Good afternoon! 

Long-time no see and all that! I do hope everyone out there is well. I can't 

believe how long it has been since I last blogged but I'm not going to bore the 

socks off you with reasons (mostly I've just been a bit busy and not focused enough) 

but I'm here today with a new post which I hope you'll like. I'm going to have some 

more time on my hands now so things over here on Duck and Egg should be 

getting a bit more lively!

Today I've got a review of the new(ish) eyeshadow palette from the

 bareMinerals SS13 collection 'Remix'. This palette is called 'The Wild Thing' and 

has four shades:

L-R: Controversy, Elitist, Icon, Sensational

- 'Sensational' - a very light blue/green shimmer (all the shades have some 

shimmer in) and makes a really pretty inner corner highlight (and something a bit 

more exciting than a simple vanilla highlight). 

- 'Icon' - lime green shade with small gold glitter particles that

 looks terrifying in the pan but can look good if used in the right way and, I 
have found, really makes blue eyes pop. 

- 'Elitist' - a satiny finish mid tone brown than can easily be used on its own for a 

quick subtle smokey eye look.

- 'Controversy' - A deep electric navy blue which could be used in a multitude of 

ways - a twist on a smoky eye, a gorgeous liner or blended into the crease. 

The formula of these shadows is really nice. The dark navy needs layering to get 

a really good colour pay off as it can come off slightly chalky, but nothing to 

worry too much about. The others are all incredibly creamy and long lasting, 

and all of course have the skin-loving minerals in them to keep your lids looking 

smoother and younger for longer. Apologies for the shockingly bad picture of it on 
my eye, this was taken today after about six hours wear, and the lighting isn't brilliant. 
I was hoping to get a good picture this morning when I applied it but, well that just 
didn't happen! I used Icon all over the lid, Elitist blended into the crease and 
Controversy underneath the lash line for some smokiness. Overall, I really like this 
palette for a little injection of something a bit different to all the neutrals in my collection, 
and I have found it much more wearable than it might first appear.

p.s. If you do pop by a bareMinerals counter whilst the Remix collection is still available, I would 
urge you to take a look at the 'Secret Radiance'. It's an unbelievably gorgeous highlight/all over 
face colour that I am dying to get my hands on and gives you the most amazing subtle bronze glow. 

Sophie

'The Wild Thing' Palette retails for £29

Hello again! I hope you're all well and have had good weekends. I wanted to let you know about a little plan that I have made for my blog. I am well aware that my posts have been a bit sporadic and random over the last few weeks and I want to try and rectify this, so have developed a little post schedule so that it all seems a bit more coherent and so that you can have an idea of what sort of posts to expect and when. It seems to make sense and I know I enjoy reading other people's blogs when they have a sort of continuous feel to them and I know what to expect from each type of post. So, at the moment the plan is to do some sort of make-up related post on a Monday, be it showing you new bits and pieces I've bought or just discussing a new make-up trend. Wednesdays will be for reviews of products because there are always things that I want to share with you or things that I've bought and tried. Fridays will be for fashion posts, so maybe a little collection of pieces I've seen and loved, or maybe a few outfit ideas using one key piece. Then finally, the weekends will be saved for miscellaneous posts, be it a Weekend Wish List, a general talk about what's going on, a book review or something food related (which, I know, I haven't actually done yet despite it being in my header!). So I hope that made sense and maybe my blog will become a bit more organised! I know for sure that it will help me to post more regularly because I seem to have just been doing a lot of reviews recently. Now, let's get this show on the road and talk about the topic of today's Make-up Monday!

I know in this one and the one below the colour seems quite different (the lighting!) but it is more like the one above, very bright!

And that is...a recent purchase I made from No.7, of course using the £5 off voucher! I did originally go in with the intention of picking up a new nail varnish, but to be honest I have so many now that there just wasn't anything that really stood out. On my browsing, however, I did have a little swatch session in the blusher area and remembered (or convinced myself) that I was in fact missing a bright candy pink in my collection. I seem to have gone off blusher a bit at the moment but I think it's just because I don't have any that are really floating my boat. So I picked this one up, which is No. 22 Candy Pink - perfect! I am actually really impressed with the formula so far, it feels almost creamy and it really nicely pigmented. I can tell that this is going to last a long time because you don't need to apply much to get a good colour pay-off. Also, I'm pretty sure it's completely matte, absolutely no shimmer or glitter in there at all, which pleases me greatly. With the voucher it was £4.50, which I don't think is half bad at all. 

I know a lot of you must have been taking advantage of the vouchers being given out again (who can resist a good bargain!), so do let me know what you picked up! Hope you're all fantastically well and I look forward to being more organised in my blogging! Love to you all! 

What with the Jubilee happening this weekend, and good old Blighty getting ready for a year to remember, I thought I would do a little post featuring some of the most fabulous bits and pieces featuring patriotic symbols and British brands. You could always channel a bit of the Ollie Locke look (if you don't know who he is you should watch Made In Chelsea, it's so hilarious!) and wear the Union Jack from head to toe, but if you're looking for something a bit more understated then take a look below! 

1. MOTO @ Topshop Union Jack Shorts £34

2. Liz Earle Great British Award Winners Kit £37

3. Yves Saint Laurent Swarovski Union Jack Eye Palette £69

4. Nail's Inc Best of British Collection £22

5. Nail's Inc Jubilee Crystal Colour £15

6. Cath Kidston iPhone Case £24.95

7. Cambridge Satchel @ ASOS £100
8. Next Floral Sleeveless Shirt Dress £45, for a gorgeous, pretty and colour-matched frock!

I hope you like the picks! I really want that Cath Kidston iPhone case and the Liz Earle collection, they have been added to my never ending list of things I really shouldn't buy. The YSL eyeshadow palette is not even making it onto the list because there is no way I can justify £69 but it is just so pretty and so in keeping with the theme that I just couldn't leave it out - a girl can dream! I don't actually have many plans for the weekend, I'm at work on the Saturday and possibly Monday (can't actually remember. No just checked, not at work on Monday, woo!) but I'm sure some sort of festivities will be taking place at some point! Have you got any plans for the weekend, I'd love to hear them and live vicariously through you ;) That's all for now, speak again soon and bye bye! 

Left Vegas Volt (again, sorry it looks horrible); Right Costa Chic

Left Vegas Volt; Right Costa Chic

Well hello there! I am so sorry that I haven't posted in what seems like forever, there's just been some stuff happening recently which has made it difficult to get posts up. However, I am back now and hope never to leave again! So how have you all been?! I have so missed sitting down and writing, I know it has actually only been a week but it feels like a LOT longer. Anyway, I was down in good old London again at the weekend for one of my friend's birthdays and whilst I was had some time to kill I happened to be around the Covent Garden area and, as many of you may know, there is a MAC store there which was just calling to me! I mentioned in a previous post (read all about it here) that I wanted to pick up Costa Chic lipstick, and whaddya know, I just went and got it! I'm just that crazy. Even though I haven't actually tried that many MAC lipsticks yet, I think the price you pay for the quality that they are (I've not tried a bad one yet) is really fantastic. (Also, before I get onto the colour, why has no one ever told me that MAC lipsticks smell and taste like Mini Eggs? I think this is a pretty huge selling point!) Anyway, Costa Chic is a really bright pinky-coral with a frost finish. It really brightens up your face and would be perfect for one of those days where you can't really be bothered to do anything with your eyes but still want to look somewhat interesting.

I did mention in my previous MAC lipstick post that I had been recommended Vegas Volt as an alternative to Costa Chic and I can see why - they are extremely similar, with Vegas Volt being more orangey and fiery and Costa Chic more pink toned. I don't see this as a problem in the slightest though. I love both but possibly prefer Vegas Volt due to the finish. I'm not a massive lover of a frost finish but I do think that with a lovely golden tan and beach babe hair this finish would work perfectly. Even though I have a really quite ridiculous (and ever expanding) collection of all manner of lip products, it still excites me so much when I get a new one! Does anyone else get that? It's really quite unnerving. I've finally managed to finish the next book for my new years resolution so will be putting a review up tomorrow. That's all for today folks so I shall speak again soon and I really do hope you're all swell :) Byebye!