London Haulin’!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Happy Chinese new year! To revel in the celebrations, the boy and I took a trip to the west end thinking we would indulge in a cheeky Chinese feast and see what was going on. EVERY restaurant was packed, so unfortunately we didn’t end up having Chinese but I did manage to make a few pit stops in Boots, John Lewis & Illamasqua to pick up these beauties!
I had nearly £100 in Boots Advantage card points so skipped over to the Chanel counter to pick up the Ombres Perlees de Chanel palette but of course, they were out of stock! I didn’t realise how much I wanted it until I swatched it, the colours are absolutely beautiful and are soo smooth and creamy. I gulped at the £39 price tag but I really fell in love with it, in the end I got it from John Lewis (where they have stock of everything, FYI). In the end I just got the Black Pearl polish and Benefit’s Bella Bamba from Boots, I still have quite a few points left so I’ll save them for a rainy day..
Some of you may know I like to dress up as zombie in my spare time (lol) and I’m going to the Zombie Picnic in Hyde Park in April and I really need a higher coverage foundation to use over the latex I use on my face to make scars and sores etc. I knew Illamasqua do the Rich Liquid foundation which also comes in white, which would be perfect for what I need it for so I also popped into the Illamasqua shop down Carnaby Street. After a huge swatching session, I left without the Rich Liquid foundation as I think it’s too thick and will actually cover the effects of the latex. Having not really explored Illamasqua foundations before I had a play with the powder foundations and fell in love with the texture! One swipe was enough to cover the whole back of my hand with velvety high coverage powder, and also the shade 120 was absolutely perfect. I had to pick it up!
Had my eye on Bella Bamba for a while but can’t help but feel it’s a bit of a let down, and not any different to any other pinky/gold I own. Also I don’t understand the fact it’s a ‘3D’ face powder?! Marketing crap? I don’t know, I thought everything was 3D?!
Ombres Perlees de Chanel palette £39.00
Black Pearl nail polish £16.00
Benefit Bella Bamba £24.00
Illamasqua powder foundation £21.50
Tags: benefit bella bamba, chanel spring, haul, illamasqua powder foundation, swatches
The chanel palette is absolutely gorgeous. Gorgeous buys xx
Thanks, I love the Chanel palette, my first Chanel shadows! xx
Bella Bamba looks like a beautiful colour, but I find Benefit so overpriced! I'm jealous, I really want an Illamasqua foundation as I've heard great reviews of ALL their formulas, but no colour matches me properly
That's why I only got it with my points, I can't justify spending real money on it lol.
Really? Illamasqua do a really good range of shades, I would say you was the next step down from the one I got, which was quite pale but still had a peachy undertone. Have you been matched in-store? x
I don't get the marketing behind that benefit blusher but I know I want it sososo much. Not original perhaps, but it looks so gorgeous! Loving your other purchases too, nothing like a good make up splurge! xoxo
I haven't tried it out properly yet (having a lazy no makeup Sunday!) but when I do I'll give it a proper review, but testing it/swatching I really can't see anything special about it. Hmm… Maybe I'm missing something? x
That Chanel palette is gorgeous, been trying to find Black Pearl but haven't had much luck
Kelly x
I'm going back into central on Tues, if I spot one I'll grab it for you x
I love your hauls coz I always want everything!! Cept for the blush coz I hate Benefit : xxx
Ha, yeah I never used to be a Benefit fan, I don't like any of their lip or face products but I LOVE Coralista! x
I have haul envy here, all these look fabulous, didn't realise how much I wanted the Benefit Bella Bamba until I saw your pics although I can't do powder blush for toffee – maybe I shall just look at it and sigh! Thanks for sharing. Jan x
Why thank you!
TBH I'm not overly won over by Bella Bamba – I won't say for sure until I've given it a good road test but it's nothing that special at a first look! The brush is surprisingly easy to use, and it's quite sheer so you don't need to be an expert in application (unlike something very highly pigmented like NARS) go in store and have a swatch, let me know what you think =) x
I feel like I haven't spoken to you in ageeeees!!! I bought bella bamba and I do like it but I do not understand what it means by 3d and to be honest I don't think benefit do either – I asked and the girl mumbled about being able to use it three ways, ummm that's not what 3d means….xxx
I know, where have you been, you're hardly ever on twitter!
Hmm I'm going to give it a proper go today, but swatched it doesn't really strike me as anything different or unique, every big makeup company has a pinky/gold blush.
I didn't even ask, I hate Benefit counter girls, I just bought it and ran lol x
I didn't think much of that Chanel palette when I first saw it on Temptalia or whatever, but omg it's gorgeous in your swatches! :O And I still don't understand the point of that Benefit powder. I think most of the Benefit boxed powders are a bit poo
I didn't even take any notice when I saw it online but when I swatched it I was like OMG! I then went to a MAC counter straight after and the shadows felt like crappy cheap Rimmel or something lol.
I'm going to get to the bottom of this 3D rubbish, the Benefit ladies are on my Twitter so I shall investigate!
x
That green shade would come up gorgeous with a black pencil underneath it and the swatch of BB looks nice, it reminds me a bit of the Korres blusher I've got. I wouldn't wear it in winter because I'd look a fool but come summer time I slap it on and look (marginally) less foolish.
PS lol @ 3d meaning you can use it in three different ways, oy veh.
The shades are gorgeous, want to do a look with the green and purple they blend so nicely together. I did think the price was a bit steep BUT I swatched the new MAC shadows straight after and they felt powdery and CHEAP in comparison so I know they're high quality!
I'm wearing it today and if I'm honest it's nothing special…. =0/ x
Hi babe! It looks like one of my hauls!! Mainly because I have just purchased the same things from Chanel and also because I am dieing to put my hands on Bella Bamba,
lol!
XOXO
Catanya
Woo! Excellent choices =P
Would love to know what you think of Bella Bamba! xx
I think the 3D thing with Bella Bamba is meant to be the shimmer or duochrome effect? You know, gold with pink as opposed to pink on pink like dandelion. I've spent too long wondering about it and that'ss been the best my brain can come up with. I wish they hadn't actually used that term at all.
I need to see that illamasqua powder foundation, sounds amazing!! i meant to pop in there last week actually, I really like their cream shadows and I think they're half price in store. Zombie picnic sounds fab!
Enter my giveaway hun, it has 1 entry atm and I'm feeling unloved xxx http://prettypunkuk.blogspot.com/2011/02/love-you...
I asked the Benefit lady this morning and she said pretty much the same thing, it sculps, defines and brightens so in other words it's just a marketing word LOL
I'm wearing it today it's pretty but nothing special, and nothing too different from any other Orgasm dupe I own =0/ I don't know what I was expecting really lol
Yeah the Illamasqua foundation is amazing! You need the tiniest bit and the coverage is amazing, it's holding up my oil up well too, so that's another bonus!
Cool, will RT your giveaway =) xxx
Palette seems amazing, what do you think of the black pearl varnish? Had the chance to try it yet? x
It looks amazing BUT I had tip wear within a day =0/
xx
Hi! I just gave your blog an award
http://prettypunkuk.blogspot.com/2011/02/award-ve... xx
awww thank you dude! x