IT Cosmetics- Superhero Mascara

 

IT Cosmetics Superhero Mascara

 

Now another little recent addition to my makeup collection thanks to my Lucky Bag 2017 from Beautylish is IT Cosmetics Superhero mascara.

 

I am always on the look out for a good mascara.. always... never satisfied in the mascara department, even if I have one I love I will always be up for trying a new one.. So to my delight I found a new one to add to my trials.

 

 

I have tried IT cosmetic's mascaras before, I used the tightline primer little guy but my sister got it in the end, think it flaked too much for my liking and I didn't quite feel the faff of putting it on before my actual mascara was worth my time but my sister loves it.. anyway that's a completely other subject entirely..   Back to the Superhero..

 

I like it...  I like it a lot.. Its black, deep black, holds a curl, minimal to no flakes. Doesn't transfer onto my upper lid from the tops of my lashes. Comes off easily in the evening  and doesn't irritate my ridiculously sensitive eyes. My lashes look a lot fuller and much more defined, the mascara is able to coat each lash and make them look a lot thicker at the ends which I love.

 

 

 

The wand is also really good to use, I can get right into my waterline with it, making it super dark along my lash line which in turn makes your lashes look fuller and more fabulous. And I generally manage to put it on without getting mascara all over my lids. Bonus!  I have been much more impressed with this one compared to my last IT cosmetics purchase.

Now is it my favourite mascara in the world ever? Perhaps not but its a definite new favourite. I'm still on the look out for the one. But it is a damn good mascara.

I'm super keen to find out what your favourite mascara of all time is? Leave your comments below..

 

 

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'!

Pink Makes The Boys Wink



Far left- Dainty, Far Right- Tenderling Forefront- Orgasm, Brush- MAC 168

I love MAC cosmetics blushes, well lets face it, I love a lot of MAC's products. 

But I do have a little sweet spot for NARS blushes as well, especially, of course, Orgasm.

For my every day make-up looks I seem to go between the following three blushes, MAC's Tenderling and Dainty and of course NARS's Orgasm.

Left- Tenderling, Centre- Orgasm, Right- Dainty

Dainty is a mineralize blush which is has a very powder pink colour to it. Very girlie and young. It has a very small amount of gold shimmer to it and I love it for when I need to look a little more alive but don't want to draw too much attention to my blush shade. Although all of the shades are long lasting, with the mineralise blushes they don't seem to last as long on me as the next two, but I do love the colour, so onto my list it went.

Tenderling is a sheertone blush and for my skin tone it is the perfect shade of blusher for an extremely natural look. Even though my natural blush is a lot pinker than this shade it works so well on my skin. So I grab this one when I want all the attention to be on either my eyes or lips and just want an everyday quick make-up look, that can be applied in seconds and you definitely won't look like Aunt Sally. I also find that this shade blends fantastically with any contour shade as well. It has absolutely no shimmer or sparkle to it.

Orgasm by NARS, I think most people have heard the hype or knows someone who owns it, but here's my take on it. Firstly I love it and I seem to grab it all the time. I use it when I want that healthy, I have seen sunlight/been for a lovely walk kind of glow. It's a pinky coral and has the most beautiful gold shimmer in it. Too much for some people but I love it. Buildable, blendable and fantastic.

I find some of the NARS blushes to be less pigmented than the MAC powder blush shades but this can be both a positive and a negative. On one hand they are slightly easier to work with as you are less likely to put on too much but then I guess eventually you will end up having to use more, but not enough for it to bother me at all in the slightest.

I absolutely love both brands and my husband seems to love the packaging of all the NARS products, maybe this will allow me to buy more.. Maybe..

For all three the staying power is pretty dang good, but the mineralize one falls behind slightly but I never think..  Did I put blush on today? Or even worse, where has half of my blush gone? Which has happened in the past with other brands.

I just love my trusty three for my everyday blush!

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.

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!

The Perfect Red

I have written about this brand (Melt Cosmetics) before but I thought their red lipstick deserved a post dedicated all to itself, actually all their lipsticks probably deserve their own post, but for now lets concentrate on Belladonna 2. 

The formula is perfect, as I've said before Melt Cosmetics lipsticks are indestructible, they last all day and if and when you need a little touch up, no cakeyness, no rough bobbly bits appearing when reapplying, minimal/no smudging and well lets talk about the colour..

It is to die for.

MAC Cherry on the left and Belladonna 2 on the right

It looks sooo delicious it makes me want to eat it! And for a red it is an extremely versatile colour, just change the lip liner your using and you can adapt it to be more orange or more pink if that's your thing. Dab a little on for a less full on look or mix it up with plums or pinks and create the most beautiful ombré lip ever. My go to lip liners for Belladonna 2 are MAC's Cherry or Dynamo. 

Every single time I wear it people always stop me and ask where its from, guaranteed. It is such a pretty red that looks great on everyone. These lipsticks give you the confidence to wear a bright bold lip, and its down to the lipsticks formulation.

I have every faith that it wont be smudged down my face or half rubbed off after I've eaten or had a drink because like I said Melt Cosmetics lipsticks are indestructible and amazing!


Kissy kissy- Belladonna 2 with MAC's Cherry lip liner

After I've taken it off, or should I say tried to take it off, the stain it leaves on my lips is super pretty as well, I just go with it. A little bit of Lucas' Papaw Ointment on top and off I go. I am always pleasantly surprised at the amount of compliments I get with that lip combination, even after its off. Not quite as many as the full blown red colour but who doesn't love a compliment.

I just love this brand and dare I say it, I love their trusty lipsticks even more!

My Loyal Friend

When I was first introduced to Aveeno Active Naturals, by my Mum, oh at least 6 years ago if not more, I totally pooh-hoo'ed it. The packaging isn't pretty, it's got oatmeal in it, has no smell and was just kind of boring. Why would I get this when I could get soo many other prettier smelling/packaged moisturisers?

Well to answer the question of my vain self all those years ago, you'll get it and use it for years because it is simply AMAZING!  Time and time again, I've tried a different moisturisers, something else that has been advertised that will be amazing, smell better or that will promise me and my skin the best 'moisturisation' of it's life and I always feel slightly cheated.

So recently I have vowed to stay loyal to my dear friend Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion that has always been there to keep my skin moisturised, loving it, treating it kindly and actually doing what is says with the whole 'moisturises for 24 hours' spiel.

My super sensitive skin always feels softer, definitely smoother and genuinely more moisturised, it doesn't sit on top my skin, it sinks in and my skin kind of just drinks it up. Best thing ever in a  moisturiser! 

Ben attacking the sponge!

And more recently I've purchased it's friend Aveeno Daily Moisturising Body Wash and I'm in love with that as well!  It actually feels like it moisturises my skin in the shower, which is weird but extremely handy as when I'm in a rush and don't have time to moisturise my whole body, I at least feel that it's had something on it to keep it happy in the meantime. 

I just love the Aveeno products and I am embarrassed at my younger self for dismissing them in the first instance, but thanks Mum for the persistence and introduction, my skin and I still absolutely love it! 


Zeus and Ben discussing who is going to get the sponge!

How I curl my lashes

 

Now when people talk about what one make-up/beauty item they'd take with them if they were stranded on a Desert Island, I think mine would be, dare I say it, eyelash curlers..?  I could make mascara from squid ink or charcoal and coconut oil.. you know as you do...

But the point that I'm trying to get across here, is that they are that vital to my make-up routine and I kind of take them for granted. 

Curling my lashes every day is a must, as mine are so straight they actually have the tendency to hang down below my eyes (imagine an elephants eye lashes) and curling them instantly opens my eyes and makes my lashes look longer as more of them can be seen in contrast against my eyelid. 

My current eyelash curlers are by Shu Uemura. I've had them for well over 2 years and their still going strong. They fit my eye socket perfectly which is very important as you do not want to nip and damage any skin on your eyelid, cos that's just darn right painful and unnecessary.

They also don't damage my lashes by cutting them whilst curling and they manage to feather the lashes beautifully. 

How I curl 'em

The way I curl my lashes is to start by taking the lash curler as close to the eye lid (lash root) as possible and curling for around 10 seconds.

The pressure applied to the curler should be quite firm but not painful. 

Then I release and take the eyelash curlers a couple of millimetres out from where we just curled and curl again, for maybe 5-7 seconds and then I take the eyelash curlers out and curl again for 3-5 seconds and then, keep going until your a couple of millimetres from the end of your lashes, decreasing the amount of time you hold for by how far to the end of your lashes you are.  I do not curl the very tip of my lashes, you want to leave them nice and straight.

Sometimes I repeat the whole process if they don't look quite curly enough, as I said mine are pretty darn straight, and stubborn. Then I run my finger over the lashes to separate any that have become entwined whilst curling.

 

By curling them this way you get a lovely bow like curl to your eyelashes instead of a 90° angle, which I think looks unnatural and is impossible for me to get my mascara on without smudging it all over my eyelid, which in general seems to be a task for me. 

Wilber and I love our eyelash curlers!

If you have naturally curly eyelashes (slightly envious) there is no need for you to curl your lashes (think this goes without staying) but if you do have straight lashes, like myself, I would seriously think about investing in an eyelash curler.

It makes a massive improvement to my overall make-up look and I definitely notice the difference, even if I go one day without curling them!