What is it?
Well basically it's a makeup sponge but with spunk. It's a hot pink little gem in a domed egg shape that will change the way you put on your make up. Its different to a normal sponge though in its texture (think soft fluffy and velvety) and uses (face, eyes, cream blush..) I promise. Read on petal...
First the cons (let's get them
Outta the way) : notoriously hard to find in stores and very exy for a sponge. It retails in Australia for about $25-30 but trust me, it's worth it. I got mine from crush cosmetics online and paid about $30 including delivery. It was also shipped super fast so I could stop stalking my postman.
The other negative is that sponges can breed bacteria so make sure you wash it well. Same goes for brushes though so really nothing's changed. Don't
Bother wasting your money on the branded cleanser for the brush, it's essentially just pretty stinking water. Instead use a dove beauty bar or baby shampoo in the shower. You're welcome.
And that's it for the cons!
Now for the reasons I love the beauty blender. This lovely little mite will cut your foundation application time in half and have you looking like an airbrushed diva in no time. No compressor needed. The secret is in the way you apply..
For years I've been a fan on my Mac stippling brush or hourglass foundation buffer, and I do still love them. I even own my own actual airbrush foundation system but I prefer to use the beauty blender for my daily face. That's gotta tell ya something.
To use it, you need to run the blender under water and squeeze a few times. You'll see the sponge expand to about double it's size. Make sure all the water is out and then grab your fav foundation. (I'm loving Laura Mercier silk cream at the moment) dot your foundation over your face as you would normally (nose, cheeks, forehead and chin in case your unfamiliar with what constitutes a face)
Don't apply your foundation directly to the beauty blender as it will only soak up product (read: money) then get to work.
Use the large dome end to "pounce" the sponge all over your face in a dabbing motion. Voila! Airbrush skin! Honestly, the coverage you'll get from this is amazing. Go over any areas that need it. I have some acne breakouts around my chin at the moment and some light scarring so I apply a second layer of foundation to these sections and repeat.
You'll see that the beauty blender works the foundation into the skin far better than a brush and "fills in" any large pores or acne scars. There is a reason most make up artists worth their mascara own
At least a few of these.
Another helpful trick is the "rolling" action you can use the sponge for, and what
Makes the beauty blender different to other methods of application. By rolling your foundation over the skin, especially around the hairline and chin, you'll achieve perfect blending and avoid the line of shame.
You can also use the pointed end of the beauty blender to apply concealer under the eyes and around the nose if you gave any redness. It's also great for cream blushes although I tend to use power so can't speak too much on this use. Make sure however, if you use it for a multitude of products you wash well.
Overall I love this divine creation and have not touched my many (many many) foundation brushes since it arrived on my
Doorstep. Do yourself a favour and try it out.
Wednesday, 30 January 2013
Monday, 28 January 2013
Review: Clinique Self Sun Gel Bronzer
Those of you who know me, know I am an exceptionally pale kinda gal. Think "English rose" dipped in bleach.
Now, there is nothing wrong with the pale look, however my kind of pale prompts people to ask how I'm feeling, so I know it's not a good look.
To combat this, I fake tan like a jersey shore cast member. Well maybe not, but you get the point. (spray tan review soon to come- I've tried them all)
For times I can't slap on the fakey, I need a good bronzer. Here's my run down of cliniques gel offering.
Well, firstly it's a gel (duh) which means a couple of things. Firstly, it wears well. Doesn't rub off and will last you the day. Plus! You'll need a good make up remover to take it off at night.
The downside to this is that it dries fast so you need to work quickly. I cant over stress this! It's not a product that you can apply all over and go back to work with. Small sections is the key here.
Secondly, it means, when applied correctly (this is important) it gives a more natural glow to the skin over a powder bronzer. That's because it sinks into the skin rather than sitting on top as a powder does. You can use it on bare skin, or over tinted moisturiser for a natural look, or even on a full face.
This is a serious little number and looks scary as hell when you look at it in the tube. It only comes in one colour but I think it's adaptable to most skin tones due to its consistency and ability to blend. It's a dark browny dirty colour and be warned, if you use too much this is what you too will look like. But dont be scared, the key is to dot it on and blend blend blend as quick as you can. What it doesn't have is the orange undertones that many bronzes do, and that's why I like it. On pale skin, it's still a natural, believable glow. Apply a second layer on darker tones and you'll get the same result.
I like to apply this product in the backwards three (forehead to cheeks and to chin) and down the nose. You do not need bronzer anywhere else ladies!
Use a synthetic foundation brush (sigma. Mac etc) hourglass (love!) or a beauty blender (best!) or use your fingers. A sponge would also work, but make sure it's damp first so you don't soak up too much product.
This is also a great little weapon for those of you lucky enough to have some
Sort of melanin in your skin. If you've got a bit of sun and you're foundations a touch light, a little dot of this will deepen it without changing your pigments too much.
Overall I actually like this bronzer but as I said, it needs to be used sparingly and quickly. Done right and you've got some instant sun! I find i don't use it everyday, as I prefer my St Tropez Bronzing rocks. However, i wear a full face of foundation during the day, so I don't mind the heavier powder. Id really recommend this for summer, or if you only wear a TM or light coverage.
From memory, RRP is between $30-40 from Clinique but it will last you FOREVER! I'm talking years.
Now, there is nothing wrong with the pale look, however my kind of pale prompts people to ask how I'm feeling, so I know it's not a good look.
To combat this, I fake tan like a jersey shore cast member. Well maybe not, but you get the point. (spray tan review soon to come- I've tried them all)
For times I can't slap on the fakey, I need a good bronzer. Here's my run down of cliniques gel offering.
Well, firstly it's a gel (duh) which means a couple of things. Firstly, it wears well. Doesn't rub off and will last you the day. Plus! You'll need a good make up remover to take it off at night.
The downside to this is that it dries fast so you need to work quickly. I cant over stress this! It's not a product that you can apply all over and go back to work with. Small sections is the key here.
Secondly, it means, when applied correctly (this is important) it gives a more natural glow to the skin over a powder bronzer. That's because it sinks into the skin rather than sitting on top as a powder does. You can use it on bare skin, or over tinted moisturiser for a natural look, or even on a full face.
This is a serious little number and looks scary as hell when you look at it in the tube. It only comes in one colour but I think it's adaptable to most skin tones due to its consistency and ability to blend. It's a dark browny dirty colour and be warned, if you use too much this is what you too will look like. But dont be scared, the key is to dot it on and blend blend blend as quick as you can. What it doesn't have is the orange undertones that many bronzes do, and that's why I like it. On pale skin, it's still a natural, believable glow. Apply a second layer on darker tones and you'll get the same result.
I like to apply this product in the backwards three (forehead to cheeks and to chin) and down the nose. You do not need bronzer anywhere else ladies!
Use a synthetic foundation brush (sigma. Mac etc) hourglass (love!) or a beauty blender (best!) or use your fingers. A sponge would also work, but make sure it's damp first so you don't soak up too much product.
This is also a great little weapon for those of you lucky enough to have some
Sort of melanin in your skin. If you've got a bit of sun and you're foundations a touch light, a little dot of this will deepen it without changing your pigments too much.
Overall I actually like this bronzer but as I said, it needs to be used sparingly and quickly. Done right and you've got some instant sun! I find i don't use it everyday, as I prefer my St Tropez Bronzing rocks. However, i wear a full face of foundation during the day, so I don't mind the heavier powder. Id really recommend this for summer, or if you only wear a TM or light coverage.
From memory, RRP is between $30-40 from Clinique but it will last you FOREVER! I'm talking years.
Welcome to Warpaint!
Hi everyone and welcome to my new project- Warpaint! I'm so excited to share this with you as its something I've wanted to get happening for so long.
This is a blog dedicated to all things
Cosmetic. Primarily makeup (seeing as
it is my weakness as you will soon grow to see) but also skincare and beauty because really, they all work hand in hand.
A bit about me:
I am a true make up junkie. Ive trained as a Makeup artist, but most of my knowledge comes from spending a small fortune and half my life testing products as well as spending waaaayyy to much time on you tube and make up alley. You name it, I've probably tried it. If I haven't, please tell me
And I will. Don't believe me? Just take a look at the attached pic. This is my daily foundation drawer. I have three more (for foundation only- don't get me started on other products)
Basically I'd like to share with you my reviews and raves in the hopes that you can save some time and money or just develop new lemmings for products like i do. Feel free to ask me any questions and I'll do my best to help you out in answering them.
Happy reading!
This is a blog dedicated to all things
Cosmetic. Primarily makeup (seeing as
it is my weakness as you will soon grow to see) but also skincare and beauty because really, they all work hand in hand.
A bit about me:
I am a true make up junkie. Ive trained as a Makeup artist, but most of my knowledge comes from spending a small fortune and half my life testing products as well as spending waaaayyy to much time on you tube and make up alley. You name it, I've probably tried it. If I haven't, please tell me
And I will. Don't believe me? Just take a look at the attached pic. This is my daily foundation drawer. I have three more (for foundation only- don't get me started on other products)
Basically I'd like to share with you my reviews and raves in the hopes that you can save some time and money or just develop new lemmings for products like i do. Feel free to ask me any questions and I'll do my best to help you out in answering them.
Happy reading!
Rave: Laura Mercier Silk Cream Foundation
So for my first post I decided that I needed to feature something special. Something so amazing that I felt deserving of my very first review on the blog.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Laura Mercier silk cream foundation.
Now let's be clear, I've tried a LOT of foundations in my time. I've spent $9 and I've spent $90 in my quest to find the perfect base. I don't want to sound the alarms too soon but for me, this could be the one.
Let me tell you why.
Firstly, coverage. I have normal to dry skin, however lately I've been battling Some serious blemishes due to pregnancy. I havent found anything that covers well and doesnt look like a mask, so i went searching.
The coverage that this foundation provides is like nothing I've seen before. It is a medium to full coverage foundation so if you're a gal, or guy, who prefers the look of a tinted moisturiser, this won't float ya boat.
However, if like me you prefer a semi Matt finish (think real skin looking rather than too dewy or the powdered dounut look) this could be a winner for you too. The thing that i love is that although its
a fuller coverage foundation, its still looks natural. For me, this covers much better than say, double wear by Estée Lauder but without the heavy cakey look.
Ive found the best way to apply silk cream is with a beauty blender (review coming soon) as it gives a flawless
Airbrush look. I've tried it with my
Bobbi brown synthetic foundation brush, hourglass foundation brush and my Mac duo stippling Brush and nothing compares.
Colours: this is where I usually have trouble. You see, most people are either warm or cool toned. The best way to find out which one you are is to hold up a piece of red or orange material to your face, and then a piece of blue. If you look better with the reds, you're a warm little chicken (generally with more of a yellow base) and if blues your thing, youre cool baby (pink undertones) However, some of us lucky few are neutral. That means our skin doesn't have prominent yellow or pink undertones. The problem with this is that most foundations sway more to one side so you end up either looking grey (too pink) or orange (too yellow).
What I've found with Laura mercier however is that the foundations tend to cater for all tones. I personally wear "rose ivory" in this foundation and have found it to be fine to use when I'm
White as a snowflake (natural but don't tell anyone) or with fake tan.
As always, I'd suggest going to the counter to get colour matched properly.
Don't do it online, it will only end badly. Take a mirror in your bag and when the salesgirl applies it, don't be pressured. Go outside and look at your face in natural light. Please. Even better, ask for a sample and take it home to try.
Quick tip- if you're ever Matched for foundation and you're between shades, always go for the slightly lighter one. Bronzer can be your best friend and warm you up but go with a foundation that's too dark and you risk being mistaken for an extra from willy Wonker.
Wear: If you're an oily little sausage, you probably want to look elsewhere. Even with dry skin, I do find this needs setting and touching up. But for the coverage I'm willing to do that. However, If you find yourself battling an oil slick by lunch time, it could spell trouble. In this case, I'd say try something like doublewear or colour stay if you're looking for a heavy duty powerhouse.
Price: many years ago, I used to be a LM moisturising foundation girl, however they did that annoying thing companies do and discontinued it. Back then, I used to shell out around
$80 for a piece of LM goodness. However, the prices have come
Down - woo Hoo! And you can take
Home this little gem for around $60.
Overall, you can probably tell I'm loving this little baby. The downside I've found is the availability in Sydney. myer city store stocks LM and so does David jones in chatswood so unless you're nearby to one of these, you're up for a
Drive.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Laura Mercier silk cream foundation.
Now let's be clear, I've tried a LOT of foundations in my time. I've spent $9 and I've spent $90 in my quest to find the perfect base. I don't want to sound the alarms too soon but for me, this could be the one.
Let me tell you why.
Firstly, coverage. I have normal to dry skin, however lately I've been battling Some serious blemishes due to pregnancy. I havent found anything that covers well and doesnt look like a mask, so i went searching.
The coverage that this foundation provides is like nothing I've seen before. It is a medium to full coverage foundation so if you're a gal, or guy, who prefers the look of a tinted moisturiser, this won't float ya boat.
However, if like me you prefer a semi Matt finish (think real skin looking rather than too dewy or the powdered dounut look) this could be a winner for you too. The thing that i love is that although its
a fuller coverage foundation, its still looks natural. For me, this covers much better than say, double wear by Estée Lauder but without the heavy cakey look.
Ive found the best way to apply silk cream is with a beauty blender (review coming soon) as it gives a flawless
Airbrush look. I've tried it with my
Bobbi brown synthetic foundation brush, hourglass foundation brush and my Mac duo stippling Brush and nothing compares.
Colours: this is where I usually have trouble. You see, most people are either warm or cool toned. The best way to find out which one you are is to hold up a piece of red or orange material to your face, and then a piece of blue. If you look better with the reds, you're a warm little chicken (generally with more of a yellow base) and if blues your thing, youre cool baby (pink undertones) However, some of us lucky few are neutral. That means our skin doesn't have prominent yellow or pink undertones. The problem with this is that most foundations sway more to one side so you end up either looking grey (too pink) or orange (too yellow).
What I've found with Laura mercier however is that the foundations tend to cater for all tones. I personally wear "rose ivory" in this foundation and have found it to be fine to use when I'm
White as a snowflake (natural but don't tell anyone) or with fake tan.
As always, I'd suggest going to the counter to get colour matched properly.
Don't do it online, it will only end badly. Take a mirror in your bag and when the salesgirl applies it, don't be pressured. Go outside and look at your face in natural light. Please. Even better, ask for a sample and take it home to try.
Quick tip- if you're ever Matched for foundation and you're between shades, always go for the slightly lighter one. Bronzer can be your best friend and warm you up but go with a foundation that's too dark and you risk being mistaken for an extra from willy Wonker.
Wear: If you're an oily little sausage, you probably want to look elsewhere. Even with dry skin, I do find this needs setting and touching up. But for the coverage I'm willing to do that. However, If you find yourself battling an oil slick by lunch time, it could spell trouble. In this case, I'd say try something like doublewear or colour stay if you're looking for a heavy duty powerhouse.
Price: many years ago, I used to be a LM moisturising foundation girl, however they did that annoying thing companies do and discontinued it. Back then, I used to shell out around
$80 for a piece of LM goodness. However, the prices have come
Down - woo Hoo! And you can take
Home this little gem for around $60.
Overall, you can probably tell I'm loving this little baby. The downside I've found is the availability in Sydney. myer city store stocks LM and so does David jones in chatswood so unless you're nearby to one of these, you're up for a
Drive.
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