BECCA Enigma Palette

I received the BECCA Enigma palette last week and I have worn it almost everyday since. It's rare for me to do this with an item of makeup but I really love the colours and I'm also quite enamoured with how quickly I can create a smoky, yet still daytime appropriate look.

The palette contains three colours. Armure; a matte beigey grey, Silesia; a dark, sooty brown and Surah; a shimmery mushroom shade with mauve tones.  Both of the lighter shades make good lid colours on their own. I've tried a few different colour combinations and placements but my favourite way to wear this is to apply Armure all over the mobile lid followed by Surah on the outer quarter of the eye and into the crease. Then I line with the darkest shade and smoke it out towards the outer corner of my eye.

L-R: Armure, Silesia, Surah.

In the pictures below I am wearing Surah (the mauve/mushroom) and Silesia along the lash line.

These eyeshadows are nice to apply and have good pigmentation, though they're possibly not as 'buttery' as some of my other eyeshadows. They actually remind me a little of the colours and textures in the Rue de Passy palette. I have used the mini brush that comes in the palette and it works well to apply Silesia as a smudgy liner (it might have tempted me to investigate BECCA brushes too).

Enigma was released as part of the Fallen Angels collection and I believe it is limited edition. I also have the Belize line and illuminate pencil that was released with this collection but I didn't have as much success with that as I have had with Enigma. I would like to try using both together to recreate the look used in the Zuneta videos.

If you like these sorts of neutral colours this is definitely worth investigating. The palette costs £35 and is available from the BECCA Boutique in London as well as online stockists such as Zuneta and LookFantastic.



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

Sale Update

For those of you that bought items yesterday, I just wanted to let you know they went out in the post today. First class as promised. If you let me know that items have arrived safely I'd really appreciate it. Feel free to tweet or email me. I hope you all enjoy your items!
Jane x

Clairol Nice'n Easy Foam Dye

When I switched from using semi-permanent to permanent hair dyes my dye of choice quickly became Nice'n Easy in Medium Ash Brown (5A). I think I first found the recommendation on a forum and despite the occasional dalliance with other brands, I have pretty much stuck to this one. So, when I spotted that they had brought out a new foam formula I was keen to give it a try, especially after my success with the other foam dye.

I picked my usual colour, Medium Ash Brown and you probably already know about what happened in terms of the colour from my other post. I don't want to dwell on that here, as a seasoned home dye-er it's happened before and I wouldn't necessarily dismiss a colourant because of this. I'd just be more careful with colour choice in future. What I wanted to talk about here is my experience with the application. In particular, in comparison to the original non-foam formula and the John Frieda foam I have used before.

Before

First of all, the instructions in the packet are not as thorough as I have to come to expect from home dyes. There was no mention of how to use it to colour roots only or different times for stubborn greys. The foam was easy to prepare but I found that it didn't seem to mix very well. The foam isn't very stable and dissipates quickly. As a result the dye didn't mix evenly within the foam. Also, because the foam dissipated quickly, it was tricky to apply and tiny splatters went everywhere as the bubbles burst. I hadn't covered my bathroom as I was expecting it not to be messy and I quickly regretted this. A week on and there are still signs of my escapades!

Although the foam didn't remain foam for long, I experienced no problems with drips once it was applied. I have never experienced drips though with the original Nice'n Easy formula though and to be honest I prefer the original formula for easy of application. I didn't feel confident enough to comb my hair through with the foam, especially as it seemed to knot my hair up as I applied it.

It didn't have some of the nice extra that I liked about the John Frieda foam. It had the usual unpleasant dye smell and the gloves were the regular cream variety. These are not deal breakers of course but worthy of note. The other thing that I noticed was the usual tube of ColourSeal Gloss conditioner was absent and had been replaced by two sachets. Again, not a major deal in the grand scheme of things. I would assume that the Clairol ColourSeal Gloss conditioner that you can buy separately is suitable for use with these dyes.

I left the dye on for the recommended time and then started rinsing. I found my hair felt strange and was very tangled. This was sorted once I applied the conditioner but it did make it difficult to rinse my hair thoroughly and I found that a lot of hair broke off whilst I was trying to rinse. I also discovered afterwards that a lot of dye had remained on my scalp. It took several washes to remove this.

After

As you already know my hair came out much darker than anticipated. I did find that my greys were covered well and my hair looks glossy and in good condition. Though it's not quite a soft as it normally is with the non-foam version. When taking the 'After' photographs from the side I thought that the colour looked a little uneven. I had already quizzed my husband about whether it looks patchy but he's says not and I cannot see it myself so I'm hoping that this is just an artifact of the photographs.

My overall experience of this dye has been disappointing. I was especially disappointed as I have always got on well with the original formula. I think the foam still needs a bit of tweaking and I hope Clairol will reformulate this one. For now, I will stick to the regular Nice'n Easy formula or use the John Frieda foam. I am aware that hair dye is a bit like marmite though and I would recommend looking at other reviews before you make a decision. I would also be really interested to hear if you've used this foam dye and how you've found it?


Disclosure: This was sent to me without payment for review purposes.

Blog Sale

First of all I will get all of the blog sale stipulations out of the way.

1. Please leave your PAYPAL email address in the comments along with your location and I will send you an invoice. I will accept payment by Paypal only.

2. Please let me know in advance if your address is different to the one associated with your Paypal address.

3. I will not accept returns so please make sure you check swatches etc. before ordering.

4. All of the items are shown in their current condition and as described. Do ask if you have any particular questions about an item.

5. Postage will be 1st class for the UK (£1.75) and Airmail for International buyers (£2.50 Europe, £4 elsewhere). I'm happy to combine postage for multiple items. If you want any items to be signed for on arrival (UK or Airmail) do let me know and that can be organised. Postage costs will be checked prior to payment in this case.

All of these items have been bought or swapped for by me. I'm getting rid of these things because I need to make some more space and I hate hoarding makeup when someone else could enjoy these items. I keep items in good condition and some of them come with their original packaging. I will leave sanitising up to you.

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NARS Loose Face Powder in Eden. £12
Hardly used, still comes with box but I will not include the powder puff for hygiene reasons. I will warn that the lid is messy even though it has been stored upright.

MAC MSF in So Ceylon £12
Only used a few times. Boxed but not original packaging. No sign of dips.

Revlon PhotoReady foundation in 004 Nude £3
Used a few times. At least 80% left.

Korres Watermelon Lightweight Tinted Moisturiser SPF 30 in 01 Sand £7
This has been used several times, there's 70 - 80% left.

Illamasqua Illumine Oil in Pulse £9
Swatched only, still in original box

Morrocanoil 25ml (small bottle) £6  GONE
Hardly used

  
Avon True Colour Blush in Earthen Rose £3
Hardly used

MAC Mineralise blush in Warm Soul £8 GONE

Used a maximum of 4 times.

L-R: Charged Cherry, Pink Pop, Carnation, Hue

Avon Ultra Colour Rich Mega Impact lipstick in Charged Cherry £2.50
Used a couple of time

Avon Ultra Colour Rich Mega Impact lipstick in Pink Pop £2.50
Used once

Revlon Colorstay lipstick in Carnation £4
Used once


MAC lipstick in Hue £6
Barely used

Mavala Scientifique and Nail Strengthener Duo - £6 for all of them.
The Scientifique was the most used but there's still lots left in each. I will include the instructions leaflet for the Scientifique.

Haus of Gloi Snow Wolf Pumpkin Butter (full size pot) £3.50
Lightly used, still contains at around 90-95%.

Thanks for looking and if you're interested item let me know in the comments along with your Paypal email address.

Tom Ford Lipstick in Smoke Red

I already gave you a little sneak preview of how this looked in my red comparison post. I know it's taken a little while to write this review but red isn't something I wear everyday and I wanted chance to wear it a few times before giving you my thoughts.

Despite being a red, I find this particular colour and finish make it easy to wear on a more regular basis. There's something more muted about it than a more punchy red. Somehow the colour allows a bit of my natural lip colour to peep through without it being sheer. There is some sparkle which is visible on the bullet yet I cannot pick it out in either the swatch or on my lips but I think it contributes to the slightly glossy look.

This has average wear for me and whilst it isn't the most moisturising lipstick in my collection, it doesn't sap my lips of moisture like some pigmented colours. It has a nice creamy feel too. My husband was admiring the lipstick and he commented on the subtle fragrance. It's not a highly perfumed smell, in the way that I would describe a YSL lipstick, but there's a slightly sweet almost chocolaty smell to it. For me this just adds to the luxury.

I don't have a good picture of this in the context of my face, yet colourwise I think it's helpful to see how it looks. So, I hope you can overlook the otherwise naked face. I have a feeling this picture will be replaced very soon! I do think it gives a good representation of the colour though.

I don't suppose there's any way to write a review of a Tom Ford lipstick without broaching the subject of the cost. Tom Ford Private Blend lipsticks retail at £35. That's a lot of money for a lipstick by anybody's standards. I have to admit that I actually bought this particular lipstick from Ebay for just a bit over £20. I can't say that any one thing makes this lipstick worth £35. The formula and colour is very nice but not necessarily any more so than other lipsticks at the £22 mark. The overall attention to detail though does lend a more luxurious feel (the packaging, the smell, the TF detail on the bullet etc.) and I feel very special whenever I wear this.

The bottom line is, it is by no means a must have but if you're a lover of lipsticks and like a bit of luxury, I wouldn't discourage you from giving these a try. I am very happy that I have this and I feel there's still space for another Tom Ford lipstick in my life!

The Friday Double Bill Continues: Lyuba Confesses

The second confessional today comes from Lyuba from Funky Makeup Junkie. A woman after my own heart, fasten your seat belts ladies, this is a biggie!

Confession is good for the soul, go ahead and unburden yourself! I promise I won’t judge.

Forgive me Aunty Brown for I have sinned. Sadly, or maybe not haha, I’m not even ashamed of some of them.

- Until I moved to USA at the age of 15, I never ever EVER used a sunscreen... Never even heard of it.... because it wasn’t readily available in Ukraine at the time. Then in Florida I became known as a “Sunscreen Queen” because I would always carry several bottles with me to the beach, and apply it to my friends regardless of them wanting it or not. But I would never wear it during regular days, justifying that I wasn’t out in the sun at all (because we all know that driving in the car for hours at a time doesn’t count right? Right?) Now living in UK I rarely use sunscreen too, unless I know I will be out and about for a whole day in the sun. All the other days I would like my poor white skin to get some kind of sun ;P

- When I lived in Ukraine I hated brushing my hair. Due to circumstances of our life there, I only got to properly wash my hair once a week, so imagine combination of that and not brushing? Lets just say mom had a lot of fun fixing it for me. Once I got a little older and figured out that my hair is oily, I started washing it every other day with mom’s help.

- Which brings me to another point. Until I moved out from my parent house (once I got married at 23), I still had my mom help me style my hair. I’m completely clueless when it comes to styling my hair, and the only reasons why I don’t get her help now is because: 1. I’m in UK, she is in US, and 2. My hair is so short now, it doesn’t need much styling.

- I’m guilty of wearing a tight ponytail for years upon years. No wonder my head hurt so much!!

- I don’t like painting my toe nails, and the only ways I do it is when my husband starts to tell me that I need to “paint my toesies again because it looks so cute”. Yup, my husband pays more attention to my toe nails than I am.

- When my husband gets deployed, I usually fall asleep on the couch without taking my makeup off. He is deployed right now, so my poor skin hates me right now.

Can someone please pass me the face wipes?

- I rarely shave my legs, even in summer. I justify it with the fact that my hairs are so light; no one can see anything anyways.

- Until early 2010 I never even used moisturizer or toner and until few month ago I didn’t even realize how important it is to moisturize my skin.

- Yet I am still too lazy to moisturize my whole body, especially my legs.

- I rarely use any kind of perfume, just can’t be bothered with it.

- I bought Bare Minerals brush cleanser and didn’t use it for a year. It was just standing on the shelf, looking all pretty but not being used. Now I was my brushes every 2-3 weeks or so? Still can’t bring myself to properly wash them EVERY week.

- I have makeup stuff that I bought over a month ago, but haven’t touched yet because I haven’t photographed it... And the stuff I got yesterday, same story :)

- I’m very envious of my husband’s feet. How is it he, who NEVER EVER does anything to his feet, who wears combat boots all the time, has feet softer than mine? Me who lathers my feet with lotions and scrubs scrubs scrubs?

- I really want to cut my hair short a-la Emma Watson (not because she did it, but because she is the one who happens to have the haircut I want) but my husband will cry. I already cut my hair as short as I can get away without upsetting him. Because although it IS my hair, I still want him happy too lol.

- I used to be a nail biter for years, and even now when I’m stressed out I can go back to it. That’s why I get my nails done every month with gel and pretty designs.

There, don’t you feel better now?

A little bit lol. I didn’t even realize I had so much to confess, and I could have kept going too.

Aunty Brown has a few more questions though; it’s true that I’m the nosy type.


When was the last time you visited the hairdresser?

About a week ago, where I asked her to trim my hair as short as she can haha. I’m sure she could have done shorter, but my hairdresser actually likes me so she said she can only do half an inch for it to look even and good.

You have a choice: bad hair or bad nails?

Bad hair. Being a nail biter for years, I can tell you that people do NOTICE. And I’m not going through that shame ever again. I’m known as a crazy hat lady to my friends, so I can always wear a hat if I had a bad hair day. No one even going to suspect that I’m having a bad hair day, because I wear hats so often haha ;P

Lyuba gives good hat!

What is the oldest item of make up in your collection?

I cleaned out my makeup right before I moved to UK a little less than 2 years ago. Although my original EcoTools brushes were bought right before I moved, so I guess they are my oldest makeup item. :)

Which trend still makes you cringe?

Nude lipsticks on a very light skin, or a very light pink shimmery lipstick on a very dark tanned skin. And I’m not talking about pretty nude lipsticks, I’m talking about those that are so light they make you look like a zombie! There is a lady at work that has skin about as light as mine and wears lipstick about as light as her skin. Zombie I’m telling you! I cringe every time I see her. For the second trend, I just think it looks very tacky.

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Fantastic stuff, you must feel lighter after all that. Thank you very much for unburdening! If you would like to take a turn and unburden yourself in the Friday Confessional you can email me at modestybrown@googlemail.com. It's open to everyone: if you have something to confess, I'm happy to hear it!

A Friday Confession Double Bill

It's been a funny old week and I managed to make a major blunder with my dates. I for one need a boost, so for the first time ever, I give you a Confessional double bill! First up this week is Esther from When Life Hands You Lipstick.

Confession is good for the soul, go ahead and unburden yourself! I promise I won’t judge.

Ok, I’ll admit it. I used to brush and comb my curly hair when it was dry. Only last year did I figure out why my hair was such a frizzy mass.

The first time I used concealer for blemishes, I bought a green powder. Not only did I cake that all over my face and go out in public, but the powder was sparkly! I’m embarrassed just thinking about all the people that saw my face in such a state.

A colour correcting disaster in action

When I was in middle school, I thought eye glitter was the best makeup in the world. Needless to say, my opinion has changed.

Another middle school crime: Purple lipstick was in, so I thought that it must look great on me. True purple lipstick on a person with extremely white skin and dark hair can only create one look: frightening!

I am guilty of peeling off my nail polish in class and walking around with a shoddy manicure. Ew.

I have gone six months without trimming my hair.

I used spray-on heat protectant and curled my hair before the product dried. My hair smoked and steamed. Even my mom told me my hair smelled like charcoal. Lovely.

There, don’t you feel better now?

A bit, actually, because I can safely say that I have kicked the majority of these bad habits.

Aunty Brown has a few more questions though; it’s true that I’m the nosy type.

When was the last time you visited the hairdresser?

Two weeks ago!

You have a choice: bad hair or bad nails?

Bad nails, though I do hate both.

What is the oldest item of make up in your collection?

Remember that eye glitter I mentioned? Yeah, it’s still in one of my makeup cases.

Which trend still makes you cringe?

The way I wore purple lipstick still traumatizes me. I also really hate lips so matte and nude that they are completely erased. I don’t like false eyelashes that look like spiders. I know they’re popular, but they just scare me.

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Thank you so much to Esther for baring all. Your poor hair, there's nothing worse than the smell of burning hair. It reminds me of the time my sister lost her eyebrows with a can of aerosol and a lighter....