Beauty Look - How to do Sultry

I love playing with and trying out make up and of course creating different beauty looks. I love seeing just how different my face can look with the help of a few colours and tricks!

The look above is one that I particularly adore - A bit sultry, a bit sex kitten. This is a look where the focus is predominantly on the Kohl eyes but the rest of the makeup has to be soft but sculpted for real impact. I think this is great date night make up.

The products I used 

Foundation - Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation in Champagne 
Bronzer - Little Mix by Collection Bronze It Jesy Bronzer
Contour Blush - Smashbox Blush Silhouette in Rush - Create fabulous cheek bones
Blusher - Cargo Cosmetics Blush in Tonga - A neutral blush
Highlighter - Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc Pink Tourmaline - I love this shimmer bloc as a radiance enhancer.
Lip Gloss - Beautiful Movements Cosmetics Nude Lip Gloss - The perfect peachy pink nude gloss allowing the eyes to shine.
Mascara - Benefit They're Real Mascara
Eyeliner - Maybelline New York Master Kajal Kohl Liner in Pitch Black - For added interest I have drawn two flicks coming out at the corner of my eyes.

BB Creams and Foundations That Were Not For Me

For me my base, whether it be a Tinted Moisturiser, BB Cream, CC Cream or Foundation is the most important part of my makeup look. If my base is right, everything else follows. Of course skincare is key, but some things cannot be helped and I like to enhance the great bits and hide the less so great things...

So what do I look for in a base -

Personally I tend to look for bases that hide pores, smooths lines, masks the redness of rosacea on the cheeks and a product that lasts a good 6+ hours without the need for a retouch. Naturally I want something that is not mask like and looks as natural as possible..

For various reasons which I am going to outline below, the BB Creams and Foundations pictured above were not right for me ...

From L-R

Kiko Sunproof BB Cream SPF 30 in Light £9.90 for 30ml

Kiko say 

Radiant finish foundation-treatment with light coverage and SPF 30.

A perfect combination of make-up and skin protection. A veritable multibenefit treatment that guarantees even colour and protection from the sun. The light coverage colour takes on a natural second skin effect to perfectly match the tones of your complexion. Imperfections are covered and signs of fatigue are minimized.

The light, smoothing formula ensures an even, long lasting finish.

My thoughts 

I love most products from Kiko so I had high hopes for this BB Cream. It has a high SPF which is a huge bonus in the Summer months. Unfortunately the shade (Light) is just too dark for me (it comes in 4 shades, with the lightest being called Very Light). I love the thin tube that dispenses the BB Cream as it is easy to control the amount that comes out. It does provide a lovely glow but for me the coverage is far too light which means all my flaws are visible and not all are able to be hidden with a concealer!

Simple Kind To Skin+ Perfecting BB Beauty Balm Universal Shade SPF15 £8.99 for 50ml

Simple say 

For natural flawless looking skin...

You are craving picture-perfect, flawless skin in a instant. Discover our Perfecting Beauty Balm: it moisturises, evens out skin tone, blurs imperfections & fine lines, and even protects your skin from UVA and UVB (SPF-15), all in one go!

Our unique blend of multi-vitamins, skin-loving ingredients with naturally derived minerals and illuminating particles instantly give you natural flawless looking skin. Perfect even for sensitive skin.
Simple goodness...
3 vitamins Pro-vitamins B3, Vitamin E, Vitamin A Palmitate,4 skin loving ingredients -

Bisabolol, Ginger Root Extract, Sweet Almond Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil, no artificial perfume or colour and no harsh chemicals so it won't upset your skin.

My thoughts 

Unfortunately I could barely give this a review as the Universal shade is just so dark and I am not that pale! It really did make me look far too orange and Oompa Loompa like which is a great shame as I really liked its texture. It is soft and creamy and easy to blend.

SEVENTEEN On The Spot Foundation SPF15 in Natural £6.99 for 30ml

SEVENTEEN say

Flawless full coverage AND clearer skin in 4 weeks!

All day flawless foundation which covers and helps treat for healthier looking skin. Containing our unique Skin Clear Complex with blemish fighting salicylic acid , the foundation gives your clearer skin in 4 weeks.

My thoughts 

First of all I should mention that I love the pump dispenser and packaging of this foundation, especially at the price level that it is at. Natural is also a good match for my skin but unfortunately that is where it ends. I confess that I don't particularly suffer from spots so I am reviewing this from the end of it being a foundation to provide flawless coverage... 

Now I don't know what happened with this foundation but I just could not make it work for me. No matter which moisturiser or primer variation I used, the product would not apply smooth at all, it was really patchy and to this end I could not wear it out. Texture wise as would be expected from a full coverage foundation this was reasonably thick.

Maybelline SuperStay Better Skin Flawless Finish Foundation SPF20 010 Ivory £8.99 for 30ml 

Maybelline say

Energising vitamin formula flawless finish foundation. Evens skin tone instantly. Better looking skin in 3 weeks. All day wear. Non transfer.

My thoughts 

*I was sent this sample for a magazine trial

In the same vein as the SEVENTEEN version but it promises better skin a week faster.. One of the newer generation of makeup/skincare fusion lines.

Ivory was a shade or so too dark for me but for the purposes of the trial I persisted with wearing this foundation.

Once again I should stress that my skin is not really prone to spots so I was looking at it from the angle of the coverage and appearance of my skin. 

I quite liked the coverage of this foundation,( particularly on my pores) and if it had been the right shade I would have probably liked it more.. however the major downside to it is that it clung to and highlighted dry patches I never even knew I had. At the same time that I was trialling this product I was suffering from psoriasis on my face and it really showed it up when other foundations I wore hid it perfectly. For that reason the foundation was not for me.

Have you tried these foundations/BB Creams? Would love to know what you thought of them.

*All products were PR Samples unless otherwise stated.

Maybelline Big Eyes Volum' Express Waterproof Mascara - Review

Hay-fever season started for me back in late February and so I needed a waterproof mascara pronto...I picked up Maybelline's newest mascara - Big Eyes Volum' Express Mascara in the waterproof version to put it to the test. With a waterproof mascara I look for two key things - is it waterproof and how nice does it make my lashes.

Maybelline say 

Amplify lashes all around with our first eye-opening double brush Mascara.
Push-up brush: pushes upper lashes up and wide for a volumised full fan effect.
Sculpting mini-brush: grabs and magnifies the look of even the tiniest of lashes.
For an all-around eye-opening effect.
Up to 2x more visible impact.

For Best Results

Use the upper push up brush on your top lashes, applying from root to tip until a clean, voluminous look is achieved.

Use the sculpting mini-brush on your lower lashes, to magnify the look of even the tiniest of lashes. 

Upper Lash Brush

Lower Lash Brush

My thoughts 

I had high hopes for this mascara, I was intrigued by the double ended nature of it. 2 brushes, one for the upper lashes in a traditional brush style and a tiny, thin lash brush for the lower lashes.

I think you can see from the before and after pics that the mascara does indeed leave my lashes looking good. It provides decent length and reasonable thickness to them. The formula as with most waterproof mascaras is dry. However, I have found that the more I use the mascara the nicer it is making my lashes appear. For example, on first application I wasn't that blown away by how black it made my lashes look but after a few uses the formula appears richer and the colour more intense. It curls the lashes well.

I am not that convinced that it is necessary to have the lower lash brush, I don't think it adds much value to the product as often I find myself forgetting to use it and just using the standard brush, in the photo below I did use it and when I do use I do like it.

Is it waterproof ?- In a nutshell yes, my hay-fever is pretty severe with constantly streaming eyes without my meds and the mascara stayed put. It does suffer from a tiny bit of flaking but this is after many hours of relentless watery eyes and rubbing of my eyes. Hey, I had to really put it it through its paces!

Before and After Pics 

After Pic Wearing Maybelline Big Eyes Volum' Express Waterproof Mascara

Maybelline Big Eyes Volum' Express Waterproof Mascara costs £8.99

February 2014 GlossyBox - The Valentine's Love Edition

The February GlossyBox 2014 has a rather fabulous Valentine's Day inspired kisses design which is great fun and one to keep.

The theme of the box I am not entirely sure about, it may be Love it may be indulgent treats. It wasn't completely clear but there were a few things to enjoy in my box as it happens. I think that these could have been used for a Valentine's Day look but unfortunately mine arrived the day after!

So what was inside my February GlossyBox

The 5 items

Nougat London Sparkling Body Shimmer in Cherry Blossom 100ml (full size 250ml £14)

This body lotion smells amazing, it contains mallow extract, vitamin E and wheatgerm enriched oil and comes with a hint of shimmer. I am looking forward to using this on my decolletage and legs!

Nougat London is a new brand for me to discover so I was pleased to see this in the box.

Maybelline New York Master Kajal Kohl Liner in Pitch Black £5.99

This is a cream stick eye liner and it applies like a dream with a nice and rich, intense black shade. I cannot wait to try this on my eyes. Can be used to line eyes and create bolder looks too.

Ciate London Paint Pot in shade Raspberry Collins £9 for 13.5ml

I am a fan of the Ciate formula but am not overly keen on hot pink shades which Rasberry Collins is so will be passing this on to my sister (lucky her!)

Eldora Eyelashes £3.90

I don't wear false lashes so will be passing these on.

Toni & Guy Hair Meets Wardrobe Stick It Up Gum £7.20 90ml

This hair product from top brand Toni & Guy claims to hold and control for a gravity style with a high shine finish. Glossybox says this product is good for flyaways. I may just give it a go for that as I rarely wear my hair up in a ponytail or require extra volume ;-)

A bonus chocolate treat from Lindt was included, the Lindor Treat Bar was devoured almost immediately upon opening the Glossybox! A gorgeously smooth chocolate with a lovely soft filling. Delicious and worth 79p.

Final thoughts

Value wise this was a brilliant box with 4 out of 5 of my items full size.  On a personal level however in terms of items I would use there are probably 2 that I am looking forward to using, 2 that I will be passing on to others and one I am a little undecided on its suitability for me.

*PR Sample

Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish in Mauve Kiss - Nails Of The Day

Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish is described as their first transparent gel based formula combining bold, crisp color with a runway-inspired wardrobe for your nails.

Mauve Kiss is a brown shade with a purple accent, a perfect warm Winter colour. Depending on how much product is on the brush you can paint your nails with just one coat..bizarrely one of my hands I applied one coat to and the other I needed two to achieve opacity. The brush is good for easy application and it dried quite quickly.

Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish costs £2.99 and is available in 41 shades

Maybelline EyeStudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner - Intense Black

I have been looking for a good black eyeliner that will not budge or transfer to the crease line on my eyes, so far my search has not brought up anything worth talking about, until now.... I mentioned on twitter what I was looking for and got a lot of recommendations for Bobbi Brown's Gel Eyeliner, as I don't often do dramatic eyes using black I saw this gel version from Maybelline and thought I would purchase this first to see how I got on with it.

Maybelline EyeStudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Intense Black

Described on the Maybelline website as their first Catwalk-inspired liner:

Benefits -

• Oil-free formula holds concentrated pigments in a clear gel base.
• Smudge and water resistant.
• Up to 24 hours.
• Our most intense line for lasting drama.
• Safe for sensitive eyes and ophthalmologist-tested.
• Contact lens safe.

My review and thoughts - 

I have always used pencils and more recently tried pen liners. I find pen liners extremely easy to use but was so far disappointed to have not been able to find a black that didn't budge. I was looking forward to trying out a different textured format and my first gel liner, I have to say this one from Maybelline is fantastic and I was incredibly impressed by the results.

The product comes in a screw top pot and included in the price is a brush applicator. The brush is soft, I found it was easy to apply product to the eye line using the brush. Whether you are looking to do a thin line or a more dramatic, thicker winged line, it works perfectly. The gel is well pigmented, a good strong black shade and it literally glides across the eye with no drag at all. Effortless. It dries to a matte black.

To ensure it didn't transfer just because it was still wet, I waited maximum 2 minutes for the gel to dry and then observed it at various intervals on my night out to see if it had budged. I wore it for 8 hours and it did not fade, smudge or budge and most importantly I did not have that tell tale black double line on my crease line which has happened with every single black liner I have ever tried. 

Maybelline EyeStudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner really works and is reasonably priced. A product to add to your makeup kit.

Maybelline EyeStudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner - Intense Black costs £7.99