Anastasia Brow Dipbrow Pomade

Anastasia Beverly Hills makes some of the most amazing brow products I have ever tried. The brow wiz is an exception pencil, the brow powder is beautiful so when I saw that they had released a brow gel I knew I had to try it. This brand is huge in America but still creeping into the UK it has only one UK stockist that I have found, Cult Beauty.

This gel comes in a variety of colours but I opted for the lightest, Blonde, as I have recently had more light pieces put through my hair again in the wishful hope that it will bring Spring/Summer sooner!

You can see from the pictures that the colour is ideal for blondes as its not too warm but not too ash grey and therefore matches fair hair perfectly. It is also a build able colour so for nights out you can go a little deeper in tone by adding a bit more product. I use an angled brow brush to apply it in light feathery strokes almost mimicking each hair on the brow and added a bit more depth at the bottom of the brow to create an almost ombre effect.

This product is incredible. It looks natural but polished, subtle but defined and stays put all day! I have used it alone as well as in conjunction with the powder and pencil and it works great all three ways. I will definitely be buying more colours for my kit as I cannot bear to part with this. It has become an every day must have for me! 

If you are looking to invest in new brow products and are not sure whether to go for pencil or powder this is the perfect combination of the two with the added benefit of holding the hairs in place.

Perfection in a pot

x

Another day, Another Space NK Haul

Breaking News! I stepped into Space NK with no intention of buying and left with new makeup goodies! Well it was bound to happen when I met up with fellow MUA and makeup addict Nikki for a catch up last week. The service in our nearest store in Kingston is always fantastic and we spent a good 2 hours in the store browsing and playing with products before deciding to purchase a few products. 

Worth it for the bag alone ;)

4 new goodies! Chantecaille The Pebble refillable compact, Chantecaille Smitten blusher, Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer and Hourglass Femme nude stylo No.3

The only Chantecaille product I have previously owned is their Just Skin tinted moisturiser which is incredible. The prices are high but so is the quality so when I saw this Pebble compact I fell in love. A refillable compact that fits any of the blushers or eyeshadows in the shape of a pebble with little slopes it actually feels like a smooth beach pebble (except Silver and luxurious and beautiful). I chose to fill it with Smitten powder blush, a stunning true peach tone with a satin finish. The blush colour is like nothing I already own and is perfect for Spring. It also compliments the new Hourglass lip colour I bought perfectly.

I have had my eye on the Hourglass femme nude stylos for a while so when I swatched shade number 3 on my hand I knew it had to be mine. The shades go from 1 to 6, all different tones and shades of nude to suit any skin tone. As a regular fake tanner I found that 3 was the perfect amount of warmth for me but 2 would also be a great option for the winter months. 

Last but by no means least I had completely forgotten about the fact I wanted to try this product until Nikki asked the assistant if she could try it out. I remember lots of makeup artists raving about it because despite its tiny pot and its high price (£38) it is so pigmented that the smallest amount can cover the entire face seamlessly. We both tried number 8 and the results were breathtaking. Firstly the yellow tone of number 8 is ideal for us fake tanners, secondly I was stunned at the beautiful full coverage it gave. I put it onto my chin, nose and forehead and the result was flawless. I will be trying this out for a bit longer before I buy more shades for my kit but after one use I think its going to be a life long friendship.

I used my Space NK indulge card, a points system card, and got £10 off the total because of my previous spending spree so that made me somehow feel less guilty ;) 

x

My foundation collection!

This post was inspired by one of my favourite bloggers Laura from http://www.buynowbloglater.com who wrote a post on her foundation collection and a run through of how she felt about each one. I am going to be doing something similar today with my collection, running through every foundation I personally own (not included my professional kit) I will be telling you what I love about each one and why! I will also be revealing which one is my all time favourite Holy Grail foundation out of this line up at the end of the post!

My skin type is pretty normal, occasionally combination, so what might work amazingly on my skin, might look terrible on a dry skin so please bear in mind that these foundations work great for me but might not for you so always worth picking up a sample of a foundation before buying! I have put my line up in left to right from generally most coverage to least.

The foundation line up! L-R

MAC Studio Fix Fluid, Estee Lauder Double Wear Light, NARS Sheer glow, Make up For Ever HD, Shiseido Perfect Refining foundation, Burberry sheer foundation, Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, NARS pure radiant tinted moisturiser, Chantecaille Just Skin, Laura Mercier illuminating tinted moisturiser

So lets start with the thickest foundation of the lot, MAC Studio Fix Fluid. Many love this, many hate it, but theres no denying that if you want full coverage it does what it says it will. Yes it smells a bit weird and is pretty thick when applied but if applied in the right way it can create a flawless smooth base ideal for people who love to hide all sins. It is oil free and therefore great for combination to oily skins. Some people do experience flash back on camera but personally I haven't had any issues with it. I haven't worn this in a long time as I now much prefer foundations with a glow and this is definitely more matte but when applied with a large stippling brush or a damp sponge it can give a lighter, more natural finish and is definitely a good product to have in case of a bad skin day!

Moving ever so slightly down the coverage scale we come to Estee Lauder Double Wear Light. The original Double Wear formula is incredibly thick and I didn't enjoy wearing it at all so when I first saw this I assumed that the formula would be very similar. However it really is much lighter still giving a medium coverage I would say but feels more comfortable and looks more like skin. This is a great product for when your skin is a little red or a few blemishes have appeared because it gives a smooth flawless look without looking heavy. I would call the finish matte/satin.

NARS Sheer Glow, now this is in my top 3 for sure. Not sheer or particularly glowy its not actually what I expected but I still fell head over heels in love on first application. It gives at least a medium coverage I would say and the finish is more satin than glowing but it leaves the skin looking radiant and flawless. This is my go to foundation for nights out because it photographs beautifully and stays on all night too. It is very build able too so for nights out where I'm wearing a strong smokey eye or dark lip I tend to apply two layers for ultimate flawless finish!

Make Up For Ever HD is a bit of a cult classic in the makeup world. Harder to get hold of in the UK I bought this little beauty at IMATS purely because of the rave reviews I had heard from fellow make up artists. I wanted to try it on myself before putting it into my kit and I have to say it is a fantastic foundation. As the name would suggest it photographs beautifully and on the right skin type it is perfection. On dry skins I find this can drag a little so I would use it on combination onwards however I love it on myself and if I'm looking for a medium coverage with a velvety finish this is ideal.

My next foundation was sent to me by Shiseido after I enquired about their make up collection. A less mainstream brand, this is available in larger department stores and online. I didn't know what to expect but with the name Perfect Refining foundation my expectations were suddenly raised! I was not left disappointed! This gorgeous velvety foundation is light to medium coverage and very buildable with a gorgeously smooth application and comfortable feeling. I would definitely consider adding this to my professional kit because it is that perfect medium between light and full coverage, matt and dewy finish.  A lovely product.

Next up is a pricey addition in the form of Burberry sheer foundation. I bought this in the Summer hence the dark colour so I tend to only use it in the Summer months but thats when I believe it looks best. With a dewy sheer to light finish it looks radiant like just landed from my holiday radiant and evens out skin whilst retaining a natural glow. It's everything I thought it would be. Burberry makeup is natural with subtle definition and a strong focus on skin and this foundation encourages the natural skin to show through. This is best for when your skin is looking in great condition or else you will find yourself using a lot of concealer to cover redness or spots.

Chanel vitalumiere aqua is perfect. Yep I said it its PERFECT. I cannot find a fault with this foundation! It smells nice, it looks classy but feels light in a plastic container. It is water based so needs to be shaken before applied so the texture is kind of runny and sheer but when applied to the face a miracle occurs and the skin looks instantly better! I love the sheer to light coverage for day time however it is still build able so I have often worn this on nights out too. This foundation has got me more skin compliments than any other and I feel like my skin looks natural yet flawless when I'm wearing it with a satin finish. This is what true love feels like ;)

Its hard to find something that even compares to the Chanel, however recently I have found a beautiful tinted moisturiser by NARS which is almost as impressive! This radiant tint gives a pretty impressive coverage for a tinted moisturiser and looks very natural whilst hiding imperfections. It smells gorgeous and applies so smoothly. I love wearing this on jobs because it lasts all day and I feel like my skin looks evened out but not too heavy for early morning shoots! A gorgeous product.

Oh Chantecaille why are you so darn expensive?! £57 for a tinted moisturiser is a little bit mad however I cannot deny that for me it has been worth every penny! Yes I wish it was £30 cheaper but it does everything it promises to so I can't fault it. It gives a decent amount of coverage for a tinted moisturiser and this is a real summer holiday essential for me. I bought this for Summer when I was tanned so the colour is too dark for me unless I've fake tanned but when I do wear it I remember why I love it. Satin finish, smooth texture, luxurious packaging it really is a joy to use.

So yes you probably guessed from my rave review that Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua is my holy grail foundation! Its perfection! 

I have lots more foundations on my makeup wish list including Givenchy and Dior so hopefully will get to try those this year! 

What is your favourite foundation?

x

2013 Favourites!

2013 has been a great year. Not only have I taken the leap and become a freelance makeup artist full time but I have fallen in love with so many beauty products! It has been a great year for product launches and I have a few firm favourites that I will be taking into 2014 with me. Here are my must have products of 2013 and I would love you to share yours with me too!

My favourites selection!

Makeup 

Laura mercier radiance primer - This has been a firm favourite of mine for years and I have two on the go at the moment just in case I lose one! I have been using this a lot this year as I am loving the dewy glowing skin look and this creates the perfect base under foundation to keep it on all day and give the skin a bronzed glow. 

NARS radiant creamy concealer - This concealer was a new purchase this year. After hearing rave reviews I decided to give it a go and have been so impressed with the formula. It is creamy yet light, buildable and long wearing. I use this on all areas of the face including under eyes and it does a fantastic job of concealing whilst retaining a natural skin finish. I will be buying more colours this year for highlighting and contouring.

Illamasqua gel liner - This liner has been a pleasure to use this year. I have always been a MAC backtrack fan but found that the formula tended to dry out quite quickly. This Illamasqua gel liner has a slightly more creamy consistency and therefore glides onto the skin more easily and stays put. The colour is a true black too.

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation - Still my all time favourite foundation because of its light but buildable texture and beautiful finish on the skin. Worth every penny of its £32 in my opinion and I have had so many compliments on my skin this year whilst wearing it so I will definitely be wearing this in 2014 too.

Urban Decay Naked 3 palette - A new favourite as I only received this for Christmas however it has already become a must have in my makeup collection. Neutral tones, shimmer and matte finishes, light to dark, this palette really does contain everything I would need. I adore warm plum tones and with rose gold and plum undertones this is my ideal eyeshadow palette and I can't wait to use it more this year. The colours, pigment and finish on the skin are fantastic.

Hair

Unite 7 second conditioner - Unite hair care is a brand I had been keen to try for a while after hearing that Kim K is a fan. I delved into the collection with the volumizing shampoo and conditioner which I  have really enjoyed using but the stand out product for me has been the 7 second conditioner. As my hair is long, I struggle with knots and this detangled has almost completely eliminated that problem. Simply spray into the hair when damp, leave 7 seconds then brush through with ease. Smells fab too!

Tangle Teezer - Another must have in my routine especially for detangling is the cult favourite Tangle Teezer brush. It makes combing through my long hair after showering so much easier and the handy size and shape make it a handbag essential. I recently got this gorgeous purple sparkly version for Christmas to replace my old pink one so I can't wait to use this more!

Skin

Algenist Multi Perfecting Pore Corrector Gel Moisturiser - I bought this moisturiser in Space NK after the sales assistant raved about it. I told her I had tried many brands within the store but wanted something that gave results I could see and something I might not have seen before. I walked away with about 4 items from the Algenist range and have loved using this moisturiser in particular. Beautiful silky gel texture glides onto the skin and really does improve the look of the skin instantly! My pores definitely look reduced and I love the feel of this product.

Sarah Chapman Skin Tone Perfecting Booster - This product was actually a sample in my Space NK goodie bag but I have fallen in love with it! The booster is aimed at skins with discolouration or pigmentation issues and although my skin is fairly clear it definitely improves the look of my face after use. It feels luxurious and has inspired me to try more from the Sarah Chapman Skinesis range this year with the Overnight facial being top of my wish list.

Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip cleanser - I bought this cleanser after skincare guru Caroline Hirons raved about the range and wanted to see if this cleanser delivered in results. The scent was a little odd and first but I quite like the clay scent as it makes me feel incredibly fresh and clean and every time I use this cleanser my skin feels amazing. I use it in the shower in the morning and its a real joy to use.

What are your 2013 favourites?

x