditional Thai Facial at Thai Square Spa


Situated in the heart of Covent Garden, Thai Square Spa is nestled beneath a food court- which makes for a slightly confusing entrance.  Head downstairs, though, and you're met with a gorgeously decorated space with an abundance of ambiance.  The colour palette is far away from the almost clinical beige-and-white of most beauty salons and spas - Thai Square is decked out in black, bronze and deep grey stone shades.  Add in golden accent lighting and traditional Thai carvings and statuettes, and you've got a space that soothes you from the second you step inside.

After slipping off my shoes in the entrance hall, I was led to a small but well equipped changing room to strip down and don a clean robe in preparation for my treatment.  After bundling my clothes into a wooden locker, examining the monsoon shower and wishing I had one at home, I was taken to the treatment room.  Much like the one pictured below, it was moodily lit, and had a beautiful copper bath tub stood in one corner - I was told it's used for some of the wet treatments.



After a cup of fragrant tea, I was wrapped up in towels and sheets on the treatment bed.  Like many facials, mine began with some incredibly delicate makeup removal (no scrubbing at eyelashes here, thankfully), followed by a gentle cleanse.  The cleansing process was incredible - my therapist's fingers fluttered across my face, and each product was removed with a never-ending supply of warm flannels.

About five minutes into the facial massage, I fell asleep.  When I awoke, my face was covered in a herbal smelling mask, and the therapist was giving me an incredible head massage.  Head massage is one of my favourite things ever, and to have one included as part of a facial is great - to have one as relaxing and invigorating as the one I received is incredible.

Post-head massage, the mask was removed with another warm flannel, and a variety of serums and creams were gently stroked onto my skin.  I was given a glass of water and led to the relaxation area outside the treatment room to laze upon a bed whilst I woke up fully, making the most of the relaxation.  Once dressed, I was given a quick tour of the facilities - the steam room and massage rooms look beautiful, clad in the same moody, evocative decor as the rest of the spa.



After the facial, my skin looked brighter and healthy, and I left the spa with skin that was clean and moisturised, but not oily with heavy moisturiser.  A few days later, and my skin still looks bright and happy, although I have noticed a few spots arising as a result of all the cleansing.

Overall, I had a wonderful time at Thai Square Spa - not least because the atmosphere and decor lent themselves to making my visit feel like a real treat, rather than just a maintenance facial.  I wouldn't hesitate to go back - I've got my eye on the half hour long scalp massage, since the one that accompanied my facial was so good.

Disclosure: My facial was provided free of charge for review purposes.

Friday, 22 July 2011

NOTD: Ciate Cupcake Queen


I'm ashamed to admit that I've never tried Ciate nail enamel before.  I've always thought the bottles were really cute, though - I adore anything with bows on it.  Cupcake Queen is a hot, hot pink with a blue flash.  First off, about that blue flash - whilst I can definitely see it in the bottle, I'm damned if I can see it on the nail.  Regardless of how I tilt my fingers, regardless of the light, I just can't find that flash.  So if you like this colour for the blue flash you can see in the bottle... be wary before you buy.

Blue flash aside, the consistency of this polish is divine.  It's relatively thick, but also very spreadable - the wide brush helps to push the colour evenly across the nail, and once applied it's very smooth.  The opacity is incredibly - this was virtually opaque after a single coat.  I added another to deal with a tiny bit of visible nail line, but if my nails weren't severely stained from wearing bright polish all the time, I probably could have skipped the second coat.

So, the colour is hot, juicy and summery, the application is excellent, and the pigmentation is great.  Wear was also decent, at around four days with little tipwear.  I'll definitely be checking out a few more Ciate colours in the near future.  Cupcake Queen costs £7.95, and is available from BeautyBay.  What do you think?  Love this colour?  Tried Ciate before?  Let us know in the comments!

Disclosure: PR sample

Thursday, 21 July 2011

Review: Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation


Illamasqua has launched its latest foundation with a bit of a fanfare. Skin Base is described as a natural finish, medium cover foundation "inspired by" Asian BB (beauty/blemish balm) creams. My first problem with it is the claim that it's based on a BB cream - the primary selling point of BB creams, and one of the reasons that they're starting to make a splash on the western market, is that they combine base colour with skincare benefits. Skin Base doesn't really claim any particular skincare benefits, nor does it feel like anything bar a normal foundation on the skin - whereas all the BB creams I've tried have left my skin feeling conditioned and plumped up.

Left to right: shades 1, 2 and 7

Anyway, rant aside, and BB cream comparisons aside, Skin Base is actually a rather nice formula.  It's incredibly easy to blend with your fingers, without that slick, silicone heavy feel that often goes along with ultra smooth and blendable formulas.  The wear is pleasantly light and long lasting, and on my combination skin it gives a very clean, refined finish.  I do find that it runs to dewy (shiny) during the day, and I'd be hesitant to recommend it to anyone with any oily areas, as I suspect it would just turn to an oil slick.

The shade range, as with many Illamasqua products, is very good.  There are 18 shades available, representing light, medium and dark skin colours with all undertones catered to.  That said, there do seem to be more shades available for lighter skin than dark skin.


I was matched to a mixture of shade 2, the palest available, with a tiny dot of shade 7 mixed in.  I find this a bit of an uncomfortable match - I dislike having to mix foundation myself, as there's no guarantee that I won't get it completely wrong in the morning when I haven't woken up, and paint myself the wrong colour.  That said, I have worn shade 2 alone a couple of times, and whilst it is extremely light, I reckon it'll be a good match in winter.

Left to right: before and after

Overall, I'm a bit unconvinced.  This is a rather nice, workhorse foundation, but I'm not sure that it's as unique and game-changing as Illamasqua are claiming it is.  If you like a medium coverage, light-feeling foundation and you can find an exact match in the shades available, it's well worth a try, but I'd definitely recommend having it applied and wearing it for a day before you buy.

Illamasqua's Skin Base foundation is available at Illamasqua stores and concessions, and also via their website, where a 30ml bottle will cost you £25.  What do you think?  Tried this product?  Tried BB creams? Let us know in the comments!

Disclosure: PR samples

Wednesday, 20 July 2011

Philip Kingsley Body Building shampoo and conditioner

I was recently given the opportunity to try out this shampoo and conditioner from Philip Kingsley, renowned trichologist and proprietor of a rather sleek range of premium haircare products. The range is geared towards specific hair and scalp health concerns and conditions - it's a cosmeceutical positioning, essentially, but for hair rather than skin. Perhaps the best known product from the range is Elasticizer, about which I have nothing but good things to say.

I chose the Body Building shampoo and conditioner because although I'm happy with my hair's condition, I sometimes wish it had a bit more oomph, particularly as it grows longer and the hair near the roots is weighed down. So my main hope or expectation of this pairing was thicker-looking, bouncier hair.
 The products come in round, white bottles with an unusual flip-top lid design - easy to manipulate one-handed in the shower. The bottles are printed with different coloured text, so while they retain the uniform, minimalist appearance common to the rest of the range, they're still easy to distinguish one from the other at a glance. Each bottle is 250ml - a pretty standard measure of product.

The shampoo is clear and has a pleasant, cheerful smell of Parma Violets. It lathers copiously and leaves hair feeling phenomenally clean. I was impressed by how little of this I needed to leave my hair and scalp feeling utterly cleansed. I think the lightweight feeling the shampoo creates is part of the volumising action - it removes any hint of build-up or residue. It also contains keratin and cellulose to bulk out the hair, but I haven't noticed much of a feeling of increased volume from this - just incredible lightness and a lovely clean sensation.

The conditioner is a white, opaque cream texture and has a slight, ceramic, brick-dust sort of smell. It's unusual but not unpleasant, and in fact is a nice change from the floral sweetness of many hair products. It's entirely serviceable as a high-end conditioner, leaving hair sleek and shiny and again, very little is needed to create this result. However, I didn't get any kind of bulking or volumising feeling from this, despite the wheat protein included in the formula for this purpose. It just conditions - very well, but not in an especially volumising way.

While I didn't get the volumising results I hoped for from these products, I have very much enjoyed using them over the past couple of weeks, and I'm encouraged to explore the range further.

Price-wise, these products are a bit of a leap from the standard high-street prices - the Body Building shampoo is £14.30 for 250ml, while the Body Building conditioner is £17.40 for 250ml at the Philip Kingsley website. The brand advised us that they're keen to reduce the outlets the products are sold from and particularly to limit the brand's presence on discount websites. However as a dutiful blogger I feel I should point out that you can currently find these products cheaper than the prices above by shopping around online.

Disclosure: PR samples

Tuesday, 19 July 2011

Review and Swatches: Lavshuca Dramatic Memory Rouge Color in RS-1


Just what are you supposed to do, as a seasoned beauty addict, when you've bought your way through the high street?  Venture online, of course.  And if you've browsed and bought your way through a big proportion of online, you might just find yourself lusting after makeup made by Japanese brands, like this lipstick by Lavschua.

Lavschua is one of many diffusion brands made by Kanebo.  Their packaging is absolutely, totally divine - where Western brands tend to embrace sleek minimalism, Japanese brands tend to go towards feminine and intricate.  This lipstick is no exception.  The detailed casing makes this it the prettiest in my collection.


Dramatic Memory Rouge Colour (love the name) is a moisturising lipstick which has a medium pigmentation finish.  The texture is new to me - whilst many moisturising lipsticks are slick and slippy, this one is actually quite thick and waxy.  It doesn't glide onto the lips, but requires a bit more a controlled application before the product warms.  It feels like a thick, intensive lip balm, but with a shiny, pigmented, lipstick-like finish.


RS-1 is a medium rose with purplish undertones.  It does contain a fair bit of glitter, although it's relatively fine and the effect is more sparkling than disco.  My overriding impression of this lipstick is the comfort in the wear - it goes around four hours before you need a top up, and it doesn't dry the lips out at all.  Even after a day of reapplication, my lips are left soft and moist feeling, which is a good thing - sometimes, even non-drying lipsticks can leave your lips feeling a bit parched after a whole day's wear.

All in all, this is a lovely lipstick, and one which I'll definitely keep using - but I'm probably not going to rush out and buy more shades, as I personally like more pigment.  If you're looking for a decent wearing, lip-friendly lipstick with medium pigmentation and gorgeous packaging, this might be for you.

I bought my Lavshuca Dramatic Memory Rouge lipstick from Ichibankao, who ship Japanese makeup worldwide.  It cost around £16, with free shipping.  What do you think?  Like this look of this, or prefer the minimalist packaging look?  Tried any Japanese makeup?  Let us know in the comments!

Monday, 18 July 2011

Review: Enrapture Amplify Jumbo Waver


Whilst this shiny chrome gadget might look like a hand held sandwich toaster, it is in fact a device for creating waves.  It's called the Amplify Jumbo Waver, and it's made by Enrapture, a new kid on the hair-appliance block, who promise tools designed to create gorgeous curls which are easy to use and give great results.  The Amplify waver is composed of two rather large barrels and a curved plate which heat up quickly to press hair into a S-wave shape.


It has a variable heat control.  It heats up quickly.  So far so standard.  The large barrels, though, aren't quite so standard.  At 25mm, they're quite a bit bigger than those you'll find in the few wavers currently available on the market, and that largeness gives a more natural, less crimpy wave, according to Enrapture.

First off, let me explain that I'm crap at hair.  I was OK at straightening (it doesn't really require a lot of skill), but I lack the motivation, inclination and upper arm strength to wrestle with styling appliances on a regular basis.  So I approached the Amplify waver with a bit of trepidation - would I be able to wield it appropriately?  Would I just end up burning my ear?  Would my hair look rubbish?


As it turns out, the answers are yes, yes and no (I always burn my ear.  Not the product's fault).  Despite being on the large side, the Amplify waver is actually surprisingly light.  The clamping action is smooth, it's easy to hold the barrels and plate shut, and the high heat levels involved mean that you don't really need to hold it in place for very long.  I started a few inches from the roots with a relatively large section of hair, and moved slowly down the hair, travelling from wave into wave on the way down.

The end result was incredibly shiny, well defined and didn't look crimpy or too 80s.  I added a bit of salt spray, tousled a little, and ended up with some rather beachy looking hair.  I was very impressed with myself.


It probably would have looked better had my hair been cleaner when I started out, but I was very impressed with how quickly I was able to style my hair with the Amplify waver.  I think I'll be getting a lot of use out of it - the resulting waves were natural looking but defined, just right for a casual 'do when you don't want your hair to look too elaborate.

Enrapture tools will be released on sale from the 15th August, with the Amplify Jumbo Waver costing £74.95.  The range will be widely stocked in Boots and other online stores.  What do you think?  Tried wavers before?  Like the look of this one?  Let us know in the comments!

Disclosure: PR sample

Sunday, 17 July 2011

Ciate Ultimate Summer Gift - £100 of nail product for £40


Not much more to add to this really - if you like Ciate products, this is a pretty good deal, bagging you £100 worth of product for £40.  It'd also make a really great gift for someone who'd like a whole set of nail products from prep to polish to finish.  I'm quite tempted myself!  Available at ciate.co.uk for a limited (and unspecified) time only.

Saturday, 16 July 2011

Buy This: Crown Brush Metal Madness 88 Palette


When BritishBeautyBlogger posted about this gem of a palette, I had to go immediately to the Crown Brush website and order one.  I love eyeshadow.  I also love eyeshadow with a metallic, luxe finish.  Put 88 metallic finish eyeshadows into a palette and you're pretty much guaranteed that I will drool over it.

And my, it is very definitely drool worthy.  At £24.99, it's very cheap - even cheaper if you buy directly from China via eBay, where these things are produced - but the quality of the eyeshadow is actually rather good.  Yes, they're a tad crumbly, and some of them are better pressed into the lid than swiped, as otherwise you'll get lots of fallout.  But still.  You're getting a lot of variety in this palette.

Click this photo to view in high resolution.

The colours are also more complex than you'd think.  There are some gorgeous shades with contrast reflects, some which are just ultra shiny, and some which look like powdered metal.  


As much as I'd love to swatch them all, I can't - so here's a limited swatch of four to give you an idea of the finishes available in the palette.  Most have the metallic sheen you can see in the first three swatches - some have the more toned down shine in the pink on the right.

If this palette makes you dribble with desire as much as it did me, you'll find it at the Crown Brush website, where it will cost you £24.99.  Which is a small price to pay for all the eyeshadow you'll ever need... until the next thing comes along, as least!

What do you think?  Love metallic colours?  Got this palette?  Let us know in the comments!

Friday, 15 July 2011

NOTD Sinful Colors Let's Talk


Woah! Vivid metallic purple on an indigo base, and guaranteed to draw attention, Sinful Colors Let's Talk is one extreme polish. 


It's also very cheap (£2.99 from my local discount/import cosmetics shop), and wears well at about 4-5 days before first chipping. It applies wonderfully, as so many blue-based colours seem to. It glides onto the nail in dense, smooth layers without a hint of dragging.


The pictures have drawn out the blue and toned down the purple. In reality, this is really quite purpley. In the right light, it's similar in colour to the foil on a bar of Dairy Milk. 


It's a gorgeous polish, all in all, and has drawn compliments several times when I've worn it.

There is a Sinful Colors UK website, but it looks kind of... primitive. I haven't used it, but they do have this colour in stock.

Thursday, 14 July 2011

Swatches: Paul & Joe Blue Horizon Eyeshadows in Le Midi and Adrift


Paul & Joe's Blue Horizon collection is a veritable delight of pretty, wearable, summery shades.  These eyeshadows are no different - they're silky soft, blendable, and the swirl of colours gives a finish that's full of depth.

Le Midi


Adrift

I really love swirled eyeshadow pans like this - they're pretty to look at, and you can vary the finished shade by being selective with your brush swirling.  Often, though, the swirly surface becomes a single smudged shade after a couple of uses - but these don't.  You can rub your finger across the surface, then brush it off with a makeup brush, and the swirled pattern will remain.

Left to right: Adrift, Le Midi

Swatched, the colours are a little bit different from what I'd expected - Adrift is a more smoky, dirty pink than the purple I'd been imagining, and Le Midi is a lighter, more golden blue green than the sparkly turquoise I'd seen in the pan.  You can see some sparkle in the finish - but it's fairly minimal, and the overriding impression is of a softly shimmering look rather than disco-sparkle.

Both shades work well applied on their own with a touch of mascara for definition.  Adrift is a must-have if you have hazel or green eyes - it really brings out the green, and paired with a bit of smudged plum eyeliner, makes a fantastically quick and easy evening look.

Paul & Joe Blue Horizon Eyeshadows are available at BeautyBay.com, where they cost £14 each.  What do you think?  Let us know in the comments!

Disclosure: Le Midi was a PR sample.  I wanted Adrift so much I went immediately out and bought it!
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