Magic Muji Make-Up Boxes

Muji perspex storage boxes

 This was going to be entitled Storage Porn but I thought against it due to possible search engine 'misadventures'.... to be honest though that's exactly what it is to me. These magnificent, sleek acrylic boxes had me drooling for months in the same way (ahem).... a gentleman may look upon a lady's garter.....

I've recently been a little more than obsessed with storage ideas, spending so much time on the Ikea website that I've all but memorised the names and measurements for various boxes and shelving systems.

These babies, however, are from Muji. We don't have Muji in Brussels so I carted them back from London.  I confess the idea was not originally my own, GG introduced me to these beauties a few months back and after seeing her make-up impeccably stored within these crystal-like cubes I've dreamed about them every since.

I picked up 3 sets of the large double drawer system, two of them with a lift-up lid, although in hindsight you only need the lift-up lid for the top.

In a handy double whammy you get to see most of my make-up collection too. So, in the top drawer I've placed my base make-up, you can see my Erborian BB creams, my Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage palette and some concealers and foundation samples.

The second drawer I've dedicated to dressing my cheeks with a mixture of cream and powder blushers and my huge MAC mineralize skin finish powder.

I've put my lip products in the third drawer (which in reality is the top drawer of the next set of boxes). This is where I regret buying it with a flip top lid as the weight of the boxes on top pushes the lid into the drawer and makes it a bit stiff to open. Here I have a right old mix of brands and colours, a bit of MAC, a couple of Chanels, and some highstreet brands like Rimmel and Collection 2000. The pink tube on the right is my latest love, Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfector, which I will wax lyrical on at a later date.

The next drawer houses my mascaras, liquid liners, brow products and eye primers. Here I need to throw out a few old mascaras, but when organising everything I also discovered a brand new unopened YSL one (a gift) and a couple of new Rimmel Sexy Curves ones which I stocked up on recently and forgot about. All hail the greatness of see-through storage.... no more waste and forgetfulness!

These last two drawers are dedicated to single eye shadows and palettes. I have quite a few MAC single shadows which I can now use more because I can see them face-on every day. My new Naked palette takes pride of place on the bottom draw. Next to it is a new Clarins lipstick I bought in the sales and haven't found room for in the lip drawer but it will probably end up in my handbag soon, aka the lipstick graveyard...

Last but not least, I forgot to post about my compliment to the boxes which is the matching 'brush holder'. I think it's meant for stationery but it suits my brush storage needs well enough. I bought it a few weeks back and it's got a bit manky from Mr P splashing about the sink like a dolphin. :p

The acrylic boxes with lids are £11.50 each and the ones without lids are £10.95, they are all stackable.
The brush holder (desk organiser) is £7.95.

How do you store your make-up treasures?

2011 favourites!

Just to clarify, I mean favourite products of 2011, not 2011 individual products.... but you knew that, right?

2011 has been my first blogging year, and what an amazing time I've had finally getting to write about all the stuff I love. Since blogging myself and avidly reading the blogs of others I've realised how much more aware I am when shopping and how much more I think about the quality of the things I use. I find that writing about something makes me appreciate it more and consequently it gets more love.

Without further ado, here are my personal favourite products this year:

Skincare:

Cleanser

• Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish (because I tried to live without it and failed)

Moisturiser

• La Roche-Posay Effaclar K (because it saved my skin)
• La Roche-Posay Cicaplast (Not technically a moisturiser but it's the ultimate skin healer)

Lip balm

• 
  Nuxe Reve de Miel (possibly a contender for product of the year, I will not be parted from this)

Mask

•   Liz Earle Brightening Treatment (an oldie but a goodie. Always, always delivers)

Exfoliator

• Burt's Bees Citrus Face Scrub (delicious, divine, like smothering your face in Christmas pudding, plus amazing smoothing and brightening results)

Body Care:

Body cream/lotion

• L'Occitane Lait Concentre Amande (ironically I've never possessed the full size but I still think it's the best thing I've ever put on my skin. I saved my last sachet for Christmas day)

Cellulite Treatment

• Soap & Glory Sit Tight (delivers good results and doesn't break the bank. A summer staple)

Fake Tan

•  Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs (not really a fake tan, it's more leg make up, but I can ditch smelly fake tans now that I've found this. Can't live without it in the summer. A real revelation)

 Body Scrub

• L'Occitane Pate Delice Amande (for me this just makes all other scrubs pale into insignificance)

Hair Care:

Shampoo

• Lush Karma Komba (compact, smells gorgeous, detangles my unruly mane)

Conditioner

• Garnier Ultra Doux Henna (a supermarket staple that gives my hair incredible shine)
• Lush Jungle solid conditioner (cannot beat the smell of this.... leaves my hair looking gorgeous)

Make-Up (yay!)

Foundation

• Erborian BB Creme au ginseng (probably the number one revelation of 2011)
• Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua (just beautiful light, natural coverage)

Concealer

• Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection (best ever concealer, just buy it. Beats most high-end ones hands down)
• Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage (probably the only high-end concealer the one above doesn't beat for staying power. This has saved me in bad skin times)

Blusher

• Maybelline Dream Touch cream blush (there was a close call between the Armani Blushing Fabric and this, but this topped it because the price is unbeatable. A truly great quality cream blush)

• Nars Blush (I only have one, but the quality is superb and it lasts for yonks)

Mascara

• Maybelline The One by One (in hindsight it proved to be the best mascara of the year for me delivering both length, volume  and flutteryness :))

Lipstick/gloss

• MAC Hibiscus (from the Surf Baby collection. This was on my lips all summer and was definitely my stand-out lip colour of the year)

Eyeshadow

•  Sleek Storm palette (probably my most used palette)
• Benefit Creaseless Cream shadow in Birthday Suit (still lost, still not repurchased, still longed for)
• MAC Creamy Bisque (vanilla ice-cream for your eyes, always looks good)
• MAC Hold that Pose mineralize eyeshadow (a newbie but a goodie, my most worn shadow of the last few weeks. I adore this. Some MAC stores still have them in stock so go grab one!)

 Liner

Smashbox liner (bottom)

•  Smashbox Limitless Liquid Liner (Brown) (The perfect shade of dark brown and so easy to use)

• MAC pencils (The best quality eye pencils I've ever come across. Coffee is my favourite)

Perfume

• Diesel Loverdose (have you smelt this stuff?? It's amazing! My newest addition to my perfume collection, I've been drowning myself in it's vanillary-liquorice lusciousness since I got it for Christmas. The matching body lotion is also yumyum)

Nail stuff (2011 was definitely the Year of the Nail!)

• Nailtiques Formula 2 treatment (has restored my wrecked nail beds to their former glory. The ONLY thing I've tried so far which stops the nails from peeling further. Review to come)
• Ciate My Fair Lady (ironically the only colour I didn't actually purchase, and I purchased  A LOT this year but which came free with a mag. My perfect nude, my perfect everything)

Brushes

• Real Techniques brushes (Gorgeous quality, apart from the one which shed on me, and very original brush designs)
• MAC 217 eye blending brush (never fails me)
• Ecotools Blush brush (lovely and soft, blends colour into the cheeks beautifully)

Well, I'm sure I've forgotten something I 'urgently' need to nominate as a favourite, but for the meantime I hope you've enjoyed a nosey through the ones I have remembered.

Don't forget to let me know about your favourite discoveries of 2011!

I'm Naked and loving it

New Years resolution: Be naked more often ;)

I can't believe I finally own the palette to end all palettes, the all-hallowed Naked by Urban Decay.
12 sumptuous, chic, velvety neutrals to face 2012 in. A million thank you's to GG for gifting this to me for Christmas.

The Naked palette is EVERYWHERE on the net but I wanted to take my own pictures to show off it's glory. I held off touching it for a whole two days (do you feel my pain?) until I'd taken photos so please appreciate my patience and admire them accordingly....

And it wouldn't be a 'useful' post without some sort of comparison so behold the Sleek Storm palette compared to my spanking new Naked baby.

There are definite similarities but not all the colours are duped. I thought about doing comparison swatches too but wasn't sure if it had been done a million times already, plus I spent the whole of the Christmas period feeling pretty rank and the last thing I wanted to do was paint the lengths of my arms in shades of beige.....  Nonetheless I will do some if requested along with a more detailed comparison of the two palettes. In general though the Storm palette shadows are softer and more 'crumbly' as they are mineral based. Also the colours in the Storm palette are a fraction warmer and darker and there is a matte black shade which the Naked palette does not have. Naked contains more pale shades.

Thoughts so far..... apart from loving the instant prettiness of all the colours, the shadows are buttery and smooth and apply beautifully. I haven't used all of them yet but Sin and Smog are in the running to becoming my favourites. The brush which is included is nice  and soft but in my opinion not suited to applying powder shadow. It doesn't pick up colour well or transfer it evenly. I want to see if it picks up cream shadow better as synthetic shadow brushes often do. I've been using my MAC 217 both for laying the colour down and for blending.

Naked 2 should be out later this month if not already......now, what's a girl to do?

Happy New Year my lovelies!

A belated Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all my lovely readers!

I'm sorry I've been absent of late, it's been a frantic few weeks and I've been both away and struck down with a cold.

I've been compiling a list of my favourite goodies of 2011 which was meant to get posted last week but life decided otherwise. Normal blogging schedule will resume after the first week of January.

Thank you all for your support and comments in 2011, it's meant so much to me, more than I could imagine. My blog will be a year old in January and what started out as a whim has blossomed into a full-blown hobby. I never thought that anyone would follow my musings so I'm incredibly chuffed that people actually read the few sentences I manage to string together...

I'll be holding a 'Blog Birthday' giveaway in January to say thank you properly!

I wish you all health, luck, love and happiness and lipstick for 2012!

With love

Pandora

Behold the prettiness...

...that is this gorgeous mineralize eyeshadow from MAC.

An early Christmas present from my darling friend Ms R, this little beauty has stolen my heart. In the pan it appears a silvery pinky-lilac shot through with gunmetal veining.

It reminds me of the marbling we used to do in art class at primary school... you know,  where you mix oil paints on top of water and then lay a sheet of paper on top.

 Perhaps controversially I also love the white casing, a change from the usual black pots. This is part of the limited edition Glitter and Ice collection and the colour itself is called Strike a Pose. I was kind of overwhelmed by the size of the MAC collections this winter so I never really took the time to browse them properly. Plus I was trying to stay away from the little MAC store in Place Stephanie so that I would not be led into temptation.

MAC Strike a Pose mineralize eyeshadow swatched (not very well, I hasten to add!)

On the eyes this is the perfect winter shimmer! Not too frosty, not too coloured, it's a cool toned wash of lilac-grey shimmer. It's incredibly flattering and eye-brightening, I'm astonished at how 'fresh' I look with this on. It's the type of shadow I've been searching for subconsciously over the past few months but have not been able to find. I can't think of an occasion when this wouldn't be appropriate. 

If you'd want high density pigment in this then you'd be disappointed, but to me pigment isn't everything and I really believe that shadows like this can be easier to negotiate on hurried days. A quick swipe, minimal blending and you're done. I can't think of a skin tone this wouldn't work on.

Love it!