A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Phew, you don’t wanna be trying to remember the name of this foundation after a few sakes.  But for the record, Shiseido Integrate Gracy Cream Foundation Moist SPF22 PA++ in PO-10 *cough* is definitely worth remembering.

I first heard of this foundation after Kathi at LotusPalace blogged about it… anything that Kathi calls HG frankly has me running for my debit card, foaming at the mouth.  So I ran for my debit card. I’m not admitting to anything else.

I paid around £15 for this on eBay from AlphaBeautyUK and it arrived within 9 days of ordering.

You get 25g of product in a small glass jar… it’s not particularly fancy, it’s just… functional.

My skin is still recovering from the Winter, dry at the best of times.  I’m still needing to consider foundations that won’t be attracted to dry patches of skin and although creams are usually cited as being the ones to go for, I can’t say that I’ve noticed them being particularly more moisturising in the past.

Perhaps I’ve just been going for the wrong ones!

The most compelling thing about this foundation for me is the almost perfect shade match… it’s possibly a hint lighter than my skintone but once it’s had time to fit (oxidise?), it’s pretty damn spot on.

Although clearly pink-based, I think it has enough peach in it to stop it from turning ruddy… if colour matching to a so-called English Rose complexion is an issue for you, I really recommend giving this a try.

So, how about that moisture then?  Seeing as this is called “moist”… well it’s not bad.  It’s not as moisturising as something like Chanel Vitalumiere but to be honest, I find that too tacky on my skin and a little uncomfortable to wear.  I’d class this as somewhere between that and a normal, satin finish foundation.

I’ve read this described as a medium-coverage foundation but for me at least, this is pretty full-on.  I don’t own many foundations that give a fuller coverage than this.  I’ll probably find this far too heavy for the Summer but I’m fine with it while the seasons are still changing.  Here’s a before/after – prepare yourself, it’s shots like this that remind me why I like makeup and NEED eyeliner.

After is on the right, I’ve applied the Shiseido Integrate Gracy Cream Foundation Moist with my fingers over a moisturised face.  No concealer.  God I have big ears.  And please excuse the bloodshot eye.  And the lip spot.  And…oh, bugger it.

What do you think?  I think it tones down redness nicely, covers most imperfections adequately and doesn’t accentuate my dry bits.  I think it’s a bit full-on for the Summer and wish I’d discovered it a couple of months ago.  Mostly though, I love the shade which is pretty damn awesome.

Shiseido Integrate Gracy Cream Foundation Moist SPF22 PA++ in PO-10 is available to buy online from eBay (and possibly many other places that I’m not clever enough to translate).

Finding a natural looking contour for my pale (very pink) skintone has probably been one of my toughest makeup tasks and the closest I’ve come so far is another Illamasqua product, a powder blush called Rumour.  The general criteria for my skin tone consists of two factors.

a). be pale enough to look natural and blend easily

b). be pink-toned enough to avoid looking orange or yellow.

Being a total fan of all things cream-based for my dry skin, I was excited to see if the new Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Hollow* would work well as a contour shade.

Well, the answer is… I’m undecided.  It applies beautifully and blends easily with fingers and I think it will make a lovely contour for those with neutral or warmer toned pale skin but I’m not convinced it makes a perfectly natural contour for uber pinks.  I’ll let you be the judge…

Does it look a little yellow to you or am I scrutinising too hard?  I’m definitely hyper-aware of bronzer and contour looking ‘wrong’ so I’m generally pretty tough on them, do you think it works or are there better matches out there?

Illamasqua Hollow Cream Pigment (£17.00) is available as part of Illamasqua’s Spring/Summer Toxic Nature Collection and available now from counters, instore and online.

* press sample

…any good for the super-pale/super-pink?

That’s the question I was asking after watching a Pixiwoo video that mentioned this Estee Lauder tinted moisturiser.

Available in a ‘one-size-fits-all’ option, I found it hard to believe that it would work on my cool skin-tone without tango-ing me.

A tube of this will set you back £32 thanks to a recent price increase but the purse hit is softened if you consider this product to be your foundation, moisturiser, sun protection and anti-ageing solution all-in-one. Plus you get a generous 50ml of product and you only need a v. small amount to get full coverage.

That’s all well and good… if it fulfils those multiple criteria. Well does it?

Firstly… let me get the fun stuff out of the way. The application.

It dispenses from the tube a rather unattractive grey blob with a slightly grainy texture, not rough enough to exfoliate… but not as smooth as a cream. As you rub the product into your skin… the magic happens! The product transforms from this insipid putty grey colour into a warm tan before the texture sinks in completely and you’re left with only the colour remaining.

I took some shots of the ‘transformation’ in progress… you need to click the picture below to enlarge it and see the results.

As a moisturiser… It’s not *quite* moisturising enough for me at the moment but I think it would be fine for normal/combo skin. In the Summer, it’ll probably work well for me – but for now, I still need to apply a moisturising base before I dot this on top.

As an anti-ageing solution… Well, it’s all there on paper. If you’re a fan of Estee Lauder’s original DayWear, this incarnation promises to deliver “all the advanced protection benefits of DayWear“. I haven’t been using this long enough to give any conclusions as an anti-ageing product.

As a sunscreen… I usually go for SPF30 as a minimum. I also don’t subscribe to the belief that a moisturiser/foundation with built-in SPF is enough protection for an average day unless I’m only going to be spending a couple of minutes outdoors! So, in a nutshell… no.

On the plus side, there’s no Avobenzone in this to conflict with alternative sunscreens you may want to apply.

It’s not looking very good though is it?

And yet… I love it and will be repurchasing it in preparation for the Summer once this tube runs out. This goes against everything I’ve just said when you consider that I’m essentially going to pay £32 for what I’ve described as a large tube of tinted moisturiser.

And as lame as this statement is going to sound, I’m loving it because, well… it’s a really, really, really GOOD tinted moisturiser!

Click the picture above to enlarge (you’ll probably need to enlarge to see the subtle shift in skin colour)…

On the far left… sans makeup

In the middle… just a small amount of the Estee Lauder DayWear Sheer Tint warms up my complexion and reduces the redness. I’d be good to go at this stage if I weren’t quite so vanity-driven.

On the right… fully made up (skintone further evened out with a quick buff of Bare Escentuals foundation in Fair)

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I’m a big tinted moisturiser fan and I buy a new one every Summer without fail. I don’t have the most even of skintones, so usually combine with a light buff of mineral foundation to mattify and further cover. Most of all? I love that weightless feeling of those two products combined.

And the Estee Lauder DayWear Sheer Tint Release* is easily the most weightless of any I’ve tried. It really does sink in to nothingness leaving only the tint behind. And how about the glow? I know that there are many pale ladies who embrace the pale… and if I were milk-bottle porcelain, I would too. But I’m fish-belly pale and look far more polished with the ruddiness toned down. This product does that without the need for faffing about with face tanners.

If you are pale, don’t expect to apply this and not see a difference to your skin tone… you will be noticeably warmed up a shade, but it blends well and is a point in favour rather than against for my needs.

I’m genuinely torn. My head says that £32 is too much to pay for a tinted moisturiser but my heart is already leading my head down to the EL counter and waving my debit card in the face of the SA.

Estee Lauder DayWear Sheer Tint Release is available to buy online or on counter, priced at £32.00

What are your favourite warm weather foundations? Are you a TM girl?

* press sample

…side effects, that is.

I was sent a tube of Prai’s new o2 Infusion last month which is described as an “innovative formula (which) contains oxygen molecules to help deliver additional oxygen to the surface of the skin, giving lackluster skin a more youthful and a refreshed look”.

I’m in two minds about this product.

For me, it does what it says on the tin.  After using it just one time, my skin did look brighter… the tone seemed more even and gave an impression of (dareisayit) outright perkiness!

But the next day?  My skin was ALL kinds of flakey.

So, I brought my ever-faithful, heavy duty skin oils into play and a week later my skin was back to normal.

Being me though, I couldn’t help but eye up this lovely, neat tube of product every time I stood at the sink washing my face and it wasn’t long before I was slathering it over my skin again, watching it get foamier and foamier as I waited the requisite 2 minutes before rinsing it off.

“Oooh, nice fresh looking skin again!”

Until the next day, when I was back to square one and looking more Mumm-Ra than Yummy-Mummy.  My foundation looked like crap and I was moisturising 3 times a day just to try and inject some life back into my skin.

Third time’s a charm right?  Wrong.

I feel like this…

I experience no sensitivity when using it and no dryness issues immediately afterward.  I moisturise straight after use and in fairness, I suffer from normal/dry skin anyway.

So what do I do… do I recommend?

Well… at under £20 for 40ml it doesn’t break the bank (and a little goes a VERY long way thanks to the foaming action), so I’m happy to recommend under one condition; you have oily skin.

[stextbox id=”custom” caption=”Ingredients List” ccolor=”ffffff” bcolor=”b0c4de” bgcolor=”e6e6fa” cbgcolor=”b0c4de”]Water (Aqua), Methyl Perfluoroisobutyl Ether, Sorbitol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Methyl Perfluorobutyl Ether, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan), Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Gynostemma Pentaphyllum Leaf Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Isononyl Isononanoate, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Sodium Cocamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Sodium PCA, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Mica, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Glycerin, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Zingiber Cassumunar Root Oil, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance (Parfum), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Yellow 5 (CI 19140), Red 40 (CI 16035)[/stextbox]

If you have a propensity toward dry skin?  I would stay away as I think this might just be a tad too harsh for our sensitive souls.

Prai o2 Infusion with Vacuum Technology should be launching on QVC this month, priced at £19.75

* Press Sample

If Inspector Gadget owned an electric toothbrush, the Braun Oral B 5000 Triumph would surely be his weapon of choice.

The Inspector Gadget of toothbrushes

I make my living surrounded my motherboards, CAT 5e cables and heat sinks, I’m not one to be turned off by a little gadgetry but this device had me scratching my head for a wee while at all the modes, options, brushes and monitoring solutions.

Say what?

It basically consists of two units.  A toothbrush (that comes with a ‘docking station’ for charging) and a ‘SmartGuide’ which sits somewhere near the toothbrush unit.

When I initially unboxed the product, I read the instructions for the ‘SmartGuide’ and got so bogged down by them, I decided that I’d simply ignore that part of the system and concentrate on using the toothbrush.  After a few weeks had passed, curiosity got the better of me and I unpacked the ‘SmartGuide’ and installed it alongside the toothbrush.

The SmartGuide, doing what it does best… flashing at me.

Having never owned an electric toothbrush before, the actual brush itself has been a revelation from day one .  My previous experience (of trying my mother’s!) had been brush heads that were WAY too big and clunky to reach the back of my mouth which left my teeth feeling thoroughly uncleansed.

The brush heads that click onto the Braun Oral B Triumph systems fit each tooth perfectly but are still small enough to reach right back to those pesky wisdom teeth without putting your jaw into spasm.

It comes with a variety of brushes for all your brushing/polishing needs.

I’ve come to the conclusion that I’ve no real use for half the brushes that you can purchase to integrate into this system… after three months, I’ve decided that for my requirements, the Oral-B Precision Clean Brush Heads do everything I need although it’s nice to have the option to incorporate special polishing cups and floss-action heads into your routine if you require.

On the subject of flossing and despite owning brush heads that claim to offer this action, having an electric toothbrush with all these bells and whistles hasn’t replaced the manual action of a piece of flossing thread successfully.

I visited my dentist after having used the Braun system for 3 months and interestingly, the only area that hadn’t shown any signs of improvement were the gaps between my teeth.  It’s a breeding ground for bacteria and picking up one of these all singing/all dancing electric toothbrushes doesn’t replace the need for daily flossing.

Well designed and nicely weighted handle with display

But hold on there for a moment… because did you notice what I said?  The “only” area not to have shown improvement!

I’ve been visiting my dentist for about 12 years now and she always makes my visits sweeter by making me feel better about my mouth being the plaque attractor that it is.  “Some people just have more ridges on their teeth to attract it!” she says whilst I sit there worrying that she must think I never brush my teeth at all.

When I visited the dentist last week, I asked her specifically to tell me if there were any noticeable improvements to my last visit.  She consulted the computer and worked her way around my mouth, noting various numbers to her auxiliary who plugged them in to the system (lots of 2’s and one 3 incase that means anything to you!)

Apparently, my gums had improved in most areas except for that one number 3 which I could feel was slightly inflamed just with my tongue.  She noted that there was an overall significant improvement on last time (5 months previously) and that she had been a little concerned at their deterioration following the birth of my daughter.  Apparently, we’re back on track!

Not only that but she also made a little joke that the scale and polish was going to take her half the time it usually does as the ‘flat surfaces’ were looking really clear of plaque compared to normal.  To be honest, I could have told her that!

OK, so the Braun Oral B Triumph 5000 has passed the dentist test with flying colours as far as I’m concerned.  It’s obviously brushing my teeth more effectively than a manual toothbrush ever did though as I said earlier, it doesn’t replace a good old-fashioned floss which is just as important as tooth brushing!

The system all set up!

But back to this SmartGuide for a minute… afterall, this is one of the Braun’s USPs.  We’re talking about a toothbrush that costs £160+ when it isn’t on special offer.  It’s USP needs to make it worth that doesn’t it?

Sweeping aside all the special modes for deep cleaning, sensitive cleaning, polishing, tea-making and everything else it offers… the SmartGuide gives me one major advantage…

It makes me brush my teeth for a full 2 minutes night and morning.  It’s like a nag.  I switch on the toothbrush… and 10 seconds later I’m ready to move on to the next section of my mouth.

“NO!” says the SmartGuide.  Well, it doesn’t actually *say* ‘no’ – that would be REALLY clever!  What it does, is flash at me.  It shows me the quadrant of my mouth that this brush needs to stay in for the next x-amount of seconds.  I look back down at the sink… surely it’s time nowwwwwwwww…

“NO!” (flashes the SmartGuide)…

The simple truth is that without the SmartGuide, I’d be finished with my teeth brushing approximately a full minute earlier than with it.  And that ain’t good news for my teeth.

The Braun Oral B Triumph 5000 Electric Toothbrush (with naggy SmartGuide) is available online at Boots priced at £163.39… but wait!

You can get it from Amazon for £79.99.  And that my friends, is what I would be happy to call a bargain.

There are some things in life that one really should avoid doing but we do them all the same.

One shouldn’t drink alcohol on an empty stomach, never swallow chewing gum, and don’t cross the road to avoid a charity collector, that’s just… uncharitable.

I’m going to add “wear your cleansing balm as a perfume” to this list.

Weirdness aside, it’s doubles up as a rather lovely cleansing balm too!

Compared to other cleansing balms that I’ve used in the past, Monu Essential Care Cleansing Balm feels a little rustic by comparison… and by rustic, I mean… artisan, less mass-manufactured…

This is both a good and bad thing.

I get the feeling that quality is something that hasn’t been skimped upon.  The ingredients list is full of delicious oils and emulsifiers boosted with some heavenly natural fragrances.

And it’s the combination of those fragrances that make this cleansing balm an absolute joy to use.  It’s a citrus explosion without being remotely kitchen/bathroom-y.  I’m really particular about citrus scents and they have to be ‘just’ right.  Not too sweet, not too tart.  This has the perfect balance that makes you want to inhale deeply whilst massaging the balm into your skin.

The flipside of this ‘rustic’ quality is that the packaging and feel of the product isn’t as luxe as I would expect for something that costs £35 for 150g.

When I opened the sample I was sent, I was surprised to see that in actual fact… it isn’t really a balm at all.  It’s half balm/half oil and in it’s current state of ‘not being able decide whether it’s a solid or a liquid’, it’s not the easiest product to scoop from the pot without making a bit of a mess.  I also wonder what effect warmer weather will have on it’s consistency.

Texture concerns aside, all is forgiven the moment I start massaging this into my skin.  The scent (have I already mentioned the scent?) focuses my mind on the job at hand and the slip ensures that there is no drag on the skin as I encourage the product to get to work on removing my makeup.

And remove my makeup it does, dissolving everything I throw at it without any fuss.  I’m terribly oaf-like when it comes to eye makeup removal… I don’t bother with being especially delicate.  I rub product onto my eye lashes gently by rolling between my thumbs and index fingers and hope that when I’m done I haven’t given myself temporary blindness and searing eye pain.

I haven’t experienced any horrible eye problems with the Monu Cleansing Balm though I’m not about to grind product into my eyes just to make sure!

It emulsifies quickly and completely in warm water and washes away without leaving any residue on my face, hands or sink.  I do still double cleanse out of habit and the one time that I didn’t (to test dryness), I wouldn’t say that this leaves my skin feeling any less dry than other balms or oils… I still need to head for the moisturiser before my skin begins to tighten.

If you’re looking for a cleansing “balm” that does what it says on the tin, is paraben-free with only natural fragrances and makes you want to leave some behind on all your pulse points after cleansing… this would be the one for you.

Monu Cleansing Balm is priced at £35.00 and available online.

Whenever I buy from Boots No7, I feel like I’m taking a bit of a gamble.  Each purchase I make tends to polarise my opinion and I either end up LOVING the product… big LOVE, not just fleeting love (lip liners, exceptional definition mascara, eye mousse) or out and out hating it (most no7 foundations, shower oil).

I just don’t seem to occupy much middle ground where this brand is concerned.  With that in mind, I was curious to see how I’d like the bits I was recently sent from the range.

From left to right – Amazing Eyes Liner in black, Blush tint in 15 Blossom and Stay Perfect lipstick in 45 Tranquil Rose.

Let’s start with the liner…

Not my favourite type of application brush but perfect for thinner lines and precise flicks.  I’m a touch clumsy so generally fare better with felt tip type brushes.  Having said that, the formula is inky black, true and long-lasting.  The brush holds together beautifully to achieve dainty flicks with relative ease.

No7 Amazing Eyes Liquid Eye Liner is priced at £8.75 and available in black or brown online.

Blush sticks are always a temptation for me, they’re so portable and quick to apply.  The No7 Blush Tint in 15 Blossom is no exception, infact… it’s particularly foolproof.  It’s sheer with a non-greasy feel and applies well over both liquid and powder foundation thanks to a non-sticky, powder-finish.  I swipe this across my cheek back and forward about 5 times to build up the intensity before blending the edges with my fingers.

If you struggle with blush I can’t emphasise enough how well I think you’d get on with this product.  I’ve popped this one in my handbag because it gives me a really natural flush that I can touch up without even needing a mirror.  Really delighted with it’s performance.  I’d like to see No7 release this in more shades.

No7 Blush Tint Cream Blush is available online in Rosebud, Blossom and Clove, priced at £10.

Finally, No7 Stay Perfect lipstick in 45 Tranquil Rose.  First impressions are that it isn’t very ‘rose’ like… it’s far more vivid and corally than I’d expect for it’s name.  Second impression was a distinct “Woah!” when I applied and saw how pigmented it was… I ended up reaching for my lip brush to ensure a neat application.  If you go over the lines with this one, you’re gonna notice it!

For a long-lasting lipstick it’s remarkably creamy to apply but it will accentuate signs of lip dryness after a couple of hours.  And how about that wear?  Without eating… I achieved 5 hours of near-perfect wear but with eating… I needed to top up immediately afterward because the colour had still clung so well to the edges, it left a distinct ring!

I’m going to look into the other shades available as I do believe that Cherry might be calling my name!

No7 Stay Perfect Lipstick is available in 16 shades online, priced at £10 each.

Swatches from L-R: Amazing Eyes Liner, Stay Perfect Lipstick in Tranquil Rose and Blush Tint in Blossom.

A quick FOTD featuring the three products reviewed above.  How killer is that lipstick shade?!

Do you have any No7 staples that you return to time and time again?

It was around the same time last year that NARS released the first in their line up of liquid illuminators, the NARS Orgasm Illuminator.  This year, NARS are releasing not one, not two but THREE new illuminators to sit alongside the original.

Due out a little later this month, the three shades will be well-known to NARS fans out there:  Copacabana, Super Orgasm and Laguna.

NARS Copacabana Illuminator is a pale pearly pink shade shot through with a hint of silver sparkle.  The sparkle stops it from being the kind of illuminator that I’d want to mix in with my foundation (at least during the daytime).

It has a thin, blendable texture and like it’s predecessor, a little goes an extremely long way, the 30ml bottle should last and last.

It is such a pretty shade for pale, cool-toned skin and I’m pleased that NARS have decided to extend the shade collection in this range.  Although I was a fan of the original Orgasm illuminator, I did comment that I felt it suited darker skin tones than mine.   This one?  The Copacabana Illuminator?  Made for me.  Not you, just me!

So far, I’ve worn this dotted along my cheekbones and it blended quite happily over liquid, cremes and powder foundations with no clumping issues.  I’ve also dropped a couple of dots into my body cream before slathering over my decolletage.  There are endless ways to wear illuminators… well, 4 or 5.

The illuminator dries down to a powder finish after a few minutes, so although it’s easy to blend… I feel that I have to be a bit quicker than with the original Orgasm version.

I sneaked a peek at both the Laguna and Super Orgasm illuminators as well.  Whilst Laguna looked ah-mazing for darker skintones, Super Orgasm disappointed me a little… it’s uber glittery (as you might expect) and I’m just not sure it was a needed addition when we already have an Orgasm illuminator available.

NARS Copacabana Illuminator will be available from the middle of this month onwards from all NARS counters and online.  Priced at £23.50.

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Are you liking the look of NARS Copacabana Illuminator or are you cooling your heels for swatches of the Laguna version?

Mineral makeup tends to attract followers of great dedication.  Some people are almost evangelical in their adoration for their swirl, tap, buff methods that they leave my head spinning.  I do count myself as a fan of most mineral foundations, I find them quick and easy whilst leaving behind pretty good skin!

My biggest issue with them would be lasting power (or lack of!)… especially in the Summer and particularly on my nose!

Enter Bare Minerals‘ new Prime Time Brightening Foundation Primer*.  They already have a ‘normal’ primer on the market, this is the new one that promises to deliver an “extraordinarily luminous, healthy-looking glow” to our skins.

It’s a very peachy-looking primer… I was expecting to see the usual, white or cloudy viscose liquid dispense from the pump.  Instead, it’s creamy, sparkly and a little on the orange side!  Eek!

So how does it fare?

Well, the colour blends away into my skintone and doesn’t leave a trace behind… it has a slight silicone slip though not as much as primers like the Smashbox one.

When I buff the foundation into my skin, I can definitely feel a difference in the application… it’s smoother and seems to give a little more glide to the buffing action.  I’d even go so far as to say that I get a better finish than without the primer.

But longevity?  Nuh Uh… I’m not noticing a discernible difference.  Not only that… but the “luminous, healthy-looking glow”?  Well… that’s just a bit of sparkle.  All over mah face.

Look.

See the gold flecks?  They sure are pretty!  But they make me wanna break into Saturday Night Fever.  They’re discoball… albeit subtle discoball once spread out over the face.

In any luminizer, I prefer subtle sheen over glittery particles.  It’s not that the effect isn’t pretty… it is.  It’s just too much for daywear, for me at least.

Little primer. we can’t stay together, I’m sorry.  It’s not you… it’s me.

Bare Minerals Prime Time Brightening Primer is available from this month at Bare Escentuals Boutiques, department stores and selected spas/salons nationwide priced at £19.00.

*Press Sample

If you haven’t succumbed to the lure that is Urban Decay’s liner set… then may I gently steer you in the direction of this New Cid Eyes Lips & Cheek Palette.

I wasn’t sure quite how much of a bargain this palette was when I spotted it on ASOS a couple of weeks ago, but since having a closer look at the one that I was sent… I have to say, it’s a very good bargain indeed.  And at £12?  It’s a freakin’ steal!

Of course, you’re going to need to like neutrals to feel any joy in this palette – but if you do… or if you’re just looking for a palette that would fulfill your needs for when you get overtaken by an urge for a polished day look.  This is the palette for you.

The palette includes:  4 eyeshadows (3 shimmer, 1 matte), 2 lipsticks (round pans – the 2 on the left), 1 lip gloss (the 1 on the right) and a blush.

The eyeshadows are generously sized at 5.4gm apiece.

The set also includes a brush but it has no shape… it’s next to useless.  I don’t know why they even bothered.  Horrible thing.  Gah.

The shadows are a dream.  They’re smooth, pigmented and blendable.  The shades are spot-on and IMO particularly suited to cooler/neutral skintones.  Simply some of the prettiest I’ve come across, and I’ve seen a few!

As for the lip and cheek ‘tray’… it’s also delightful.  I’m not a big fan of lipsticks and glosses in pans like this… particularly when combined with powders.  One would have to ensure that they swipe the blush in the opposite direction to the lip pans to prevent a big old mess of product cross-contamination.

The blush is swatched on the bottom and the lips from left to right as ordered in the palette.

I do also find the palette a little bulky.  Whilst still completely portable for a weekend away, it’s not particularly slimline.  I’m nit-picking… and at a cost of £24, that’s fair enough.

But for £12?  For 4 beautiful shadows… a popping blush and lip colours that aren’t shit?

I’ve just bought one to give as a gift – it’s a cracking bargain and I suggest snapping it up while you still can!

I’m not going to wrap this up in my usual 4348390 words incase I somehow lose the point of this post.  Let me simply tell you that I experienced a miracle this morning (yesterday morning by the time you’re reading this!).

I worked a blob of the new Pantene Colour Seal Concentrate through my hair last night after doing the usual shampoo/conditioner routine, left it on for 2/3 minutes and rinsed it out.  I went to bed with wet hair, fully expecting to regret my laziness the next morning and instead woke up to the softest, smoothest hair I can remember having.

The coarseness had completely disappeared and I was able to gather my hair into a smooth ponytail with ends so sleek that I couldn’t stop stroking them.

It’s now 13 hours later and my hair is sadly starting to feel a little more like it’s usual rough self so I’m not sold on Pantene’s claims of long-term effectiveness… still, even a full day of glossy locks has brightened my mood.  Yes, I’m as shallow as that last statment makes me appear.  I don’t care how it works (probably silicones, smoke and mirrors), I just care that it makes my hair (temporarily) very happy.

Pantene Colour Seal Concentrate should be available in your usual Pantene stockists now as part of the Pro-V Colour Protect range, it’s priced at £3.99 and I really recommend that you stop whatever it is you’re doing to go and buy some.

I received a few bits and pieces from Screenface before Christmas and have been putting them to the test.

I love the idea of using ‘professional’ makeup in my day to day life.  It’s no secret that us consumers pay through the nose for pretty packaging and the immense marketing budgets of the high street brands.  So I’m always curious about whether going for professional products really will give more bang for our buck!

Let’s start with the Screenface Shadow Magnet Eye Primers…

The Screenface Shadow Magnet Eye Primers (£8.95) come in two shades, light (left) and natural (right).  They’re both hard-textured with less slip than the likes of UDPP.  The shades can be mixed to create a good neutralizing base (should your eyelids need it) and they promise to deliver true colour and long lasting eyeshadow results.

I’d agree on the true colour… but long-lasting?  Not as much as the other eye primers in my collection.  I did a side-by-side comparison with UDPP and the Shadow Magnets were beaten by a good few hours.  I was surprised that these didn’t deliver in the way I’d anticipated from a pro-brand.

Moving swiftly on…

Screenface Cremewear Blush (£9.95) – Small, but perfectly formed.  These 2.8g cream blushes glide on effortlessly with a good deal of slip, making blending a dream.  The shades are sheer and glowy with a hint of sparkle (just a hint mind)… I couldn’t be more sold on these and am finding it very hard to pick fault with them.

L-R: Crush, Afterglow

They last and last without sliding down my cheeks or transferring… the colour payoff is great, yet they remain buildable for the heavy-handed among us.  They remind me a little of the new Urban Decay cream blushes (due out soon)… but I prefer these.

Just buy one.  Or three.

Lastly, Screenface Creme Shadow (£12.95) – Available in 6 shades, above is Moss… which looks more like an Antique Gold to me, strange considering they do a shade called Antique Gold!  However, 7g gives you a hefty amount of product for your money.  Deeply pigmented and spreads like a dream.  Longevity isn’t that amazing on this if worn on it’s own but it does make a lovely base for intensifying powder shadows.

I usually apply this with my finger for a sheer wash of colour and achieve around 5 hours wear before it disappears upward into the crease of my eye socket.  It blends beautifully without setting too quickly and is a quick-fix for time-pressed mornings!

If you find yourself in Covent Garden, I recommend taking a look around the Screenface Store on Monmouth Street.  It’s a charming shop and I defy you to walk out empty-handed!