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Tuesday 30 December 2014
Tuesday 23 December 2014
Dealz 'Makeup Gallery' range: Lipstick
Dealz may actually be the best shop to ever come to my town. Screw Euro 2, Dealz is the place to be. Whether its sweets, mugs, decor for your home, or a connection for your phone, they probably have it, at the very modest price of €1.49. So imagine my excitement when my friend told me they had released their very own makeup range! I scurried off asap to my local (luckily only about 2 mins from my home) to have a gander. Sure enough there was a full range of lipsticks, glosses and foundations to name but a few. I decided to only pick up two things as I wasn't sure what to expect from such an unbelievably affordable range. Two lippies to add to my expanding collection....
I've been fairly obsessed with dark colours lately. I figured if their darkest colours where pigmented, I might be on to something good here. I choose a dark plum called 'Black Cherry' and a deep red, aptly named 'Deep Red'! Straight away I had an issue with the packaging. I find with a lot of cheaper lippie brands (NYC, Wet n Wild) that the lipstick bullet is always protruding out, meaning when you're closing the lid it's very easy to dent your lipstick. But at €1.49, I can handle it!
Firstly, they passed the 'sniff' test. Yes, I firstly smell every lipstick before I try as I can't stand that cheap waxy smell. These have no scent at all. Wonderful! The colours are just as rich as shown in the picture. I was surprised and impressed with the pigment. They also glide on nicely. They claim to be a 'moisture lipstick' and I'm inclined to agree.
The flash is slightly washing out the colours here. When I applied them to my lips I used a lip pencil underneath first (as I always do). And I'm pleased to report that even after a few hours the product hadn't budged. After eating and drinking, it faded to a degree but didn't leave that ugly line around my lips like a lot of dark colours tend to do. I'm incredibly impressed with these and cannot wait to pick up more! (My local shop has very little in at the moment so obviously I'm not the only fan!) I did however pick up two of their nail varnishs today after hearing wonderful things so expect another review soon! Two thumbs up Dealz :)
Till next time,
Toodles,
Monday 8 December 2014
Quick Pick: Nivea Lip Butter
So winter is well and truly here! Of course we all wrap up on these cold days to keep the chill at bay, but we don't always think of the havoc this weather can play with our skin and lips. Rule 1: Always, always keep a lip balm in your bag!
I still have my old faithful Vaseline in there, but when this wasn't quite doing the job I thought I'd try something new. The advertisement for these new lip butters caught my eye, so I went off to pick one up!
I still have my old faithful Vaseline in there, but when this wasn't quite doing the job I thought I'd try something new. The advertisement for these new lip butters caught my eye, so I went off to pick one up!
Priced at about €2.50 they thankfully won't by any means break the bank. You also get over 16g of product so this will last you right into the new year! There are various scents, but I settled on Vanilla and Macadamia. The smell is very strong from the moment you open the tin, but is absolutely gorgeous! A little goes a long way, and even though my lips are quite sore and dry at the moment, they felt ten times better straight away after applying. They also felt very moisturised for a long time after, and I didn't have to reapply until I ate. I'm hugely impressed and will be definitely picking up the other scents in this line :) What's your staple lip balm??
Till next time,
Toodles,
Thursday 4 December 2014
Beauty photography for Makeup Artists
Despite
my unwillingness to call myself a professional photographer, my
background is in photography. I started out as photographer, make up
artist and stylist in the early 90's working with various signed
bands in the UK. From that my subsequent training and love of make up
evolved.
Over
the years I have learnt a few tricks when it comes to beauty
photography and while I will admit that if you really are looking for
a killer shot your best bet is to employ a professional beauty
photographer. However, there is a little set up that you can use to
make your own shots look better and in turn help you photograph your
own make-ups in an inexpensive way.
I'll
keep this as simple as possible...
THE
BACKGROUND
If
you have a light coloured wall in your house this is a great and
simple choice, it needs to be a matte light coloured wall (i.e. white
or cream for example).
 |
|
The
quick fix:
If
you don't want a permanent solution or if you don't have a light
coloured wall you can opt for a cheap bed sheet or even a shower
curtain which you can hang or tac to the wall when you want to use
it. Whatever you do, make sure you iron that thing before you hang it
up!
A
more permanent solution:
If
you have a little make up room set up at home and want a permanent
backdrop solution I recommend roller blinds (like these from Ikea
http://www.ikea.com/ie/en/catalog/products/30291069/). They are a
great solution and one I use myself.
A
white one and a dark coloured one is more than enough and they can be
secured to the wall easily. Just roll down the colour you want and
you're good to go.
Now
make sure you model stands a couple of feet from the wall, if
possible, as this will eliminate your subject casting a shadow on the
background.
 |
|
LIGHTING
Let's
face us, most make up artists don't want to and can't afford to pay
crazy money for professional lighting and this is understandable.
What I suggest is an adjustable lamp (one that you can easily direct
the light where you want it because the arm and head are adjustable),
just like this one from Ikea
http://www.ikea.com/ie/en/catalog/products/40370283/
Now
get yourself a white light bulb from your hardware store and you are
almost good to go.
REFLECTORS
You
need to even out your lighting as much as possible, so that you can
get rid of shadows as much as possible.
Firstly
you need a reflector to place about chest height under your models
chin. This will bounce light under the chin so that you don't get a
dark shadow under there.
You
will also need reflectors either side of the face. In a word, your
model will be 'boxed' in to a degree. This will help stop outside
light sources coming onto the face and will ensure that you get a
fairly even coverage of light.
For
your reflectors just get yourself large white art board from the art
shops. They are inexpensive and are hard card so will be sturdy.
 |
| Picture Source: http://cotswoldmounts.co.uk/ |
DIFFUSERS
If
you find the lighting is too strong for your subject, i.e. making the
face look too white, bleaching out the colours in the make up too
much etc. you basically need to tone it down.
The
inexpensive choice is some organza material. Just buy a meter of it
from a material shop. The light needs to be able to get through the
material which is why organza is a great choice. You can double up
the material to diffuse (or soften) the light even more if you need
to.
You
need to put the material onto a small frame. The easiest option is a
picture mount, which you can buy from an art shop really cheaply.
Just wrap the material around it and attach it with tape (like gaffa
tape for example) or by using a staple gun if you have one. You can
make up a couple of them, one with one layer of fabric and another
with 2 layers of fabric for even softer light.
Where
do you place your diffuser? You place it in between your light and
your subject, close enough to the light source. You can have someone
else hold the diffuser in place for you.
 |
| A diagram of your set up! |
And
finally, if you don't have a fancy expensive camera and want to use
your camera phone, chances are you can! Don't forget to switch off
the flash!
BEST
PHONE CAMERAS
- iPhone
6 Plus
- Samsung
Galaxy S5
- HTC
Desire Eye
Happy shooting!
Tuesday 2 December 2014
Ben Nye/Kryolan Translucent Powders
There are certain kit staples that almost everyone will have. In my kit, a translucent powder is one. They cover many skin tones, and you can build the product without changing the colour or tone of the foundation. As I'm obsessed with trying new things all the time, I ventured over to sunaura.ie for a nosey. This is a wonderful site to pick up professional grade products at very reasonable prices. I settled on these two :)
On the left we have Ben Nye Neutral Set Powder, and on the right Kryolan Translucent Powder. Both brand names are probably more synonymous with stage and film makeup rather than the names we're used to hearing everyday. I was going to give the pros and cons of each product, but to be honest they aren't a million miles away from each other, except for the packaging.
The value for money with this Ben Nye powder is phenomenal. There's 49g of product here (over 3 times as big as my Illamasqua one, and a third of the price). My only issue with this is the packaging. It can get a bit messy, but luckily I had an old empty powder jar to pop some in. Problem solved!
(Edit: I've heard from Danielle over at Sunaura that Ben Nye have brought in some new dome shaped packaging for certain powders, so hopefully this expands to the whole range!)
Again this product is fantastic value, though I did pick this up in a smaller size. The Kryolan powders can be bought with slightly different undertones. I purchased TL3, which has a slightly pink undertone, though I didn't notice this too much on application.
I think I'm on to a winner with both of these. They do exactly what they promise on the tin, and both give a lovely matte finish to the skin. If I had to I'd probably give Kryolan a slight edge for keeping shine at bay that little bit extra.
Do you use translucent powder? Or prefer something with a little extra colour?
Till next time,
Toodles,
Monday 1 December 2014
Mineral Makeup doesn't have to mean boring makeup!
I
have a little bit of a love-hate relationship with Mineral Makeup if
I'm honest. I've tried just about every mineral make up on the planet
and the majority of it I have hated. Too shiny, doesn't last, doesn't
give good coverage, colours are boring etc.
With that said, I love the idea of mineral makeup, not as a makeup to use in my makeup artistry kit (these products rarely work in photographic makeup so for bridal and commercial work it's a no-no) but more as a personal makeup.
I have been determined to find some ranges that work and to top it off,
look great! And these are the 3 ranges I love the most...
 |
| Mineral Foundation SPF15 |
The Classy One
I'm starting off with Lily Lolo as I use this in my own make up routine. It's one of the few ranges that actually suits my bipolar skin and it never looks shiny/greasy. Their colour range is great when it comes to pale skin tones and in particular the Mineral Foundation in 'Porcelain' and 'China Doll' are perfect shades for really pale skin tones. Something I have always found difficult to find in a mineral makeup range.
 |
| Natural Lipstick |
 |
| Natural Lip Gloss in 'English Rose' |
Lily Lola products are free of any parabens, synthetic perfumes or dyes and BUAV (British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection – i.e. The global campaign to end all animal experiments) approved. Whether your skin is dry, oily or anywhere in-between, Lily Lolo makeup will give you a light, flawless and seamless finish without clogging or irritating.
Their lipstick shades, along with their lip gloss shades are so pretty and wearable! Lip gloss shades in 'English Rose' (a sheer dusky pink), 'Peach Keen' (sheer peach with shimmer highlights) and 'Whisper' (sheer pale dusky pink) are among my faves. Just beautiful! Oh and Lipstick in 'Rose Gold' (Natural, sheer golden beige) ... wow!
And of course, like so many companies now, they have a beautiful Neutral Eye Palette called 'Laid Bare' with 8 gorgeous wearable shades. The shades are as follows:
 |
| Laid Bare Eye Palette |
Stark Naked – Matte, nude pinky beige
Skinny Dip – Shimmer, golden beige
Lady Godiva – Shimmer, rich gold
Birthday Suit – Matte, grey brown
Exhibitionist – Matte, olive brown
Exposed – Demi-matte, charcoal
A great little palette to suit just about everyone.
In a nutshell, the whole range is gorgeous and the packaging, well, I just love it. Black and white, you can't go wrong. It's sophisticated and modern and the products are beautiful! Lily Lolo you are doing it right!
The
Earthy One
I'm
a bit of a fan of Physician's Formula and their Organic wear® range is
just gorgeous. The packaging itself is enough to win me over, in
particular their mascaras! Sooooo pretty!
The
range itself is 100% Natural Origin Make up. They use no harsh
chemicals, synthetic preservatives or parabens.
Again, a neutral and soft colour palette suitable for most skin tones and oh so pretty.
I love that their Organic Wear Loose Powder Foundation comes with a little kabuki brush and mirror. You really can't get handier than that!
 |
| Curl and Care Mascara |
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| Fake Out Mascara |
 |
| Lash Boosting Mascara |
The
Funky One
If
you are keen to introduce some mineral products into your make up
range but want something a little funkier, a little more colourful,
then you need Concrete Minerals in your life!
 |
| Pro Matte Shadows |
Concrete
Minerals is a range I just recently came across. They launched in
2009 with the belief that everyone on earth should have the
opportunity to use gorgeous products that meet their needs in terms
of quality without wreaking havoc on their skin! From their
bestselling Mineral Eyeshadows, to their ultra-pigmented Pro Matte
Eyeshadows and cult-favorite sets like the Zombie Girl collection,
they're on a mission to make people fall in love with mineral make
up! And yes, it's working!
Seriously
sexy, richly-pigmented mineral make up that's not only healthy, but
reminds us why being a girl is bad ass! Concrete Minerals are 100%
Vegan and Cruelty-Free, 100% Gluten-Free, fragrance-free, contain no
scary preservatives like parabens and no cheap fillers like talc and
bismuth oxychloride.
So
here are some of my fave colours and products within the collection:
LIP
TINTS which combine a unique and nourishing formula enriched with
vitamin e with the cooling sensation of peppermint and a gorgeous
tint of color. 'Glamourpuss' is a beautiful Mauve-violet shade,
'Vamp' is a sexy Cherry-red and 'Tease' is a gorgeous Hot-pink with
violet undertones.
 |
| Glamourpuss |
 |
| Vamp |
 |
| Tease |
Definitely also check out their mineral shadows, they are beautiful, shiny and the colour range is so much fun!
I really love this range and think it really is taking Mineral Makeup to a new level. Check them out and give them a try!
Thursday 27 November 2014
Acne Prone - Skincare and Makeup to help!
I
decided I would write this blog for those with Acne prone skin. I
know this is a problem for a lot of women and girls and hopefully
this will help in some way.
I
didn't want to go the usual 'medicated', 'clinical' smelling route so
I have chosen products that are more on the natural side rather than
medical! It's so important, particularly when you have problem skin, that you try to use products that won't aggravate the situation even more which is why I have chosen products that are natural.
I'm
going with 3 ranges here to make a life easier if you are planning to
buy - Yes To Tomatoes, Nurturing Force and Physician's Formula.
SKIN
CARE
I'm
suggesting Yes To Tomatoes for skincare as it's clinically proven to
help with acne-prone skin. It's also 98% Natural, Petroleum, SLS, &
Paraben Free, not to mention Cruelty-free
Start
your morning with YES TO TOMATOES DAILY CLARIFYING CLEANSER (and end
your evening with it too!). This cleanser maintains your skin's pH
balance while removing excess oils and impurities, purifying and
refreshing your complexion. Perfect!
After
cleansing use YES TO TOMATOES DAILY PORE SCRUB. This is a powerful
acne-fighting scrub which helps to combat blackheads and breakouts,
but gentle enough for daily use. Ground mango seeds and bamboo
exfoliate skin and help skin turnover a clean, clear surface. The
Salicylic Acid combats acne and blemishes, Tomatoes help unclog
pores, and a blend of Ginger Root and Bisabolol helps skin avoid
redness. Nice!
Now
moisturise using YES TO TOMATOES DAILY BALANCING MOISTURISER. This is
rich in antioxidants and has powerful sebum (acne-causing oil)
absorbers, it both moisturises and balances, keeping your complexion
in check. Excellent!
As
a treat use YES TO TOMATOES CLEARING FACIAL MASK. This is a total
deep pore treatment that refines, purifies and even moisturises your
skin, while helping to keep your complexion clean, clear and
balanced. It's filled with potent anti-oxidants that fight free
radicals, and bursting with powerful sebum (acne-causing oil)
absorbers. Sure why not.
You
can buy Yes To Tomatoes products from various locations in Ireland
(check the link - http://yesto.co.uk/find-a-store-ireland.html)
Next
PRIMER.
Of
you are prone to bouts of oiliness throughout the day and it drives
you crazy I have the perfect solution and that is NURTURING FORCE
BLOT OUT SHINE OFFENSIVE (http://www.nurturingforce.com/). This is
one of my absolute favourite primers for oily skin and it's natural!
It
will soak up excess oil on the face. Use it after moisturising and
before foundation. It will not only soak up excess oil but it will
also act as a barrier between the foundation and the skin to help
your foundation last longer, up to 14 hours in fact! Plus it's also a
great little filler for pores!
It's
silicone (dimethicone) free, contains no parabens, added fragrance or
colour. It also helps to protect skin from blemishes caused by pore
clogging make-up.
You
can buy Nurturing Force from - www.preciousaboutmakeup.com
If
you find you tend to get a lot of redness in your complexion try
opting for a primer that will also
You
can purchase Physician's Formula from - http://ie.iherb.com/
FOUNDATION
I
have chosen PHYSICIAN'S FORMULA YOUTHFUL WEAR SPOTLESS FOUNDATION for
many, many reasons. Namely being that it reduces the appearance of
spots by 67%* *it doesn't just mask them!), it contains SPF 15 Broad
Spectrum Sunscreen, it's Hypoallergenic, Paraben Free, Gluten Free,
Dermatologist Approved, Non-Comedogenic, Clinically Tested, lasts for
12 Hours and on top of all that the bottle has a precision dropper
that dispenses the perfect dose of make up onto your brush or sponge!
Basically, it's fab!
You
can purchase Physician's Formula from - http://ie.iherb.com/
CONCEALER
Once
again, PHYSICIAN'S FORMULA CONCEAL PHYSITIANS STRENGTH CONCEALER.
This is a great all rounder with maximum coverage that glides on
smoothly to conceal blemishes, dark under-eye circles, scars,
birthmarks, age spots, bruises, rosacea and hyperpigmentation and it
lasts up to 12 hours!
You
can purchase Physician's Formula from - http://ie.iherb.com/
POWDER
Yes,
you guessed it, PHYSICIAN'S FORMULA MINERAL
This
powder formula helps to reduce irritation and breakout and contains
SPF 30. It's Ultra-fine yet delivers impeccable coverage for a
flawless airbrushed finish. It also visibly reduces the appearance
of fine lines, wrinkles, pores and sun damage. What more could you
ask for!
You can purchase Physician's Formula from - http://ie.iherb.com/
TOUCHUPS
For
touch-ups throughout the day I personally would recommend a Blot
paper rather than a pressed powder. And I absolutely love NURTURING
FORCE BLOTTING PAPERS. All of these Blotting Paper varieties remove
Shine, Perspiration, Dirt & Oil from Skin and Help to Unclog
Pores. They have 3 different scents but I like the Unscented Pure
version. It's fragrance free and comes in a very cool little black
colored dispenser which allows you to determine exactly how long a
length of our paper you will need. You just use what you need &
protect the rest.™
These
hand made Blotting Papers are a blend of two naturally soft fibers.
It is made in the picturesque mountains of Taiwan, where they use the
prized natural mountain spring water in the making of our paper.
Imagine that!
Chemical-Free,
Paraben-Free, Powder-Free, Preservative-Free, ultra soft and
absorbent blotting papers, providing an easy dry way to refresh
anytime and anywhere. Softer than a handkerchief and more absorbent
than facial tissue or paper towel, it does not leave any lint or
fibers even on a man's rough stubble! Safe to use over any type of
make-up application!
You
can buy Nurturing Force from - www.preciousaboutmakeup.com
Here's hoping you get some help from this and of course, let us know how you get on with the products :D
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