Showing posts with label #events #mootd. Show all posts

Cleaning My Make-Up Brushes: Lilo and Stitch

Tonight I cleaned my make-up brushes and I feel like the only way I can express this to all you little birds is through GIFs of Lilo and Stitch.


STARTING OFF
heck yeah! Cleaning my brushes!




FIRST BRUSH IN
washing out AAAAAALLLL of the make-up and seeing how much there is... ew


SECOND BRUSH IN
Aaaaand that's my lower back that's hurting 

ya' know, from bending over the sink and squeezing all the soap and goop from the bristles



HALF WAY!
Why did I start this? Why why why?

Internet/Fellow Beauty Bloggers/Experts/By the Book People:
"Because your dirty brushes gather bacteria and it's important you clean them!"
Me:


Parents walk past bathroom twenty minutes in and ask what you're doing... And you tell them... And they respond accordingly



When you're finally up to cleaning your shadow brushes and realise it's nearly finished

Finally being finished! And they're all clean and drying and done!



..... but you realise you have to do it all over again in 1-2 weeks' time...



And that's how I wash my make-up brushes!

Tweet tweet xx

Sheer Glow, Sheer WOW

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW.
WOW.
Oh wow.

Species Sparrowtus Dorkius
This is my face approx. ten minutes after I visited the lovely ladies at Mecca and had my make-up done. It hurts my heart to say that my beloved Inglot has either changed its formula, or my skin has changed, or something weird is going on with the universe, because my favourite YSM foundation just isn't what it used to be. Don't get me wrong, it looked beautiful, but three hours into a working day and my nose was a trainwreck, and no matter what primer/setting powder/finishing spray I used, it didn't help.

So I ventured to my happy place, to my beloved Mecca Maxima, to find something with the lasting power of my Australis Stay Put, the colour match of my Bobbi Brown Longwear, and the finish of my Inglot YSM. Easy job right?

I wandered around the aisles, looking at NARS in particular, because a lot of my work friends have been recommending it to me. I meant to get some samples, but the lovely Mecca girl saw me hovering and offered show me how the NARS Sheer Glow would look on my face. I explained my situation (with work, and getting sick of bad colour matches), and even mentioned my little allergic reaction (UGHHH), and within five minutes I was hooked, because HOLY SHIZBALLS, it's the best colour match I've ever had.

I know, I know, I promised I'd use up my other foundations before I bought another new one, but hear me out. The NARS Sheer Glow, in Mont Blanc, is literally the best colour match I've ever found in a foundation. The only other times my make-up has looked this perfect is when it's been done professionally, and girrrrl that can't happen daily. Australis Stay Put will still be my go-to in summer, and when I have a tan, and I think my Inglot will be perfect for nights out because it has no SPF. I did end up using up all of my Bobbi Brown, but I'm so glad I didn't repurchase. I've been using my NARS for about four days and I'm so, so impressed, I still can't believe how well this product is sitting on my skin.

This is my mug wearing Inglot YSM foundation in 41

If you look at my hairline you can see that shade 41 isn't quite matching my skin tone. Even the tiny bit of neck visible under my scarf doesn't match my skin. This is first thing in the morning, so as you can see the finish is quite matte and flawless.
NARS doesn't have any of these problems, at all, and is still matte, and perfect. It matches my skin tone so well, and I haven't had to conceal anything!

I still use Bobbi Brown concealer under my eyes (because these nine hour shifts and six day streaks are killing me folks) and set my T-Zone with my Rimmel Stay Matte Powder. AND THAT'S IT. The only comparable experience is using my Australis Stay Put foundation, but that product did need to be set occasionally with more powder throughout the day (because summer and sweat and ick). I've struggled with blemishes throughout my teenage years (and unfortunately to this day) and I can't believe that I don't need to conceal any of my blemishes or redness. It's actually incredible! 


I think I love you. 

Keep in mind I've only been using this foundation for a little under a week. For all I know, in the next two days my face could blow up and becoming a blemished, horrible mess, but I'm feeling hopeful!

My face today - no filter, still can't believe that finish!

Stay tuned little birds, because I have some news about the inversion method and my hair! And remember how I said I needed a new, better cleansing method? I think I've found it!

Bottom line: if you're looking for a sheer, buildable, full coverage foundation that offers near perfect colour matches, NARS Sheer Glow could be the one for you!

Until next time, 
Tweet tweet xx

Shaking the Foundations

THE STRUGGLE IS REAL, PEOPLE.

I haven't had a chance (or the moolah) to get my Holy Grail foundation, my adored, my beloved Inglot YSM Creme foundation for MONTHS now. And as anyone who has ever struggled to find the perfect foundation will tell you, those months you go without,  they are the worst!

So these months wandering the wilderness of the Priceline aisles and Mecca, I've come across a few wonderful, and a few not-so wonderful, substitutes. The process of choosing these foundations, and using them, has taught me two things -

ONE: WOW. WOOOOOOOOOW. WOW THERE ARE A LOT OF FOUNDATIONS. SO MANY FOUNDATIONS. JEEZ.  and
TWO: I AM SO PALE.



















Above are swatches on my arm of my current foundations in natural light and shadow. No prizes for guessing which shade is my 'tanned' one!

From wrist to elbow, the foundations I'm currently using are Dream Pure BB Cream by Maybelline New York, Revlon Nearly Naked, Bobbi Brown Long Wear Finish, Australis Stay Put in Nude and Natural Beige.


Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream with 2% salicylic acid has been a favourite of mine for a while now, since I graduated from my old fave, Dove tinted moisturiser. This is a product I use on days off, when I'm heading to the beach, and quite often in summer. I find the finish is light enough to not feel cakey, and the colour is a good match too (I use the light shade, no surprise). I still find I need to conceal under my eyes, and redder blemishes, so this isn't the 'one stop shop' it claims to be. I'll often use a powder on top too, just for a little more coverage and a less dewy finish. With SPF 15+ and a moisturiser-like texture, this is my pick for easy days relaxing or shopping.







Revlon Nearly Naked foundation  is a liquid formula designed for light coverage and a 'natural' finish. I received a sample pack of these foundations in a copy of Girlfriend aaaaggeees ago, and when I used the little testers I found 'Shell' most closely matched my skin tone. Something must have happened between then, and me buying the product, because 'Shell' doesn't match my skin tone so well these days. Whether I chose the wrong shade (I was tossing up between 'Shell' and 'Ivoy') or the colour mix changed slightly, I'm not sure, but I do know that there's other parts of this product that I don't like.
For starters, liquid foundations on dry skin are a nightmare. Your poor skin is so desperate for moisture it'll suck up your foundation, meaning clogged pores and a not-so-flawless finish, and I find the formula to be quite sticky. I have to give it a solid five to ten minutes to set before I pop on any kind of powder. Where my skin dries out the most, around the nose, it turns patchy quite quickly, and I find I do need to re-apply.
That being said, once the foundation is set, and if I'm having a good skin day, it does sit quite nicely, and doesn't leave a dewy finish. It's similar to my Stay Put foundations in that it does indeed STAY (perhaps that's why it's so sticky?), but it's a product I rarely reach for these days, as I know it'll just leave me frustrated.

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Foundation is by far, one of the most expensive products I've ever bought myself.
One frantic afternoon before a shift at work, I bustled into Mecca and essentially cried "HELP ME!". I'd run out of my Inglot, had no BB cream, and needed to look work appropriate (i.e. NOT like a troll from a Disney film). I was so panicked and stressed about not having any decent make up, I bought the foundation, primer AND concealer to boot.
Oh my little birds, how I wish I'd waited.

There's something in this product, whether it's the formula, or my skin, or my primer, or the weather (??!?) that makes it turn CRAZY on my nose. The rest of my face remains set and flawless, but my nose, for whatever reason, turns into a blotchy trainwreck. Lately I've been using it simply because the colour match is so perfect, and that's upsetting too. For a foundation to match so well, and then to leave a part of my face patchy, it's just disappointing. I've found, however, that using my Rimmel Stay Matte powder and Australis finishing spray, that I can stop the nose-patchy business, most days. Warm Ivory is an almost identical colour match for my skin, and in winter, when there is no fake tan or mass amounts of bronzer, having a good colour match is even more important.
To the right you can see a close up of my arm swatches. Bobbi is the third stripe and even from a distance it's clear which product is sitting a little better. Above it is the Revlon foundation, but believe me, it looks a lot more yellow on my face than any other product does.




Now y'all know how I feel about my Australis Stay Put 16 Hour foundation. I have raved about this product, I didn't use anything else this summer, and I've tagged it about a million times on Instagram. I think, though, I've also mentioned the issues I have with this product, and the main one, the big one, that I can't ignore or excuse, is the colour match.

To the left is the shade 'Nude', and whilst you can see it's in the same colour wheel as the other products I've discussed, it's still significantly darker than my Bobbi or Revlon foundations. It's the lightest shade Australis currently have on the market, and lemme tell you, being too pale to wear the lightest shade of something is a real bummer. In summer I could get away with it, as the liquid/creme foundation buffed down fairly well with my Rimmel powder, but once the weather turned cold and the sun started to hide away, I was one cake faced little lady.

For events, or nights out, or functions, I'll still use this product, as the more dramatic lighting calls for a stronger foundation, but alas, I've shelved my fave until the summer comes back.

Finally we have another Australis Stay Put 16 Hour foundation,
 the first one I ever bought, in Natural Beige. Considering I often describe my skin tone as beige, you can imagine how bummed I was to discover this was NOT in fact my perfect match, outside the Priceline lighting. This is in fact my 'tan' foundation; a lot of beauty bloggers have a different foundation they use when they're wearing a fake tan, and this is mine. Simply looking at the swatches above, you can see why. It's SO DARK. It's so, so dark! I wouldn't even call it beige, I'd call it... not beige? Tan? Natural Tan? Yeah that sounds better, because that's the colour all my friends are, naturally, during summer (while I'm over here wearing my broad brim hat and reapplying invisible zinc, because I'm the pale whale). Again, I love the finish of this product, and I love that it does what it says, it STAYS PUT. Especially in summer, when sweating is a bigger factor, it's great to have a product that doesn't smudge or roll off during the day, especially during a long haul shift followed by a party (something I did quite a few times over summer 2014).

BB cream and powder
Australis Stay Put in Nude 
Bobbi Brown in Warm Ivory

I'm planning on buying a new Inglot foundation as soon as I use up my Bobbi Brown (I HATE wasting products I've spent a lot of money on, so even if it's not 100% right, I'd rather use it than waste it), and I'll be posting lots of pics to Instagram, and on here, as soon as I do. Y'all will probably hear me squealing in delight, because as Loz Curtis says, when you find your Holy Grail, there's literally nothing better.
Funny story: the last time I went to Inglot (March 2013, I KNOW RIGHT?), I walked in and asked the lovely counter girl for the YSM foundation. Then I MIND BLANKED and FORGOT what shade I was. Completely forgot, I'd been using this foundation for THREE YEARS and I FORGOT.
The lovely counter girl took one look at me (wearing my BB cream, by the way) and said "Yep, 41."
I AM A 41. THIS GIRL HAD NEVER SERVED ME BEFORE. Inglot, I don't know how you train your staff or what you do, but YOU DO IT WELL. It was insane. And also insanely wonderful, so big thanks to Inglot girl if you're reading this and remember me from two years ago (probs not, but worth a try!).

That's it for me little birds, as always, if you disagree or want to share, please feel free to comment!

Until next time,
Tweet tweet xx

That's My Face

The face in question



So last night was a big night, my little birds. I'd been invited to not one, not two. but THREE different 21st parties in three different suburbs. Unfortunately I could only make it to two, but still - two twenty-firsts in one night is pretty intensive! That's twice the hugs, kisses, food, drinks, singing and dancing, and twice the amount of meeting a whole bunch of new people and hoping they'll like you and that you look ok and that your dress looks nice and not like you're a Christmas Ham shoved into a sock...

Christmas hams aside, I needed to make sure my face was looking a-ok, because remember - two twenty firsts ALSO means double the photos!

Here's how I achieved the polished look above; I wanted something fairly matte, with a dramatic eye, and a pink, vintage feel to it.



(1) Alll About That Base
I began with my Face of Australia matte eye primer. Whilst 'matte' may sound like it'll dull down shimmer shadows, it doesn't at all! If anything my metallic and glitter shadows pop that bit more with this as the base. I apply it all over the lid, and under the brow bone, with my ring finger. I then smoothed on my Cetaphil daily moisturiser SPF 50+, because it's my must have, daily moisturiser, and I always wear it under my make-up. I then topped it off with my Nude by Nature Airbrush mineral primer



 



(2) The Eyes
I like to use a neutral, matte shade under any eye look, so I powdered my whole lid, particularly the inner corners, with 'Heaven' from the Too Faced naturals palette (top, pale shade). I then followed using the same blending brush, with Chi Chi's Bases palette, using the peach shade (third colour from left) over the main part of my lid. I then used a light pink, and layered 'Silk Teddy' (pink shade) from the Too Faced palette over this. I switched back to the Chi Chi shadows, using a darker pink from about the middle of my lid to the outer corner. I then went back to the Too Face palette, and used 'Push Up' (beside Silk Teddy) in the outer corners. Then I created a cut crease using the shade 'Chocolate Martini' (bottom left corner), blending with my ringer finger to soften the shadows together.



My finished eye 'look'
(3) Liner & Brows
For a more vintage, lasting look, I took the Maybelline New York Hyper Glossy liquid liner in 'Blackest Black'. I used a different technique last night for my winged liner, using a diagram I'd found on Pinterest instead of my usual swipe out-to-in, then do the wings and hope they match up. I was pretty happy with the results, but I always find new techniques a bit daunting because I am such a creature of habit!

I then used the amazing Max Made's guide from the Sportsgirl Masterclass to perfect my brows and I was so, so happy with them! #datbrowgametho



(4) Conceal Don't Feel
Firstly I used my Maybelline Age Rewind under eye concealer, making two large triangles under my eyes and onto my cheeks with the product. I then followed this with my Almay Blemish Correct concealer in 'Light', a make up bag staple since I was fifteen. At the moment my skin is behaving fairly well, however, I've found quite a bit of redness under the skin. I'm putting this down to possibly having my showers too hot, or stress as it hasn't been an easy few weeks for this little bird!

(5) ***Flawless
Ah, the part I love most! Foundation time! Using my Real Techniques foundation brush, I buffed my Australis Stay Put foundation in Nude all over my face, making sure it blended into my hairline and underneath my jaw as perfectly as possible. I then went over the still visible blemishes with some tiny dots of concealer again.

(6) Trunking... Or 'the thing I really, really, really need to practice a bit more'
Boy howdy. I was so inspired and so, so excited from the Max Made session (seriously I'm probably not going to to shut up about this for like, ever) that I was desperate to try as many of his techniques as I could. I took my Benefit They're Real! mascara and attempted 'trunking' my eyelashes. I ended up with a bit of a clumpy mess in the end and had to blot quite quickly, and quite a lot, to get my lashes looking their usual curly best. I also applied a coat of the Sportsgirl Fibre Lash mascara, just to really thicken up my lashes and make them look as gorgeous as possible.

(6) The Final Countdown
Ah, the bit I love second most! Powdering and contouring! I applied a tiny bit of foundation over the concealer I'd put on before my mascara, and then buffed my face and neck with the Rimmel Stay Matte translucent powder. I LOVE THIS STUFF. SO, SO, SO MUCH.
I then took my bronzing brush (which is quite small and not so fluffy), and my Maybelline Dream Sun bronzer and contoured like a demon; my cheeks, my forehead, my nose, my chin, no where was safe! I then followed with my Chi Chi blush in a medium pink colour along the apples of my cheeks.
I then took my kabuki brush and my Nude by Nature mineral blush/illuminator, and swept it gently across the tops of my cheeks and down my nose.




(7) The Finishing Touch
I spritzed my face with the Australis Finishing Spray, and was ready to leave!

In the car I quickly applied my Nivea lip balm, before carefully, carefully applying my MAC Chatterbox lipstick. Then it was time for a quick selfie before partying the night away! (Chatterbox on the right)







I hope that all made sense my little birds, I'm going to try and do more of these tutorial-style posts in the future

I hope you've all had a beautiful, beautiful weekend,
Until next time.
Tweet tweet xx
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