Showing posts with label beauty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beauty. Show all posts

Tuesday, 20 October 2015

Recent Beauty Buys



Morphe Brushes 35N 35 Colour Matte Palette - I've had my eyes on this palette for a while after seeing it used on various YouTube tutorials. I am loving matte eyeshadows and this palette gives me so many options for eye makeup looks. There is a large selection of brown and tan shades, which are great for crease and transition colours, some of the shades can even be used for contouring the face. This palette is great value for money, the eyeshadows are well pigmented and easy to blend, there is slight fall out with the eyeshadows but this isn't a massive problem. I look forward to purchasing more products from Morphe Brushes. 


MAC Studio Fix Foundation - This is a foundation I used years ago but forgot about after trying other brands, I bought it again before my holiday in Ibiza, and have repurchased it since, I also purchased a selection of different shades to use on my clients, and I think it is a fantastic product to have in a makeup artist kit because it works well on so many people. Personally I find this product sits on my skin nicely, as long as I moisturise prior to application, If I don't moisturise it can feel quite drying on my skin, I would also suggest using a hydrating primer. If used correctly it does not look or feel heavy and it is longer lasting than any other foundation I have used. I use shade NC35, this shade usually works for most people with a tanned complexion, but make sure to get colour matched before buying. 

MAC Skin Base Visage - I bought this for my makeup artist kit, because I think it is important to use a primer on my clients to ensure their makeup lasts as long as possible. This is a universal primer so it works for all skin types. I've been using it on myself but I can't say I notice a massive difference in comparison to when I wear foundation only, but I haven't tested the difference so its hard to say how well this product works, however I always feel much better when I prep my skin properly and prime before applying foundation. 

MAC Fluidline in 'Blacktrack' - I bought this eyeliner for my makeup artist kit because it was a more practical product than my holy grail eyeliner (MAC Liquidlast Eyeliner). Personally I prefer Liquidlast eyeliner on my self because I find it is blacker, longer lasting and smudge proof. However the Fluidline eyeliner is easier to work with, any mistakes can be fixed with out the product drying too quick and it is really easy to move around in order to create the perfect winged eyeliner. I will repurchase the Fluidline for my kit, however I will also be repurchasing my old faithful Liquidlast for personal use.  


YSL Touche Eclat - This has to be one of the best selling beauty products of all time, it is a cult classic. My mam has used this for years and swears by it, but this is the first time I've had this product for myself. The dark circles under my eyes are something that really bother me - but that doesn't make me go to sleep any earlier, however I have found this product not only helps to conceal the awful shadows but also brightens and highlights the area, making me look more awake and healthy. I feel this product is quite a luxury to have in my makeup kit, I enjoy using it and will definitely be repurchasing. 

YSL Black Opium Perfume - I had been wanting this perfume for ages, it was the packaging that first caught my eye, I love the black and pink glitter theme, then after sampling it at the counter I loved everything about it, and last month I finally got my hands on it. I wear this perfume on an evening if I am going out or for special occasions because it is a strong perfume and maybe too heavy for daily use. Describing a scent is not my forte, so I found this description online, 'The hedonistic black coffee note of the original Black Opium scent is transformed into an ultra-luminous green coffee accord with a heart of Jasmine Tea on a sensual base of sensual Patchouli, white woods and musk.'


Garnier Marceller Water - I've decided I want to boost my skin care regime so I'm starting with ditching the face wipes and using Marceller water instead. I seen many good reviews about this product before I bought it and I have to say I agree with all the great feedback. The water removes all traces of makeup and excess oils and it leaves my skin feeling smooth, toned and glowing. 

Thank you for reading!

Tuesday, 31 March 2015

Recent Hair & Makeup Looks

I recently purchased a new camera for better quality pictures and to film for Youtube. I haven't got round to making a video yet as I am still trying to master the camera itself and the set up and lighting, however I have been taking lots of photos of the makeup looks I have created on myself and my clients. I am so pleased to finally be able to take pictures that really capture the work and effort that goes into eye makeup in particular. 

 If you know me you will know I love a night out and almost every time I go out I will try something new with my makeup, wether its a new take on a smokey eye or a different shade of lipstick - getting ready is probably one of the highlights of my night. Below I have put together some looks from my most recent outings. 

Girly makeup and bouncy hair.

On this occasion I went for quite a soft look using various shades of pink and purple on my eyes and really blending them out, using these colours made my eyes look blue where as they are usually green. For my lips I stuck with the theme and wore a pinky-nude lipstick to match my pink outfit and as always I contoured and highlighted my face for a more defined look. 


To create this big bouncy hair I straightened small sections of my hair and put in sleep-in rollers one-by-one while my hair was hot and left them to set for around 5 hours before removing them. Doing this gives my hair lots of volume and shape and is an alternative for my usual curly-do.

Bronze vibes and curls. 

Okay, so I don't always create a new look, sometimes I decide to go out last minute (this happens a lot) and I go for my trusty go-to bronze smokey eye, I've worn this like 1000 times but on this occasion I joined my eyeliner at the inner corners, kind of Arabic style. On my lips I wore my absolute favourite lip combo, which I have mentioned countless times on this blog... MAC 'Pink Treat' cremestick liner and 'Merh' lipstick. 
For my hair I simply curled small sections with GHD straighteners, I then tied up the top section of my hair with a bobble to create that half up/half down Ariana Grande look. 



Would you like to see these looks featured on my upcoming YouTube tutorials? Let me know what you want to see.
Thank you for reading!
x

Thursday, 19 February 2015

Recent Beauty & Makeup Haul


Recently I have bought some makeup and beauty products which are all very new and exciting to me. I have been trying most of these products out over the past few weeks but some I have just bought today that I want to include in this post whilst they are new and fresh on my mind!  



MAC Prep + Prime Natural Radiance Illuminating Base (Radiant Yellow) 

This purchase was actually a mistake on my behalf, I pointed this moisturiser out to the MAC makeup artist thinking it was the 'Skin Base Visage' primer; both these products are in very similar packaging which I wasn't aware of. However I've been wanting to try some new face products and luckily I'm pleased with how this product works so it wasn't a complete a waste of money as it is getting used daily, I will just have to make sure to pick up a primer on my next visit. I use this as my moisturiser and apply it immediately before foundation, it brightens my skin and gives me a healthy glow. Although I see this product as more of a moisturiser it claims to 'hydrate and prime skin to improve foundation and powder  application' I must say I agree and I have noticed a difference in the outcome of my foundation, it blends easier, doesn't look cakey and is longer lasting. I have only used this with Kevyn Aucoin SSE but I am loving the combination on the two and is certainly competition for my beloved Charlotte Tilbury 'Light Wonder' Foundation. 

Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer 'SX08' 

This is a multi-purpose product which can be used as a full coverage foundation, concealer highlighter or mixed with a moisturiser or facial oil for a tinted moisturiser effect. Buying this online was a risk but I heard so many great reviews I had try it for myself. I had no tester so I had to guess my shade with other bloggers comparisons to MAC foundation shades. It is pricey at £34.00 for only 18 grams and although I knew the product was going to be small I couldn't believe quite how small it was when it arrived. Luckily I am happy with the shade I chose, this shade was compared to a MAC NC 30 which is what I used to wear. 
When I first tested the product I wasn't immediately impressed, the consistency is a lot different to the foundations I usually use as it is a thick gel-like texture and very pigmented. However after playing with the product and trying different techniques of application I have learned to love this as a foundation and I am using it daily. 
Only a small amount of product is needed with each use as a little goes a long way and thats why it comes in a such a small package. As a foundation this works best applied to skin which is freshly moisturised so that the foundation can slip and blend easily.
 To apply I pick up a small amount of product and evenly distribute it on all areas of my face before blending it out either with a Real Techniques Stippling Brush or a damp beauty blender I bought off Ebay (I'm not paying £15.00 for the original beauty blender any time soon, a sponge is a sponge).
I love this foundation because it is so versatile, I can have a full coverage foundation for a night out or I can create a tinted moisturiser for a day time and either way I wear it, it is long lasting and stays in place. As a foundation it doesn't look cakey or feel heavy, my skin looks and feels flawless, fresh and luminous. 



YSL Palette Ombres De Jour (5 Color Ready-To-Wear)

When I clocked this limited edition palette I had to have it before it flew off the shelfs. The sleek and sparkly pink, gold and black packaging is to die for and so me! This is not a product hidden in my makeup storage, instead it is displayed on my dressing table alongside my other favourite luxury products. Inside holds 5 eyeshadows; 3 neutral shades, a shimmering black, a pop of pink and 2 small brushes. I love the ready-to-wear colour combination making this a great palette for on-the-go. This is my first time using YSL eyeshadows and I would say the formula is quite similar to Urban Decay eyeshadows but with less fall out. Personally I don't think MAC can be beaten for eyeshadows as they are so densely pigmented but I am happy with this purchase, I'm sure it will get lots of use and its always exciting to try new products, especially when they're this pretty.  



YSL Rouge Volupte 29 'Rose Opera' (Silky Sensual Radiant Lipstick) 

I included this in my 'Luxury Makeup Wish List' post which you can find here. I have been admiring this beautiful lipstick collection for a long time but its took me all this time to buy because I always find myself getting carried away at the MAC counter buying MAC lipsticks and MAC everything! 
YSL have done it again with this stunning packaging and obviously I can't hide this one away either, its stood right next to my YSL palette on my dressing table. I opted for a pink lipstick for a change because I've been wearing a lot of nude and neutral shades lately. This is the perfect pink lipstick for me; its a medium pink with neutral undertones which I prefer against my skin tone rather than a pink with blue undertones. The formula of this lipstick is very creamy and moisturising so the lipstick just glides right on. It's very pigmented so only a little product needs to be applied for a full coverage glossy finish. 


Tom Ford Lip Color 04 'Indian Rose'

For a long time I have been dying to get my hands on some Tom Ford products but it is some of the most expensive makeup I have came across and I couldn't quite fathom spending £37 on a lipstick alone, but as usual I caved and bought the makeup... The only problem is now I want to buy more and I've got a holiday to pay for! But for now I will settle with this gorgeous lipstick in the shade 'Indian Rose' which is absolutely perfect everyday use. It has been compared to a popular lipstick by MAC 'Pink Treat'. It is a very neutral shade; a rosey-pink, almost like an amplified version of my natural lip colour. The formula feels light on my lips and is creamy and moisturising and the finish is opaque with a sheen. 


Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner 'Junkshow'

Lately I've been loving glitter eye makeup so this eyeliner was a must have. There are 7 colours in this collection and of course I went for the pink with iridescent glitter. These eyeliners are a great and easy way to spice up a smokey eye, and take a look from day to night. The glitter glides on and applies smoothly and stays put for sparkling eyes that last all night. 


Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil 'Perversion'

This eyeliner is blacker than black and stays put all day/night. The pencil glides on so smoothly making it perfect for use on my waterline which is what I specifically bought this liner for. 


MAC Technakohl Eyeliner 'Snowed In'

 I wanted a white/cream eyeliner to use in my waterline to give the illusion or brighter and more awake eyes. Unfortunately I haven't been impressed with this liner, its not very pigmented at all and doesn't show up on my waterline. This is definitely something I regret buying, next time I would like to try an Urban Decay white/cream eyeliner and hopefully it will be as impressive as their black eyeliner. 


In Extreme Dimension 3d Black Lash 

I have finally invested in a new mascara because I am so bored of my Barry M mascara - its only benefit is that it is 100% waterproof and smudge proof. On my last 2 visits to the MAC counter the makeup artists have asked me what mascara I am using, the first time I resisted buying but the second time the girl really sold this product to me. She said that it is completely smudge proof and it will separates all my lashes giving them length, volume and curl. She also said that if this product doesn't work for me I should bring it back for a refund which I think is brilliant but hopefully I won't have to do that.


MAC Eyeshadow 'Tempting'
I haven't bought eyeshadow in a while after spending most of last year buying eyeshadows to fill my MAC palette but after seeing a makeup tutorial with this eyeshadow I had to have it, after all my 'Mythology' eyeshadow is almost empty and I need to replace it with something. This colour is described by MAC as 'sinfully rich coco' - I'm not sure what that means but I would say its a bronzey brown with gold shimmer, a really gorgeous colour which I know I will be using a lot! 


Thank you for reading!

Sunday, 26 October 2014

New Makeup Haul

MAC 'Mehr' Lipstick - I specifically went to the MAC counter for a lipstick because I had mentioned in my previous wish list post that I was looking for a colour similar to what Kylie Jenner had been sporting. When browsing lipsticks and eyeshadows I reach for the colours that catch my eye and because I was looking for a 'dark browny pink' shade I instantly picked 'Mehr' up, which is not a colour I had mentioned in my wish list. I swatched the colour on my hand and I really liked the look of it but before buying I asked one of the makeup artists to show me 'Velvet Teddy' which she then told me is out of stock, I didn't want to walk away with out a lipstick so I decided on Mehr as I thought it was closest to the colour I had been looking for, possibly a little darker but I love it. In my wish list I had also mentioned the colours 'Faux' and 'Twig' but after doing more research I thought 'Faux' was too light and sheer and 'Twig' was lighter than I was looking for too but I would possibly buy that in the future. MAC describes this colour as 'dirty blue pink' which is an interesting way to describe it. I usually don't like to buy MAC lipsticks instead I wait until I have 6 empty containers so that I can earn a free lipstick through the 'Back to MAC' programme but unfortunately this time I was 2 short of a free lipstick! 



MAC 'Pink Treat' Cremestick Liner - After choosing a lipstick I asked the makeup artist to match up a lip liner. She asked me if I was going for the 'Kylie Jenner look' which I'm sure is a frequently asked question at the counter, she then told me that this is in fact the lip liner Kylie uses herself and luckily it was in stock. I'm so pleased with this liner it is so easy to use because it glides on so smoothly and it stays in place and lasts much longer than any other liner I have used.  I have been using MAC 'Dervish' lip pencial for some time now which wears off very easily so I would definitely recommend the MAC Cremestick liners over the regular lip pencils which are the same price. 


In this picture I am using both 'Pink Treat' cremestick liner and 'Mehr' lipstick



MAC 'Girlie' Eyeshadow - I couldn't leave the counter with out picking up an eyeshadow to fill a space in my palette. I was looking for a dusky pink colour mostly to use for a simple everyday look instead of using browns and neutrals. I probably could have picked a better colour but it was a last minute decision however I used it last night as a base colour for a smokey eye and I was pleased with the outcome. This colour is described as 'rosy-pink with subtle shimmer'. 




In this picture I have incorporated 'Girlie' eyeshadow in a smokey eye along with MAC 'Quarry' 'Sketch' 'Mulch' 'Gleam' 'Shroom' eyeshadows, MAC liquid eyeliner, Barry M Lash Vegas Mascara and I used my HD Brow and Eye palette to fill in my eyebrows. 



MAC Liquid Eye Liner -  I always buy MAC liquidlast eye liner and I swear by it but this time I thought I would go for something different, which was a mistake. Although I am getting use to the different applicator which possibly makes for a more precise finish than the liquidlast brush, I find this liner smudges and wears off easier when worn on its own with out eyeshadow. 



I also repurchased 2 of my must have and favourite makeup products which are the MAC Pro Concealer Palette and Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Foundation.

http://www.maccosmetics.co.uk/product/157/23772/Products/Face/Concealer/PRO-Conceal-and-Correct-PaletteMedium/index.tmpl

http://www.charlottetilbury.com/uk/light-wonder-8-medium.html

In this picture I am wearing all of the products listed above.

Monday, 11 August 2014

'Vibrant Pink' Makeup Look

Lately I have been trying some more 'adventurous' makeup looks, focusing on my eye makeup in particular. Instead of the brown/gold/bronze smokey eyes I would usually go for I have been using other colours which really work to compliment my eye colour and make them pop! 
Unfortunately the makeup used went to waste as I decided to get my brushes out at 10 o'clock at night but I got a few pictures and I created an eye makeup look that was perfect for the outfit I was wearing the following weekend. I think the colours I used are gorgeous, they worked so well together and I loved the outcome! 

Eyes
primer/base - MAC 'Painterly' Paintpot 
main/base colour - MAC 'Sushi Flower' Eyeshadow 
transition colour - MAC 'Soft Brown' Eyeshadow 
brow bone highlight - MAC 'Vanilla' Pigment 
outer 'V' -  MAC 'Sketch' Eyeshadow 
inner corner and lower lash line - MAC 'Amber Lights' Eyeshadow 
eye liner and water line - MAC Liquidlast Eyeline in 'Point Black'
eyebrows - HD Eye and Brow Palette 'Medium Brown'
mascara - Barry M 'Lash Vegas' Waterproof Mascara

Face
foundation - Charlotte Tillbury Light Wonder Foundation (Shade 8) 
concealer - MAC Pro Concealer Palette 
highlghter - MAC Prep + Prime Highligher in 'Light Boost' 
powder - MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Powder in 'Medium Plus'
bronzer/contour - MAC Bronzing Powder in 'Matte Bronze' 
blusher - MAC Cremeblend Blush in 'So Sweet, Easy' 
cheekbone highlighter - MAC 'Bare Study' Paintpot

Lips 
Lipstick - MAC 'Candy Yum-Yum' Lipstick


Monday, 9 June 2014

May/June Makeup Favourites

Below are the makeup products I have been loving the most recently, I haven't been buying a whole lot of new makeup lately because holiday shopping and saving is my priority at the moment but I have been experimenting with the products I already own and trying some new looks! 

Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Foundation - I had to mention this in my favourites, up to now I have only used a sample of this product but I absolutely love it, to find out why check out my recent blog post for a full review here.



MAC 'Let Me Pop' Paint Pot - I love MAC paint pots, this is the third one I have bought (sadly the first one I bought in the colour 'Bare Study' was short lived - always remember to put the lid back on after use or the product will dry out). I bought 'Let Me Pop' which is described as a 'frosted light copper' at Christmas time and wasn't so impressed with the product at first because I thought it was wearing off really quickly, recently I tested it out again and applied it in a different way and now I can't get enough of it. I found that unlike MAC 'Painterly' paint pot, 'Let Me Pop' is quite oily and needs a base to stick to, I tried this colour over 'Painterly' and I had not only long lasting results but a more intense pop of colour than I would of if I was to use the product on its own. I have also used 'Let Me Pop' for a light shimmer effect over eyeshadow, to do this I just lightly dabbed the product on to my lids on top of the eyeshadow I have applied. This colour is so glittery and gorgeous and it is perfect for a night out. 




MAC 'Antiqued' Eyeshadow - This colour is described as 'ash brown with bronze'. I have had this in my makeup collection since 2011 and I still have quite a lot of product left. Since I began filling up my MAC eyeshadow palette I neglected my older eyeshadows and was excited to use all the new colours I had bought. Recently I became bored with my everyday statement 'feline flick' and swapped it for a neutral smokey eye using MAC 'Mulch' (which I have mentioned in a previous post) but last week I tried something different again with 'Antiqued'. I first applied my trusty MAC 'Painterly' Paint Pot all over my lids, then I used 'Antiqued' all over my lids, slightly above my crease and lightly under my eyes, to create some dimension I used MAC 'Texture' eyeshadow as a transition colour above my crease and as always those brows need a lift so I used MAC 'Shroom' as my brow bone and inner corner highlight, to finish off I lined my water lines with a black eyeliner and applied lashings of mascara. This look is so easy to create and really brings out my green eyes.

An everyday neutral smokey eye look created with MAC 'Antiqued' 



MAC 'Texture' Eyeshadow - As I mentioned above I use 'Texture' as a transition shade, the colour is described by MAC as a 'peachy brown with shimmer'. Recently I was experimenting and found it is also a perfect contour colour for my skin tone. This colour is really intense and pigmented but when it is used correctly and is thoroughly blended it creates the illusion of a perfectly chiseled jawline and cheek bones. I must mention this product is hard to get hold of, I went to various MAC counters before I finally got my hands on it, I'm not sure if it has been discontinued or is in high demand therefore is usually out of stock. 

This may appear a little dark for a face contour but remember blending is the key! 

Thursday, 8 May 2014

New MAC Eyeshadows

No shopping trip is complete with out a visit to the MAC counter. I'm a MAC addict and in my opinion you can never have too much make up. As much as I want to buy everything in sight when I am there, since Christmas I have been concentrating on filling up my MAC eyeshadow palette, I have finally filled up one side of the palette with neutral colours and I am now beginning on the second side where I am opting for a mixture of colours from purples and pinks to blacks and greys; any colours I think will be popular and look good on different eye colours and basically any colours I just can't resist.
 On this visit to the MAC counter, I bought 'Quarry' which I have been wanting to pick up for a while after hearing MUA Tanya Burr recommend it and put it amongst her 'Top 10 MAC eyeshadows' this filled the last slot in my neutral palette.
I then began to look for brighter and bolder eyeshadows, with me having green/blue eyes a lot of colours work with them and make them 'pop', in particular purple. The eyeshadows 'Stars N Rockets' and 'Plum Dressing' immediately stood out out to me. I haven't yet used these eyeshadows as I have been busy but I can't wait to experiment with them and use them with different colours to create some gorgeous eye looks. 
 Choosing eyeshadows (or anything) at MAC can be quite hard and a little overwhelming as there is so much choice, but the staff are always very helpful and can advise you as to what colours will suit you. 
If you would like to ask me for some advice on MAC eyeshadows or on anything else you would like to know feel free to leave a comment or contact me through facebook, twitter or instagram! 

I will soon post some pictures of me wearing these eyeshadows and I will also be writing a post on my favourite MAC eyeshadows in my palette.  






 'Quarry' (soft muted plum brown)
'Stars N Rockets' (purple with pink pearl) 
'Plum Dressing' (pinky plum with metal)

Saturday, 3 May 2014

Gelish

Originally I aimed to carry out acrylic nail services in my salon after passing my Nail Technology course at college but I then later decided against it when I came to realise how time consuming the treatment is and I also became conscious of the damage the process of applying acrylic does to our natural nails. Although some people still do prefer acrylic nails, I have found a lot of my clients have turned against them and now prefer to enhance their natural nails with gel polish. 
Gel Polish is applied like a regular nail polish with the 3 steps; base coat, colour coat and top coat but the service requires a little more preparation to ensure beautiful nails that should last 2 weeks. 


The benefits of gel polish are that you don't have to wait for it to dry, it just simply needs to be cured under a UV or LED LAMP and after that you are ready to go with no worries of smudging, chipping or denting the polish. As with any treatment after care is important so if you want to maintain the perfect manicure I would advise you to steer clear from strong chemicals (like acetone or bleach) which may cause the polish to peel, or if you must do so, wear gloves to avoid direct contact with your nails. 
When your nails have grown you will be able to visibly see the growth and it may be tempting to start picking away but you should not remove gel polish by peeling it off, this will damage your nails and make them brittle and weak.

Gelish after 3 weeks! 

Removal of gel polish is also easy, this can be done at a salon or at home. To remove, finger nails need to be soaked in acetone for around 10 minutes, after that you will be able to see that the polish has lifted from the natural nail and you should then push off the polish with a cuticle tool. To finish, a buffing file should be used to smooth the surface of the nails and remove any remaining traces of the polish. 

I started collecting gel polish for my salon just before Christmas, there are many different brands of gel polish but after doing my research and test driving products from various brands, I decided to stock Gelish by Harmony Nails. What I found with Gelish is that it can last longer than other gel polishes, with some of my clients it has lasted 3 weeks! But the main reason I picked Gelish is because of the huge colour range. 
So far I have 19 colours (I have a sheer colour painted on another colour wheel) which have all been really popular with my clients. Gelish often bring out new colour collections but instead of buying a full collection I prefer to choose the colours I like and I think my clients will like and also colours they have requested. Some of the most popular colours in my collection are the glitters, which looks lavish all year round. When choosing colours I go for what is in demand at the time, for example at Christmas I ordered shades of red, where as now it is coming to the summer I have started buying bright and vibrant shades which are highly sought-after. When it comes down to buying, Gelish is quite expensive so I try to order about 4 colours at a time. I order online so I go through the many colours and narrow it down to my favourites. I think the next colours I buy will be a silver glitter, turquoise glitter, yellow, coral and a red/pink. 
If you are one of my clients what colours would you like to see in my collection or if you use Gelish yourself what colour would you recommend?


'Carnival Hangover' and 'All That Glitters Is Gold' with Swarovski crystals


'My One Blue Love' and 'All That Glitters Is Gold' with Swarovski crystals