A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

I was hot… so I bullied Mr. L into getting the fans out of the loft yesterday.  I subsequently spent the night shivering under my duvet but of course, I was too stubborn to turn the damn thing off.

Summer IS a-coming….

There are 2 camps when it comes to Summer foundation… those that want lightweight, breathable cover and those that want their usual good coverage, but with added staying power in warmer weather.

It’s with the 2nd group in mind that I’m reviewing Clarins new Everlasting Foundation.  The clue is in the name… longevity.  Clarins promises 15hrs of impeccable coverage with this product.  15hrs?  That’s enough time to fly halfway round the world!

Let me start by saying that (in my albeit fairly limited experience) I quite like Clarins’ base products… I’m nearing the end of a bottle of their Truly Matte foundation that I cracked open last Summer, the shade wasn’t quite right for me but it did pretty much what it said on the tin.  This Everlasting Foundation promises a flawless matte finish but with that extra insurance factor of lasting through a full day of wear.

Well let’s see if it lives up to it’s claims shall we?

Packaging is beautiful…. a heavyweight frosted glass bottle containing 30ml of product.  The info on the back states that the product is allergy tested and non comedogenic which should make it a fab non-pore clogging option for ‘glowing’ skin.  Ladies don’t sweat remember?

Clarins sent me shade 104 (Cream) for review consideration, it’s a pretty good match… perhaps half a shade too dark, but it blends into my natural skintone well and I thankfully don’t have to blend the product down to my backside to avoid tide marks.

The coverage is indeed matte and I’d call it medium to full… not quite as full-on as say Estee Lauder’s Double Wear, but definitely heading in that direction.  If you want sheer to medium, this isn’t for you.  The product applies beautifully with either a brush or a sponge (I always test things with my beauty blender now too!).  I’m also loving using this with my fingers, the heat from my hands really makes this product melt into my skin… I’m anal about blobby coverage though so I’ve still been finishing off with an allover buff (flat top kabuki) after applying!

Have a close up pic, as always… click to enlarge (barf!)

The one personal downfall I had with this foundation is that I’m a touch too dry skinned for it.  I’m combo normal/dry at the moment (though definitely get oilier in the summer) and I felt that this accentuated my dry patches on my nose.  You may be able to see this in the enlarged image.  Now, whilst this is an issue for me… you oilier ladies should be bouncing in your seats, Clarins Everlasting foundation really kept the shine at bay for many hours thanks to it’s oil-free formula.

But what about it’s claims of Everlasting…um…ness?

Here’s a freshly applied/9 hours later comparison.  No cheating, not even a flick of powder during the day, oh and this was on the hottest day of the year so far…

Now, bear in mind I don’t have very oily skin… but 9 hours is impressive!  To be fair, it didn’t last much longer than this… about another hour before I was properly itching to reach for some powder or something to touch up with!  The coverage on my nose was the first to disappear which is stupid seeing as I’ve just gone on about how I’ve got dry bits there… but I seem to be oily down the bridge with dry bits elsewhere *rolls eyes*.

15hrs? Not quite… but more than long enough to see you through a day at work.  A quick touch up from your favourite powder foundation over the bits that need it and I reckon you’d be set for an evening out aswell.

Clarins Everlasting Foundation (£23) is available from counters nationwide or online at Clarins

So the new MUA £1 range has been out in stores for almost a week and I’ve been playing with a couple of items that I was sent.  It’s quite hard to review such bargainous products… it’s difficult to decide whether I cut them a break on the quality front because afterall.. they’re a £1 each… or do I just review them based on whether or not I’d use them again?  I vote in favour of the second option… hard luck MUA.

I’ll start with some of the face products…

The MUA bronzer (I have shade 1) is a sparkle fest, and as a result… quite gritty in texture.  It’s definitely more bronze toned than golden and if shade 1 is the lightest I can’t see it suiting pale tones too well.  I have tried it lightly brushed across my cheeks, but the glitter fall out has left me cold and I won’t be reaching for this again.

A staple for any cosmetic line up is a pressed powder.  I have shade 4, which on my skintone… actually makes a fairly decent matte contour shade.  It’s quite silky to the touch in an old-fashioned Cornsilk kinda way.  It’s also highly scented… powdery, like an old pharmacy.  When I brush over the surface…. a lot of the product is kicked up and sits ontop of the pan which means you need to give your brush a bit of a shake before lifting it to your face to avoid fall out.  It blends quite smoothly though, I’ll certainly be putting this aside for another play next time I can be bothered to contour.

Ahhhh blusher… such a great product for a quick skin pick-me-up.  The best way to describe this is… draw a line between the bronzer and the pressed powder… the blusher lies halfway.  It has the sparkle and the silkiness.  Unfortunately this stuff really flakes when you brush at the surface… I had more product sitting ontop of the pan than ever I did on the brush.  It also suffers a bit when blending, it has a tendency to blend away to nothing if you’re not careful.  The 4 available shades are really rather pretty though.

It’s worth noting that none of the face products contain mirrors in the packaging, I’m sure for obvious cost cutting reasons.  No applicators are included either, which I totally welcome with the eye shadows, but you’d be hard pressd (no pun intended) to achieve much with a pressed powder on the go without a little puff or mirror.

Talking of eyeshadows…

I was sent two of the pearl eyeshadow shades.  One a duochrome purple/blue and the other a pink/lavender shade.  You get a generous 2g of product for your money and these two shades look particularly stunning in the pan.

They’re soft, smooth and well pigmented.  The packaging is cute (prefer these to the face products packaging) and in my opinion a must have if you’re thinking of checking out the range.  I’ve already used the darker shade a few times this week and it’s lovely blended along the lower lashline for a pop of colour.  Thankfully, these don’t appear to be fragranced either.

See that duochrome effect in Shade 9?  Lovely!  I will say that I find these shadows don’t pick up too well with a natural haired brush… so I’ve been using my Aurifere or E.L.F synthetic concealer brushes to apply!

The lipstick packaging remind me a little of the NYX Round Lipsticks with it’s transparent bases… unfortunately, that’s kinda where the similarities end.  These feel greasier and just not as comfortable on the lips.  Shade 1 is a stonking confident creme shade but it wears very unevenly so a lip liner as a base is a must.  Shade 5 is promising in the tube, but delivers very little on the lips.  It’s frosty, but also contains glitter particles… I guess it might work quite nicely as a layering product to take a nude lip from daytime to night time.  Other than that, these are a pass for me.

Ok, what next…

Eyeliner… a beautiful, vibrant blue, almost metallic in appearance.  The applicator is too stiff and scratchy with very little flexibility.  This means that as you’re drawing the line, the product is only really applying at the edges of the applicator… multiple passes are necessary to achieve full opacity.

Once dry, a gentle swipe of my finger lifts great flakes of product from my skin and if that weren’t bad enough… underneath the line?  I’m left with stained skin.  This is a poor product and such a shame because that colour is so pretty and summery.  Let me know if you make this work for you but I’m sure there are much better alternatives on the high street for not much more money.

After those damning comments, I’ll finish with my favourite…

The Eye Dust.  I have Shade 5, which I’ve artfully typo-ed.  First things first, these aren’t going to last longer than 46 seconds on your eyelids without a base of some sort, and you better make it a good one.

But look, how beautiful is this shade?

Combine this with a slick of UDPP or a coloured cream shadow base and you’re gonna get great payoff and a beautifully shimmering neutral shade.  Packaging is irritating, but I’m not gonna let that overshadow what is a lovely eye dust for the money.

Overall, the new MUA range is a bit of a mixed bag… pretty much what I expected it to be.  My tip though?  Go and check out the eyeshadows and eye dusts, I’m delighted with them!

I talked this morning (briefly) about Guava shades… I love ’em and there ain’t enough of them about.  It’s a fabulous shade for a whole variety of skintones and is about as close to coral as I can get before I hit ORANGE!

It reminded me that I hadn’t shown you 2 of my favourite blushers for Summer yet!

These are Bare Escentuals mineral blushes in shades: Promise (guava pink) and Giddy Pink (um pink, pink).

10 points for correctly guessing my nail colour by the way…

Check out the ingredients… hooray for minerals, Boo for Bismuth Oxychloride (replace the damn component with something less irritating to sensitive skins already…)

Both blushes are fairly sheer and build up beautifully.  I tend to use duo fibre brushes to apply most blushers because it just means I never screw it up and walk out the door looking like Bozo.  It takes about 3 sweeps to build up to a natural looking colour with these products.

Promise… see?  Guava.

This is a gorgeous, gorgeous blush.  It’s a matte colour base which has then been liberally sprinkled with golden sparkles, the shade stops short of coral and is simply a stunner for summer.  I had a hard time pinning this shade down… I think it’s discontinued now, but I found it on eBay (at a great price too!).

Giddy Pink is in the current line up of Bare Escentuals products and one that I received at a press day.  It’s a shimmery pink which gives that wonderful glowy illusion that catches the light when you turn your cheek.  It’s pink without being dolly pink… a natural flush.

The problem with all minerals like this?  They suck to travel with.  I can’t be arsed taping over the holes before going anywhere so always end up with about 95% of the product in the sifter by the time I’ve reached my destination.

Hmm… I wonder if they’re pressable… anyone ever tried?  I’m not sure I’m willing to be guinea pig, I love these too much to risk ruining them!

Promise looks matte in my swatch… there is sparkle in there, just no shimmer.  Both are swatched heavily to build up a true impression of the colour.

They last well on my skin and I’m positively addicted to them.  At least until the next addiction comes along right?

Ringing up the till at £3.99, one of Sleek MakeUP‘s latest product releases is the Kajal.  A deeply pigmented eyeliner made with smudgy smoky looks in mind.

Based on the traditional Southern Asian kohl… Sleek MakeUP’s kajal is a much waxier, crayony affair.  It’s an eyeliner that never needs sharpening and is ready to go with a quick twist of the tube.  Compared to PURE’s now discontinued version, I find Sleek MakeUP’s version a little waxier… not quite so soft to apply but perhaps a touch more waterproof as a result.

I was sent the version in matte Black (Nocturnal).  The Kajal is also available in purple (Odyssey).

As already mentioned, the eyeliner twists up to reveal it’s full length.  It tapers to a smooth point, which is great for applying along the waterline and depending on how you angle the eyeliner during application… you can achieve different effects and amounts of ‘smokiness’.

The swatch on the left shows the Kajal applied directly from the tube, whilst on the right… I’ve smudged the line.  It smudges readily and thus I would only recommend this eyeliner for when precision is not important.  I don’t have particularly watery eyes and found that the Kajal remained happily on my waterline for many hours.

If you’re wanting something soft, easy to apply and richly pigmented for a ‘rock chick’ look (I hate that expression)… then beat your way down to your local Superdrug and pick one of these babies up!

“What a snore!” I proclaimed, looking at Illamasqua’s latest collection, Body Electrics.

It’s not that it’s a bad looking collection… it’s just… not me.

I don’t really do bronzers…. I don’t want liquid metals (regardless of how lovely they look in their pans)… I don’t go anywhere to warrant slathering myself in sparkly body oils and I’m a bit blued and purpled out in the nail polish world too.

I actually really quite like the theory behind the collection…. the dynamics of movement and light reflecting… all great stuff, but I just felt disappointed seeing the theory put into practice.

I received a parcel from Illamasqua containing a couple of pieces from the new collection and to be blunt, I was expecting to give the products a “these are nice but ultimately dull” review based on how uninspiring I’d found them thus far.

I was wrong.

Initially, when I opened the parcel… my spirits weren’t lifted when I pulled out one of the new Nail Polishes in shade Prism.

“Oh… it’s not the purple” thought I… sounding far too much like a spoilt child to admi… oh

I twirled the bottle in my hands, watching the iridescence and blue flashes catch the light…. yeah, it’s pretty… but I kept thinking about my yellow stained nails and how ugly they’d look combined with this blatantly sheer polish I was holding.

Wanna see?

Admitedly, this is 4 coats… 1 coat was as horrible as I’d envisaged.  But this is beautiful.  After a year of solid, opaque polishes to cover up stains and dodgy ridged nails… this is delicate.  It’s like a veil…. it shrouds all the imperfections, but leaves a hint of nail tip and blue irridescence that simply says…. feminine.

Not only that, but the formula is stunning.  This is my first Illamasqua polish… drying time blew me away.  I was able to apply and finish 4 coats in 25 minutes.  Hand on heart, this is probably the greatest formula I’ve used so far.  Whether or not other Illamasqua polishes are the same, I don’t know.

Prism is perfect for weddings, french manicures… it’s one of those polishes for people that don’t like polishes.  If you don’t paint your nails often but want something for those times when you need to up your game… get this polish.  I imagine it would also look rather lovely layered over a dark base too… I shall have to experiment!

Thanks ever so much lovely Illamasqua makeup fairies, a genuinely lovely surprise that simply made a makeup addict’s week!

Available from counters nationwide or online at Illamasqua priced at £13.00

Further to my post last week discussing the launch of Lime Crime at SpaceNK stores this month, I want to share with you my thoughts on the lipsticks that I was sent by SpaceNK.

I wrote the initial post because whilst not wanting to ignore the contentious issues surrounding the brand, I want to keep that separate to my review of the products.

If you’re interested in purchasing the lipsticks from SpaceNK, please have a read and check out my thoughts on how they worked for me.

First of all… the packaging.

A lot has been said about the packaging.  It generally tends to polarise opinion between two camps.  I have to say…. I like it a lot.  Admittedly, so would my 11 month old given another couple of years.

I like the holographic unicorns…. no, I LOVE the unicorns.  I don’t however like the overall colour choice, but only because I think those unicorns would have looked stunning against a shiny black background.

The packaging up to this point feels sturdy and I’m impressed by the quality.

I was sent three which you can see above.

Lime Crime have based the credibility of their entire range on the phrase: “So bright, it’s illegal.”  And I have no qualms about the brightness of the shades I received.

Are they brighter than lipsticks that you can purchase from brands such as MAC, BarryM or even clubber’s fav Stargazer?  Possibly not… Infact, I’ve already found a fair colour dupe of Countessa Fluorescent in my BarryM 146.  But you would have to be a fairly brand-savvy makeup shopper to find these dupes, and this collection just makes it easier.

Before I move on to swatches, wear etc… I do have one quality issue.  My Countessa Flourescent arrived ‘wonky’.  When I wind it up and down, it ‘drags’ on the inside of the tube leaving not only a streak of pink behind, but a groove dug out of the lipstick.  I wouldn’t expect nor accept this from a £14 product.

As you can see, on the back of my hand… they swatch beautifully and true to tube colour.  They achieve full opacity very quickly and are just as vibrant as they promise.

I’m going back to front from the hand swatches… but I’ll start with…

My Beautiful Rocket.

It applied well and I found it fairly creamy.  It’s no YSL Rouge Volupte, but I will happily reach for it whenever the situation demands an orange!  And what a shade it is!  Vibrant in colour and packing a nice sheen.  I would recommend this as a great summer shade.

No She Didn’t.

A horrible chalky lipstick.  It drags across my lips and the colour it deposits sinks instantly into the furrows meaning that I have to go over a number of times to achieve any real opacity.  The result of having to apply it so heavily is bleeding around the edges and a caked-on feeling.  I’ve read reports of staining, but I couldn’t bear to keep this on my lips for long enough to test that theory out.

I wouldn’t recommend this lipstick at all, and think the formula needs adjusting to make it work.

Countessa Fluorescent.

Colour-wise for me, this was my favourite.  I love this bright dolly pink which achieves a fabulous opacity without too much effort on my part.  It’s more drying than My Beautiful Rocket and it left a stain around the contour of my lips which I wasn’t delighted about.

I can’t decide whether to forgive it for those niggles.  Perhaps if the price were lower… but at £14, I want a damn good lipstick.  And this doesn’t qualify.

I wouldn’t describe any of these lipsticks as moisturising, but of the three… My Beautiful Rocket came the closest to leaving my lips in the same condition as before I had applied the product.  To be fair, I’ve just spent 3 hours in a Chanel Rouge Coco…. and that’s left my lips feeling pretty dehydrated too.

I’m no chemist, but the main problems I see with these lipsticks is the thickness of the formula.  They’re just so heavy.  I guess the whole “I’m so bright, I’m illegal” ethos demands this heavy pigmentation and perhaps this is the flipside to trying to achieve such an opaque range of products.

.

I think that at £14 each, the price is too high for the quality of the product.  The shades are awesome and the staying power is pretty darn effective.  I think they’re a fabulous idea and I would love to see some adjustments to the formula that would make them kinder to the wearer’s lips.

Would I buy them?  I would buy My Beautiful Rocket. I would bin No She Didn’t.

Still…

I picked up two Besame lipsticks a couple of weeks ago from a discounter on eBay and managed to get both for around £12.

They’re the older style lipsticks with the retro shaped tips that help you get a beautifully sharp line.  I believe they’ve since reformulated.

The packaging is just beautiful.  Twirling the case between your fingers actually feels like you’re holding something special… even Mr. L wanted to have a look (and that NEVER happens!)

These little lippies are teeny tiny… 1.8g compared to a 3g MAC lipstick and the casing is about 2/3of the height.  But look how beautiful they are!

I picked up two pinks.  Exotic Pink (a bright true hot pink) and Portrait Pink (a subdued ‘nuder’ pink).

Exotic Pink is densely pigmented and absolutely rich with colour.  You can see from my swatch… it’s very opaque and glides on beautifully.

Portrait Pink is sheerer, but still builds to an opaque glossy finish with a bit of work.

I adore both of these lipsticks and I’m really happy to add them to my collection.  They’re not the most moisturising lipsticks I’ve worn, but staying power is great and both shades are completely adorable.

Are you a Besame fan?

Ever since reading a recommendation by the lovely MakeupByKaty, I’ve been intrigued by these little pots of shimmering shadows.

Bourjois have always been my favourite high street brand and I knew that as soon as I’d read about them… I was going to be parting with some of my hard earned cash at the very next opportunity!

I picked up three shades for around £6 each:

#31 Molecule D’or – A true gold

#37 Blanc Chrome – Iridescent White with pink reflects

#35 Gris Platine – A dark steel grey

I’m not much of a fan of the applicator, it’s quite tricky to wield and apply with any precision… but it’ll do in a pinch, otherise I recommend swiping some of the product onto the back of your hand before using a brush to transfer onto your eyelids.

The product dries very quickly to a budge-proof finish, so you need to work quickly… I haven’t managed any great successes with using this anywhere other than on the lids for a metallic look.  If I try to blend the shades out into the crease, I find the overall effect to be a bit patchy.  Probably because of that fast drying time the product ends up setting more opaque in the areas I’m slower at reaching.  Does that make sense?

Overall, I do love these… and I have my eye on two more… I can’t remember the names, but one is more chocolate-y and the other is what looks like it would be a lovely beige lid wash (especially if I can sheer it out quickly!).

Have you tried these and do you have a favourite high street brand?

So, last week… or was it the week before?  I’m getting old… they’re all starting to blur.

Anyway… I hit up The Makeup Artist Boutique mid sale and treated myself to a couple of Yaby bits that I’d had my beady eye on.  I’ve heard lots of (mostly positive) things about the makeupartist-designed brand and wanted to check it out for myself.

Here’s what I bought.

for swatches and some quick first impressions… read on…

Read the rest of this entry »

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?