Thursday, 7 November 2013

Product review: Maybelline Great Lash – with a great big new brush ?!

Maybelline’s Great Lash mascara in Blackest Black has been my go-to mascara for the past decade (at least!) – other mascaras have been and gone, have caught my attention as a flight of fancy, but none have captured my loyalty like Great Lash.

So, when I moved to Dubai I was delighted to see that Maybelline was stocked out here and Great Lash was available – wooo hoooo I thought! 

Anyway, last week I went to buy some more and when I got it home I realised that there’s been a product ‘enhancement’… in the shape of a new longer, bigger brush.  

OK, I thought, I like some mascara’s with whopping big brushes (Rimmel Scandaleyes, 17 Blow Out) so was excited to use this. But my excitement soon waned when I put it on and it clumped, made my eyelashes sticky and spiky, blobbed on my eyelid and undereye area and was generally one big fat disappointment.  Rubbish. So I’ve been using it with the small brush from my old tube. 

Today I went out looking to buy some more with the normal brush and can’t find it anywhere booooo, so am hoping it’s not a permanent alteration *sob* - anyone know? Can you still get the normal one back in Blighty? Hope so! x


Saturday, 2 November 2013

Focus on… my blush collection


Lately the weather has been soooo hot in Dubai that I’ve been wearing bare minimal make up to let my skin breathe, so that it doesn’t slide off my face and also because after an awesome holiday in Bali I’ve got a touch of a tan so have got a healthy glow naturally (doesn’t happen often!).  The four things however that I have worn every day without fail are the same eyebrow pencil, black mascara, undereye concealer and pressed power – but I’ve mixed it up by wearing different coloured blush. 
 
My blush collection is not huge, but I like to think that it’s varied…  I am addicted to Sleek Make Up blushes, that I brought over to Dubai when I moved here. The first Sleek blush that I picked up was Life’s a Peach and after that I was hooked!  I love Sleek blushes because they last all day, they’re really affordable and the colour is a true likeness when you put on your skin.

Life’s A Peach is a bright peachy orange, it’s matte (of course!) and gives a fabulous wash of colour on an otherwise bare face.  It really isn’t as scary bright as in the palette and you can build it up or just use a hint.  

I’ve also got Pixie Pink, a highly pigmented pastel matte pink, Flamingo – a bright, vibrant pink – with this one a little goes a loooong way.  Then there is Fenberry, (which was a limited edition and no longer available) a rich berry shade that is one of my favourites for warming up my face and complementing a strong eye with a rich cheek.  Coral is more of a dark orange / brown and is fabulous to enhance a tan or more neutral face and then there is Blush by 3 in Flame. This is a neat compact palette with three blushes – a bright matte poppy red, a matte brick red and a shimmery brick red.  I love the two matte shades, especially the brick red which seems to be the perfect match to my flushed cheeks, but I rarely use the shimmery shade (as you know I’m not a fan of shimmer!). 

My other blushes come from the Coastal Scents 6 contour blush palette – I use the two neutral pinky shades as blush – the other four shades I use for contouring… these are more subtle, natural colours than the Sleek blushes and don’t tend to last so long but are great for low key make up looks.

So – my advice – don’t be shy to try bright vivid blush colours!  When you’re wearing next to nothing make up, a bit of colour on your cheeks goes a long way but isn’t too out there (perfect for work!) and in the hot hot Dubai summer matte powder blushes stay put, don’t get shiny and seem to be sweatproof…. 


Friday, 1 November 2013

Make up look of the week… Lilac eyes and pinky purple lips


I LOVE this Sleep lipstick called Amped.  It is a matte blue based bright pink that really pops on your lips.  It glides on easily and has incredible staying power. And it doesn’t melt or run into the fine lines around my lips when it gets the full force of the Dubai heat! I paired my bright lips with a softer lilac on my eyes and made sure to use a warm reddy blush to give my cheeks some warmth. And of course – strong brows to finish the look.  I've not yet found anywhere selling Sleek in Dubai but you can order from their website yey! x

Eyes
Urban decay eyeshadow primer potion
Coastal scents 88 prism palette, lilac shade
Urban decay supercurl curling mascara, black
Rimmel soft kohl kajal eye liner pencil, 061 jet black

Lips
Sleek True Colour Matte lipstick, Amped

Face
Daniel Sandler Retexturizing Face Primer
Revlon Photoready liquid foundation, 003
Rimmel Recover liquid foundation, 201
Laura mercier secret camouflage, sc2
Laura mercier secret concealer, 2 (under eyes)
Mac select sheer pressed powder, nc25
Benefit hoola bronzer – for contouring
Rimmel eyebrow pencil, 002 Hazel
Sleek makeup blush, fenberry


Monday, 20 May 2013

Look I love… neon make up


Now I’m a big fan of bright colours and have been wearing colour on my eyes and lips now for a while… so I’m super excited to see that there is a current trend for neon make up!

And why not? It’s bold, modern and ultra fierce and will really push you out of a neutral make up rut that’s for sure!  My biggest advice to you – MAKE SURE ITS MATTE!  Honestly as soon as there’s a bit of shimmer or sparkle that young, cool, trendy feel will disappear immediately and the ‘what on earth has she got on her face?’ stares will appear… 

Also, if you’re not feeling uber brave but want to give it a go, then just line your upper eyelid with a bright eyeliner – for a lovely, more subtle pop of colour. 

If you're really not feeling up for putting neon shades on your face, then why not add a pop of colour to your look with some neon fingernails or toes! Ping! 

Here’s some inspiration: 





Saturday, 18 May 2013

Makeupspiration… Cara Delevinghe in Emirates Woman, March 2013


So am slightly obsessed by Cara D’s eyebrows (who isn’t!) and I thought this all over pastel pink was such a pretty look on here that I decided to copy…

She has lovely pale pink eyeshadow, lips and blush with some strong contouring under her cheekbones and a smudgy brown liner on her lower lashes.

Here’s what I used:

Eyes
Urban decay eyeshadow primer potion
Coastal scents 88 prism palette, white, pale pink shades
Urban decay supercurl curling mascara, black
Boots No7 Amazing Eyes Pencil, brown 10

Lips
Sleek Truly Mattely Deeply lip gloss, 893 soul

Face
Daniel Sandler Retexturizing Face Primer
Revlon Photoready liquid foundation, 003
Rimmel Recover liquid foundation, 201
Laura mercier secret camouflage, sc2
Laura mercier secret concealer, 2 (under eyes)
Mac select sheer pressed powder, nc25
Benefit hoola bronzer – for contouring
Rimmel eyebrow pencil, 002 Hazel
Sleek makeup blush, pixie pink