Illamasqua FOTD with Vernau and Obsidian

I recently received a few items from the Illamasqua Human Fundamentalism collection to try. I thought it would probably most useful to show them applied along with a couple of other Illamasqua products that I already own. I have included swatches of all the products too.

L-R: Obsidian, Sealing Gel, Vernau

Vernau

Obsidian

Vernau is a yellow-hued medium brown. I think it's a bit too dark to be described as ochre but that should give you a good idea of the undertone. I wouldn't usually wear this as a lid colour but I wanted to apply to larger to see how the eyeshadow performed. Obsidian is a matte black which seems to lean a touch green on my skin. Both eyeshadows are reasonably pigmented. They are not as smooth as some of my favourite eyeshadow formulas but they do blend well. I applied Obsidian dry as a liner to start with and I was pleased with how dark it looked as I was concerned it might look a little patchy from the swatch. Obsidian is definitely my favourite of the two eyeshadows.

I had a play with the Sealing Gel mixed with Obsidian but I feel I haven't really cracked my technique with the gel yet. I tried mixing the two in a palette with limited success (I think this technique would work well with loose pigments) so instead I added the gel directly to the eyeshadow pan. I didn't manage to make a true paste, which is what I hoped to achieve, but the mix still worked ok as a liner. The line didn't budge until I removed my makeup at the end of the day.

Below are all the colour items that I used. I wasn't terribly enamoured with the final look: I think the colours jarred a little and the foundation I used wasn't a good fir, so all in all I was a bit 'meh' about it. I have included a pictures though as I know it's always useful to see products applied. That is my roundabout way of saying be gentle with me!

L-R: Fume lipgloss, Beg Blusher, Obsidian and Vernau

All products are from Illamasqua unless otherwise stated.

Face
Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation in Porcelain
Shu Uemura brow pencil
Blusher in Beg

Eyes
Too Face Shadow Insurance
Vernau eyeshadow all over the mobile lid and blended out at the crease
Obsidian mixed with Sealing Gel applied along the upper lash line
Masquara mascara in Raven

Lips
Intense lipgloss in Fume

I'm sorry that this is such a small crop but the Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder foundation really didn't flatter my skin and I was loath to share the full face. I found it settled in my pores and highlighted fine lines, accentuating flaws that I prefer to conceal! I requested a sample of this foundation with my last Zuneta order and I have to say it is a very worthwhile service. Buying foundation online is typically a risky business. As I suspected, the Immaculate Liquid Powder foundation has a powdery matte finish and would be best suited to a more oily skin type or a more youthful complexion.


Disclosure: Vernau, Obsidian and the Sealing Gel were sent to me without cost. I also bought some Illamasqua Sealing Gel last year but shamefully this is the first time I have used it.

The Beautiful Isle of Man

I hope you will forgive me for being a holiday bore. I know it's totally off topic but I thought it would be interesting to share a few more pictures of the island and a bit of chatter as so often people don't really know where I'm talking about when I mention the Isle of Man (unless they follow the TT or grew up in Liverpool...or remember the Manx 'telecommunications entrepreneur' from The Apprentice).

The Isle of Man is a small island in the middle of the Irish Sea, roughly half way between Great Britain and Ireland. The 2006 census recorded it's population as 80,058 and although it is part of the British Isles, it isn't part of the United Kingdom and has it's own government. The island is 33 miles long and 13 miles wide (at the widest point), the highest point is the summit of Snaefell. There is an electric railway which runs to the top of Snaefell moutain. I didn't go up on this visit as it was too misty and also, I'm a big chicken so I can usually find any excuse to get out of it!

I'm not a terribly outdoorsy person but I tend to make and exception when it comes to the Island as there are many scenic walks. My husband took us on a walk through Dhoon Glen down to the beach on one particularly sunny day. I confess to being terrified at various points on the walk as it is a steep decent but it was worth it for the spectacular views along the way.

Although we didn't go on the mountain train on this visit, we did spend a lot of time on both the Electric and Steam Railways. There was a steam festival on over the Easter weekend which pleased my eldest son enormously as he's a quite the little trainspotter. To be honest, it's a nice way to enjoy the scenery even if you're not a train buff.

Thank you for looking. I promise to be back with more makeup talk shortly.

Beauty Spotlight Roundup 14/04/12

Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed hits up the expects for their tips on cuticle care in hopes that her nail swatch pictures will stop scaring small children. Check it out and feel free to offer up tips of your own for everyone's sake!

Layla Cosmetics have taken the nail polish world by storm and polish insomniac shows you why!

The Pink Sith says the Too Faced Cosmetics Better Than False Lashes Nylon Lash Extension System may be just right for your special snowflake like lashes!

Pretty pinks and wearable nudes, Visionary beauty has a look at some of the newly released Chanel lipstick shades.

Another new MAC collection? We may find these appear too often but sometimes they come out with a winner. Beauty Info Zone wants to show how you can go the Extra Dimension.

Prime Beauty embraces the bright trend with 5 bold lip looks for spring and summer!

To celebrate the return of Le Metier de Beaute to the UK, Modesty Brown shares some of her favourite items from the brand.

Shannon at Lipstick Musings joins the ranks of the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed with the help of the famous Touche Eclat. Come see why this concealer and illuminator is so famous!

Pammy Blogs Beauty finally got to see the Hunger Games movie! Check out the Hunger Games-inspired manicures that she created with Pure Ice Nail Polish.

London MakeUp Girl compares the new and old formula of Kevyn Aucoin's Expert Lip Tint in Samilke. Has the shade changed? See if you can spot the difference she swears she sees at Kevyn Aucoin Samilke - old versus new version.

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic discovered the favorite beauty products of makeup artist Brandy Gomez-Duplessis. Which drugstore mascara is her favorite?

Zuzu*s Petals wonders if facial exercises could be a worthy addition to her pro-youthful beauty arsenal. Come read about it at Everyday Beauty.

Perilously Pale decided it was time to find out what all the
hype was about with the new YSL Glossy Stains. Check out her review of Corail Aquatique and find out why she thinks everyone MUST try these!

My Holiday Makeup

I realise that it is rather an odd choice for me to show you my holiday makeup packing after I've been on holiday. I ran out of time before I went away but I thought it might actually be interesting to look back retrospectively, so that I can consider which items I could have left at home. Especially as I ended up taking more than was necessary, requiring a larger bag than in the picture above. You may think of it as me sharing what a wally I am!

So, here is what came with me, more or less. I actually managed to forget to pack the Spirit of Beauty facial spritz which was a shame. I would have been grateful of it after the shocking ferry crossing. I think anyone who has travelled the Irish Sea in a force 8-9 gale will know what I'm talking about. There's no amount of correctional makeup that is going to disguise that kind of horror!

I don't suppose it looks like a huge amount spread out like this and I know at home that I tend to vary the products I use a lot. However, I do have a tendency to favour new things and I wore a couple of products almost everyday which I should have predicted when packing.

Too Faced Shadow Insurance and the Rouge Bunny Rouge Sketches on Water tinted moisturiser were used daily. I avoided using the perfect skin defense spf30 as it definitely makes my skin look dehydrated. The RBR tinted moisturiser does have an spf of 15 so I wasn't going without sun protection.

I don't regret packing any of the items above. The Max Factor False Lash Effect mascara wand has a big brush head and I do find I blob on my lids but it gives good buildable definition. I forgot to apply my Shu Uemura brow pencil one day and I realised how strange my brows look without powder or pencil. This is as essential to me as covering up the grey hairs in terms of disguising the effects of age. The eyeliners I took with me were YSL Long Lasting Waterproof liner in #5, GOSH Velvet Touch liner in Truly Brown and MAC Teddy Eye Kohl.

The eyeshadows were probably one area that I could have cut back on. Surprisingly, the palette I hardly used was the Guerlain Les Fumes quad. I love this palette and ordinarily, I could have got away with only taking this one. Instead, I fluctuated between days of wearing just the Rouge Bunny Rouge Atlas Swallowtail or Julie Hewett Mystere with liner (for simplicity) or going for a more colourful look. One of my favourite pairings was Chanel Epatant with the grey from the Dolce & Gabbana Fabulous quad. It was nice to re-acquaint myself with NARS Dogon too.

Chanel Epatant and Julie Hewett Mystere

From top, clockwise: NARS Laguna, Illamasqua Rude, W3LL People #5, W3LL People highlighter

I love all of these items but for whatever reason (read holiday red wine intake), I hardly used them. I think I could have swapped them all for one cream blusher such as BECCA Turkish Rose or Edward Bess After Sunset.

L-R: EB Secret Desire, Ilia Arabian Knights, Ilia Crimson & Clover, RBR Murmurings and Hourglass Femme

I had very chapped lips when I arrived at my parents and I pretty much stuck to using the Ilia Arabian Knights and Rouge Bunny Rouge Murmurings all week as they both feel so comfortable. As a side note, these are similar colours and I must do a side by side comparison. I took Edward Bess Secret Desire along in the hope that I might do a smoky eye and nude lip for a night out. I don't really know what kind of special child sleeping miracle I was anticipating!

I could have definitely cut back on the number of brushes that I packed. I hardly used the face brushes as I hardly used the face products. I could have reduced the number of eye brushes too as several of them are multi-purpose, such as the Rouge Bunny Rouge large shader. Using the cream eyeshadows on a couple of days also cut down on my brush needs.

I suspect that I probably won't improve my packing skills next time round. Hopefully, I will remember not to pack for unlikely eventualities though. Feel free to remind me that I said this!

Apivita Body Nourish Shower Gel

I have been trying a number Apivita products recently and there are more reviews to come, but I did want to give this shower gel a quick mention. I know there's often not much to say about body wash: it foams, it cleans and it may or may not make you smell nice. However, I have recently discovered that not all body washes are created equal and it really made me appreciate how nice this one is.

The Body Nourish Shower Gel for Dry Skin with almond and lavender smells beautiful. It is more like a cream than a gel in texture, produces a luxurious foam and leaves my skin feeling soft and clean. I don't particular my skin to be dry but as I frequently don't have time to apply body lotion, this is actually an ideal product. The Apivita products are made from mostly natural ingredients (the exact percentage varies but the figure are on their website) and this product is free from parabens, proplyene gycol, mineral oil and ethanolomine. It also contains lavender, neroli, geranium and rosewood essential oils to 'lift your mood and relieve stress'. After all the sickly children and broken nights I've had recently, my mood definitely needs lifting first thing!

Apivita do a whole variety of different shower gels for different skin types, so you're sure to find one that suits you. The Body Nourish shower gel costs €12.20 (approximately £10) and shipping within Europe costs €9 for orders under €50, so it makes sense to buy a few things in one order. For orders over €70 shipping is free.


Disclosure: Sample was sent to me without cost for consideration for review.

Taupe Revisited: Julie Hewett Hue in Mystere

I first showed you the Julie Hewett Hue in Mystere in this post. It's taken quite a few uses for me to feel confident about writing a review as there are definitely pluses and minuses to this cream eyeshadow.

I'll get the negatives out of the way first. The cream has quite a dry formula so it takes a bit of effort to pick up the colour from the pot. I have tried both finger and brush to apply and I prefer to use my fingertip as the warmth helps to pick it up. Although it looks opaque in the swatch, on my lids it is always quite sheer and requires a bit of layering. This can be a little tricky if you're using a fingertip. Finally, despite being quite dry in texture, I find it is prone to creasing. I get a couple of hours wear with an eye primer before I see light creasing.

All of this aside, I do like using Mystere and pick it out often as it is a lovely colour and I like the convenience of a cream eyeshadow when I'm in a rush. The positives definitely outweigh the negatives for me but whether or not this is true for you will depend on your stance on creasing etc.

I really like the silvery, slightly metallic touch to this taupe. The sheer effect on the lids is nice if you're after just a wash of colour and I like this best with a slick of eyeliner (I've used navy as well as the dark brown I used above). You could of course use this as a base for eyeshadow too. 

The Julie Hewett Hue eyeshadows are available in both pot and pan form. I bought this from Cocktail Cosmetics but unfortunately Mystere is no longer in stock. Julie Hewett products are also available from Mise Beauty where the Hue pots cost £13.

Another Lipstick Sacrifice (warning: this contains images of children and crimes against makeup)

This picture remind me of a rhyme that Mum used to tell me. 'There once was a girl, who had a little curl, right in the middle of her forehead...'. I'm sure you know how the rest goes! Miss MB has grown up with me writing this blog and she's very keen to join in these days. When the postman rings the doorbell she rushes to the door and shouts "present, present" at anything that vaguely looks like a parcel. There's no way that I can get away with smuggling the parcels upstairs to open later, as I once did. She wants IN!

I still enjoy taking pictures of new products in a pristine state and this incident happened as a result of my Ilia lipsticks arriving. She started opening them up and I could see disaster ahead. So, one of my other lipsticks had to take one for the team. Her application technique needs some......refining. I loved the fact that she started applying it to her hands, once she'd finished her face!

Fortunately the lipstick has survived to tell the tale. Though something tells me I might need to invest in some lockable drawers.