A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

…gloop, gloop, gloop.

After a while (not even that long in all honesty), the quick-drying saviour that is Seche Vite starts to lose it’s magic.  The formula thickens, goes stringy, straggly and gloopy.  Quite literally, it becomes unusable and you end up turning the air blue after it ruins the manicure you’ve just spent the last 40 minutes applying.

There is a solution, although it comes at the cost of having to buy another product.

Enter Seche Restore…

Seche Restore is a thinner designed to breathe life back into not only your bottle of Seche Vite, but other polishes that thicken over time.

Taking the dropper, pull some of the thinner into the chamber and simply drip about 6 drops into your bottle of Seche Vite.  How many drops of thinner you need to add will depend entirely on how gloopy your Seche Vite has gotten.  I needed to add quite a few… (more like 14/15 overall).

The thinner liquid will kinda sit on top of the Seche Vite, so you need to take the bottle and gently roll it between your fingers, encouraging the thinner to mix with evenly through the top coat.

And you’re done!  Check consistency until it’s as you remembered it.  If it still seems gloopy… add a bit more!

Now… the *other* trouble with Seche Vite…

Why is the brush so darn stumpy and what am I supposed to do when the level goes below it huh? huh?

I bought my bottle of Seche Restore on eBay and paid around £8 for it inc. postage.  I’d rather not have to… but the bottle will last me a hell of a long time and I’m sure I’ll put it to other good polish-restoring uses aswell… now where did I put those gloopy Ciates?

Some of you eagle eyed ladies spotted my nails in yesterday’s Shu Uemura kit review and asked what I was wearing, well shush!  You’re ruining my next NOTD!

Haha, not really, but here it is:

Eyeko Vintage (£3.50) is a pale green… to my eye it’s not quite pastel (especially after 3 coats as shown).

I had to laugh as I was checking out the Rouge Cocos today, the SA on counter asked if it was one of theirs (we all know what she was referring to right?).  In all honesty, I haven’t got a clue if it looks anything like the Chanel Jade… it’s just a nice green that makes a statement without being too “in your face”.

Again, it was streaky… The Eyeko Lilac is still the best formula polish of the ones I’ve been sent, and like the others… drying time = slow.  Speed dry topcoat = necessity.

I’ve got one more Eyeko to show you, it’s a punky purple which will be a bit of a change after all these more spring-like shades.

Hope you’ve been enjoying my Eyeko mini-series!

Of all the samples I was sent from Liz Earle… this is the one (and only) product that I would happily repurchase without any hesitations.

It’s also the one I thought I would like the least.  The one I thought I’d like the most… didn’t do it for me (review coming soon!) and although I love, love the Superskin Moisturiser… that £32.50 price tag puts me off.

Liz Earle Instant Skin Boost Tonic is a toner, something I never use.  It seems like one of those superfluous steps to a routine that I barely have time to squeeze in to my day anyway.  Not only that, but it also contains Aloe Vera… an ingredient I always avoid because I hate that slightly tacky feeling I find Aloe extracts leaves on my skin.

Now… when I think of ‘toner’, I think of ‘cleansing lotions’… which I hate.  I’m a washer (we’ve had this discussion before), I dislike faffing about with bits of cotton wool when all I want to do is go dribble on my pillow for 8 4 hours.  The thing is though, this feels like a treat, an indulgence if you will.  I like indulgences.

I find the Instant Boost Skin Tonic entirely refreshing and after using my cleansing oil, it ensures that every last scrap of oily residue is removed.  The slight tackiness lasts no longer than a minute or two before fading and although I can’t pinpoint any specific skin benefits, I am noticing slightly odd things like my moisturiser absorbing more effectively.

I’ve decanted some of my bottle into a spritzer and I’m also using it to set my makeup or to simply refresh my skin mid-afternoon.  It has a beautiful floral scent that practically screams “countryside!” (minus the cow pats) and which I find quite calming in an admittedly pappy arometherapeutic (is that a word?) kinda way.  It doesn’t leave any unpleasant tingly sensations behind, the slightly-thicker-than-water texture just soothes and cools.  I’m excited to use this in the Summer, I think it’s gonna be amazing after an afternoon in the sun (if we have any).

I should point out that I am actually a die-hard fan of The Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist for all the same makeup setting/face spritzing reasons above, but I’ve never liked it much as an after-cleansing experience because unlike the Liz Earle, my Body Shop face mist dries me out if I apply with cotton wool.  I think it’s the alcohol, which the Liz Earle Instant Skin Boost Tonic doesn’t contain.

Ml for ml, the Liz Earle works out cheaper than The Body Shop’s Vitamin E Face Mist too.  Bet you didn’t see that one coming did you?  I didn’t!  200mls of The Body Shop’s alcohol and paraben-filled (5 of the 14 listed ingredients are parabens) face mist will set you back £14.  The equivalent volume of alcohol/paraben free Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic?  £11.50.  Awesomesauce.

I don’t actually like to be proven wrong.  I didn’t think I’d like this, I’ve extolled the virtues of The Body Shop Face Mist to you all for a long time.  But from now on… my money’s going to Liz Earle.

This is SO overdue and I completed it aaaages ago, but just haven’t gotten around to writing up my experiences of my week long Beauty Blender trial.

Beauty Blender trial? I hear you ask…

Well, I set myself the silly little task of using nothing but a Beauty Blender to apply my foundation.  I wasn’t allowed to touch my foundation brushes for a full week.  I wanted to see if the Beauty Blender was anything more than just a passing novelty.

I’ll show you a ‘step by step’ from my first day and how I use the Beauty Blender and I’ll leave you with some observations I made from this daft little exercise.

The cast of characters…. The Beauty Blender and Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation

Dispense the usual amount of product onto the back of your hand and wet your Beauty Blender until it swells in size.  Once thoroughly soaked, gently squeeze excess liquid from the sponge until it feels damp, but not wet.

Taking the round end of the blender, “bounce” the sponge into your foundation… coating it in product.

It doesn’t matter if it’s not *that* evenly coated…

Taking the blender, “bounce” the sponge on your face… a constant patting/bouncing type action all over… don’t swipe or circle… just bounce!  To get the foundation into nooks and crannys like the inner corner of your eye socket, use the pointed end of the sponge.

I found the whole process quite slow-going at first…. it took me about 4 days to get my speed up.  The first couple of goes I was a bit “what’s the point… this is taking me double the time a #187 would take”.  But as I persevered, I really started to hone my technique.

The obligatory before/after foundation shot!  (Bourjois Healthy Mix is a great looking foundation btw – although the lightest shade is a touch too dark for me).

Here’s a horrible close up… but it always helps to be able to see the finish properly right?  Click the image to SUPERSIZE MAH FACE!

Please note, this was before powder… shine city!

So there we go, that’s how I use my Beauty Blender… it still takes me a bit longer than a stippling brush so I don’t reach for it if I’m in a hurry.

I do love the finish it gives me… but I think I use a bit more product in the application thanks to the sponge (despite being damp) soaking up a fair amount of foundation.

I need to tell you something though…

I bought Makeup Forever HD foundation at IMATS… and I haven’t liked it at all.  I simply could not see what the fuss was about.  Overrated.

Until I used it in conjunction with the Beauty Blender.  Oh Em Gee.  It’s turned blog sale fodder into a wonderful foundation for me.  I’ve also done a complete 360 on my Clinique Superfit since applying it with the Beauty Blender.

Don’t ask me what the Beauty Blender does that my normal application methods obviously don’t.  I couldn’t tell you.

I also prefer the Beauty Blender over a standard cosmetic sponge, the Beauty Blender is softer, bouncier and just feels far more luxe on my skin.  Don’t bother with those expensive special Beauty Blender cleansers though… I use a bit of Leila’s shampoo and it works great!  Oh and be careful of putting nicks in the sponge when squeezing… it’s delicate!

Back to my original question… could I really throw away all my brushes in favour of the BB?

No… I like having the choice, I like the speed a stippling brush gives me.  But I’ll be forever grateful to the Beauty Blender for making me fall in love with some foundations that I thought I’d wasted nearly £50 on.  It’s already paid for itself twice over.

In the UK, you can purchase the Beauty Blender from Just Beauty Direct, priced at £14.50 each.  I was lucky enough to nab mine from a blog sale woo!

If you wanted an introduction to some of Shu Uemura’s most iconic products… look no further than the limited edition Iconic Discovery Set which comprises 3 of Shu’s most well-known offerings.

The neat little box contains:

~ Shu Uemura Eye Lash Curler (multi-award winning.. yano the ones)
~ Shu Uemura UV Under Base Mousse SPF30 (full size, new formula)
~ Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil (50ml complimentary/travel size)

After being sent the set for review consideration, I was extremely keen to find out if the infamous cleansing oil would live up to the hype that surrounds it.  Infact, so keen was I… I went and took all my makeup off with it in the middle of the day.  In the same way a 4yr old with no patience might.

It’s a light-feeling oil that spreads easily over skin with no dragging as you massage it into the delicate eye area.  The scent is extremely mild and totally pleasant… not at all oily-smelling like the DHC oil.

It emulsifies nicely with warm water and rinses away leaving my skin completely free from makeup.  Mascara melts happily between my fingers as I gently work the oil across my lashline.  If you are going to use a cleansing oil to melt away mascara, then you need to GENTLY encourage the oil onto those lashes.  I have used cleansing oils in the past that have left my eyes stinging or at the very least – cloudy.  This is a total “no no” for me and thankfully the Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil left my eyes fully unaffected.

I was hoping that the Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil would be the one that put an end to the ‘after cleansing tightness’ that is a significant cleansing oil annoyance for me.  It didn’t.  My skin was left a little tight as with most oils I’ve used… nothing that wasn’t remedied by a slick of moisturiser, but it means that (for me) Shu Uemura Cleansing Oils have been lifted down from their pedestal status.

A great cleansing oil, but I’ve used ones that are just as good for 2/3 of the price.

Ahhh, those “eyeconic” lash curlers!

I’m blessed with naturally curly lashes, so curlers aren’t something I generally incorporate into my daily routine.

At least, they weren’t until I tried these.

I’d previously owned one pair of curlers, a set of ELF ones that I bought last year and struggled to make fit my eye socket… contorting my face and gurning as I angled my head this way and that trying to get all my lashes to squish into the business end.

I gave up.

When I pulled these out, I was surprised by how light they felt.  There’s a real delicate ‘springiness’ to them.  I have to say, they fit my lashline perfectly… from those little lashes right in the inner corner around to the longer outer ones.  I can also get right down into the base of my lashes with these Shu Uemura curlers.  I can completely see why they’ve achieved the cult status that they enjoy.

My lashes get enough natural lift at the base, but a little squeeze towards the tips with these curlers makes quite a difference to achieving a more doe-eyed flutter!  I’m impressed.

Shu Uemura UV Under Base Mousse SPF30 PA+++

Beige it says on the can…. Beige.

Beige is never good for me.  As a pale chick, you get to know these words… “honey, beige, sand, caramel, fawn…” and seeing them written on the back of any kind of base product is enough to set the corners of your mouth into a downward direction.

“Beige” (in this case) is actually more “Vanilla” to be frank.  You can see in my swatches that it’s really quite pale.

You give the can a shake (it has a noisy little metal ball bearing inside which makes this far more enjoyable than it sounds!) and squirt a walnut-sized amount onto your fingers.  Spread between your digits and then straight over your face before the mousse evaporates.

Love. It.

There’s a definite ashiness visible at first thanks to the SPF which is a touch off-putting to say the least…  but after about 40 seconds the base turns completely invisible on my skin.  I would insert a caveat here that if you’re darker-skinned it may not be quite so invisible… because lets face it, if it looks ashy on ME… anyone darker will really notice that greyness and it may not fade so well.

Once the base has had about a minute to “fit” to my skin, I’m SO loving the effect.  Again, as with all primers I’ve used… I’m not seeing any pore filling or wrinkle reducing stuff.  But what I’m seeing on my skin-tone is a reduction in redness, a far matte-er appearance, a softer feeling complexion and thanks to the hint of colour, a more even overall tone.  Throw into that mix a decent SPF30 sun protection and I would be more than happy to pop down the shops sans foundation.

Another reason that I’m loving this product so much is… it’s easy.  You don’t need brushes… it’s fun to use.  Squirt and spread, squirt and spread.  It dries to a powder matte finish in less than a minute.  It’s a true no-fuss base.

My one reservation with this product is that I think it would be too drying for me to use in the Winter.  For the Summer, I will be squirting with reckless abandon… thrilled to have found something that leaves a long-lasting matte effect down the bridge of my nose!  However, I have a couple of dry patches at the moment above my eyebrows and I don’t think that this base is doing them any favours.  It’s something to consider if you’re a dry-skinned lady.  If you’re more oily… I think this could be a fantastic product for you.

So, 2 out of 3 ain’t bad (as they say).

You can purchase the Shu Uemura Limited Edition Iconic Discovery Set from Beauty Expert.  It’s priced at £41, which is a saving of £12.50 were you to buy the curlers and UV under base separately.

Are you a fan of the Shu?

Cult US eccentric brand Lime Crime are currently enjoying a boost in credbility thanks to UK based apothecary Space NK.  In an unlikely but ultimately interesting pairing, Space NK will be bringing the full range of Lime Crime CandyFuture lipsticks to the store’s shelves later this month.

The collection of 10 lipsticks which range in colour from an opaque black right through to palest lavender will hit UK shores with a price tag of £14 each compared to US equivalent pricing of $16.  The price hike is pretty much expected, and perhaps slightly less than anticipated when you consider Space NK’s ill-fated launch of excessively priced Sonia Kashuk brushes last year.

The reputation of Lime Crime… with self-proclaimed “Unicorn Queen” owner/operator Doe Deere at the helm, has recently endured the internet equivalent of a “beat-down”.

The company may initially struggle to gain trust and loyalty from cosmetic connosieurs in the UK with the recent allegations raised against the brand, but I don’t doubt for one moment that the playful, fantastical nature of the brand will appeal to many high-street shoppers.

The launch has the potential to bring a fresh, younger audience to Space NK… which may ultimately validate this unusual synergy between conservatively styled Space NK and the whimsical Lime Crime.

As an interested observer (but ultimate fence-sitter) with regards to the recent Lime Crime dramas, this has the potential to be one hell of a launch.  I just hope that Space NK have ordered in enough glitter and life-size unicorns.

I’m smitten.  My heart is won.

Move over, make room… I’ve finally discovered Fyrinnae Lip Lustres.

I only own 4… I’ve already remedied that little problem and have another 10 winging their way to me as I type.

Wanna see what I’m going so crazy for this week?

4 mini tubes, each one sample sized and priced at a ridiculously cheap $2.50.

A standard little doe foot wand with an unassuming looking substance…

…produces the most beautiful hybrid between a lip stain, lipstick and gloss that I’ve ever encountered.  The colour is pigmented and glossy yet it feels like I’m wearing nothing more irritating than a slick of water on my lips.

As the day progresses and the initial burst of colour fades, I’m left with a beautiful stain that remains even and true despite drinking and snacking.  Not only that, but I’m not finding these at all drying and I was almost positive that I would need to combine them with lip balm.

I just wasn’t expecting to be bowled over by these little lip lustres quite as much as I have been.

Here’s some swatches of the shades I own, I prefer to do full face shots simply because when searching for lipstick swatches I feel that I personally get a truer impression of the colour if it’s put into context of skintone etc rather than just a pair of lips on the screen!

~ Visual-Kei is my perfect pink….

~ Romantique is a stunning golden peach nude…

~ Lollipop-Pop is a punkier pink with blue flashes….

~ Type A is an almost metallic garnet that cries out for some heavy lashes and winged eyeliner.

.

They’re perfect.  Oh and they smell ah-mazing too.

Ok, I need to think of something I don’t like about them… this is so gushy, I’m gonna make myself vom.

*thinking*

Oh yeah, the lead time on the Fyrinnae website isn’t great for impatient types like me.  It took 3 weeks before I had them in my hot little hands and now I’ve got to cool my heels for the same time again to get my new order…

anything else, anything else?  Um… no, I really can’t think of anything I don’t like.

I feel like I need validation after such a sickening gush, if you have them… tell me I’m not a mental and that they really are this great?

Continuing my swatch series of Eyeko’s new nail polish offerings… this is Eyeko’s Nude Polish:

To my eye, this polish is more peach than nude… but to be fair, a lot of nude shades turn peach on my skintone, lipsticks being the worst culprits!

The formula wasn’t as smooth as the lilac shade, this required 4 coats before the streaking was disguised.  I do love how this and the lilac look and feel like true creme polishes, once applied they’re almost buttery in appearance.

Again, drying time was on the slow side and I wouldn’t want to touch these Eyeko polishes unless I had a quick-dry top coat ready to be put into use.   I’d probably give this shade a 5/10 for application, it was just a bit too streaky for my liking… but once on, it really is a pretty colour for Spring.

Eyeko nail polishes are available from the website, priced at £3.50 each.

Do you like?

I picked this Paris Berlin Eyeliner Pen up sometime late last year when I made an online Kryolan order.  I can’t remember where I bought it from, but I paid less than £5 for it.

I like to have a “felt tip” type eyeliner pen available to me as I find them my favourite to work with when I’m attempting a more structured look.  By structured, I mean one that usually involves a flick, lots of mascara and a bright lip!

The packaging is plain, simple and functional and the pen is solidly constructed with a standard, easy to hold barrel.  The tip is beautifully precise without being too sharp.  I love the way the fibres of the tip flex under pressure which avoids dragging or scratching over the eyelid.  However, they hold together with no splaying… keeping the line straight and true.

I think the formula could do with being just a touch darker, it’s so close to being a true oily black… but close isn’t quite good enough.

Pigmentation is pretty solid, I usually go over twice to build up colour to an optimum level.  I haven’t found a problem with this liner smudging at all – it fades quite evenly over time.

Overall, it’s a great liner for less than a fiver and better than any of the high-street branded versions that I’ve tried.  It’s a pro product which you should be able to find online with a quick google search.  I’ve had this about 6 months now and it’s showing no signs of drying out.

Do you have a favourite liquid liner pen?

I love this shade, it’s sweet without being overly sickly.  It’s pastel without being pappy.

3 coats.  The formula is a little uneven and prone to streaking which is a shame because it applies smoothly with a great brush.

Consistency is perfect, neither too thick nor too thin, so I’m not sure where the streaking issues are coming from… a slight lack in pigmentation perhaps?  Oh I’m not sure, all I know is that 3 coats will fix your problems and you’re left with one of the prettiest lilacs I’ve had the pleasure to wear on my nails.  One other thing though, I found drying time to be fairly slow… we’re definitely in speedy dry top coat territory!

I actually got asked by the Boots No7 lady (whilst I was buying No7 polishes no less!) what polish I was wearing.

Eyeko nail polishes are available from the website, priced at £3.50 each.  This is the first shade I’ve tried from the new Eyeko polish range that I was sent, so far so good – more to come!

What do you think?

Like many in the beauty blogging community, I’ve been trialling a few Liz Earle products over the last month or so and I’d like to offer my thoughts on how they’ve been working for me.

I’m gonna start with the Liz Earle Superskin Moisturiser.

Before I had been contacted by the PR for Liz Earle, I’d had a couple of ‘beauty’ friends on twitter comment to me that I should be trying this moisturiser for my combination/dry skin.  Now I can see why.

Superskin Moisturiser is a deceptively light-feeling cream that packs one hell of a moisturising punch.  Brimming with natural ingredients such as Borage Oil, Cranberry Seed Oil, Glycerin, Pomegranate Extract, Rosehip Oil, Shea Butter and Vitamin E, it’s marketed towards a more mature consumer with dry to very dry skin.  I have combination/dry skin with a slightly oily nose and I didn’t find Superskin moisturiser to be too heavy for my oily areas in the slightest.

It absorbs quickly, leaving my skin feeling supple and replenished.  I haven’t noticed it having any particular softening effects like some moisturisers I’ve tried, but I can happily attest to the fact that my skin no longer feels tight or dehydrated since I replaced my usual moisuriser with this a month ago.

There’s a slight scent that I would class as herbal, it’s not entirely to my liking… but it’s not unpleasant at all, it’s just one of those ‘natural’ smells.  I apply Superskin Moisturiser at night only, prefering a day cream with SPF in the mornings.  The packaging is darling, from the outer cardboard design to the heavy acrylic jar inside.

Liz Earle Superskin Moisturiser doesn’t come cheap at £32.50 for a 50ml jar… in all honesty, I balk a little at that price considering it has no specific anti-aging claims… but now I know how well the cream is suiting me, I think I’m probably forever ensnared into the cult of Liz.

I think this would particularly suit you if you would like a lighter, more easily absorbed product that gives the same level of moisturisation as a thicker, heavier and more uncomfortable cream.

Liz Earle Superskin Moisturiser is available from the Liz Earle website priced from £12.00

I awoke to a surprise parcel last Saturday…

Courtesy of a very sweet friend, this beautiful chocolate milk of a nail polish now holds pride of place in my collection.  I’d been lemming Zoya Pasha for the best part of a year and with such long-term longings inevitably comes a touch of pedestal placement!  I have to say, it didn’t disappoint.

3 coats for a smooth finish, Pasha is a silvery milk chocolate with a slight metallic sheen.  It applied beautifully with no dragging at the cuticles, my only slight issue was with a couple of bubbles which I think had more to do with my impatience at wanting to see it applied, like NAO! as opposed to any formula problems.

I’m so happy to finally have this in my hands, thank you liloo – your generosity delighted me and I may have been bitten by the Zoya bug!