A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

I always write about lipsticks in my Red Lip Series that I love. So, here’s one that I don’t…

Make Up Forever #418 is a lipstick that I would happily send to room 101 without a second glance or moment of regret. There’s nothing particularly wrong with how it looks once on the lips, but it stinks like the inside of my Nannas old handbag and applies so roughly that I keep imagining squeaking sounds as it passes over my lips.  It’s a bastard of a lipstick, and being RED, is an absolute disgrace to its genre.

I even look slightly pained to be wearing it in the swatch photo don’t I?  This is what mediocre lipstick does to your soul.  It honestly sucks to find the words to express my discontent with below-average lipsticks, so I’m going to stop right here and play with some Burberry reds instead to make myself feel better.

What lipstick has disappointed you recently?

…but most of the time, I take the photos – write the post, upload the photos, think “job done”, click preview and then wonder why the hell I bothered.  Today is one of those days.

I would blame the camera, the lighting, the mis-calibration of your monitor… but the truth is, my face absorbs colour.  Unless of course, I wear a shade from one of my Sleek palettes which seem to encourage my chemistry to saturate the colour to the max, turning me into some kind of deformed caricature of myself.

Grumbles aside, and seeing as this was intended to be a FOTD post, I’d better get on and list the products just as I would for any other FOTD post… who cares if you can’t actually see them right?

Face

Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer #2
MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation in NW15
Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer in SX03

Cheeks

Trish McEvoy Golden Bronzer*

Eyes

Trish McEvoy Glaze Eyeshadow in Rose Quartz
Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash Mascara
Estee Lauder Intense Kajal Eye Crayon in 01 Dramatic Black*

Lips

Clinique Chubby Stick in Oversized Orange*

I’m liking the MAC Studio Fix more than I thought.  It’s a little drying and perhaps a touch too matte for me but I mix in some Fluid Sheer to give it a boost of luminescence and I’m quite enjoying it.  The Kevyn Aucoin SSE is starting to work for me now that I’m using it to conceal rather than as a fuller-coverage foundation – though I am still determined to work out how to get full-face coverage from it.  I received the Trish McEvoy Golden Bronzer last year and it’s a sheerer formula which is quite forgiving despite my pale skintone, it has a subtle sparkle and is quite buildable.  I’m not the best at applying/blending bronzer though… consider me still a bit of a bronzer noob.

The eyes were the most disappointing aspect of today’s look.  The Trish McEvoy shadow I bought for my palette, although a beautiful colour didn’t create much impact – which to be honest, is fair enough – it is intended to be a sheer wash of beautiful rosy taupe… nothing too dramatic, it’s my fault for not bothering with a contour.  I’m sitting on the fence when it comes to the MUFE Smoky Lash mascara, I know that many of you swear by it and although it’s certainly quite impressive at creating some drama, I feel that it’s a little prone to clumping and I don’t like the way it makes my lashes feel.  Finally, the Estee Lauder Intense Kajal Eye Crayon in 01 Dramatic Black seemed to look more ‘dramatic plum’ on my waterline… perhaps it’s those sleepless nights finally showing through!

The one component of today’s FOTD that I thought I’d be indifferent about (sheer lip colours – “meh”), I ended up really liking.  The Clinique Chubby Stick is such a nice formula to wear and for me to reach for it, well… perhaps I was feeling more ‘subtle’ than I was letting-on!  You won’t see a huge amount of colour with this range but the Oversized Orange gives my lips a nice polish and a hint of warmth.

What’s your favourite product that you’re sporting today?

* indicates press samples

And so my MUFE Aqua Cream collection grows because I wasn’t able to help myself when I saw a swatch of Aqua Cream #19 and couldn’t stop thinking about it for weeks afterward!

MUFE Aqua Cream in #19 is a blue-toned purple with an almost electric quality.  Like most Aqua Creams, it can be a bit tough to blend and I’d recommend applying it more as a base than an independent eyeshadow.  Unless you got the skillz of course.  And if you have?  Come show me how to do it!

Look, ain’t she purdy?

Lasting power is more than adequate on my lids, without any primers I get around 7/8hrs before creasing… the more heavy handed I am with it, the faster the product heads for my creases.

I particularly enjoy pairing this one up with NARS Ashes to Ashes eyeshadow, creating a KILLER violet-taupe from the combo.

MUFE Aqua Creams are available to buy online from Guru Makeup Emporium and PAM priced ar around £16.75

Do you own any MUFE Aqua Creams?

We all have a few of these in our collections right?

Those products that we wanted for ages… thought about more frequently than food or sex and then when we eventually found ourselves clutching them in our hot little hands, wished we’d opted for those other thoughts instead.

Here are my current disappointments.

1. Too Faced Absolutely Invisible Candlelight Powder – £18.50

I have a bit of a ‘thing’ for finishing powders, the right one really makes a huge difference.

The reviews for the Too Faced Absolutely Invisible Candlelight Powder are generally pretty good but it’s just a bit too sparkly for me.  I’ve tried using different brushes to ensure that I’m not being too heavy handed but I still don’t dig the effect.  It’s a nice powder… but the (albeit minute) particles of glitter seem to catch the light in a sparkly rather than glowy way.

2. Make Up For Ever HD Blush – £21.75

Can’t. Blend. It.

It doesn’t look atrocious but it doesn’t look as well-blended as my other blushes and whilst I’m fully aware, confident even, that the problem lies more with my (lack of) skillz than the product… this knowledge doesn’t make me like it more.

Shame ‘cos the shades I own are gorgeous… *sigh*

3. Benefit Erase Paste Concealer – £18.89

I always thought that Erase Paste was for under the eye area and Boi-oing (or whatever it’s called) was for blemishes but for the life of me, I cannot make this work on my dark circles.  It cakes and gathers in any fine lines within an hour of wear.  It may be heavy duty in terms of coverage but I’m not willing to comprimise about 10 years of my youth for a bit of concealing.

I’ve tried: warming it up before using/buffing it in with a brush/patting it on with my ring finger/setting it with powder/a combination of all the above!  Disappointing.

4. Illamasqua Rich Liquid Foundation – £21.50

I bought this with the hope of mixing it with a moisturiser and really being able to control the amount of coverage I achieved.  It gives the ‘death mask’ look when worn alone… which is fine for a night out but unwearable (for me) during the day.  I’m fine with this though, I expected it… what I’m not fine with is the fact that everytime I try to use it, it’s separated and takes about 5 minutes to combine with vigorous shaking.

What products in your collection do you wish you loved more?  Are you like me and can’t bring yourself to ditch them incase you suddenly get an a-ha moment?

The dust is clearing and I’m surveying the damage that IMATS has done to my purse.  It could be worse, it could have been better.  I set myself a budget and exceeded it (of course).  But, I don’t feel gut-wrenching guilt and my child will still be able to eat (gruel) next month.

The haul.  The picture above is oddly missing a lip tar but I don’t care enough to retake it.

I bought a freestyle Yaby palette from MUABoutique stand (served by the awesome DvoraDvine no less! *swoon*) with the intention of filling it with random Yaby purchases throughout the year.  I had to pick up a couple of eyeshadows to start my collection off too right?

I made a beeline for Guru Makeup Emporium as soon as I arrived… (having sussed out which MUFE stockist had the best discount first of course).  I wanted to try the new Rouge Artist Intense lipsticks and picked out three that caught my eye.  I also grabbed the one of the new Uplight highlighters in #11 and another MUFE Aqua Cream for my collection.  Love them.

O to the doube C – I bought 4 of these last year and although I um.. haven’t really worn them much, I wanted some of the new shades as soon as I swatched them.  Now that I’m getting more comfortable with brighter colours and wielding a lip brush, I’m hoping I’ll reach for them more frequently.  If I don’t, I deserve shooting for being stupid and flahoolick.

INGLOT were offering a cool 30% discount, so although I wasn’t intending to indulge… I really got sidetracked by a few items.  Can you tell I kinda have a thing for lipstick yet?

Finally…

This one was actually a mistake.  An embarrassing one at that.

You know the infamous Face Atelier foundation that is supposed to be like “uhmazing”?  Well…. someone clearly wasn’t paying enough attention or was high on nail polish fumes or something.  The stand I bought this foundation from was called Make Up Atelier Paris.  Slight difference there right?  My brain saw “Atelier” and swooped before engaging.

Now, idiocy aside… I actually preferred the texture of this foundation to FACE Atelier’s after swatching at the FACE Atelier stand to compare.  This one feels lighter in texture but with that same silicone slip… I’m hoping this will be a good choice as the weather gets warmer.

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So there’s my sins… I’m very pleased with them and if there’s anything you’d like me to review/swatch first, tell me and I’ll push it to the front of the IMATS haul queue.

Did you go?  What did you buy?

Going back through some of my old photo folders I was surprised to notice that I hadn’t blogged about one of my favourite foundations ever!

I love light foundations that feel comfortable on the skin and MUFE’s Face & Body Liquid Make Up fits that criteria beautifully.  Yes, it’s sheer and will not cover blemishes – but it evens out my skintone nicely and lasts all day.  Being waterproof, it’s pretty fabulous for warm climates too.

In my humble and completely non-expert opinion, the key to falling in love with this foundation is in the way you apply it.

I layer it.

It takes a little longer, but I adore the finish that I can achieve if I take some time and care with my application.

Starting with a thin layer all over, I give the jelly-like water-based formula a couple of minues to dry.  Once set, I apply another layer… this time focusing on the centre of my face.  This is the layer that evens out the redness in my skin… not completely, but enough to keep my tone looking more uniform yet still natural.

If I have blemishes, then before applying anything… I’ll conceal them.

The formula takes a little getting used to… it’s very wet and jelly like.  Before dispensing, you need to give the bottle a thorough shake to mix the formula and when tipping beware that you can dislodge a big jellified blob onto the back of your hand if you’re not cautious!

Make Up For Ever’s Face & Body Liquid Make Up isn’t an inexpensive choice, but it’s certainly cheaper (especially for the quantity in the bottle) than most high end alternatives.

Available in the UK from Guru Makeup Emporium and PAM Makeup, 50ml will set you back around £25-£27.

As an aside, Shade #36 is the MOST perfect match for my skintone (especially in winter).  Though, ironically… it wouldn’t matter if it were a shade or two off because it’s such a forgiving sheer formula.  Why can’t I find this shade in other foundations huh?

Have you tried MUFE’s Face & Body Liquid Make Up?  What are your favourite MUFE products?  I wish we had greater availability in the UK… I can’t understand why a national chain haven’t picked the brand up already *sigh*.

£20.50 makes for an expensive concealer.  It needs to live up to the hype.

I bought the Make Up For Ever Full Cover concealer in shade #1 a few months ago.  I was looking for a great all rounder that I could use under my eyes and to cover blemishes.  On paper at least, this seemed to fit the bill.

It’s fragrance-free, non-comedegenic and suitable for sensitive skin… blah, blah, blah.  All I really care about is this…  Does it cover?  Does it cake?

Yes and No.

There, review done.

Yeah… you wish…

For such a professional brand, I was hoping for a touch more longevity from this concealer.

I apply just the tiniest amount under my eye and it spreads out beautifully without dragging or settling into fine lines.  I set it with a touch of powder and hope for the best.  It gives a beautiful finish.  Though not brightening, it will disguise any obvious dark circles really rather well and a little goes a very long way.

The shade range is marvellous, I usually opt for the lightest, and unfortunately for me…. #1 is a touch too light and gives me a slight ashy look under the eyes, I should have gone for #2 or #3 but for paler gals than me, I know this will be great news!

It covers blemishes nicely, though I find that 2 thin coats works better than one thick one (doesn’t it always?).   This also tones down redness on my nose, though I do occasionally find that it clings to the dry patches there if I’m not well-moisturised enough.

So back to my longevity issue.  This lasts about 4 hours on me… so it sadly doesn’t see me through a working day.

Would I recommend it?  Yes, I think I would… despite the price tag, I think it’s a pretty lovely full coverage concealer that gives great results without looking like you’re using a full coverage concealer.

See how nicely it blends out and how a teeny amount pretty much covered the back of my hand?

You can purchase MUFE Full Cover Camouflage Cream from Guru Makeup Emporium instore or over the phone (0207 731 4646)

Do you own this or any of MUFE’s other concealers?

While up in London last weekend, I headed over to Fulham to check out Guru Makeup Emporium in person… it’s down this super cute little cobbled mews.

The shop itself is lovely… spacious and well stocked and the lady behind the counter couldn’t have been more helpful and accommodating.

I actually went there to have a look at the MUFE HD Blushes, but when I was swatching I was finding them quite hard to blend aswell as being perhaps just a little too pigmented for me.  I’m fairly ham-fisted with blusher and to put it simply, my skillz weren’t up to the job!

Anywayyyy

I was distracted by the new Aqua Creams.  I’d snagged one already from one of Goss’ infamous blog sales but I figured I’d check out the other shades… I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with 3 of them *eek!*

£16.95 each maketh for an expensive splurge.

But check out these shades….

Beautiful no?  There was another one that I really loved too… a medium bronzey shade… I think it was #14.  But I had to bitch slap myself and remember that my family need to eat.

#13 (Warm Beige) is a shimmering nude champagne, it’s a great lid colour.

#2 (Steel) reminds me of Benefit’s Skinny Jeans, but it’s more cool-toned… slightly greyer and more complex.

#5 (Peach) I bought to use as a blush.  In the pot it looks like everything I wanted NARS Enchanted to be… on the cheeks, it’s nicely pigmented but there’s too much gold glitter for me to use as a blush *sigh*.

So how do these work?  Are they cream shadows? blushes?

Well… they’re described as multipurpose.  They’re simply waterproof cream colours that can be used on your eye, lips or cheeks.  I’m not really interested in using these on my lips… I’ll mostly stick to using them on my eyes.

Are they crease-resistant?  Not completely… but kinda.  If you don’t have any problems with the Benefit Creaseless Creams, then I think you’ll be good with these aswell.  On me, they don’t crease or ball-up… but they do settle a little more deeply in the lines after a few hours.

For £16.95 you get 6g of product compared to 4.5g in a £14 Benefit Creaseless Cream so it’s not too bad value-wise (although of course, you can get the Creaseless Creams much cheaper if you shop around).  The obvious benefit to the MUFE Aqua Creams is the huge range of shades available.

Would I buy more… oh yes!

MUFE Aqua Creams are available to buy from Guru Makeup Emporium who do mail order and have a pricelist on their website!

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!

I picked this little set up at IMATS (I gave up on the collective haul post – they’ll be coming at you one by one I’m afraid!) from Guru Makeup Emporium who were offering a very decent discount!

5 mini versions of the very popular Aqua Eyes Pencils housed in a litle collector’s tin.

Colours included are: Matte Black (0L), Pearly Brown (2L), Blue with Green Highlights (12L), Shimmering Plum (4L) and Champagne (23L).

The pencils are heavily pigmented and apply smoothly on the waterline.  The champagne will make a lovely eye-brightener, and the blue is simply to die for.  They don’t budge from my lashline and sick to the waterline for a good few hours.

These are my first ‘pencil purchase’ since I went through my stash binning everything that wasn’t GOSH. I won’t be binning these 😉

Do you wear coloured pencils?

I paid £10 for the set.  MUFE Aqua Eyes Pencils retail in the UK for around £11.95 each.