Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Venus Was Her Name- Danessa Myricks ColorFix Foils

In an effort to support more Black owned beauty brands I recently placed an order on Beautylish for some of the Danessa Myricks Beauty ColorFix Foils. I have seen her products being used by some of the makeup artists I follow on Instagram for a couple of years now and I have always wanted to try the ColorFix range in particular. I loved the idea of a cream product that can be used on eyes, lips and cheeks. I was going to try the matte ones but I had seen the Foils which are a liquid glitter being used on the Danessa Myricks Instagram account and I just thought they looked so beautiful and as you know I'm a big fan of glitter products so I had to try them out.

It was so difficult to only choose two shades but in the end I went for Venus (a rosy, golden pink) and Nebula (a warm golden metallic). There are eight shades of the ColorFix Foils and they are formulated to withstand extreme temperatures and exposure to the elements. They also dry quickly (and therefore need to be blended quickly) but once dry they don't smudge or transfer.

I'll be honest the first time I tried them I went in a bit heavy handed and it didn't turn out how I thought it would but once I looked at some videos using the ColorFix Foils I had a better handle on how to use them. You have to work fast as I mentioned already as they do dry quite quickly. I applied a base in a similar pink shade, the Clarins Twist to Glow 2-in-1 Eyes and Cheeks powder in the shade Radiant Pink which is amazing on it's own but it gave the perfect base colour to use Venus on top of it. I tapped a small amount of the product on with my finger and blended it out and then applied some more and built it up to an opacity I was happy with. As you apply more you get more of that foiled look but be careful as too much and it ends up looking clumpy and heavy. I then applied a tiny amount of Nebula in the centre of the upper and lower lid to add some dimension. As you can see the finish is beautiful, they can be used alone, on top of any eyeshadow or as a base for powder.

I finished my eyes with two coats of the new Clarins Wonder Perfect 4D Mascara. I just started using this last week and I am loving it. It gives great length, definition and volume without being too clumpy. It also has that perfect in-between formula of not being too dry or two wet and it layers easily. Depending on how well the tube lasts I'd definitely repurchase this mascara.

I wanted to keep the look focused on the eyes and quite tonal so I used a small amount of the Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Cream Blush in the shade Strawberry Drip. I've been loving this shade and the formula of these blushes. They're not too pigmented which makes them easy to blend quickly with your fingers or a brush. I'd recommend these if you find the Glossier Cloud Paints to be too much. Although I love both and I'd definitely pick up another shade.

For my lips I wanted something that would tone in with the eyes and Clarins Joli Lip Crayon in the shade Soft Berry was absolutely perfect. I actually have this same shade in the Joli Rouge Lacquer formula too and it's such a beautiful and easy shade to wear. I do love it in this Crayon form too. It's like a liner and lipstick in one. The crayon is thin enough to be able to both line and fill in your lips and it lasts so well. It's a matte finish and I just wanted a small amount of dimension I patted a tiny amount of Fenty Beauty Fu$$y Gloss Bomb just in the centre of my lips.


DM14-2
DM7.1
DM13
DM22
DM23
DM2
DM3
DM9



*Good Molecules Silicone-Free Priming Moisturizer
*Glossier Futuredew Oil Serum Hybrid
Shiseido Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Foundation (160 Shell)
Uoma Beauty Stay Woke Concealer (T1)
Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Skinstick (Amber)
Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer (Baked)
Glossier Brow Flick (Brown)
Soapbrows Brow Kit
Kevyn Aucoin Eyelash Curler
*Clarins Twist to Glow Healthy Glow Powder (02 Radiant Pink
Danessa Myricks Beauty ColorFix Foils Liquid Glitter (Venus and Nebula)
*Clarins Wonder Perfect Mascara 4D Waterproof
Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush (05 Strawberry Drip)
Kevyn Aucoin Glass Glow Face (Prism Rose)
*Clarins Joil Rouge Crayon (705C Soft Berry)
Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer (Fu$$y)
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder (1 Fair)
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
Pixi Glow Mist

What do you think of the the ColorFix Foils? Would you be interested in trying a product like this?

Emma x



*PR Samples
**Glossier products are affiliate links, if you choose to shop via those links I will receive a small percentage of the sale but it won't cost you anything extra.

Saturday, July 25, 2020

bareMinerals Mineralist Hydra-Smoothing Lipsticks

*This post contains some affiliate links, if you choose to make a purchase based on my recommendation using any of the links below, I will receive a small commission. 



bareMinerals recently launched a brand new range of lip products, the Mineralist Hydra-Smoothing Lipsticks with 25 shades inspired the healing powers of natural minerals, crystals and gemstones. A few weeks ago I was sent an incredible PR package with ten of the shades included. As a lipstick aficionado I was blown away and so excited to try them all out. 

I was really intrigued when I read about the lipsticks as they are made with just 19 ingredients and 76% of those are naturally derived extracts, avoiding the use of any unnecessary additives. Some of the sustainably sourced ingredients include cold-pressed Sea Buckthorn Fruit Oil (packed with minerals, vitamins and omegas to help nourish and hydrate), Mediterranean Olive Oil (to intensify the colour impact) and Pomegranate and Jojoba Oils (to moisturise for soft and smooth lips). They are also infused with the essence of natural Prickly Pear and Açai so the scent is slightly fruity.

The end result is a lipstick that is hydrating, lightweight, smudge and transfer resistant with saturated colour and a creamy satin finish. With continued wear they should make lips feel smoother and reduce visible lip lines, texture and dryness. I always love a lipstick that has nourishing ingredients as well as rich colour payoff. It's quite rare to get both in a lipstick, but I definitely found the Mineralist Lipsticks to leave my lips feeling moisturised after wearing them all day.

I did a wear test of three different shades (Energy, Wisdom and Intuition) in work during the week so I was wearing them for about 9 hours. I found they lasted considerably well during the day and even after lunch they barely needed touching up. I didn't get any feathering around my lip line which can happen with lipsticks that are a more hydrating formula. One of my colleagues even noted that when we went out to get lunch we wore masks to the shop and the lipstick didn't budge. Obviously this is something we have to consider at the moment as most of us are taking masks on and off during the day depending on what you're doing. I was reluctant to wear these lipsticks for that reason but I didn't have to worry at all as from what I can tell the smudge and transfer resistant claims are true. I also love the shade selection and I think there is something for everyone whether you like neutrals or more vibrant shades. 

BMML11
BMML3
BMML7
BMML5
BMML9
BMML12
BMML14
BMML13
BMML15
BMML17
Balance, Grace, Focus, Presence, Optimism, Joy, Energy, Wisdom, Intuition, Purpose

BMMLcollage3
BMMLcollage2
BMML2
BMML17-2
Balance (Peach Beige)
BMML19
BMML21
Grace (Nude Pink)
BMML23
BMML26
Focus (Muted Mauve)
BMML27
BMML28
Presence (Antique Mauve)
BMML30
BMML32
Optimism (Pink Strawberry)
BMML34
BMML35
Joy (Candy Pink)
BMML36
BMML37
Energy (Fiery Red)
BMML38
BMML40
Wisdom (Bright Orchid)
BMML41
BMML43
Intuition (Brick Red)
BMML46
BMML48
Purpose (Cool Cranberry)
BMML49

Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 30
*bareMinerals Original Loose Mineral Foundation (Fair)
*bareMinerals bareSkin Complete Coverage Serum Concealer (Fair)
Glossier Brow Flick (Brown)
Soapbrows Brow Kit
Urban Decay Jean-Michel Basquiat Blush Palette (Jawbone, Now's the Time) (Limited Edition, similar here)
Kevyn Aucoin Glass Glow Face (Prism Rose)
*Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
IT Cosmetics IT Girl Vol. 2 Palette
*Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil (Perversion)
*Glossier Pro Tip
Maybelline The Falsies Lash Lift Mascara
*Clarins Twist to Glow 2-in-1 Eyes & Cheeks (Radiant Pink)
Pixi Glow Mist

*PR Samples 

What do you think of this new collection of lipsticks? I for one am happy that we're continuing to go in the direction of more hydrating and natural lip products. As much as I love matte lips I've given up on wearing difficult to work with, high maintenance and unflattering formulas. I think products like these are particularly great if you're going to be wearing them all day like I usually do in work. I love that you're getting hydrating lipsticks in an array of beautiful and vibrant shades so you don't have to compromise if you love a bright shade. For €24 you are getting more than your average lipstick and the quality and lasting power is better than more expensive lipsticks I have in my collection. Let me know what shades are your favourites or if you've tried them yet?

Emma x