Eden

Urban Decay 'Eden' Eyeshadow Primer Potion, £15 for 11ml.

Back when I used to work next to an Urban Decay counter the girls let me take a little sample of 'Eden' home with me, and I gotta say, it surpassed all expectations. I went out and bought the full size tube and it is now something I use on myself regularly (when I can be bothered to wear eyeshadow that is) and is a constant in my makeup kit.

It's creamy on first squirt, but as it is worked into the eyelid it dries down to a stiff, matte finish. While it clearly has amazing grip for eyeshadows, the super matte finish means you have to work quite fast when applying eye makeup, blending quickly as you go to ensure that eyeshadow doesn't get stuck where you didn't want it to be, because boy it is hard to budge if you don't blend in time.

It's very yellow, and while I'm sure this is purposeful in order to counteract any redness, so commonly found on eyelids, it is so visible on a pale, pink person such as me that I do have to wear colours that balance it out i.e. I cannot wear it simply as a colour correcter or tiny-vein-hider. When I use it, I can only use it if eyeshadow is actually going on top. The same goes for when I use it on a dark skinned model, I have to be so careful to only apply it where I know eyeshadow will be, or it is visible against them. You can be the one to judge whether you think this would be an issue for yourself or not.

It grips and holds onto every particle of eyeshadow that you put on top of it. There's no creasing after 8 hours and it definitely helps bright and deep colours alike 'pop' to their full potential, true to pan colour. The tiniest bit is needed to cover both eyes, but sometimes the squeezy tube can dispense more than is needed, a problem I find commong amongst all of the eyeshadow primers I have used. It's not a deal breaker, because I think it is fantastic value for money and something that I know will last me a long time, and something that I will definitely be buying again. Thumbs up from me!

Thanks for reading,

E.

Hype

A face of the day post for ya'll today. I recently caved to the Illamasqua summer sale and bought 'Hype' an acid yellow eyeshadow with a matte finish. I'm aiming to increase the colour range in my kit, but couldn't resist trying it out on myself first!

I used Benefit's 'Stay Don't Stray' eye primer, two brown shades from the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette, and Illamasqua 'Hype.' I smudged MAC Kohl in 'Smoulder' underneath my bottom lashes, and added some falsies, finishing off with a slick of black gel liner. Totally over the top, but it was fun, and I am surprised by how much I liked yellow!

Blogging is going to be a wee bit absent for the next week, as I don't have a day off now until next Sunday on which I am sure I will be gently rocking myself back and forth in a corner, in blankets, with my phone turned off, catching up on BINTM or some shizz. Then I am off to London for a few days but hope to get a couple of posts sorted for then. All the best til then.

Thanks for reading,

E.

Daniel Sandler Waterproof Eyeliner Review

Daniel Sandler Long Lasting Waterproof Eyeliner in 'Purple Velvet', £9.24 for 0.35g here.

I was really looking forward to trying my first ever Daniel Sandler product. The makeup line is quite highly regarded and I've not read any negative reviews myself. I have been itching to try the Watercolour blush for years now and when my budget allows it, I know I'll be stocking up on a few.

'Purple Velvet' on the stock photo looked so vivid and beautiful. I had visions of a shock of purple blended into water and lashline, great for emphasising green eyes and something a bit different to what I am usually reach for. On first swatch I noticed that the purple is actually a deep aubergiene colour, perhaps a more sophisticated version of the electric purple I was expecting. It has fine silver glitter running through it and became opaque on my hand after three swipes.
The colour pay off is quite weak on my eyes in comparison to other pencils I own, I found I had to work quite hard for the colour to show up well, as the product seems more suitable for a slight wash of colour/liner rather than anything vivid or intense.  I had terrible trouble trying to apply this to my waterline, I got absolutely no colour pay-off after rubbing it on there several times before giving up. Slightly disappointing, but as this liner doesn't claim to be a 'kohl' I cannot be too disappointed and it shouldn't affect my review.

The liner can be quite easily smudged and softened, something quite unusual in a waterproof  product as they are normally a lot more stiff in consistency. This is an element to the liner that I really like. For me this works better as an eyeshadow crayon, something to be worked into a smokey eye or smudged to create a purple wash of shadow. Due to it's twist-up mechanism, the pencil can't be sharpened which I find also lends itself to being used as an eyeshadow crayon because it is hard to get a precise finish after it has been used a couple of times as there is no way to sharpen it.

In terms of it's waterproof claims, it performs quite well. I wore it on a 2k jog, which although isn't a long or gruelling run, definitely put it to the test. It remained intact with a little fade. Not bad!!

I had high expectations for this but it just doesn't deliver as an eyeliner in my opinion. I am glad however, that I have found a use for it. Due it it's soft crayon texture, and it's fantastic blendability, I will certainly be using it as an eyeshadow rather than a liner from now on. This slight disappointment hasn't put me off, I would definitely be interested in trying more Daniel Sandler products in the future. 

Thankyou for reading,

E.

This product was sent for me to review. Hairtrade.com is one of the UK's leading online retailers of hair extensions, hair care and beauty products. You can order this product by clicking here.

Lancome 'Hypnose Drama' Mascara

Lancome 'Hypose Drama' Mascara, £21 for 6.5g.

I had managed to go a whole year of working opposite Lancome and not buying a single thing. Infact, I've managed to get through life as a makeup hoarder and not bought a single thing off Lancome full stop. Perhaps that shows how little interest I have in the brand (I couldn't tell you why I feel this way) but with the Debenhams sales on and my YSL mascara running a little dry I thought it time I bit the bullet and buy a new one. I chose Lancome because if there's one thing they're famed for, it's mascara.

The girls on there both recommened Hypnose Drama, I told them that while I have fairly long lashes, they are determined to stay straight so I needed a mascara that curled, held that curl, while delivering definition, AND volume. (I don't ask for much, do I?)

Well, on first application I was astounded at how well this mascara delivers. After curling my lashes I only needed one coat of mascara to secure long, curled lashes with bold definition. Using other mascaras, my lashes soon droop down and become straight again, but this one keeps them pointing to the sky all day with minimal fall. As I have hooded eyes my lashes are really important for lifting my face and defining my eyes, and I have felt so much happier with my lashes since using this. 
It has also surpassed my expectations because it doesn't really smudge on me in comparison to the extent that others do. Only a few times have I noticed the dreaded 'panda eye' and had to quickly sweep my under eyes, but these have been sporadic and not enough to put me off buying it again. 

The wand is fibrous and quite unique, it curls round in a skeletal sort of way but one side is curved to help curl the lashes and is also really helpful as it makes combing through lower lashes easy too. There's fibres at all angles ready to coat every lash. The formula is fairly wet and also jet black. The packaging is quite ergonomic and tactile, too, I like it.

I am genuinely impressed with this mascara, I will buy it again after I have used some others in my stash...however I am using one at the moment that is giving it a run for its money so stick around for a review of that one too!

Midweek Post: My favourite eye makeup brushes.

There are a few brushes that I cannot imagine being without now, so I thought I had better share them with you so that you don't miss out too!

Real Techniques eyeshadow brush; This is a great eyeshadow brush for packing on the product. It's not too big which I find so many others to be, it is just the perfect size for my eyelids! This is made of synthetic hair so can be used with creams or powders, but I especially love it with powders because I think it picks up product so well.

MAC 217; This is often sold out on the website so you may have already gathered that it is a popular brush. This is a great brush for blending and adding product into the crease of the eye.It's tapered head means that it accesses the crease well without spreading the product over the lid. It also blends powders really well.

Illamasqua Blending Brush 1; This is great for blending eye makeup seamlessly. I always keep it clean and do not use it to apply product with, just swirl it over a smokey eye to blend the colours and fade. Like all the brushes at Illamasqua, it is synthetic hairs which I generally prefer to use.

Laura Mercier Smudge Brush; This is an absolute must have for smudging any under eye colour to create a more smokey or blended finish. It's a great size- it is small enough to be precise but wide enough to remain firm which is an important quality in any smudger brush. Works great with powder and pencil/gel eyeliners.

MAC 210; I have already spoken about this a couple of times before, for me it is a must have for applying gel eyeliner, whether it be for a winged flick or onto the water line. The only downside is that it has frayed slightly and I haven't had it a year yet.

Illamasqua Angled Brush; This is the best angled brush I have ever used for several reasons. Firslty, the brush is made of synthetic hair which makes it both cruelty free and multipurpose in terms of being able to use it with liquids, creams and powders. The length is perfect- it's as if Illamasqua have taken a standard angled brush and cut it in half, making it short and wide, therefore a lot firmer (perfect for creating straight lines or sculpted brows with ease) and alllowing more control as it isn't as flimsy. My brows have improved ten fold since I have been using this brush, the size is just perfect. Worth every penny.

Midweek Post: A Pop Of Colour

I must have been feeling a bit fruity last week when I decided that orange and blue in the same makeup look was going to be a good idea. In the end, I really liked the outcome and wearing a pop of colour during these dark winter (I am not a big fan of post- Christmas winter) days is a quick and an easy way to brighten up my mood. Orange and blue are complimentary colours and a couple of people made nice comments about my makeup that day, which is always nice isn't it?

I used the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette on my eyelids to create a natural brown look and then put Illamasqua's medium pencil in 'Debonair' under my waterline. I blended it with one of my Laura Mercier brushes and added a bit of brown from the UD palette in the outer corners to tie in the overall look. Granted, the medium pencil needed to be touched up throughout the day which was a bit of annoyance. On my lips I used a true vivid orange lipstick also from Illamasqua called 'Flare'. The formula is a little stiff but it is ultra matte and so was the perfect choice on a windy day! Nothing worse than hair getting stuck in lipgloss! 

I enjoyed wearing something a bit different and have been trying out different looks recently, I'll try and document a few of them for this ere blog :-)

P,S, Can you tell I still can't use my camera properly? ;-D

New In! Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette.

Urban Decay 'Naked Basics' Palette, £20 for 6 x 1.3g (7.8g) 

I knew I had to have this as soon as I saw it advertised (I think in a magazine?) so I placed an order for it the day it was made available. How keen is that? 
The palette is an online exclusive at Debenhams and luckily for me it was during megaweek so there was 10% off too aswell as free delivery.
I don't own the Naked or Naked2 palette, while they always tempted me I always thought that shimmery shadows from Urban Decay always created a bit too much fallout for my liking, but I was confident this wouldn't be the case with a palette of 6 matte shadows.

The packaging:
It's smaller and more compact than I thought it would be, which makes it perfect for travel. I don't think the presentation is particularly good- the pans never look very secure and you might be able to see on shade 'Faint' that it looks a bit faulty as if it could pop out any minute. I like the mirror inside which covers the entire lid and I like that it doesn't come with any brushes, as they are wasted on me (but would perhaps be helpful for others.) It is made of hard plastic which is fairly protective with a click-shut mechanism.

The shades:
Four of the shades in this are exclusive to the palette, which is nice, eh? Urban Decay describe them as 'must own' and I am inclined to agree. Neutral shade eyeshadows are a must have in any girls basic makeup collection. I'm also a firm believer that eveyone needs a good, matte black and this one contains it.

Left to right:

Venus: This one is more of a satin finish rather than matte, it's slightly frosted and is a good highlighter or used on the inner corners of the eyes to widen and brighten.

Foxy: A wearable, buttermilk shade which is good at neutralising discolouration on tired eyes. A good base for any day-to-day look.

Walk Of Shame: I am in love with this colour, a creamy pale pink, but when I say pink, I mean the faintest most delicate shade of pink. This will look great if any of you like a vintage look, as there's something quite fabulous and retro about it.

Naked2: A light brown that is very buildable, great used all over the eye for a grungry gothic look or used in the crease to define and shade.

Faint: A stunning taupey brown, can be used in a similar way to Naked2 but for a deeper, more dramatic effect.

Crave: A matte black, that is pretty black. Nothing more disappointing than a watery black, which are so common in palettes. Great to line with, define, or deepen the browns. This one is very buildable too, I've been able to get it quite intense.

Formula:
All of the shades are so silky to touch and really pigmented. They're not a bit chalky which is something some companies struggle with when creating matte eyeshadows. Worn with eye primer, the eyeshadows lasted a whole day and I experienced no creasing and minimum fade. This palette gets a thumbs up from me, I haven't put it down since it arrived.

Do you own any Urban Decay Palettes? Would a palette solely dedicated to matte shadows appeal to you?

Silver & Smokey.

Sometimes breaking out of your comfort zone is an absolute disaster, but sometimes it results in a new favourite. I've mentioned before that I flock like a magpie to brown and bronze eyeshadows and really neglect the other colours for fear that I can't pull them off.

I decided to try a silver eyeshadow, and created a smokey silver eye that I wanted to show you all- I think these colours are perfect for this time of year as they are cooler and seasonal, they're not colours I can see myself choosing in hotter weather.

Products used:

Maybelline 24 hr Tattoo in 'On and On Bronze'

Estee Lauder Eyeshadow in 'Cyber Silver' (LE)

MAC 'Coppering' Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Eyeshadow in 'Rich Sienna'

Laura Mercier Eyeshadow in 'Black Coffee'

Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner in '2 Sepia Ink' 

YSL 'Shocking' Mascara.

I was really pleased with how much I liked silver eyeshadow on me, what colours do you love to use on your eyes? What shades should I experiment with next?

Midweek post: Teddy Bear.

Clinique Colour Surge Eyeshadow quad in 'Teddy Bear', £25 for 4.8g

When we move into the summer months, our makeup preferences inevitably change and I often think what makeup I choose to use is weather dependant.

Personally, unless I'm going out in the evening, I prefer to wear minimal eye makeup in the warmer months, and I prefer the colour I use on my eyelids, if I choose to, to be a matte or satin finish. Highlighted, dewy skin and bright lips are perfect this time of year and I believe that added sparkle and shimmer from eyeshadows can make the overall look a little bit too much. In comes Teddy Bear from Clinique, an eyeshadow quad of wearable neutrals and browns, all with a matte finish.

I have begun to reach for this a lot of the time, there's something about it's simplicity that seems so fuss free and straightforward. The colours can be used inidividually to achieve a simple day look or combined together to create a more dramatic eye if desired.

The consistency of the eye shadows are quite powdery, but very fine and blendable. I found with the lighter shades that it was hard to really build them up without using a lot of product, however they're perfect for that 'wash of colour' look.

Clinique aptly describe the shades as 'classic ivory', 'golden tan beige','taupey milk chocolate' and a 'deep brown.' I'd say they're very wearable shades for most people, especially perfect for low-key day looks.

Overall, I like this palette and would recommend it to those who perhaps want a simple palette of neutrals as I believe the colours would suit almost everyone who has Fair- Medium skin (any deeper and the shades may not show up well.)
It's also great for beginners as it comes with a plastic slip that shows where you could use each of the colours for an eye look and the deep brown colour could potentially be used to fill in eyebrows (who doesn't love a multi-use product?!)

I do think the pricetag for this is a little steep, but I do like that all four colours are very blendable; a characteristic not too common amongst matte eyeshadows.

What neutral palettes do you reach for? What other matte shadows can you recommend to me?

Midweek post: Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers, £20.

 1) Natural 2) After using Shu Uemura eyelash curlers 3) two thin coats of mascara

Oh my days, as soon as I lifted these curlers away from my lashes for the first time, it was love! I've got fairly long lashes naturally but I was getting more and more frustrated at how they looked, they never curled in the way I wanted them too and I knew they could look better than they did. There's only so much mascara can do and my droopy lashes were doing my head in...time to take action and bin my cheap curlers!

My research showed that these had won several awards and were a makeup artist's necessity. Passing by the Shu Uemura store in Covent Garden I couldn't resist, and I could have easily bought so many more things from there if only money could grow on trees!

The grip you hold on your lashes is easily controllable with these to determine the outcome that you'd like. Since using these for a couple of weeks now I've experienced no pulling or discomfort when using them, nor have they affected my eyelashes negatively. 

These really are a great product.

Two TopShop Makeup Brushes; Review

TopShop Blush Brush £8

TopShop Concealer Brush £5

I am a bit of a brush snob, always choosing expensive brands over ones you can buy in Boots or Superdrug because of previous bad experiences with molting Max Factor brushes (the Real Techniques brushes aren't included in this sweeping generalisation).

I thought I'd try these TopShop brushes purely because they were cheap and in the packaging looked like they'd be 'alright' quality. I've been using them for a couple of months now so thought it was about time I shared my thoughts with you.

Blush Brush;

This is a medium sized powder brush that isn't very well rounded in my opinion, it's fairly full in terms of it's head of fibres, but is a peculiar shape and dependant on which way or angle you use it, it can be quite flat.

It picks up little but even product which is an advantage if you wish to build colour, or if you only wear a small, natural amount of blush.

The fibres themselves are quite rough and scratchy to the face, application isn't always a smooth process.

This brush does the job and is good for it's price if you like a full cheek of colour rather than precision application, and if you like a subtle wash of colour as the brush doesn't pick up too much product because the fibres themselves aren't densely packed. I've been using it here and there but if I'm honest I've been really enjoying using the Real Techniques Buffing brush to apply my blusher recently, I love the soft focus finish it gives.

Concealer Brush;

For me, this is a regretful purchase. I often hold an on/off relationship with concealer brushes, sometimes I think they are useful but sometimes I believe you can't beat a bit of finger action to blend that baby in!
This brush picks up product well but doesn't disperse it evenly and offers nothing in terms of blending it in at all. It makes any area concealed fairly obvious which destroys the point of using concealer! The synthetic fibres are too stiff, basically...I couldn't find a way to make this brush work for me!

I like the packaging of these in the plastic slip that they come in, I also like the way the brushes are presented with their black handles. However, my original opinion still remains that forking out money for decent makeup brushes is definitely worthwhile. Some things you just can't do on the cheap!

Springtime Nude Look #FOTD

Hiya girlies!

Apologies for a short absence, I been busy and the like. But I'm back with a spring nude inspired Face of the Day for you. 

According to Illamasqua's twitter yesterday it was National No Make Up Day, now this is a beauty blog so it would completely defeat the object to show you my face with no makeup on (I wouldn't subject you to that either, ha!) but I thought why not try a naked inspired look...

 

As strange as it may sound, I have real problems wearing a nude look, I'm always seen with a bold colour on my lips, or eyes, or cheeks. Or all. What can I say, I love makeup! I struggled to create a nude look and physically had to stop myself from reaching for the bold colours, it's become habit. However, I'm a strong believer that it's good to mix up your look and experiment and lately I have been gaining interest in nude lips. I don't own many nude, or natural- type lip colours in my collection so plumped for M.A.C 'Blankety' which is a sort of brown toned nude beige colour, I popped some Laura Mercier lip gloss on top to make it a bit more jazzy and to neutralise the brown tones a bit. I've just ordered Creme d'Nude so we'll see how I fair with that- will keep you posted!

I got to admit, I couldn't help but add a bright cheek colour...to make it a bit more exciting, Illamasqua powder blusher in 'Lover' is a strong fave of mine though would probably terrify most other people....I've got a post coming up on my Illamasqua blushers in a couple of weeks time, it's not showing up too strong in these pictures. I threw in a strong brow in for good measure, or I would have felt completely naked!

FOTD:

17 Photo Flawless Skin Primer

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation in 'Shell'

Bare Minerals Matte Powder in 'C10 Fair'

Illamasqua Powder Blusher in 'Lover'

Benefit Hervana Blusher

M.A.C. Bronzing Powder in 'Matte Bronze'

Eyes:

Benefit Stay Don't Stray Eyelid Primer

NARS Eyeshadow in 'Abyssinia' all over lid

17 Eyeshadow in 'Fanfare' in crease

M.A.C Eyeshadow in 'Showstopper' in crease and underneath eye, and used to define and fill brows

Maybelline Gel Eyeliner

Rimmel Eye Pencil in 'Pure White' on waterline

Benefit High Brow

M.A.C. Cream Colour Base in 'Pearl' on brow bone

Yves Saint Laurent 'Shocking' Mascara

M.A.C 'Blankety' (amplified) and Laura Mercier Lip Gloss in 'Nude Lilac'

What new makeup looks are you going to be trying this spring?

Do you struggle to wear a nude look, or is this what you wear everyday?

Can you recommend any great nude lip colours?