These marker pen style lippies seem to be the latest craze. Hot on the tail of Max Factor’s Lip Tint Pens (which personally I didn’t rate… so drying they were sore) comes Revlon’s Just Bitten Lip Stains.

Application was simple enough. Just draw in your lip line and fill your lips in. Only issue here is how steady your hand is. I went slightly over in places and it’s not really a product that lends well to mistakes. You draw it in, it’s staying put… for quite some time…

Located on the end of the pen is a finishing balm. Uber moisturising and super shiny. This is where Revlon blow Max Factor’s product out of the water. You NEED the balm to combat the drying effect of the pen. End of

So how does it wear? Pretty well. This is shade “Gothic” at the end of a 6 hour wear. In fairness not a lot of product remains, however what is nice is that it has faded quite evenly, leaving an equally pretty stung look.

I’m a fan and at a fairly priced £7.99 I’ll definitely be picking up a few other colours.

I thought I’d follow on from yesterday’s review with a light foundation that I actually love.

MAC Face & Body Foundation.

Now no one is as shocked about this than I. MAC and I have never really seen eye to eye when it comes to bases. Studio Fix breaks me out, Select didn’t last the day and Studio Sculpt stank. I’d all but given up until I saw numerous raves for Face & Body. I was particularly interested as I knew it could be used successfully on legs (hence the product name…) too.

I ordered blind off their website, N2, and as luck would have it it’s an excellent match for me.

Now this is a light foundation, and I mean light. It’s extremely runny and you won’t want to overload your brush/ or fingers as I’ve had a few drip accidents already and this stains.

When I first applied it I wasn’t convinced that it would offer enough coverage, and let’s be honest here, it doesn’t but what it DOES do is even skin tone beautifully with the tiniest amount of product. So if you hate that heavy foundation feeling and want a “my skin but better look” then this is going to be for you.

Application on bare face. Zero eyebrows, mascara, concealer. Just the foundation. Photos are taken in direct natural sunlight.

Before

Note the areas of uneven tone. Nose, sides of mouth, under eyes.

One light layer of MAC Face & Body later….

After

I hope you’ll agree that for VERY little product there is a substantial improvement in skin tone. Especially considering I haven’t even went in with concealer here.

Up close.

It takes the look off my blemishes without caking and the overall finish is youthful with a subtle glow. It’s my daily go to foundation these days which I find astounding, considering it was previously Estee Lauder Double Wear! I think my skin is relieved that I’ve found something I love right at the other end of the spectrum!

If you fancy it yourself it’ll set you back £22 for a 120ml bottle. Not cheap but I feel you’re getting quantity as well as quality for those pounds.

What do you think? Tried this one yourself yet?

xo

For instance, just yesterday I managed to get Izaak to lift his dirty clothes off his bedroom floor and put them in the laundry basket………

….but what we really want to find is our miracle/ holy grail foundation. Right ladies? The one that makes us look flawless but radiant and stays put all day.

Enter Lancome Teint Miracle.

This is Lancome’s latest offering and if you’re anything like me the ridiculously gorgeous promo shots of Julia Roberts wearing the foundation will have had you practically running to a counter.

I picked mine up in my local chemist and the lady that served me was lovely, albeit a little too chatty. For instance she seemed to think a good selling technique was to tell me how airbrushed the lovely Julia is in the advert. No shit. I ain’t stupid lady but do you REALLY think that will endear customers to purchase.

Anywho… she could have told me it contained snot and I was still for buying. Such is the beauty hype madness.

I was matched to Shade 2. When I say matched, it isn’t a perfect match by a long shot but Shade 1 was like chalk and I know I can make this shade work by pulling it down the neck. In fact when I Zen Tan it may be slightly too light… rambling…

Let’s get to it. Application on bare face. Zero eyebrows, mascara, concealer. Just the foundation.

Before

My problems would be pigmentation. I have a bit of sun damage/ freckles and also darkening around my mouth, under eyes and nose.

After

As you can see it hasn’t done a bad job in evening out my problem areas. However straight away it hits you how yellow toned this foundation is. I’ve went from pale to slightly jaundiced.

As far as application goes I found it a very runny consistency and 2 pumps was not enough to cover my freckles. It required a generous third pump and a second layer on those areas. It did however build well without streaking or balling.

A point to note would be that this smells quite strongly of alcohol and sets super fast, you’ll need to be quick with your blending (edit: although it does blend well!). It also caked on my acne and exaggerated dry patches. Not ideal. However once it’s set it doesn’t budge so this will fare well as a work or holiday foundation.

Yellow much...?

Under close inspection my own skin is still very much visible so overall this foundation adds colour but not a lot of coverage. I get hormonal break outs but by no means have bad skin, so this foundation could potentially suit someone like me for every day wear.

However if you have problem skin and like a heavier coverage I think you would be very unhappy with this foundation. You’d need to use a lot of product to get the cover you want and I think you would still find that all it was doing was drawing attention to your acne. I actually saw Victoria Beckham tweeting about her love for it and I know that she suffers from adult acne, so I can only assume that her make-up artist is topping it up with a hell of a lot of concealer!

In summary, this foundation will suit oily to normal skins with little to no blemishes. I think it would fare particularly well on more mature combination skin due to it’s light coverage and intend to test that suspicion out on my 59 year old Mum next. I think it’s extremely overpriced at £25 and the shade choice is poor for us pale people.

So no miracle for me I’m afraid. Another one bites the dust!

xo

Now THIS is my kinda highlighter! *pushes Stereo Rose MSF to the back of the drawer*

I give you the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Beach.

Apologies for the shitty macro quality. I’m currently using my Dad’s Coolpix while I wait on my new camera being delivered. To say it can’t cope with getting up close and personal is an understatement.

I picked Beach up in my local House of Fraser. On first sight I thought it appeared too reddy and dark in tone and I was convinced it would just look like shimmery mud on my pale skin. Thankfully I took the advice of the MA for once and had it applied. I was pleasantly surprised, very surprised.

Even with a generous swirl of all the colours it simply creates a beautiful peachy glow.

It not only highlights in that lovely powder to cream finish but it also deposits “subtle” colour. Exactly what I want from this kind of product.

I definitely don’t want a tonne of orange/pink product sitting bizarrely where it shouldn’t. Beach is wearable gorgeousness!

OOTD is another comfy number. It’s a bank holiday in Northern Ireland today and that can be either fun or a bit of a nightmare due to the nature of the holiday….

I think we’ll just hang around the house today and catch up on all those little DIY jobs we’ve been meaning to do.

I’m wearing Asda Ski Pants, a grey tunic from Tesco sale that creases like a mutha!! and white Havaianas

xo

Not literally I’m afraid.

The weather in Northern Ireland doesn’t seem to know what to do. One minute it’s sunny and the next torrential rain. Ugh.

I’ve taken matters into my own hands (as usual) and I’m forcing Summer into my life by way of bright lips and sun kissed cheeks.

Helping me achieve this are two recent and very welcome entrants to my make-up bag.

Topshop Bronzer in Radiance 1 & Revlon Lipgloss in Coral Reef.

The bronzer comes in Radiance 1 which I have, it’s quite tan and looks darker in the pan, and also Radiance 2, an altogether more “orange” affair. I discounted it straight off the bat. I had concerns Radiance 1 would be too dark on my NC20 skin but it’s pretty much perfect, and as you can see it does a stellar job of carving out cheekbones.

Glitter wise it’s middle of the road, certainly not loaded with the stuff, but definitely shimmery. However it is finely milled rather than chunks. Over a week of constant wear, checking it in various light and mirrors, I have to say it honestly looks very natural and pretty. Benefit’s Hoola has been banished to the back of the drawer.

Coral Reef Lipgloss is my new go to. I already have very pink pigmented lips, so unless I blank them out with a dab of foundation first lipsticks/ glosses are never going to come out their true tube colour on me. This time I’m not complaining.

This comes out as a really flattering fleshy pink shot through with peachy shimmer on me. Flip me that was a mouthful…

To sum up, it looks hot! My top tip for a pretty summer lipgloss!

xox

So nude nail polish is set to be a massive Summer trend. Great……

Or it would be if nude polish didn’t make the wearer look as though they smoke about 60 cigarettes a day. Either that or that they should be laid up in a morgue with a tag on their toe.

My way of still staying trendy without looking dirty/ dead is to embrace the peach side of nude, rather than the beige side which is currently dominating the main brands.

Is this cheating? It’s still pretty nude in my book.

Models Own Nail Polish – Peach Sherbet £4.99

I really like it, it’s a massive departure from my usual vampy reds/ bright pinks, and without a doubt the lightest polish I own… but I really do like it and I feel more summery already!

This is my first Models Own Polish, purchased in my local branch of River Island (they carry a limited selection). It took 2 coats to reach the above opacity and was touch dry within around 5 minutes. Not as fast as my Rimmel Pro BUT on the plus side once dry it doesn’t wrinkle or dent. Massive thumbs up.

Check it out, you never know, you might like it too

xox

Sometimes I’m so busy talking about new products that I forget the oldie goldies that never leave my make-up bag. One such product is Rimmel’s Vinyl Gloss in Snog.  I’ve owned and frequently re-purchased this since I was at least 20 *sobs at lost youth*

Isn’t it an awful name tho?….  I’m far from prudish but when someone asks me what gloss I’m wearing I literally shrivel at the thought of declaring that it is in fact “snog”.

Once you get past the shit name this really is a winner of a lip gloss, and quite unique in the current drugstore market. I’m all for a bit of glitter in my cosmetics but it’s really really overdone right now. This does have subtle shimmer but it is very finely milled.

On the lip you’ll notice the lovely rose hue and slick finish before any glitter.

It’s also very “snog” friendly in that it’s probably the least sticky lip gloss I’ve ever come across. The husband approves.

Of course the low level of stick means it really doesn’t last that long and re-application is frequent. Personally this hasn’t ever bothered me that much because it tastes so darn good too. Fruity but not sickly. Win

RRP £4.49 (but frequently on 3 for 2 offers or £1 off)

xox

I started using this product over eight months ago now, and I still love it! Check out my updated review on Youtube xox

Finally I’ve found an eye cream that I love.

For the past few years I’ve tried most high brand eye cream samples out there and always come away feeling perfumed, greasy and irritated. It seems to me that if you’re in the market for eye cream you are automatically assumed to be in the over 50 age bracket with wrinkles like a Sharpay!

Thankfully I’ve a few decades to go before I fall into that category.

My major gripes are fine lines, dark circles and waking every morning looking like I slept for about 7 minutes, not 7 hours.

Not anymore. Meet Superdrug’s Brightening Eye Cream £3.91

Contains Organic Rose Hip Oil a hydrating anti-oxidant, Arnica to reduce puffiness and AHAs to reveal a brighter, natural radiance.

I bought this 3 weeks ago, purely because there was 30% off it at the time and the packaging sucked me in (I was in a environmentally friendly, organic phase…..) who the hell doesn’t want a “Natural High”. Plus for the previous 6 months I had settled myself with Simples Eye Cream, unexciting, unoffensive but tbh a bit of a nothing. I applied out of routine, rather than for any miracle results it offered up (as there were none).

From the first moment I applied this I knew it was different to other eye creams, to start with the formulation is very thick for an eye cream, its not oily or balmy like a lot of them are. It feels immediately cooling and within around 3 minutes is fully absorbed into the skin leaving no slimey residue. It also smells of absolutely nothing, nada, zilch which is perfect for me. Perfume & my eyes = irritation central.

When I woke up the first morning after application I thought it was a fluke, for once my eyes weren’t stinging. I didn’t feel the need to immediately cleanse my eyes as I ALWAYS had to before.

In the past week of use I’ve also noticed a marked improvement in the puffiness, I still have dark circles (I don’t believe there is any cure for them other than concealer) but the spongy effect under my eyes has diminished considerably which in turn is making the dark circles look less pronounced. I’m now using it in the mornings as well and because it absorbs quickly I am having no issues applying my under eye concealer directly on top.

My eyes feel so much more refreshed, its truly been the best find not to mention bargain in an age!

Has anyone else tried anything from this range?

xox

Eyebrows!

Most of us have them, they come in all colours, shapes and sizes… but do we all make the most of them?

From a purely scientific stance your eyebrows are there to help divert moisture (sweat….. yeeeuck) away from your delicate eyes. They are also one of our bodies most expressive features. After all we all know that raised eyebrows signal surprise…(a look I sport frequently)

From a beauty point of view though your eyebrows bring shape and definition to your face, a well groomed set of brows can do wonders for opening up the eyes or adding polish & drama.

I myself discovered the above at a very early age. Or should I say a very important time in my life, the teenage years
For a dark haired girl I was never particularly hairy, that was…. everywhere apart from my eyebrows. I gave Liam Gallagher a serious run for his money in the monobrow stakes. So I did what any sensible 14 year old would do….. I took a Bic razor and shaved them. Religiously. For about four years.

Bad idea. Very bad idea. Good in that my monobrow never reappeared, bad in that all the hair I religiously removed from my eyebrows never reappeared…. doh!

Cue over a decade later and I’m the girl with 2/3 of a left eyebrow and multiple bald patches on both. You’d think I’d have learnt my lesson… but even though I’ve swapped the razor for tweezers, I still get a little too pluck happy on a regular basis. I have no choice but to fill in my disaster brows.

Up until a few months ago I used a Rimmel pencil to do this, however as with a lot of brow pencils it had this annoying red undertone that simply looks unatural on me and could look a bit harsh. Not too bad in the Winter/ night time but really not flattering in this weather.

So while browsing in Boots one afternoon I came across this

Urban Decay Brow Box.

Look how pretty it is, I’m a total packaging whore. It was £12 at the time, however I’ve noticed since that its around £14-£15 so perhaps it was on special offer when I picked it up.

This ingenious little box contains a mirror, two shades of brow powder, an angled mini brush, some mini tweezers and a little pop out draw containing wax to set and hold the hairs. The little brush and tweezers are a bit fiddly but perfectly adequate for emergencies. Nothing worse than being out for the night, only to realise when you brushed your hair away from your eyes, you removed half your perfectly drawn on eyebrow with it! Ooops. Pop this in your bag and you have a fab brow first aid kit.

It comes in Beige Betty, Honey Pot, Ginger Snap (nice to see the red heads catered for) or Brown Sugar which I purchased. No red undertone at all (hooray!!) and dependant on the impact I’m going for I can use the two browns to custom mix the colour strength. I tend to coat my brush in the wax first and then pick up the colour as you avoid the fall out trap but there is no hard and fast rule, you can simply use the wax to coat your brows after if that tickles your fancy

It probably seems a bit pricey but I’ve hardly made a dent in the powders or wax and I use this daily. I can see this lasting me a full year no problem.

L-R; MAC 266, Ms Makeup

Brush wise if you had have asked me a month ago I’d have told you the MAC 266 was my one and only. However I purchased a Ms Makeup Angled Eyeliner in Boots and my affections have transferred.

Not only is it slightly thinner and stiffer than the 266 allowing more precise brow work but at about £5 its a complete bargain! Why not use your Boots points and see how fab it is yourself?!

xoxo

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

………… Maybe its Dream Satin Foundation?

The Maybelline website states:

Experience our first air-whipped liquid mousse foundation

- 100% poreless look
- Air-brush finish
- Full yet lightweight coverage
- Ultra-bendable, comfortable texture
- Satin perfect, luminous finish
- Available in 8 shades

Hybrid air-whipped liquid formula has the light airy feel of a mousse with the blendability of a liquid. Formula contains amino-acid treated pigments that help unify the complexion.

I’ve wore the Dream Satin Foundation the past two days and I have to start with what I found to be glaringly untrue from the moment of application. This does not give a 100% poreless look. In fact this made the pores (and mine are not as large as some) to each side of my nose very noticeable. However I did let the first layer sit for a minute and build up a second layer, and yes the pores were much less noticeable, but they were visible, so don’t be fooled.

Its very easy to go overboard with Dream Satin, a little actually goes a very long way, so one pump is more than sufficient for one layer.

I tried a number of different concealers with it but found that it worked best in conjunction with the liquid consistency of MAC Select Cover-up (by the way MAC please make this in large tubes so that I can just adopt this as my complete foundation….) the shades also complimented each other well, Dream Satin in Sand & Cover-up in NW20.

Immediately after first application I wasn’t overly impressed, I wasn’t appalled either but it just looked like I had quite a bit of foundation sitting on my skin. The luminous finish they promote was bordering on oily. Now ordinarily I wouldn’t use loose powder to set my make-up, but in an attempt to reduce shine I used one yesterday over the Dream Satin and the transformation was really quite something. It took it from “noticeably wearing quite a bit of slap” to dare I say it “flawless”.

Amazing what a bit of the ole translucent can do. If you’ve bought the Dream Satin and you’re not convinced definitely give the setting with powder a go

Overall, for £5 it isn’t terrible. The colour range is limited though, as three of them swatched almost the same to me. Too much pinky undertone to the Sand shade also. However it is easy to wear, not overly perfumed and realistically quite a good medium coverage with minimal transfer once set, and it hasn’t broke me out at all. If you’re on a budget its a reasonable enough little offering from Maybelline.

xoxox

The PR peeps at Clynol sent me a sample of the latest addition to their “Play With Me” range to review. I’m not one to turn down a freebie, whether it be a cocktail sausage or a hair product (shameless) so here it is, the “Powder Punch” Texture Powder.

Official press on the product promotes it as:

“A little pot of product delivering guts and hold at the roots to create an incredible volumised effect but without the bore of backcombing”

“Easy to apply, once tipped into the hand it transforms to a paste, allowing you to direct it where you want it and offering the malleability of “day old” hair”

“When you’re finished simply shampoo away, no messing”

So whats true and whats more than a little PR spin?

It comes in a nifty little tin with a sifter on the top, the powder is odourless which I prefer in styling products, especially for something you’re likely to use when heading out on the tiles, I want my perfume to do the talking, not my haircare.

Once tipped into my hand and rubbed with fingers it does take on a different consistency, its far from a “paste” though as it remains completely dry, its hard to describe, but it seems to bind and bulk out.

I’d liken it to the good aul dry shampoo but with extra hidden powers. Those on Twitter will know that earlier today I was at the hairdressers getting a trim. I had it washed, cut, and blow dried. No product applied though whatsoever, so my hair was soft and fluffy which is always when its most resistant to holding a style.

I applied the powder punch to the root area behind my fringe, not a huge amount, rubbed it in there as I would with dry shampoo and was very surprised at the amount of lift this product initially gave. I was a bit worried the white powder would be obvious and visible but you can buff it in with quite minimal effort. I applied a bit more just to see what it could actually do and the result is below.

Ha Ha!! I think you get the idea that there is more than a little hold in this product. I honestly was able to twist it wherever I wanted and it was staying there. However it doesn’t make the hair itself hard like say a gel or hairspray would. The best way I can think to describe it is slightly crispy to the touch, a bit like candyfloss but without the extreme stickiness, more of a tackiness.

I think this would work really well at easily creating quiffs for the boys & the gals (its a unisex product) and small behives etc for brides behind their tiaras, especially as its basically undetectable by eye.

RRP £10.60 For your nearest stockist click here

I know one person already that will <3 this big time, Ms Catto, I mean you!!

xoxox

Around a fortnight ago I received a set that I ordered from Liz Earle .
I’ve been a bit quiet about it as I wanted to give it a fair go, as with everything, before reviewing it. Please accept this review for what it is, my own personal opinion, you may have a very different experience with the range

I ordered one of the Spring Offers, the “Essentials” Set as I felt it represented good value for money.
It arrived promptly, and well packed, little bonus of an additional free trial size product.

Contents Included were:

• Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser 100ml pump + 2 pure muslin cloth
• Instant Boost Skin Tonic 200ml bottle
• Skin Repair Moisturiser
• Gentle Face Exfoliator 70ml pump

For the first week I ignored the freebie exfoliator and used the Cleanse & Polish, Skin Tonic & Moisturiser. The Cleanse & Polish is pure luxury, smells divine, in fact everything smells gorgeous. You simply apply the cream direct to your face, massage it all over (no need to avoid the eyes), then soak the muslin cloth under warm water, wring it out and use it to gently wipe the cream polish away.

Next you soak a cotton pad with the Skin Tonic and sweep it all over your face.

Finally apply a liberal amount of the moisturiser. When purchasing you can pick from dry/sensitive, normal/ combination or Skin Repair Light. I went with the normal as I am classic combination.

Almost immediately my skin developed little red lumps, not spots as such as they had no heads and weren’t painful, more like little raised red bumps all over. They were easily covered by make-up, and after consulting with a friend who uses the range I decided it was probably just a teething issue with a new skincare regime and continued use.

I also googled my issues and it appears this is quite a well known side effect with Liz Earle but it settles within a few days use. I’m pleased to report it was exactly that and within 5 days my skin was clear, not a bump in sight.

Fast forward to today and I’m now considering halting use again. The skin under my eyes has become very tender as has my chin area. This occured several days ago and I immediately blamed the skin tonic as I find it quite astringent. I altered my regime slightly, leaving the delicate undereye area and chin out when using it and I thought it had improved slightly. However more and more I’m convinced the actual combination of products is to be blame rather than just the one.

My main issues are

• The muslin cloths are actually quite scratchy and I really have to be extremely light handed when wiping away the cleanser in order to avoid aggravating my existing dry patches
• The Skin Boost Tonic does not add moisture, it dries out the dry areas of my face even more leaving them raw
• The moisturiser doesn’t quench the dry part of my combo skin enough, after application of quite a generous amount it takes only a few minutes before my skin has fully absorbed, I’m left feeling my skin is still thirsty, so perhaps the dry moisturiser would have been a better buy
• My skin doesn’t look remarkably different in any good way. I don’t notice any added radiance or benefits that I wasn’t already getting from cheaper offerings

It wasn’t cheap and therefore I am going to soldier on and use it up, but I’m going to be substituting the muslim cloth for a soft facial sponge, remove the skin boost altogether in favour of a generous splash of cold water and slather myself in the moisturiser

So ladies I’m still on the search for brilliant combination skincare, if anyone has any suggestions I’d love to hear them. I’m especially interested in eye creams as my skin is suffering the most there in regards to lack of moisture.
Thank you in advance xxxxx

I was asked yesterday to do a review on Chanel’s Bronze Universel. I picked it up just a little over 2 weeks ago and have had a good chance to test it out now.

I think I paid £24, maybe £26 for it in House of Fraser, Belfast. I honestly can’t recall the exact figure, however I do remember immediately thinking thats quite a lot of product for my buck at a Chanel counter, 30g to be exact.

Packaging is nice, I do think the actual container would be classier if it were made of glass, however I can cope with the acrylic pot it comes in, apparently recyclable, so all good

I’ve tried many ways now of applying this, 187, 190, fingers, fan brush & even a sponge. By far my fave technique is the fan brush, it picks up just the right amount of product and I find it easy to control and build on. Second fave would be the trusty finger application, if I’m wanting a more precise application & using it to contour then that wins out.

This morning I took before and after pics for you. In the first pic I have my simple base on of Revlon Colorstay Foundation in Buff and some MAC Select Cover-up. Nothing else. As you can see I have very little “natural” colour to me, in fact I am very yellow in my undertones. And yes, those are hair clamps holding my fringe back, I know, I know, I spoil you all with my sexy poses and accessories…….

And after…….

And with a touch of blush & mascara (no flash)……lookin’ a bit “rabbit caught in headlights”

As you can see quite a difference. I think its very natural though, it took very little product to actually achieve this sun kissed look. I’ve basically used the fan brush to sweep it under my cheekbones, chin, forehead & nose.

In the close-up you can see how it is totally undetectable, it doesn’t cake or accentuate pores. It simply sinks into the skin and leaves a very natural glow, it isn’t glittery or shimmery yet it does give a luminosity which is healthy & bright. I also think “universel” is the perfect word to sum the actual colour up. This suits me (a MAC NC15-20) and yet I know it also suits friends of up to NC35.

It’s going to be a spring/ summer staple for me

Bourjois’ Rouge Hi-Tech, a water based lip tint rings in at £7.10. Bit pricey for a small lip product I thought. However the rep called in at the weekend and knocked 50% off them. That effectively makes it a sale item, and a bargain, and therefore a no brainer…. (ok ok I’m trying to justify it)

I opted for 85 – Groseille irréelle, a vivid hot pink.

Note: Be aware (because I wasn’t) that the bottle colours are not accurate depictions of the product inside. They are simply a coloured plastic. Below you can see the true colour of the tint and the sponge applicator. Bourjois’ site claims “the precise applicator makes it ultra easy to apply”, IMO a brush applicator would be better with this product, the sponge applicator makes the cupids bow area difficult to apply to accurately. I went over slightly and I have a pretty steady hand.

Below: My natural lips, no primer, no product.

Below: My lips with the Bourjois lip tint, I have applied a single coat

It certainly does give that bitten lip look and for people with poor lip pigmentation these lip tints would be very beneficial. I’d quite like to try the bright orange coloured one and the vivid purple, I think both would work well for fashion make-up. There are a few less garish shades, a coral and a taupe but they didn’t instill an excitement in me.

Problems I have with it are that its quite drying on my lips. Almost reminds me of that clear varnish you get to seal lipstick? I would definitely need to pair it with a gloss for general comfort.
Other bigger problem is that this is not a tint, more of a stain. If you choose to wear one of these then you really need to be sure you want to commit to it for the day.
This baby ain’t budging. In the pic below I have used a Simple facial wipe and a cotton pad and cleanser to remove.

As you can see I’m still very much pinky lipped. So I’d keep that in mind, but on the other hand this is a great product and fun to wear. You can also use it as a cheek tint but if you do go down that route you need to be a quick blender, it dries in seconds.

xox

I have a drawer for all the mascara I test and use, it’s not a big drawer and every so often I like to be ruthless and bin the majority to make room for the new bigger and better mascaras that are emerging (too few & far between lately!).

The other more obvious and less frugal reason for binning what looks like perfectly good product is the use by date. This is important for every cosmetic product but it is particularly so for mascara, they are a breeding ground like no other for bacteria, and these bacteria can cause very very nasty infections within the eyes. I don’t need to tell anyone how precious your sight is!
The manufacturers are obliged to give you a guideline in regards to how long the product will last once opened, you’re looking for a pot with a little open lid as pictured below on Rimmel’s Sexy Curves Mascara. The number inside the pot is the number of months the product is good for after opening.

Rimmel’s time period is extremely optimistic IMO, most mascaras tend to read good for 6 months, a few 3. The rule for my own mascara is generally 3-4 months, by which stage if I love it its finished anyway or if its not I don’t like it enough to keep it.

In regards to mascara I have to use on other people, I keep that for 1 month and then dispose of regardless of what amount is left. I always use disposable wands which are cheap to buy but avoid double dipping and product contamination. Even if you’re not a pro make-up artist, but like to practice looks on friends & family you should get yourself some wands and get into the habit. Your bessie mate won’t thank you for conjunctivitis :S

So what did I throw out today then?

• MAC Plush Lash – Messy wand, too much like hard work for me
• Enormous Lash – Completely done, won’t be re-purchasing, vaseline is giving the same effects
• L’Oreal Double Extension Waterproof – horrible formula, dried up within a few weeks
• NARS Mascara Black Orchid – Yawn, boring boring boring and horrid smell
• Bourjois Volume & Glamour – Nasty over-powering paint type smell which made eyes water
• Bourjois Liner Effect – what a crock of sh*t, review here
• No7 Lash 360˚- Colour more dark grey than black, formulation dry, never going to get used up

So what have you binned recenty? Or are you one of these people that has drawers of things they don’t use but are convinced they might need some day? xox

Until I started watching Pixiwoo’s channel on YouTube a few months ago I had never really even considered Chanel Foundation. Her constant use of its many variations piqued my interest and I bought the Pro Lumiére as being someone who likes the full coverage I thought this would be the one for me.

I used it a few times but actually found it quite hard to work with and blend. It felt overly heavy, more so than my favourite mask foundation Estee Lauder Double Wear. To my mind this is an on location foundation, Pro being the operative word, this foundation makes skin look a dream through a lens, it is by no means a “natural” finish.

After about a month I think I had used it 4 times tops and I swapped it out, tbh thought that was the end of my adventures with Chanel.

That was until my good chum @karenquinn treated herself to Chanel Vita lumiére foundation, she wore it out and simply glowed, much like the effect I get from MUFE HD. I vowed to pick it up next time I was flush (that stage is still yet to arrive…). In the meantime while chatting to kelanjo19 over AIM we got to talking about our wish list products and possible swaps. Stored under her bed kelanjo19 had a almost full bottle of the Chanel Mat Lumiére! It was too light for her, me being the pasty girl I am jumped at the swap and it arrived last week.

This I <3

Shade is 30 Cendre Intensity 1.5 and suits my NC15 – 20 skin perfectly.

You don’t need a lot of product to obtain a full coverage face with this, I love the matt finish, very flattering, gives that flawless look I adore. You do need to work quickly with your brush though as once this sets it aint going anywhere until you get out the make-up remover. Another reason I love it, transfer rate is practically nil.

To my mind I wouldn’t particularly want to see a 16yr old sporting Chanel’s foundations. They are full coverage and as such give you a blank canvas, they cover the bad as well as the good. Which at almost 30 I’m not complaining about, but for a youthful skinned teenager I feel would simply be a shame. Why cover that up?

Bad points are that its pricey, not an issue for some, but at £40 I have to really love something. Luckily with this I do, however I’m waiting it out until someone purchases Vita lumiére for me as I can’t justify it right now. I love the look of it but I am also 110% sure that MUFE HD works for me on the luminous front so its a lot more likely that I’ll re-purchase it again if I have some spare readies

My advice in regards to Chanel is make the most of a counter appointment at your local House of Fraser etc. Try them on, ask for samples, be sure. They definitely aren’t for everyone! xox

So I’ve had my Make Up Forever HD Foundation for a month now and in that time I’ve used it about 12 times I would hazard to guess. That’s a lot for me tbh as I tend to mix it up quite a bit as I’m always trialing something!

Kelanjo19 from Youtube was asking what I think of it and I thought maybe others might be considering buying it so I’m doing this little review.

Mine was a Christmas Gift but I know it was bought at Sephora and cost $40, so this is a high end foundation, equivalent UK price to the likes of Chanel Pro Lumiére.

The colour I got was 117 which is perfect for my winter NC15 skin tone. I went by the reviews on Sephora to find my shade and I’m glad I did. Left to my own devices I’d have ordered one of the two lightest shades, they would have been way too light. My advice if buying from the UK is to go a few shades darker than you think you will need!

Colour appears darker here as no flash

Initially I was surprised by the consistency, its not overly runny but certainly not as heavy as something like Estee Lauder Double Wear, and I think in my head because of the claims this foundation was making in regards to HD, I expected it would have to be mask like in its properties. It’s not at all, its much like the consistency of MAC’s Select SPF 15 foundation IMO. Pretty lightweight.

The bottle is a pump action, and I am not sure whether its just a flawed one, but my pump is a bit poo. The action isn’t very smooth and it has its own little mind about how much it will dispence at a time, however I’ve learnt to work with it.

Coverage is marketed as medium – full. I don’t agree with this, it’s more light – medium. Which is normally not enough for me. However this feels really nice on the skin and gives enough coverage that even I (who loves full coverage) feel secure and confident that it is covering well. It really does even out the skin, but most of all what I notice with it is that it gives a lightening/ brightening effect, much like MAC strobe cream (but minus the greasiness). Its the No1 foundation I wear where I receive compliments, I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been wearing it at home/ work and people have said how well I look. This foundation makes you look healthy. It does this while letting your own personal warmth come through, such as when I flush. A thumbs up for working with our good bits!

It gets a thumbs down in regards to transfer, it never fully sets, which is why I think it looks so luminous on the skin, however if you have a job where you are on the phone all day this won’t work for you, you’ll have a mucky telephone and a foundation free cheek.

One other problem is that you need to avoid putting this stuff over your eye lids, with most foundations I sweep it all over the face, including lids and it can make a good base, however because HD doesn’t set fully, I have discovered that even with UDPP the residue of the HD WILL cause your eyeshadow to crease within a VERY short space of time. Leave it away from the eyes and this problem is erradicated.

In summary I really really like it, and I will definitely re-purchase it for everyday wear, but I’m afraid its still full coverage for events and going out partying, I’m pretty sure MUFE HD is up to the job for you spring chickens but I just love the super airbrushed look now I’m near 30

I think I’ve covered most aspects of MUFE HD but if you have any other questions just leave it in the comment box and I’d be delighted to see if I can answer it for you!

xox

Yes, thats right folks, another mascara…. wouldn’t be like me eh?!!

Boots No7 Lash 360˚ RRP £11.26

The driving force behind this purchase was actually panacea81, she was using it on YouTube a while back and I homed in on the unusual looking wand. It is quite pricey but I used the No7 £5 off voucher. I got it just before Christmas, but times must be tough, as they are STILL running the £5 off promo.

Marketing material for this mascara promises “Up to 7 x more volume with No7′s breakthrough new lash 360 mascara”. I bought it in Black, the only other colour available is Brown/ Black.

This is a GOOD mascara, not great but good. There is no doubt in my mind that this macara gives a lengthening effect, as you can see from the pic its really very impressive in that department, however it is marketed as a volumising mascara? I don’t feel it adds volume at all. It does however curl the lashes quite effectively. I don’t use eyelash curlers, simply because my eyelashes are already poor and I want to avoid any damage to what I do have.

Left Eye: Lash 360˚, Right Eye: No Mascara

The brush is really a very good design, get it right into the base and wiggle it through back and forth, coverage would be good IF the actual mascara formula was just slightly wetter. Unfortunately it isn’t. This is a real bug bear with me in regards to mascara. Either they are too dry and coating the lashes is an arduous task, or they are too wet and you get transfer onto the skin if you look up etc.

My other problem is the colour, Black, not Blackest Black, not Carbon Black, just plain ole Black. I’m sorry but for those people that say Black is Black, thats rubbish. I’ve been spoilt with rich kohl pigmented mascaras lately. They give a dense glam black finish. This is simpy a dull black, when swatched on my hand beside L’Oreal Voluminous it looks positively grey.

In summary, this is a well designed mascara wand that doesn’t quite have the formula to compliment it. IMO it certainly doesn’t warrant the price tag, there are much better mascaras out there that curl and lengthen for a fraction of the cost ie: Rimmel London’s Sexy Curves.

Hope this is helpful if you have been considering this mascara xox