Thursday, 29 May 2014

No makeup makeup FOTD

Today was one of those days that called for no makeup.  Sort of.  I didn't want to go completely naked, so I did no makeup makeup.  I focused on my skin, defining round my eyes just a little.  It's days like this that I reach for Benefit's latest brow product, Gimme Brow.  It's been out a while now, so I'm sure most of you have read reviews on it.  I think it's a great brow solution, building on the hairs you naturally have, but for most days it's not enough for me.  I love a nice strong brow.  However, a strong brow looks a little daft with no other makeup, so Gimme Brow lets me add just a bit of definition, colouring the super blonde hairs at the end of my brows so that you can actually see them.  The eye close up here is more so that you can see the brows rather than the eye makeup!





Face

Laura Mercier foundation primer
YSL Touche Eclat Foundation BR10
Illamasqua Skin Base Lift concealer in White and Light 1
Urban Decay Ultra Definition Loose Finishing Powder in Light
Illamasqua powder blush in Rumour
Benefit Dandelion blush
MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Lightscapade

Eyes

NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
Urban Decay Theodora palette
Illamasqua pencil in Vow
Lancome Hypnose Star mascara
Benefit Gimme Brow Light/Medium

Lips
Dior Addict lipstick in Diorling

Wednesday, 28 May 2014

Rainbow eyes FOTD

I was really feeling the need for colour, and this look certainly scratched that itch!  It was inspired by a look Sugarpill re-posted on Instagram from kawaiiichigoo.




Eyes
NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Primer
NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk
Sugarpill  eyeshadows in Tako, Buttercupcake, Velocity, Dollipop, and Poison Plum
MAC Gulf Stream eyeshadow
Rimmel Glam Eyes black liquid liner
Lancome Hypnose Star mascara
Active Cosmetics lashes
MUFE Aqua Brow

Lips
Revlon Just Bitten stain in Lovesick
Shiro opaque custom gloss in Moon Prism Power

Saturday, 24 May 2014

Dramatic purple and antique gold FOTD

Apologies for the hair in the close up picture.  I was in a bit of a rush this morning and didn't realise it was there until I reviewed the photos this evening!  

I mixed Urban Decay's 24/7 pencil in Psychedelic Sister and NYX's Jumbo pencil in Milk to get a light purple cream base for my crease.  I need to pick up Benefit's cream shadow in Always a Bridesmaid, as it's the second time I've mixed this combo.







Face

Benefit Porefessional primer
Benefit Big Easy foundation in Light
Illamasqua Skin Base Lift concealer in White and Light 1
Benefit Boi-ing concealer shade 1
Benefit Sugarbomb blush
Benefit High Beam 

Eyes

NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk
Benefit The Sexiest Neutrals palette
MAC eyeshadow in Woodwinked
Urban Decay 24/7 pencils in Psychedelic Sister and Zero
Rimmel Glam eyes black liquid liner
Benefit They're Real mascara
Benefit Brow-zings Light

Lips

Benefit Benetint
Benefit Sugarbomb gloss

Thursday, 22 May 2014

Benetint FOTD

The one thing I feel Benefit are missing from their range is a good red lipstick.  I put on about 5 layers of Benetint to get a decent red colour.  Here it's topped with a Dior gloss, but I when I'm on the counter I use Bella Bamba gloss instead.

At the moment I'm still missing a couple of core essentials from my Benefit collection, such as under eye concealer (Fake Up), finishing powder (Agent Zero Shine), and a liquid liner (Magic Eye).  I'm sure I'll pick these up soon.  Magic Eye in particular is a great liner, although I had a chance to play with the new They're Real gel liner today, so I may just wait for that!


No eye close ups today as it's a pretty basic look.






Face
Benefit Porefessional Primer
Benefit Big Easy Light
Benefit Boi-ing concealer in Light
Illamasqua Skin Base Lift concealer in White and Light 1
Urban Decay Ultra Definition Loose Finishing Powder in Light
Benefit Dandelion blush
Benefit High Beam

Eyes

NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
Urban Decay eyeshadow in Broken (Theodora palette) 
Benefit Big Beautiful Eyes palette - darkest shade
Rimmel Glam Eyes black liquid liner
Benefit They're Real mascara
Illamasqua pencil in Vow
Benefit Brow-zings in Light

Lips

Benefit Benetint
Dior Addict gloss in Iconic Red 

Wednesday, 21 May 2014

Emma Stone inspired tutorial

I saw this pic of Emma Stone and fell in love with the look.  I of course had to pull out my beloved Sleek Vintage Romance palette and give it a go.  My version is slightly more wearable as I didn't bring the purple up so far and I passed on the false lashes.  I also opted for bright pink lips instead.




Products Used
NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
Sleek Vintage Romance palette -
                                                   Meet in Madrid (medium-pale gold)
                                                   Marry in Monte Carlo (medium fuschia)
                                                   Bliss in Barcelona (medium-dark blue toned purple)
                                                   Love in London (medium black)
Boots Natural Collection eyeshadow in Sea Shell (light, matte nude)
Rimmel Glam Eyes black liquid liner
Illamasqua Sophie pencil (black)
Benefit They're Real mascara


1.  After priming the lid, apply Marry in Monte Carlo in the crease with a fluffy blending brush.
2.  Pat Meet in Madrid onto the lid using a flat shader brush.
3.  With a tapered blending brush, apply Bliss in Barcelona on top of the fuchsia shadow, leaving some fuchsia showing at the top.
4.  Apply Sea Shell on the brow bone and blend downwards softening the fuchsia.
5.  Using a clean flat shader brush, apply Marry in Monte Carlo under the eye.  Place Bliss in Barcelona on top of this along the outer half of the lower lash line.
6.  Taking the tapered blending brush, apply Love in London to the outer crease to darken.
7.  With a clean brush, blend until there are no harsh lines.
8.  Line your lid with black liquid liner, and then add black pencil liner to the upper and lower waterlines.
9.  Add mascara and you're done!



Face
YSL Touche Eclat foundation in BR10
Illamasqua Skin Base Lift concealers in White and Light 1
MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural Light
Illamasqua Velvet Blusher in Peaked

NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
Sleek Vintage Romance palette (Meet in MadridMarry in Monte Carlo, Bliss in Barcelona, Love in London)
Boots Natural Collection eyeshadow in Sea Shell 
Rimmel Glam Eyes black liquid liner
Illamasqua Sophie pencil
Benefit They're Real mascara
MUFE Aqua Brow

Lips
MAC lipstick in Show Orchid
Dior Adict gloss 856 (Iconic Red)

Friday, 16 May 2014

Benefit Big Easy Review and FOTD

I've been working for Benefit Cosmetics for about 3 weeks now, so I've had plenty of time to put some of their products to the test.  I'll admit right now that when I worked for Benefit about 4 years ago I hated their foundations, and I haven't given them a second glance since.  Their Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow foundation really doesn't work for me.  The palest shade is too yellow, and the pinkest shade too dark, and my oily skin barely goes two hours before I need to powder.  Step in Big Easy.

Big Easy is Benefit's version of a BB cream.  I'm not sure I'd really class it as one though, as it doesn't really have any skin care benefits, we still recommend a primer, and due to the cream to powder formula if you have oily skin you'll definitely need to moisturise.  That being said, it does have SPF 35, which is great as we're getting into the summer.  Here is where I would normally put in a product picture, but I'm away from home at the moment and forgot to take a picture before I left.  So on with the pictures of the foundation in action (click the pictures to enlarge).

Bare skin/Big Easy

Bare skin/Big Easy

As it's a cream to powder formula I find it's be applied with my fingers.  It blends out really easily, and sets down quickly.  It's a sheer-medium foundation, and whilst it's a powder it doesn't look powdery.  Instead it has a lovely satin-matte finish that leaves skin looking smoother.  It's not going to cover up darker blemishes like the ones I have on my chin.  But I think the best way to look like you have nice skin is to use the lightest coverage you can get away with, and then conceal any bad patches with concealer.  If you're looking for a full coverage you should probably skip this one.

As it's a powder finish most can skip the setting powder.  I like to set my concealer, and then dust a little over my t-zone though.

For me, the real test of a foundation is how well it holds up against my oily skin.  Even with mattifying moisturisers and primers, I still need to powder around the 3-4 hour mark.  Big Easy can make it through 6 or 7 hours before I start feeling shiney.  This is honestly the best foundation for oily skin that I have ever tried!  I pair it with Porefessional, and I don't have to worry about my skin until the last hour or so of my shift.  I never thought I'd give up my Touche Eclat foundation, but I'm away from home this weekend and it's Big Easy I've packed.

I've had the chance to try this on lots of different skin tones and types over the last 3 weeks.  Shade wise, there are only 6 shades, but as the foundation adjusts to match your skin tone more closely (much like Benefit's You Rebel), there will be one to suit most.  You may struggle if you have particularly  dark skin though, as the darkest shade isn't all that dark.  Dryer skin tones will want to make sure that they've moisturised well, as the powder finish can cling to dry patches.  That being said, I've seen people with dryer skin love the finish of it.  It's worth popping down to your local Benefit counter to try out.

Finally, here's a couple of pics of the finished look!






Face
Benefit Big Easy in Light
Benefit Boi-ing concealer in Light
Urban Decay Razor Sharp Ultra Definition Finishing Powder in Light
Illamasqua Skin Base Lift concealers in Light and White 1
Fashionista Butterscotch blush
MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Lightscapade

Eyes
NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk
Shiro Cosmetics eyeshadows in Master Sword, We're Up All Night To Get Loki, and You Know Nothing
MAC Mineralize Eyeshadow in Blue Flame
Sugarpill eyeshadow in Tako
Rimmel Glam Eyes black liquid liner
Urban Decay 24/7 pencils in Junkie and Freak
Lancome Hypnose Star mascara
MUFE Aqua Brow

Lips
Too Faced lipstick in Nude Beach
Chanel lipgloss in Aragonite 

Thursday, 15 May 2014

Celestial EOTD

I'm not sure that I actually like this look, which is why there's only one pic of it.  Here it is anyways!


Products Used
Nars Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk
Sleek Celestial palette
Sugarpill Tako eyeshadow
Illamasqua Pure Pigment in Beguile
Urban Decay 24/7 pencil in Psychedelic Sister
Rimmel Glam Eyes black liquid liner
Benefit They're Real mascara
MUFA Aqua Brow
Active Cosmetics lashes

Saturday, 10 May 2014

Big Beautiful Eyes tutorial

So it seems life doesn't want me to blog at the moment.  As soon as had life quietened down and I get a few days off I got some horrid fluey bug that left me stuck in bed.  I finally feeling well enough yesterday to do the tutorial I'd been meaning to do all week.

On days where I'm working at Benefit I (obviously) have to wear all Benefit makeup.  I have a few bits and pieces now, one of them being the Big Beautiful Eyes kit.  This kit is one of their older pieces as I remember it from when I worked for Benefit years ago.  The shadows are smooth and pigmented, and a joy to work with.  The only thing I miss is not having a black eyeshadow to work with.  In this tutorial I use a black pencil (which Benefit do do) in place of a shadow.




1.  After prepping and priming your eyes as usual, pat the pale pink shade from the palette all over the lid.
2.  Apply the medium brown shade in the crease.
3.  Pat a nude shade under the brow bone and blend down, softening the crease shade.  Benefit's Call My Bluff works well, or you could just use your usual face powder.
4. Apply the dark brown shade from the palette into the crease on top of the light brown and blend.  You shouldn't take this shade up as high as the light brown.
5.  Draw a small v at the outer corner of the eye with a black pencil.
6.  Put some of the black pencil onto a flat shader brush.
7.  Use this to blend out that outer v.
8.  Apply the dark brown shade under the eye.  Use what's left of the black on the shader brush under the outer third of the lower lash line.
9.  Line the lid using black liquid liner.
10.  Add mascara to finish.

I wore this with Benefit's Big Easy Foundation (love this), Sugarbomb blush, and Juicy Details lipstick.


Friday, 2 May 2014

MUA Luxe Velvet Lips review

I have so much catching up to do with the blog!  I'm starting today with a review of 2 of MUA's Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquers.


I picked up two shades, Atomic, a bright coral red, and Kooky, a bright purple.  First off I'll say that the colours are stunning.  They're super bright and the purple is a shade that you don't see all that often.  I also love the packaging they come in.  The weighty frosted glass tubes really make them feel far more expensive than the £3 each that they cost.




As you can see, they're super pigmented.  Both took a second coat for an even colour, but they did apply easily.  They dry down fairly quickly to a matte finish.  Which is where the problems began...


These are my lips two hours after application.  Every last drop of moisture has been sucked out of my lips, and area near to the inside of my lips has started to peel and flake off.  It left me with an area of bare lips that was visible even with my mouth closed.  Not attractive.  I can say without a doubt that these are the most uncomfortable lip products I've ever worn.   The only piece of good news is that the areas of my lips that weren't moistened stayed put with no transfer at all.


After two hours of the driest lips ever, I decided to add some moisture by topping with a gloss.  Bad idea.  Once mixed with a gloss, the lip lacquers became flaky and started to peel, leaving little balls of product, and bare patches all over my lips.  Ick.

I'm so disappointed that these are so unbearably drying, as I do love the colours.  I'm not even sure that I'm going to bother putting these back in my makeup drawer, as I know that I am never going to wear either of them again.  I would have happily compromised the longevity for a more comfortable wear.  Conclusion - don't waste your money on these.  Save your pennies for a more expensive long wearing lipstick.