Friday 31 January 2014

A GIRL AND HER MAKEUP BAG #2


Here is the second instalment of my makeup bag series! Today, I am interviewing Beth, who is a 22 year old graduate, currently living in Surrey. 



Do you wear makeup on a day to day basis?
Yes but only light make-up - mascara and eyeliner. I'd rather have an extra 10 minutes of sleep in the morning than waking up earlier to make an effort with my face!

At what age did you start wearing makeup properly? 
Probably only around 18. I was a bit late jumping on the make-up bandwagon.

How long does it take you to apply your makeup?
5 minutes. More like 20 if I'm going out.

Where is your makeup bag from?

Thailand!

Which product could you not live without?

Mascara or my Fudge hair powder for some volume.

What is your go-to makeup look?

Matte skin, flicked eyeliner and red lippy - I keep it pretty classic.

What products did you use to create the makeup look you are wearing now?

I'm a right drugstore girl! I love Barry M mascara, kohl pencil, lipsticks and nail polish. That's probably my staple brand and then I just pick and choose items from other brands like 2true and elf. My go-to going out look that is pictured is Maybelline dream matte mousse, Boots Natural Collection blush, Barry M mascara, kohl eyeliner and lipstick (It has great staying power!) and 2true liquid eyeliner.

Are there any products in your makeup bag that you are disappointed with?
I'm not too sure about the Boots Natural Collection blush; it doesn't apply very evenly or last that long.

Do you prefer your makeup bag to be full of new products or tried and tested ones?
Tried and tested - if it ain't broke! It takes some pretty good advertising to get me to buy different products.

Which celebrity has your favourite makeup style?

Eek, toughy! I'm going to say Nicki Minaj because her face is just flawless. Not that I'd copy the more crazy looks she's done!


1. Barry M 'Lash Modelling' mascara, 2. Maybelline 'Dream Matte Mousse' foundation, 3. Fudge Urban 'Powder Styler', 4. MUA eyeliner, 5. Une 'Cheery Lips Gloss', 6. Barry M kohl liner, 7. Natural Collection pressed powder, 8. 2true 'Effortless Eyeliner', 9. Benefit 'High Beam', 10. Barry M 'Lip Paint' in 156, Elf makeup brush.

Thursday 30 January 2014

POCKET MONEY PURCHASE: COLLECTION 2 IN 1 CREAM BLUSH AND HIGHLIGHTER

Price: £4.19


There seems to be a recurring pattern with this series, doesn't there? It's just fact, really. When it comes to uber-cheap, good quality beauty products, you just can't beat a bit of Collection. I purchased this cream blush and highlighter duo quite a few weeks back and I've been hooked ever since! The shade I have is 'Strawberries and Cream' which is a pink-toned blush. They also do a 'Peaches and Cream' where the blush is much more, well, peach-toned. 

I can tell you now, the pros far outweigh the cons with regards to this product. So, lets skim through the bad points quickly first to get them out of the way. The biggest downside for me is really that I would love more of a colour selection. Let's face it, if there were more than two colour choices to this range, my makeup bag would be a lot heavier, and my purse a lot lighter. The other two qualms I have with the product relate to the packaging and layout. The actual container itself is rather cheap looking and I think it would be very easily broken. Additionally, the sections of blush and highlighter are so small that it's actually quite hard to get a brush into one of them. 


So, where do I start with the praise? For under £5 the pigmentation is un-be-lievable. I've uploaded a cheeky swatch photo for you (sorry, it's actually pretty hard to swatch this product but it's amazing, I promise it isn't just a picture of a sparkly bruise). Not only does it apply brilliantly, but is also wears very well throughout the day. Owing to its creamy consistency, the finish is very natural and fades subtly. Possibly the most important point to make is that, in terms of highstreet brands, a good (actually ANY) cream blush is hard to find. I find this strange because, in general, cream blushes sit far more naturally on the skin than powder blushes. An overuse of powder products on the face can leave your skin looking cakey. Thus, it's always good to change it up a bit with a cream product and this is a great gateway cream blush to start with before you start buying the hardcore, expensive, designer stuff. 



All in all, I would definitely recommend this product. Yes, the highlight isn't the best I've ever used on the highstreet and it is quite a frosty finish, but, even if you only use the blush, it is still great value for money. I like to pair the blush with a warmer highlight. The one I am using at the moment is Topshop's 'Glow' highlight which I have most definitely fallen head over heels for. X


Wednesday 29 January 2014

A GIRL AND HER MAKEUP BAG #1


Hello all! This is the first post of a new series I will be doing where I take a look into people's makeup bags and ask them questions about their makeup preferences. Today I will be interviewing Emily, who I have know since school. She is a 23 year old graduate. Hope you enjoy!



Do you wear makeup on a day to day basis?
Yes, I won’t leave the house without makeup! 

At what age did you start wearing makeup properly? 
I started to wear a bit of makeup from about the age of 14, but I only really started to enjoy using makeup from 18 onwards. 

How long does it take you to apply your makeup?
I have my morning routine down to a fine art! It takes between 10-15 minutes to do my makeup in the morning. If I’m going out or putting in more of an effort it will take a bit longer, but definitely no more than half an hour. 

Where is your makeup bag from?
I have to admit that I don’t have a makeup bag at the minute… I’ve been using a box to store it all in on my desk. A good makeup bag is on my wishlist… 

Which product could you not live without?
I couldn’t live without concealer. I have quite dark circles under my eyes and somebody will always tell me I look tired or ill when I’m not wearing any! I’ve started using Benefit’s ‘Boing’ concealer, which I love. It’s quite pricey, but it definitely does the trick. 

Oh...and eyeliner. I’ve always got to have a bit of that on.  

What is your go-to makeup look?
It’s quite a natural look. I stick to subtle colours, particularly for eyeshadow. I tend to wear the same makeup whatever the occasion. 

What products did you use to create the makeup look you are wearing now?
Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation - I would recommend this to anyone, it’s fab! Estee lauder do a free colour match service at any of their stands so you can pick the right colour for you and take away a sample to try. It’s on the more expensive side, but you only need a tiny amount to get a good level of coverage. 
Benefit’s ‘Hello Flawless’ powder - A light brush of this on top of foundation finishes it off nicely and leaves skin looking ‘flawless’. 
Benefit’s ‘Sugarbomb’ blusher - Another great product from Benefit. 
Benefit’s ‘Boing’ concealer - As described, I love this. It can cover up anything! 
Estee Lauder eyeshadow - A mix of natural tones. This was a gift - I’m not sure whether I’d pay this much myself for it, as I’m sure you could get a cheaper version elsewhere. 
Benefit’s ‘They’re real’ mascara - You know a mascara is good when it doesn’t even need to be photoshopped in it’s adverts. Did I mention that I love Benefit??  
Maybelline’s ‘Lasting drama’ gel eyeliner - I love gel eyeliner for using on the top lid (even if I rarely get it straight..) The only problem is that you have to keep cleaning the brush or the gel will make it go solid. But if you have the patience for it, it’s great! 
Plus eyeliner and brow pencil 

Are there any products in your makeup bag that you are disappointed with?
I wouldn’t say that I’ve been disappointed with any. Unfortunately I seem to have developed a taste for more expensive makeup recently, so I think I’d end up being disappointed with the cheaper brands now. However, some products like foundation are worth splashing out on! 

Do you prefer your makeup bag to be full of new products or tried and tested ones?
I’m not fussed on having new products. I’d rather use makeup that has been recommended by a friend so that you know it’s good rather than relying on photoshopped advertising to make a judgement. 

Which celebrity has your favourite makeup style? 
Someone like Natalie Portman who always has quite a natural style.

Products include: 2 Estee Lauder eye shadow palettes, Estee Lauder 'Double Wear' foundation, Benefit 'They're Real' mascara, Benefit 'Sugarbomb' blusher, Benefit 'Boing' concealer, Ecotools foundation brush, Maybelline 'Lasting Drama' gel eyeliner, Seventeen brow kit, Benefit 'Hello Flawless' powder. 






Tuesday 28 January 2014

SPOTLIGHT PRODUCT: A MODERN TAKE ON 'VINTAGE ROMANCE'

This is the third look in my tutorial series on Sleek's 'Vintage Romance' Palette. For a full review and information on the product itself, please see my original post, here.

I have to say, I did set out with a Valentine's day look in mind when I began to create this makeup tutorial. The end result, however, is slightly more dramatic than I had originally intended. The moral of this story: don't listen to Deadmau5 whilst you're trying to embrace your inner-romantic. Sometimes, though, spontaneity gives you the best possible results. So, if you're attending a party this Valentine's Day, or you just prefer to be considerably more extrovert with your makeup choices, this look may be exactly what you're looking for.


And here's a before and after for you:


Anyway, on with the tutorial!

Top row (from left): step 1, step 2; bottom row (from left): step 3, step 4
Step 1: Prime your eyelid with a base. I used my Collection 'Perfection Concealer'. I then decided to go all out with the sparkle and added an extra base of my Topshop 'Glow' highlight all over the lid.

Step 2: Pack 'Meet in Madrid' onto the eyelid using a shader brush. We want the gold to remain as intense as possible so try and keep it very vivid.

Step 3: Blend 'Marry in Monte Carlo' into your crease using your favourite blending brush (yes, this is a rather sparkly shadow to be putting in your crease, but what's Valentine's Day without a bit of unnecessary glitter?)

Step 4: Using a gel eyeliner, draw a line along the upper lashes and add a cat flick that comes out to the crease. My favourite gel eyeliner is the Maybelline 'Eyestudio' which is very good quality for such a value product. You get a brush included as well!

Top row (from left): step 5, step 6; bottom row (from left): step 7, step 8
Step 5: Apologies, this isn't actually a step. I just wanted to make a quick note that this look would be a perfect softer option for Valentine's Day. If you prefer, you can stop here and just add a bit of mascara.

Step 6: Using an angled liner brush (mine was an ecotools one), begin to draw a line with 'Honeymoon in Hollywood' which begins from the point of the cat flick and continues across into your crease. Also, add a some of this shade beneath the cat flick and under your lower lash line. I did also push some of this shadow over the gel liner itself to give it a softer appearance. Blend the shadow out so that it does not look too harsh and add some more 'Marry in Monte Carlo' to the crease if you feel the pink has lost its potency.

Step 7: I added a little 'Love in London' to the lower lash line to help blend the black liner into the rest of the look.

Step 8: Apply a generous amount of mascara to really thicken those lashes and line your lower waterline with some nude pencil. By this point, I felt I might as well go for it and added some gold glitter over the top of the 'Meet in Madrid'. The glitter I used was actually a glitter gel liner from Collection called 'Glam Crystals' in the shade 'Funk 3'. Collection products do tend to be very good value for money and I believe this was no exception. Come to think of it, I may have got it free with another purchase.




This marks the end of my tutorial series on this palette. Nevertheless, there are many, many more looks I could happily create using the beautiful range of shades Sleek has provided. X

Wednesday 22 January 2014

MAYBELLINE'S 'BABY SKIN PRIMER' REVIEW


Price: £7.99

So, first off, I know the price of this product may seem a tad high. However, Superdrug do have a buy one get one half price offer on Maybelline at the moment so go and take advantage of that while it's there.

Let's start with the good news. Although I have used this product for a few weeks now, I can confidently say that you will feel the effects from the first application. It leaves your skin feeling incredibly soft and it really is a nice base to apply makeup to. This was an incredibly important factor for me as I feel that some cheaper primers I have used have left me wondering if they've made any impact at all (*ahem* MUA *ahem*). Certainly, you will only need a very small amount per usage which is lucky, really, seeing as the tube itself is minuscule, which leads us nicely on to the cons of this item.

For the price, if you ignore the Superdrug offer, it is really not great value. Just under £8 is a lot of money to pay, especially for such a high street makeup brand. Additionally, I can't help but wonder if primer in general is a slightly unnecessary step. I didn't notice any difference in the wear of my foundation, and, although it does leave my skin feeling very soft, there are no obvious skincare benefits.

I really am a fan of Maybelline's 'Baby' range. I have almost all of their 'Baby Lips' lip balms and I do absolutely love them. Yes, I may have been drawn in by a 3 for 2 offer that happened to be on at Superdrug (let's face it, nobody needs 3 lip balms) but they really are lovely products. I like that they are a low-maintenance lip look. I have always been pretty terrible with lipsticks and lip glosses, so an easy alternative is fine by me.

In short, 'Baby Skin' is a good drugstore primer. However, I do not feel that you get enough product for the price you are paying. Furthermore, another key issue with the item is really down to individual preference. If you believe the primer hype, then you may want to give this product a try. If not, you may be left feeling that you could have bought something (or more likely some things) way prettier with that precious £8. X


Tuesday 21 January 2014

SPOTLIGHT PRODUCT: AMBER HEARD INSPIRED TUTORIAL




This week, I used the 'Vintage Romance' palette to create a celebrity-inspired look. If you'd like to know what I thought of this Sleek palette in depth, I'll leave a link to another blog post here. Having seen a photo of Amber Heard at the Golden Globes, I was determined to recreate this stunning look and actually found that the colours in this palette were perfect for it. If you'd like to see the inspiration photos I used, I will link an absolutely brilliant article here. It runs through the actual products her makeup artist used to create the look. Well, I found it very interesting anyway! 

Here's a little before and after for you:



What I like most about this makeup look is that it isn't too much to wear in the daytime. Yeah, Amber might have added a whole lotta glitter over the shadow, but you certainly don't have to. I actually chose not to (it was a struggle, believe me) because I wanted the look to be as wearable as possible.

Anyway, on with the tutorial!

Top row (from right): step 1, step 2; bottom row (from right): step 3, step 4

Step 1: Sweep 'Propose in Prague' all over your lid and up into the crease. I blended this up pretty high because that's how I felt the base had been done on Amber's eyes. I just used my MAC 286 to do this but any blending brush will do.

Step 2: Add the same shadow under your eyes. I brought it down quite far in order to keep it fairly similar to Amber's original look. For this, I used the Real Techniques smudging brush. Leave the inner corner of your bottom lash line free because we will be applying a highlight there later.

Step 3: Apply 'Court in Cannes' over the 'Propose in Prague' for a little bit of sparkle and to deepen the colour slightly. It also helps to give a more bronze tone to the finished look. 

Step 4: Line your top lash line roughly with a black kohl pencil. I used my Rimmel eyeliner for this. 

Top row (from right): step 5, step 6; bottom row: step 7

Step 5: On the website I looked at (linked before), Amber Heard's makeup artist used a plum pencil to line her eyes and then smudged it out with a black shadow. Since I don't have a plum pencil, I decided to get a bit creative. I mixed 'Forever in Florence' and 'Love in London' together and smudged it along the upper lash line to give a purple tone to the liner I had applied. You could just use black here if you preferred but I quite liked the hint of colour this effect provided.

Step 6: For the inner corner highlight, I applied a base of Topshop's 'Glow' highlighter and added a touch of 'Meet in Madrid' on the top for extra sparkle. I absolutely love the Topshop highlighter. It just gives the perfect finish. I would definitely recommend it!

Step 7: I applied some nude eyeliner to my lower waterline and added a lot of mascara. In the original look, individual lashes were used to boost the upper lashline. For an evening look, you could add them for a more dramatic effect.  In the bottom left photo I have attempted to recreate Amber's eye shape because I have a lot more visible lid space than her!

Below is the finished look with open and closed eyes.




Amber has paired this look with a neutral lip and bronzed face. Rimmel do some brilliant neutral lipsticks in their Kate Moss collection and the Bourjois chocolate bronzer would give your face the perfect healthy glow to complete the look.

I hope this tutorial has been useful. I realise it is not exactly the same as the original look, but it is something a lot simpler and more affordable for those of you who aren't on a celebrity budget! X

Sunday 19 January 2014

LIEBSTER AWARD

This week I received my first Liebster Award nomination from Sunna of 'The New Noir'. Thanks so much Sunna! Please go and check her out if you haven't already. I, like her, had never heard of this award before but think it is an awesome idea to help support us new bloggers start our journey into the vast (and sometimes scary) blogosphere.

The Rules:

1. Provide a link back to the blogger who nominated you
2. Post 11 random facts about you
3. Answer 11 random questions set by the blogger who nominated you
4. Nominate 11 bloggers with under 200 followers for the award (excluding who nominated you)
5. Let the nominees know that you have nominated them

So, here goes...

11 Facts About Me 

1. I am very interested in languages. I studied Classical Studies and English at university and requested to study an extra module in Latin language. Because I'm just cool like that.

2. I have a particularly strong love for all things sparkly. My motto: you can never have enough glitter in your life.

3. I have grown 1cm in 4 years. This is a big achievement for me. I am only 5ft1 at the age of 22.

4. I have a huge fear of people dressed up in animal costumes. I have no idea why. I think it's the never-changing expression.

5. My favourite sweets are those pink and white milkshake bottles you get in generic pic 'n' mix. They're just so darn delicious!

6. I have a slight addiction to YouTube. Most of my free time is spent catching up on beauty bloggers and vloggers.

7. I absolutely love superhero films and, if I could have any superpower, it would be to control water. Believe me, I have thought about this in great detail.

8. My favourite childhood novel was 'Ballet Shoes' by Noel Streatfeild. I've read it, oh, at least 20 times.

9. My favourite place in the world (other than my home in London of course!) is Madrid. I have family there and just love the mix of city with laid-back spanish lifestyle.

10. I'm a massive fan of Edward Monkton. I was beside myself with excitement when I got an Edward Monkton calendar for Christmas this year.

11. When I was at school, I ballgirled at Queens (the tennis tournament).

Blogger's Questions

1. Why did you start blogging?
I have been a religious follower of beauty blogs and vlogs for about 3 or 4 years now and felt it was high time I started my own one. It took me a year to actually build up the courage to create my own public blog.

2. What inspires you? 
In terms of blogging, I am definitely inspired by some of the veteran beauty bloggers out there who have actually managed to create a career out of their beauty interests. Some examples would be: the Pixiwoo girls, Tanya Burr, Zoella... to be honest, I could probably go on for paragraphs. With regards to makeup itself, a lot of my inspiration just comes from my day-to-day observations. I might see someone walking along the street and think that I'd like to try out that particular makeup look. I also have to give some credit to my mother who taught me the basics before I even owned a mascara.

3. Where would you most like to visit?
There are so many places I want to visit in the world! I have always wanted to go to Rome. I just think it looks like an absolutely beautiful and awe-inspiring place. I also aim in the next year or so to go island hopping in Fiji. I think that would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

4. Who is your favourite artist/designer and why?
I think probably the person's work I most look forward to seeing is Promise Phan. She is a YouTuber who specialises in transformations using makeup. Think more changing her entire face than a pretty going out look. It just shows how much you can achieve with makeup. If you haven't already, then definitely check her out. Her name is dope2111 on YouTube.

5. What is your favourite book? 
Since I've already given my favourite childhood book, I'll give you a more recent favourite book of mine. Zadie Smith's 'White Teeth' is an absolute masterpiece!

6. Name one of your favourite beauty blogs with the most interesting posts to follow
Although there are many, many blogs (I'm actually slightly ashamed to say how many), the beauty blog I am most enjoying at the moment has to be qworterlifecrisis. I really love Maddie's (oh, that's the girl who writes the blog, FYI) writing style. She also has a YouTube channel which is equally as entertaining.

7. What is your favourite beauty item?
Goodness me, this is a difficult question! I would probably have to say my Collection 'Lasting Perfection' concealer. Mostly because it has so many different uses. I use it as a base for my eyeshadow, a highlighter and, to state the obvious, a generic concealer. In short, it helps to feed my incredibly lazy and stingy nature.

8. What are 3 items you cannot live without?
I am ridiculously indecisive so I'm just going to say three things off the top of my head and be done with it. Otherwise this post is about to get a lot more rambling than it already inevitably is. My iPhone (mostly because I can't walk 5 minutes down the street without listening to my music and because it has all my favourite photos on it), my comfy slipper socks (my feet just get so cold!), and my Body Shop 'Strawberry Body Puree' (the smell reminds me of calpol which, for some reason, makes me irrevocably happy).

9. What is your biggest fear?
I am such a wimp that there are just too many to choose from. My most irrational fear is probably animals with human faces. Just. So. Terrifying.

10. Name something you are passionate about and why?
Well, the easy answer here would be beauty but that's just boring. I am extremely passionate about education. Not just in the broad sense, but experiencing and trying new things in particular. I think it is so important to be open-minded and to always look to learn in everything you do. I aim, for example, to travel a lot this year because there are so many places and things in the world I'm yet to see!

11. What is your lifetime ambition?
To make a career out of the things I love to do. To travel the world and visit as many places as possible. Oh, and learn to drive. That last one is getting pretty urgent now.

My Questions for the Nominees

1. If you could have any superpower what would it be and why?
2. Who/what was your first blogging inspiration?
3. Name one beauty technique you have found it very hard to master.
4. What is your favourite beauty brand?
5. What is your favourite beauty product?
6. If you had to wear one outfit for the rest of your life what would it be and why?
7. What is your favourite song?
8. What is your dream job?
9. What is your favourite word and why?
10. Where is your favourite place in the world and why?
11. What is your proudest achievement?

Nominees

1. luebirdbeauty.blogspot.co.uk
2. amygg.blogspot.co.uk
3. emsbeauty17.blogspot.co.uk
4. touchscreensandbeautyqueens.wordpress.com
5. blushousbeauty.blogspot.com
6. notjustacurl.blogspot.co.uk
7. lysette1996.blogspot.co.uk
8. microscopebeauty.com
9. onedayinmyhighheels.blogspot.com
10. redlips-catflicks.blogspot.co.uk
11. elephantstoriesandmore.blogspot.com

I would absolutely love to read your answers so let me know when they're up! X

Saturday 18 January 2014

RIMMEL'S MATCH PERFECTION FOUNDATION REVIEW

Price: £6.99




After the huge success of their 'Wake Me Up' foundation, Rimmel certainly had some rather radiantly glowing shoes to fill. I have been a massive convert to their foundations from the very second I popped the orange lid of that bottle of sunshine. Needless to say, I was more than happy to test out another one. 

On first impression, the 'Match Perfection' was far less glow-on-hyperdrive than the 'Wake Me Up' but I actually quite like that about it. It brings a subtle, flawless quality to the skin and, though you do feel secure in the fact that all stubborn blemishes are covered, you feel as though you have very little product on your face. Don't get me wrong, this is definitely more medium than light coverage, but it blends so perfectly and the formula is so smooth that you would be forgiven if you forgot you had applied it. 

I have found that the colour 'Classic Ivory' is a great match for my skin tone. This is worth noting because I find it extremely difficult to match foundation to my colouring. I have fairly pale skin and find that products either wash my skin out even more than normal, or just come up too orangey. From watching and reading other beauty bloggers and vloggers, it appears that this colour is a good match for many paler people, a great number of whom don't even appear to have the same skin tone as me. What is this wizardry, Rimmel?! 

The only negative point I can really make about this foundation is that I'm not particularly keen on the smell of it. Not that I am vehemently, furiously, madly against it, but it's not quite as lovely as the 'Wake Me Up' or Bourjois' 'Healthy Mix' (another favourite of mine). 

In short, I would definitely recommend this very highly. I believe it would suit most skin types and the price range is amazing for such a good quality foundation. 

X

SPOTLIGHT PRODUCT: 'VINTAGE ROMANCE' DATE/PARTY TUTORIAL

Sleek 'Vintage Romance' finished look.

Having played around with the 'Vintage Romance' palette for a while now, this is by far my favourite look. Although the eyeshadows are rather glitter based, I do think it has a subtlety to it which would make it perfect for a date night. Or, failing that, a party or night out with friends. I am particularly partial to this look because the reddish undertone of the purples really helps to bring out my green eyes but I do think this would look beautiful on any eye colour/skin tone. So, without further ado, here's my step-by-step tutorial for any romantics out there who wish to recreate this look. 

Top row (left to right): step 1, step 2; bottom row (left to right): step 3, step 4.

Step 1: quite straightforward; ensure that your eye is free from makeup and prep it with a base. I often use my Collection concealer as a base because it is so long-wearing, also because I am too much of a cheap-skate to purchase two separate products, but hey! 

Step 2: sweep 'Lust in LA' all over the lid with a blending brush (just a quick note: I used the same blending brush for most of this eye look- a MAC 286- but your favourite blending brush is perfect).

Step 3: add a little of 'Meet in Madrid' to the centre of the lid to add a touch of depth. I also dotted a tiny amount to my inner corner to brighten up my eyes.

Step 4: blend 'A Vow in Venice' lightly onto he outer third of the eye for a pop of colour!

Top row (left to right): step 5, step 6; bottom row: step 7 (closed and open eye).

Step 5: to deepen the purple of the outer corner, I added a little 'Forever in Florence' into the very outer crease and blended this into 'A Vow in Venice' (you could skip this step if you wanted a subtler finish).

Step 6: line your upper lash line with a black eyeliner pencil (mine was a rather well-used Rimmel black kohl pencil) 

Step 7: using a smudging brush (I used a Real Techniques one) smudge the eyeliner with a bit of 'Forever in Florence' for a slightly smokey look. Additonally, smudge some at the outer lower lash line.


To complete the look, I curled my lashes and added a few coats of mascara. Currently I am using a combination of Revlon's 'Lash Potion' and Maybelline's 'The Mega Plush Volum' Express' (reviews to follow!). Then, I applied some Rimmel 'Scandaleyes' bronze liner to my waterline.
When I wear this look out, I keep the rest of my makeup fairly subtle and healthy looking. At the moment, I'll sweep some Bourjois 'Bronzing Powder' ( 'the chocolate one' as it is more commonly known as) over the high points of my face for a really lovely glow. I like this bronzer because it doesn't look too harsh on my pale skin. Then, I have been adding some of Sleek's blush in 'Pixie Pink' to the apples of my cheeks for a fresh and youthful flush. For the lips, I would keep it fairly neutral for a date night- you don't want to be constantly worrying about the state of your lipstick when I'm sure you're overthinking practically everything else. I would just wear a tinted lip balm, perhaps Maybelline's 'Baby Lips' in 'Cherry'. 

For a full review of this eyeshadow palette please see my previous 'Spotlight Product' post http://bellatula.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/spotlight-product-sleek-i-divine.html

Come back next Monday for another makeup tutorial using this palette! X

Saturday 11 January 2014

POCKET MONEY PURCHASE: COLLECTION LASTING PERFECTION CONCEALER

Price: £4.19



This concealer really is a useful little thing to have in your makeup collection. Especially when you’re having one of those days where your skin definitely isn’t looking as clear and fresh as you wish it did. I have to admit, the mountain of rave reviews certainly swayed me when I found myself snatching the last of the fair shade from the Collection counter in Boots. Don’t give into peer pressure, kids, unless there’s a good beauty find at the end of it. I’d say I’ve been using this product for the best part of a year now so definitely feel I can give a well-rounded and accurate review.

Let’s start with the bad news, not that there’s much of it. Firstly, the colour range isn’t amazing. I find the fair shade a touch too light for my skin and the light slightly too orange-toned. You could of course mix the two colours together to match your shade but if I’m completely honest I’m just too lazy in the mornings. Instead, I buy the lighter colour and use it on high points of my face and under my eyes to bring brightness and create dimension. In addition, the formula is slightly drying on the skin but I feel this helps it to stay put throughout the day and, even with a dry skin type, I don’t find that this product clings to any dry patches.

For a full coverage concealer, the Collection Lasting Perfection is pretty much unbeatable on the high street. When comparing it to another quality concealer, Rimmel’s Wake Me Up, the thickness and high pigmentation is very apparent. The lovely people at Collection claim it has 16 hours wear and I would agree that the wear is extremely good, as long as you set it with powder (I like to use a transparent powder for this since the concealer itself is already quite dense). As it is just so good at staying put, I like to double it up as a base for my eyeshadow. Hooray for multi-purpose products! Although the packaging is simple, the doe foot applicator is easy to use and allows you to control the product well. To be quite honest, after a few uses, it isn’t the prettiest looking thing-congealed paste running down the outside doesn’t exactly add any luxury value to a product- but, for just over £4, I’m willing to overlook that little blip.

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INVESTMENT BUYS: ECOTOOLS BAMBO SIX PIECE EYE BRUSH SET

Price: £14.99
Included: Travel carry case with mirror and 5 brushes (blend, crease, highlight, shade, smudge)



I have to admit, before a few years ago, the only brushes I owned were the ones you find in eyeshadow palettes. You know the type, sponge applicators that are too small for any human hand to hold. Once I was introduced to the cyber makeup community, I realised that I could create very few makeup looks without proper tools. Besides, I was losing hope for my latest sponge applicator (there are only so many times you can hold that tiny handle without getting cramp in your hand). I took myself down to Boots and these were the brushes I came back with and, my, aren’t I glad I chose them.

My overall verdict? I LOVE these brushes. They have lasted me so well. I must’ve had them for three or four years now and they still work perfectly well and, believe me, I was not always the best when it came to taking care of them. They are also such good value for money. Five brushes for just under fifteen pounds. Only three pounds a brush, and that’s not even including the handy, little case with mirror. If you need another pro to get you out that front door and running towards your local high street, they are made of sustainable bamboo and the bristles are 100% cruelty free.

The brushes are perfect for anyone but I found them especially useful as a beginner. It can be quite frightening when you’re faced with a battle line of different brushes, each with seemingly mysterious purposes (217 or 239? Can these all seriously be for my eyes?!) Each of the brushes in the set are labelled with their individual uses and the five together make up a good, all-round starter pack.

In this next section, I thought I’d describe my impressions of each individual brush, just because I’m cool like that.

BLEND- relatively big, fluffy brush. It’s stiff enough to give you good control, but still soft. I find it blends really well and fits perfectly in the crease. However, for those with less lid space it may be a little too large. It does also make a really good highlighter brush. For more precision blending I use the ‘smudge’ brush.


CREASE- brilliant shape, really designed to fit into the contour of the crease with minimum effort. However, if you don’t want too dramatic a look, be sure to use a light hand because it’s fairly large surface area means it picks up a lot of product.


HIGHLIGHT- tapered so it can fit well into small areas and gives a very light dusting of product. I also find this shape lends it to blending out any excess dark shadow when I’m applying a brow highlight. This could definitely double as a softer blending brush if you find the ‘blend’ too harsh/too large.


SHADOW- perhaps the most versatile brush in the collection. I use it for everything from eyebrows to shadow on the lids. Quite small, so if you’re looking for quicker application to a large area this is not ideal. I prefer that it’s small because I feel that it allows me to be more precise.


SMUDGE- pretty much just a pencil brush. Great for blending along the lash line. Used with a dark shadow it can give the eye a smokey and sultry look.


I hope this review has been useful and I hope that any of you with these brushes have got as much use out of them as I have!

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