Filmstar Bronze and Glow versus Bar of Gold

Filmstar Bronze and Glow palette above and Bar of Gold below

So I thought I would do a little comparison between Charlotte Tilbury's highlighters, I'd thought about doing this a while ago but then the Bar of Gold sold out but I recently saw on Charlotte's Instagram that she's re-launched it. Yay!
I'm pretty sure it is limited edition again but who knows.. it might be re-launched again next year if there is enough demand..

Anyway- onto the comparisons, I will be comparing it of course to Charlotte's other coveted highlighter from her Filmstar Bronze & Glow palette in the shade light to medium. Now the Bar of Gold I have is from her first launch a couple of years ago and I am assuming that the formula and packaging is the same. 

Charlotte Tilbury's Bar of Gold, Skin Gilding Highlighter

A little bit about the packaging on the Bar of Gold, it's well- cheap- is a bit harsh but kinda true.. it's like a cardboard box with a magnet closure and of course we all know the packaging of the Filmstar palette is just gorgeous, rose gold, good weight to it, nice strong clasp closure, great sized mirror, all round lovely.

The Bar of Gold just doesn't have the same quality packaging or look about it, no mirror, just a rose gold cardboard box with magnetic closure, its lightweight- good for travel I guess and pretty small but miles away from the Filmstar palette's packaging.
And if you buy it online like I did and have some of her other products the packaging for this might be a little bit of shock like, it was for me. That being said mine is a couple of years old so the packaging may have been up-graded but from what I can tell online it still looks the same. Not that it changes how amazing the highlighter is I thought I would just get that out in the open first..

Price comparisons - Filmstar is $68 USD and the Bar of Gold is $42 USD, now compared to product given for that price, you get a net weight of 16grams for the Filmstar although you do get a bronzer and a highlighter for this so for the sake of the review lets half it, so 8grams and for the Bar of Gold you get 5.5grams. So there is clearly a difference between the two, you're getting a lot more highlighter (and a great bronzer) in the Filmstar palette than the Bar of Gold.

Both photos above taken in direct sunlight, no flash. Top Swatch is Bar of Gold and Bottom Swatch is Filmstar Bronze and glow highlighter.

Now for the actual colour comparisons, I tried to get as real to life images of the swatches as possible. Pre swatching these next to each other I was nearly positive that the Bar of Gold was darker than the Filmstar highlighter but my brain must of completely made that up as the Bar of Gold is definitely lighter and slightly more on the yellow/light gold shade.
They are both beautiful highlighters and are different. They both have that gorgeous glow about them, both can be build up to create the most intense highlighter ever, if that's what you want or can just be dusted over to give a subtle illusion of youth and glowly golden goddess-ness.. 

Both photos above taken inside natural light, no flash. Top Swatch is Bar of Gold and Bottom Swatch is Filmstar Bronze and glow highlighter.

The Bar of Gold has slightly more shimmer, in the way of teeny tiny bits of glitter in it compared to the Filmstar highlight which still has it but just slightly less. The Filmstar feels slightly more buttery but really they both feel excellent. They both give that illusion of youthfulness that we all dream of in a highlighter.

Wearing Charlotte Tilbury's Bar of Gold has a highlight on cheekbones, below eyebrow, on mobile lid on top of Champagne diamonds shadow stick, down the centre of my nose, cupids bow and tear ducts. Photo taken inside in natural lighting.

To round it up they are both gorgeous golden based highlighters and can be used in so many different ways, eyeshadows, tear duct highlighters, put on top of lipsticks, cover your whole body in... Loads of uses! They are so gorgeous I feel like eating both of them right now (I'm too weird!)

The Bar of Gold is a lighter highlight colour, slightly lacking in the packaging department and is not as good value compared to the Filmstar palette. The Filmstar palette has excellent packaging, that mirror!, and you get much more bang for your buck compared to the Bar of Gold.

Same highlighted places as above but photo take in direct sunlight. Wearing Miranda May on my lips with a touch of Mega Melon Juicy Shaker in the centre of my lips.

So to round it up I would say, if you are deciding between buying either the Filmstar palette or the Bar of Gold definitely go for the Filmstar Palette but if you already have the Filmstar palette and want to add to your collection you wont be disappointed, it is gorgeous and definitely different, although the packaging lets it down I still absolutely love mine and use it often.

Charlotte's Magic Cream

Charlotte's Magic Cream

 

After purchasing Charlotte Tilbury's Magic Cream for a third time I pondered on how I am long over due a blog post on this magical wonder.

Lets set the scene, I've never really liked face creams, yes I know they are supposed to be good for your skin and loads of other amazing benefits but because of my oily t-zone and super sensitive skin, one way or another I never found one that didn't develop a weird bumpy rash or made my make-up slide off my face.

So as I'm not getting an younger I thought I had better start addressing this lack of moisturiser in my life. I first got the mini Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream moisturiser when it first launched.

Now when I first started using it I thought with its thick consistency it was either going to make me an oil slip or develop some funky rash on my face but I was pleasantly surprised when neither happened.

My skin loves it!! It just soaks it all up and makes me look radiant, with my skin being hydrated and loved.

I use it once a day, in the morning before I apply my make-up. I let it settle into my skin before I start my make-up routine and I have just been so impressed with it. My under eye area loves it and it makes such a difference when I apply concealer to a lovely moisturised base. 

I am now onto my second big tub of this Magic Cream and I am still loving it! Although it is on the pricey side, a large tub does last me nearly over a year using it once a day and I am looking forward to trying out her new creams she has launching soon!

Do you guys have a favourite moisturiser that you cannot live without?

Lash Sensational, quite possibly!

Finally a drugstore mascara I actually like.. A big hello my new BFF Maybelline® New York new Lash Sensational Mascara!

 
I'm always on the look out for a new mascara, basically because I've never found 'the one' when it comes to mascara's.. Now I'm not sure if I'm committing to a life long love of this mascara but for a drugstore mascara I have been very pleasantly surprised!

I have the normal, non waterproof one, I tend to steer clear of the waterproof ones just out of my general preference.

It holds a curl really well, has a lovely black payoff even after one coat and does a pretty dang good job of staying put all day. Minimal if no flaking and my sensitive eyes and skin have put up no objections towards it.

It definitely separates my lashes and makes them look lovely and long. I also really like the applicator which is like a rubber comb, which makes application super easy and I seem to be able to keep the mascara on my eyelashes and not on my eyelids, which makes for a nice surprise!

A couple of niggles I have are when I am taking it off at night it seems to come off in chunks, but hey that's nothing really to complain about, in the grand scheme of things its pretty good at coming off without too much fuss. And after a full days wear there is a small amount of transfer from where my lash ends touch my eyelids but nothing too noticeable.

All in all a winner for me!

Finally a drugstore mascara I like and can actually use! What's your favourite mascara?  As I'm always on the lookout for 'the one'!

Veruschka- Eyes To Mesmerise by Charlotte Tilbury

I love Charlotte Tilbury's Colour Chameleon Eye Shadow Pencils so much that when I saw she was bringing out Eyes To Mesmerise in cream eye shadows, of course I had to have one.


Eyes to Mesmerise in Veruschka

After much deliberation on which colour was going to be my first purchase it ended up being Veruschka.

I wanted something a little different to what I already had in my collection, yet a colour that would be wearable for both day and night.

Now I must say I am a little on the fence when I comes to this product, there are elements of it I love and elements I, well lets just say, don't love.


First of all lets talk about the loves. The colour is very unusual it is like a greeny grey, the exact words they use on the website is a, "minky-mossy golden grey-green" which I guess it is. It does have beautiful golden shimmer throughout it and mines definitely more a grey than green. But a very apt description.

A truly unique pretty colour.

So I love the colour but I also love how there is no fall out as it is a cream eye shadow, probably didn't need to say that and my sensitive eyes also love it, another bonus.

So with all these loves why am I not head over heels in-love with it.

Well, personally for me it creases, really badly within a few hours of wear. I have tried using it with my MAC Painterly Paint Pot as a base and it helps out for a good few hours but inevitably it creases on me.

Although I must say I do have very oily eyelids, so a lot of things do crease on me. But I am slightly more disappointed as I got on so well with her Colour Chameleon Eye Shadow Pencils that I thought I'd be on to a winner here but alas not.

I also find it actually quite time consuming and messy to use, I put the majority of it on my eyelid with my finger and then have to go and wash my hand or rub the excess off somewhere and then grab a pencil brush to get into the inner corners of my eyes, where my fingers don't fit and then under my lower lash line. I guess I just wanted it to be as easy to use as an eye shadow pencil.

That being said I could just use a brush for the whole application, so perhaps I am just being picky. But I do think that you get a better colour pay off when applied with a finger.

An overall round up from me would be, love the colour and the feel of it on my eyelids but unfortunately it creases really badly on my lids and I find it quite time consuming to apply.

But if you don't have a creasing issue and are a dab hand at applying cream eye shadows for sure give them a go, all the colours look absolutely stunning.

Matte Revolution

When Charlotte Tilbury launched her make-up line I was pretty, ok VERY, excited and went overboard and purchased lots and lots of goodies but one goodie I feel like I completely overlooked was her Matte Revolution lipsticks.

Charlotte Tilbury, Matte Revolution Lipsticks
Left- Sexy Sienna, Right- Lost Cherry

They are gorgeous.

Unlike any other matte lipstick I've tried, they don't actually feel matte when they are on the lips. They actually feel, dare I say it, moisturising.

Swatches, Left- Sexy Sienna, Right- Lost Cherry 

They wear beautifully, like an absolute dream. No dodgy ring left around the outside of your lip after you've eaten or had a drink.

They are buttery, yes seemingly a matte can be buttery, and doesn't show up any dry skin that you might have on your lips. Very forgiving.

Wearing Sexy Sienna

Whilst being long lasting they are not completely indestructible but you can easily top it up without your lips becoming thick and cakey. Don't get me wrong they are long lasting, a good few hours of gorgeous wear.

Wearing Lost Cherry

I personally don't even wear them with a lip pencil. With no bleeding out from your lip line.

I find the formula and level of matte-ness very wearable. Day or night. And of course, like everyone I, love the packaging, kind of reminds me of original gold Estee Lauder lipstick packaging, from way back. Love. And the unusual shape of the bullet, makes for easy application.

Her colour selection is pretty amazing and will definitely be adding more to my collection soon.

My Favourite Concealers

I feel like concealers and I have had a love/love relationship since my first (juicy) spot at the start of puberty, and although I have long grown out of my pubescent stage, my spots decided they loved me soo much they would stick around for the long haul- gee thanks!

From Top Left Clockwise, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla, Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage in SC-3, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Honey and Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage in SC-1

I am in love with these concealers, yes ok I am in love with most make-up but these just about save me nearly every single day!

So I have two favourites, Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage and NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer.  In the above photo I have two of each and this is so I have concealers for my summer tanned skin and my winter pale skin. 

I mix between them as the months progress and my tan either fades or deepens. 

I generally use them for different things, I use the Secret Camouflage to diffuse the big red angry spots, the ones I haven't picked yet, or haven't come to anything, so where the skin is still smooth, it works like a dream and the thick oil based texture of it makes it stay put as long as you set it with a powder.

Now when I first got this product I really couldn't understand it, it was hard I couldn't get it on to my brush or finger and it really just didn't work.. but.. as soon as I moved to a warmer climate oh me, oh my, so easy to use.

So I suggest if you live in a cooler climate you will really need to warm it up with your fingers before application and if like me you have the coldest fingers in the world and that doesn't work try scooping a small amount out and warming it out on the back of your hand.

 

I also use the Secret Camouflage as the first stage of a concealer for my dark under eyes and then I top it off with the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer.

Two concealers for under the eyes, drastic I hear you say? I have extremely blue under eye circles and this is what it takes for me to look like I haven't lost a boxing match. Now they are both quite heavy so I go in with a light hand and powder straight away to have minimal creasing under the eyes. But I love the combination of them both on my blue eye bags.

The best coverage I have found.

 

Now for those dry scabby not quite gone spots I use the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer to deal with those bad boys, I also use the remainder on a Beauty Blender on any redness I have on my face that I want gone, round the nose and cheek area. Its just a little top up for anything my foundation didn't quite cover. It is exactly what the name suggests a -radiant, creamy, concealer. Great coverage and lasts all day.

If I am in a super rush or just heading the gym I just use a dap of the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer on my troublesome areas, mascara, blusher and run out the door. Super quick and easy and gives you that little bit of extra confidence. 

Now I would advise going and trying this on, if you can, to get the correct colour match as if a concealer (anyone) doesn't match your skin tone it's not going to do anything for you.

These concealers are definitely the ones I reach for every day and they are definitely worth trying out if like me you suffer from either gorgeous dark circles or sensational spots.

Christian Louboutin does RED

 

Look at how outrageously fabulous this nail polish is? From the giant spike as an applicator to the perfect little shoe like box it comes in. It is just fab.u.lous.

Might I add, it was a fabulous gift that came with a no doubt fabulous price tag to match, but none the less I love it! How couldn't I?

But lets get down to the nitty gritty, is it actually worth it?

Upon my first trial of it, I was beyond impressed with its colour pay off, normally with nail polishes I am definitely a two coats kindo gal. But the Christian Louboutin nail polish is definitely a one coat wonder and I mean one coat.

It goes on like a dream, no smearyness, no lines and you cannot see the whites of your nail tips through the polish and yes that is just after one coat. Very impressive. 

Now I did find it slightly tricky with my first application and having to paint it on with this large spike, but now that I've tried it out a few times I am completely used to it. And the applicator brush is a very nice indeed, no splaying and fanning out of the bristles when pressed down onto the nail.

When I didn't use a base and top coat I did notice some chipping after a few days, but with my trusty OPI base and top coat I have had a good two weeks wear out of it with no chipping. It just started to wear off the ends of my nails and grow out.

So again very impressed and naturally it has lasted even longer on my toes, dare I say 5 weeks, ok that is slightly gross, but they are still looking good. The colour has not faded and again no chipping.

Mmm now lets discuss the absolutely deliciously divine colour, it is in my opinion the most perfect red, it is just beautiful, so classic and oh so very chic.

It matches the soles of his shoes just perfectly. Numerous compliments guaranteed.

Knowing what I know now about this delightful nail polish I might have even been tempted to purchase it myself but if you are stuck for gifts for anyone who you know loves Christian Louboutin then perhaps you've found them the perfect gift.

I know I love mine more than I ever thought I would have.

Is it dinner time yet?

Constructivist

 

My new favourite thing to wear on my eyes has to be MAC's Pro Longwear Paint Pot in the shade Constructivist. It was a recent purchase of mine whilst on holiday and I must say there has been a rare day since that I haven't put it on. I have numerous other shades of MAC's Paint Pots but this one and of course Painterly has to be my favourite.

They go on like a cream eye shadow, it blends really well and doesn't go patchy on me. You have some play time with it but once it's set it's tricky to rework it. They make amazing bases for your eye shadows as well, so if you have an eye shadow that has bad fallout or creases easily try one of these bad boys underneath them, it works a treat.

MAC Constructivist Paint Pot blended out, from intense to light. Love!

This colour is so versatile, you can layer it up to create a deep gorgeous brown or blend it out for a lovely daytime smokey look, which is how I have been wearing it most days.

It blends so well with any powder or cream eye shadow as well. I have been using it with either my new Armani Eye Tint in the shade 11 Rose Ashes or Charlotte Tilbury's Colour Chameleon in Champagne Diamonds.

I put either shade above all over my eyelid. Then I just pop my MAC brush 213 in my constructivist paint pot and start at my top outer lash line and blend up and out into the outer V corner of my eyes and up into my crease. Then just take the remainder on the brush under my lower lashes.

Done. A super simple look, or when I'm in a super rush I just use constructivist by itself. 

MAC's Constructivist Paint Pot on my eyes

It sits so well on my eyelids and for someone who has oily eyelids it makes a really good attempt at staying put all day and if its not too humid I have no creasing! Which is pretty impressive as most things crease on my eyelids. 

It is such a wearable colour, the versatility of this product is fantastic but be warned you must close the lid tightly after you've finished using them as they do dry out if the tub isn't sealed properly. A risk we run with all cream eye shadows I guess. So lets just give that lid a good old twist shut and we will be sorted.

I just love them, a product I keep going back to time and time again, la trusty paint pots!