So the week before last I was on a work trip in the South of France. I went with a work colleague and we were able to bring our fellas, so it was all good!
I love stumbling across new make up brands when I'm abroad and always make a pilgrimage to Sephora. We didn't decide to hit up Nice until the final day, so it was a bonus that I actually found a Sephora as Monaco sadly lacks one.
So I was in a the pretty little Italian town of San Remo when I came across a odd shop called 'Coin' which sold just about everything - high end cosmetics, drugstore, clothes, knick-knacks, and I came across this lovely extremely budget brand, Catrice...
I got the lot for €21.05 - bargain!
The products have pretty cool names...this neutral palette - Never Let Me Go! - was only €5.49. While the shadows aren't massively pigmented, they're along the lines of most MAC shades I've tried. With the right brush and some primer they work well, and the colours are gorgeous.
I normally don't like buying single shadows as they're too fussy to have lying around, but I had to have Mr Copper's Fields for only €3.29
Pink Grapefruit Shake fed my blush obsession nicely, not bad for €4.29. I do regret buying it though now as I have a few similar ones...
The best steal were the liquid eyeliners, I got normal black and waterproof. They are intensely black and I'm loving them as much as my Illamasqua Precision Ink.
The crazy lil' shop where I found these goodies...
Back on the cruise ship, we were treated to a new set of Molten Brown toiletries every evening...I may have just hidden a set in my luggage so it got replaced...You can take the girl out of Ladbroke Grove...
My colleague alerted me to the fact that there was a massive stash of the toiletries in a locked cabinet in our bathroom - the temptation was too much...they really shouldn't have used frosted glass!
I've heard a lot about L'Occitane recently, but never tried anything from them, but our cabin steward met us with a couple of glasses of champagne and canapes and some soaps on a tray, so I plumped for this one. It was an odd, but very sweet touch!
Do you hear the chorus of Angels?
Actually, I was pretty disappointed with Sephora, and this hasn't been the first time. I find it horrifically expensive in Europe - €52 for the NARS Blush/Bronzer Trio (summer set) versus £39 in the UK?! Uh, no thanks! So I just picked up this €4 cheapo perfume to throw in my bag.
Check out this cool pink chandelier in a Nice shopping centre...I'd like a mini one for my bedroom.
Pretty, overpriced soaps in a Nice street market...
So those were my beauty related adventures abroad...I really should have taken some FOTDs and FOTNs but I was on the go non-stop. I'll probably do a couple of travel, food and maybe fashion related posts on the trip over my personal blog, Portobello Pearls...check it out if you haven't already!
Enter my Kiss Nails and Nail Art Kit giveaway HERE.
Looks like you had a great time! xx
ReplyDeleteI'm dying to go to a Sephora!!! I hope it's not too expensive when I go.
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Mr. Copperfield is a really pretty shade! I wonder if they have this brand where I live. Hmmmm.
ReplyDeleteI always feel like Sephora is frighteningly more expensive everywhere besides US and even in the US, it's still a stretch. Haha.
Catrice is indeed a lovely budget brand an available in most European countries. Their polishes are also wonderfull. And the best part is they often have discounts and have LE editions every few months. I have the same palet and the same blush :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you like the Catrice goodies.:D Since it's Essence's sister brand,they offer great things for low price.I totally love both brand.The blush is really pretty,maybe I should get one. :D
ReplyDeleteThat perfume looks so interesting, I love the look of the eyeshadow singlet also. Would love to go abroad soon!
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