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

www.lilylolo.co.uk

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

Au Naturel – Shimmer, pink nude

Skinny Dip – Shimmer, golden beige

Shy Away – Shimmer, smoky taupe

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

http://www.physiciansformula.com/

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

Fake Out Mascara

Lash Boosting Mascara

The Funky One

http://www.concreteminerals.com/

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!

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

(http://yesto.co.uk)

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

colour correct. I am recommending PHYSICIAN'S FORMULA CORRECTING PRIMER. It smoothes & tones down redness and works great for extra sensitive or breakout-prone skin. Ot also contains SPF 15, helps to reduce irritation and contains Malachite and Smithsonite which help lock in moisture and protect against daily environmental aggressors. Plus it's infused with Mineral Water for added comfort. Oh and least I forget it also contains a very cute Flow-Through Brush which will make life even easier!

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

WEAR LOOSE POWDER. The reason I think this is great is because firstly it comes in a very handy container with brush included! It's in loose form so it will set your foundation and concealer without looking heavy and it's suitable for extra sensitive or breakout-prone skin.

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

Quick Pick: Rimmel Stay Matte Primer

When I  first started wearing makeup I didn't even know what primer was (except maybe the one you use when painting walls). Now it's a very rare occasion I will ever do my makeup without it. I'm a big fan of Rimmels Fix and Perfect Primer as it's wonderful value for money, so I thought I'd give their newest offering a whirl a few weeks back.

The primer promises to reduce the look of pores and keep shine at bay for up to 8 hours. I'm yet to find a primer that covers my pores the way they promise, but this didn't do a bad job. My t-zone is quite oily, so 8 hours is a bit of a stretch, but I gave it a good 5 hours before I had to powder again. Not too shabby! I do really like this, and probably will repurchase although I can't personally see a massive difference between this and their Fix and Perfect.

This retails at €7.99 on the Boots website, and will last you a while as a little goes a long way! Do you wear primer? What's your all time fave?

Till next time,

Toodles,

NYX Concealer Review

My favourite makeup product may in fact be concealer. As long as I can remember I've had high colouration in my cheeks. It's something that used to really bother me, and I found quite hard to cover. Over the years I've discovered products that do the job enough for me to not want to walk around with a bag on my head. But I'm always open to new products! So I thought I'd give these two a go!

Nyx isn't the easiest brand to acquire this side of the pond, but thankfully it's slowly but surely making it's way into some pharmacies. I picked these two up online so choosing a colour was guess work! Porcelain is generally the safest bet when you're as white as me. To say these are good value for money is a bit of an understatement. Although one is a cream consistency and the other a liquid, they both give lovely, buildable coverage.

I use the cream more for the redness in my cheeks (as I can't be bothered with colour correcting when I'm in a hurry) and the liquid for blemishes. You also don't need a whole lot of product as they are quite pigmented. So far so good right? My only slight complaint is that I find sometimes used under the eyes they can crease after a while, but let's be honest most concealers do! Here they are unblended:

I'm super impressed with these and would definitely recommend anyone to try them out if you like your coverage a little more on the full side.

Till next time,

Toodles,

Quick Pick: Nivea Daily Essentials

As long as I can remember, my skin has always been a little troublesome. My cheeks have quite a bit of red pigmentation in them, and can vary from oily to very dry and sore. I also still have quite an oily t-zone. I have to be careful with what I use on my face. After a pretty severe reaction to a Clean and Clear wash a while ago, I'm pretty wary when it comes to washes and scrubs. However on a whim I picked the wash from this line a few months ago, and the scrub more recently.

I love nothing more than the clean feeling a nice face wash leaves, and as I've always been a fan of Nivea products I thought this would do the trick. It has a lovely clean, fresh scent, and a little goes a long way. It foams nicely and leaves my skin feeling lovely, albeit ever so slightly tight. I use this pretty much every morning, and have just bought a new one as they are on offer in Tesco right now. This is a staple of my skincare routine. The exfoliating scrub is a more recent purchase as I've been dealing with blemishes and blackheads recently. Again it has a lovely scent, and is gentle yet leaves my skin feeling thoroughly cleaned and refreshed. I highly recommend these products to even those with sensitive skin. They really are a budget friendly gem of a line. Nivea is available nationwide.

Do you use a face wash, or prefer to stick with cream cleansers, or perhaps even wipes?

Till next time,

Toodles,

Collection 'Work The Colour' Eyebrow Kit

Eyebrows... I have an obsession. The first thing I notice on anyone is their brows. I will not let anyone touch my own as it's taken me years to get them how I want them. I'm still not totally there yet. I feel a makeup look isn't complete with brows being filled in, so I picked up this little kit from Collection a few weeks ago as it was on offer.

(NO idea why these uploaded sideways, and for some reason it won't let me flip them) But I digress... This cute little set comes with 3 colours, a brow gel and a little double ended brush. The one strange thing I noticed was that once you remove the plastic packaging there's no where to store the gel. I'm not a big fan of brow gel anyway so this didn't bother me too much. Too be honest I didn't even open it :)

The powders themselves are quite a nice texture and a nice range of colours. I imagine this would be a nice addition to a students kit, or someone starting out in the business. Although you don't have to be an mua to use this, as the colours you don't use on your brows can double up as eye shadows too.

This would be handy to carry in your bag as it also has a small mirror inside and with the double ended brush you can fix brows and eyes on the go! This is priced at €4.99 in Boots at the moment which is pretty reasonable for 3 pretty matte shadows. Are you a fan of Collection? Is it all about the brows??

Till next time,

Toodles,

Blank Canvas Cosmetics Eyeliner Pens

The first makeup product I remember buying was black eyeliner. I wore it all the time. In recent years I've learned about blending and, you know, not looking like a panda, but black liner has always held a special place in my heart. I own all types, pencil, liquid, gel and pen. However the latter isn't always easy to find, and certainly doesn't always live up to the standards some brands imply. Recently Blank Canvas Cosmetics have jumped on the band wagon. If you know me at all you know I love BCC brushes. They were some of the first brushes in my kit back when not many people even knew who they were. I still use those brushes today. So I was very intrigued to say the least when I saw these two new liners on their page.

First up is Winging It. This is my favourite of the two. It has a long pointed tip which makes it much easier to give a lovely defined cat eye look. You can also create thicker lines with this pen depending on your preference. Second is Borderlines. The tip on this is also nicely however not quite as thin and long. I prefer this for a thicker more dramatic liner effect.

Top: Winging It

Bottom: Borderlines

With a small amount of practice these are easy to use. The dry relatively quickly, are smudge proof, and leave a nice opaque black, slightly glossy line. You can also wear these alone or over shadow (which I was impressed by as I've purchased similar products before that didn't show up well on top of shadow). The only thing I will say is make sure when putting the lid back on you push it down till you hear a click as you don't want them drying out! 

Left: Borderlines

Right: Winging It

I do really like both of these for creating different looks but at a push I'd probably favour Winging It. My eye shape can be tough to create a liner flick on but this made it much easier for me. These are on offer on their website at €9.99 right now. (Normal retail €11.99) 

What do you think of pen liners? Would you give them a try or stick to the old reliables of pencil and liquid?

Till next time,

Toodles,