Well, I think we all know my first experience with Illamasqua in Belfast was a less than positive one.

I took everyones advice in regards to asking for the foundation to be changed and contacted their head office. Within hours I had received confirmation of my email and a full apology for my treatment from the UK Communications Manager and within several hours after that a phone call from their HR Manager here in Ireland.

He was equally apologetic, to the point where I felt a bit embarrassed about complaining, and very generously offered to refund the incorrect foundation, arrange for an in store makeup lesson with one of the visiting London artists, a video of the lesson, and a new perfectly matched “complimentary” foundation.

I was impressed. A man of action. He took my problem, scrunched it into a ball, threw it in the bin and got out a nice clean sheet.

My appointment was arranged for 11am last Friday. I was actually slightly nervous before I arrived, a combination of feeling bad about the situation we were meeting under again and also the fact I knew my lesson was going to be recorded. Silly I know. Especially as when I arrived they were clearly expecting me and couldn’t have been more welcoming.

My makeup lesson was with Daniel, a stunning looking man originally from Malta, this lesson was not going to be a chore

Daniel asked me questions about what makeup I normally wore, colours, coverage etc and right away ruled out the Rich Liquid Foundation that had initially been sold to me as “much too heavy for your beautiful skin”, Jesus this man was good. By now I was like putty in his hands, he could have made me up like the Joker and I’m pretty sure I’d have thanked him profusely.

I gave Daniel free reign and he went for a fresh coral summer look. I was a little worried when he brought over coral eye shadow, its just never a colour I would think of for my lids. Cheeks or nails… yes, but never the eyes. I am so glad he tried it as its truly lovely on me, its adds warmth and opens up my eyes, I think it also accentuates the green in them.

Daniel’s technique in regards to blending was new to me too, he buffs EVERYTHING. Little small swirling motions, not a window wiper technique in sight. He did one eye, then I did the other, everything was shared, I thought this was fab.

Below are a few stills from the CD I received

We laughed so much, I made a complete hash of the eye liner on my side, but I wasn’t made to feel like an idiot. It was simply demonstrated again until I was happy I could recreate it myself. This is how it should be. I was learning something as well as feeling mighty pampered!

I ended up buying quite a bit, things that I didn’t buy that were used on me were:

• Erratic Medium Pencil, very creamy and blendable but right away I deduced if I rubbed my eye even lightly or was a little too warm this pencil would be halfway across my face. Its a no for me
• Pressed Powder, I’m perfectly happy with my Prestige one
• Thunder Eyebrow Cake, happy with what I’m currently using (post on this coming soon)

So what I did get

• Satin Primer SPF20
• Cream Foundation CF205 (Complimentary)
• Under Eye Concealer UC140
• Excite Powder Blusher
• Blame Powder Eye Shadow (matt)
• Tango Powder Eye Shadow (shimmer)
• Brink Lipstick
• Alarm Nail Polish
• Volume Mascara (since returned, not impressed)

L-R; Blame, Tango, Brink

The recorded lesson is a fabulous idea, I think more counters should offer this service. Not only is it nice to have but its useful too. I was able to look back over mine and see how high up he went with the crease shadow, little things like that.

Last Friday left me very impressed with Illamasqua, I’m now putting my initial experience down to launch day nerves. I’ve also had lots of comments since my inital post of people telling me how great their experiences have been which is brilliant

If there is anything you’re dying for a review on out of my haul, please let me know & I’ll put it to the top of the pile.

For now I’ll leave you with my finished makeover look, self consciously captured in a corner of New Look, I’m giving that Mannequin behind me a run for his money…….

xoxox

I know I do, and thankfully they were everywhere when I went into Belfast yesterday. Recession or no damn recession people were out in their droves and spending seemed to be the order of the day! It would have been rude not to join in…..

Heres a few of the highlights of my shopping trip

A gorgeous floral pashmina from M&S £14.99 A spring/ summer staple. I have several scarves but was holding out for a pretty blue toned one. This was love at first sight.

Staple summer sandals. I can’t be doing with completely flat sandals, they just aren’t comfortable on my arches, so this mini wedge talks my kind of language. M&S £15

A few accessories, actually truth be told this was all I was shopping for initially… oops

The long necklace on the left is from H&M £3.99, middle and right are both from Miss Selfridge and were bargains reduced to £3 & £2 a piece. The floral one looks quite over the top and gaudy but its actually very pretty on. I think it’ll be gorgeous on a warm summers evening with a plain white skinny vest.

A cute biker jacket from Dorothy Perkins which had an additional 20% off sale stock. I’ve been after one of these for a while to throw on over casual dresses when out for a night, but I didn’t want to pay big money. The wait paid off….DP’s £12

Bargains reached fever pitch in Victoria Square, the House of Fraser shoe sale was AMAZING! I spent a whole hour just trying on fabulous shoes. In the end I opted for these classic Carvela black patent killer stilettos. Original price was £95 but after two reductions I got them for a stellar £29

Last stop on Sunday was Topshop. Now I love Topshop but I do think that their clothing is mostly over-priced. I tend to get the bulk of my Topshop bits n bobs during their sale and yesterday was no exception.

This jersey long line vest is very me. It clings in all the right places and skims and flatters in all the wrong ones I’ll be wearing this over leggings now and as a dress with sandals as it gets warmer. I love multi-functional pieces like this and I’m stocking up on my navy tops which replace black for me in the brighter days £10

This next item makes me smile big style. I am totally in love with it. I’m calling it my “Kirstie Allsopp” number! It’s my new spring/ summer coat and I imagine she would share my love of it.
I like fitted coats but truth be told these full circle style numbers suit me best. I feel like Audrey Hepburn in it, it nips me in at the waist (Size 12 Yay!!!!) and yet sits out like a flirty dress over my hips. I adore it. It was £75 (I’d have bought it at that price) but as luck would have it, reduced to £35

Final topshop purchase and definitely not in keeping or to be worn with the above coat is a soft grey hobo sac.
This is a gorgeous casual slouchy bag that will see me from now well into Autumn. I’ll wear it with jeans and flip flops and keys will go missing for days in the bottom of it, but I won’t care!

So thats it for yesterdays shopping spree. I think I did well and have some great new season staples now for my wardrobe. I’m sure Gok would approve!

A little additional purchase today was a Max C dress from Tempest, I’m intending to wear this out tomorrow night when I go to see Girls Aloud in concert. Can’t wait!!! It was reduced from £45 to £22.50. My husband has pointed out that it is a little “red, white & blue” which is quite funny in Northern Ireland (perhaps not elsewhere), I’m thinking it’ll be grand, and sure at least I have my outfit sorted for the 12th

What bargains has everyone else been getting in the sales?? xox

I think everyone has a certain make-up product they buy more of than any other. For me its anything to do with the eyes, my eye shadow drawer is bulging, my mascara drawer is not quite as bad but definitely getting there! I like to play up the eyes more than any other area.

On Friday night I was chatting online to a fellow make-up lover Nikky and we got to talking about NARS shadows, I had a sudden over-whelming urge to go swatching! So with it being only 7pm, I got into my little hairdryer of a motor and drove the 11 miles to Belfast, and more importantly House of Fraser.

It was bliss, empty but for a few other addicts. The girls were obviously bored and so I managed to play about with lots and pocket more than a few testers. Yay! I bought one shadow in HoF, NARS Fuji (a recommendation from Nikky), its a gorgeous army green with shimmer. I’ve played about a bit with it on the back of my hand already and its seems very versatile, highly pigmented, but equally it blends out very well into a much more subtle green if thats the look you’re going for. Any suggestions of what to pair it with greatly appreciated!

I then took a dander round to MAC in Debenhams and got a few things off my Wish List, namely Greenstroke Paintpot and Blackground Paintpot (to save me wasting my Blacktrack Fluidline) and Steamy Eye Shadow, a gorgeous bluey green with gold shimmer. Its a frost finish. I wore this today over the Greenstroke, with a bit of Print smoked into the outer third and crease. Love love love it, really brings out the brown in my eyes.

Check out the swatches below, you can click to enlarge

With Flash

Minus flash; Greenstroke, Steamy, Fuji, Blackground

With Flash

Which product are you a sucker for??? xox

I picked up a few things in MAC today as I had some vouchers given to me at Christmas. I kinda knew what I wanted before I went, and barr one thing I got all the products on my list

The one I didn’t pick up was the penultimate liner. They had a tester one out, it was in good condition (I know a few people said the display ones had dried up), nice and wet, gave a good true black colour. However the felt pen type nib was extremely flexible towards the tip. I tried it a few times on the back on my hand and just felt that this aspect made it difficult to control. So I gave that a miss.

Heres what I did pick up…

• Mineralize Skinfinish in Medium/ Natural and Shimmer
• Aprés-Ski Eye Shadow from the Chill Collection
• Frozen Dream Lipglass from the Chill Collection
• Angel Lipstick

I just adore MAC’s MSF, I picked up medium really as a finishing powder for my entire face after foundation. I got the one which has one third as highlight as I thought it was better value, just call me the Credit Crunch Queen

Aprés-Ski is the answer to my prayers, a staple matte grey/ taupe. Great for blending out harsh lines when doing grey smokey eyes, I think it will work equally well with blues too. Can’t wait to try it out. I also want to go back and pick up Wintersky from the Chill Collection, its the most gorgeous frosty pink and very me, I’m so silly for putting it back. I do that all the time though!

Aprés-Ski Swatch

In regards to my 2 lip purchases, I am delighted! I have been after a “true”, wearable pink for quite some time, and Angel totally fits the bill. I can’t really do the whole concealer/ neutral lip thing terribly well, mostly because my own lip colour is quite pigmented and bleeds through, making it look…. well… cheap tbh.

Left Angel Lipstick, Right Frozen Dream

Angel sits perfectly on the border of where I can go up to in the pale colour spectrum. Pairing it with the Frozen Dream Lipglass is subtle but gorgeous. Frozen Dream is very sheer, a beautiful pink with a pearlised mauve undertone. Its my new fave lip combination.

Click pics to enlarge

Angel Lipstick

Angel topped with Frozen Dream Lipglass