My winter palette: Plums, berries and wine

I'm a fan of classic makeup shades and I'm really embracing the wine and burgundy lips that are trending at the moment.  I'm not much of a bronzer wearer - I embrace the pale! - so I've always turned to the darker lip shades in winter because I find they're a flattering contrast to my paler winter complexion.   And of course that translates to the nail colours I choose too.

Blackened reds, berries and plums just look so right in winter worn everywhere really so this post is dedicated to my love of these shades.  I've had a little fun diving into my own collection and I'm sure I could have posted even more but these are the makeup items I found whilst doing a 'power shop' of my stash! Stand by for lots of swatching...

Lips

Presented and swatched from left to right:

• MAC Satin Lipstick (Rebel) - Is it berry? Is it plum? Is it beet? MAC has described it as a midtonal cream plum.  I don't know how to best describe it but I love this deep but vibrant shade of lipstick so much this is my second tube.  Click here for my original rave.
• Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick (Wine With Everything) - A classic deep wine creme finish lippy.  I've had it for ages and just rediscovered it when I was going through my stash a few months back. A good shade to replicate the burgundy thing happening with lips at the moment.
• Revlon Colorburst Lipstick (Raspberry) - A semi-sheer raspberry shade.  A nice light daytime red for winter with its cool undertones.
• Bloom Lip Gloss (Tint) - Looks burgundy in the tube but translates as a sheer berry on the lips.
• L'Oreal Glam Shine Reflexion Gloss (Sheer Cassis) - Not very sheer really, but a rather opaque plum gloss with a hint of shimmer and sparkle.  I like it layered over lipstick for added impact with an evening look.

Eyes

Presented clockwise from bottom left and swatched from left to right:

• MAC Shale - I've been using this eyeshadow so much this winter I'm surprised I haven't yet hit pan.  It's such a versatile, almost neutral mauvey-plum which I'll use subtly as a crease accent or more dramatically all over my lids.  Definitely on high rotation at the moment and I can see myself getting a backup in future.
• MAC Cranberry - One of my newer MAC's and I bought it when I was going through a complete berry obsession at the end of autumn/fall. It's described by MAC as a reddish plum with a pink shimmer but it looks more warm toned to me, with a tendency towards copper rather than pink.  It's an after dark eye colour for me, and I'll wear it toned down so I don't look red eyed anchored with a strong black liner, some dark shadow and a truckload of mascara!
• L'Oreal Infallible eyeshadow (Burning Black) - Wow! A blackened burgundy eyeshadow and another one for daring after dark looks or it can be used as an eyeliner. Very pigmented so a light hand is needed or it can be a nightmare to blend out.
• MAC Powerpoint Eyeliner pencil (Bordeauxline) - My go to plum eyeliner pencil because it contrasts with the green in my eyes.  I use it every other day as an alternative to brown or black.  Looks great partnered with Shale.

Cheeks

• NYX Mosaic Powder Blush (Plummy) - This is the sole plum blush I own and probably only because it's not too plummy or dark!  I swirl all of the colours in the pan together for a very natural flushed cheek look.  However, and this is a significant however, the powder has a really strong "chalky" smell which makes me want to look a bit closer at the composition of it. 

Nails

Presented and swatched (terribly, sorry due to bad lighting) from left to right:

•  Revlon Autumn Berry - Deep plum/burgundy with a subtle gold shimmer.  Even though it's a very dark shade the gold shimmer lifts it out of being too vampy.  It was one of the first ever polishes I swatched on this blog (see some cute amateur swatching here ) and I think it's worthy of a reswatch once my nails grow out of their current nubbin stage.
• OPI Bogota Blackberry - A rich blackened berry shimmer. I'm pretty sure it's in OPI's core line.  My idea of the perfect deep red polish.  So, why the hell haven't I swatched this one on my nails???
• OPI Bastille My Heart - From one of OPI's chicest collections, La Collection De France.  It's a dark berry red creme with a very subtle shimmer.  Again, I NEED to wear this one!!
• Australis Vampy - Another berry shade.  Vampy is a bit of a peculiar name for this shade because it's a pretty berry red creme, with a hint of glitter.  I'll need to wear this one on a sunny day to show you how cute it actually is, but still seasonally appropriate for colder weather!

Is there anything here that takes your fancy?

Until next time.

Vita :)