A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Touted as the best priced cosmetics collection available in the country, Makeup Academy is set to launch exclusively at Superdrug this month!

The range includes lipsticks, glosses, eyeshadows, mascaras, eye liners, blush, powder and nail polish in shades from neutrals to brights and every shade in between.

I’m really excited to head down to Superdrug and pick some bits up… anything in the promo images caught your eye?

Second in my highlighter series is the highly regarded NARS Albatross (£19.50).

Albatross looks an almost pure white in the pan (as the name would suggest!) But when swatched, gives the most beautiful pale gold sheen that flatters most skintones pale or dark.

My one observation would be that it’s quite easy to go overboard with this highlighter.  Instant disco ball.  I generally use a fan brush to pick up the powder before sweeping lightly over my cheekbones.  I also use this on my cupids bow, tip of my chin and on the brow bone.  It’s a beautifully versatile product that I whole heartedly recommend!

Way back in mid-March, I promised you chaps a whistlestop tour of my highlighter collection… and then I forgot to do it!  Well, after a bit of nagging, I’m back on the case!

So, here we go…

I love highlighters, I think that if used carefully they instantly add luminosity and freshness to a weary face.  They help you go from a daytime to a nightime look in an instant and are hugely versatile products that are happy to be dusted/blended over various bits of your face/body.

I have quite a few highlighters and I thought I’d share the ones that I own… swatches and close ups are always useful right?

So let’s get started with…

MAC MSF in Perfect Topping.

From the Sugarsweet collection, this now discontinued MSF can still be readily found on blog sales, discount online websites and ebay (though, be wary of fakes as always).

On my skintone, Perfect Topping is a shimmery warm golden peach/pink… it’s fairly pigmented so I tend to only use it across my cheekbones or a quick dusting over my collarbone.  It’s a bit sparkly to use liberally, but I love it regardless.

Stay tuned for NARS Albatross!

Available until midnight tonight, Nails Inc. are offering a lucky dip.  5 polishes for £15, that works out at £3 a polish!

I’m very tempted, but a bit worried about getting a envelope full of ‘wine’ coloured polishes… I don’t like maroony, clarety shades.

Are you tempted?  The 4 year old in me loves lucky dips!

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’m pretty rubbish when it comes to styling my hair.  I’m growing out a bob at the moment, not on purpose… I’m just too lazy to make the appointment for a trim.

As the layers are getting longer, the increased weight is starting to have an effect on my roots… weighing them down and increasing the slaphead factor – not an encouraging look.  I was offered 2 different styling products to have a play with and after a couple of weeks experimenting on just how to get the best out of them, I thought you might wanna have a read of my observations.  If you don’t… whatever, just don’t bother darkening my door again.

Clynol Move Massive Volume Spray (£6.75)

Technology: Pro.VolumeForce.Complex, with Panthenol and volumising resins.

Benefit: Volumises the hair, providing strong yet moveable hold.

Usage: Spray evenly onto dry or damp hair and style as preferred. Leave-in.

I’ve used this on both wet and dry hair and I prefer the results I get from using it on dry hair.  I lift sections from the front backwards, spraying quite generously before taking my hairdryer and giving my hair a quick upside-down blast at the roots.  I then take my brush and coax the hair back being careful not to flatten the roots with the weight of the brush and once styled, the root lift seems to stay in place for a good few hours before dropping.  I particularly like the Clynol Move Massive Volume Spray for when I’m styling my hair into an updo, the effect seems to be more apparent and gives some great ‘flathead’ avoidance.

I like, that as a spray, it’s easy to use and great to reach for in a hurry.  I’ve used it successfully in conjunction with my Batiste Dry Shampoo (again before pinning my hair up) and it really freshens up my style.  It smells great and most importantly, is completely non-sticky

Neäl & Wølf Elevate Volumising Lotion (£11.95)

Goodbye to drab limp locks, and hello to luxuriously thick hair, filled with body. ELEVATE has been designed to leave hair stronger, fuller and give more control.  Designed to improve body and texture while enhancing shine and manageability.  Specially selected ingredients complete the effect, reducing static and adding a spectacular glossy finish.

The more traditional serum format that I’m used to…  Just aswell really, ‘cos there aren’t any usage instructions on the bottle… however, being a salon brand rather than one for numptys like me, this is possibly understandable.  I initially didn’t notice many benefits from using this product until I started applying it a touch more generously.  After towel-drying my hair, I squeeze out a good 10p-sized blob and apply throughout my roots.

When I first started using this, I was nervous of making my roots greasy… but I needn’t have feared.  I add more product (10p size at a time) until I’m happy that I’ve applied a nice even amount throughout.  Then I flip my head over and blow-dry upside down, encouraging the air to pass through my roots and teasing with my fingers to encourage more lift.

The result is BIG hair, and I’m sold.  It takes a little more work than the Clynol, but the results are more dramatic if you take the time.

I’d happily use both products for different situations.  The Clynol is great for a lower maintenance lifestyle, which to be honest is me (most of the time).  But if I wanted to bring out the big guns, I’d reach for the Neäl & Wølf Elevate.

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Overall I was impressed with both products, sadly neither lasted the full day… but in honesty, I didn’t expect miracles.  All volume had flattened significantly by lunchtime, earlier if I was naughtly and didn’t stop playing with my hair.  I’d also recommend that if you ARE going to use these styling products then it might be wise not to overload your hair with too many other products at the same time.  Keep it to the minimum to achieve the best results.

Do you have any tips for bringing the 80s back to our barnets?

Sometimes you just shouldn’t be trusted with a bottle of fuschia polish and flakies.  I don’t have too many NOTD monstrosities, but this one is pretty darn ming.

So that you can avoid the same retina-melting combination, we’re talking Nails Inc. – China Town with Inglot #204 daubed over the top.

Had any errors of beauty judgement recently?

A mostly cool-toned FOTD bar a hint of peach on the lids.

It’s crazy how much of my eye makeup actually disappears when I open my eyes…. which kinda begs the question, “Should I walk around with my eyes shut?”

Face:

~ Max Factor Second Skin Foundation in Creamy Ivory (thanks Jen!)
~ Stila Sheer Pressed Powder in Light

Eyes:

~ Urban Decay Drink Me, Eat Me on the lid (from the AiW palette)
~ Urban Decay Vorpal in the crease and outer ‘V’ (from the AiW palette)
~ Stargazer Cake Liner in Brown on the lashline
~ YSL Singulier Mascara in Black

Lips:

~ ELF Runway Pink with a slick of…
~ …MAC Please Me ontop.

Complete the Models Own Survey and receive 30% off your next order online.  Not only that, but you’ll also be automatically entered to win an exclusive collection of the twelve most wanted Models Own nail polishes.

Click the image to be taken to the competition:

The competition closes on Monday, so don’t delay!

As if that weren’t enough exciting Nail Polish news for one day, The Models Own range has also just launched at Boots!

I’ve only ever tried 1 Models Own polish… what are some of your favourite shades I should check out?

Incase you’ve been asleep for the past month…

OCC Lip Tars are now in stock and can be purchased from The Makeup Artist Boutique priced at £8.99 each.

Nice to see that the prices haven’t been jacked up to some kinda ridiculous, the new shades are also available!  I’m currently trying to fight off the temptation to pick up NSFW (I hardly even wear red!), Katricia (it’s purple baby!) and Plum.  I’m definitely going to be picking up a backup of Feathered, my most used lip tar by far!

If you’re on Twitter, give Kath and Emma from The Makeup Artist Boutique a little follow here to keep up with the latest news.  Personally, I’m ridiculously excited that another company are bringing Canadian brand Face Atelier to the UK.  Faster, faster!

I picked this up from the clearance shelves in Boots a couple of weeks ago for around £1.60.  Bright Blue is a super smarties shade, a proper bright blue cream.  Coverage was fab, I was done in two easy to apply coats.  I think it looks a little bit chalky but I am a fan of the shade.

Have you ever tried any Pure polishes? It’s a shame the brand is being discontinued, have a look in your local boots for any remaining stock – I love their Kajal liners too!

A few months ago (read 5… yeah, I’m slacking), I started trialling Mavala’s Double Lash that I’d picked up in an effort to improve the condition of my eye lashes which had been breaking and looking a little sparse ever since giving birth to my daughter.

Anyway, how did I get on?

Here’s how my lashes looked back in October:

…and here they were when I finished the trial at the end of December:

I applied Mavala Double Lash every night as directed for around 10 weeks.

They say:

Eye lashes are an essential element of face beauty. Double Lash contains proteins which strengthen, cover and protect the lashes allowing them to become healthy, long and resistant.

It is the natural active ingredients in Double Lash which stimulate growth of the lashes giving them a lovely luxuriant and silky appearance.

I think I see a teeny bit of difference if you use my eyelid crease as a benchmark.  I felt on occasion that my lashes were longer and thicker (particularly when I was wearing mascara) but I just wasn’t convinced that I couldn’t attribute at least some of those feelings to plain wishful thinking.  Unless there’s a significant difference with things like this, I think it’s pretty tricky to judge.

I didn’t experience any irritation using the product, and it literally took seconds to apply each evening.  But, I guess the crux of the trial can be summed up with this simple observation… I haven’t bothered to repurchase it.

Mavala Double Lash is available online priced from around £8.50

Tell me, do you see any differences?