I love it when retail outlets expand into beauty. It gives me an excuse to browse around that bit longer. It’s been a while but when Marks and Spencer started stocking other branded goods, I did a little double take and was pleasantly surprised since you can get brands like Nuxe, Pixi, Stila and more. But it’s only until recently that I picked up some beauty bits from there and even that was the result of intending to get something completely different, not finding it, and then deciding that I had to make my trip worth the effort!
First up I got two eyeshadows from a brand I’ve never heard of before but boy do I love these. It’s the Diego Dalla Palma Mono Eyeshadows (£12). I have the colours Champagne and Apricot and I adore the shimmery, satin finish these leave. Apricot has more dispersed glitter particles than Champagne, which is more dense and opaque.
Against my slightly warm skin tone, Champagne doesn’t look so stark but is bright enough to really add that vibrancy to the eyes I look for in a neutral eyeshadow. However, the wear-time doesn’t fare as well so a good eyeshadow primer is definitely needed underneath. I still think they are my best finds though and love the monochrome packaging.
Diego Dalla Palma Mono Eyeshadow in Apricot on the left and Champagne on the right
Swatches of the Diego Dalla Palma Mono Eyeshadow in Apricot on the bottom and Champagne on the top
So it’s been a while since I bought a red nail varnish and this Leighton Denny High Performance Nail Colour in Caught Red Handed (£12) just has festive written all over it as it has a metallic sheen. It’s a warm cherry red and looks stunning when on the nails.
Another red is this Rosie for Autograph Lip Definer in Supermodel (£12.50). With a built-in sharpener, this lip liner is creamier than your traditional lip pencils but not overly so. This is a true red but very wearable and also looks great on its own, or mixed with other lipsticks.
Rosie for Autograph Lip Definer in Supermodel
I think it must have been the stunning rose gold packaging, because I also picked up the Rosie for Autograph Lipstick in Rose Lace (£14). I always struggle with pinky nudes as they wash me out but sometimes you need that kind of colour in your collection depending on your makeup. This has a warmth which suits my yellow undertone and is the perfect pink to pair with a dark smokey eye. The finish I would say is like a creamy matte and just a tad drying on the lips but given that the colour is lovely, it’s nothing that a bit of lip balm can’t solve.
Rosie for Autograph Lipstick in Rose Lace
Lastly I picked up the Pure Super Grape Day Cream (£14). Having finished my Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream, I went for something a lot more affordable and although the two don’t compare, I am very impressed with this. This doesn’t come with any previous recommendations and I just went with what I felt sounded good for my skin. With it promising to soothe, hydrate and promote younger, brighter looking skin, it sounded just right.
It’s quite an unassuming product but it does what it says. It sits well under my makeup, it feels very refreshing and keeps my skin feeling hydrated throughout the day. It’s nothing to get overly excited about but it does the job and that’s what counts.
So that was a productive shopping trip! What about you? Have you bought anything from M&S Beauty recently? x
