My first ever Glossybox.

You can not understand how excited I am! On Friday I received my first Glossybox and being very aware that it needed photographing for you lovely guys I couldn't open it straight away, even though I really, Really wanted to!

For those of you that don't know, Glossybox is a monthly subscription that costs £12.95 incl p+p and once a month you receive what I like to call 'a gift' in the post. This 'gift' (that I have already paid for) includes 5 high end product miniatures to try in the comfort of your own home. This is absolutely amazing for me, for one being a blogger and for two, being totally and unequivocally in love with cosmetics! You can now see why I would be excited about this.

So lets start with the packaging. To me the packaging of a product is very important, it sets the mood for the whole product. My Glossybox came in a normal, sturdy brown box and I thought 'I hope there's another nicer box in there', needless to say I was not disappointed. 

 

My products came in this lovely biodegradable box embossed with the Glossybox logo. On opening I found the product card in the top, detailing what products I would find inside and explaining what my box was about. The April 2012 edition of Glossybox is all about natural beauty, hence the biodegradable packaging, and all the products in this box are dubbed as natural beauty products. When I removed the product card I then found that my products were wrapped in cream paper and sealed with a logo sticker and a ribbon. Even before I opened the wrapping I was sold. It's that easy for me, it's the finishing touches that mean the world. It's why I will go to Selfridges rather than Boots and La Senza rather than Debenhams. These places take such care with packaging your products that it makes you feel so special and for the rest of the day all you think about is getting home to open your purchases all over again. For me it's all about the buying experience and Glossybox has this in abundance! 

 

After spending time opening the wrapping, this bit has to be savoured no ripping or scrunching for this baby, I revealed my teats (haha one for the boys! You know I meant treats, right?). 

 

I received an Inika eye liner in 07 Graphite 1.2g/0.04oz, this looks like a full size product but it doesn't give sizes on their website. Inika is a luxury natural cosmetic brand that specialise in make-up. This eye liner is certified organic, lovely and soft to use and it is a lovely grey/brown metallic colour. This was used yesterday to give a little definition to my eyes without looking too made up. I also received a full size Monu Moisture Rich Collagen Cream 50ml. This moisturiser is said to relieve dryness, smooth fine lines and help prevent premature ageing. This is the only product I have not tried as yet but I am going to give it a go while I am relaxing in the bath later on. 

As well as this there was a 10ml Caudalie Paris SOS thirst quenching serum (full size 30ml). Caudalie are an ecological, natural skin care brand that provide luxury, cruelty free products. This product captures and diffuses water within the skin to restore moisture balance, leaving skin feeling soft and supple. I used this under my normal moisturiser and my skin felt hydrated all day. The last two products are things I have seen before but had never got around to trying so I was super excited to see them in my box. The first is a Figs and Rouge balm for lips, face and body. Truth be known I am a massive lip balm junkie. I like to keep my lips in tip top condition because I love nothing better than wearing a slick of lipstick when ever the mood takes me to pep up my look. Figs and Rouge do a variety of balms but the one I received is the Cherry and Vanilla one which came in a beautiful, purse friendly 8ml tin (full size is 17ml). I have only used this product on my lips so far but it is lovely. Not too oily, emits a tingling sensation on the lips and smells like cake! 

The last, and by no means least is a 70g tube of Burt's Bees nourishing milk and honey body lotion (full size 170g). I also used this yesterday and I had high hopes for this. As a disclaimer I have quite oily skin, not just on my face but all over my body so I don't tend to go for thick body moisturisers eg. The Body Shop body butters. When I squeezed this product on to my hand I initially though that it should really have been called a body cream, not body lotion because it was quite a thick consistency. As you know from above, not a good thing for me, but in the name of science I threw away my preconceptions and gave it a go. Once I started to rub this cream in it had a surprisingly mat texture and seemed to absorb in to my skin quite quickly, it was looking promising. However about 20mins later when it was time to get dressed I found my skin to be quite sticky, so much so that I had planned to wear tights but there was no way that those were going on. Yes I could have towelled off my legs a little bit but that's a waste of good product, instead I just braved the cold with bare legs . It is supposed to be Spring anyway isn't it? I can see this product being amazing for some one with dry skin because it does feel like it is moisturising from the inside out, also my body still felt hydrated when I woke up this morning. Now this does not mean that I wont be using this body lotion (cream) again, it just means I will be using it before bed or in summer (if we ever get one).

I have to say I am thoroughly delighted by the quality and the size of the products that I received! Even though there maybe one product that I wouldn't purchase this does not diminish the excitement that I feel every time I look at this box. In fact I have taken to keeping my products in the box so that every time I want to use one I can open the box again. It's like a never ending present!

Glossybox, what a great idea! It says on the website that you can unsubscribe when ever you want but I can't see me doing this for a very long time. Keep the quality cosmetics and the wonderful packaging coming. Thank you Glossybox you are doing an amazing job!

If anyone would like find out more and try out Glossybox you can give it a go by clicking on the link below

http://www.glossybox.co.uk/invitation/NzI1MjA=?utm_s

Hope you all enjoy as much as I have.

Stacey x x

Sunday make-up and nail inspiration.

Hi guys so the weekend for me was spent pampering my self and eating nice food. On Saturday I literally spent all day in my pyjamas, having a late twenties crises and trying to cheer my self up by pretending I’m still young enough to one day be Carrie Bradshaw (well blogging is like writing articles for Vogue… right?). However the day was not completely wasted, I did manager to paint my nails and I was quite impressed with the results. 

I used Nails Inc A and E base coat for the base. 2 Coats of Avon Arabian Glow Speed Dry nail polish in Coral Sands for the base colour. For the blue tips I used Ruby and Millie nail colour in Blue 61OC and then Nails Inc nail colour in Haymarket. To finish I used OPI RapidDry top coat (my fave, it gives the most amazing shine!)

Below I have included a pic of the inspiration for this nail look. 

This was from the ASOS magazine May 2012 and the nails were designed by Anatole Rainey. I really loved the look of these, I thought they were really summery and I needed a summer injection. As you can see mine didn’t turn out quite the same as Anatole’s but I like mine non the less. I did follow the instructions in the magazine on how to attempt the tips.

“use as little polish on the brush as possible and drag towards the middle”.

This is what made the shattered effect. Also as you can see I went without the bird. I did do one, but I decided as mine had turned out more like 80s paint splatter than wistful clouds the bird didn’t really work anymore.  

After my day wallowing in doors on Saturday, on Sunday we ramped it up and went out for a meal. And what combines naturally to me with going out for food is dressing nice and doing my make-up.  

So here it is. 

I went for understated with a hint of colour. I didn’t want to go too crazy as we were going to do a little shopping first and then going to eat at a pub. A really nice pub, quite posh, not the local working men’s club or anything (although I am partial to a bit of pie and pea’s in the workies on occasion).

Products I used:

Bare Minerals Original foundation in Fair.

Dior Skinflash 002 – under eye concealer.

MAC blusher in Style – all over the cheeks.

Bare Minerals blusher in Kiss – on the apples of the cheeks.

MUA Poptastic Eyeshadow Palette – I used the gold all over the eye lid.

Illamasqua Precision Ink in Havoc – the eye liner.

Urban Decay 24/7 eye liner in Perversion – tightline.

MAC prep+prime Lash.

Lancome Hypnose volume mascara Black.

Maxfactor False Lash Effect mascara Black/Brown.

MAC Eye Browns in Spiked.

Collection 2000 Colour Lash in Clear 11 – taming the brows.

I really wanted to wear heels yesterday as well but it was raining on and off and going to town before the meal put me off that idea. Instead I want for skinny black cords, black and tan shirt, cardigan and some boot brogues.  

 

I hope you all had a lovely weekend and managed to get out of the house and do something nice.

Stacey x x

MAC Mineralize Eye Shadow – Smutty Green.

Hi guys today I would like to introduce you to my first MAC mineralize eye shadow. This was a spur of the moment purchase which I do not regret, actually I am thinking about buying more.

I was at the MAC counter in Selfridges Manchester the other day buying my trusted ‘Spiked’ Eye Brows and a pink pigment for a specific look I was trying out. Whilst there I spied the mineralize eye shadows and was entranced by their sparkle (like a magpie!). I did ask if these were going to be here to stay, wondering if I should be purchasing them by mail order with my pro card (I am aware that with my pro card I don’t receive discount on anything that is limited edition, please tell me if this is wrong). The advisor told me that these are in fact limited edition so I couldn’t help but buy then and there. It was a very hard choice, especially between this and the purple one - Young Punk, but eventually I decided to go for Smutty Green, simply because I wear green eye shadow quite regularly.

(Check out the pattern! Looks like outer space)

At the counter the advisor expertly bagged my products and I was quite shocked that my new eye shadow looked massively different to the eye shadow that I swatched on the stand, so much so that I secretly thought she had picked up the wrong colour. The advisor commented that this is because lots of people had had their fingers in the one on the stand and I quickly hid my right hand behind my back in shame, yes I was one of those people. The advisor did eradicate all my concerns by explaining that once I had swirled my brush around the eye shadow a few times it would look exactly the same.

I understand that people have mixed views about the mineralize eye shadows depending on the collection and personal preference in general, but personally I really like this one. I have only tried it dry so far and yes there is substantial fall out (do the eyes first), I am also going to give this a go wet as it is meant to be even more awesome when used this way. I love this product because it is super sparkly and the fact that it looks rather cool is an added bonus.

If anyone has any thoughts on these products or recommendations please leave a comment below as I would love to hear them.

See you soon.

Stacey x x

Lancome Vs Dior – The battle of the serum's.

“Ladies and gentlemen hello and welcome to the first cosmetic death match! In the red corner we have the well known, critically acclaimed (on the interwebs) Dior Capture Totale – One Essential. And in the black corner we have the high end, the one and only Lancome Genifique – Youth Activating Concentrate”.

Yep I'm watching Rocky while writing this post today and may have got a little carried away. I wanted to do a comparison between these two super serums which both retail quite high on the price Richter scale. Both these products are dubbed as age related cosmetics providing the skin with specific ingredients to make it appear younger. As you all know by now I like my cosmetics, also if you have seen pictures of me on my blog you will know that I look pretty young already. Yes I still get asked for i.d at 28! I can’t advise you today if these super serums do what they claim about anti-ageing because I have no wrinkles as yet for them to do anything to. What I can say is how they made my skin feel and my hopes for the future after continued use.

The Claims.

I like to say claim because it is only a claim until it is proven by you the customer on your skin. Some skin care will work amazingly for one person and may do nothing for another which is why I do not make my judgements based on skin care reviews from forums alone. I don’t base my opinion on any negative reviews, although if something gets a good review it may sway me to try it. This is not because I don’t care about other peoples opinions or that their opinion is wrong (I read loads of reviews about make-up), it is simply because what hasn’t worked for someone else might actually work for me. Also I am a firm believer of prevention rather than cure. It would completely surprise me if any moisturiser or serum could actually make lines disappear. I mean a skin care product that can actually make the particles in you skin stop functioning in their natural way and reverse? Get me some of that! Which is why what I look for in a product is not miracles, it’s ingredients that over time strengthen the skins natural functions so it can stay looking younger for longer. Also I like it when my skin feels nice on the surface as well and generally looks in good condition.

So what are these two cosmetic power houses claiming?

Lancome say: “The secret of youthful skin. Revealed, drop by drop. Beautiful skin for every woman at every age. Instantly, skin feels silky soft, smooth and supple. Drop by drop, day and night, skin appears breathtakingly beautiful, radiant, even-toned and more refined. Skin looks noticeably younger, as if infused with life.

Genes contribute to the production of certain proteins present on the skin's surface that are a charactertic of skin's youth. Over time, the presence of these proteins decreases. Its innovative new formula stimulates the skin's surface. The presence of proteins characteric of young skin increases.”

Dior say: “Push back the limits of anti-ageing effectiveness to enhance the Beauty of Women. By eliminating toxins, One Essential triggers exceptional regeneration to reinforce the skin's youthfulness.

All visible signs of ageing (wrinkles, loss of firmness, uneven skin tone) are intensively corrected. Applied before any other treatment, it boosts its performance, amplifying the targeted effectiveness of major anti-ageing active ingredients for an exceptional youthful appearance”. 

 

Yes please! They both sound amazing and quite similar in what they seem to be offering, so it all comes down to the face test. I have tried both these products and I have to admit that between the two I really like the Lancome Genifique – Youth Activating Concentrate, actually I am in LOVE with it! Every time I use it it makes my skin feel amazing. I found this product really light, it soaked in to my skin pretty much on contact, which is what I look for in a serum because I have oily skin. It made my skin so silky and soft and it actually left a tightening sensation on my skin which I like to think is the product making me younger ;0) Over all I was so impressed with this product that I will definitely be purchasing a big bottle, when I have saved up of course. Now this is not me saying that Dior Capture Totale – One Essential does not work, as we have established I am not at liberty to make such a bold statement. The reason I haven't gone for this product is simply because it didn't feel as nice on my skin. I found it quite sticky and I don't feel that it made any difference to my skin texture when using it.

Now as I mentioned earlier these are both quite pricey products, in between £55 and £65 so if you were thinking about shelling out your hard earned cash I would definitely recommend getting some testers and trying them out first. These are definitely an investment buy not spur of the moment. It's OK regretting lets say a £5 eye cream, quite another thing regretting £60 worth of super serum.

Well I hope you have enjoyed the first cosmetic death match. Not really too bloody to begin with, thought I would ease you in. Fare well for another day.

Ding, Ding

Stacey x x

Make-up Books.

Yep it's me again, just your friendly neighbourhood blogger sending you some love on this oh so close to the weekend Thursday. If you are one of those so called 9-5 workers you will truly understand the sheer joy that this next phrase brings “only one more get up to go!”. However on the other hand those of you that work the weekend then I'm sorry but you guys, not so much :0(

But if you do fancy a good make-up read over the weekend, either to get you through the day at work or to fill the morning while you are waiting for your partner to get out of bed....... nope that's just me then?, then I have got some amazing books for you.

I am in fact an avid book reader, some might say a book-aholic, if that was a real word. I love nothing better than curling up with a good fantasy novel or researching topics of interest. Now you know this fact about me it wont come as a surprise to find out that I have a few make-up books in my ever growing collection and yes I have read them all. There are only 5 in total at the moment and actually only one that I have purchased my self, 1:5 ratio is not to shabby. So with this in mind why don't we start with this one.

Compacts and Cosmetics – Beauty from Victorian times to the present day, by Madeleine Marsh.

Last year I was trawling the interwebs in search of a book where I could find the history of cosmetics all in one place. I understand this sounds a bit geeky but I am a firm believer that to truly understand your subject you need to know it's origins, and I am a geek!. In make-up and in fact in many subjects anyone can tell you to do something but it is when you begin to grasp the concept of why that you start to excel in your chosen field. On my hunt I came across Lisa Eldridge talking about this book and she pretty much sold it to me right off the bat. I then scoured all known book retailers, like any savvy shopper would do to find it at the cheapest price. In my opinion this is the jewel in the cosmetic history crown. It covers everything from hair removal to make-up advertisements, from the Victoria era to the present day. It's amazing to realise how cosmetics change with the times, like the patriotic red lipstick that was the order of the day during WWII and the psychedelic Mary Quant cosmetic crayons of the swinging 60s (I'd like some of those now). This book is a jaunt through the ages uncovering treasures of the industry that should never be forgotten.

Rae Morris – Makeup the ultimate guide.

The next 3 books that I would like to talk to you about were given to my by Santa 2 years ago. Santa had obviously read my Christmas list very thoroughly as I received all the books that I had mentioned in my some what extensive list that year. This first is this Rae Morris make-up book. Rae is an Australian born make-up artist who is the director of L’Oréal Paris Makeup and four times Australian Makeup Artist of the Year. When it comes to a make-up book this lady is more then qualified to write one! This is amazing for anyone just starting out in make-up be they student or just new to the whole make-up thing. It is full to the brim with pictures and step by step guides on how to achieve the diverse looks. I love the fact that this book has a section in it for the more mature lady as well. The first time I did my M-I-L's make-up I may have made her look like a drag queen, just a little bit. It was not a good time for either of us and had I had this book back then maybe things would have been different. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of this so called look which renders this story useless for bribery. If you are a beginner to make-up and would like a little helping hand then I would definitely recommend this book.

Face Forward, by Kevyn Aucoin.

Kevyn Aucoin was and is a world renown American make-up artist. He has worked with some of the worlds biggest celebrities and 2 of his make-up books were crowned Time magazine best sellers. I have only added one Kevyn Aucoin book to my collection at the moment but it is truly inspiring. The first paragraph of the introduction reads “I have a confession to make: My entire mission in life is to help women take over the world. Not by force (the route so many men have taken since the beginning of time), but with compassion, perseverance, and love”. Reading these first few lines brought home to me that this is what a make-up artist should be. Not someone who looks down their nose at you because you may not have applied your concealer correctly this morning, but someone who understands the daily trials that life throws at you and is genuinely happy to help you, to make you feel beautiful. This is the vibe I felt throughout this book. As well as the memorising transformations (my favourite being Gwyneth Paltrow as James Dean) Kevyn shares little moments of experiences he has shared with celebrities, each seeming equally as heart felt as the last. I believe this book would be inspirational for any type of make-up enthusiast and would make a fantastic addition to anyone's make-up collection.

About Face – Celebrity makeup techniques, by Scott Barnes.

Now I have to admit that this is my least favourite book out of all my make-up books. This is not because Scott Barnes doesn't know what he is doing, he literally founded the “lit from within” look that is synonymous with J.Lo! **whispers** that's a big thing. Even though the book has lovely pictures and step by step guides I found it quite repetitive and heavily photo shopped. This book does have some good tips in it but it wouldn't surprise me if all these are covered in both the Rae Morris and Kevyn Aucoin books which in my opinion are superior.

Makeup is Art – Professional techniques for creating original looks, by AOFM.

This book took me by complete surprise when I opened it last Christmas day. The hubster, who is also a bit of a geek had researched make-up books and found this beauty. This book is not one I would suggest for the beginners. It has some step by step guides and a moderate amount of information throughout, but what this book does excel at are the photographs. Wow. these leave me speechless! I love nothing better to just amble through this book absorbing as much inspiration as humanly possible. This book has sections detailing what happens before a catwalk show, Backstage Etiquette and tips on how to get in to the industry. For anyone wanting a career in make-up or a photographer looking for beauty portrait inspiration this book is definitely for you. If I had to choose a favourite this would be it.

Well I hope you have enjoyed learning about my geeky tendencies today, and all joking aside I hope I have helped in you search for finding a book that you fall in love with.

Stacey x x

Roo Beauty – Cosmetic bags and rolls.

Hi guys so today I wanted to show you a few storage solutions that I came across when purchasing my Glitter Tattoo case. These of course are from Roo Beauty who by the way, are my new favourite company for beauty storage. Some of the things below were bought by my self and some came free with my Glitter Tattoo case.

The first is The Star – Large cosmetics bag (gray). This is a durable nylon zip top bag. It has a plastic coated mesh top so you can see the products in this bag without the hassle of opening it. It comes with removable foam inserts so you can either use the bag empty for maximum space or arrange the foam inserts in a way that best suits your needs. This cosmetics bag came free with my purchase, as did The Gem – Small cosmetics bag. 

The Gem – Small cosmetics bag (gray) as the name suggests is not dissimilar from The Star – Large cosmetics bag. This bag is made of the same material; it has the same mesh top and also has the foam inserts. The only difference between the 2 is the size. Gem is W20, D15, H7 and Star is W30, D18, H5, using my amazing powers of deduction I am guessing this is in Inches not Centimetres, the reason for this conclusion is that 5cms is REALLY small ;0) 

So what can you use these bags for? Well literally anything! Obviously they are made specifically for cosmetics but you could use them for holding/transporting anything that you can fit in them. I love the fact that they have removable foam inserts, this makes them really diverse. They are really well made, the zip fastening is strong and the material is quite supple so I would assume it would take a lot to rip or break them. I would defiantly say these are worth the very reasonable £4.99 price tag and will be purchasing more in the future.

As well as these I also bought a set of 3 Small Nail Polish Roll’s. These were £14.99 for the three and Roo Beauty will send pre-selected colours depending on availability, I received the red, blue and white. The small nail polish roll’s each hold up to 8 bottles of polish. These are stored securely in black netted pockets which makes it easy to see the nail polish colours. Once full the roll’s are then ahem… Rolled, and secured shut with a Velcro strip. 

I have to admit I am very happy with these as well. From a person who has a fair amount of cosmetics that have to be transported this company is a god send. The ideas they have had have been executed to the highest standard at a very decent price. As well as this they have given the option of making something functional funky with numerous different patterns and colours. I will definitely be buying from this company again. The delivery was so quick and the way it was packaged? put it this way nothing was getting damaged in that box! Everything was in its own plastic bag and then the box was padded out with big fat bubble wrap (I secretly love bubble wrap). I don’t know if it is just me but it is really important for my goods to be packaged safe and secure. It’s the worst thing to be excited about getting something through the post and then it turns up packaged like something a toddler could do. When it arrives like that I feel like the company doesn’t care once they have pocketed my money. Anywho, not this company! Fantastic product, fantastic delivery, fantastic price. Need I say more?

Stacey x x

Facepaint UK Haul.

Hi guys today I want to show you some things I ordered from Facepaint UK. For those of you that are not sure what a “Haul” is I want to briefly explain. The word Haul can be used as a noun or a verb. Verb: to pull or drag with effort or force. Noun: an amount of something gained or acquired. Like most bloggers I am using the noun version today to tell you about some face painting goodies that I purchased.

Here it all is. As you can see there's a fair amount there, well a fair amount for me anyway. So lets begin. 

 

Lovely chocolates. Thank you Facepaint UK for my lovely chocolates. They were a welcome surprise when I opened my products. Such a small thing means the absolute world to me. Customer service is what I am all about. 

  

I have been wanting to try some new paints for a while. I currently paint with Snazaroo which are OK but having not tried any other brand I don't know if there is something out there that I like better. With this in mind I decided to try a few small versions of other brands.

First I decided to go for the 12 colour P12 pearlised palette by Grimas. I really wanted some paints with a shimmer or sheen to them, at the moment I have a lot or straight/matt colours and sometimes they can look really dull and bland. I went for this palette in particular because it had a good amount of different colours and it's laid out on a palette with removable paints keeping them all together. Also if I use up any colour faster then the others I can just replace that one by popping the single one out and clipping another in. 

 

I also bought some neon refills from Diamond FX. They have got a palette for the neon colours but I didn't want them all for the moment so I only bought Magenta, Orange, Yellow and Pink. Both the Grimas and the DFX paints, including the Gold below, are all 10g which is not a lot of paint at all. The main reason that I didn't buy bigger ones is because if I don't enjoy working with them or they don't give the finish that I want, I haven't wasted a lot of money and I wont be stuck with products that I can't use. 

 

The last of the 10g tester size paints is Diamond FX Gold. Facepaint UK say “A good solid gold that will paint over another colour well”. I specifically bought this product for prince/princess crowns. The Snazaroo gold I have at the moment will not paint over a base colour which as you can guess is an issue for me. Can't wait to try this one out, I'm hoping it solves all my problems ;0).

 

There was 2 repurchases in my spend-a-thon and these in my mind are the masters of line work. Yep those of you that are face painters may have guess already, Diamond FX white and black. I have only gone for the 32g pots for the moment mainly because I like my kit to be light ( I am a non driver at the moment, hopefully soon to change). 

 

My last Diamond FX purchase is something I have been reading a lot of great reviews about, it's the Metallic White. Facepaint uk say “A pearly white already proving very popular for princess bases. Also surprisingly lush with a brush!”. Sounds good to me. Anything that I can use as a base and for line work gets my vote. Obviously the proof is in the using so we will see if it lives up to the hype. 

 

I did also buy the ultimate in fun things which include:

Effect Stencil Selection. This will be great for both face painting and make-up.

White Rainbow Glitter. A necessity and as glitter is one of my most favourite things in the world, very fun. I chose 20g of this in a zip lock bag but they do 10g for the same price in a bottle if you prefer. 

 

The epitome of fun, a new rainbow split cake. I went with a FPUK one this time. This is the Pastel Rainbow Paint. At £14.50 this is not on the cheep side, and I do know many face painters make their own rainbow and split cakes, I'm just not up to that yet. This cake is made with Grimas water paint and it also came with 3 Grimas sponges that fit the container perfectly.

Oh and last be not least I purchased a Practice Pad. This may not be construed as a fun thing but believe me if you had been painted as much as hubby has you would believe this to be the most amazing thing in the world!.

So there it all is, in all it's glory. Before I go I just wanted to leave you with a bit of information that I found really helpful and interesting on the Fabia Blog. It explains that there are 2 types of water based face paints. Wax and Glycerin based. Wax based paints include brands such as Wolfe, Tag and Diamond FX and Glycerin based paints include brands such as Kryolan, Paradise, Snazaroo and Grimas. Fabia states that “Wax based paints are ideal for line work, because they are smooth and require less water to activate them. Sometimes sponging and blending can be a challenge because the sponge can absorb too much water. Since they have wax in them they tend to be less resistant to blending, but better for layering”. And “Glycerin based paints are typically creamier and excellent for blending with a sponge. Unlike wax based paints, where the paints layer well, glycerin paints blend better and dry slightly slower so you are able to sponge and blend them easier”. Now I know this I understand why me Snazaroo Gold doesn't paint over any base colours!. I feel that understanding the make-up of a product helps you understand it's uses. I have to admit I have been thinking that my Snazaroo paints were rubbish because when I tried to use them for line work it looked poop, now I understand that I may have just been trying to use them for the wrong thing.

I hope this helps a little and I hope you have enjoyed checking out my new things and I'll speak to you soon.

Stacey x x

Photo shoot Time!

So it's sunny one week and we are forecast snow the next, what can I say, it's good old fashioned British weather at it's finest! Well luckily for us, and our gorgeous model Jess, we managed to get in a photo shoot on Saturday before the bad weather sets in again. Actually we managed 3 photo shoots on Saturday, we were very busy bees. Jess of course was a true professional throughout the day although she declined to jump across the stream stating this was not in her contract and she does have blinky eyes, shhh don't tell her I told you ;0)

So of these 3 photo shoots I have the first one to show you today. This was not the first make-up look of the day, nor was it the first shoot but like all good movies this was shot out of sequence (Scorsese would be proud). This was actually the middle look of the 3 and it was a bit of an off the cuff idea. Hubby did originally want to shoot outside but unfortunately when we got up in the morning it wasn't the greatest of days. So we started our day inside but during the second make-up application a wondrous thing happened, the sun broke out of the clouds like a miracle and it was all hands on deck to catch it before it disappeared again. I was already half way through the next make-up look so I made sure it was quite natural but with enough scope to make it more elaborate for the final look on our return. 

 

So Jess is wearing:

Primer: Olay Complete Care Daily UV Fluid

Foundation: MAC Face and Body C1 and white mixed.

Powder: Elf HD

Eyes: Rimmel Colour Mousse 8hr 006 Get Fresh, MAC Phloof, Clinique High Impact mascara in Black, medium chocolate brown eye shadow through the brows by Yaby (no name), Avon SuperShock Gel Eyeliner in Black for the Tight-line.

Cheeks: MAC Phloof (highlight), NYX blusher Peach, NYX light brown (contour) *sorry some of my contour and blushers come from a NYX pallet which didn't name them.

Lips: Carmex Classic lip balm, Sleek Tinted Lip Colour Electro Peach.

Here is the final picture:

 

I'm sure you will all agree that Jess is a beauty. I love her fiery hair and her creamy ivory complexion. She is also a truly lovely person and a pleasure to work with and be around. I can't wait to show you the other pictures from our epic photo shoot day, these will be winging their way to you soon.

Stacey x x