Becca Fallen Angel palette

Well it's taken me a while to review this little beauty - I photographed it when it was shiny and new about 6 months ago and its in nowhere near as pristine a condition now. One of my favourite make up purchases ever I think.

I've been spurred on to finally write this review as I've just written a post on a peachy lipgloss and cheek colour from Laura Mercier's new Lingerie Collection (view here), and thought it would be interesting to compare the shades.

The palette contains a lip and cheek creme (Nectar), a lipgloss (Sunrise) and a highlighter (Narcissus). The shades are quite subdued and I would say they veer more orange / apricot in colour than peach or coral.

The palette makes it a breeze to create a pretty and polished five minute face. All the products can be applied with finger tips - i usually just add a tinted moisturiser, tidy my brows and curl my lashes and am good to go.

As I mentioned in the aforementioned LM post, the texture of Laura Mercier's creme cheek colours and Becca's lip and cheek cremes are quite similar - both apply really easily, are soft and smooth rather than sticky and blend well - and have similar lasting power (average). The lipgloss is lovely - its so soft (not at all sticky) and feels really moisturising on the lips, though as expected doesn't last very long. The colour is actually quite nude.

The highlighter is really nice too - similar to Nars multiples in consistency. I usually add it to the browbone, cupids bow and sometimes the cheekbones and bridge of nose.

Here are the shades swatched on the inner arm (from left, Narcissus, Sunrise and Nectar) with the more pinkish Innocent Peach creme blush and  Naked Apricot lip tint from Laura Mercier (right two), for comparison.

And here's a v quick look I did this morning, without the highlighter for some daft reason.

I purchased my Fallen Angel palette from Beauty Expert - I don't think its widely sold now but you should be able to pick it up on eBay or elsewhere online if you have a hunt around.

In lust - Nars Lust for Life palette!

Loving it! Bought this on eBay for about £25 and it is so worth every penny! I think I'm a bit lazy when it comes to make up and like to stick to tried and tested combinations, whilst at the same time admiring those faces in magazines and on celebrities that look made up yet in a way that's hard to pinpoint - a subtle lip teamed with a defined eye and a glowing cheek but none of them jumping out at you - just a polished, sophisticated look.... FOUND IT! (Woop!)

So there are three lipsticks, an old favourite of mine Dolce Vita, a new favourite of mine Pigalle (where has it been all my life) and the famous red Fire Down Below which I haven't even got round to trying yet so enamoured am I with everything else.

The blushes, Mata Hari and Amour look frankly frightening in the pan but once on they really do transform both themselves and your skin, giving a flush of either peach or pink colour that can be a subtle or unsubtle as you like.

The eyeshadows are the fairly subtle Tokyo duo (a grey white highlight shade and a soft, light heather) and a dark burgundy New York that I have to confess has me puzzled - not sure how to make this one work other than popping a bit in the crease - seems to make me look a bit tired anywhere else... but I'll let that one go as the rest of the palette is so fabulous and the Tokyo duo seems to work really well with my brown eyes.

Shadows top-bottom: Tokyo I, Tokyo II, New York

Blush top-bottom: Amour, Mata Hari

Lips l-r: Pigalle, Fire Down Below, Dolce Vita

So my face of the day which is fast becoming face of the week / month is as follows:

Lips - Pigalle
Eyes - Tokyo duo, New York in crease
Cheeks - Mata Hari
(I'm also wearing Kiehl's Ultra Facial Tinted Moisturiser in Light, MAC Charcoal Brown eyeshadow on the brows and Lancome Hypnose mascara though most of that wore off at work!)

It's frustratingly difficult to get accurate representation of the colours on the face, especially in this abominable light. I hope however the FOTD pics show the fresh look that I think this palette enables, a rosy cheeked, bitten lip bright eyed look that I think is perfect for this colder weather. The strength of the lip and cheek colours plus the burgundy eyeshadow also means this could be ramped up quite a lot for evening / party looks, and I'll certainly be making lots of use of this baby at Christmas and New Year (don't see this getting much use in Spring / Summer).

I'm not sure if this Nars palette can still be purchased at counters but if you like the look it check eBay or it's currently available through HQ Hair at £48 (ouch!). I'm definitely going to be looking out for more palettes in future - I already I have my eye on Skin Deep!