Model Makeup #2

This is the second in my series about makeup looks I have done on recent photoshoots. 

Today's model is Abi Green. It was great working on Abi because she is an agency represented model, and had a face that just comes alive with makeup (and the most perfect baby soft, blemish free skin I have ever seen!!)

Instagram: emilylaurenbeth

I was shown the outfit (it was all from Urban Outfitters) and was immediately drawn to the gorgeous neon coral colour of the top. I knew I wanted to reflect how fun and beautiful this colour was in her makeup too. For her lips I mixed two Illamasqua shades together, a bright matte orange called 'Flare' and a bright neon pink 'Immodest'. I used Bobbi Brown Foundation Sticks for her base and contoured with MAC 'Harmony' blush to accentuate her amazing cheekbones and then added a sweep of pink blusher to add some warmth and colour  as contour alone would have looked quite severe.

On her eyes I primed her lids with Urban Decay's matte primer potion, which is so good I have to say. On top I created a blown-out, soft wash of colour using the pink and copper shades from the Paranormal Palette from Illamasqua's latest collection. Using MAC's soft kohl eyeliner in 'Smoulder' I lined her waterline and finished off with lashings of MAC Opulash mascara. Her eyebrows were very fair so I added some definition with MAC 'Omega' eyeshadow. 
The finishing touches...
I painted her nails with the brightest pink I had on me, which was one by Maybelline. I wanted to keep her amazing skin quite fresh and glowing so I didn't add any powder until just before she was photographed, and only to her T-Zone.

The shoot was in preperation for an exhibition which has been on show in Urban Cardiff for a couple of weeks now. It's nice seeing some of my work on the walls, makes me remember why I love doing makeup so much. And I would love to work with Abi again!

Here's a final shot:

Lewis Hughes-Evans photography, Abi Green model.

Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick

Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick, £28 for 9g.

If I am honest, I had always steered clear of Bobbi Brown foundations because all of the cosmetic range has yellow undertones rather than yellow and pink like other brands offer. I understand that Bobbi feels that yellow undertones flatter everybody, however I do believe that you cannot deny that some people are pink through and through and would benefit from a pink toned foundation. 
Over my time on make up counters I experienced lots of people who didn't want to look 'too pink' and those who fake tan will also immediately have a yellow undertone, but for somebody who is pink, I personally was scared to try a Bobbi foundation.

Bobbi Brown foundation sticks were provided in my basic kit when I completed my makeup course. A bit dubious of these at first as I was so used to using liquid (I couldn't help but have thoughts of the dreaded 'Pan Stik'), my opinion completely changed within a matter of minutes of picking these up, discovering that they are gorgeous and creamy and so much more versatile than you might originally think. 

Depending on how much you apply, this foundation can achieve anything between a light coverage (or you could mix some with a moisturiser to make the coverage very sheer), to a full coverage. Using a concealer brush and dabbing it in the necessary areas, it can also double up as a concealer too. 
The best method is to sweep a flat foundation brush over the top of the product, allowing control of how much you apply and how much you blend it on the face (rather than using the 'stripe' method and ending up with excess product/making it harder to blend.) 

Since using it in my professional kit I have been so impressed by it's performance, it seems to work on every skin type, whether it be dry or oily, and the shade range is one of the most comprehensive available. It photographs flawlessly because it has no SPF in it.

I've been testing it out on myself and I am completely converted. I use the shade '00 Alablaster' which is the palest in the shade range and it matches me well. As it is in stick form it is quite a stiff product so it does take some time to work into the skin, and I'd definitely recommend a firm brush to do this with.
I have been using Illamasqua's Hydra Veil as a primer with this on top and my face stays in place for the entire day, with no touch ups needed. As a 'pinky' person, this yellow toned foundation doesn't look off balance at all, you cannot tell a difference and it helps balance any redness in my skin.

All in all, I think this is a very good product and I would recommend it for makeup artists and consumers alike. It performs well and there is bound to be a match for you.

Thankyou for reading,

E.

Spring 'base' makeup

My 'base' makeup of choice at the moment is very different to what I have been reaching for the last few months.  The rich foundations with high coverage have been swapped for something a bit lighter.

One reason I prefer a lighter coverage is because it lets my (pathetic excuse for) freckles show through. I love freckles. Whenever I am on a makeup job I hope for a model with freckles because I just love making them a feature, and while I won't step foot in the tanning booth again (Summer 2010 was my tan bed hay-day) I do wish there was a way to make my own more distinguished. Lancome used to make a freckle crayon but I am not sure I have the guts to paint freckles on my own face just yet. I'll get back to you on that one.


I've been prepping my skin with a pea sized spoonful of Hydra Veil from Illamasqua, I don't buy all of the benefits they claim it to have, but to be fair it is the best primer I have used so far. While it offers a 'wave' of hydration to the skin (and a definite cooling effect), it keeps the appearance of my skin surprisingly matte and I do notice my makeup stays put for a bit longer than normal when I use this. It is a very unique jelly- to- liquid consistency, I don't like the presence of the alcohol content on the ingredients list but at least it is paraben free unlike a lot of their cosmetics, and it does contain hyaluronic acid which is of course a plus (great for glowy skin.)

Next I warm some of Yves Saint Laurent's 'Le Teint Touche Eclat' foundation between my fingers and work it into my skin. I really do think this foundation works best using fingers, and it isn't often you would catch me saying that (please just make sure your hands are clean first!)
I tend to ignore powder these days, but if I do use any I just dust some lightweight translucent powder on my t-zone. I follow by working a cream blusher into the apples of my cheeks, which maintains the radiant finish of the foundation. My current favourites are MAC Cremeblend blush in 'Something Special'- a bright peach pink, and Illamasqua Cream Blusher in 'Dixie' -a deep coral. For the ultimate lazy finish, I dab a bit of whichever cream blusher I have chosen for my cheeks onto my lips.

That's my current base makeup routine- fresh faced, lightweight, quick and very easy. The foundation does contain an SPF of 19 but I would advise adding your own SPF with your morning moisturiser.

Thanks for reading,

E.

Midweek Post: Sunset Colours

I have become a little more experimental with colour recently, which I mentioned in my last FOTD post too. Wearing warm, sunset colours on my eyes is fast becoming one of my favourites, I love warm toned colours on cool toned skin as a general preference, because although it doesn't fit in with 'rules' of colour I think it keeps skin looking alive and youthful. Too many cool colours on fair pink skin can look almost morbid sometimes. A way of trying out warm, flush colours on your eyes without buying new eyeshadows is to use blusher! Illamasqua's 'Lover', 'Naked Rose' and 'Beg' blushers are some of my favourites to wear on my eyes.

EHD.

PS I'll be replying to all of the lovely comments that have been left for me in my last few posts early next week. Please don't think I am ignoring you, I read and appreciate every comment and message left for me!

Bobbi Brown Brightening Face Powder

Bobbi Brown Brightening Face Powder in 'Brightening Nudes', £40 for 6.6g.

When I see the words 'brightening' on a product, I am immediately attracted to it. I had been searching for a new face powder for a few weeks and had decided that going high end was the only way, I was done with 17 and Collection 2000's offerings. I was about to buy the MAC mineralize powder but saw this on the Bobbi website and had to try it.

The powder palette is called 'Brightening Nudes' and holds 6 different shades, all subtle and almost pastel in tone including lilac, brown, pink and cream. The top 'layer' has quite a bit of glitter but this didn't transfer on to the skin in an obvious way and once the powder has been used a few times the glitter becomes undetectable. 

I have been using a really small amount powdered over my t-zone, and while I think it does lean too pink on my skin, I love the way it lets a luminous foundation shine through and how it doesn't make me look flat and lifeless which so many powders do. It helps maintain a healthy complexion firstly by not covering the foundation in thick powder and secondly by having illuminating properties itself. It contains sodium hyaluronate which is a great ingredient for keeping skin looking happy and fresh. You can see how it looks layered on top of Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation by clicking here.

It's packaged in a mirrored compact which feels so luxurious, it also came in a velvet pouch but that soon got discarded- I can't be doing with all that faff but it would help protect the compact if you are on the go.

Overall I do think this is a fantastic product- it brightens the skin and works with radiant foundations to keep skin looking like skin and not a flat, matte mess. I have an oily t-zone and this powder makes my skin look dewy rather than shiny in this area and it doesn't cling or go cakey on any dry patches. Overall, a win win! It is expensive, £40 on a face powder is rather extravagant, but if you use as little as I do I can see it lasting a fair while.

What is your favourite face powder?

Stocking up on 'Shell.'

Estee Lauder DoubleWear Foundation, £27.50 for 30ml.

When I was told that Estee Lauder were increasing their shade range in Doublewear foundation from 18 to 30 I was really excited. With a foundation shade expansion, I assumed this meant they'd cater for both the pale and deep end of the spectrum comprehensively. 'Shell' was my closest match in Doublewear, the palest with cool undertones, it wasn't a perfect match but good enough as it didn't leave tide lines and blended into my neck well, but was discontinued when the new shades came in last month.

I was disappointed when I swatched the new 'pale' shades which are 'Cool Bone' (supposedly the equivalent to Shell but it is much richer and pinker in colour) and 'Ivory Nude' (far too deep) against it.
Unfortunately these new shades are unwearable for me, they're too deep so I went out and bought the last 'Shell' on counter. While DoubleWear isn't necessarily my favourite foundation- (sometimes I do find it a bit much) it was reliable in terms of it's impeccable staying power and great for bad skin days as it does airbrush the skin out well. Definitely not one I can wear everyday, but one I like in my possession! I'll be rationing my last bottle!

Has your foundation ever been discontinued?

Midweek Post: Le Teint Touche Eclat

Yves Saint Laurent Le Teint Touche Eclat foundation in 'BR10', £28 for 30ml.

If you've been reading my blog a while you'll know what a big fan of YSL I am. I think they have the edge over the Diors and Chanels when it comes to their cosmetic offerings, so when I heard about this release earlier in the year I knew that it'd be something that would be 'very me' beauty-wise, there's nothing I'd love more than to have a healthy, polished complexion.

It was hard, very hard, to put down the DoubleWear and give this a go. I was so used to the trustworthy staying power of DW that I was dubious to try any other foundations for risk of them falling off my face or going patchy after 4 hours.

YSL's Le Teint Touche Eclat is a very light foundation with inbuilt 'glow'. In consistency it is a thin gel, the coverage is buildable from light to light medium if desired and there is a shade that matches me well (BR 10).

There's no other way to decribe the finish of this than as shiny. It is shiny, but not greasy. I would recommend setting this with a powder in areas where you may not like to be too shiny, for me that is on the forehead, nose and chin yet due to it's finish, it glows through the powder and creates the look of inner radiance that, come on admit it- we all want. 

I was nicely surprised at how well this lasts too, aside from a bit of slip in my oiliest areas, it stays in place without a primer for a full day at work (lets say 7-8 hours indoors). I even put it to the test- it endured a day at Ikea and several hours of stressful DIY putting-together of various flatpack furniture and still looked alright at the end of all that. I'm very impressed!

Overall, I give this foundation a big thumbs up. It works well for me as it isn't too thick, it adds a radiance to the skin, it blends easily (I find it works best with fingers) and it matches my skin. This has certainly become my go-to foundation.

Do you use this foundation? What other foundations have you found to be surprisingly long lasting?

Empty Products- the August Edition.

I've not done one of these before but found myself really enjoying other people's posts on what they've used up so am giving it a bash myself. Grab yourself a cup 'o tea, I hope you enjoy!

 17 Photo Flawless primer 

Since becoming a DoubleWear convert I have strayed away from using primers as I haven't found it completely necessary to use one due to the 15hr staying power of the foundation. I've owned this product for a while and repurchased many times as I found this primer to be of excellent quality particularly for the price and I noticed no difference between this one's performance and the infamous Smashbox Photo Finish primer. If you're looking for a cheap silicone based primer that will mattify the surface of your skin and absorb excess oils aswell as minimise the appearance of pores, then give this one a go!

Will I buy this again?

Oneday I'm sure I will, but I don't need it right now.

17 BB Blemish Balm, All In One Magic Makeup, SPF15.

I was so impressed by this, as always the quality of 17 makeup seems to surpass it's pricetag. In hindsight it was too deep for my skin but I did enjoy mixing it in with Illamasqua's Skin Base foundation for a while. The SPF15 is quite low considering this is meant to be a BB cream and while I didn't notice particular skincare benefits, it offers a great coverage and leaves the skin looking so fresh and healthy. Full review here.

Will I buy this again?

Whilst I recommend this, it's not a product I need or want at the moment so I probably wouldn't.

Revlon Colorstay Makeup in 'Ivory'

In a bid to use stuff up before I moved house, I used up the last few drops of foundation after it sitting at the back of the drawer for a few months. This was a foundation I absolutely loved last year, despite it's initial stench of emulsion paint this foundation offers medium, buildable coverage and lasts really well. Pretty much a DoubleWear 'dupe' on the highstreet, plus it comes in really pale shades- wahoo!

Will I buy this again?

I will certainly buy this again, it's a good foundation to have 'just in case'. 

CHANEL Poudre Universelle Libre AKA Natural Finish Loose Powder  

A full review can be found here if you wish to know more detail however I'll state a couple of points about it. I love how fine this setting powder is (it's like dust!) and the amount you get is so generous that this product lasted me 6 fabulous months. The grate that controls the product can be a little wasteful at times and the packaging is huuuge and bulky!- Definitely one you want to depot if going away for the weekend! 

Will I buy this again? 

For now, no. I do think there are better powders out there for perhaps a cheaper price. I did love having a bit of Chanel luxury on my face everyday, though and it was a great match!

MAC bronzer in 'Bronze'

Yeah this is a pretty good bronzer, it's matte, fairly soft and not too dramatic on fair skin. You get a fair amount of product and don't need to use much, but I haven't felt the need to use bronzer much and so just used up the last scraps of it this month.

Will I buy this again?

Unlikely.

Avene Very High Protection Cream Factor 50.

I have given this a full review here and stated my love for this product. I believe it is a must have for everyone, but especially fair skinned ladies such as myself. It absorbs well and keeps me completely protected and burn free on those sunny days.

Will I buy this again?

Already have, haven't I!

Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanse and Polish

I'm always a little bit sad when this runs out as I do think it is a brilliant cleanser, and it has done wonders for my skin. I've recently been using Vichy's 3in1 cleanser instead, however I don't like not having one of these in a drawer somewhere as a 'back up.'

Will I buy this again?

Absolutely, it's a must have!

Lee Stafford Flat Iron Protection Shine Mist

I've been using this for a long time as I think it does the job alright for the price. As I've said numerous times before, I'm terrible at hair and don't really know much about it or what it needs, but yeah, this seems good.

Will I buy this again?

Most probably, plus I like the sweet musky smell!

Cutex Nourishing Nail Polish Remover

This is my standard, go-to nail polish remover. After the disaster that was Sally Hansen Acetone Free Nail Polish Remover I slapped myself on the wrist for even daring to try another. This works and does the job efficiently, and doesn't smell too bad.

Will I buy this again?

I'll never betray you again, Cutex. (Already repurchased)

Elie Saab 'Le Parfum'

I've actually got through several samples of this as the 5ml tubes do not last me long considering I like to soak myself in the stuff! This is such a me scent at the moment, I could literally bathe in the stuff and I'm hoping to have a full sized bottle in my possession ASAP! Elegant, feminine, floral. Lovely.

Will I buy this agin? 

Yes please!

 

If you have any questions about any of the products mentioned, you can leave a comment below or tweet me @emilydimplesxo. Do you use any of these?

Collection 2000 Lasting Pefection Concealer

Collection 2000 Lasting Pefection Concealer in 'Fair', £4.19.

Yes, I gave into both external hype and internal pressure to try, and bought it. For a cheapo pharmacy product, the quality of this concealer is fantastic; high coverage, blends well and comes in enough shades that most people could probably find a near match. As you can see above, the fairest shade is still too warm for my skin, but as long as it's blended well and used underneath my foundation this colour difference is undetectable.

In terms of wear, I find it does live up to it's longwearing claims. I've not worn it as long as 16 hours but it's longevity has impressed me, there's no slip or fading, once it's there, it stays put!

I woudn't necessarily use this everyday, I choose to use this for times when it is really needed- redness, blemishes, or severe under eye circles!

The applicator is that of a typical lip gloss one. However, I wouldn't apply the concealer to my face straight from the sponge, this is where my germaphobe habits come in to play! I always transfer the product onto a clean hand before dabbing it onto my face using either a brush or my fingers, this will help avoid any unnecessary bacteria transfer straight from my face back into a tube of concealer ready to fester for next time (just the thought of doing this makes me shudder!!)

A big thumbs up from me, and I'd certainly recommend this if you're looking for an excellent concealer on a budget.

What concealer is your favourite at the moment? Any other cheap products you can recommend to me?

Estee Lauder DoubleWear Foundation...my opinion!

Estee Lauder DoubleWear Foundation in 'Shell', £26.50 for 30ml.

Hiyaaa! I'm here today to share my views on the infamous Estee Lauder DoubleWear!

As part of the DoubleWear line this foundation promises to stay put all day (15 hour wear), it's oil free and contains SPF 10- all plus points so far! For reference I have the shade 'Shell' which is the palest shade with cool (pink) undertones. It matches me pretty much perfectly.

When I first tried this foundation I couldn't make my mind up about it, somedays I loved it, others I didn't, but if I am honest I fall in and out of love with foundations very often!

It is a rich liquid that applied thinly offers a high medium coverage that dries to a semi-matte finish. It is not full coverage, your skin is still visible underneath but this offers enough coverage for any blemishes, or uneven skintone concerns not to be a worry and it perfects the look of skin really well. If you're looking for full coverage then DoubleWear Maximum Cover is available, a paste- like foundation that will cover everything, even scarring or tattoos!

From experience I find that the 'less is more' approach is the right way to use this foundation, DoubleWear is what you make it and too much applied will look cakey and settle in pores.

I love the way it is so smooth to apply, it blends really well (but you do have to work quick) and also buffs into the skin really well. I find that with a small amount of setting powder on my t-zone I stay shine-free for about 3 hours, this will be longer for those with dryer skin than I! Even after these 3-4 hours I don't look shiny, just dewy on my t-zone. 

As much as I love the classy glass bottle to look at, it isn't the most functional. Glass always worries me, travel wise it isn't the best packaging as there's always the risk of breakage. It also doesn't have a pump to deposit the product, you have to pour it onto your hand which means the product wastage may be more likely, and you'll always be left with a bit at the end that you can never get out!!

All in all, this has become my 'go-to' foundation for now. I don't wear it everyday as I think my skin needs a couple of 'days off' a week. Skin Base just wasn't cutting it anymore and with the onset of sunny weather I did want an SPF contained in my foundation. I am also enjoying the new Invisible Fluid which I'll do a FOTD and mini-review on soon.

Do you use DoubleWear foundation? What's your favourite foundation at the moment?

CHANEL Poudre Universelle Libre AKA Natural Finish Loose Powder

Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre in '20 Clair- Translucent 1', £30 for 30g.

Poudre Universelle Libre is the finest loose powder I've ever used, the grains are so slight that they are like dust to the touch and therefore blend really well on top of foundation to set it.

The shade I use '20 Clair' which is toneless, it's perfect as it doesn't add or change the colour of foundation it is is being laid on top off.

This powder does a good job and the product is of great quality. I've found that the less you use, the more effective and better it is, adding too much can create that really over-powdered look that is just too matte and unnatural. I also found that using lots of this on top of foundation does seem to dry my skin slightly, a problem that didn't occur with my previous Bare Minerals foundation powder (review on this and other Bare Minerals products to come)

The finish is a matte satin finish on my skin. It keeps my face shine free throughout the day, except on my T-Zone area which does need touching up after a few hours, particularly on my nose!

The amount in the tub is a whopping 30g which is a definate positive! It's pretty good value for money, and like I said, the smallest amount is needed to set makeup. Of course the downside to this large amount is it isn't the most portable of items, it would be bulky to carry around in a handbag and is awkward to travel with, but that factor can be overseen when I see those double C's looking back at me!
Aside from it's bulkiness, the packaging is functional with a screw top lid and plastic grate that controls the amount of product you tap through to use. The lid is so large you can use this to hold the powder in whilst swirling it on the brush before applying it to the face.

Overall I'd rate this product because it is good quality and is a fantastic loose, translucent powder. However, I have used other powders that keep a matte finish to my skin for longer and that can be layered without looking too powdery, unlike this one. I am pleased that this product will last me a long while, you get such a large amount of product, yet need to use so little on a daily basis.

Do you use this? What other loose powders would you recommend?

A Valentines Day Look #FOTD

Valentines Day Inspired FOTD

I wanted to try creating my own Valentines day-esque makeup look using colours we tend to associate with love and romance; pinks and purples! I missed out red because I didn't want to go too overboard!! 

I also wanted to try out Illamasqua's pure pigment in 'Static'- it's a loose glitter powder, similar in consistency and grain size to Barry M glitter pots. It's pure white glitter that sparkles lilac, blue and pink when the light hits it. It glimmers like freshly fallen snow, which I suppose is appropriate considering the current weather conditions accross the country!

I was feeling creative, so let me know what you think.

Eyes;

Overall look;

17 Photo Flawless primer

Estee Lauder Double Wear Maximum Coverage Foundation in 'Very Light'

Bare Minerals Matte Foundation powder in 'Fair'

M.A.C. Bronzer in 'Matte Bronze'

Benefit Hervana blusher

Benefit Stay Don't Stray eyelid primer

Illamasqua blusher in 'Lover'

Vivo eyeshadow in 'Purple Passion'

Illamasqua blusher in 'Thrust'

Laura Mercier eyeshadow in 'Fig'

Illamasqua pure pigment in 'Static'

Benefit 'High Brow'

Benefit 'High Beam'

Rimmel London liquid eyeliner

Yves Saint Laurent Dessin Du Regard Waterproof Black Eye Pencil

L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara

Eyelure false lashes no.151

Illamasqua lipstick in 'Plunge'

Yves Saint Laurent Golden Gloss in no.45

Will you be creating your own Valentines inspired look?