EYE LOOK FEATURING KIKO AND MAC

You may already know that I usually use MAC Paint Pot in Painterly as an eye lid primer and I have very oily lids. Lately I picked up some Kiko Long Lasting Shadow Sticks so I decided to use my favourite one, Rose Brown, as a base and primer for a bronze and brown eye look. I use these MAC shadows to do this eye look a lot but I like the extra dept the Kiko Rose Brown added to this look. Also it has to be said that as a base to hold eye shadow in place all night, the Kiko Long Lasting Shadow Stick was brilliant. At the end of the night my eye shadow looks just as good as it did right after I applied it. There were no creases or fading, Rose Brown did as good a job as Painterly so I am going to try my other Kiko Shadow Sticks to see if they all perform equally well as primers. So here are the products and pictures of the look:

Products Used:

MAC Shadows, Embark, Mulch, Tempting and Phloof!
Kiko Long Lasting Shadow Stick in Rose Brown
Kiko Sportproof Eyeliner is Metallic Taupe
L’Oreal 4D Mascara

First I applied Kiko Long Lasting Shadow Stick in Rose Brown all over lid and crease and patted it with my finger, and then I applied Embark in the outer corner of the lid and crease.
Next I applied Mulch to the crease and outer half of lid and applied Tempting in the inner half. I  used Phloof! as a highlight in the inner corner and under the outer brow. I lined my eyes with Kiko Sportproof liner in Metallic Taupe and then went over the liner with Mulch to soften the line. I finished off with L’Oreal 4D Mascara.

What base or primer do trust to keep you eye shadow in place?

 

FRIDAY STYLE: MAD FLORAL PRINTED TROUSERS

Printed trousers are showing no signs of going away so instead of being afraid of the trend I’ve decided to embrace it. As you may already know I do tend to fear trousers that are not jeans because they can make me look like I’ve a bit too much junk in the trunk but I have found that a pair of tailored or structured cut trousers with quality material can actually sit quite well on me.

When I spotted these trousers on the River Island web site I was actually looking for a different pair that I had seen on someone I know. The pair I wanted are a lot more subdued in that they have a classic soft pink and mint green tile print on black. The colours in these trousers really appealed to me and when I couldn’t find the other ones I decided to bite the bullet and buy them. I was afraid they might be a bit too mad for me though. When they arrived I thought I wouldn’t be brave enough to wear them and I should send them back but I really liked the way they fit. These are the cropped version, which sit perfectly on me as ankle grazers because I am so short. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the fit of them. The material is a lovely thick wove fabric that helps the way the sit on me. So I am keeping and wearing them.

The top is from Penneys. I was going to wear a plain white top but then I thought heck why not go all out with a bright top as well.

I have decided that pointed toe courts look best with these trousers, there is a lot going on here already so I figured simple shoes, rather than throwing in another loud colour. The trousers are actually navy but the colour is so dark it looks black so I figured black shoes would be fine. These shoes are from New Look.

Of course a big statement necklace to finish it all off. I picked this one up while on holiday last year.

Have you bought any printed trousers? How do you feel about them?

MAX FACTOR SKIN LUMINIZER FOUNDATION: REVIEW AND PICTURES

I do love trying new foundations so I was delighted to find this one waiting for me when I returned from holiday. The right foundation can make you feel amazing but unfortunately the wrong one will do the exact opposite. I usually fear products that use words like radiant or luminous because I have oily to combo skin and those words traditionally meant that I would be left with a greasy shiny finish. Because of my oily skin I tended to look for products to mattify my skin. However the research, science and ingredients that go into cosmetics are constantly advancing and now I am finding that there are a lot of new products on the market with “radiant” and “laminating” promises that I can happily use and look fresh faced instead of greasy.

Max Factor Skin Luminizer Foundation contains pearl pigments to brighten skin tone for an instant glow and elastomers to reflect light back to create a luminous and wide-awake effect. It promises medium coverage to conceal imperfections while leaving a natural and luminous finish. So how did I get on with it? Really well actually and here are the pictures.

The top two are my bare skin and the bottom two are with one pump of foundation.

Even though I am just back from a sun holiday, my skin is in pretty good condition. The sun, heat and alcohol haven’t left my skin too dehydrated and I have no dry scaly patches. My complexion is a bit blotchy though, my nose is a bit red and the clusters of freckles, ok so they are pigmentation marks, on top of my cheeks are more prominent than normal. Max Factor Skin Luminizer Foundation definitely does brighten my skin tone. It conceals well but I feel I still need a concealer under my eyes and I could do with more coverage on my nose. I like that with this foundation my skin still looks like skin only better than my actual skin. I like the idea of a natural base like light coverage foundations and BB creams in theory, but the reality is I prefer more coverage on my face.

In this picture I have added MAC Mineralise Skinfinish Natural which will help the foundation to last longer and give me a bit more coverage. I have also used Collection concealer, blush, and filled in my brows.

Without finishing powder this foundation lasts a good four to five hours before I need to powder some shine and with a MAC Mineralise Skinfinish as a setting powder, it lasts about eight hours on me. This retails at €16.89 and I think it is a pretty impressive foundation for such a small price. It’s really lightweight so you don’t feel like there is anything on the skin. It’s hydrating and it brightens my skin leaving a natural finish.

CLINIQUE DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT MOISTURISING LOTION+: REVIEW

After I finished college and got my first grown up job, I was still living at home and thought I was rich. It was the first time in my life that I could afford the high end brands of skincare and makeup. Like most women in their early twenties at that time all I was interested in was MAC and Clinique. I was a solid devotee to the Clinique 3 step program for years. Back then Clinique wasn’t as accessible so anytime anyone went through duty free they were given my list. It was with great nostalgia that I rooted through the Glamour magazines when I spotted there was a free Clinique product attached. I wanted to try the Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion +.

The Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion is one of Clinique’s best sellers so it got a revamp and a + last year and this is the first chance that I have gotten to try the new formula. The original was a light weight but really moisturising lotion that absorbed into the skin quickly. The new formula promises to be even more moisturising with a boost in ingredients including Hyaluronic acid and Glycerine. It also contains a blend of sunflower seed cake, barley extract, and cucumber extract to help strengthen the skins barrier and give it more resilience against environmental stresses.

I have really enjoyed using this sample over the last few weeks. I find that this really hydrates the skin well and provides lasting hydration throughout the day. The lightweight formula sinks in quickly with no greasy residue. It makes a great base for my makeup. The texture feels lovely as it’s applied to my face and even though my skin is combo to oily it seems to just drink this up. Also it doesn’t add any extra oiliness to my face but instead it seems to be fairly balanced at the moment.

Have you tried this or the original?

FRIDAY STYLE: HOLIDAY ACCESSORIES HAUL

I may have mentioned once or twice or a hundred times that I like to pick up some accessories while I am on holidays. I like the idea of getting some things that I won’t see on every second person when I get home. As much as I love the high street, it’s nice to find some rare and unusual accessories. It’s lovely browsing through the market stalls and eclectic boutiques when you are away. I would love to buy clothes too but when I am on a holiday and covered in sun cream the last thing I want to do is try on clothes especially when it is really hot. So here is a look at all that I got.

This necklace is actually from Parfois which now has a few shops in Ireland and a website that delivers, but when I first spotted Parfois in Portugal last year they were not in Ireland. I really like Parfois and had to stop myself from buying more.

This necklace is from a shop called Lefties, which I believe is owned by the same parent company as Zara. It was originally set up to sell Zara’s last season stock but now is a brand in it’s own right and is around the same price point as Penneys.

This cutie necklace is from an independent boutique. It’s very different from anything else I own. With it being lilac I thought it would be a summer only necklace but I have worn it loads already with darker colours against which it stands out nicely.

This necklace is also from a boutique, you can never have too many coral necklaces.

These pashminas are from a market stall. I know they are similar but couldn’t decide between the lighter or darker colour, since they were only a fiver each, my impatiently waiting husband told me to get them both.

I am always picking up flat pumps, I have loads but these are totally different.
Do you like to shop while you are on holidays?

I’M BACK! DUTY FREE HAUL

After two weeks off work, 10 days of which I spent in sunny Portugal, am I refreshed and raring to go? No, actually I could do with a holiday to get over my holiday. Lying in the sun, working on my tan all day is hard work, I had to flip over every half hour to keep it even, I was like a rotisserie chicken. Luckily I had a few days when I got back before returning to work but they were spent working in my garden. I’m trying to become a proper adult home owner and take pride in my garden, yes I know I am getting old; the signs are glaring. I had intended to post this on Monday because I wanted my first post back to be about the products I picked up in duty free, however, I was way too tired to do it so the blog stayed on holiday for a few extra days. Never fear, I’m back to normal now and you can expect a post every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the foreseeable future.
So I’ll stop babbling on and show you the goods:

First up is my new favourite thing, MAC Mineralise Eye Shadow Quad in A Glimmer of Gold. I hope you like it because you may be seeing it a lot as this is all that I have been putting on my eyes since I got it. I will do a proper post on this with loads of pictures of these shadows on my eyes soon.

Another MAC Mineralise Eye Shadow is Gilt by Association. This has a matte finish, so it’s totally different from all my other MAC Mineralise Eye Shadows, which all have a satin finish, not that it needed any justification. This is lovely and of course I will give you a closer look soon.

Next is the Lancôme Grandiose Mascara. I have wanted this since it first went on sale here and I didn’t think I would be able to hold out till my holidays to get it, but I did and it doesn’t disappoint.

Last but not least is Estee Lauder Double Wear Light. I have been devoted to Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra 24 Hour for a long time now and Double Wear Light was on my list to try for ages so I finally gave in a decided to embrace change and give it a go. I like it and will do a full review of it but I haven’t decided if I prefer it to the Lancôme, I need more time to make up my mind.
So there you have them, I didn’t buy too much but instead went for a few select quality products. I am really happy with everything I got. What’s on you duty free wish list?