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New Stuff Make up chat and DEMO

2019-07-31T08:00:00.000+01:00

Some items in this video were gifted and some I purchased myself

Shiseido Waso Cleansing trio

2019-07-29T08:00:00.000+01:00

I love a product that is great for travelling with. There’s something so satisfying and cute about a mini product or something in unique packaging, which makes it simple to pop in your luggage and not take up valuable shoe space!

Cleansers are often in bulky packaging or glass bottles so I was happy to see the latest cleansers from Shiseido in a pouch style packet. The slim line packaging in 70ml makes it handy to slip into your handbag for overnight travel or in your suitcase.

The Waso Reset Cleanser trio is a collection of mood enhancing cleansers made from Japanese Agar Jelly.

The jelly texture is refreshingly light and although a foaming cleanser is not my favourite texture of cleanser to use, this did leave the skin feeling refreshed and balanced without drying or stripping. Agar Jelly is particularly good at cleansing the skin of impurities making it a better choice for those with a combination, oily or congested skin.

The cleansers are sold as a trio and each cleanser is slightly different.

The yellow is called Good Vibes and has a zesty uplifting scent. It contains Japanese quince for added hydration. The green is called Wild Garden and contains Okra, which is high in vitamin A, B, and C and great for a compromised skin barrier or those with an oiler skin.

The red is called Romantic Dream and contains Raspberry extract to hydrate and replenish making this better for a dryer skin.

You can purchase the trio here for £25.00.

Items in this blog were gifted

Murad Prebiotic 3-in-1 Multi mist

2019-07-23T15:17:00.003+01:00

I don't know about you but my skin constantly needs a shot of hydration at the moment. Air con in the car, a fan on full whack at bedtime and the hot sticky days require a little extra support for my skin.

Over the last few weeks I’ve been using the prebiotic facial mist from Murad. We know Murad is serious about skincare so you can always be confident that it will create a product that will deliver the goods!

The Prebiotic mist is peptide rich, which means it's full of collagen boosting ingredients. Peptides are pretty teeny so they are good at penetrating the skin. The delivery system of a mist is possibly not going to give you as much of the peptide as say, a serum but it's kind of a bonus product on top of your normal regime.

Our skin is covered in bacteria and the prebiotic within this mist will help keep the bacteria happy and rebalanced.

This mist is good for sensitive, ageing, dehydrated, unbalanced or dry skin and can be misted on at any stage of your normal skincare routine. I personally enjoy spritzing over my moisturised face just before I apply foundation or misting over my face regularly throughout the day, as I need it.

It doesn't leave my skin feeling tight after it's evaporated either which is a win!

The Murad Prebiotic multi mist is £30 for 100ml and available here. The slim line tube makes it great for travelling with and the 100ml size means you can take it on an aircraft too for a long skin dehydrating flight.

Items in this blog were gifted

Angry Makeup & Lisa Eldridge Pink Lipsticks

2019-07-12T11:31:00.001+01:00

Some items in this tutorial were gifted and some I paid for myself

Easy Affordable make up look

2019-07-08T09:00:00.000+01:00

Some items in this tutorial were gifted and some I purchased myself

Depixym Cosmetic Emulsion

2019-07-05T13:10:00.002+01:00

Wowsers there are a hell of a lot of choice in colour coming from Depixym.
This brand has been created by two industry insiders Vic & Al who wanted to create a brand that wasn’t particularly positioned to a certain market. Genderless, no rules, multi area use, cruelty free and environmentally conscious. Sounds pretty epic hey.
So what are the products?

Little tubes that look like cute watercolor paints filled with a thick cream that is intensely pigmented. They are multi use so you can use them as an eye shadow, blush, and lips, mix with your body cream for a skin tint or for body painting. You can use it as a base for other products or as a liner with a fine brush. The colour range is awesome.

20 shades ranging from clear to plum, vibrant citrus tones and intense midnight blues and black. Each emulsion is £18 but lasts a seriously long time.

The shades…

I really like these emulsions. Very workable, build-able, great longevity with amazing pigment.If you like something a little bit different then check this brand out here.

Items in this blog were gifted

90s Makeup Nerds ONLY.

2019-06-21T09:00:00.000+01:00

Some items in this tutorial were gifted and some I purchased myself

Perricone MD Foundation Serum

2019-06-19T09:23:00.001+01:00

Image:wwwlookfantastic.co.uk

If you’re looking for a lightweight Summer foundation that has great skincare benefits and good sun protection then check out Perricone MD Foundation serum. It’s part of the No Makeup Makeup collection from the brand and combines science based skincare with colour.

This serum foundation comes in a pipette style bottle although there is a screw lid also for better transportation. The travel friendly sized bottle is 30ml however the fluid texture means a little goes a seriously long way.

This foundation contains neuropeptides, which send messages to the skin cells and assist them in managing various skin issues such as inflammation and healing.

The coverage is a sheer veil and has a silicone feel to it. The suede finish is beautiful however the formula does need to be worked into the skin well with a firmer brush. A loose fibred foundation brush will result in brushstroke marks in your foundation.

I found it took a little while to settle into the skin so those with an oily skin may not find the texture comfortable to wear, the silicone feel would also be off putting to those with an oily skin.

If your skin is on the dryer side, textured or more mature then it works well to blend in, blur pigmentation or uneven skin tone and didn’t cling to textured areas.

A good SPF of 30 gives extra protection to the skin this summer without feeling heavy.

The colour pigments adapt really well and seem to blend into your own skin tone and the finish is suede-like, hydrating and illuminating. There are 8 shade options which all seem fairly warm toned and annoyingly wouldn’t really cater for a very deep skin tone.

Overall a great textured foundation for those who want a natural veil but with the bonus of good skincare benefits and sun protection. Lasts well, looks natural, applies easily and easy to transport in your makeup bag.

You can pick up Perricone MD Foundation Serum here for £45.00

Items in this blog were gifted

Benefit Brow Contour Pro

2019-06-12T10:50:00.002+01:00

My favourite pens in the 90’s were always the ones with 4 colours in one. Clicking each colour down aggressively to get the next colour was always a great thing to do to annoy your math’s teacher.

Benefit has launched their 4 in one brow contour product, which is genius to create a multi dimensional brow look.

The trend for a contoured solid brow doesn’t seem to be slowing up so rather than use multiple product in varying shades, you can switch between the different tones within the one product.

It holds a lighter and darker shade an edge definer shade and a highlighter pencil.

The texture is blendable to create a soft brow but the formula is hard to give great longevity.

There are 5 shade options to choose from and I would say the best way to select which pen is best for you is to match the lightest shade within the pen to your natural hair colour.

Blonde/Light Pen

The shade range is great, catering from very fair through to black hair and the pigments tend to have an ashy finish, which is great to create a natural brow look.

The Brow contour pro is £29.00 and available now here.

Items in this blog were gifted

What is Profhilo and is it different to botox and fillers?

2019-06-03T08:43:00.001+01:00

Clarins Ombre Eye Shadow

2019-05-30T11:29:00.001+01:00

Who doesn’t love an ombre eye shadow? Clarins have developed 3 new-textured eye shadows that pack a punch when it comes to pigment and longevity.

Ombre Velvet, which consists of white, pink and black shades, has a cream to gel texture. They contain polymers, which help the product to glide over the skin and blend out with ease (although you do need to work fast).

Create a solid block colour which is super longwearing or use it as a base under your powder shadows. The finish is completely matte and very intense. Ombre satin consists of the purple, blue and green and has a slight sheen. Easier to blend than the velvet texture but with an equally strong pigment.

Ombre sparkle are three shades with a gel to powder texture. The glitter shards are suspended in the texture and don’t spread across the skin.

They look beautiful over a naked eye lid or for a dramatic finish, press over the other ombre shades. The ombre eye shadows from Clarins are £20 each and available now here.

Items in this blog were gifted

Estée Lauder Perfectionist Pro UV Fluid

2019-05-23T14:56:00.002+01:00

Image:www.esteelauder.co.uk

We all know we should be using an SPF daily, especially during the summer months but I believe it’s still an area that a lot of us are still poor at incorporating into our daily skincare routine.

When hitting the beach we tend to slap it all over and douse our children in it at the first glimpse of summer but often forget about ourselves on a day-to-day basis.

Gone are the days of heavy thick creams that feel like you’re applying a layer of Dulux emulsion. The majority of skincare brands will now offer an SPF that works well with makeup without affecting the performance or look of your foundation. Yes you still need to wear a sunscreen even if your moisturiser or foundation contains SPF, and another thing to remember is always test how your makeup looks on camera with a flash if you are wearing an SPF for photographic events such as your wedding day, they will often flash back.

A daily SPF, which I have incorporated into my skincare routine, is the Perfectionist Pro Multi defense UV Fluid in SPF 45. This comes in a 30ml squeezy style tube but is very milky and thin so a little goes a long way. This isn’t a product for sunbathing in but a product to wear under your regular makeup, or indeed on bare skin whilst going about your daily business.

What I love about it is that it sinks into the skin immediately and has a dry finish. There’s no tackiness, no residue, no white hue and no piling under makeup. I didn’t find it flashed backed either but definitely check this for yourself if you’re purchasing for a special day.

It’s a Physical or mineral based sunscreen, which means it sits on top of the skin and reflects the rays. It’s less irritating and has added ingredients such as Tiger lily, Green Tea as pollution defense.

It’s beautifully lightweight and undetectable on the skin. Shake bottle well and apply after your final moisturistion step and before your foundation. You won’t even need to give it time to melt into the skin as it absorbs immediately.

It’s not cheap at £36.00 however it will give your skin great protection and fits nicely into your routine without affecting the performance of your makeup.

You can check this out here.

Items in this blog were gifted

Ulla Johnson X Bobbi Brown Cheek palette

2019-05-17T11:15:00.000+01:00

So this is something a bit different that I haven’t seen before from Bobbi Brown. Forgive me as this has been out a few weeks but I’ve only just located it in my inbox of products to review.

Bobbi brown have collaborated with Fashion designer Ulla Johnson to bring you a beautiful cheek and eye palette.

Ulla Johnson is renown for her dreamy feminine designs, which has been reflected in the beautiful packaging she has created for Bobbi Brown.

The cheek palette is beautiful and although it may not be something everyone would want to use, I can see that it would be a wonderful product to have in your kit as a makeup artist or for those who favor a moisturized sheen to their skin. It's a great product to experiment with if you would like to incorporate skincare into your makeup routine.

The nude packaging holds a golden pink cream highlighter and beige pot rouge for lips and cheeks. There is also a vial of face oil to complement the glossy hydrated finish that the combination of these products will produce.

How to use

The face oil which contains Neroli, Patchouli, Lavender and Sandalwood and not only smells divine but adds a shot of hydration, soothes and adds a glossy finish to the skin. This oil would not really be suitable for those who are sensitive to essential oils or who have a very sensitive skin or an oily skin. A dry or dehydrated skin will love it.

Apply one to two drops depending on skins moisture needs into palms of the hands. Warm between palms and then push into the skin and massage the facial muscles in an upward motion. I like to also cup my hands over my nose to inhale the relaxing aroma too.

This will leave an oily residue on the skin for a short while. You can either apply your makeup straight on top if you feel comfortable with this texture however most will likely want to wait 10 minutes for it to absorb. It will give a subtle glow to the skin and a nice boost of moisture.

To compliment the skin, apply a little of the pot rouge to the apples of the cheeks to create a fresh pop of colour and buff over the golden highlighter onto the high points of the face.

This little palette will give you just enough product for a fresh complexion on days when you require a low-key look. You could team it up with a layer or mascara and clear lip balm if you want a little more definition.

This palette is £30.00 and can be purchased here.

Items in this blog were gifted

Kim Kardashian Met Gala Tutorial

2019-05-15T13:59:00.002+01:00

The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser

2019-05-12T09:00:00.000+01:00

Image from www.theordinary.com

If your skin is particularly dry and sensitive it can be tricky to know what cleanser to use. Foaming cleansers tend to be too drying and heavy rich balms can feel occlusive.

I switch up my skincare depending on how my skin feels on that particular day so this has been a cleanser that I have been using on days when my skin is dry or dehydrated.

The texture is very pleasant. Applies with a thin balm texture but after 30 seconds of massaging it turns into an oil. Firstly, I love that it takes a little while to transform to an oil as it encourages you to really work the skin and massage well, something that greatly benefits the skin.

The balm to oil texture makes makeup removal easy and even lifts off waterproof eye makeup.

It feels very comforting, nourishing and hydrating without feeling heavy and feels like a luxurious treat to use.

Squalane is a great ingredient to use if you very sensitive or allergic skin. Derived from plants and absorbed easily by the skin due to its molecular structure, it’s a pretty safe product to use in terms of adverse skin reactions.

The only negative I have to say is the size. It’s almost like a travel size product but if you only use it as a cleanser for the days you require a hydrating and calming cleanser for, then it’ll last you a good few weeks. Use it every day and evening and it’s not going to last long. On the plus size, it’s good for when you are travelling.

Check out The Ordinary Squalane cleanser here for £5.50.

Make Beauty

2019-05-07T11:44:00.001+01:00

A new brand (new to us anyway) has landed in the office this week so I thought I’d share with you. Make is from New York and is made up of a mix of colour cosmetics, skincare and tools. They have a vegan section and are It 100% cruelty free. 10% of the sales also go towards the We see beauty foundation, which supports women-led, worker owned cooperative businesses.

Their ethos is Slow beauty. Creating everyday products that suit every day needs rather than being fashion or trend led.

We have a few pieces to share with you…

For the skin we have the Marine Salve. It’s a topical balm that has multi area use. Massage some into cracked lips, dry cuticles or rough skin. It protects against environmental aggressors.

Its main ingredient is petrolatum (mineral oil) so it’s not something I would personally slather over my face but on small areas it will moisturize and protect. It also contains marine algae, shea butter and squalane so it’s super hydrating.

Sea Salt exfoliator

This is a duo pot for the lips. One is an exfoliator containing gritty sea salt in a balm of olive, shea butter and jojoba.

The lip balm is a nourishing mix of shea, beeswax, jojoba and grape seed oil.

The colour

We have are the Universal stick. This is quite a unique product in that it looks pretty uninspiring when you first apply it but as you blend, the pigments release and transform into a totally different colour.

We have the shade Cedar which, looks mauve in the tube but warms to a soft peachy taupe on the skin. The universal stick is a lightweight balmy texture which feels slightly oily on application.

You can use it as a blush or on the eye lids. You can even mix it with lipstick to give a more jewel toned shade. This is really nice to use under your eye shadow to increase colour pay off.

Dew pots and blot pots are similar in that they give a soft flush of colour with a moisturized finish. Best used on the slightly higher parts of the face as it reflects a radiant sheen. Pigment is set in a base of lanolin so not a product for the oilier skin. The blot pots have slightly more colour pigment to them.

I’ve only seen a very small collection of products from Make and I think they may be a nice brand for editorial or to create an evening looks with, I feel some of the ingredients within are a little disappointing though. Lots of allergens and cheap ingredients such as mineral oil, lanolin and talc and for the price point that this brand is set at, I would expect higher quality ingredients.

You can take a look at the brand for yourself here

Natural fresh summer makeup

2019-04-29T17:57:00.002+01:00

Surratt Inner Light Baton

2019-04-25T15:00:00.005+01:00

*Surratt Inner light Baton are PR Samples

I remember the first time I noticed a white pencil being used in the waterline of the eye. It was Sharon Watts in Eastenders (apologies to anyone who didn’t grow up in the UK watching this!) and I always thought how big it made her eyes look. Almost like the whites of her eyes were double the height. I did also think she needed to blend it a little rather than being a stark white line but I guess it was just how her character needed to look.

Using a white pencil in the waterline has evolved somewhat since 1989 Sharon Watts and we have slightly more natural pencils that colour correct and brighten the eye.

Surratt Beauty has just launched three pencil and powder duos, which are specifically designed to be used in the waterline of the eye. They describe them as being similar to a whitening toothpaste, but for your eyes. Each pencil knocks back any redness along the waterline, neutralizes any darker pigment present there and serves to brighten the whites of your eyes.

I’ve used this style of pencil for years for both daytime and evening looks. In the morning it’s a great product to make your eyes look brighter, less red and more awake and in the evening when creating a smoky eye it can make your eye colour pop.

Surratt has three shades to offer. One end is a creamy pencil that applies easily, blends out to soften the line but also doesn’t run. The opposite end holds a shimmering powder. The powder is applied via a small smudger style sponge and can be used along the lash line to add a shimmer or even under the brow arch to highlight.

Perle is a classic white pencil with a scintillating sparkle at the opposite end. Perle clarifies and flares the whites of the eyes.

Effersce is a flesh-toned peach that would suit a light to medium skin tone. The opposite end is a rose gold sparkle powder. The peach tone eliminates purplish tones.

Mousseux is a caramel tone, which is great for a deeper skin tone. The complimentary powder is a champagne sparkle.

If you find your eye makeup never looks polished, suffer with redness in the waterline (especially during hay fever season) or just want to brighten and whiten your eyes then these are a fab addition that you’ll use every day. I wouldn’t be without one.

You can get the Surratt Inner Light baton here for £40 each.

Ultimate black smoky eye

2019-04-15T09:09:00.000+01:00

#AD Glowing skin with Sunday Riley

2019-04-10T19:29:00.003+01:00

Murad Revitalixir Recovery Serum

2019-04-05T09:00:00.000+01:00

Image:www.murad.co.uk

Boy does my skin need so recovery assistance at the moment. It’s so confused by the weather and the central heating is playing havoc with my moisture levels.

For the last 2 months I have been testing out the Revitalixir Recovery Serum from Murad.

Who is it for?

Great for those with dull skin texture, skin which has been exposed to environmental aggressors or for those who have been poorly and whose skin has suffered as a result.

What does it do?

It contains oil-based spheres and a water based gel. By separating these ingredients, Murad has eliminated the use of binders within the product. This means the formula is more concentrated and the active ingredients can be delivered more effectively.

It also contains Cannabis (Hemp seed oil), which is a source of Omega 3,6 and 9. These fatty acids help to smooth the skin, calm, increase hydration levels and are particularly great for dry or flaky skin types.

Hyaluronic acid (needs no introduction I’m sure), wild indigo to improve luminosity, Neuropeptides to address skin ageing and expression lines, caffeine to stimulate and de-puff and Niacinamide which boosts radiance and helps with cell turnover, boosts your skin immunity and helps balance skins natural

oil flow.

This serum has a lightweight gel texture which massages away with an undetectable texture. It has a pearlescent tint to it, which softly illuminates the skin without looking shimmery. It gives a warming radiance to the skin.

Results

Immediate results from using this are increased luminosity. I didn’t particularly feel that my skin felt hydrated right after using but more refreshed and ready to accept the next stage of my skin care.

Long-term my skin feels more supple and softened. Radiance in the form of brightness has increased and my skin generally feels calmer.

The pump action 40ml tube will last you ages as a little goes a seriously long way. This serum is £70 so by no means a cheap option but if you are after a radiance inducing, skin calming serum that suits all skins (especially oily or combination skins) then it’s worth a look.

This serum is available now here.

New Product Video

2019-04-03T10:35:00.001+01:00

Glossier Play Collection

2019-03-15T09:00:00.000+00:00

When I first heard of Glossier Play, I thought it sounded a bit like something I may purchase from an adult only website. After testing out the products however, I can see why they have used the term ‘play’ because it really is a fun collection.

Vibrant tones, interesting buildable textures and shimmering pigments, it gets us back to what makeup should be…a fun experiment with colour that has no rules.

So what’s included?

Firstly, I wanted to mention the packaging. I find it annoying to unwrap the foil bag packaging when the item is already safely secured in a cardboard box. I guess it’s to add to the ‘play’ excitement, like unwrapping a lucky dip, but I think it’s a faff and a bit unnecessary…but maybe I’m just a bit of a misery!

Glitter Gelée (£12)

Oooh this is a really fun product. It’s never going to be a staple everyday product in your makeup bag but more of a wow product you can add for a bit of drama and interest.

Wear it unkempt and messy and don’t be too precious on the perfection of it and you’ll enjoy it. It contains shards of intense glitter of varying sizes and reflections, suspended in a cooling gel.

It never really dries off and will crease, but that’s almost the beauty of it. The glitter also travels and is a hard to get rid of but it’s definitely a showstopper.

Technogel Eye Pencil (£13)

As an attractive as a set of brand new Crayola Crayons, fresh out of the box. These pencils have a smooth gel formula that glides over the skin with zero drag. The pigment is vibrant and true to how it looks in the packaging.

Stunning as a bold line but even better when smudged over the eyelid. If you want to wear as a base then work fast, it dries off super fast and is then completely un-moveable.

Great array of different colours for a more creative look but also some standard everyday shades if you’re not a fan of too much colour from your liner.

Nite Shine (£17)

There are four liquid highlighters, which apply via a solid doe foot applicator. This style of applicator mean that initial application is quite intense and precise.

The highlight effect is almost foil like finish infused with super fine shimmers.

Payoff is good but I found the texture a little drying and if you’re using over textured skin then you may find it’s a little clingy. Spreads well but dries off very fast and if not blended quickly then it goes patchy.

Vinylic Lip (£14)

Click the end to release a thick paste of block colour in a fresh vinyl finish.

Feels creamy on the lips and provides an opaque comfortable finish. they have a good amount of staining properties so once the initial sheen has gone, you're left with a beautiful stain.

The collection is available now here.

Mothers Day Makeup

2019-03-12T09:00:00.000+00:00

Chanel Rouge Coco Flash

2019-03-11T09:00:00.000+00:00

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Ooh the latest lipsticks from Chanel are lovely. Buttery smooth, healthy glowing radiance with an oily moisturising texture. Infused with jojoba, mimosa and sunflower you can expect a seriously conditioned and nourished lip.

Due to the moisturisation, the shades are a watered down version of how they look in on the bullet, but they still add a soft pop of colour.

Great for those who don’t normally wear anything on their lips but feel they want to liven up the lips a little as we head into spring. Not a lipstick for a bold lip lover but a total win for a subtle lip especially if your lips tend to be on the dry side.

27 shades to chose from in a good colour range for you to experiment with.

The casing is new addition also and features a transparent golden cap so you can select your shade easily from the depths of your makeup bag.

Are they going to be the longest wearing lipsticks you’ve ever had, no definitely not but a joy to reapply with ease throughout the day.

These lipsticks are available from March 8th for £31.00 each.