A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

You say tomato, I say tomato (that works so much better in person).  They say Line Diffuser: Wrinkle Smoothing Capsules*, I say Primer (mine’s snappier).

Firstly, the capsules instill that “squee cuteness!” thing in me that I need to resolve before I buy up half the Disney store on my next visit.  Secondly, this thing is packed full of ‘cones… it has more ‘cones in it than an Ice Cream van parked outside IBM.

When I saw this I was all “hmmm, this ain’t skincare!”, “but it sounds like skincare?”… “nahhh, this ain’t ‘skincare'”.

Apparently, it IS skincare.  Here’s the ingredients, I’ll let you make your own mind up.

I like the sound of the peptides… so I’m gonna call it a primer with ‘skincare benefits’.  That’s a compromise to you and me.

I apply it under makeup as recommended and the silicone helps me achieve baby-soft, velvety skin in an instant.  Infact I’ve been a bit sarky about this product so far but I can’t deny that it’s actually one of the best ‘primers’ I’ve used.

My foundation glides on once the Line Diffuser has had a minute to dry down.  You know those rare, blissful times when you get a great foundation application that looks flawless?  Since using these prior to buffing in my liquid foundation, all applications have looked flawless.  It simply makes my skin look smoother and more even-textured.   I don’t have anything other than a few fine lines around my eyes to test claims on wrinkle-smoothing but I’m liking its pore polyfilling abilities a lot.

I don’t believe I’ve achieved any additional longevity from my foundation since using this but I am finding this noticeably more suited to my skin than my Smashbox primer or my MAC Prep + Prime.

I’m torn.  I think the marketing as to what it actually is, is a bit squiffy… it’s potentially a little drying with daily use (best reserved for days when you NEED great skin?) and it’s pricey at £29.95 for 60 capsules which works out at an overall volume of around 21ml.

But I’m loving its work.  Something I never thought I’d say about a brand brought to life by Cindy Crawford.  I know that’s snobby… that’s snobby right?  Still… she does rock the 90s brown lip like no other!

Meaningful Beauty’s Line Diffuser Wrinkle Smoothing Capsules are priced at £29.95 and can be purchased online at www.meaningfulbeauty.co.uk (a Guthy Renker site).

* press sample

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!

Paese Cosmetics is a Polish cosmetics brand new to the UK market.  Currently only available online from http://paesecosmetics.com, the brand encompasses a wide selection of products from primers through to nail polishes and most things inbetween.

Paese Cosmetics’ price point aligns it with the drugstore market, infact… slightly cheaper.  A foundation will set you back just under £10.

I was sent some samples to put to the test, read on for images and my thoughts on the base products I received.

Read the rest of this entry »

“Don’t sit on that cold step, you’ll get piles…”

“If you sit too close to that TV, your eyes’ll turn square… ”

“You’ll catch your death if you go out without a coat on…”

That’s my Nan talking up there incase you’re wondering. My beautiful Nan… she’s not with us anymore, but you can be sure that wherever she is, she’s got a glass of Guiness in her hand.

Oh, she’ll also have a bag of fluff-coated cough drops somewhere in her handbag (the white Maggie Thatcher-esque one that never left her side).

But what does any of that nonsense have to do with a skin primer that hails all the way from Japan from one of my first-discovered ‘exotic’ (for me) brands?

Absolutely sod all.

Sorry for wasting the last 30 seconds of your life. It was just the words Skin Coat made me think of not leaving the house without your coat on…

DHC’s Velvet Skin Coat was sent to me for review consideration a little while ago.

It’s one of those silicone, skin-smoothing primers like Smashbox Photo Finish. In this instance, you get 15g for £12.50 which puts it a nose ahead of the Smashbox version in terms of value.

I find the packaging of the DHC Velvet Skin Coat preferable to Smashbox’s pump action bottle which always used to spew out too much product. The (rather plain) squeezy tube from DHC offers complete control over how much I’m dispensing without any wastage.

So far, it’s looking good for the DHC… But what does it actually claim to do?

[stextbox id=”custom” bcolor=”b0c4de” bgcolor=”e6e6fa”]Prepare your skin for pristine make-up application. This transparent silicone gel helps temporarily fill in fine lines and promote a more even-looking, refined skin texture – creating a perfect, silky-smooth make-up base. Just slide our primer between your skin and foundation to absorb excess oil and encourage longer-lasting wear. If you prefer a more natural look, use it on its own for a truly gorgeous matt complexion that is velvety-soft to the touch.[/stextbox]

Pretty much everything then *rolls eyes*

From personal experience, it achieves about half of those things… It creates a matte texture that feels velvety and soft. It doesn’t pill, ball-up or interfere with my other products when I’m applying it alone or in conjunction with foundation.

If I’m applying my foundation with my fingers, then I can definitely feel my foundation gliding on more smoothly… as for longevity… hmmmm… undecided. As for filling in pores? hmmmm, not really. In fairness though, Smashbox doesn’t do these things for me either.

Can you make out much difference between the 2 sides of my face?

Because of it’s clear texture… it also sadly doesn’t do anything to disguise the redness in my skintone and neither does it offer any SPF protection.

The only primers I’ve found that work well for me are the less silicone-y ones… the Shu Uemura UV Underbase and Paul & Joe’s Moisturising Foundation Primer (which gave some great longevity). But having said that… so many people swear by Smashbox Photo Finish (c. £28), L’oreal’s Studio Secrets (£12.99) and other silicone-heavy offerings that just because I haven’t found it working wonders on me, doesn’t mean that you won’t love it.

Final Verdict: If you’re a Smashbox Photo Finish fan, try this purse-friendly alternative! Hell, it’s even cheaper than L’oreal’s Studio Secrets (and it’s far better than that!)

DHC Velvet Skin Coat is priced at £12.50 for 15g and available online from DHC. While you’re there, pick up a bottle of their Deep Cleansing Oil… you’ll thank me for it.

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This Thursday (19th August), Cover FX will be offering free 10-day samples of their new EyePrep FX primer which is due to launch in stores next month.

If you’re local to London, Manchester or Dublin – you’re in luck.

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So where can you get your hands on a sample?

House of Fraser – Oxford Street

Harvey Nichols – Knightsbridge, Manchester & Dublin

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Be quick though, samples will be available from 12 noon and are sure to be limited!