REVIEW: Mac Greaspaint Stick in Dirty

Hello all,

I know I've been away for oh so long, but once again I find myself ill in bed, and once again my desire to blog all things beauty comes into the forefront of my mind. This may or may not coincide with my looking at the pale, snotty mess that stares out from my mirror each time I pass by...

So today I bring you my review of the greasepaint stick, from the art supplies collection, named "dirty". The name in itself made it a must have for this wannabe rock chick.

As usual I was completely uninterested in this collection until it was sold out online, and through mail order. I happened upon a video by belledujournyc on youtube (one of my new obsessions!), in which she used the navy one to create a simple, messy, understated and completely gorgeous smokey eye. I was sold, alas so were all the greaepaint sticks...

A trip into belfast city centre to exchange a mac 187 I recieved as a gift and didn't need (already have one baby!), and lo and behold...the woman of belfast had not seen belle's video and my counter had 3 dirty greasepaint sticks left. I decided not to enquire on the other colours for fear of bankrupcy..

Home I came, armed with my greasepaint (doesn't the name sound so...just...ughhhh - why would I want grease on my eyelid??). I put it on immediately. Now by this point it was dark and my lighting is clearly rubbish. Trying it against my NYX jumbo pencil in blackbean I thought they were identical. I was most upset....but the story does not end there!

Let's begin with the formula: creamy, easy to apply and once on it will not budge. You have to be super fast to blend it if you wish to use it as an all over colour, or a base. It can also be used as a liner, and there is a small sharpener you can pull out at the base.

The colour: On using this the next day it became clear that the colour was entirely different, and inherently more beautiful than black bean. It is a dirty greyed taupe with small sparkles in it. I will add a picture here at some point with a swatch.

Application - like I stated earlier...you need to be fast blending this. Once on the color does not move. My normal makeup remover (dermalogica calming cleanser) wouldn't budge it at all. I ened up using the oil based dermalogica precleanse (great for conditioning your eyelashes!!) to get it off.

My fav current way to wear this is smudged all over my upper lid, and lower lash line, with urban decay zero liner in my waterline, a little femme fi as an inner highlight, and woodwinked blended into the crease. It looks really really nice.

Did you get any of the art supplies collection? What did you think? How do you wear them?

REVIEW: Smoke and diamonds by MAC

OH.MY.GOD!!!

I had to have this based on the looks I'd seen done with it, but to be honest I'm well used to being dissappointed when i give in to hype.

Not so with this eyeshadow.

Today I wore it VERY simply: base of soft ochre, s&d patted on my lid and blended softly over crease...and a touch of signed sealed to add dimension to the outer crease. I then lined with zero from ud.

The shadow blends like a dream. It is hands down the easiest to blend shadow I ever had. People had raved about the starflash formula and I happily join in, and beg mac to make it permanent. Everyone should experience this.

It is the most delicious smokey taupe grey...I LOVED how it looked, and it made my eyes look glassy which i also loved. It's a multidemensional colour on the lid...on my inner lids it looked more taupey gold and outer more grey smokey.

Oh man - I'm so so happy to add this to my kit. If you don't have it yet - and it ever becomes available again: GRAB IT!!!

REVIEW: St Tropez Whipped Bronze Instant Self Tanning Mousse

My first review, and its gotta be for the tanning mousse, why I hear you cry?

Because self tanning is something I find hard work and pretty much only do once in a blue moon. I'm lazy and proud of it!! I'm always looking for a tanner that I will use regularly, and not find a chore to apply.

Also because there is a rumour we are in the midst of summer. In saying that the weather seems to have missed that particular memo...

Not to say I don't adore the way I look all brown and healthy, as opposed to my normal pale and sickly shade...but because I hate standing in one spot, hands out to the sides, legs spread and stark naked, whilst the sticky, stinky lotion I just applied dries.

Not to mention stained sheets, and blotches where you missed a bit. We've all been there - right ladies?

The alternative is stripping off in a beauty salon, standing in a cold room reminiscent of a prison shower block (not that I've ever been in prison...honest!), whilst being jet sprayed like a car. I'm not sure about you guys, but I find it a bit, well, humiliating. The only thing more humiliating is leaving said salon, dressed in old loose clothing and flip flops, resembling a cross between an oomp loompa and an over cooked sausage. Pretty.

So, back to the product at hand.

The blurb states:

When you want a tan and you want it now, Whipped Bronze Instant Self-Tanning Mousse is what you need. Streakless, instant color dries in just 60 seconds allowing you to "Whip-it-On" anytime, anywhere for a perfect tan, every time. This self-adjusting mousse is oil free and complements your skin tone, while your tan deepens over 3 hours - all without the damaging effects of the sun.

Onto my thoughts...

Out of all the self tanners I've tried, St tropez was one I shied away from based on my observations of others using it. St Tropez was, in my mind, that tangoed older woman, with sun damaged leathery skin, trying to reclaim her youth with a "healthy" colour, and ending up looking like she'd been spit roasted over the course of a week.

That's not quite the look I was going for.

But, I read reviews...on MUA, and I watched video reviews, and instead of leathery skinned oompa loompa's - I saw pretty faces with a gorgeous, natural looking sun kissed glow. I wanted to be like them. Oh how I wanted to look as good as them, and so I ordered my very own...

Application:

• The smell was not over powering or unpleasant as expected. A plus.
• The mousse is tinted so it's easy to see where you have put product and avoid missing bits
• I like the dispenser too - rather than having to pour product out, its so much easier just to push the button down.
• A little goes a long way, but I went too lightly the first time. I guess the moral (if you are nervous like moi) is start lightly and build up daily if you want to avoid going too dark - over 2 days I got a pretty nice colour...not too dark at all.
• This product dries really fast. Another bonus. However it did feel sticky when I went to bed a few hours later...and I didn't sleep well as a result. Maybe it was the heat of being under my covers that made the product feel like that.
  

Results:

I woke up the next morning and jumped in the shower. The water turned a lovely shade of chocolate brown. Fear not - its just the colour guide washing off, revealing a lighter tan underneath.

My covers were slightly stained.

The colour is a gorgeous natural brown colour - nothing fake looking about it at all, however it is not streak free as everyone claims it will be. My legs are the worst affected by this nastiness...but my legs, even at the tanning salon - rebel, so might be me, rather than the product.

I am not sure, but I think it broke my face out - use it on your face with caution.

Conclusion:

The product is expensive, but it is worth it because the colour is so natural looking. I think it's a question of practising to find your own perfect application technique...but that's the same with any tanning product. The first time you try it - maybe do it when you don't have anywhere important to go the next day...just to be on the safe side (this advice for ANY tanning product)

The tan lasts about 3 days on me, with me showering every single morning - sometimes twice a day. I wish it lasted longer, but you can't have everything. It fades naturally without leaving that patchiness that makes you look like you have a nasty skin condition.

All in all this product, if you aren't a lazy arse like moi, is a god send for us pale skinned girls who need a glow and don't want to cook our skin to get it.

Highly recommended!

I give St Tropez Whipped Bronze Mousse a healthy, glowing 8/10