Beauty Abroad, Part 6: The Reckoning

I can't believe how quickly these five weeks have passed, but today was my last full day in the UK. Though I still have several new products to review on the blog for my Beauty Abroad series, I thought I'd use this post for a brief roundup of all the makeup I've bought here.

First, a bird's-eye view of my haul of shame:


And an inventory--I've linked to the reviews I've already written, and starred the products I have yet to post about.

Barry M Nail Lacquers in Sugar Apple and Shocking Pink (reviews); *Barry M Basecoat/Topcoat: 



(I'm not planning to review the base/topcoat because such things either work or they don't, and this one works just fine. Takes a while to dry, but seems to protect my polish a bit more effectively than my usual Revlon Quick-Dry.) 

*Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Zygomatic:


Kiko Infinity Eyeshadows in 251 and 270; Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow in 16 (reviews):


Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer in Across the Universe (review):

 *Rimmel ScandalEyes Shadow Stick in Blamed Blue:


Sleek blushes in Life's a Peach (review) and Flushed (review):


*Topshop Nail Lacquers in Brazil (left) and Clique:


*Topshop Chameleon Glow in Wax & Wane:


Not pictured: the Maybelline One by One mascara I bought to replace the mascara I forgot at home. It's not a new product to me, and it's available worldwide, so I don't plan to write a review. It's a good lengthening mascara for a natural look, though--the second-best I've found after CoverGirl LashBlast Length.

So much stuff! I didn't go into debt or anything, but it's more than I would have bought in a normal five-week period. I'm just waiting for the guilt to kick in; give it a minute. But I'm glad that I escaped Europe with only one new lip product, pushed myself outside my neutral-eyeshadow comfort zone, and built up my blush collection from two to five. And no dupes or even near-dupes among those five! I now have a medium rose, a bright clear fuchsia, a peach, a red-plum, and a pink-beige. Not too shabby. As I suspected, 2014 has become my Year of Blush.

And because it feels like forever since I've posted a photo of myself, here's today's face. A simple nothing look with just a bit of color, but I'm happy with it.


Products used: CoverGirl concealer for undereye circles (lolz, clearly I need a better one); theBalm Sleek eyeshadow patted into my brows; Kiko 251 eyeshadow over NARS Lhasa (as I suspected, the Kiko lavender works beautifully with the purple sheen in Lhasa); Maybelline One by One mascara; Illamasqua Zygomatic cream blush; Revlon Pink Truffle lip butter.

Adjusted for preprandial cocktails with Maybelline Brazen Berry lipstick and magically flaw-correcting evening light:


Once I'm back home, I'm going to write up my thoughts on the differences between British and American approaches to beauty. For now, though, let's just hope I can fit all this in my suitcase.

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