A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

I’m a lazy girl.. I hate reapplying lipsticks, so I do have a fondness for long-lasting lip colours.

I picked these glosses up in Superdrug a few weeks ago after falling in love with the shades whilst noseying through the Sleek stand.

Purity (on the left) and Christobell (on the right)

Purity is a lovely creamy dusky nude shade on my lips, whilst Christobell is a pale silvery pink with lots of shimmer.

Sleek say:

…Wonderlast Duo Lipgloss will equip you with a long lasting high gloss pout, allowing you to face the battles of the day without the endless need for reapplication. A lustrous, hydrating and long-lasting lip gloss. Available in 8 shades…

The idea behind this gloss is not a new one… Revlon released a version earlier this year (Colorstay Liquid Lipstick – which I’m a fan of), Maybelline does one (Superstay Lip Color) and even GOSH had one called Everlasting Lips (not sure if that’s still available).

Anyway, how do these glosses stand up to their claims?

First up, we have “Purity”:

Purity, with and without the gloss topcoat.

Well, firstly.. the shade is true to the tube and it applied smoothly.  However, I could instantly feel my lips reacting to the drying lipcolour.  Even with the gloss attempting to disguise the furrows… the drying effects are still visible.

I LOVE the clear gloss topcoat though, it’s smooth almost creamy and completely non-sticky – great stuff!

Moving on to “Christobell”…

Sorry… Did someone just post a picture of a cat’s bumhole?

Erm… check that out!  Way to age my lips by about 30 years, thanks Sleek!  The gloss does do quite a good job of disguising this though.  I’ll just have to walk around with a constant smile on my face to stretch out that skin.

One problem though… one BIG problem…

WTF is that? 5 minutes later… I felt my lips becoming “gritty” and this is what greeted me in the mirror.  Attractive no?  Just gonna go see if my husband fancies a snog…

This shade has done this before for me, I’m not sure if it’s an application issue or if I’ve got an odd tube.  I *think* it’s when I apply more than one coat of the colour.  But you HAVE to if you want to achieve anything near the intensity it looks in the tube as this shade is quite sheer.

As for longevity, it’s not bad.. but it’s not the best.  Revlon Liquid Lipstick wins that one for me (although also drying).  I would say that these Wonderlast Duo Lipglosses last an average of 3 hours on me before fading.  They also fade a little unevenly, so you may find yourself scrubbing away at your lips with the back of your hand well before the 3hrs are up.

Removal can be tricky (as with all of these types of product) But I overcome this by using my fingertip with a slick of cleansing oil or some other dual-phase makeup remover.

I’m disappointed that I’m not happier with these lipglosses, at a price of £3.91 each they’re an absolute steal and I’ve already declared my adoration for the 2 shades above.

However cat bum lips simply won’t do and if we lived in the U.S. I’d demand my money back for Sleek being so cheeky as to claim they’re “hydrating”.

I *may* repurchase Purity for the shade and to use the gloss coat ontop of other lipsticks but Christobell is a total no-no for me.

[starreview tpl=14]

Another new release for Autumn/Winter 2009 is Urban Decay’s new Ink For Eyes, a highly pigmented cream liner available in 6 different colours for the party season!

I received 3 of the latest shades to try out and share my thoughts with you.

They Say:

It’s everything you want in a cream eyeliner! More precise than a pencil, more forgiving than a liquid, this super-smooth formula offers more control, play time, and buildable coverage than your average liner.

What’s our secret ingredient? Nylon 12! This high-tech polymer decreases drag for flawless application (no skips or smears), while softening and absorbing excess oil. Color glides easily and stays true all day long. And, the formula is paraben-free!

Let’s have a look at these lovely new offerings then…

Very pretty no?

From left to right: Loaded (Deep Green), Demolition (Rich Brown), Binge (Midnight Blue)

One of the first things that struck me is the brush included with each liner.  It’s really rather decent! See for yourselves:

You can achieve good precision with the brush end and the smudger is as good as anything I own to create a smokier look.

Here’s a swatch of the brown.. check out that pigmentation!

The top line shows 2 swipes of the liner whilst the bottom line is 1 swipe and then smudged out using the smudger tip.

The product applies smoothly with absolutely no drag on the eyelid I’m pleased to report.  There’s nothing worse than a product which is too hard and drags on the delicate skin… my pet hate for any liner!

Here, I’ve lined the top and bottom lashlines fairly heavily (for a night-time look) and I’ve smoked out the lower for a more sultry effect.

This is where the product excels… I LOVE this liner for a smokier/smudgier ‘rock chick’ look.  It also works well as a cream eyeshadow when smudged gently over the upper lid… it blends beautifully.

If you’re a fan of these kind of liners… then I don’t see how these could fail to please!  Beautifully packaged with a decent brush and useful mirror, whilst the product itself is nicely pigmented and very soft, creamy and easy to apply.

My only gripe with the Urban Decay Ink For Eyes is the same gripe I have with a lot of cream liners.  Transfer.

This doesn’t set too well.  I’d recommend a touch of translucent powder or eyeshadow in a similar shade to limit transfer on your mobile lids (especially if you have hooded eyelids like me).  Having said that, once smudged out a bit… I had no problems with further smudging or transfer on the lower lashline.

Colour-wise, I’m really tempted by the eggplant shade (Empire) for some gorgeous smoky Autumnal looks, which shade is your favourite?

Available from the usual Urban Decay stockists and priced at £14 each.

Ok, so um… this appeals to me a bit.  I’m honestly a bit ashamed to admit that.  I mean, I’m disgusted and intrigued by this product all at the same time.

Thoughts whizzing through my head include…

“How freakin’ lazy would you need to be….”
“How stupid would you need to be….”

But then, there’s this little gem weaving it’s way around in there too…

“But… what if it works… you know, even just a little bit?”

Ladies and erm Ladies… I introduce you to…

BURNER BALM!

Yeah, it could be a little more discreet about it couldn’t it.

It makes me think of David Mitchell doing his Sky Sports parody voice… BURNER BALM… IT’S FOR FAT PEOPLE!

I first came across this product on the HQHair website back in late July/early August and sniggered to myself about how craptastic the packaging was and how fantastically gimmicky it sounded.  Fast forward a couple of weeks and I saw a tweet from PurePR linking to this article and wondering if it was “too much fuss?”  I responded saying that I didn’t take the product’s claims seriously enough to get all indignant over it.   I got a reply a few minutes later that simply said:  “In that case I must insist you try a sample!”

Consider that gauntlet well and truly thrown down!

I received my Fat Burner Balm a couple of days later and YES it really is as ugly and as inyourface as it looks in the picture.  Smells alright though.  I licked a bit… it doesn’t really taste of anything.  The variety I received was Pomegranate, but being the cave dweller I am, I don’t know how that is supposed to taste.

Let me categorically state that I am not gonna say whether or not I think this had any effect on my appetite or energy levels because honestly? I don’t know whether it did or not.  And if I think it may have done? It could easily be placebo… and if I think it was a load of old rubbish – my GIMMICK! radar may be interfering with my impartiality.

What I will say is that I found the product moisturising on my dry lips and strangely refreshing in a minty (but non tingly way).  I liked the fact that it contains SPF15 (as all good lipbalms should).  I didn’t like the gritty texture.  I found that I kept licking my lips in an attempt to lick the grittiness away… I wonder if the texture is part of the masterplan to get the ingredients into our systems by lip licking?  Either way it encouraged excellent and rather impressive chameleon impressions.

Do you know what I liked most about this product? It’s a fabulous conversation piece!  Whisking it out at the dinner table and everyone is talking about it for the next 10 minutes!  Everyone wants to know if it works, what it tastes of and how many HobNobs I’ve scoffed that day.  They all want a sniff and a read of the ingredients (I would list them, but I can’t be arsed – look on HQHair if you’re interested).

It’s one of those products that will generally polarise opinion.

Or alternatively, like me… you’ll just remain bemused yet curious about it!

Available from HQHair in 4 flavour varieties and priced at £4.95.

A couple of weeeks ago whilst killing some time waiting to head off to the Maybelline event… Myself, Sian, Sophie, Lydia & Leanne spent a little time browsing Charles Fox in Covent Garden.

I spied upon this little palette and loved it’s metallic sheen  and wearable Autumnal shades.  Upon closer inspection it turned out to be a Kryolan “Shades” Palette in Santiago.

Pretty no?  I love the inclusion of the dark blue over there on the right… great addition.  And the brush that comes with the palette isn’t completely useless either which is more than refreshing!  I can’t remember the exact price but it was around £15.

Here’s yesterday’s FOTD using the above palette.  Apologies for focusing on the wrong eye & then being too lazy to retake.

Products Used:

Eyes:

~ Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
~ Kryolan Santiago Shades Palette (palest gold on lid/khaki gold in crease)
~ MAC Fluidline in Sweet Sage on upper lid
~ MAC Fluidline in Waveline on lower lashline
~ Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara

Face:

~ Maybelline Dream Satin Liquid Foundation (still giving this some love… review to come soon)
~ Silk Naturals Maybe Baby Blush (Mac Blushbaby Clone)
~ MAC Blush in Honour (swept gently over the top of Maybe Baby)

Lips:

~ Urban Decay Lip Primer Potion
~ GOSH Darling Lipstick

Do you own any Kryolan goodies?

A cheapie I picked up from the clearance stand at Sallys (anyone else make a beeline for that little stand?)

Moon Over Mumbai was released as part of the OPI Indian Collection and was one of the first ultra light greys on the market.

It’s a very pale cold grey with a slight shimmer.  I’d call it a pale pearl grey… very lovely!

It’s unfortunately (for me) rather sheer.  The above shows 5 coats and it’s still not fully opaque, although close enough.  Longevity is VERY good though… 5 days and counting with no top coat! (I’m so lazy)

Are you a fan of greys?

Synonymous with the brand (and highly regarded) is Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion, so I was excited to get the chance to test and review some of their latest primers.

Urban Decay Lip Primer Potion is a new release to coincide with their Autumn/Winter collection…

They say:

Prepare your lips for the day ahead. Our invisible primer lays a silky foundation for your favorite lipstick or gloss. Color is truer, applies smoother, lasts longer, and will not fade or feather. The easy-glide formula feels velvety-soft, without the drying feeling often associated with long-lasting lip color.

The formula includes SPF 15 (yay!) and moisturizing Vitamins A, C and E for a primer that protects and perfects. And, our pretty roll-up tube and slanted bullet make for precise, easy application.

It’s a concealer coloured unassuming little product decked out in Urban Decay’s trademark pretty purple packaging.  All very nice, but does it actually do anything?

Let’s put it to the test!

First of all, let me introduce you to my bare lips.  I make no apologies for the total lack of makeup… it’s a Sunday and I couldn’t be bothered.

You’ll notice that I have a very full bottom lip (and not much top lip unfortunately).  This really causes quite a problem for me with lipsticks, especially pale ones.  The inner part of my bottom lip is highly pigmented in comparison to the rest of the lip (see the redder bit?).  Lipsticks simply don’t stick to that part of my lip which isn’t too much of a problem if the shade is dark enough… but if I’m wearing a nude or pale lip, you can spot where the lipstick hasn’t applied properly from a mile away.

I also have dry lips and some deep creases which I put down to a 20-a-day cigarette habit that lasted nearly 15 years.

The only lip primers I’ve ever tried in the past have been those plumping stinging ones, so I was interested to put Urban Decay’s Lip Primer Potion to the ultimate test!

Firstly…

I applied a lip scrub (I keep thinking Dr. Evil when I look at this picture).  I use a minty sugar based scrub from Earthen Glow Minerals.

Then I generously applied the primer all over my lips… Look! The red bit isn’t quite so noticeable! It created a nice even base without giving concealer lips!

Applying Revlon Matte Lipstick in Pink Pout, a lovely shade that I’ve barely worn because of my uneven pigmentation problem.  I found that the primer helped smooth the application of this matte which drags more than most lipsticks.

Finished! Apologies for looking so smug here… not quite sure why that is…

Final thoughts:

I’m very pleased to have discovered this product!  It offers a solution to my uneven pigmentation problem and that is the one thing I really hoped it would solve.  I’m not convinced that my lipstick lasted longer than usual… but it definitely faded evenly instead of leaving a ring around the edge of my lips as per usual.

Unfortunately, I found the actual primer itself quite hard to apply, a little bit draggy.  I also didn’t feel that it was very moisturising on my dry lips which was one of the promises made.  I did try the primer again with a waxy lip balm underneath and that definitely eased the dryness.. but worked against the whole priming effect so obviously not a very good solution!  I shall try a more cream-like lip moisturiser (think Body Shop) and see if that helps at all.

Would I purchase this?  Yes.  I’ve never found anything that evens out my lip pigmentation so EFFECTIVELY without completely drying my lips out or wearing off rapidly (concealer).  For me at least, this is a product that will change how I wear lipstick.  I will have far more confidence in pale lips without reapplying constantly and trying to grind the colour into a uniform application.  That’s a HUGE breakthrough for me!

Now… Urban Decay, listen up… please could you squeeze a little more moisturiser into it for old scabby-lipped ladies like me?

Available from the usual Urban Decay stockists and priced at £10

I received this to try a couple of weeks ago and thought it was high time I shared my thoughts on one of the newest lash primers to hit the UK market: Urban Decay’s Eyelash Primer Potion

They say:

Wave this magic wand before your favorite mascara for lashes that appear thicker, longer and stronger… right before your very eyes. Tiny fibers band together, cling to every lash, and construct towers of Babel… reaching for heavenly lashes. Just apply Eyelash Primer Potion, then apply your favorite mascara as usual. Your lashes will look fake, but the magic is real.

Our protein-rich and paraben-free formula conditions, fortifies, and thickens lashes with Silk Protein, Panthenol, and Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein.

As always from Urban Decay we’re treated to some pretty packaging… call me a sucker, I can’t help it – curb appeal counts!

You can see the little fibres clinging to the brush.  If you’ve experienced sensitivity with fibre mascaras in the past you may want to exercise some caution with this primer.  I had no sensitivity problems.

One set of lashes bare and one coated with the primer… is this what I’m gonna look like in 40 years?

Ta-da!  This is one coat of mascara on each set of lashes.  The Primer’d lashes are the ones on your right (like you need telling).  So, does Urban Decay’s new Eyelash Primer make a difference for me? Um yeah!

The effect is possibly a little clumpy for my personal taste, so next time I would definitely comb them through after applying… it’s also quite a heavy product, so if you curl your lashes, you may find this weighs them down.  I was pleased to note that the eyelashes with the primer on didn’t feel any more brittle or ‘crunchy’ than the other side.

I can’t easily test the claims of lash fortifying and thickening… but they sound like bonus qualities I’d want my lash primer to have.

Priced at £10 and available from the usual Urban Decay stockists.

Right, that’s it. I can’t be arsed to wait for my 100th follower – lagging behind like the LAZY mare she is.

So here’s my 99 followers giveaway extravaganza.

Please note…

 ~ You DON’T need to be a ‘follower’ to enter.  I love lurkers too, and anyway… If you’re gonna follow, It would make me happier to know it’s ‘cos you quite like my blog.

~ You WON’T get any extra entries by posting this on your blog.  You can if you want to, although personally I’d keep it to myself – more chance of winning that way 😉

This little giveaway (and it is little I’m afraid) is just my way of saying thanks for taking the time to read my rambling, incoherent and often self-indulgent nonsense.  This blog would be here with or without you, but it’s much more fun with you!

Onto the goodies!

One lucky winner will receive:

~ Maybelline XXL Curl Power Mascara in Power Black
~ PURE Lip Gloss in Peggy (What would my first giveaway be without a lipgloss eh?)
~ GOSH Nail Polish in Carmine (better pic here, your one is of course new and unopened – I’ve been scouring eBay for one for my giveaway ever since posting the original NOTD)
~ Body Shop  Home Fragrance Oil in Almond (I’m addicted to buying these things)
~ RUSK Hair Toggle thingy (gorgeous for Xmas, I actually bought this for myself.. and then cut my hair short a week later)

Hope it’s not too measley… I did consider giving away my new Helena Rubenstein Mascara set too… but came to my senses just in time.

Giveaway is OPEN internationally, and I will be closing it in 1 weeks time! 00:01 Sunday 27th September (GMT).

To enter, you need to make yourself useful… read on…

I have a £25 Topshop voucher burning a hole in my purse.  Great huh?  Only problem is, I’ve been OVER a size 16 for aslong as I can remember sooooo I dunno what to spend it on?

Leave a link showing what you’d buy IF you were me (no size 6 leopard print bikinis please or I’ll poke you in the eye. with a pencil.)  It can be upto £35, £40 if it’s REALLY nice.

1 entry per person and if you don’t have a blog… please leave your email address too.

It’s a win-win situation! Good luck!

Remember last time? When we went to Somerset? We didn’t quite have enough room (see pic) and we’re going for 5 days this time, so we thought it best to take 2 vehicles:

Lucky old Bournemouth is playing host to our holiday this time round.  It’s only 40minutes away, so slightly galling to have to pack up the entire house only to unpack it again in less time than it takes to do my nails.  Oh well, at least it’s not enough time for a car argument (they’re different to normal ones) about who has control of the CD player.  Actually, who am I even kidding?  Neither adult gets a look-in.  It’s ‘Wheels on the Bus’ all the way.  On repeat.

I have no posts lined up for whilst I’m away.  Not a one! (Stop cheering at the back there!)

I do however, have lots of lovely things in the pipeline for when I get back including a giveaway when I reach 100 followers, a BIG Autumn/Winter Urban Decay Collection review, A FOTD featuring my lovely new Kryolan palette, Some more Nails Inc and Mavala NOTDs, A new Oil Cleanser comparison – will it live up to the DHC?, Gorgeous new gel liners and my favourite under-eye illuminator for less than £5.

Stay tuned, miss you already!

xxxx

I don’t own a normal diary, so please indulge me this post that I wanted to record someplace, somewhere for posterity.

You are 4 months and 1 week old today. 

I can’t believe how quickly the time has flown since I first found out I was expecting you.  9 months (+ 2 weeks, you lazy little bugger) of anticipation, excitement, fear and expectation culminating in one very early morning dose of pain that (at the time) I was sure I wouldn’t be able to survive.

For what?

For 3 weeks of disbelief, an adrenalin rush that will never be rivalled contradicted by falling asleep whilst eating my dinner.  3 weeks spent mapping each eyelash, every skin crinkle and being astonished by how perfectly we’d managed to make you.

For 5 weeks thinking “This isn’t how it’s supposed to be.”… 5 weeks of feeling like we were battling with you every step of the way, amazing ourselves with limitless patience we never knew we were capable of.  You seemed such a sad little girl, lost and homesick… perhaps you were.  We couldn’t comfort you, couldn’t make you happy and on top of that, I lost the ability to feed you and couldn’t get it back.

Then one day, the sun shone.  It shone until it blinded us and made the tears prick our senses.

You are a strong little thing, always trying to achieve feats that your tiny body won’t allow you to do.  You’re always listening, always watching, always learning… looking for the next person to charm with your infectious dimples.  You reach for anything and everything… straight in the mouth as if you’re going to taste your way to adulthood.  You talk to us, cooing and grumbling “ehgoowa” ’till we agree with your point of view.  Sometimes, we catch each other looking at you… soaking up the ‘pig in poo’ feelings that you instill in us.  We look at one another and smugly bask in that shared experience, silently congratulating each other on a job well done.

You don’t laugh too much, despite our best efforts (we’ve come to the conclusion that we’re just not that funny).  Instead, you are a smiling machine.  Your (slightly crooked) grin lights up the room, everything goes a little bit soft around the edges and the only thing we can see is you.  You make little piggy sounds that make us laugh (especially if you do them when you’re trying to be cross with us).  When you grizzle in the car, Daddy repeatedly puts his palm to your open mouth so that your complaints turn into Indian “wah wahs” instead.  We promise to take them more seriously when you get older.  You love to hear me sing (you’re the only one who does) and your favourite smile-inducing ditty is “Black Hills of Dakota“, so you’re already a Doris Day fan (yay!) and  just as uncool as Mummy (double yay!)

You drool like a St. Bernard, and sometimes… just when it’s got so long that gravity is sure to overcome… you suck it back up and make Daddy and me feel a little bit sick.  Then you blow a huge spit bubble just ‘cos you can.  You would walk if you could, you’d walk a marathon… we fear that you may leave home when you are 6 just so that you can have an adventure.  We can’t decide if your hair is red or blonde… we try not to hope too hard for red.  When Mummy holds you, Daddy says that we become the same person.  He says that because our complexions are identical, we merge into one.  I hoped that you might be a little more tan like Daddy… but no, you’ll be sharing my SPF before I can say “factor 50”.

We hope you will have Daddy’s temperament and gentleness, Mummy’s openness and loyalty and get some confidence from someplace else.  Don’t ever stop lighting up rooms.

We love you Leily-Bum, our joyful little girl.  Happy 17 weeks old.

I’m not going to give a blow by blow account of the evening as this will probably be the 27th recap of the event you’ve read on various blogs over the past 24hours, and they’d all be far better than mine.  Instead I will simply say that I had a lovely time, met lots of lovely people, got lots of lovely makeup and learnt a little bit more about one of the world’s biggest cosmetic brands.

What I want to do instead, is share a few pictures from the evening and finish off with a FOTD styled entirely with the Maybelline products I received and some very quick thoughts on each product.

haha! look at that saddo pointing at the L’oreal sign, what a mupp….oh.

One of the motivations for the blogger event was to demonstrate and promote 2 of Maybelline’s latest product releases: Pulse Perfection Mascara (new to me!) and Color Sensational Lipsticks (which I’m already a big fan of).  These deserve posts of their own, so you can expect some kind of review coming up in the next couple of weeks.

I also wanted to mention the friendliness of everyone involved in the organisation of the event.  It was heart-warming to see the Maybelline ladies so interested in our obsessive little world of beauty blogging, they seemed to be both fascinated and bemused by our community and how we all know one-another through the written medium, but meet up in real life and treat each other like long lost buds!  It was clear that they were enthusiastic for the brand and worked hard to explain and demonstrate the products.  Nothing was too much trouble.  So thanks Katie (x2 – one of which I baby bored to death, sorry!) and Charlotte (great name) for such an engaging brand experience.  Also, a big thanks to Natalie at HeadstreamPR for all her hard work, answering stupid questions and being a fab Saints fan (ok, so not relevant… but it SO is, shutup).

So, on to my Maybelline FOTD!

I’m not naked, honest.

She definitely wasn’t born with it *cough*.

Here’s the products used:

Face:
~ Maybelline Dream Satin Liquid Foundation in Light Porcelain (Really love the feel of this on the skin & a nice skintone match – average longevity… finish was beautifully soft and smooth and I can’t stop touching my face – spots for me tomorrow!) 
~ Maybelline Pure Cover Mineral Concealer (Nice match for my skin, works under eye without creasing – doesn’t give amazing blemish coverage though.)
~ Maybelline Expertwear Blush in Rose (Ha! Nearly didn’t bother opening this as I thought it would totally suck and I was really rather surprised.. shade was lovely on, a great matte blush which builds pigmentation nicely on my ultra pale skin for a subtle sweep of colour).

Eyes:
~ Maybelline Eyecolour Express in Vintage Rose (I REALLY like this, so easy for on the go.. it’s something I would normally totally turn my nose up, so I’m very happy to have received this to try.)
~ Maybelline Eyestudio Mono in Black Metal (blends much more easily than I thought it would, great with a swipe of UDPP underneath)
~ Maybelline Line Definer (well pigmented with a lovely firm but non-scratchy applicator.  Unfortunately, my pen is leaking  badly, so I’ve had to bin it.)
~ Maybelline Kohl Express (very soft, beautifully pigmented, average longevity)
~ Maybelline The Colossal Volum’ Express Mascara (hate the packaging; love, love the product!)

Lips:
~ Maybelline Superstay Color in Red Passion (Sian already told me I’d love this, she was RIGHT!) Awesome pigmentation, look at that glossy red! As long lasting as you’d want without fading unevenly.  It is still drying though… benchmarks: Less drying than Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Liquid Lipstick, more drying than GOSH Everlasting Lips.

I shall definitely be adding The Colossal Volum’ Express Mascara to my mascara series for further review and I’ll be testing the foundation more before passing final judgement.  I also have another Superstay Lip Colour in my stash and I really want to try some of the more pinky or nude shades (26 shades in total!).. so stand by for further posts on those too!

OK, so about my FOTD (or perhaps FOTN is more apt.) I chose a slightly more dramatic FOTD (for me, anyway) because I’ve been noticing that Maybelline products are pushing the envelope more than ever in terms of their reputation as just another high street/drugstore brand for cosmephobes* (that word is in the dictionary, go look it up if you don’t believe me). 

You only need to look at some of the recent releases to draw this conclusion, which is why I tried for something that would not be particularly work or school-safe… in essence, a look that you’d usually use your ‘best’ makeup to achieve instead of the high-street brands.  Well, looksee… this high street brand is keeping up admirably!

None of the products gave me application difficulties (unless you count my leaky eyeliner) and all powders blended seamlessly.  The effect is slightly more smoky than the photos suggest and I’m still wondering what the postman thought of me rocking this look as I opened the door early this morning burp cloth in one hand, baby in the other… pair of fluffy slippers completing the ensemble.

I lastly want to give a quick shout out to the lovely ladies who went shopping with me yesterday afternoon… we had a neat time in Charles Fox, MAC, Shu Uemura, Space NK et al… perfect enablers… each and every one of them!  Sian, Sophie, Lydia and Leanne – thank you for being so much fun!

* cosmephobe – ok, I lied,  Did you really try look it up? Go on, tell me! Did you really? I would be so embarrassed if I was you right now…

I didn’t realise that it had been so long since my last FOTD back in the middle of August!

You may be able to tell from today’s look that I’m having a hard time saying goodbye to summer.  I was gonna do an Illamasqua FOTD featuring 2 products from the Dystopia Collection, but with this mini indian summer we’re currently enjoying I’m gonna postpone that for another week or so.  Hopefully by that time I’ll have my Phenomena  Liquid Metal too!

Anyway, back to this Blue and Bronze look…

Products Used:

Face:

Miss Sporty Light Energy Foundation in Shade 01 (This was an emergency purchase whilst on holiday, beware if you put it on even a tiny bit too heavily the texture is revolting and it goes all flaky.  I mix a little in with my moisturiser for this ultra sheer coverage.)
Body Shop Blush Trio in Cool Dusk (I thought I’d like this when I bought it, but I didn’t realise just how perfect a pop of pink this is for my ultra cool, ultra pale skintone.)

Eyes:

UDPP (of course)
NYX Loose Pearl Eyeshadow in Ocean Blue
Boots 17 Solo Eyeshadow in Mardi Gras lightly applied over the top of the NYX to tone it down a little
Barry M Dazzle Dust in #44 Bronze in crease
MAC Fluidline in Waveline on top lid
L’oreal Voluminous Mascara

Lips:

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in 112 Ambre Rose