Showing posts with label Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reviews. Show all posts

Thursday, 8 August 2013

TOM FORD Eyeshadow Review & Application!

Well, well, well do I have some amazing news for you.......it comes in the form of the very best eyeshadow you ever have set your eyes upon and once you try it your eyes will not know what to do with themselves and the incredible colour that will wash their lids. A little dramatic - No!

I had gone a little crazy finally went on a massive Tom Ford makeup spree and picked up some incredible goods which I will review in the coming weeks. I was desperate to start with the eyeshadows as my expectations of the quads was completely blown away........in the best way possible!

TOM FORD EYE COLOUR QUAD
Tom Ford Packaging  

Packaging: Plastic with metal embossed trimmings 
Total Weight: 10g
#3 Cocoa Mirage
Cocoa Mirage swatch

#5 Silvered Topaz
#5 Silvered Topaz swatch 
Tom Ford Eyeshadow Quad Prices:
AU       $100
USA     $78
Euro     €72
Pound   £68

Consistency: Extremely fine pressed powder.

How to apply: The applicators supplied with the palettes are sufficient especially as they have thoughtfully included a cute blending brush. Alternatively any type of eye blending brush is ideal.

Who will it suit: There is a vast variety of colours the covers a large spectrum of the colour wheel. I have no doubt there is a palette to suit everyone. The two I have chosen are suitable to most skin tones and gives me a variety of matte, sheer sparkle, satin and shimmer finishes. 

PROS: Exceptional quality, colour blends very easily and pigment is strong. Large variety of colours to suit everyone and packaging is luxurious particularly the large compact mirror when the palette is opened. Applicators supplied are ideal and it's terrific they have included the small blending brush. Compared to other brands on par with Tom Ford and slightly below the value for money is favourable. Wears well and longevity is great.

CONS: Can be perceived as pricey when compared to other high end palettes. THATS ALL!!

To see a full review check out my detailed video.






Friday, 26 July 2013

REVIEW: Soleil Tan De Chanel

Whether it be Summer, Winter, Autumn, Spring the much loved bronzer is certainly a product we religiously use. This cream bronzer is a natural winner......

Soleil Tan De Chanel

Soleil Tan De Chanel
Packaging: Plastic

Size: 30gm


Cost & Cost Per Gram (estimate):
AU       $78 / $2.60
USA     $48 / $1.60
Euro     €40 / €1.35
Pound   £32/ £1.05

Consistency: Creme

How to apply? Can be applied with a flat foundation brush, stippling brush, buffing brush, sponge and fingers.

Who will it suit? To get a rough idea my foundation colour is Chanel 40, Giorgio Armani 7, MUFE 155 or MAC Face & Body C4. If you are similar or slightly darker it will be fine anyone much darker Id recommend skipping this product. Very light and pink under toned skins should be careful when applying it. Ensure you start of lightly and blend, blend, blend!

PRO'S - I really really like this bronzer and it has a matte finish.......thats what you want in a bronzer!! The colour is quite natural and can be applied to give a lovely warm bronzed glow. The formula is very easy to work with so ideal for beginners and the under-colour of the product is not orange but more of a caramel tone. As there is only one colour available there is no stress in choosing the right one!!

CONS - The packaging is quite big so if you like to carry your bronzer in your bag ensure you take a suitcase to accommodate. The only other disadvantage is if you have dark to very dark skin you wont get much use from it - the depth is not there.

If this product is not for you maybe try:
Chantecaille Radiance Gel Bronzer
Hourglass Illume Creme to Powder
Two Faced Bronzer

Need to know more? Check out my video......







Sunday, 12 May 2013

APRIL MAKEUP FAVOURITES!

So as promised I'm bringing to you my April Makeup Favourites!! 

This is always a hard one to categorise and to say I'm loving one product one month and another the next makes  me sound a little bipolar. The thing is, it doesn't mean I'm over the past I just like to bring the best of the new or what I'm currently enjoying to you! Everyone is different and we all enjoy different products so I'm sure my variety will satisfy even the fussiest of beauty connoisseur. 


YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat
This bottle of glowing, dewy skin is one definitely to be tried. Due to the popularity of YSL's Touche Eclat highlighter pen (not be confused with a concealer people - its not!) the lovely people of this beauty mecca have outdone themselves in providing us with a gorgeous foundation. After trying this formula it is ideal for dry/normal/ and some combination skins. For those of you with oilier skins don't bother with this one it will only make you look like you've taken dewy to a whole new level, one that olive oil may be made out of! 
As demonstrated in the below colour chart there is a great array of shades to choose from catering for both cooler and warmer toned skin which I find a lot of foundations don't cover sufficiently. If you're super lucky and have the opportunity at purchasing two get one a couple of shades darker and lighter then your skin then customise your shade to suit you whatever season you may be in.

http://www.yslbeautyus.com/Foundation...




NARS Light Reflecting Powder - Crystal

Personally, finding a good setting/translucent powder is not an easy task. Some look cakey, way too powdery, give you a 2D look and the rest.....

This product does non of the above. Its light reflecting property Photochromic Technology, ensures there is no look of build up assists in diffusing various lighting depending on your environment. Great for prolonging your makeup and to top it off its Paraben and Fragrance Free AND Non - Comedogenic! Depending on your preference is comes in bot a loose and set formula.

http://www.meccacosmetica.com.au/shop...



By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra Primer

Talking of prolonging your makeup, this MUST HAVE primer will certainly do that and control oil at the same time. Ive been on the hunt for a new primer (formally a Laura Mericer Oil Free advocate!) and wanted to try something new. Before forking out $90 something dollars I was fortunate to grab a sufficient sample of this product which in-turn has me addicted.

Ideal for normal/combination and oily skin, this product ensured my foundation stayed looking fresh throughout a long hard day and most certainly prolonged the life of it. Its full of all the new filling technologies and although its a mattifier in many ways its innovative formula ensured my skin remained luminously matte. Sadly I will now be forking out that $90 something dollars - ha!

http://www.meccacosmetica.com.au/shop...


NARS Pro Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

Continuing with the theme of Primers this eyeshadow primer will. make. your. eyeshadow. last! Its a fact that the oiliest part of our body is our eyelid - I know who would have thought..... And because of this fact a lot of us find our shadow creases, disappears or smudges throughout the day. This nifty product was produced to help with that and help it does!

As its a colourless formula it will not interfere with your eyeshadow pigments in fact its polymer and mineral powder blend establishes a firm grip on colour ensuring hours of wear.

http://www.meccacosmetica.com.au/shop...




Rae Morris - 12 Chiseled Smudger

Rae Morris an International and beyond talented makeup artist has created her very own brushes. Being owner to several of her brushes the standout one for me is her #12 Chiseled Smudger. With is tapered soft bristles it allows me to easily blend shadows close to any lash line particularly darker colours! 

http://store.raemorris.com/collection...



Gino McCray Small Dome Brush

This last minute Thai purchase has proved to be a little gem. Unaware of how much Id love this brush I'm sooooo devastated I didn't stock up. Its small soft dome head gently blends eyeshadow into the crease of my eye so easily and effortlessly. I wont continue to make you jealous as I have found it really hard to find stockist unless you live in Thailand!!

http://www.beautybuffetshop.com/pro/h...




Cle De Peau Concealer

The Crème de la crème of concealers is here. Hailed by makeup artist as the best concealer ever, I now know why. Not only did its creamy formula NOT settle into eye wrinkles (you know those annoying little things under your eyes that can be accentuated with the wrong product) it also hid those annoying black circles under the eye!! Falling under the same manufacturers as the Japanese brand Shiseido this formula is innovative and pigmented enough to cover any imperfections.

http://au.strawberrynet.com/makeup/cl...   



Benefit Brows A Go Go

This product has been in my kit for a long time and I recently rediscovered it while rummaging through my collections. I enjoy its versatility and compact convenience but most of all the fact I can do my brows, eyeshadow, highlighting and even contouring has made it a favourite. It truly is an all in one product ideal for any ones cosmetic bag. The colours are ideal for most skin tones and the packaging even features a step by step how to! I personally really like to use the eyebrow powders as eyeshadow.

http://www.myer.com.au/benefit/



YSL Pure Chromatics #19

Its not the first time these eyeshadow palettes have featured in a favourite review but its a testament to the product. This particular #19 palette features gorgeous shimmery colours ideal for everyone! Ive used them both wet and dry (which is what they're made for) and both ways of application offered a beautiful result. If you feel these colours aren't for you rest assured there are plenty to choose from and the below are just a sample. I also am a huge fan of #8 and if you love bronzy/champagne colours you will be too. The only thing you will need to be aware of is that you may experience fall out so when applying ensure you tap excess off your brush first!

http://www.yslbeautyus.com/Pure-Chrom...





Make Up For Ever - Star Powder 917

Another favourite which has remained a favourite of mine is Make Up For Ever's Star Powder. This particular one I featured is their #917. Its gorgeous bronze/burgundy iridescent colour will make many eye colours literally pop. To achieve this I highly recommend using it on top of a dark smokey eye. Although the powders are shimmery when pushed gently onto your eyelid it actually sticks and remains there I have yet to really get annoyed with any fall out. There a so many lovely colours in this range that you are bound to find a few that you like. If you prefer more natural colours or like to use shimmers as a highlight you cant go past #947 

http://www.makeupforever.com/products...


Hair Brush Cleaner/Scraper
I will apologise in advance as this MASSIVE favourite was purchased from a department store in Bangkok for like 90cents and I cant find it anywhere to link it to!! Basically this little invention has saved my daily routine of picking hair out of brushes  EWWWW!! I'm going to treasure this like a first born!!



Zoe Karlis Melbourne Based Makeup Artist & Hair Stylist. Watch this review  http://www.youtube.com/user/ZoeKarlis 





Monday, 6 May 2013

April Favourites - Skincare + More!

I thought this month as I have so much to show you (and sadly I'm loving too many things!!) that I'd break my 'favourites' video into two.

The first video is a very important one - SKINCARE.


Uriage Bariederm Creme 
I feel like I've discovered the Holy Grail in a way. I've never been a fan of hand creme as I've always found them to be very oily, greasy and basically just sit on top of your skin. Eww!

So, with a lot of convincing at a trade show I decided to try this creme and to my pleasant  surprise it was amazing. The creamy product when rubbed into your hands transformed into a liquid/watery texture then disappeared into my skin - gone! The formula adds a waterproof barrier and protects the epidermis which makes this ideal for anyone with skin irritation or everyday environmental stresses.

http://www.makeupandglow.com.au/Uriage-mid-86-p-1.html
http://www.cosmetiquesdefrance.com.au




La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo, Effaclar A.I. & Lipikar Lait

'For over 30 years, La Roche-Posay has worked with dermatologists throughout the world to invent skincare and make-up products that meet the needs and requirements of sensitive skin, by selecting leading dermatological active ingredients, associated with La Roche-Posay thermal spring water'.

They are amazing!! The three products I've been trying over the last month have definitely delivered results. As mentioned in the video, I often experience breakouts particularly around my jaw/chin area which indicates its hormonal. I cant say its acne or even pimples as such but more smaller bumps under the skin which can look rough (I loathe it!!). Anyway with the help of both the Effaclar products I certainly feel I have it under control.

The body moisturiser feels quite luxurious and very moisturising. It has left my skin feeling very supple and definitely stayed like that until the next application. This is great for drier skin and definitely an ideal winter saver.



         

    









http://prod.au.lrp-portal.com/points-of-sale/Australia/store-locator-sl.aspx


Bioderma Sebium H20
Hello!!!! Have you not listened to me for the last 5 years - I want to marry this stuff! I have been an addict to their Bioderma Crealine H20 and decided to recently give the Sebium H20 for combination skin a go. It cleanses exceptionally well and doesn't feel like its stripping your skin of its natural 'must needed' oils. Unlike its sister product (Crealine H20) it cant be used around the eye area so please avoid that area.

Bioderma Sebium H20



http://www.makeupandglow.com.au
http://www.cosmetiquesdefrance.com.au


Smith's Rosebud Salve Review
A cult product amongst local and international makeup artist, Smith's Rosebud Salve is a lovely scented, moisturising lip balm. Great in the cooler months to assist in replenishing all that lost moisture from the harsh environment but also ideal in summer a lovely soft gloss look. I find a lot of lip balms/ointments much of a muchness, the difference I find with this one is the texture, scent and longevity!




http://makeupandglow.com.au/Rosebud-Salve-Tube-p-17011.html


Shu Uemura Ultime8 Beauty Cleansing Oil

"Shu Uemura cleansing oil was developed from the knowledge that Mr. Uemura gained while working as a foremost Hollywood makeup artist in the 1950s. The Secret to Shu Uemura cleansing oil is protecting the skin's delicate balance while removing make-up and impurities in a single step."

This has fast become a favourite of mine. I love that I can cleanse my whole face with it (including eyes) at the same time. The honest truth is I'm time poor and the thought of using 17 different products kills me. The oil is gentle and cleanse makeup and impurities really well. It's a common phobia that people with oily or combination skin refrain from using this type of formula due to the fear of breaking out. I'm here to tell you its phenomenal!! You will love it.



http://shuuemura.com.au


Diptyque Rose Duet Candle
I adore nice smelly things and this is one of them. Although expensive and totally luxurious I find these candles to last, and the perfume it produces when burning is true to the scent and lingers for a long time. Even when its not burning the gorgeous smell is still in the air......

http://www.meccacosmetica.com.au/shop/Diptyque/LtdEdRoseDuetCandle/


Diptyque 34 Boulevard St Germain
And finally my new love - Diptyque 34 Boulevard St Germain. Again another pricey one from the brand but with any boutique brand the product is generally inferior to all its counterparts.

'Developed around a chypre backbone, the base notes of wood and balms add comfort and create addiction. It is a rich and voluptuous fragrance which is suitable for men and women'.

The scent is dark and woody and will have everyone asking what you're wearing!'



http://www.meccacosmetica.com.au/shop/Diptyque/34BoulevardSaintGermainEDT/