Orange Crush

The other evening I got home from work and felt like playing with makeup, so using what I had already applied on my face at 7am that morning I added a few more elements and this is the result.

I used 'Lit' from the BPerfect Cosmetics Stacey Marie Carnival Palette, a shade I don't think I'd worn properly yet. I ended up with this soft winged graphic shape. I then added some Glossier clear lip gloss to balance out the bright matte eyeshadow. 

The rest of of face makeup had stayed in place quite well considering it had been on for about ten hours at this stage. The only thing I did was brush away some bits of mascara from under my eyes and brushed out my eyebrows. I think the staying power is all down to the beautiful Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation and that I set everything with a little powder and the Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray. 

Sometimes I think only photographing my makeup for a blog post when I've just applied it is a bit misleading. Obviously it's going to look well when it's only just been applied but I was so impressed with how it looked after wearing it all day, I think it goes to show that prepping your skin well and using light layers and setting sprays does actually work. It doesn't always turn out that way, but I like to take note of the products I use when it does. 

Glossier Invisible Shield Daily Sunscreen SPF 30
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation (Shade 2)
bareMineral bareSkin Complete Coverage Serum Concealer (Fair)
Anastasia Beverly Hills Power Duo (Brow Wiz and Dipbrow Gel in Medium Brown)
Kevyn Aucoin Eyelash Curler
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion Anti-Aging
*BPerfect Cosmetics Stacey Marie Carnival Palette (Lit)
Marc Jacobs Beauty Velvet Noir Mascara
Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Skinstick (Amber)
*Glossier Cloud Paint Cream Blush (Beam)
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter (1 Fair)
*Glossier Play Niteshine Highlighter Concentrate (Platinum Rose)
*L'Oréal Paris Infaillible Magic Loose Powder
Glossier Lip Gloss

*Press Sample

This is definitely a love it or hate it look, what do you think?

Emma x

Jet!

Today's look is all about the eyes. I hadn't done an exaggerated smoky liner in a while and if I leave it too long I get out of practice and it's much harder to do. I learned the technique I used from the makeup queen herself, Katie Jane Hughes (who is slowly but surely teaching everyone the best makeup techniques FOR FREE on her account). She has a story highlight on her feed called Classic Liner where she goes through it step by step. I would say if you're going to try it, leave yourself plenty of time as it can be a bit finicky. Every time I try it, it comes out differently, but that's part of the fun.

I've tried a few different ways including using pencil, then eyeshadow, then gel or liquid liner. This time I used a brown crayon liner, blended it out and then a black crayon liner, again blended out. This way you can build up the intensity and make it extra long lasting. I used a matte black eyeshadow (Jet, from the UD Born to Run palette) over the top, blended into a kind of gel/paste using a fixing/setting spray. I usually use MAC Fix+, but I didn't have any so I used Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray. I applied the concoction with a thin angled brush and then used a small fluffy brush to soften the edges. I hadn't intended to at first, but I ended up using the shades Breakaway and Weekender to help blend the liner. I also used a pointed cotton bud to help shape the wing and clean up any of the black eyeshadow that fell down. I waited until my eyes were finished to apply concealer.

This is a much more extended wing than I would usually wear but it kind of had a life of it's own so I went with it! I actually really like how it turned out and that it's almost touching the tail of my brows. The eyes were enough of a statement so I used my current favourite Cloud Paint combination on my cheeks- Beam and Dusk. I love the neutral warmth that they create. I also wore double highlighter which is becoming a daily occurrence at this stage. I chose Charlotte Tilbury Bitch Perfect lipstick (over Pillow Talk Lip Cheat) as it's the same tone as the cheek colour, it's probably my favourite warm toned nude.

One of my most recent purchases is the Anastasia Beverly Hills Power Duo brow kit. It's a full size Brow Wiz and a travel size Dipbrow Gel. I really like the Brow Wiz but I don't think the Dipbrow Gel will beat Boy Brow for me, it's a more liquid texture and I find it ends up on the skin around my brows which Boy Brow doesn't because it's more of a pomade texture. I'm not totally happy with my brows here but I'm still getting the hang of using these two products together. I just ordered Glossier Brow Flick so I'm very excited to try that out. It's safe to say I have enough brow products to keep me going for a while!

Glossier Invisible Shield Daily Sunscreen SPF 30
*My Clarins Re-Fresh Hydrating Beauty Mist
No7 HydraLuminous Moisturising Foundation (Porcelain)
bareMinerals bareSkin Complete Coverage Serum Concealer (Fair)
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion Anti-Aging
Urban Decay Born to Run Eyeshadow Palette
Anastasia Beverly Hills Power Duo (Brow Wiz and Dipbrow Gel in Medium Brown)
Kevyn Aucoin Eyelash Curler
Marc Jacobs Beauty Velvet Noir Mascara
Glossier Cloud Paint Cream Blush (*Beam and Dusk)
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter (1 Fair)
*Glossier Play Niteshine Highlighter Concentrate (Platinum Rose)
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat (Pillow Talk)
Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick (Bitch Perfect)
*Lancôme Long Time No Shine Loose Setting Powder (Translucent)
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray

*Press Sample

If you watch Katie's technique, you'll see it's particularly great for hooded eyes, which I sadly have. You can see in the first photo how my eyes look when they're completely relaxed and you can see the wing because I've extended it out and traced over the fold in my eyelid. I think blending the edges is great for this technique. It might look strange when your eyes are looking down or closed, but when they're open it's a proper wing shape. If you struggle with winged liner or your eye shape, I definitely recommend trying this out.


Emma x

Glossier Playdate

If you've been following me for any length of time you'll know I'm a big fan of Glossier. So when they launched their sister brand Glossier Play that focuses on "dialled-up beauty extras" with the belief that the best part of going out is getting ready, I was so excited to get my hands on the products and try them out. 

I was lucky enough to be sent a few products by Glossier, the Colorslide in the shade Critical Mass, Niteshine in Platinum Rose and Vinylic Lip in the shade Casino. I loved them all so much that I made  an order myself pretty much straight away. I went for two Glitter Gelées- Glass Bonsai and Firewalk, the Vinylic Lip Lacquer in Pony, the Blade sharpener, The Detailer multitool and the Colorslide eye pencil in Disaster Class. I've since been trying out different ways of wearing the products.

I saw a lot of negativity about the launch of Play, with people saying it wasn't very "Glossier" and slating the products for having too much packaging and that the glitter wasn't biodegradable. I've since heard that they are making changes to those things which is great as I think it put a lot of people off buying the products. What I really love about Glossier Play is that the products are so much fun to play with, I think they really nailed the colours and textures, they're easy to use and you get maximum impact with minimum effort. 

The whole collection, especially the packaging and typeface seems to have been heavily influenced by the seventies and everything Disco. It's obviously not going to be for everyone as bright colours, glossy textures and glitter isn't most people's bag, but having said that I think there is something for everyone whether it's the Pony Vinylic Lip Lacquer which as you can see below is a great neutral, or the Colorslide in Pretty Penny (a metallic copper) or Sparkle Shark (a metallic gunmetal grey) or the Niteshine highlighters which I think any makeup lover would adore. 

I used Disaster Class (a deep wine red) liner along my lash line into a wing shape and used The Detailer brush to add Firewalk Glitter Gelée on top. I then added Cloud Paint in Storm and Haloscope in Moonstone AND Niteshine in Platinum Rose on top and blended it out with the Real Techniques Setting Brush. As you can see it gives an incredible sheen to my skin, its definitely more pigmented than the Haloscopes but the formula is concentrated so you only need the smallest amount and it's easy to blend out with a brush or your fingers. I'm so obsessed with this product, it's almost a look in itself it's so eye catching! You could also add it to the Cloud Paints for some extra shine.

This is one layer of Pony Vinylic Lip, you can build up the texture and colour intensity by adding more layers but I wanted to let the glitter and highlighter be the star of the show so I kept the lips quite simple. If you're a fan of shiny lip products, these lacquers are so gorgeous. They smell amazing, they're easy to use and the colours are beautiful. The bright red shade Baby is next on my list. I love that you can wear them more sheer or really build them up for full on glossy glamour. They obviously don't last as long as a matte lipstick but they fade very evenly and they're so fun  and addictive to apply you won't mind topping up.

I've tried the Colorslide liners on their own too and they really stay put and don't smudge but you do have to work quickly if you want to blend them out as they really set into place. I'm dying to get a few more shades, I have my eye on Adult Swim and Early Girl in particular. You can get colourful liners like this from a few brands like Urban Decay and NYX and I think it's a great way to play with colour if you want to ease yourself into it.

If you hadn't gathered as much already, I'm a huge fan of Glossier Play, I think they've really nailed fun makeup products with the shade range, quality and pricing. Also on a side note, the Blade sharpener is an absolute must-have if you use pencils. It's so handy! They also do a set called the Playground which is one of each product in whichever shades you want for €59.

Check out this post if you want to see another look with the Glitter Gelée in Firewalk.


Glossier Invisible Shield Daily Sunscreen
*bareMinerals BAREPRO Performance Wear Liquid Foundation (Fair)
bareMinerals bareSkin Complete Coverage Serum Concealer (Fair)
*Clarins Glow 2 Go Blush and Highlighter Stick (02 Golden Peach)
*IT Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Brow Pencil
Essence Make Me Brow Eyebrow Gel Mascara (02 Browny Brows)
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion Anti-Aging
Glossier Play Colorslide Technogel Eye Pencil (Disaster Class)
Glossier Play Glitter Gelée (Firewalk)
Marc Jacobs Beauty Velvet Noir Mascara
*Glossier Cloud Paint Cream Blush (Storm)
Glossier Haloscope Face Highlighter (Moonstone)
*Glossier Play Niteshine Highlighter Concentrate (Platinum Rose)
Glossier Play Vinylic Lip High Shine Lacquer (Pony)

*Press Sample


I thought I'd add a few more photos that I've previously posted on my Instagram but are worth showing in this post so you can see the different ways I've worn the products.

Glitter Gelée in Glass Bonsai and Vinylic Lip in Pony

Niteshine in Platinum Rose, Colorslide in Critical Mass and Vinylic Lip in Casino

Critical Mass and Casino

Vinylic Lip in Casino

Let me know if you've tried anything from Glossier Play, or if there's anything you'd like to try. What do you think about the brand in general?

Emma x

**This post is in no way sponsored, some products were sent to me as press samples and some were bought myself. I'm just a big fan!

Backtalk

Like most people I'm sure, I have a few go-to makeup looks that I'll do if I don't have much time to get ready, but still want to look put together. One of these is a pink toned shade on my eyes and an orange-red on my lips. I've tried various combinations of this look, but the one I've found is the easiest and most fool proof is the shade Backtalk from the Urban Decay Backtalk palette and either Charlotte Tilbury Tell Laura, MAC Lady Danger, Rosie for Autograph Supermodel Kiss or the shade I've used below which is the stunning Velvet Morning by Lisa Eldridge. I find the tones work really well together and it looks like I've made more of an effort than I actually have. I'm all for one eyeshadow looks and this is my favourite one because this shade is a warm rosy pink that's so easy to blend and requires little to no effort.

This palette is actually quite underrated. If you're a fan of warm shades, there's good variety here and despite it not looking very exciting from far away, there's a lot you can do with it. I thought Bare and Curve looked too similar but they're different enough when applied to the lids. Backtalk is another one that is quite deceptive as it looks much more pale and cool toned in the palette but as you can see, it has a warmth to it when applied to the eyelids.

I've also shown how this look can be worn with a more neutral lip colour. In the last photo I'm wearing the lipstick that inspired this palette- Backtalk, which is apparently one of the most popular Urban Decay lipstick shades. It's slightly more cool toned than the eyeshadow but still works well to create a tonal look. 

The eyeshadow and lipstick are both a matte finish, although both lipsticks are a more modern matte formula that aren't drying on your lips. However because of that I wanted to keep my skin looking very hydrated and luminous so I used the Missha Magic Cushion Moisture which my friend brought me back from Japan. It's the product I use when I want super glowing skin but it has SPF50 so it's also great if you're going to be outside in the sun which I was on this day.  I doubled up on sun protection by using Glossier Invisible Shield first as it's a light texture that doesn't interfere at all with the makeup used on top of it. I also used the Clarins Instant Poreless Primer, not for my pores but more for makeup longevity in my t-zone because it was a particularly warm day. I also set the t-zone area with powder and then spritzed Urban Decay All Nighter on top. I find the best technique to getting makeup to last through hot weather is by using light layers, letting each layer set properly and then only set where you need to and honestly setting sprays are a lifesaver, All Nighter is still the best one I've tried.


Glossier Invisible Shield Daily Sunscreen SPF30
*Clarins Instant Poreless Primer Review Here
Missha Magic Cushion Moisture SPF50+
*IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer (Light)
*IT Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Brow Pencil
Glossier Boy Brow (Brown)
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion Anti-Aging
*Urban Decay Balktalk Palette (Shade Balktalk)
Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara
*Glossier Cloud Paint Cream Blush (Storm)
Glossier Haloscope Face Highlighter (Moonstone)
*Urban Decay Comfort Matte Vice Lipstick (Backtalk)
Lisa Eldridge Plush True Velvet Lipstick (Velvet Morning) Currently not available, similar lipsticks include Rosie for Autograph Supermodel Kiss, MAC Lady Danger and Charlotte Tilbury Tell Laura
*Clarins Glow 2 Go Duo Stick (02 Golden Peach) Review Here
*Lancôme Long Time No Shine Loose Setting and Mattifying Powder (Translucent)
Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray


What are your go-to makeup looks for when you're in a hurry?

Emma x

Purple Haze

Last week when I was doing my makeup I wanted to wear a colour I hadn't worn in a while. Wasted, a matte purple from the BPerfect Cosmetics Carnival Palette was calling to me as I hadn't actually tried it yet. The look was inspired by this one from Viola of Killer Colours and this one by Celine Bernaerts. I liked the idea of taking just one vivid matte shade and blending it out and that's the basis for the whole look. It looked great on it's own but I decided to take inspiration from Celine's look and add black liner for more of a contrast. You could definitely add a bigger wing and lashes for more drama or pare it back and just wear the purple on it's own with lots of mascara. That's what I love about bright colour, you could do this kind of look with literally any bright matte eyeshadow and it would look amazing. I definitely want to try it with yellow or the same cornflower blue that Celine used.

I then added some of the Clarins cream bronzer stick to warm up my skin a bit and I reconnected with an old friend, the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid Highlighter in Moonstone which I bought in the travel size about a year and a half ago in Sephora but haven't used in ages. I've seen Makeup Artist Nikki Wolff using it on her Instagram quite a bit as she's a brand ambassador for Becca. I applied it on the high points of my face using the Real Techniques Setting Brush and it gives such a gorgeous luminous sheen to my skin. I definitely want to get the full size but I think I might try the shade Pearl which is a bit better suited to fair skin tones. Instead of using a setting powder I very lightly dusted the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light over my face. 

I kept my cheeks and lips in a more peachy tone. I used the Peach shade from the Clarins duo stick on my cheeks and mixed two lipsticks to get the shade I wanted for my lips. I also want to give a mention to the Lancôme Teint Idole Foundation Stick which I actually prefer to the liquid version. It's so handy, you can just apply it directly onto your face wherever you need coverage and it's such a  creamy formula, it blends out so easily. It's a great option if you do your makeup on the go or if you need to do it quite quickly. I also needed three concealers as my dark circles were more pronounced than usual and I had a few blemishes. 

*Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Oil-Free Foundation Stick (010 Beige Porcelaine)
*Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Camouflage High Coverage Concealer (010 Beige Porcelaine)
*IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Full Coverage Anti-Aging Waterproof Concealer (Light)
bareMineral bareSkin Complete Coverage Serum Concealer (Fair)
*Billion Dollar Brows Brow Powder (Taupe) (Review Here)
Glossier Boy Brow (Brown) (Review Here)
*Clarins Glow 2 Go Duo Stick (Golden Peach) (Review Here)
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (Anti-Aging)
Sephora Collection 12hr Colorful Contour Eyeliner (02 Clubbing Stilettos)
NYX Professional Makeup Epic Ink Liner (Black)
*BPerfect Cosmetics Stacey Marie Carnival Palette 
Marc Jacobs Beauty Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid Highlighter (Moonstone)
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Travel Size (Dim Light)
Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G. Lipstick (Bitch Perfect) (Review Here)
Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick (Meringue) (Review Here)

*Press Sample


What do you think of bright colours like this? Would you wear purple eyeshadow?


Emma x