Selfridges Autumn Beauty Event

Last Night Selfridges hosted an Autumn Beauty event at Exchange Square, Manchester. It was a chance for make-up brands to showcase their new collections with demonstrations and complimentary treatments. It was held in the beauty hall with a lively, buzzing atmosphere. There were many things going on including photo booths, engraving of products bought, printing of photos on chocolate, free pick and mix stalls, free snow cone stalls and free bottles of prosecco, which we used well to our advantage!

Here are our outfits for the evening -

Jess

Dress: Warehouse £35 

Coat: Next £75  

Bag: DKNY £245

Scarf: Alexander McQueen £165 

Shoes: Carvela Kurt Geiger £49 

 

Sophie

Black Top: Forever 21- £5

Pirate Cardigan: All Saints - £98

Leopard Print Shorts: Mango - £27.99

Studded Shoes: ASOS - £25

Grey Skull Scarf: Alexander McQueen - £165 

Bag: Warehouse - £40

We started our evening with an early dinner at Olive (restaurant review coming soon!) and then we made our way to Selfridges. As we descended down the escalator we were greeted by friendly Selfridges staff and given a gold wristband and a personal sized bottle of prosecco. The hall was filled with excited beauty fanatics sampling the latest products at every make-up concession. We visited various beauty counters and managed to spend way too much money! We will do a haul of everything we bought at a later date. We sampled all the treats on offer such as the pick and mix cart (which had a very long queue) and the snow cone cart, as well as a few turns at the photo booth. After we both spent over £70 we were able to have a go on the beauty vending machine, where a prize was guaranteed. We both selected a random number and a Selfridges gift card box was dropped down. We then took the boxes to customer services where we were given our gift. Jess received a Rodial tinted moisturiser and Sophie received a Bella Bellissima Perfect Night 50ml perfume. After our exciting night we headed over to Zinc Bar and Grill for an after event cocktail. We both ordered our favourite - the Jane Doe.

Our highlight of the night was getting a chance to have a chat with Amy Lawrenson, a senior beauty writer at Elle Magazine. She gave us tips on this season's make-up trends - such as wine stained lips, brown eye shadows and a grungy feel, much like this season's fashion trends. We also discussed blogging and what it was like to work at Elle, including getting to go top fashion shows such as Erdem. Amy was so nice and friendly and we were so glad we had the opportunity to meet her. Below is a Selfridges tweet of us talking to Amy. 

Overall, we had an amazing time at the Autumn Beauty event and we can't wait for the next one. Even though we spent way more than we should have done we came home laden with bags of goodies that we can't wait to try out and use - there may be lots of product reviews coming soon!

Did anyone else attend the event? What are your favourite beauty trends this season? 

Beauty Boxes

Recently I was reading a few beauty blogs online when I came across beauty boxes. Beauty boxes are little packages that contain a few samples of beauty products for a small price. They usually cost around £10, depending on which company you subscribe to, and they are usually produced on a monthly basis. I love these boxes because you get so many unique and varied products that you may not usually try. Granted, sometimes you may not like some of the items you have received but I have been pleasantly surprised by some of the products I have gotten. I have recently bought beauty boxes from  2 different companies so I thought I'd review and compare them.

Birchbox

I first decided to subscribe to Birchbox because they had an offer on and they were partnering up with Instyle (one of my favourite magazines) for the month of August. I'd been looking into subscribing for a few months but never got round to it but I thought if Instyle have collaborated then I should try it. When signing up to Birchbox they ask you to fill out a little questionnaire to see what your preferences are, which I liked about them. The box arrived mid-August and contained 7 products, which is more than you would usually receive in one of these boxes. The packaging isn't the most attractive with Birchbox beauty boxes - they are a plain brown colour, but I really liked the products that I received. The box included a small bottle of Molton Brown Ylang Ylang body wash, a decent sized LAQA&CO red lip crayon, some Inner Me Luscious Locks tablets to help restore your hair's health, a small tube of Gerda Spillmann Primer, a small tube of Skin Life Energetic Cellular Cream, a Philip Kingsley Elasticizer in a decent sized tube and a Birchbox eye mask to help reduce dark circles. I definitely liked this box straight away as it had a mixture of brands that I had heard of before and new ones to try as well. Also the sizes of each sample were decent and I will use all of the products I was sent. 

Glossybox 

Glossybox was the first beauty box company I came across however after reading reviews many said the samples weren't as good as Birchbox so I thought I'd try them first. However I checked the Glossybox website and came across a summer sale deal that included the April box and the July box for only £12 - which was almost half price for both of the boxes. What I liked about this deal was that the items seemed quite large and one item seemed worth the price of the whole box, also it wasn't a monthly subscription but a one off deal . I was so happy with the boxes I received. One thing that is very appealing about Glossybox is the actual box you receive. It is a lot more attractive than the Birchbox one and occasionally you get a themed box with a nice design on it. I love how you could re-use these boxes for storage for makeup products and they would look really pretty on a makeup table or on a shelf. I was also pleased with the items in both of the boxes. Each box contained 5 products each. The April box was a Pearl Lowe box and was so prettily decorated with a dusty pink background and white flowers printed on the box. When you first open a Glossybox you have a little tissue wrapped package with a nice bow wrapped round it too, it's like opening a Christmas present. In the April box I received a small Yves Rocher So Elixir Purple perfume sample, a Model co Cheek and Lip Tint in Rosy Red, a Sun Sense SPF invisible tint finish, a Nip and Fab coconut latte dry skin fix body butter and a normal sized Essie polish in Nice is Nice. The July box was also so pretty with a beach themed blue box with starfish on it. In the box I received a small sample of Ila beyond organic face oil, a Coola mineral sun screen tinted moisturizer, a Bamboo Style texture mist, a full sized Inecto Pure Coconut Dry Shampoo and a full sized Ciate nail varnish in a gorgeous shimmery orange shade. 

Overall I am really happy with all the beauty boxes I have received and sampling both has made it even more difficult to choose which one to stick with. Birchbox did have some great products, but so did Glossybox and they have much nicer packaging. I also like the fact that you get a whole sized nail varnish pretty much all the time with a Glossybox. I'm still waiting for my September Birchbox so maybe that will help me to decide.

Birchbox Beauty Boxes: http://birchbox.co.uk/?utm_source=birchbox us&utm_medium=modal&utm_campaign=geoip
Glossybox Beauty Boxes: http://www.glossybox.co.uk/

Do you subscribe to any beauty boxes? Which beauty box is your favourite? 

Product Review: Laura Mercier Silk Crème Foundation, £33

This Laura Mercier foundation is definitely not a cheap option at £33 for 35ml, however it does deliver flawless results and I do think you are getting what you pay for. The formula is rich and creamy and is suitable for pretty much any skin type- I have very dry skin and it works perfectly for me and my sister has oily skin and also loves the foundation. It is oil free and according to Laura Mercier it ‘leaves skin hydrated and protected with a radiant, timeless glow’.

The coverage is full and buildable and leaves skin feeling smooth and flawless. Laura Mercier recommends applying the foundation using a sponge or your fingers, however I prefer to use the Real Techniques Stippling Brush and buff the foundation gently into my skin to create an airbrushed finish. The foundation is highly concentrated and pigmented so a little really does go a long way, I’ve had mine for about six months and I’d say there is still over half left. The packaging is great to slip easily into your make up bag and is easy to dispense the correct amount of foundation.

The only criticism I would have about this foundation is the limited colour range, mine is in Soft Ivory which is too pale for me at the minute (I bought it in mid-winter and I've been on a few holidays since then!) so I have to mix with a dark tinted moisturiser when I want to wear it. Other than that I think this foundation is one of my favourites to date and would recommend to anyone wanting a full coverage foundation. 

Products Mentioned: 

Laura Mercier - http://www.lauramercier.com/store/shop/Apply%20Foundation_Silk%20Cr%C3%A8me%20Foundation_prod210057

Where to get in UK:
House of Fraser -http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Laura+Mercier+Silk+Creme+Foundation/D114407,default,pd.html
John Lewis - http://www.johnlewis.com/laura-mercier-silk-cr-me-foundation/p37673
Space NK- http://uk.spacenk.com/silk-creme-foundation/MUK163440553.html

Real Techniques Stippling Brush- http://realtechniques.com/shop-collection/your-finish-perfected/stippling-brush

Style Stealer: Miranda Kerr

On the 10th of September model Miranda Kerr was spotted in New York City on the way to the US Open. Both me and Jess adore Miranda Kerr and her style. She seems to make her style seem effortless with simple pieces that work so well together. With this outfit she transitions from summer to autumn pairing a classic pair of blue denim jeans with a white blazer and black accessories. 

Here are some ideas of how to steal Miranda's effortless style:

White Blazer:

Exact: Stella McCartney Faux Double Breasted Jacket - £415 from Neiman Marcus

Replica: H&M Dinner Jacket in Natural White - £24.99

Nude Coloured Top:

Replica: Topshop Strappy Cami Top in Pale Pink - £18

Blue Denim Jeans:

Exact: Frame Denim Le Skinny de Jeanne in Columbia Road - £200 from Stylebop.com

Replica: Topshop Leigh Vintage Wash Skinny Jeans in Mid Stone - £38

Pointed Shoes: 

Exact: Manolo Blahnik BB Pearly Patent Pump - £400 from Neiman Marcus 

Replica: Guess 'Neodan3' Pumps - £45 from Nordstrom

What do you like about Miranda Kerr's style? 

5 Beauty Products I Can't Live Without

These are the beauty products which I carry around with me all the time and do not know what I would do without them...

5. Benefit Boi-ing Concealer - This concealer is my life saver and my favourite spot concealer I've ever tried. Benefit call it their 'industrial-strength concealer' and it covers up spots and blemishes like a dream. The formula contains anti-bacterial properties which also help spots to disappear. The small, slim packaging makes it really easy to fit into a small clutch bag when you are going out and it lasts for a reasonable amount of time. It is £17.50 and my shade is 01 Pale- as you can see below, mine has very nearly run out!

4. Rimmel Stay Matt Pressed Powder - This is my favourite high-street/drugstore product, it is really inexpensive and controls shine really well. I have tried a few powders, including top of the market brands and I find this one really works the best for me. Rimmel claims it has 5 hours natural shine control and I would probably agree with that statement. RRP is £3.99 and my shade is 002 Pink Blossom.

3. Blistex MedPlus Lip Balm -  This is quite a boring one, but it’s the one I probably use the most. I actually have a few of them in all my different handbags so I know I’ve always got one with me! My lips tend to quite dry and chapped, especially in winter and this really helps to make them nice and soft and smooth ready to put lipstick over the top. It is my favourite lip balm I’ve tried so far and is very reasonably priced at around £2.50. My favourite flavour is Cherry Berry.

2. Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in Èvanescente (88) – This is quite a sad one because this is my all-time favourite everyday lipstick and have recently had some heart-breaking news that it has been discontinued (I am now trying to use it as sparingly as possible). However, I still have half a lipstick left so I don’t have to live witout it just yet and that’s why its on this list. The lipstick is a really creamy texture and the colour is more intense than the other Chanel lipsticks (Rouge Coco Shine and Rouge Coco) and lasts for hours, the colour is a really natural looking dull pink and the finish is slightly satin like and doesn’t dry the lips out. Similar colours to Èvanescente are Gracile (89) and Fantasque (112). RRP is £25.00.

1. My final product I cannot live without is my Yves Saint Laurent Touche Èclat, I use it under my eyes, on my brow bone, down the centre of my nose and on my upper lip to brighten up my face. It conceals dark circles amazingly, definitely the best under eye brightener I’ve used so far and highlights really subtly. The packaging is beautiful and classic and the product is really easy to use.  YSL have recently launched Touche Èclat in loads of different shades but I’ve stuck with the original  (1) which is suitable for any skin type or shade. RRP is £25.00.

  

Welcome

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to Make-Up, Manhattan and Marc, our blog about everything Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle related. We are Jess and Sophie, two best friends who share the love of Fashion and Beauty. We decided to name our blog Make-Up, Manhattan and Marc because they represent three of our favourite things, cosmetics and beauty, one of our favourite designers, Marc Jacobs, and our favourite city, New York.

We will post regular articles covering a whole spectrum of topics including product reviews, what we love, our favourite travel destinations, restaurant reviews and much more. 

You can contact us via our email - makeupmanhattanmarc@gmail.com or by commenting on any of our posts. 

Enjoy!