GLOSSYBOX FRESH START MUST-HAVES

Hi everyone I hope you are well. Today I want to share with you my first impressions of this month's 'Fresh Start Must-Haves GlossyBox'.

MEMEME EYE LINE PENCIL CLAY

A long lasting soft, glide on eye pencil that does not snag on the skin. The shade clay suits all eye colours. Can be worn on the upper and lower lash lines and the waterline. Not tested on animals.

This pencil does feel smooth on my hand and the shade appears to be very wearable for all eye colours as it's a mid-toned brown. Not too warm or too cool. A nice alternative to black which can be quite harsh and close up the eyes. I am not sure how well this will work on the waterline for me as I have quite watery eyes and find this type of pencil doesn't usually apply well on my waterline.

NICKA K NEW YORK COLORLUXE POWDER BLUSH ROMANTIC

A loose powder blush that applies with a soft, plush applicator puff. Comes in six shades.

This product is designed with the puff so that no powder sprinkles all over your handbag due to the puff applicator. The middle band of the pot however does twist off so I am not sure if that would be the case. It has a pop off lid so be sure to hold the band when removing it. The lid comes with a mirror which is cool. This shade Romantic is a dusky pink. Quite soft and English Rose. Great for paler girls, but can be built up for a slightly more intense blush. I am not a big fan so far of the applicator, but then I am not a big fan of loose powder or pigment products usually because they tend to spread everywhere so I can see why the puff is in place. However I find using a brush easier to get the right amount of product to sweep over the skin rather than dabbing a puff on a certain area.

JELLY PONG PONG ALL OVER GLOW

An brightening oil-free lightweight, luminizing gel with pearlescent pigments to highlight the face for a radiant complexion. Dab onto cheekbones and brow bones. Cruelty free.

This is a gorgeously glowy product that will instantly give you healthy, dewy looking skin. This is another product that is not too cool or too warm and I think would work well with many skin tones. It blends into the skin beautifully. It's not ultra glittery like some highlighting products can be, but instead has micro particles that catch the light giving a 'lit from within, youthful effect'. I think this would look great on cheekbones for an awakened look as well as the cupids bow for plumped, fuller looking lips. I would also try it on my lids for an easy day or night look. It may even be nice to mix with foundations that you would like to make more dewy.

KUESHI NATURAL & PLEASANT COSMETICS REVITALIZING FACE TONER

A soothing and re-hydrating skin re-balancing toner. Controls shine and softens dry areas.

I think some people don't see the point in using toners or just add them in to their skincare routine because they think they should. This is why I am especially intrigued to try this product to see if I think it makes a difference.

NAKED LIPS ORGANIC LIP BALM SUPERFRUITS

A sweet tasting balm that leaves lips nourished with a subtle sheen.

This does feel very nourishing with a silky balm feel. The scent is berry-tastic. I usually find lip balms to not work instantly or work for a while and once my lips get used to the product not work as well. I will keep using this and see how it goes.

I don't want to spoil a product in next month's box, but it is similar to one in this month's which disappoints me a little. I am not a fan of the spoiler card in each box as I like the fact that each month is a total surprise. It's party of the reason I signed up to GlossyBox.

For more information on the UK GlossyBox click here and for the US GlossyBox click here.

Let me know your thoughts on this month's GlossyBox in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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XMAS STOCKING FILLERS

Hey lovelies. I have missed blogging until now this week as I have been so caught up in work as well as Xmas bits and bobs. 

On Tuesday we had our Secret Santa with our Xmas lunch. I was lucky this year to have a friend of mine buy for me. She chose well knowing I am a make-up addict so here is what I received.

MUA (MAKEUP ACADEMY):

BRONZE EYESHADOW

ULTRAMARINE NAIL POLISH

BRUNETTE EYE BROW PENCIL

CANDYFLOSS BLUSHER

LILAC BELLE MATTE LIPSTICK

The budget for our Secret Santa is £5 per person so as you can see you can still give or receive fabulous make-up items this Xmas. Great as stocking fillers or perhaps table top gifts.

Available at MUASTORE.CO.UK where there is currently a 3 for 2 on all eye products. You can also purchase from SUPERDRUG where if you spend £8 on MUA products you receive the limited edition Twelfth Night Palette (subject to availability). 

I have made up a starter make-up kit for my Mum this year as she never wears make-up, but wants to try it. I have picked up a few MUA products for her kit, but unfortunately the free palette was sold out :(

Why not share your favourite things to find in your Xmas stocking below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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AIRBASE MAKEUP HIGH DEFINITION HOME USE AIRBRUSH MAKE-UP SYSTEM

Hi sweeties. I am back today with an airbrush make-up review for you. Yes you heard me right airbrush make-up and HD none the less.

All of the above photos have not been edited so are true in colour and tone.

The compact Airbase Makeup High Definition Home Use Airbrush Make-Up System and it's contents.

Currently includes a free Perfecting Primer worth £27.50! Other items in my kit were the Airbrush Thinner & Cleaner, Foundation in Light Medium FO02 & Medium FO03, Blush in BL02 Peach and a Mini Eye Shadow Palette.

Includes a light up mirror unit with compressor, mixing tray for foundations if using a brush, nozzle tool, airbrush nozzle, retractable hose, power plug, airbrush and product cup (shown below).

So now that I have shown you the results and the kit what do I think about the system? I was excited at trying a new way to apply my make-up, but a little nervous that I may end up spraying the floors and or walls of my house with make-up which is why I laid towels on my kitchen/diner floor to try this out. I however had no need to worry as the mist of make-up that is dispersed does not spray everywhere and is only released when you pull back on the green lever, even when the system is turned on. The make-up does not run once sprayed to your skin.

The Perfecting Primer feels lovely on the skin. Very silky and a good base for the product to cling to.

Once I had put all the parts together and emptied some foundation into the cup I could not get any product out. After adding more foundation to the cup and some thinner in case the foundation was too thick for the airbrush which it didn't look to be it still didn't work. I then tried tightening the nozzle (red part) more with the nozzle tool and the product started to come out. So as not to make the same mistake as me tighten the nozzle with your fingers, then give a half turn using the nozzle tool to allow the correct airflow through the airbrush. I applied the lightest shade of foundation all over my face and neck, paying extra attention to blemishes which you can move the airbrush a little closer for, but not too close or you will end up with obvious patches like I did. They were easily sorted though as I pressed a tissue over the area or just used my fingers to blend and went over the area again not so closely.

The darker foundation I used to contour my face. I simply sprayed out most of the previous foundation left in the cup onto a tissue and added the darker foundation to the little bit that was left to hopefully give a more seamless effect to my base and no obvious contrast, just definition. I think the foundation gives a matte slightly powdery finish once it has dried. It looks great in photos, but in real life I thought it looked like I was wearing more of a heavy base than I usually do. My boyfriend didn't think it looked that natural. I think the tones of foundation were okay to create a base and contour for me, but perhaps a little too dark and yellow toned. Not the worst match for my skin tone though.

Again I sprayed most of the remaining foundation out and applied the blush.

The eye palette I applied with my own make-up brushes:

white on my brow bones

gold to the inner corners and inner lids

purple in the crease, outer v and under the eyes

pink in the crease

blue on the outer v

grey in the crease, outer v and under the eyes

The mascara and lip gloss in this look are my own.

There was no need for me to use concealer with this make-up due to the medium/high coverage. Therefore this system I would perhaps recommend for those with rosacea or acne. The effect of this foundation was seamless not patchy as long as I did not get too close while working in circular motions.

Once you have this airbrush set up and working it's kind of fun to apply make-up in this way. I know I have been applying make-up differently for years, but for me I think it would take me too long to apply make-up like this though on a daily basis. 

Although the unit is not obviously noisy I apply make-up for work at about 6am so I know my boyfriend wouldn't appreciate me using this first thing. 

The lid on the product cup was quite tight so that made filling it with product a bit difficult to do trying to get it on and off, especially as there is a little hole in it that is meant to be there. 

The cleaning of the equipment was a bit hard to do because some of the parts are small and/or hard to reach and you don't want to cause damage to the more delicate parts of equipment. As you wouldn't want to leave make-up to dry in it I know I would get fed up of doing that every time I used it. 

Spraying the product on my skin was not an unpleasant experience though at all. It did not irritate my eyes (make sure you close your eyes when spraying close to them) and I did not feel like I was breathing in product through my nose or mouth.

I am very glad to have been able to borrow this system and experience using these products. If you love trying new things and being creative with make-up then maybe this innovative way of applying make-up is for you.

Find the kit here for more information as it is currently on offer for a limited time! Choose 3 make-up products to be included in your personalised kit from 7 shades of foundation, 2 blush shades or a bronzer.

Leave me your thoughts in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

Make-Up Reviews: Natural Collection, 99p Store, MUA & E.L.F.

Hi there lovelies. I have 4 make-up reviews from different brands for you today.

Boots Natural Collection Liquid Eye Lines Black

I can't find this on the Boots website, but I think I paid around £2.00 for this 8ml product. The brush on this eyeliner is very thin and flexible. You can see a close up of the brush in this haul post, link! The line you get from this product is extremely thin and precise so would be great for those who just want to enhance and deepen their natural lash line than have an obvious eyeliner look. I however prefer a slightly thicker line which is the only reason I would not repurchase this product. The pigment is very black and stays on well, but my brush has started to splay out and go a little gloopy so I am throwing it away. I have had this product for almost 2 years though so it has lasted very well.

99p Store Passion Foundation

This foundation was very easy to use. I applied this with my fingers. It was very buildable and quite a good colour match for my skin, although there is no actual shade on the bottle. The formula is very light like a mousse cream. The scent smells a bit like a pretty older lady who takes care of herself. Quite floral. I would repurchase this product. I can not find it on the website I'm afraid.

MUA Mascara Shade 4 ~ £1.00 for 5.0ml

I purchased this product at Superdrug linked above, but you can also order it at muastore.co.uk. I did pick this up for the occasional time I like to wear brown mascara as it's so cheap, but recently I have been using it on my brows. It's a perfect colour match that fills in my sparse areas while holding my brows in place. I would repurchase this for sure.

E.L.F. Studio Blush Mellow Mauve ~ £3.95 for 4.75g from eyeslipsface.co.uk

This was a very disappointing product from E.L.F. The colour when I first purchased it in this haul was very subtle and after only a couple of uses there was no colour pay off at all. It kind of got lost within my make-up for a while and I persevered trying to build it up excessively recently, but to no avail. This one is going in the bin which is a shame because I love so many of E.L.F.'s other products.

What have been your favourite make-up finds recently? Let me know with reasons why in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

Holly Sharpe Illustrations & Limited Collection For Marks & Spencer

Hey everyone and Happy Sunday. I hope you have had a great weekend so far. Apologies for not blogging this week until now, but it was my first week back at work after a long break, I had a couple of birthday celebrations to attend and we have been putting together some bedroom furniture at home which is still ongoing today.

For this post I want to talk about the fabulous designs of fashion illustrator Holly Sharpe and her Limited Collection which has now launched as of Jan 9th in Marks & Spencer stores as well as online for SS14.

Holly's illustrations I first noticed when perusing the Hey Sailor website.

This Exotic Girl A4 Print is the design that really caught my eye when I first saw her work.

Well now I am chuffed to see that this very design has been applied to Holly's Limited Collection with M&S.

There are lots of fabulous items including make-up, nail polish, an iPhone 5 case, a wash bag and an eau de toilette.

I have an iPhone 4 which makes me sad so no phone case for me :( I will however be popping into M&S very soon, especially as my birthday is this month. The Eau de Toilette I think will be my must have as the scent sounds scrumptious and I can then keep the beautifully designed bottle.

A lot of the shades in this collection appear to be taken from Holly's 'Exotic Girl' illustration which I think is such a great way of reminding us to be inspired and creative when applying our make-up and painting our nails.

I wish Holly the best of luck in her career and this M&S launch. I am sure it will be off the shelves in no time. Well done to M&S for choosing to work with such a talented artist.

Will you be picking up any items from this Holly Sharpe Limited Collection at M&S? With prices starting at £5 how can you resist? Let me know your favourites in the comments below.

Love to you all

Make-Up Face Product Favourites For 2013

Hi lovelies and Happy Thursday! Today I am going to do my first ever favourites post. I know it's rare for a blogger not to have favourites posts, but I just tend to review products as I use them. The end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014 however has got me thinking about products that I continue to use frequently. So here is my pick of favourite make-up face products for 2013.

Milani Glimmer Stripes All-Over Colour 05 Honey Glimmer

I picked up this multitasking product at Poundland in the summer. You can find that post here. I use the lightest 2 shades together or separately as a highlighter on my brow bone, cupids bow and tops of my cheeks. The darker shades I swirl together to use as a bronze blush. Swirling all of the palettes shades together gives lovely luminous bronzed glow to the cheeks so no need for a separate bronzer and highlight. I am just careful when using it in this way to make sure not to apply the product far below my cheekbones or too high. I can also create simple or smokey eye looks with this palette. I usually use 1, 2 or 3 of the shades. I think this palette may be discontinued, but I have seen it on Ebay and Amazon. I just wish I had picked up the other shaded palettes from this collection when they had them in Poundland. 

Chit Chat Foundation Oatmeal

This foundation I picked up in the same haul post mentioned above. This has a very light to medium coverage depending on how heavily you apply it. I love to use my fingers with this product. It's not runny or stiff. The formula is a cream texture that is very easy to work with. It has a clean and fresh scent when I sniff the bottle, but I don't feel that I notice any scent when applying it. I have never had any streaking or clinging to dry patches with this product. It actually feels quite moisturising. This shade is oatmeal which matches my pale skin very well. It's quite yellow toned. At the time I noticed another shade which was more pink toned, but I don't actually know the shade name. I would certainly pick this up again as it's so inexpensive and great for everyday wear. This 30ml tube I would say has lasted about 4 months as I have tried other products too.

Illamasqua Powder Blusher Expose

This is a gorgeous warm toned blush that works well both with my pale skin and with fake tan. It is quite pigmented so it's best to add a little at a time and build it up as desired. It gives a very natural, healthy glow. I have worn this shade through all seasons. I would definitely say it's an all skin tone shade. I am not sure if Illamasqua are discontinuing this blusher, but it is showing on the Debenhams website linked above. It has sold out, but hopefully you can pick it up in store. It is more on the expensive side of £18.00, but I will never get bored of using this blush and it is unmistakable in quality by the way it feels and looks on the skin.

E.L.F. Studio High Definition Powder Translucent

In my January 2013 E.L.F. Haul I picked up this product even though I still hadn't finished my previous tub because I love it that much and at 50% off I just couldn't resist. I have very dry skin and for a long time I didn't think that powder on my face was a good idea, but trust me with good skincare and the right products you can wear it. In the above haul link you will see my full review, but for flawless skin this product is magic. The only downside is that the tub does look messy, but as it's translucent it won't leave colour pigment wherever you are applying it so don't worry :) This tub is £6.00, but E.L.F. always have great sales so keep an eye out for those!

I have used a few face primers and concealers too, but I didn't feel that I loved them enough to put them into a yearly favourite. I will however let you know if I find exceptional products of this nature in 2014.

I am writing other favourites posts too including other make-up products and skincare so keep an eye out for those.

If you would like make-up looks using any or all of these products please let me know in the comments below along with any questions about them you may have.

Love to you all

E.L.F. 50% Off Haul

Hi my beautiful people. I am sitting here munching on some tasty strawberries and typing with one finger. Now that's dedicated blogging, ha ha ;) Recently I picked up some products in the E.L.F. 50% off sale so I thought why not show them to you with swatches included :)

Far Left: Mineral Face Cleanser, £6.00 for 50g

This water-activated, powder based cleanser works to clean and exfoliate the skin for a beautiful healthy glow. 

Moisten hands and face with water. Pour a small amount into hands and rub together. Gently massage into face and neck and rinse off. Use morning and night or as desired. 

I usually only exfoliate my face and neck twice a week with facial cleansers/scrubs, but I found I was able to use this type of product daily. I really enjoyed using the Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant which I previously reviewed here. I thought this might be a cheaper alternative if it works just as well. The bottle has a flip top lid with three holes to shake the product out. The bottle is just over half full with product so it could be smaller.

2nd From Left: Studio Concealer Ivory, £3.75 for 3g

Conceal acne spots, discolouration, under-eye darkness or any other place desired with this twist up concealer. The creamy lightweight texture blends evenly for a natural full coverage that lasts.

Apply to areas that need additional coverage. Gently pat onto skin and blend with fingertips or a concealer brush.

This is a very peachy stick concealer that I purchased to use under the eyes, but I will see how it covers blemishes too. The stick is a little smaller than I thought it would be, but a good size to sweep easily under the eyes I think. I hope it will work well.

2nd From Right: Studio Translucent Matifying Powder, £3.75 for 3.8g

This translucent powder works on a wide variety of skin tones to help set your makeup in so it lasts longer. 

Use the sponge to blend in the powder over the face, neck and decolletage as a setting powder. Reapply as needed throughout the day for a refreshed look.

(Sponge Applicator contains Latex)

I previously reviewed this product here.

Far Right: Studio Makeup Mist & Set, £3.75 for 60ml

Keep your makeup in place all day with a radiance boosting invisible hold.

After you have applied your makeup spray a light mist 12-16 inches from your face with eyes closed to set your makeup in place or use for a quick touch up throughout the day to refresh your makeup. Let it dry naturally or blot with a tissue to help speed dry.

Previously reviewed here.

Left: Studio Daily Brush Cleaner, £3.75 for 60ml

An anti-bacterial daily brush cleanser for quick cleaning in-between makeup applications. Disinfects brushes to provide a fresh and clean application every time.

After using your brush, spray several times over the brush bristles. Gently wipe the brush onto a clean cloth to remove makeup. Allow brush to fully air dry before next use. 

Previously reviewed here.

Centre: Studio Mascara Primer, £3.75 for 2.5ml

An excellent conditioning base for mascara. 

Apply the Mascara Primer like you would any mascara, but allow Primer to fully dry. Layer on your Mascara as usual, for an enhanced look. Remove with makeup remover.

I have used a mascara primer before from Jane Iredale which I found really made my mascara look more volumised and held a curve in my lashes better. I am hoping this will do the same.

Right: Glitter Eyeshadow Flirt, Currently £1.75, usually £2.50 for 4g

Achieve radiant shimmering colour with this luxe Glitter Eyeshadow. 

Apply with fingertip for vibrant colour or with a brush for a subtle effect. For best results use with an Eyeshadow Primer. Apply wet for more intense looks.

This is looks lovely in the pan. A bold lilac shade with silver glitter particles. I think there will be fallout from this product, but perhaps it might not be too bad with an eye primer. I have had this swatch on my hand while blogging and the glitter particles have all fallen off. The colour seems to have faded also.

Left: Studio Glossy Gloss Ballet Slippers, £3.75 for 6.8g

High shine, pigmented Glossy Gloss delivers a beautiful sheen and a rich tint of colour to your pout. 

This is a nude skin tone shade that is quite peachy. It's creamy and looks like it could be worn nicely alone or over lipstick.

Right: Studio Glitter Gloss Dazzling Diamond, £3.75 for 6.8g

Dazzle and shine with this intense, show-stopping glitter filled gloss. Infused with light-reflecting micropearls, this non-sticky gloss illuminates lips with sheer brilliance and lots of colour. 

This is a clear gloss with gold and lilac glitter particles. It looks like it would be good over any lip shade if you like glittery lips.

Studio HD Blush in left to right Diva, Encore & Showstopper, £3.75 for 10ml each

Rich and creamy HD Blush naturally sculpts and highlights the cheekbones for a soft-focus effect that is great for everyday use.

Press down gently on the pump to release a very small amount of colour. Apply with finger or a stipple brush to the cheekbone in a tapping motion and blend in.

I find these very impressive and I would have bought all 5 shades, but the other 2 were sold out :( I actually got these mainly for the lips as I am hoping that they will be long lasting. A bit like an OCC Lip Tar. I am not sure how these will work on the cheeks as a little goes a very, very long way so they might be hard to blend in and control which will be frustrating if applied over face make-up. 

Diva ~ A cool pink with a blue undertone

Encore ~ A deep rose pink

Showstopper ~ A deep plum

I am disappointed that it looks as though my bottle of Showstopper has already been used as there is product around the outside of the spout. Be careful when first opening these too as the first one I opened (Diva) spurted out some liquid.

All prices shown in this post are full prices, but as I had 50% off these 12 products only cost £25.95 which included delivery. I am one happy bunny other than the what looks to be used Showstopper.

E.L.F. products are available from eyeslipsface.co.uk and eyeslipsface.com

Did you take part in this E.L.F. sale? If yes, which products did you pick up? What are your favourite and not so favourite E.L.F. products and why? Let me know in the comments below.

Love to you all

 

Pearl Lowe Spring Fever GlossyBox

Hi there lovelies. I hope you are all fine and dandy on this gorgeous spring day. Today I have the contents of my April GlossyBox to share with you so here I go ........

The box itself is in a floral vintage inspired style. Absolutely gorgeous and so feminine. It was designed by Pearl Lowe so all credit to her.

Top Left: Sun Sense Daily Face SPF 50+, £18.50 for 75g

Sunscreen ideal for all year round protection –  use it every day on the face and neck.

• SPF 50+, UVA and UVB broad spectrum, facial sunscreen
• This light, soft cream has an oil-free base and is tinted for a sheer matt finish
• Helps protect against premature ageing from sun exposure
• Oil-free base – ideal for combination and oily skin

Anything to protect my skin from the harmful rays is worth a go.

Top Centre: Yves Rocher France So Elixir Purple Yves Rocher Eau de Parfum, Usually £44.00 for 50ml, but two sizes with one reduced in price

Described as an intoxicating and magnetic fragrance. A unique combination of botanical ingredients: Infusion of tuberose, essential oils of vetiver, bergamot, patchouli and benzoin extract to create an incredibly feminine, floral-woody elixir.

Spray onto pulse points.

I am sure this would be a wearable scent for a lot of people, but it's not really to my taste unfortunately. It feels a little too old for me. A little too vintage. I do think you could wear this day to night though.

Top Right: Nip + Fab Dry Skin Fix Body Butter in Mango Smoothie, Currently £4.95 for 200ml, Usually £9.95

This rich, whipped body butter repairs dry + dehydrated skin with 24 hour moisture-boosting ingredient Aquaxyl which has been shown to improve the skin's water reserves. Subtly invigorates the skin with the fresh, fruity scent of mango!

Apply to clean, towel dried skin after showering or bathing.

This cream feels really nice and smells more like a creamy mango rather than the really obviously fruity scent that I was expecting. I like the subtlety of it. This also comes in scents of Pistachio Sundae and Coconut Latte.

Bottom Left: Sleek MakeUp Blush in Pixie Pink, £4.49 for 8g 

Highly pigmented blushers to brighten and define cheekbones, available in 10 shades. These silky-fine and long lasting blushers create a subtle and radiant glow and suit all skin tones.

Apply using a small powder/blusher brush by swirling the brush over the surface of the blusher. Tap off excess and apply onto the apples of the cheeks to emphasise your cheeks and your smile.

There is definitely a great range of shades and I would say there are at least a few shades to suit all skin tones. 

This cool toned blush is very spring/summer. This will definitely make the cheeks pop if built up heavily like this swatch. It can be dusted on lighter however for a subtle pinch of colour to the cheeks. This is the middle ground between an English rose and a barbie shade as it can be worn to determine both.

Bottom Right: Essie Nail Lacquer She's Pampered, £7.99 for 13.5ml at Superdrug, Boots and other stockists.

To the victor go the spoils. Work hard and treat yourself like a VIP with outrageously luxurious scarlet.

Superdrug say this is from the winter collection so I am unsure why it is in this box, but I love the colour anyway. A gorgeous rose scarlet that I would wear at any time of year.

So that's everything folks. I am really pleased with this month's box. I am not too keen on the perfume, but one out of five ain't bad. The box itself is a keeper too. I love that GlossyBox have themed boxes and hope that they continue to do so.

For more information on GlossyBox UK check this link and for GlossyBox US check here.

What products did you receive in your Glossybox this month? Are you pleased with the products? Let me know in the comments below.

Love to you all

FOTN: Helen É Cosmetics Reviews

Hello you beauts. How are you on this fine Sunday morning? I hope fabulous. Today I want to show you some products from a brand named Helen É Cosmetics. I received one of their Long Lasting Lipstick's in my last GlossyBox and gave my initial impressions which you can see here. I have been asked to review some more of their products which were sent to me for free and so I thought I would show them off in a FOTN post.

So here are my thoughts on the Helen É Cosmetics:

 Stage Foundation Ultimate Performance Liquid Make-up For All Skin Types (Monroe - Very Fair Skin), £20.00 for 35ml

 

Helen É Cosmetics, the Make-up Sponsor of the Miss England Competition have taken inspiration from iconic actresses when developing the Stage range. It is aimed at professional Make-up Artists and customers alike. The Stage Range is made up of Stage Liquid Foundation in four shades, Stage Matte Mousse Foundation in three shades, Eyelights, Stage Eye Shadow Primer and Cheek Radiance in two shades. The collection is available from the Helen É Cosmetics website and selected stockists now, priced between £8 and £24.99. 

When I heard the term 'stage make-up' I did think this foundation was going to be heavy duty and very mask like, but it is quite the opposite. It feels as light as a BB Cream and is buildable. I would say it gives a medium to full coverage without being dry or cakey. Great for my dry skin. It does not streak and lasts very well. I am still undecided if this shade is right for me, but it is the lightest of the four. I am not too sure if it's a little too yellow on my skin, but let me know your thoughts. This foundation is paraben and fragrance free. It comes in a squeezy tube with a screw top.

Chunky Twist-Up Miracle Concealer, £8.00 for 3.5g

I have never used this style of concealer before. I expected this to cling to dry patches everywhere and not apply very well. This is a correcting concealer which should be used to neutralise dark pigmentation or shadow before applying a skin smoother or foundation. I always apply my concealer after my foundation otherwise I think you just end up ruining the effect of the concealer or wiping it away all together. I used this under my eyes and on blemishes. I have to say this worked really well. It comes in just one shade which I thought may be a little too deep for my skin tone, but it blended in easily. This may be because the foundation is a little more yellow than I am used to as well though. It did crease just a bit when I initially applied it under my eyes, but when I corrected this and used a setting spray to seal all of my make-up there was no further creasing. This also covered my blemishes pretty well. I used it on my eyes as a shadow base too and it did not crease there. The pencil did start to get a little loose a couple of days ago though and start dropping forward a bit without the need to twist up.

Powder Blusher (Candylicious), £7.00 for 2.5g

This coral blusher is pigmented and easily buildable. It's a little hard to tell in the photos because my cheeks are naturally flushed from rushing around getting ready after shower, but this is a really pretty, wearable shade that I think shows up best in the 1st and 3rd photos. I also used this on my eyelids on another day and it really made my blue eyes pop. This has a very secure click shut compact with a transparent lid. There are 5 shades in this blusher range.

Cheek Radiance (Oyster), £10.00 for 5g

This product is said to add a flush of colour to your cheeks or to be used as a highlighter for the cheekbones, brow bones, collar bones and shoulders. This is another twist up product. Inside the pop off lid there is another cap, but I'm not really too sure of it's purpose as I think the click shut lid is sufficient. This comes in two shades. The one I have is a peachy golden highlight with glitter particles. I found the best way to apply this was to apply a fair amount to the back of my hand and use the tip of my finger to dab it on where needed. I applied this product on top of my cheekbones, on my cupids bow and a little down my nose. On another day I applied this too my eyes to add a very subtle shimmer. I think this added a nice highlighting sheen to my cheekbones and the cupids bow. It leaves a trace of a few particles of glitter on my cheeks which didn't bother me, but that may not be for everyone if you just want the sheen effect.

Long Lasting Lip Colour, £8.00 for 3.5g

Left: Blush

Centre: Coral

Right: Hollywood Red

Blush (shown in the photos above) is a very natural rose lip shade that is one of those 'my lips but better' tones. I find these lipsticks so moisturising. They are not drying at all and the pigment in them lasts so well. It barely fades at all and does not go patchy so great for an all day event or a night out. I like the clear packaging at the top so that I can actually see what the shade is inside at a glance. There are 21 shades in this range of both cream and pearlised colours, including neutral and more vibrant tones. I really want to try some more as I am so impressed by them. My only fault is that the stickers do tend to come off so that's a bit annoying if you want to repurchase a shade and can't remember it's name.

The next two lip swatches were applied by using my I-Phone camera to apply them on the weekend while making breakfast as I was trying to catch the sunlight so please excuse the not so neat looking lips. Photos were taken with my digital camera though.

Coral

This is actually a really nice nude shade. Not too pale and deathly as some nude shades can make you look. I think this is very wearable for many skin tones. Unfortunately this one snapped while using and I didn't use extreme pressure so that was a real shame.

 Hollywood Red

Just wow. This was an amazing colour to wear and is not for the faint hearted. This lasted so well throughout the day considering it's vibrancy.

Other products I used in this FOTN are:

No7 Exceptional Definition Nutrient Enriched Mascara Black

E.L.F. Studio Translucent Matifying Powder

Peacocks Quad Palette (White Shimmer Shade)

E.L.F. Studio Mist & Set

Overall I am very impressed by this range of products from Helen É Cosmetics. I am totally in love with their lipsticks and want to try out more products too.

CEO Helen Elowe also has a blog called Helen's Make-up Tips where you can discover more about Helen É Cosmetics with helpful tips and advice. I think it's great when brands back up their products with advice on how to actually use them. I believe it gives consumers the confidence to work with the items they have purchased and perhaps try new things.

Have you tried any Helen É Cosmetics? Which products are your likes and dislikes and why? Let me know in the comments below.

Love to you all

neutralises dark pigmentation or shadow before you apply your Skin Smoother or foundation. - See more at: http://www.helen-e.com/cosmetics/face/chunky-twist-up-miracle-concealer.htm#sthash.ic1cWzDP.dpuf