Max Factor Max Effect Polishes - The Only Minis I'll be Sporting this Summer!

Available in 18 vibrant colours housed in gorgeous ickle bottles, Max Factor mini polishes are a great way to quickly update your look or complement your outfit du jour. Available online or from Boots for just €5, there's no excuse really not to pick up the colours that tickle your fancy or get a little adventurous with nail art or an ombre effect mani.

The good folks at Max Factor have sent me out some of these little lovelies for review but how about some pictures first, eh?

First Look: YSL - Summer Look 2012 - Swimming Pool

I've a very special place in my heart for YSL including, but not confined to the gold luxe packaging that I compulsively polish until shiny with whatever cloth available (jumpers, scarves, children's hoods (be they mine or other peoples')). Everything about the brand says spendy, that's including the prices but I've yet to be dissapointed with a purchase.

Imagine my glee when my poor beleaguered postie dropped off a package from the brand last week with an exclusive goo at their Summer 2012 Swimming Pool collection and a couple of pieces to play with.

See? Shiny!

First up, Dessin Du Regard Waterproof (Eye Pencil) (€26) in Azure Blue is one of the two pencils on offer (the other is Luminescent Gold). It's a super soft, bright blue crayon that gave me pause when I opened it but once swatched and worn, I fell in love. Karen over at LovelyGirlieBits.com had a fantastic piece up yesterday about just how waterproof this feller is. Check it out here. Or feast your eyes on my very own eyeball below. I had four compliments by home time yesterday wearing this and they weren't even faux 'What are you wearing?' compliments either. This liner is, quite literally, stunning. 

Azure Blue and a coat of Golden Sand Effect Faux Cil Mascara

 Pictured above is a coating of the Volume Effet Faux Cil, waterproof mascara for a false lash effect, in Golden Sand (€31). There's also a Majorelle Blue version in this collection to complete your Summer time look. While Golden Sand is not the first colour you'd think of when it comes to mascara and certainly not one I'd pick up at the counter off the cuff, I really like it. I have just one coat on my lashes above but it can be built up to a more golden effect. I've since worn it on the tips of my already black lashes and that's definitely the way to go for me. Like frosted tips for your peepers. 

Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils in Golden Sand - €31

Last of my beauty bits is certainly not least, I have a feeling that the good folks at YSL had a read of my Coffee Kissers post before deciding to send me this beauty as it's already gone to the top of my list! Behold Rouge Pur Couture No 44 - Bronze Ammonite...

Bronze Ammonite = Coffee coloured Heaven! €34

Again, once opened this bronze with gold microshimmer seems a little daunting. But just look at the swatches. Look. At. Them!

It's so flattering on and wears more like a pinky brown than a bronze gold. I got a solid three hours wear from one application. Although not moisturising, it didn't dry my lips like most microshimmer wielding lipsticks will do and wore off evenly, which is always a bonus.

I'd thoroughly recommend dropping by your nearest YSL counter for a little play with this Summer collection when it launches on June 21st. Just in case your appetite hasn't been whetted as yet, I've a sneak peek below at the other pieces that make up the YSL 2012 Limited Edition Swimming Pool Collection.