Stargazer Cosmetics | A Coral Obsession

Above: Wearing lipstick in shade '124' and Blusher in '8'

Well. First let me just apologise for that ridiculously posey photo there (oo - we've got a duckface up in here!).  Moving on swiftly... Stargazer is a brand that I've been familiar with in the past - they were around a good couple of years before I started getting into makeup and I always remember them as being one of the first cosmetic brands I ever delved into as a young'un.  When I was contacted to see if I wanted to give a few of their products a try, I was really intrigued to see what they were all about and whether or not my 23 year old self would enjoy experimenting with them just as much as I did in my school days.  What I will say about Stargazer, is that they're quite 'out there' - if you're looking for striking brights or an unusual colour of an kind at a fraction of the high end price, then they're the brand for you.  That being said, they offer a little something for everyone - even a run of the mill neutral obsessive like myself. When discussing the products, I explained to them how much of an obsession I had for anything coral - I thought it was really nice that they sent me over a little selection tailored for my own personal preferences. Let's kick off the reviewing sesh...

Stargazer Powder Blusher | Shade 8 | £3.50*

Firstly, let me just say this blusher is amazing for £3.50.  The pigmentation is the selling point for me - it's incredible.  You only need a quick tap of a brush to get an intense pop of colour which is easily blendable.  The colour is a beautiful orange shade - not for the faint hearted but one that looks beautiful with a bit of a tan.  I'm determined to make it work once my skin tone turns a little paler, but we shall see! Consistency wise, it's quite soft and I don't find it to be chalky at all.  This one is a little winner for me - even the shade selection is impressive (link). 

Stargazer Lipsticks | Shades '124' and '206' | £3.50*

I actually like these more than I thought I would.  I will get the negatives out of the way first and just say I'm not a massive fan of the packaging - if you're not careful when you're replacing the lid you're in tremendous danger of chopping the top off, and it's also quite plastic-y.  Not a massive problem for me as I don't expect gold encrusted tubing for £3.50, but it's worth mentioning for those who are specific about their packaging preferences! The lipstick also has that 'cometic' smell - doesn't put me off but again, preference.  It's easy to overlook these things once you've applied them, and for the simple fact that they aren't your 'everyday' kind of shades.  They're extremely well pigmented and the shape of the lipstick itself makes it really easy to get an even line around the edge of the lips.  They provide a satin/matte sort of finish once on, but don't feel overly drying.  As for longevity, they stay put very well - wearing off to a stain.  The colours are simply stunning and I'm a big fan of the lighter shade (worn in the photographs above) - it reminds me of a slightly more orange version of Mac's 'Costa Chic'.  Again, I'm really tempted to grab a couple of these in more winter-y shades... they're great for a purse friendly lipstick treat if you're a fan of intense colour.

Stargazer Nail Polish | Shade '205' | £2.00*

Stargazer Nail Polishes actually happen to be an old favourite of mine.  I have a little stash of them in my nail polish box and have always adored them. £2 is pretty damn cheap for a nail polish these days, and the quality is really good - I've always found them to resist chipping rather well.  The shade '205' is a gorgeous pearlescent coral/pink - I adore it! I've worn it countless times since I received it and it's become a firm favourite.  Again, it does look stunning with a tan but now I'm a little paler it still looks really pretty.  Usually, with pearlescent finishes, it takes a good number of coats to get the desired effect - as you can see on the nail wheel above, it only took me 2 coats to pretty much get the colour shown in the bottle - a 3rd coat finishes it off nicely but I wouldn't say it's needed.  This has to be my favourite of the bunch - simply because of how much I've loved them in the past.  I think some of the colours they offer are really unique and they're worth every penny.

And there we have it.  Although these products are undoubtedly tailored towards more of a summery makeup 'wardrobe', there's no reason why I won't be wearing these colours throughout the year - the blush especially (i wear coral blushes all year round despite the less than colourful weather...)  I know summer is a little bit of a distant memory for the majority of us now, but my coral/obsession doesn't go away with the sunshine let me tell you! I wasn't expecting to like the lipsticks, but I did - in fact, I loved everything I tried and I'm so glad I've been re-introduced to Stargazer.  For the price, they're very good and if you're a fan of brights, bold colours and statement shades then they're worth having a look at.  They even have some crazy colours for the more daring and 'out there' amongst you (blue lipstick anyone? - I don't think I could quite pull that one off but if you're ever in the market for a blue lippie to embrace your inner smurf - you know where to go...) You can have a look at the Stargazer website here - I have my eye on a few of the deep red lipsticks and neutral blushers...

Have you ever tried Stargazer? Which product tickles your fancy?

My Mac Lipstick Collection

Swatches | L - R | Top Row: Velvet Teddy / Shy Girl | Second Row: Plink! / Creme Cup / Saint Germain | Third Row: Speed Dial / Viva Glam Nicki / Costa Chic | Bottom Row: Ravishing / Saigon Summer / Lady Danger

There's something about a row of lipsticks that I find rather pleasing to the eye, so forgive me for the photo heavy post - but I've also just received my new macro lens for my camera so to say I got a little bit snap-happy is an understatement!  I thought it would be the perfect time to do a Mac Lipstick collection post - as they are something I personally like to have a nosey at on other blogs as they give me ideas for my next purchase and new colours to add to the ever growing wishlist! I thought I'd give you a rundown of the colours I own and hopefully help a few of you pick your next in line - or maybe even your first one! I have a grand total of 11 Mac lipsticks.. which I think is a nice amount to call it a 'collection' if I don't say so myself. Although I must admit I cannot wait to make it 12.. there's something about odd numbers that doesn't sit right with me... (please reassure me I'm not alone with this hatred of odd numbers!)

Velvet Teddy (Matte) - A deep brown-ish nude. I find this to be a 'your lips but better shade', although on me it does look quite noticeable.  Great for those days where you don't want to be too over the top but still want the lips to stand out. The matte finish means it is quite pigmented and paler skins might find it a little too dark for a nude shade.

Shy Girl (Cremesheen) - One of my absolute favourites. I've had this for a couple of months and it's been used more than some of the others I've had for longer! A peachy nude shade that looks so flattering on paler skin and really awakens a dull complexion. If you're after an everyday shade and need a bit of warmth then I really recommend this one (post here)

Plink! (Lustre) -  A warm 'seashell' pink. The newest addition to my collection and a favourite of Mollie King from the Saturdays (if it's good enough for Mollie then by heck, I'll be having me some of that!). A very sheer wash of colour due to the lustre finish but one that is very glossy and flattering. A fabulous everyday pink. If you like a bit of gloss to your lippies then look no further.

Creme Cup (Cremesheen) - Another old favourite of mine. Similar to shy girl but pink instead of peachy toned. Great for everyday wear and those who like pinky nudes will love Creme Cup. 

Saint Germain (Amplified) - Not for the faint hearted. A very bright, bubblegum blue-toned pink that is very 'in your face'. Personally I love it, although I must admit i feel very 'Barbie-esque' when I adorn this lipstick. Definitely a fun addition to your makeup collection. The amplified formula is the most pigmented of the bunch so rest assured you will be getting your colour pay-off with this one, it's completely opaque and covers the lips instantly.

Speed Dial (Cremesheen) - The first Mac lipstick I ever bought and one that I will continue to repurchase. A mid-tone blue-ish pink that's understated enough to be worn everyday but bright enough to make an impact. A very good little all-rounder and the cremesheen finish makes it a dream to apply.

Viva-Glam Nicki (Satin) - An extremely bright pink and surprisingly wearable. It's superly-duperly pigmented and lasts very well on the lips. I struggle to wear this through winter but it's a gorgeous summery pink if you're into your bright colours!

Costa Chic (Frost) - I think this has to be one of my summer favourites and if i had to pick one lipstick to last me all summer it would be this.  Just seeing it reminds me of sunny afternoons sipping pina coladas by a pool and walks on the beach at sunset (can you tell i'm craving a holiday right now?). It's just the perfect eye-popping coral and it really does look amazing with a tan. Trust me on this one - if you're jetting away to sunnier climes this year, you need this in your suitcase...

Ravishing (Cremesheen) - Mid-tone coral. A lovely wearable shade if you're scared of going for full-on orange! It looks lovely even with paler skin (I've been wearing it through winter) and it a great option if you like warmer tones on your lips.

Saigon Summer (Cremesheen) - Part of the new range available at Mac. It has a slight frosty finish to it but is amazingly pigmented and is a super bright orange tone. I set out to buy 'Morange' but I saw this one and preferred it! It's amazingly bright - the camera doesn't pick it up to be as bright as it is in 'real life'. I urge you to go and swatch it! It's beautiful. Definitely going to be a summer staple for me!

Lady Danger (Matte) - Another new addition! Amazingly pigmented orange-toned red. If you're after a bright red then look no further.  I prefer orangey reds as opposed to blue-ish reds on my skin tone.. and this one is just the perfect addition to my collection.


And there we have it.  My collection as it stands. In a few months I will probably have to do another since I'm planning on updating it over the next couple of weeks or so (I have no willpower whatsoever when it comes to Mac lippies..) I think it's fair to say I do like my mid-tone corals and pinks.. I really need to get more daring with my lipstick - but I much prefer classic reds if i'm going to go for a bright colour (hence why Lady Danger is the only 'darker' colour I own!) I have a few more on my wish list and definitely want to expand on the darker colours slightly.. I really want 'Russian Red' and 'Sunny Seoul'.. and I'd really love to add 'Up The Amp' to my collection too since I don't own any of Mac's purple-y shades!

Whats your favourite Mac Lipstick?

♥