Face of the Day- Bronzed Illumination

I was sent the No7 Skin Illuminator a couple of months ago and after trying it once I was excited to use it for a glowing Summer skin look. Summer is almost over (at least in Ireland anyway) but I'll be going on holiday in a couple of weeks so until I come back I'm still in Summer mode and using my favourite hot weather make up products. I've written about most of the products below already and they're all still firm favourites. 

I wanted to use only cream or liquid products to achieve as natural a finish as possible. I started with YSL Top Secrets Instant Moisture Glow, it's a lightweight moisturiser that works as the perfect hydrating primer to any foundation. I was sent this last year and have been using it sparingly because I never want it to end. This stuff feels incredible and instantly makes my skin look better. I tend to save it for days when my skin is feeling dehydrated but I need it to look good quickly. At €40 for 40ml, it's not cheap but if you suffer from dehydration and find it hard to get foundation to look good on your skin, I recommend getting a little sample of this because it really does make a huge difference to the appearance and texture of my skin.

I then applied the Bourjois BB Bronzing Cream that I reviewed last year. This stuff smells incredible, I used it lots on holiday last year and plan on bringing it with me this year too. I don't think it's still in stores but you can still get it online. It even works well on my fair skin, however it doesn't have the best coverage so I applied a small amount of Lancôme Miracle Air de Teint foundation on top because it's a matte glow foundation so it gives my skin luminosity but controls oil, the perfect combination and it meant I didn't have to apply powder on top. 

I didn't feel like I needed much concealer as my skin was free from blemishes and breakouts so I just applied Kiehls Clearly Corrective Dark Circle Perfector under my eyes, this is another product I reviewed last year and is still a staple in my everyday make up routine. It also contains SPF 30 which is essential for protecting the eye area in the hot weather. I wear this every single day and I can see such a difference under my eyes since I started using it last Summer. I then put some Clarins Instant Concealer on top to give an extra brightening effect and because it's so light but with great coverage, it works really well under the eyes. 

I wanted to keep the eye make up quick, easy and long-wearing, perfect for warmer weather. I used my Armani Eye Tint in Cold Copper which is a pale gold shade that lasts all day without creasing. I love this kind of product because you can apply it straight onto the lid from the doe foot applicator and use a blending brush to buff it out, it literally takes a minute. I then added some definition to both the upper and lower lash line using this gorgeous KIKO Glamorous Eye Pencil in 401 (Golden Hazelnut) which appears to be discontinued (but NYX have one that's very similar). 

I used Lancôme Grandiôse Extrême mascara to finish off the eyes and ran Lancôme Sourcils Styler through my brows to keep them very natural. 

To warm up my skin I used YSL Les Sahariennes in Épice. I was sent this last Summer and I honestly didn't think I'd like it because bronzers and I don't usually get along. Épice is the third lightest shade in the range which I was sure would be too dark on me when I first saw it but once I got the hang of it and used it in the right places on my face and blended it well, it gave me such a natural "sun-kissed" glow. 

Les Sahariennes is the first of it's kind, a powder-in-balm formula that applies so smoothly to the skin but transforms into a powder finish leaving the skin with a healthy bronzed glow. I never enjoyed using bronzers because they were always too dark or too sparkly for me. This is perfect for me, because of it's unique formula it looks so natural. I used it on the high points of my face, anywhere the sun would naturally hit and as you can see from the photos it doesn't look like too much at all. If you have fair skin and constantly struggle to get a natural looking bronzer to suit your skin tone, I would highly recommend having a look at this, there are two shades lighter than the one I have which could work really well on fairer skin tones.

The No7 Skin Illuminator is one of those products that I love for achieving a natural highlighted effect to the skin. I didn't want to disturb my foundation and bronzer too much so I patted this onto my skin, on the tops of my cheekbones, on my brow bone, down my nose and on my cupid's bow. As you can see the finished effect is incredibly natural looking and so pretty. I'm a big fan of highlighter and I use theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer most days (with a very light hand), but there's something about a liquid highlighter that I've loved ever since I first tried Benefit High Beam. I've also tried this mixed in with my foundation and again it gives a very subtle glow effect. 

I added a small amount of Bourjois Aqua Blush in Pink Twice to my cheeks and blended it out with my foundation brush. I have three shades of the Aqua blushes and I love them, especially for Summer because they look natural, last very long in hot weather and the gel/mousse texture has a cooling effect on the skin. 

To finish off the whole look is a lip product unlike any other I've ever tried. We all know lip oils have been big over the past couple of years and now Lancôme have incorporated it into a lip colour. The Lancôme Juicy Shaker is a bi-phase hybrid of pigment and oil encased in some of the cutest packaging I've ever seen. The Juicy Shaker is based on a combination of the 1945 Cocktail Shaker lipstick and the iconic Juicy Tubes from the nineties. Packaging aside, I absolutely adore this product. Sure, it has the novelty factor, but I'm fine with that as long as the product inside delivers and this really does.

The applicator is unique too, it's a cone shaped cushion that feels so soft on my lips. You have to shake up the bottle before you apply it because it's bi-phase so it separates when it's kept still. The scent is unbelievable too, it's a fruity sweet scent so give it a whiff before buying it because I know a lot of people don't long strongly scented products but I'm addicted to it. I'm constantly reapplying this because it's so fun to use and smells amazing, it also contains almond oil, omega three and cranberry oil to nourish your lips.

This is definitely not the most pigmented of lip products, I was sent Berry Tale (there are 14 shades altogether including a clear mint scented one) but it does give a nice wash of colour for a more pared down look and it make my lips feel amazing all day. The texture is nothing like the original Juicy Tubes (which were like wearing honey on your lips they were so sticky!) it feels so smooth but not oily.

For a lipstick lover like me it takes a lot for me to forgo wearing lipstick, but I have found myself putting this in my bag a lot more often than I would have thought, especially on days when my lips are feeling dry and just need some nourishment.

What do you think of this look? It's quite different for me and a lot more toned down than I would usually prefer but I think a look like this is beautiful in the Summer or if you're just looking to give your skin that healthy glow effect. 

Have you tried any of these products before? What are your go-to products for glowing, healthy looking skin?

Emma x

Lancôme Miracle Air De Teint

This is actually the only foundation I've ever bought on a whim. When I went to Liverpool back in February I stupidly decided to not bring any foundation with me but instead to buy Estée Lauder Double Wear Light at the airport as I had just run out of it. Of course the inevitable happened and they didn't have any, apparently it isn't stocked in Duty Free anymore. I had to quickly look around and choose a foundation so I had something to use on my trip.

Having never tried a Lancôme foundation I went to that stand first and had a couple of choices in my hand but in the end what sold me on Miracle Air de Teint was that it had the lightest coverage (I like that they have a coverage guide on the front of the box of each of their foundations) and claimed to give the skin a matte glow with blurring technology.

I was immediately intrigued when I read "matte glow creator" on the box, after all who doesn't want their skin glowing but not oily looking? I loved the idea that it was supposed to feel light but also skin perfecting. There were no sales assistants nearby so I decided to shade match myself without even looking up reviews online. I went for the palest shade that was on the stand, which it turns out is actually the third lightest shade but is surprisingly quite a good match for me,  if anything it was possibly ever so slightly too dark on me, but not very noticeably especially once blended out and with the rest of my make up applied.

The only thing that concerned me right before I took it to the checkout was the packaging. It comes in a glass bottle which is not the most ideal packaging for travelling with but it wasn't a huge concern. To apply the foundation, it's recommended you shake it up first. I usually then apply to my fingers with the dropper and pat around my face before blending with my Zoeva Silk Finish Brush (which by the way is an unbelievable brush!). Lancôme recommend blending with your fingers but I find the brush the easiest way to get the best finish.

I was smitten from the first time I used this, because it has a thinner formula, it blended out incredibly easily but you still get a medium coverage. It feels beautifully light on my skin, like velvet. You get such a gorgeous finish from this so quickly, it's such a pleasure to apply, definitely the easiest foundation to blend that I have ever used. It also has a light rosy scent as is the case with most Lancôme products but I don't find it strong enough to be offensive.

I have no idea how it works but Lancôme have used new technology that blurs imperfections in the skin and a powder that is 25 times lighter than that in a normal foundation so it feels lightweight but keeps the skin mattified yet radiant.

What initially seemed completely contradictory somehow works and I think you'll agree after looking at the photos below that my skin does look both matte and glowing.

Bare Moisturised Skin

As you can see my skin has a few more freckles than usual but I think it actually helps to see the true coverage more clearly.  My complexion is even and my pores and blemishes are blurred but you can still see my skin through it which is exactly what I like in a foundation.

Only Foundation

Even though it mattifies my skin, I still powder the centre of my face as my nose always gets oily throughout the day. However it's not completely necessary, especially if you have dry skin. I find it lasts really well all day, it doesn't separate or sit in my pores and it keeps oil under control as well as Double Wear light which I never thought I would find in another foundation. 

I have combination skin so I can suffer with dryness but I haven't found that to be an issue whatsoever. If you have dehydrated or dry skin I think you could definitely wear this, I would just make sure you're using a hydrating serum if you're concerned with it clinging to dry patches on your skin. It also contains SPF 15 so it's been great in the hot weather having a foundation with SPF that keeps my skin a lot more matte than my other foundations. 

Full make up with powder on the T-Zone

It was quite risky of me to pay for a high end foundation that I knew nothing about and shade match myself, but I'm delighted that I did because I'll definitely be repurchasing this once I run out.

I'm also wearing Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 palette, 24/7 Liquid Eye Liner in Perversion, Afterglow Blush in Score, Bourjois Volume Clubbing Mascara (which is my current favourite), Clarins Instant Concealer and Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk.

Miracle Air de Teint is available in Boots, Debenhams and Brown Thomas for approximately €39 and at The Loop at Dublin Airport for about €33.15.

Have you tried this or any other of Lancôme's foundations?

Emma x

Face of the Day- Punk Baby

I haven't had the chance to experiment much with make up in the past month or so. Since starting my new job I've been wearing the same minimal daily make up in order to save precious time in the morning. Weekend mornings are my only chance to play around with make up and take my time creating looks. I've gotten a few new eyeshadow palettes recently but I keep being drawn to the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette. This past weekend I decided to emulate a more pared down Gwen inspired look. 

I know you're all probably tired of hearing about this palette. It's been all over the internet over the past few weeks. I have to admit when I saw the first preview images of the palette I wasn't too sure about it. It seemed like a lot of very similar neutrals with some weird bright shades thrown in, which looked a bit strange to me. However when I saw the palette in person I was really taken aback by how much I liked it. I haven't been the only one to note that this palette has to by seen in person to be fully appreciated.

I haven't had the chance to play around with it too much, however I have already used the royal blue shade, Danger and let me tell you it is an absolute stunner of a shade. I want to write a more in depth review once I've tried a few more looks, but for now I am hugely impressed with this palette and I find myself excited to use it everyday. 

I began this look by using the YSL Top Secret Moisture Glow, a skincare/make up primer hybrid product that gives incredible hydration to the skin and prepares it for make up. I tend to save this for use under my beloved Estée Lauder Double Wear Light as I find that my skin has to be perfectly hydrated in order for the foundation to look as good as it possibly can on my skin. Moisture Glow has the most beautiful velvet texture and sinks into the skin quickly and easily giving my skin an injection of hydration and a great blank canvas to begin my foundation routine. 

I mixed two L'Oréal foundations together for my base. The Infallible 24-Hour Matte and True Match in the shades 01 Porcelain and C1 Rose Ivory respectively. I have to admit I've found both of these foundations difficult to work with. I find that less is more with both of these. I have to be very careful with the amount of product I use because both have a tendency to sit in my pores if I use too much. I've found that they work better on my skin mixed together.

To give my brows a little more definition I used the Billion Dollar Brows Universal Brow Pencil. Billion Dollar Brows is a relatively new brand to me and back in November I got the chance to meet the company's founder Natalie Plain. She demonstrated some of the brand's key products on a myself and a few of my fellow bloggers including this brow pencil. It's quite similar to my favourite brow product, the Soap and Glory Archery Brow Pencil, except the nib is a bit thinner on the Soap and Glory one making it a bit easier to do smaller strokes and gives you more precision. The Billion Dollar Brows pencil is supposed to be a universally flattering shade which I can't attest to as I haven't seen what it looks like on people with lighter coloured brows.

I think both are great colour matches for me and would recommend either if you're in the market for a new brow product, however the Soap and Glory Archery is €11 compared to €24 for the Billion Dollar Brows pencil so I'll definitely be sticking to repurchasing the former again as there isn't enough of a difference between the two to warrant the extra €13. I set my brows with the translucent Bourjois Brow design Brow Mascara which is light formula and does the job without leaving visible residue. 

For the eye look I used a few shades from the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Palette. I primed my entire eyelid first using the Urban Decay Anti-Aging Primer Potion. Under my brows I used a little bit of Blonde which is described as beige with iridescent pink shift and is a great highlighting shade. I then went in with Baby all over the lid and darkened the crease with Anaheim and a tiny bit of the gorgeous reddish brown matte shade Punk. This is such an easy eye look to achieve and the colours blend beautifully together. I added my favourite liquid liner, Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Perversion and No7 Midnight Lash Mascara which gives great volume and definition for a wide-eyed look. 

I used YSL Touche Éclat in 01 to bring light to the skin and then Clarins Instant Concealer to cover any redness and dark circles under my eyes. I've been loving this combination recently as these two products are both very light and easy to work with and they give radiance and coverage at the same time with a natural finish. 

I then used NYX HD Blush in Taupe, Urban Decay Afterglow Blush in Score and theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer to give colour and definition to my cheeks. I finished off the skin with a light dusting of No7 Perfect Light Pressed Powder in Translucent on my T-Zone just to set the foundation there as I can get a little oily throughout the day. 

Finally on my lips I used one of the sample of the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani lipstick Ex-Girlfriend that was included along with the palette. There were four samples altogether, the three others are quite bright shades but I thought Ex-Girlfriend would work well with the eyeshadow as the shade is very subtle and the finish is sheer. The formula of this lipstick feels gorgeous, it's easy to wear and feels very hydrating. I can't wait to get my hands on the full sizes of the lipsticks when they're released next year.

Let me know if there are any particular looks you would like to see when I write the more in depth review of the palette. Although I haven't used all of the shades yet I already love the palette and can't wait to continue trying it out and seeing what I can do with it.

Happy New Year to all of my readers! I hope you have a great start to 2016.

Emma x

Urban Decay Backfire and Lounge Eyeshadows

Urban Decay added eight new single eyeshadows to their range back in May. There were six duotones and two mattes introduced into the permanent collection, one of the mattes, Beware was actually a fan favourite from the Theodora palette (which I have) and it a gorgeous warm brown. I looked up swatches of all the shades and they are really beautiful, a mixture of colourful shades and more wearable colours.

I was sent Backfire, described as burgundy with a purple shift and Lounge described as brick red with a green shift. Being a huge Urban Decay fan I was expecting a lot from these and they didn't disappoint. Both shades took me by surprise in that they look very different on me compared to in the pan. Backfire is more purple than burgundy to me and has the least duotone out of all of the new shades judging from the swatches I saw. Having said that I really love this shade, I'm a big fan of purple smokey eyes as I think purple really brings out green eyes nicely. 

Lounge is another fan favourite and I can see why. It's one of those eyeshadows that you can just blend over the lid, add lots of mascara and you've got an easy smokey eye look with a lot of impact. As with all of my other UD shadows, the pigmentation is perfection and the texture is smooth and so easy to blend. For me, these shades are more Autumn/Winter shades and I look forward to wearing them more as the weather cools down.

Like most eyeshadows, these work best and last longest when you apply a primer first. The other great thing about the single UD eyeshadows is that you can actually pop them out of the two-part packaging and into a Build Your Own Palette which means that you can keep it as a single eyeshadow or add it into a palette. The gunmetal packaging, inspired by New York subway tokens, is practical, sturdy and looks amazing. At €18 I think these are really great value for your money as the quality is beautiful as with all UD eyeshadows. Fireball, the peachy pink shade is next on my shopping list as I don't have any other shades like it in my collection. 

Do you own any great single eyeshadows or are you strictly a palettes person?

Emma x

Lancôme Shine Lover Lipsticks

I recently attended an event with Lancôme make-up artist Marc Sinclair in which he demonstrated a bronzed Summer look featuring the new Shine Lover lipsticks.

Lily Collins wearing shade 340 French Sourire

Marc used the Miracle Cushion Foundation as the base with the Belle de Teint powder on top to give a perfect finish to the face.  He then created a simple bronze eye look using the Hypnôse Star Eyes Palette in Terre d'Ivoire followed by Grandiôse Mascara. He finished off the look with the Shine Lover lipstick in 357 Fuchsia in Paris. 

This is such a pretty, low maintenance Summer make-up look and I've been wearing a similar look for the past few weeks using Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze as a substitute for the palette Marc used. 

Lupita Nyong'o wears shade 357 Fuchsia in Paris in the campaign photos

There are twenty shades of Shine Lover lipsticks ranging from nudes to reds and pinks. They promise to give the lips high-intensity colour combined with long lasting moisture in tones that compliment and illuminate the complexion.

They contain Hyaluronic Acid which provides hydration, Rose Bush Oil to nourish and soften the lips and provide high impact colour and there is a protective gel that protects the lips and maintains the hydration. 

I was sent shade 340, a bright neutral pink and 357, a deeper raspberry pink. My first thought when I applied these and before I had even read the press release was that they immediately perked up my face and made me look more fresh and awake. I definitely could see that healthy glow effect that these lipsticks promise to give the complexion. 

As you can see above the slender white and silver packaging is beautiful and compact. They have a sweet rose scent that I find completely addictive. They apply so smooth and easily just like the best lip balm but what surprised me was the pigmentation, you can achieve a hint of colour with a light hand or a more intense pay off if you apply a couple of layers which you most definitely will want to because between the texture and scent they are such a dream to apply. 

I was also impressed by the longevity, although after several hours that initial high shine does fade, the colour remains on the lips and wears away to almost a stain but my lips still feel hydrated. All and all the formula is incredible and just what I want during the Summer months to keep me looking fresh with little effort.

Top- 357 Fuchsia in Paris; Bottom- 340 French Sourire




340

I have been wearing these alone and with MAC Prep and Prime lip to give some extra lasting power. You don't necessarily need a lip liner with these as they don't feather at all on me. I think using a lip liner would almost defeat the purpose of them. The pearl pigments give great depth and make your lips look fuller which should hopefully eliminate the need for liner. 

357




357

I adore this range and I already have a some other shades picked out that I want to get. I've been wearing them almost every day since I got them, if you're a lipstick lover like myself you need to check these out in person.

The Shine Lover range retails for €26 and is available in Brown Thomas and at any Lancôme counter. 

Would you like to try these?

Emma x

Urban Decay Revolution High-Color Lipgloss

The only lip product I own by Urban Decay is the Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Colour in F-Bomb which came with one of the Oz palettes and you can see my review of it here. I had a miniature size of one of their now discontinued Lip Junkie glosses a few years ago but I wasn't a fan of the texture so I gave it away. I've read great things about the recent Naked Lipgloss range and Revolution Lipsticks and now Urban Decay have released the Revolution High-Color Lipgloss range. 

The Revolution glosses are meant to be the counterpart to the Naked glosses, with 14 cream and sparkle shades from nudes to brights and darks, there is something for everyone. The Pigment Infusion System is supposed to give the lipgloss a super creamy texture, high pigmentation and superior colour dispersion. The formula also contains Hilurlip to define and hydrate lips whilst giving them a more full appearance. 

I was sent two completely different shades, 69 (a bright red) and Failbait (a light neutral pink) both of which are so beautiful on the lips, particularly 69 which is the most stunning, glamorous high shine red. The problem I had with Urban Decay glosses before was the formula which was just too sticky to be comfortable on my lips. This new formula has a thicker consistency than other lip glosses I've tried but it's not sticky making it much more pleasant to wear.

You can see in the photos below the intense pigmentation of these glosses with a couple of layers applied. You can also use a little less for a lighter wash of colour. The packaging is beautiful and practical. The applicator dispenses just enough product and allows for a very fast and precise application. There is also a slight vanilla scent, not as hit or miss as the minty scent of the discontinued UD glosses. 

I've tested the lasting power of both shades in work and they do fade throughout the course of the day and require reapplication, however the wear is very even and combined with my new Ultimate Ozone Multipurpose Primer Pencil (review coming soon), I avoided the dreaded feathering/bleeding. 

I found that the glosses paired beautifully with the new Afterglow blushes (you can read my review of them here), 69 looks really pretty with Quiver as does Failbait with Rapture. 

I've always been more of a lipstick fan myself especially living in such a windy country where lipgloss tends to get dragged across your face as soon as you step outside the door, however I adore a proper glossy red lip, I just find it so glamorous and there is nothing like a high shine lip product for making your lips look more full. I think shiny lips automatically make you look more youthful and fresh-faced. Glossy lips are the perfect way to update your make up look coming into the Summer months and I have a tendency to gravitate towards shiny lips during the warmer months.

I would definitely recommend checking these out in person if you're near an Urban Decay counter, I can't wait to have look at the rest of the shades in the range as they all look amazing. 

The glosses are priced at €19 and are available at House of Fraser, Dundrum and Debenhams. 

Are you a gloss fan? 

Emma x

Urban Decay Afterglow 8- Hour Powder Blush

Blush is not something I would associate with Urban Decay as a brand. They have numerous other products down to a tee, their most famous being eyeshadow with the now cult beauty status Naked palettes. They have added to their repertoire with this latest release, the Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Blush range which contains 12 beautiful shades ranging from soft nudes to a vibrant purple and bright orange- red. The formula is infused with light-diffusing pigments to enhance and perfect the skin, something I think we can all appreciate as sometimes blush can serve to highlight if we're having a bad skin day (or week). 

I may have squealed when I opened the boxes to see the stunning packaging. The blushes are cased in a shiny gunmetal compact with a fishnet cut out UD on the lid that allows you to glimpse the colour contained inside. There is also a magnetic closure which added to my excitement. 

I received three very different shades, Quiver (a medium red), Rapture (a deep mauve with a hint of shimmer) and Indecent (a light peachy nude). The shade range is excellent, I'd imagine these will be popular with make up artists for editorials and because there are great options for a wide array of skin tones. 

Rapture is the only blush of the three that has shimmer. The shimmer however is very fine and not noticeable enough to highlight larger pores or any other skin "imperfections". I found it similar to that of a satin eyeshadow. The only blush I have that is comparable to Rapture is NARS Sin, a similar plum/mauve shade that is perhaps slightly lighter, however this is more finely milled and the shimmer isn't as noticeable which I prefer. 

Indecent is a very natural matte shade, I find I just need a touch of this on my skin tone or it can look a bit muddy. I love to wear shades like this with brown/ bronze eyeshadows like the one I'm wearing above. 

Quiver was probably my favourite of the three in that I have nothing like it in my make up collection. It's a stunning shade in the pan and I was concerned at first as to whether it would work on my very fair skin. Again, you only need a touch of this to get a beautiful rosy red flush. This is the kind of shade that can make blush the focal point of your make up, a look I adore. I've worn this with just lip balm as you can see below and also paired with red lips which works a treat and looks so pretty. You definitely have to be careful to not overdo it with a shade like this, but I think if you're going to invest in one of these blushes I would highly recommend one of the more unusual shades like Quiver. 

I have to say I was totally taken by these blushes from the moment I laid eyes on them. The packaging is without a doubt the most beautiful I've seen in a long time. The texture of the powder is so fine and almost creamy making them a dream to blend on the skin. I love that there is a mixture of matte and shimmer shades and the pigmentation gives them great lasting power. 

I love a blush that gives you that lit from within look, and they do just that, hence the name Afterglow  as well as all the cheeky blush names (which I love). 

Priced at €28 they don't come cheap, but I think they are worth the money in comparison to other high end blushes I've tried like the NARS ones which are more expensive. 

They are available now at Debenhams and House of Fraser Dundrum. 

Emma x