Behind the Scenes: Makeup

I’ve recently started to take pics of the products I use for makeup looks, as sometimes people will ask about a specific lipstick, blusher etc and invariably, when I look back on them I can’t remember which exact shade I used. 

I used exactly the same makeup for my recent posts on bronzers for pale skin as I thought it would be useful for people to compare the effect of the bronzer if the base remained identical.  The only thing that changed was the addition of Clarins or YSL bronzer. 

It looks like a lot of products for one face, doesn’t it?!  I’ve divided them into face, eyes & lips and brushes with details for anyone who is interested…

Face

I’ve numbered each product in the order that I used it, incase you wonder why they look a bit random!

1. Laura Mercier Crème Smooth foundation in Warm Ivory {review} -  Crème Smooth gives a medium to full coverage and I normally reserve it for evenings or when I really want to look my best.  A little goes a long way - I’ve had this pot for at least 6 months.

2. Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage in SC2 - an initially expensive purchase, but again incredibly long lasting. I’ve had this 18m and you can see what a small dent I’ve made. The yellow and peach based tones can be blended to cover most flaws seamlessly.  I’ll do a separate post on my favourite concealers if you’d be interested?

3. Illamasqua Loose Powder - sorry the colour name has completely worn off but it looks translucent on me - no chalkiness and uber fine texture

4. NARS Orgasm Blusher - recently repurchased after not using it for years… I do love it but think it has a lot more competition these days than when it initially launched.

 

Eyes & Lips

(Sorry for blurry pic)

5. NARS Larger Than Life Long Lasting Eyeliner in Via Appia - a gorgeous dark metallic bronze twist up liner with built in sharpener (sadly the lead broke when I was doing this look)

6. Bourjois Volume Clubbing Ultra Black Mascara - great for full on volume and can be built up to a false lash effect

7. Lily Lolo Mineral Eyeshadow in Honey Peach {review} - lovely wearable peachy shade, also works well as a blush

8. Invisible Lipliner by Sally Hansen - works well with brights or lip tars to avoid colour bleeding

9. OCC Lip Tar in Memento - a dusky coral toned nude and the latest addition to my collection, which I really love for a nude but not invisible lip!

 

Brushes

10. *Japonesque foundation brush 314

11. Eco Tools Powder brush {review}

12. *Japonesque Bronzing brush 943

13. *Japonesque Fan brush 334

14. Crown Brushes lip brush - at least I think this is a lip brush as Crown brushes aren’t labelled; it certainly works perfectly as one!

*Japonesque brushes are press samples - review coming very soon!

 

Final Look

      Left Clarins Bronzer 01 {review}                                    Right - YSL Bronzer 01 {review}

All other products identical, as pictured above.  Pictured side by side, there’s not a whole lot of difference in the bronzers, though the overall look is softer with the Clarins (left).

Hope you enjoyed this kind of post?

 

YSL Terre Sahrienne N° 1: Light Golden Bronzer

I’m having a bit of a YSL moment with two of its Summer 2012 releases making my favourites list: Le Teint Touch Éclat Foundation {review} and Terre Sahrienne bronzer.

This is my second suggestion for a luxury bronzer that will work well on light skins, though this one is particularly versatile and could actually be adapted to a number of skintones.  Although the lightest of YSL’s three releases, to my knowledge it isn’t particularly directed at the pale among us and is described as ‘No1 - Tanned’.  I have lots of pics and swatches that should help you make up your own mind about it.

As for what it’s like to use, the texture is, well… swoony!  Highly pigmented, only a small amount is needed, so although it’s not the biggest palette, I can see it lasting a long time - definitely a full Summer.  It gives a velvety soft finish to the skin and when the three shades are used blended together, the finely spun sheen won’t make your face sparkle, but will give your skin a flattering glow. 

    

Packaging is slim and minimal, slipping neatly into the smallest makeup bag or evening clutch.  Although glamorous, it’s all about the product, embossed with python print inspired by the YSL Couture accessories.  It almost looks too pretty to disturb (my reluctance to stick my fingers in it for swatches was palpable!).

“Long-lasting resistance to heat and a genuine UV shield:
Mica particles coated with an amino acid derivative
improve the feel of the powder. In addition, since
the amino acid derivative is hydrophobic, it protects
the particles against humidity for a long-lasting hold.
With an SPF 12 index, the formula protects against
the harmful effects of UV rays.”

Made up of three bands of colour and texture, the lightest (above left)is the smallest, an apricot tinged pale gold, with a barely perceptible sheen.  The largest band (above right) is a medium shade of warm toned bronze with delicate shimmer - and the darkest, central strip is quite a deep matt tan.

Swatches

The above swatches show the three bands of colour swatched with fingers, then blended with a brush. 

 

The brush you use to apply bronzer has a huge impact on how intense the colour looks on your skin.  Above left I used the Japonesque bronzing brush, which is very dense and tightly compacted, giving good density of colour on the skin. This pic was taken in direct sunlight to show the ‘glow’.  Above right, I used the Japonesque fan brush, which gives a much lighter effect and picks up less shimmer as the bristles are firmer. 

Contouring

A fan brush is perfect for lifting colour from the dark narrow stripe of colour for contouring.  I’ve become very partial to fan brushes recently (a new discovery!) and have a separate review on these Japonesque brushes coming up, where I’ll explain more about how I use them.

The YSL bronzer was recommended to me as perfect for pale skins (months before its release) by one of my favourite and most respected MUAs, Kenneth Soh.  Thank you Kenneth, it was worth the wait!

 

Finished Look

 

What do you think?  As always, I also have a little blusher on the apples of my cheeks (NARS Orgasm).

 

I thought it might be useful to see the YSL bronzer next to the Clarins {review}… as you can see, the YSL is quite a bit warmer.  I tend to use the Clarins when I want to deepen my skintone slightly or add a very subtle wash of colour, and the YSL when I want deeper tones and a true sunkissed look. 

One of my favourite things about the finish of this bronzer is that it isn’t flat, but adds luminance.

Naturally this comes at a price, £39 at YSL, currently offering free shipping AND a complimentary lipgloss worth £22 when you spend £50! (use code GLOW12 at checkout)  Touch Éclat foundation & Terre Sahrienne bronzer anyone?! ;)

Have you tried YSL Terre Sahrienne? I’d love to know what people think of the other two shades, so please leave a comment if you’ve tried them!

press sample

Clarins Eau Dynamisante Sparkling 25th Anniversary Limited Edition

Clarins has released this gorgeous sparkle-encrusted limited edition bottle to celebrate 25 years of its signature fragrance, Eau Dynamisante.

Made with a blend of plant extracts and essential oils, including rosemary, mandarin and ginger, this fragrance is also a skin tonic, designed to be splashed liberally over the body.  I have a small bottle which I save for days when I need an extra bit of ‘oomph’ to get me through… it really does give me the feel good factor and is quite unisex in its fresh, clean zingyness.

One of my long term beauty favourites is the Eau Dynamisante Shower Mousse, which is incredibly smooth, creamy and luxurious and of course smells divine! 

Looking at the twinkly ruby red bottle I can’t help think what a gorgeous Christmas gift this would make, but am sure it would look equally lovely in the sunshine.  I do generally associate Eau Dynamisante with Summer and love that its non-photosensitising formula allows it to be safely used in the sun.

I expected the price to be hiked for this gorgeous bottle, but it’s just £29 for 100ml, which is pretty amazing I reckon.  After a quick search for the best price online I’ve discovered that Escentual.com is still offering 20% off Clarins purchases, so if you’re quick, you can snap one up for just £23.20!  If I hadn’t done ridiculous damage in the sales I’d be very tempted myself!

Fish Soho Hotfish & Flexifish Hair Styling Products

My husband is most bemused by the name of these products and why I’d want my hair to smell of fish (as if!!), so I thought I’d tell a more appreciative audience about them! :)  Fish Soho is a range of quirky, affordable, salon quality styling products, with specific ranges aimed at girls and boys.  I was sent these two beauties from the girls’ range in perfect time to meet two gaps in my styling needs: heat protection and mane taming!

I love the bright, retro style packaging and distinctive branding.

Hotfish

This spray-on heat protector is described as a straightening mist, but works well on any hair type.  I found it smoothing rather than straightening. It smells gorgeous, sprays evenly and seems to do its job.  I’m religious about heat protection these days… it’s all about the prevention!

Flexifish

My hair is frizz prone and sits best with some separation, but I struggle to find products that achieve this without weighing it down or making it lank.  I find sprays most effective for distributing product evenly and save me spreading gunk over my hands (I know, I’m such a princess). 

Flexifish works brilliantly for me both wet and dry.  It’s basically a very fine spray wax that smooths the surface of the hair, adds texture and definition. 

Have you tried any Fish Soho products?  I’ll definitely be restocking these two when they run out. Both products are available from keepmeinspired.co.uk for £3.49 each - amazing value for such great products! 

Exfoliate: Dove Spa Hotstuff, Rituals Wai Wang & Karora Smooth Operator

As my Summer Series continues, I’m working way up to posts on hair removal and tanning, hoping that you’re all exfoliating religiously in preparation?!  Exfoliating is a process that most of us now understand the importance of, but that isn’t always enough for us to get around to doing it, right? So here’s a quick reminder as to why we should…

Our skin is made of many layers and constantly renews itself. Exfoliation removes the upper, effectively dead, layer of skin cells, getting rid of any dry or rough patches to expose the softer, newer skin below.  Crucially, it also enables our skin to absorb skincare products more effectively; particularly important before self tanning for a smooth, even finish.  It also aids the hair removal process: removing dead surface skin cells helps avoid ingrown hairs and allows extraction (!!!) with greater ease.

I actually love exfoliating - it’s one skincare regime that provides instant results when done properly, ie baby soft skin.  Here are some products I’ve been loving lately…

 

Dove Spa Hotstuff

Until recently I wasn’t even aware that the Dove Spa range existed!  I’ve used (& loved) loads of standard Dove goodies; the Spa range is made up of professional products used in actual spas, which as far as I know are only in England.

Hotstuff Self Heating Sugar Polish is a huge 300ml jar of natural sugar grains and creamy oils that warm on contact with wet skin. It’s messy, gloopy, smells divine and is a joy to use!

The texture is quite difficult to imagine if you haven’t used a hot sugar scrub before, so hopefully these pics will help…

  

It feels a bit like liquid clay… you can see how fine the grains are - always a big plus for me.  I don’t want to rub big jaggedy pieces of scratchy ‘bits’ into my skin thank you very much. The finer the better and much more effective in my experience.

Mix it well in the tub with your fingers, lift a dollop and massage it in (while in the shower!) using circular, upward movements.  The warmth (& it is just warm, not burny hot) encourages pores to open, making it even more effective - and it’s fun to use!  Rinse thoroughly and you will be amazed at how strokably soft and smooth your skin feels.

Hotstuff costs £23 from dovespa.co.uk where I must resist lingering for too long as so many of the products sound wonderful.  

 

Sanctuary Hot Sugar Scrub

A less pricey option which I also love is Sanctuary Hot Sugar Scrub at £11.25, often on offer in Boots 3 for 2 deals.  Oh happy days, just checked and it’s on 3 for 2 at Boots right now!

 

Rituals Wai Wang

I got this Rituals Wai Wang exfoliating body scrub as a magazine freebie a few months ago and have been really impressed with it. The delicate fresh fragrance is just lovely - reminds me a bit of a floral green tea - and again it has super fine grains. 

The rich cream base contains ultrafine Chinese bamboo grains, so fine in fact that they are barely visible in this pic, but they are there - and it does leave my skin feeling very soft.

The full sized 200ml tube is available at Bath & Unwind for £11.90

 

Karora Smooth Operator

Karora Smooth Operator Multi-Action Micro Peel is unlike any exfoliating product I’ve used before.  The completely smooth gel is massaged into dry skin to remove surface dead skin cells in an extremely gentle way.  Enriched with Vitamin E, Aloe Vera and Citrus it doesn’t contain any grains - and to be honest I was cynical about whether it would have any effect, until I tried it!  It really is skin softening and is genius at removing icky self tans mishaps.

Specially designed to prep and prime the skin before self tanning, this will also be perfect as a regular exfoliator for anyone with sensitive or easily irritated skin.  Karora products are made with organic, natural extracts and contain no parabens, artificial fragrances, synthetic colours or harsh chemical ingredients.

To use: Massage into dry skin, focusing on any rough patches, then wipe off with a damp cloth or rinse off in the shower.  As far as I can gather, dry skin and impurities stick to the little bits and are then rinsed off.  I find it easiest to use either standing on a towel or before switching on the shower.

• Multi-Action Micro Peel
• Prepares Skin for Tanning
• Non-irritating Grain Free Exfoliation
• Removes Dead Skin Cells
• Removes Resistant Tan Stains
• Stimulates skin renewal

I met the lady behind Dublin-based Karora on a recent press trip to Belfast and have blogged about her self tanner in the past.  You can read my review here - I’ve another coming soon on the amazing Karora spray tan!

Karora Smooth Operator is available at Karora for 14.99 euro or here for £13.50

Skipping exfoliation can leave your skin looking dull and lifeless, so go pamper yourself and get glowing - I promise it will make your skin look and feel better! Twice a week is plenty in my opinion, possibly 3 times a week if you haven’t kept up the process throughout recent months.

Next steps - smoothing and tanning - the sun is coming I tell you!

Pink Fingers & Toes: Orly It’s not me, It’s you

I painted my nails to match my new shoes and love how well they match!  I used Orly It’s Not Me, It’s You.

The shoes are block heel pumps from Topshop in the perfect shade of pink, suede with patent trims - they make me feel a little bit Chanel.  :) 

Grrr just noticed that they’ve been reduced further {link}

YSL Le Teint Touche Éclat foundation: BR30 swatched

I’ve await the arrival of YSL Le Teint Touche Éclat foundation with baited breath.  It sounded like it offered everything that I look for in a holy grail foundation:

• Light to medium, buildable coverage
• A radiant dewy finish
• Blurs imperfections
• Light reflecting
• Doesn’t cake
• Pump bottle
• Reasonably priced
• Beautifully packaged

It didn’t disappoint.

It started with an interesting interaction with the SA, who was convinced I’d been in for a sample several days earlier… it’s not every day I get told I have a double.  As I hummed and haa-ed about whether my skin had a beige, yellow or pink tone (I can never decide; I guess this makes it neutral) she immediately selected ‘the perfect colour,’ BR30. 

She asked if I like to go a shade warmer and I felt quite smug at her delight when I said I always choose a shade true to my skin tone, preferring the lightest option that suits me.  I immediately loved her back.  I can’t stand it when SAs suggest several shades darker than I am.

I skipped off with a generous 7 day sample of BR30 - this is what it looks like…

I was surprised to see just how light it is, and how pink toned, which is a touch more than it appears here.

Part blended, it looks even paler!

Fully blended (excuse the onset of goosebumps - it was freezing when I took these pics a few days ago). 

As you can see, once blended out it’s not that pale - and of course my face is lighter than my arm.  While I can get away with this shade I do feel it’s perhaps a touch pink and am keen to try the B30… I may try a different store!

So how does it look on?

Dreamy.  Liquid in consistency, it blends easily and yet my skin looks and feels like I’m not wearing makeup.  The closest I’ve experienced to this before is with Face Atelier or the original Laura Mercier Moisturising Foundation (now replaced with Moisture Supreme, which I’ve been told is a poor relation).

So it gives a no makeup look, yet imperfections are covered - and my face has an added softness and luminosity, a bit like a slightly blurred well lit photograph!  My skin also feels dewy to the touch, so I have worn it with a light dusting of Illamasqua translucent powder, partly due to concern that any bronzer/blusher I use over it might otherwise stick or apply unevenly.

I have dry skin, though it’s been more normal to dry lately (tends more towards dryness in Winter); it’s also prone to dehydration.  For these reasons I’m not sure how well this foundation would work on oily skins, though please do tell me if you’ve tried it and I’m wrong about that!

It lasts well too, with just a slight touch up with concealer and powder once during the day, which is standard for me.

 

Overall, I’m very impressed and think this is a lovely Summer/Autumn foundation. I’ll definitely be purchasing a bottle when it hits the shelves.  If you’d like to try a sample and don’t feel comfortable asking for one, print out the voucher on YSL’s Facebook page, or read my post about how to ask for samples! ;)

YSL Le Teint Touche Éclat foundation comes in 22 shades to suit a wide range of skin tones and will retail at £28rrp.  It is available at limited counters from 9th July, rolling out elsewhere from late July. 

Have you tried this yet?  Would you like to?

Clarins Bronzing Powder Duo Light 01 - Review & Swatches

  

So many of you have asked for recommendations on the best bronzers for pale skins… it’s something I’ve struggled with myself for years so I completely understand your frustration when the lightest shades available still look too dark on your skin.  Summer 2012 launches have revealed a slight sea change, with a number of brands finally acknowledging that some of us would love a bronzer that provides a gently flattering golden glow, rather than a just-back-from-St Tropez tan.

I have several suggestions for you as part of my Summer Ready Series, from high end through to High St options.  Combining them all together might get a bit cluttered, so I’m going to split them into several posts over the next week.

First up is one of the best high end options I’ve found, after much timing mooching around shops having swatchathons and getting strange looks from the Chanel girls (I found their bronzers disappointingly dark for pale skins).

Clarins Bronzing Duo, Light 01

 

I almost squealed when I first swatched this in Debenhams… I just couldn’t believe how perfectly pale it is!  As ever, it comes beautifully presented in a substantial gold compact with a tortoiseshell lid and built in mirror, all encased in a velvet sleeve.  Available in 3 colour options, Light, Medium & Dark, I was sent the lightest to swatch for you.

“White tea extract and 100% mineral sunscreen offer protection against the three main causes of ageing pollution, free radicals and UV rays.  A combination of mineral and soft-focus pigments are combined with pearls which optically minimise fine lines and imperfections for a luminous, radiant look all day long.”

Swatches

The lightest shade is matt while the darker tone has very fine gold particles which provide a subtle sheen rather than glittery shimmer.  I love that the light shade is properly light and makes up half of the compact and is big enough to fill a large bronzing brush with, so that you can use it alone if you wish.  This makes it perfect for uber pale girls, deepening foundation by a fraction, or Winter use when you want to hide a ghostly pallor without actually looking tanned.

Above, in direct sunlight. Below in natural light. I had to swatch heavily to get these to show up as I found my finger only lifted a small amount and a brush even less. Again, this is a bonus for pale girls.

Applied

   

Left - direct light; right - natural light.

I’ve applied it quite liberally for these pics… this wasn’t a case of a light dusting on the spots where the sun catches you - I need to apply quite a lot for it to show up. I’m also wearing a whisper of NARS Orgasm blush on the apples of my cheeks… I never wear bronzer alone as I just think my face looks flat without a touch of blusher.  Underneath, I used Laura Mercier Crème Smooth in Warm Ivory. (My forehead always looks a bit red in blog pics - it’s not. If anyone knows a way around this please enlighten me!)

Texture

Hand on heart, this bronzer is a joy to use.  The powder is densely packed and velvety - there is zero fallout.  It applies really smoothly, evened out my skintone and gave it a slight glow, quite an accomplishment from a bronzer which is usually quite firmly in the completely flat matt or disco sparkle category.  When I first applied it I messaged my sister to tell her how gorgeous it was… she was so excited (bless her) she popped in when she was passing by to have a look - and was equally impressed. 

Application

The deeper shade can be used on areas where the sun hits naturally, with a light dusting of the paler shade over the rest of your face.  Alternatively, the deeper shade can be used for contouring, though this may not be ideal because of its slight shimmer.  My favourite way to use it is with the two colours blended together.  I found that it applied very smoothly and evenly with no edges or streaky bits.

It has an spf of 15 (every little helps!), wears well (I didn’t need to touch it up all day) and negates the need for an additional powder. I honestly can’t fault it.

Clarins Bronzing Duo costs £26 rrp, though the fabulous Escentual.com currently has it at £20.80 (all Clarins products on the site are currently discounted)!

Super Facialist Rose Hydrate by Una Brennan

Following my recent cleansing rants, the imminent launch of a double cleansing regime was music to my ears!  Super Facialist is the creation of Una Brennan, Notting Hill based facialist to the stars who originally hails from my part of the world, Northern Ireland.

This affordable range is designed to deliver high performance pampering at home, using quality essential oils, natural ingredients and actives and is exclusive to Boots. Products are divided into three regimes:

• Hydrate - Rose
• Deep Clean - Tea Flower
• Firming - Neroli

“The expert formulations combine science with nature to deliver the most effective results and pleasurable experience. Advanced actives Hyaluronic Acid, Salicylic Acid and unique Peptides have all been hand selected for their proven skincare benefits, carefully balanced with natural extracts ensuring excellent results.”

My darling postie delivered these two Rose Hydrate products just in time for me to try them before applying my makeup today.  I wouldn’t normally blog about skincare until I’ve tested it for around 4 weeks - and obviously can’t give a proper verdict just yet, but these smell and feel so divine I wanted to tell you about them right now!

Obviously you don’t need to use both of these products to double cleanse, but they have been designed to be used in such a way, just as a facialist would do. The idea is that you firstly massage your face with the Miracle Makeover Facial Oil to loosen impurities, remove with a hot cloth, then follow with the wash off Calming Creamy Cleanser. 

I am not normally a fan of rose products, but these smell incredible… like someone has just wafted past with a bouquet of the real thing. 

The oil felt fabulous massaged into my skin and the creamy cleanser is proper thick-and-rich-creamy, exactly what you want from hydrating skincare! 

Several products from the range (inc Rose Hydrate Miracle Makeover Facial Oil) will be available in the new Boots ‘latest finds’ area, from July 13th. The rest of the Super Facialist range will be available from leading Boots stores and Boots online from August 2012. 

The oil is £14.99 for 30ml and the cleanser, £7.99 for 150ml.  Time will tell how they work on my skin, but the look, feel, smell and ingredients list give the impression of a much more expensive product.