50 Shades of Grey

Thanks to the genius that is E. L. James we are all in a tizzy over Fifty Shades of Grey and more notably, Mr Grey! So in the spirit of all things sultry, sexy and oh so naughty here are my top makeup products... yep... you guessed it... in varying shades of grey! Afterall, 'we aim to please...'.

While I certainly wouldn't suggest going all out grey on your makeup look - ending up more Walking Dead than Anastasia Steele isn't the look we're going for! However, adding just a touch of grey tones to your look can add some real sophistication and best of all, grey is a neutral which means anyone can wear it. Just 'forget about the rules' and 'embrace your inner goddess'!

Now nobody does pearly sheen better than Ben Nye and pearly sheen in grey tones... yum! Ben Nye's Pearl Sheen Eye Accent's in Electric Eel, Nightclub and Silver Grey can be applied wet for intense colour and sheen or use a dry brush for a softer effect. Oh so blendable and you'll love the payoff. Apply all over the lid for a soft smokey effect thats soft and wearable, even during the day.

Fancy even more shimmer? Grab yourself Ben Nye's Fireworks Creme Color in Silver Satin and apply to your lids with a fingertip or a synthetic brush. A pretty and soft radiance will ensue, making your inner goddess soar... (not sore!). 

Top with Sugarpill's ChromaLust Loose Eyeshadow in Grand Tiara for a jewel-like dazzle. For extra sexiness use a dry brush and apply to your decolletage making you more than ready to 'chase the dawn' with Mr Grey :D 

Like your look more feline? See yourself as  a bit more Mrs Robinson? Get yourself some La Femme Cake Eyeliner in Charcoal and using a wet angled eyeliner brush, apply close to your lashes, adding a soft or dramatic feline flick at the outer corners (if your eye shape can take it). You'll be 'fifty shades of...' oh so sexy in no time!

Want an easier life? Get Stila's Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Alloy, a handy on-the-go pen eyeliner making your DIY job (geddit?!) easy peasy, baby oil squeezy!

Daring enough to go for a dark lip? Occ Cosmetic Colour Pencil in Tarred followed by Occ Lip Tar in Tarred is sure to make your palm-twitching lover want to bite that lip! Only for the brave hearted!

Want something more subtle? Try Joe Blasco Lipgloss in Ghost, a pearlized grey coloured gloss, stunning, sheer and shiny which is sure to make any billionaire want to give you the world... and more, more, more...

There you have it, Fifty shades (almost!) of makeup, you're all set to go!

Remember, 'You are not just a pretty face...'

Laters, baby!

NICx

Brush Crush! - The Sexiest Makeup Brush Sets!

Over the years I've accumulated a crazy amount of makeup brushes. High end, low end, brilliant and rubbish, you name it, I've got it!

Now when I purchase brushes I tend to look for not just quality and function but I also opt for brushes that look amazing too!

If you're in need of some inexpensive or super expensive makeup brushes or makeup brush sets here are a select few that have me drooling.

Sonia Kashuk All The Jazz 10 Piece Brush Set

To start, we have Sonia Kashuk All The Jazz 10 Piece Brush Set at just $34.99

On a trip to New York, oh so long ago, I bought a few Sonia Kashuk brushes and they are amazing considering how inexpensive they are. 

This signature range of professional quality brushes are dressed up with stylish black handles caged in gold ribbed details, and ivory bristles to add a sophisticated touch to your beauty routine. Talk about luxury at a stupidly low price!

Cozette Vitality 8 Piece Makeup Brush Set

Next we have Cozette Vitality 8 pcs Makeup Brush Set in Red at $166.00

Roque Cozzette is a force to be reckoned with to say the least! Not only a serious talent in the makeup industry but a real innovator when it comes to perfecting a makeup brush! 

This amazing set is comprised of 8 stylish makeup brushes that are essential in creating endless makeup looks; perfect for devotees of makeup and those learning to become a makeup artist.

Made of Luxury Faux Goat/squirrel custom blend these babies are as soft as a can be and are seriously luxurious! 

Nanshy Luxury 13 Piece Makeup Brush Set

Next up is Nanshy's Luxury 13 piece Makeup Brush Set at just €46.63

With beautiful curvy handles and no bristle shedding these really are a steal! Antibacterial Synthetic Bristles that are also 100% Vegan, Cruelty Free and Approved by PETA.org. What more could you ask for!

Hakuhodo 8 Piece Brush Set

And lastly, but certainly not least, we have Hakuhodo's 8 piece brush set at $499.00

I purchased a few Hakuhodo brushes for my pro kit many, many years ago at IMATS and boy these brushes are seriously luxurious and they last for years! 

This stunning 8 piece brush set selected from Hakuhodo's S100 Vermillion Brush Range (the flagship range of Hakuhodo) is nothing short of sublime! You really can feel the quality in these and if you are a little flush with cash, I'd be suggesting getting these bad boys for yourself or your pro kit!

Here's to seriously sexy brushes :D

Get MARSALA Ready with CAMERA READY!

If you've been hiding under a rock you won't be aware that Marsala is the pantone colour for 2015. And boy what a colour it is! A naturally robust and earthy wine red, just beautiful and oh so subtly seductive.

This colour is flattering against many skin tones and can be used to add a pop of colour to nails, eyes, cheeks, lips and even hair.

Whether you opt for a sophisticated matte finish or a more metallic option for some glamour the choice will be yours. Whatever you do, you need, yes need! this shade in your make up kit and thank goodness we have Camera Ready Cosmetics to ensure we have plenty of options to choose from!

MARSALA COLOR COMBINATIONS THAT WORK!

Marsala is a seriously versatile shade which combines dramatically with neutrals, including warmer taupe and greys. Because of its burnished undertones, sultry Marsala is highly compatible with amber, umber and golden yellows, greens in both turquoise and teal, and blues in the more vibrant range.

Here are my favourite colour combinations and products from Camera Ready Cosmetics to get you on trend:

LOOK 1

Evening Glamour

Start your look with beautiful shades of 'Turquoise' and 'Twilight Blue' from Ben Nye's Eye Shadow Range. Silky and smooth, finished off with a highlight of Stila's Magnificent Metals Foil Shadow in 'Metallic Jade' right in the center of the eyelid. It's the perfect accompaniment to Kevyn Aucoins The Expert Lip Color in 'Dantrice'. A sophisticated and rich tone that's bang on trend!

Ben Nye Eye Shadow from
www.camerareadycosmetics.com

Ben Nye Eye Shadow from 
www.camerareadycosmetics.com

Stila Magnificent Metals Foil Finish Eye Shadow
from www.camerareadycosmetics.com

Kevyn Aucoin Lip Stick
from www.camerareadycosmetics.com

LOOK TWO

Smokey Eyes & Nude Lips

If you're more of a gloss girl don't panic! You can rock Marsala without the need for lipstick. Ben Nye's Eye Shadow in 'Burgundy' will give you your Marsala style shade. Blend it all over the eyelid and smoke it out in the crease. Add Graftobian Mineral Eye Shadow in 'Pink Satin' in the inner corner of the eyes to brighten. Add some Stila Magnificent Metals Foil Finish Eye Shadow in 'Metallic Laurel' under the bottom lashes and blend out. This combination of colours is a real winner and looks seriously beautiful. 

On the cheeks opt for Ben Nye's MediaPro Creme Blush in the most beautiful shade 'Coral'. A soft and pretty shade that will keep your eyes the focus. 

And finally lips, you can never go wrong with Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Matte Lip Tar in 'Sebastian'. This almost lilac shade will compliment a smokey burgundy eye any day of the week. Start by lining your lips with OCC Cosmetic Colour Pencil in 'Sebastian', the perfect compliment to 'Sebastian' Lip Tar.

Ben Nye Eye Shadow from
www.camerareadycosmetics.com

Graftobian Mineral Eye Shadow from
www.camerareadycosmetics.com

Stila Magnificent Metals Foil Finish Eye Shadow
from www.camerareadycosmetics.com

Ben Nye MediaPro Cream Blush
from www.camerareadycosmetics.com

OCC Lip Liner Pencil
from www.camerareadycosmetics.com

OCC Matte Lip Tar
from www.camerareadycosmetics.com

LOOK THREE

Eye Liner and Glossy Lips

This look is perfect for anyone that likes simple eyeliner and a beautiful glossy lip. Camera Ready Cosmetics Gel Eyeliner in 'Magnetism' will take you away from the standard black eye liner and give your look a little twist. Pop on a pair of Ardell Natural Demi Lashes in 'Demi Luvies' to add some pretty volume to your lashes. 

Add a light touch of Ben Nye's MediaPro Creme Blush in 'Terra Blush' for your Marsala kick and finish with the oh so beautiful Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar - Stained Gloss in 'Nomad'. This shade is just beautiful and so on trend.

Camera Ready Cosmetics Gel Eye Liner
from www.camerareadycosmetics.com

Ardel Demi Lashes
from www.camerareadycosmetics.com

Ben Nye MediaPro Cream Blush
from www.camerareadycosmetics.com

OCC Lip Tar Stained Gloss
from www.camerareadycosmetics.com

So there you have it. There's no excuse not to get Marsala Ready when you have access to Camera Ready! And don't forget, Camera Ready Cosmetics offer fantastic discounts to Pro's ;)

W7 Palette review

I confess.... I'm an eyeshadowaholic... Wow feels better getting that off my chest! And with that revelation comes my latest purchase. W7 is an affordable brand that's getting more hype as of late. They have a range of makeup, including palettes (that resemble a certain higher end brand!) I decide to purchase two of these, 'In the Buff' and 'In the Night'. At €10 a palette they thankfully won't break the bank!

I've filmed a video on my thoughts of these products which I will link below, but I thought swatches and close up shots were best kept on the blog! First up, 'In the Night':

This is definitely more of an evening palette (surprise surprise) which I feel would be slightly more suited to someone with green eyes. The colours are all named on the back which is a nice touch, featuring titles such as 'Wonderland' and 'Top Hat'. Below are swatches on my arm which unfortunately no matter what I did, kept being washed out by the flash! 

Next up is 'In the Buff':

This is probably my favourite of the two as I love golds and bronzes. I do feel these colours would make blue eyes really pop. Again they all have names, such as 'Chocolate' 'Topaz' and 'Silk'.

I will definitely get use out of both palettes as they are very versatile. As for pigment and staying power, they aren't quite as strong as others, but for the price I really do think they're wonderful. I also am quite impressed at how sturdy the packaging is.  I would definitely suggest picking up one to try out yourself.

Til next time,

Toodles,

Check out the accompanying video at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUrXXVrIZs4&feature=youtu.be

What's in my makeup bag

I assure you, my personal makeup bag is way more extensive than this! However, when I looked at the products I actually used each morning I realised that this is it! Cheap as chips or what! :O

So here goes...

My base consists of Maybelline's Better Skin Foundation in 005 Light Beige. This is actually the lightest shade I could get for my pasty complexion and it works fine in terms of thecolour. In relation to the product itself, well, I can't say you really will have 'better skin in 3 weeks' as I certainly haven't noticed this. I also find if you don't blend it in really, really well (I apply it with my hands, certainly not a technique I use on clients I might add! and 'buff' it into my skin with a foundation brush. If you don't do this you will find the product actually settles into your skin and looks awful around pores. I must admit, it's not something I would be bothered to purchase again, it was a quick purchase and the lightest colour I could manage to find. My preference would actually be No 7 Beautifully Matte Foundation, which is fantastic! Sadly the lightest shade, Calico, is just a touch too dark for me. 

On top of this foundation I tend to use Lily Lolo's Mineral Foundation in Porcelain. I just buff it on with a large kabuki brush. I love the look of this foundation. You can of course use it on it's own if you like a pretty sheer look and have great skin to warrant the sheer look! I on the other hand need the extra coverage from the liquid foundation underneath. 

Now to contour, yep, I need a bit of the ole contouring! I use Sleek's Contour Palette in Light. I have to say, I don't think this is light enough and if you're not careful you can end up looking more oompa loompa than golden goddess! If you're pasty, go lightly and blend, blend, blend!

I use the highlight shade in the middle of the palette down the center of my nose and on my eyelids and sometimes above my cheekbones. It's actually a really lovely highlighter.

Unfortunately I'm not keen on the blush shade in the palette. I think it's way too dark for a pale skin tone and has too much shimmer in it for my liking. Needless to say, this never really gets used.

My blush lately is this pretty Bella Pierre Mineral Blush in Desert Rose. It's actually a lot lighter than in the image above. It goes on as a soft coral/peach shade with a little hint of shimmer in it which is really lovely on pale skin like mine. I buff it on with a small kabuki brush.

Next I work on my brows. As you can see, this Ben Nye Brow Pencil in Taupe has been used a lot! They are quite big pencils so they last a very long time. And I love the shades they have. This Taupe shade is perfect for blondes or those with very light brown hair.

I also work some taupe/brown from Sleek's i-Divine Palette in Au Natural (above) into my brows... again, very much used as you can see from the palette image! It's a lovely shade and as it's matte it works great. This palette, I must admit, it OK. I know people rave about them but they are find for a quick touch up here and there. Really though, they aren't as pigmented as higher end brands (which is probably a no brainer) and these aren't something I would ever use on clients. For my own makeup bag though, they work OK. 

Mascara! I must admit, I got this Estee Lauder Mascara as a freebie. A brand I rarely buy (apart from their lipsticks which I love!). But this mascara is really lovely. It never looks clumpy and gives a nice amount of volume to my lashes without making them look like spiders legs.

And finally, lips! I got these pots of Calvin Klein Lip Gloss recently in TK Maxx and they are very pretty indeed! I use this Rose shade which is very sheer and adds just a small hint of colour to my lips. It feels very much like a lip balm to be honest, but it's great for daytime if you want a very natural look.

So there you have it, my personal makeup bag, compact and does the job :D