November Empties

I've had another flurry of finishing products off recently. Unfortunately, it only includes one makeup item which reminds me that I must update you on my progress with project Use it Up.

The first item that I finished off was my tube of Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre. I quite like the Embryolisse as a fairly bland moisturiser that I turn to if my skin is upset or used in conjunction with other more active products. I know it has a garnered rather a cult status but I wouldn't refer to it as a must have. I can see why it's very useful for makeup artists but I can also understand the 'huh, is that it?' anti-climax from people expecting a wonder cream. I may ask my Mum to replace it when she's next in France but for now, I'm concentrating on using up other products.

The Kneipp Pure Bliss Bath* is something that was actually adopted by my children. I like to think that it helped calm them down before bed. It certainly calmed my nerves whilst bathing them and left them smelling beautiful. They were also quite keen on the fact that it turned the bath water pink. We've replaced it with the Kneipp Lavender Bath product which I find needs to be used more sparingly for the children than the Pure Bliss.

I was really sad to finish both the Live Native Essential Mist MSM Toner* and the Rahua Conditioner. The Live Native has such a beautiful fine misting action and I've appreciated it even more now that I'm using something with a much more vigorous spray. This is something I will definitely replace. The Rahua Conditioner was the first bottle out of the shampoo and conditioner to go but the shampoo isn't far behind. It's not unusual for me to use up two bottles of conditioner to every one shampoo, so I think it's lasted very well. I've loved using the Rahua but in the run up to Christmas, I can't justify the expense of replacing it. I won't rule out repurchasing when I'm feeling more flush though, as it's the nicest 'clean' haircare that I've tried so far.

The last item to go was my Max Factor Second Skin foundation*. When the pump stopped working towards the end, I took to using the tube inside as a spatula. I've always liked this foundation as the finish was between a tinted moisturiser and a foundation on my skin. I believe it has been discontinued now so unfortunately there's no option of replacing it. I do feel a strong urge to try a new winter base but I'm still working at finishing off various bottles of half-filled foundation and tinted moisturiser, so hopefully I will stay strong instead of adding a new bottle to the pile!


Disclosure: Items indicated with an asterisk were originally received as PR samples for review.

My Everyday Face

I feel like I need to start with a confession. This post is missing a vital ingredient, a picture of the products on my face. Things are dire at home at the moment, so faced with the choice of posting an incomplete piece or nothing at all, I went with the former and frankly writing about makeup is a welcome break from creating five point behaviour scales and reading social stories.

Although I was really worried about restricting my selection of products for a month, it's turned out to be very useful. Getting everyone ready and out to school is even more frantic than it was last year and fortuitously the products that I picked out for Operation Use it Up (plus a couple of additions) combine to make a quick and easy face.

I use a mix of Max Factor Second Skin and Bourjois Healthy Mix as a base and usually apply with a flat topped kabuki for speed. On the eyes I apply the Rouge Bunny Rouge Atlas Swallowtail cream eyeshadow from lashline to crease, line with BECCA automatic liner in Goa (sometimes taking it under the eye) and add a generous coat of mascara. The beauty of using Atlas Swallowtail is that it looks good on it's own but I can also add eyeshadow when I return home, if the mood takes me.

I use BECCA creme blush in Turkish Rose on my cheeks using my Hakuhodo G5552 brush. It has a slightly dewy finish so I can dispense with adding a separate highlighter if I haven't got time. Although I mostly favour Rouge Bunny Rouge Murmurings lipstick to complete this look, I have worn it with Chanel Bonheur, Hourglass Fresco and even Rouge Bunny Rouge Coy lipgloss.

I'm surprised how much I've enjoyed wearing the same thing pretty much everyday. It's quite nice to have a no-brainer look to reach for when I'm pushed for time and I fear it may have compounded my guilt at having so much makeup!

Face of the Day using RBR and LMdB

Sorry for the rather heedless use of abbreviations in the title. I tried and failed to come up with something more catchy, I really did. In case you haven't come across these abbreviations before, RBR = Rouge Bunny Rouge and LMdB = Le Metier de Beaute. I seem to have posted quite a few face of the day type posts recently, we mostly have the school holidays to thank/blame for this as I have more time to play with makeup but less time to write. I'm sure I'll be catching up with lots of reviews in September.

Today, I went for more golden toned neutrals on the eye than is my usual habit. I resisted the urge to reach for one of my beige-pink blushers and used MAC Prim & Proper instead. This blusher went in my 'maybe' box during my sort out a couple of months ago. I'm still not sure about it and I think it turns too orange on my skin to be entirely flattering. Time to go back in the box, maybe? Let me know what you think.

Eyes
Too Faced Shadow Insurance - I'm not sure if I've said it before but with oily, hooded lids, an eyeshadow base is an absolute must for me.
RBR Atlas Swallowtail* cream eyeshadow from lash to just above the socket
LMdB Bronze Topaz* eyeshadow from the Penelope Kaleidoscope layered over Atlas Swallowtail
LMdB Brocade* eyeshadow from the Silk Road Kaleidoscope on the outer corner and into the crease
RBR Unforgettable Oriole dusted lightly on the inner corner and a tiny bit on the centre of the lid
RBR Caress of Mink loose glitter pigment lightly pressed onto the outer corner over Brocade
Max Factor False Lash Effect mascara* (this isn't as dramatic as the Clinique mascara on my lashes)

L-R: Unforgettable Oriole, Brocade and Bronze Topaz

Face
RBR Sketches on Water tinted moisturiser in Adansonia
Perricone MD No Concealer Concealer* on undereyes and around my nose
MAC Prim & Proper blusher
Shu Uemura brow pencil

Lips
Hourglass Femme Rouge in Fresco lightly tapped on from the bullet

Swatches from left to right: Unforgettable Oriole, Brocade, Bronze Topaz, Atlas Swallowtail, Prim & Proper and Fresco.

* PR Samples

My Week in Makeup

I woke up this morning, rejoiced because I have a day off and then duly set my mind to what to write today. Unfortunately, my mind was a total blank. This isn't especially unusual for me as I'm not really a morning person and my mind has been similarly blank as I've been getting ready each day this week. Makeup wise, I've relied on tried and tested items that I know will make me look human and prevent me from frightening the already anxious students.

Foundation - I used Max Factor Second Skin foundation* this week. It offers a bit more coverage than my usual Rouge Bunny Rouge tinted moisturiser but it's still quite a light foundation.

Concealers - BECCA Compact Concealer* in praline on blemishes and redness. YSL Touche Eclat* on the undereye area.

Cheek Products - NARS Laguna bronzer, BECCA Turkish Rose, Rouge Bunny Rouge Delicata and Laura Mercier in Petal Pink. I used various combinations of these depending on how drained I looked. My favourite combination at the moment is Delicata all over the cheek area with a tiny sweep of the Laura Mercier on the apples.

Brown Liners - I've used both the GOSH Truly Brown and Ben Nye liner in Espresso this week. I prefer the GOSH, I have to admit, as it is easier to apply and lasts longer without smudging.

Eyeshadows - I'm sure you won't be surprised by this taupe fest! I used Solstice Halcyon, Gracious Arasari, the mid brown from Guerlain Les Bois de Rose and various colours from Les Fumes. I also used the highlighter from the Dior Smoky Nude palette on a couple of occasions.

Yesterday I went for a bit of a smoky eye layering the darker colours from Les Fumes over MAC Dirty Greasepaint stick at the lash line then blending out using the pinky tan shade. I was really pleased with the end result and it still felt work appropriate.

Shu Uemura H9 Seal Brown brow pencil and Too Faced Shadow Insurance are both daily staples.

Mascara - No.7 Lash Adapt mascara*. I rather like this for everyday but the formula is a little on the dry side so I think that there's a limit to the number of layers you can apply.

Lipsticks - I wore Rouge Bunny Rouge Murmurings and Ilia Arabian Knights interchangeably almost everyday. Arabian Knights stays at home and whilst Murmurings lives in my handbag. I wore my old favourite Rouge Bunny Rouge Irreverence with the smoky eye yesterday.

Hopefully next week I can get myself organised and pack a makeup bag that I can grab for the early morning starts. I'm hoping to fit Edward Bess Dusk and Olive Violeteare in there for some more work appropriate smoky eyes.

Do you have a selection of products that you know won't let you down? Are you quite adventurous with your makeup at work or do you favour neutrals day-to-day?

* Items labelled with an asterisk were received as PR samples. 

A Peek at Caress of Mink plus a New Taupe Comparison!

The Rouge Bunny Rouge Caress of Mink pigment I ordered arrived yesterday so I got busy taking photographs. I also decided to pull out another couple of shimmery/frosty taupe eyeshdows to compare with the pigment. I thought it would be interesting to share these swatches with you ahead of my review as the comparison demonstrates not only how the new colour compares but also how MAC Satin Taupe, Shu Uemura ME Brown 850 and Max Factor Burnt Bark compare to each other.

Caress of Mink pigment is quite a dark taupe and has a different undertone to Satin Taupe, ME Brown 850 and Burnt Bark. It's also very twinkly when compared to the other colours but I struggled to capture this in my pictures. It's sparkly whereas the other three taupes have more of a frosty finish.

I wondered how Caress of Mink would compare to a rich chocolate brown so I pulled out RBR Bejewelled Skylark. It's more obviously a taupe when compared to Bejewelled Skylark and the green undertone is more obvious in these pictures. So, in not very helpful conclusion, when you compare Caress of Mink to taupes it looks like more of a mid brown but it looks more taupe when compared to a warm brown. 

Whilst swatching for this comparison I was struck by how similar Satin Taupe, ME Brown 850 and Burnt Bark looked side by side. I thought I'd made this comparison previously but swatched here the difference seem negligible. I like to think that it's the winter lighting disguising the subtle nuances but for anyone that isn't taupe obsessed, it would be unnecessary to own all three.

Ellis Faas Creamy Eyes E105 (Revisited)

I was inspired to pull out my Ellis Faas Creamy Eyes in E105 after watching this video by Sam of Pixiwoo. The lights eye colour that Sam used is one that I have often admired but I thought it would be useful to remind myself of the struggle I've had with E105 before I made another purchase. So, on Sunday night I got out my E105 pen and prepared to get it back into working order!

When I took the pen out I found the brush tip had gone stiff. Knowing how tricky it can be to prime, I thought it would be worthwhile cleaning the brush beforehand. I used an eye makeup remover wipe to remove all the dried on product. As I'd anticipated, priming took a long time. I only like to do a few twists at a time as there's a delay as it comes out. If you continue to twist without pausing you're likely to waste a lot of product. I twisted and waited and twisted and waited in cycle for about half an hour before anything came out. I did end up with a little squiggle from overdoing it but after that length of time I just felt relieved that it hadn't dried up altogether!

As well as being tricky to prime, the creamy eyes are also a little tricky apply. I don't have any issue applying to the lid and getting opaque coverage. The tricky part is blending out at the crease. Often I will end up taking the colour further above the crease than intended. The method that I currently use is to wipe off the excess from the brush, roll the brush on the back of my hand to ensure product is evenly distributed on the bristles and then use the pen to apply directly to the lid. I then use a clean finger to blend. I do this very gently particularly as my finger quickly gets loaded with product and you can run the risk of transferring more product rather than sheering out. You could use a cotton bud or MAC 217 brush to blend as an alternative.

This is how my E105 looked today as I got it ready to use. It still took a while to prime (I swatched and photographed three Stila palettes in the time to took) but as I said, I'm quite cautious when twisting. The swatch below is a single layer of colour. E105 is a medium brown with no shimmer, it's probably warmer than I'd go for ordinarily but once my eyes are lined I feel ok about the colour.

The swatch above is with more product added. It looks wet as the top layer has not yet set. This is probably something else important to point out. The cream does set and won't budge once it has dried. It is extremely long lasting and I don't experience creasing. I find I need a good eye makeup remover to take it off.

As you can see, it is a little patchy where I have blended

My overall thoughts about E105 is that it is a nice colour but it is tricky to apply and the packaging means that if you don't use it everyday, there's likely to be wastage. I don't have as many problems with the milky lip colour pens and I imagine the foundation and concealer are also easier to use because they are thinner in consistency and would be used on a more regular basis. I'm hesitant to buy any more of the eye colours for now. I think you need to be quite a patient person not to get frustrated by the priming, I freely admit to having little patience when it comes to such things!

In the picture above I am also wearing:

Face
What remains of my Max Factor Second Skin from this morning
My usual concealers - RMK & BECCA
Shu brow pencil
Pacific coast highway bronzer from the Stila 'Living the Life in Laguna' palette used as a blusher
RBR Sea of Showers Highlighting liquid on cheek bone and cupids bow

Eyes
TFSI primer
Ellis Faas E105
A tiny bit of Stila Sand Dollar from the 'Living the Life in Laguna' just above the crease
Kevyn Aucoin Basic Black pencil
Max Factor Xperience Volume mascara

Lips
Ellis Faas L207 Milky Lips


Disclosure: Both Ellis Faas products, the TFSI, Shu brow pencil and RMK concealer are items that I bought myself. All the other items listed were PR samples. 

My Current Staples

Although I like to wear different things regularly and I'm often hot on the tail of something new, there are certain core items in my collection that I know will never let me down. Some are products I use daily and others are items that I know will instantly get me out of a tight spot! Especially for those times when only have five minutes to make myself presentable.

Several of these items were sent to me as PR samples. I sometimes hesitate when it comes to including these items in favourites posts in case people are somehow suspicious of my motives. However, these are genuinely products that I love and will be replacing myself when they run out. Wherever applicable I have included links to more detailed review posts and I have indicated all PR samples with an asterisk. 

BECCA concealer in praline* and the LMdB concealer brush* - these two items together are my secret weapon. I dip the brush directly into the pan and then apply to any blemishes or areas of redness. The concealer is a great match for me and I really like the consistency of the 'thinner' concealer in the right hand pan. The brush is superb at sheering out the concealer and blending seamlessly. For those of you that can't access Le Métier de Beauté, I think the Hourglass large concealer brush might be a suitable alternative.

RMK Super Basic Liquid concealer - I have mentioned this concealer many, many times before but this is my favourite for the undereye area. I've had this for over a year now and it's still going strong. I imagine it won't be opaque enough to suit everyone's needs but I like the fact that it's more opaque than most other highlighting pens. The yellow undertone seems to work well for me too.

Max Factor Second Skin foundation* - I don't wear foundation every day but if I'm in the mood or feel like my skin needs extra help, I will reach for Second Skin. I was introduced to this by makeup artist Caroline Barnes and it works very well on my skin. It's not a heavy coverage and has a slightly dewy finish which rather kind to moderately seasoned skin! I can slap it on with my fingers quickly so it's also perfect for speedy makeup.

NARS Laguna bronzer- I recently mentioned that I have entered bronzer mode now the sun has disappeared. I have a couple of bronzers that I like but Laguna is my favourite. I have been applying it with this very cute little Essence brush that Mookie on the Bench kindly sent me.

Cream blusher - I am cheating a little here as I have several cream blushers that I reach for in emergencies. I find cream blusher is definitely the fastest and most forgiving formula. Particularly as it can add a little life into the face by adding a sheen at the same time as colour. My personal favourites are BECCA Turkish Rose, Edward Bess After Sunset and Hourglass Cheek Stain in Rouge.

W3LL People Univeralist #2 Highlighter* and RBR Eyes Wide Open Pencil* - These are my current face brightening favourites. Both of these are very easy to use and I find them impossible to overcook because of their consistency. The pencil is very creamy and easy to blend out. It's great for the brow and as an inner corner highlight. It is possible to use it elsewhere on the face too. The W3LL People highlighter is very easy to use highlight the tops of the cheek bone. I have actually been know to draw it directly onto my face and then blend with my fingers. It isn't so creamy that you end up with a big stripe so there's no fear you'll end up looking like an 80's throwback. I promise! The W3LL People Universalist stick is available from Being Content and I shall review it very soon.

My little assistant 'helping' out with the photographs

Gosh Velvet Touch pencil in Truly Brown and RBR Long-lasting Eye pencil in Lola - Quite often when I am in a rush I will skip eyeshadow and just apply liner. If I wear eyeliner on it's own I prefer to use a brown pencil (unless of course I am going for a winged liner with red lipstick, in which case it has to be black). Both the Gosh pencil in Truly Brown and RBR pencil in Lola are lovely colours and quick to apply because of their consistency. They also last very well. As an aside, if you're a fan of brown liners may I point you in the direction of London Makeup Girl's recent comparison post. I am very taken with the depth of the Tom Ford Espresso liner.

Shu Uemura brow pencil (H9, Seal Brown) - I very rarely use anything else for filling my brows. The pencil is a hard forumla and doesn't transfer very much unless you are wearing foundation (or primer) that has strayed onto the brows. I find this has some major advantages: if I am not wearing foundation it will give me a natural finish, when I am wearing foundation it will tranfer more and give a more defined look. So, essential it works with me rather than against me.

Mascara - Again, a generic item. My favourite mascara is Hourglass Film Noir but I don't currently have a tube and I am working my way through several others. The Max Factor Xperience* is a good everyday mascara. I like MUFE Smoky lash for a more dramatic finish.

RBR Sheer lipstick in Murmurings and Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Bonheur - When I am in a rush I reach for one of these two lipsticks. The sheer formulas make them very easy to wear and perfect for the cooler months. The plummy shades are also great Autumnal choices. I find both Bonheur and Murmurings have enough pigment to show up as a colour on my lips already pigmented lips.

I haven't included any eyeshadows. It was a concious decision as I have so many eyeshadow favourites that we would have been here all week. Plus, as I mentioned above, if I'm in a rush I will often skip eyeshadow altogether. I do have some cream eyeshadows that I will use for a quick eye look. I have actually realised in the course of writing this that what I really lack is a lovely taupe cream. This will be next mission! One thing I have been enjoying recently is the Chanel Illusions d'Ombre in Illusoire. A friend was kind enough to send me a scoop (she's my makeup crack dealer!) and it is as lovely as I'd hoped.

Do you have any special makeup staples? Which are the products you reach for on a daily basis?


Disclosure: Items marked with * were received as PR samples.

Face of the Day with Hourglass Suede Duo

I don't seem to have done a face of the day post in ages. I wore this make up a couple of days ago. This may be a little disappointing for some as the makeup is subtle and muted but that is exactly how I like it. I'm really enjoying the Hourglass Visionaire duo in Suede and liked how it looked with the BECCA pencil in Goa. Like some kind of oddity I'm hitting the bronzer now that the summer is over. I'm no doubt trying convince myself that one of the cream to powder bronzer palettes from Hourglass would be a sensible idea!

Face
LMdB Peau Vierge in 01
NARS Laguna bronzer
RBR Manet blush wand
Shu Uemura brow pencil (H9, Seal Brown)
RMK Super Basic Liquid concealer on undereyes

Eyes
Hourglass Visionaire Eyeshadow duo in Suede
BECCA Automatic pencil in Goa
Max Factor Xperience Volume mascara

Lips
Giorgio Armani Shine lipstick in #5


Disclosure: The Peau Vierge, RBR Manet, BECCA pencil and Max Factor mascara were received as PR samples. The Armani lipstick was a gift from a lovely friend.

Chocolate Nail Polish Comparison

Apparently it was Chocolate Week this week. I've not had nearly enough chocolate to celebrate this fact so to make up for it I'm giving you a whole lot of chocolatey nails. I no longer have Rimmel Chocolate Factory which is a shame as it would have been fitting. Though I do have quite a few similar polishes as it turns out, I never released what a collector I had become!

The nail varnishes shown here are: (on the top row from left to right) Chanel Khaki Rose, BECCA Billy Tea, OPI Over the Taupe, Nails Inc. Eagle Street, (bottom row left to right) Orly Prince Charming, Filthy Gorgeous Satchel, Max Factor Soft Toffee, Sephora by OPI Metro Chic.

On the nail wheel the colours are: 1. Nails Inc. Eagle Street 2. Orly Prince Charming 3. Chanel Khaki Rose 4. BECCA Billy Tea 5. OPI Over the Taupe 6. Filthy Gorgeous Satchel 7. Max Factor Soft Toffee 8. Sephora by OPI Metro Chic. It was rather interesting applying them one after the other as the differences in consistency and the brush size and shape were very noticeable. Eagle Street, Prince Charming, Khaki Rose and Satchel all had a thicker consistency and were near opaque with a single coat. Billy Tea, Over the Taupe and Metro Chic all seemed very thin in comparison.

The four colours that were most noticeably similar when applied were Orly Prince Charming, Chanel Khaki Rose, BECCA Billy Tea and OPI Over the Taupe. There are subtle difference, Khaki Rose is more yellow in undertone whereas Billy Tea is more chocolate-y with a hint of mauve. I don't think anyone would really require all four, certainly if I showed the Biochemist he would wonder why I had four identical bottles. I'd say we're in 'no dupes but near enough' territory. Billy Tea is the only colour currently available so if you've missed out on any of the others, this would be a good alternative.

Are you a fab of chocolate brown nails? Or do you think these colours stray into another less appealing category?

Chanel Topkapi Applied

Sometimes on a weekend I won't apply my makeup until the evening. It always feels like a treat after a day spent cleaning! This makeup was the result of one of these evening applications and I went a little bolder than I might do ordinarily. I first applied the Kevyn Aucoin lip colour and thought the Chanel Topkapi eyeshadows I showed you yesterday might be complimentary.

I applied the taupe shade first all over the lid and then layered the gold over the taupe in the centre of the lid. I'm nervous of gold with my colouring but using the Le Metier Kaleidoscopes has taught me that layering can make a scary colour work for you. I finished off by running a little of the deep chocolate brown colour along the outer 2/3rds of the lash line.

Face
LMdB Peau Vierge
BECCA concealer in Praline
MAC Clear Brow Set
Max Factor Soft Copper blusher
e.l.f. HD Powder

Eyes
Too Faced Shadow Insurance
Chanel Topkapi Quadra
MUFE Smoky Lash

Lips
Kevyn Aucoin Liquid Lipstick in Aquarouge

Here's a slightly different look with the same palette. I applied the taupe on the lid again but this time used the bronze-y shade in the crease and the dark brown along the lash line. I'm wearing Edward Bess After Sunset compact rouge on my cheeks and Forever Yours lipstick (swatch post here) over MAC Subculture liner.

Max Factor Colour Elixir Lipsticks

Last week I showed you lip swatches of the seven Colour Elixir lipsticks I wore as part of my Elixir Challenge and I talked about how colours can boost your mood or make you feel self-conscious. Today, I want to talk a bit about the 'Elixir' formula as well as show you a lot more pictures and swatches.

The Colour Elixir lipsticks are designed to be a lip treatment as well as a lip colour. The 'Elixir' treatment makes up 60% of the lipsticks and includes ingredients such as shea, avocado and aloe butters, as well as anti-oxidant white tea. Having worn these lip colours consistently for a week, I noticed that my lips definitely felt soft and hydrated. I was especially impressed that the comfortable formula was consistent across the colours. It's rare to find a drugstore red or bright coral that is long-lasting, pigmented AND non-drying.

All seven of the colours I tried were very pigmented. I had wondered if they might be a little sheer with all of the moisturising ingredients. The colours have good wear time too. One thing I did notice is that all of the colours left a stain on my lips and in the case English Rose, the stain was actually a little darker than the lipstick. The finishes of the lipsticks vary across the range; most had a satin with a couple of frosty finishes and micro-shimmer thrown in for good measure. There are 15 shades altogether and having looked at the stand the other day, I spotted a couple of very appealing rosy brown colours.

If you are a fan of lipsticks, I would highly recommend taking a look at the Colour Elixir range. Priced £7.99 (or £5.99 in Superdrug at the moment), they have the feel and pigmentation of more expensive lipsticks. I think they've covered all the bases with the colours too.


Disclosure: These items were received without cost as part of a blogger challenge.