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?

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.

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!

To the beach!

 

These Charlotte Tilbury Beach Sticks have really surprised me. I have had them for around 7 months and thinking about it, I realise they have become a staple in my make-up bag.

I must admit I was a little miffed about the size of them when I first opening them. Although, after having used them for so long and being nowhere near finishing them, I see my first negative impression may have been too critical.

To be honest they are the perfect size for applying to your face and chucking in your make-up bag.

The price point for these guys is $45 (USD) each or you can purchase two for $85 (USD).  Pretty pricey but in-line with her other blushes.

I have really enjoyed using them, they are so quick and easy to chuck on and gives you a lovely healthy glow! Just like you have been at one of the fabulous beaches in which each stick is named after.

Ibiza on the left and Es Vedra on the right.

They don't go patching on me and they definitely do not sit in my pores. They just glide onto the skin and give a lovely dewy finish.

They just give life back to your face.

During the summer my body gets quite tanned and sometimes my face is left slightly behind with wearing hats and a super high SPF. But this definitely gives me a beautiful sun kissed glow, joining my head back with my body! 

They generally last all day, I say generally because I definitely put them through their pace as I find myself wearing them either, whilst exercising, walking the dogs, at the beach or just generally every day life which has recently been during the summer, and it's been a hot and sticky one.

Actually they last pretty darn well with everything I put them through!

I use Ibiza as a bronzer, which has a beautiful gold sparkle through it, that isn't that noticeable when it's blended in and Es Vedra I use it as a blush, a little goes a long way with this one on my skin tone and I just love its coral red colour, definitely makes me look alive and less monotone.

I don't normally use them on my lips but sometimes I pop a little bit of Lucas' Papaw Ointment over top of Es Vedra but I just generally don't like the feeling of it on my lips alone, I find it quite chalky, but that's just me.


I just blend it in with my fingers and it's as easy as that!

Puggie Wilber and I showing off my blended Beach Sticks.

All I have on my face is Nars radiant creamy concealer, T-zone set with powder and my beach sticks in Ibiza and Es Vedra.  Mascara, eyebrows, lip gloss and done!

It's one of those products that I didn't think I would love as much as I do but I keep going back to them, as they always give me a fool proof healthy look.

Definitely my go to products when I just want to get out the door! 

Bedroom black

Over the past year I have been steadily growing my collection of Charlotte Tilbury goodies and one of those goodies, as you've probably already guessed, was her Rock'n'Kohl Iconic Liquid Eye Pencil in Bedroom Black.

When trying it out for the first time I was actually quite shocked by how good it was, now my expectations were pretty high as her other items have been sooo good but this did not disappoint.  It just glides on the eyes like well a lipstick or liquid (guess the clue is in the name) it just seems to melt into your skin at the point of contact, which means no tugging on the delicate eyelid area.  But at the same point it doesn't transfer, you have a small amount of time to play with the product, blend it out or create a lovely smokey eye but then once it sets that's it.  Perfect!

I also like using this product to tight line my upper eyelid and to use in-between the lashes as it is so soft and creamy.  It has also been a dream to use on my waterline as well, as I normally avoid wearing eyeliners in my waterline due to the fact that my eyes are super sensitive and they are very prone to becoming red, super quickly, if you get those rogue floaty bits in your eye (you know the ones) when using eyeliners in waterline, but my eyes don't seem to react with this eyeliner and there are minimal/no floaty bits when applying this in the waterline.  Yay! 

The consistency of the product very much reminds me of a gel eyeliner but in a pencil format, which I really like.  And the colour pay off it amazing, its bedroom black alright!

It has been my go to product to create a black flick, like above.  And to create the tail of the flick I took some product from the pencil tip on an angled brush, I used a MAC 266, to get that sharp tapered end, like how you would use a gel eyeliner but I find this much easier to work with.  It doesn't transfer onto my eyelid when I open my eyes and it stays put all day long.  This little beauty certainly has been a pleasant surprise. 

 

Copperlicious

Coppers and I have an attraction.. When I see them, I just need them, I have to have them, they make me feel warm and fuzzy inside and I have the most strange urge to want to eat them.  Random.  Anyone else?  Mmm ok, moving on. 

So when I saw that Sugarpill Cosmetics had brought out nine new loose eyeshadows and one of them so happened to be the most beautiful copper called Penelope I just had to have it!

While unwrapping it, I felt slightly ashamed of myself, did I really need another copper eyeshadow?  I mean I do already own MAC's Copper Sparkle albeit a vintage one but then I swatched it and my question was answered, yes,I did need this in my life.  

Left- Sugarpill's Penelope, Right-MAC's Copper Sparkle (no filter)

The colour is just delicious and it is different to Copper Sparkle, I find Penelope much easier to wear, either with a more natural look or a fully amped up copper look, it is just lovely or should I say.... yummy. 

The swatches above are straight onto my skin, no primer, the pigmentation on both is amazing!  I find Penelope has a slightly more pink tone compared to Copper Sparkle which is slightly more of a bronze tone.  I personally think that's why I find Penelope easier to wear as it suits my skin tone better, but if you want more of a bronze tone I'd say Copper Sparkle is the one for you. 






Penelope more intense look

To make Sugarpill's Penelope more intense I used MAC's painterly paint pot as a base and wet a flat brush with MAC's Fix+ and packed it onto the lid.  I then lined the eyes with black eyeliner. 

I must admit I thought it was totally going to crease and flake off but it didn't! I was super impressed and it lasted all day!  Maybe it was the painterly base, I will definitely be trying this application with other loose shadows I own and see if I have the same positive outcome.  


Penelope neutral look

For a more neutral look I used Charlotte Tilbury's Champagne Diamonds all over my lid and used Penelope on the outer V corners of my eyes, just packing the loose dry eyeshadow on and blended them together with a large fluffy brush, I lightly lined my lash line with a brown liner and added some more Penelope on top to define the eyes.

I can't wait to try out loads of different looks with this versatile loose eyeshadow, next I think I will be using a dark base, or maybe even mixing it in with a green smokey eye could be cool, oh the possibilities are endless!