Buttons and Bows X: Makeup

Wednesday, 3 May 2017

Primark Foundation Brush || Artis Oval Brush Dupe

A couple of months back I uploaded a Primark haul on my channel (shameless plug) which I showed a new makeup brush from Primark's PS Pro makeup line. Inspired by the Artis brushes that retail for around £60 each I was intrigued.

The Primark oval brush is £4 and is a good size for applying either foundation, concealer or cream bronzer/highlight. I am personally using mine for foundation and I cannot believe how quickly I can apply my foundation with this brush. A warning for those of you like me that can be slightly heavy handed, the handle is slightly flimsy if you press too hard. Mine hasn't broken or anything but I would just go light. However, what's great is that you don't need to apply a lot of pressure to buff in the product as this brush does most of the work for you. I really like the finish the application gives though like with any brush I do a double check to ensure no streaky patches.

I think this brush can tend to soak up the product as the bristles are so dense but I have had other brushes that have done the same. I am a bit concerned about when I have tried to wash the brush as all the hairs clumped together and has taken quite a while to dry, I was dubious as to whether it would return to its original state and I think it has mostly. Unfortunately I don't think this brush will be as durable as say my MAC or Real Technique brushes however for the price I am glad I picked it up.

If you have been lusting over this type of brush this is a great way to try out a new technique without breaking the bank. I do have my reservations as to whether these are as good as the originals but if like me you are always looking for something new to try I would pop down to a Primark and pick one up.

Red Lipstick to Suit Any Skin Tone - Universal Red Shade and High End Dupe

Anyone that picked up the stylist a couple of weeks ago would have read their article about products that claim to adapt to skin tones. They decided to send their army of Stylist bunnies out to the makeup world to see if they could find a lipstick that could universally suit anyone. They decided on Revlon Love Is On. A true pillar box red in my opinion, no orange hues but interestingly blue undertones which I normally avoid as I feel it can make teeth look yellowish.

Of course I had to try this for myself. I always bang on about finding the perfect shades for my skin tone so I had to put it to the test. I'm not the only one that was intrigued by this find as it took me a while to track this down across the Boots and Superdrugs near Tottenham Court Road,

I was pleasantly surprised I feel it does suit me and doesn't clash with my skin, Not my most favourite shade but I really love the formula and have quite a few of the Super Lustrous lipsticks from Revlon. I really like the packaging, very Chanel, however if you are not a fan of sweet smelling products the scent could put you off but I personally like it. This is super affordable at £7.99 too.

As you can see I have placed this next to Makeup Forever Rouge Artist Intense in Moulin Rouge 43 (£16) as I think the Revlon Love Is On is quite a good dupe. Both creamy on the lips perfect for those dry lips out there but opaque enough to give a strong payoff of colour. The Revlon is not as long lasting I don't think but for the price difference its quite easy to forgive. I love stumbling across a dupe.

What do you think? Could this be the one we have been waiting for?
Article available online here to check out some other interesting finds

Charlotte Tilbury Secret Salma Lipstick

Charlotte Tilbury must be one of the fastest growing brands, not only by beauty bloggers but by those that don't even know the beauty bloggersphere even exists. Who can blame us with rose gold packaging, quality that is on point and shades that are just on another level.

Today I am sharing my views on the B-E-A-Utiful Secret Salma Lipstick which I have been referring to as Secret Selma, my first Charlotte Tilbury item of course it had to be a lipstick. I am so happy with how opaque this shade is a lovely almost dusky nude pink. The sales assistant said this is a great colour for Spanish skin, que bien. I love the creamy formula, a matte finish but its not drying. Possibly not the most log lasting lipstick as it is so creamy but for me this how I prefer my lipsticks to be. I am really enjoying wearing this through Winter during the day and evening. I think the shade and formula are perfect for transitioning into spring makeup, if we ever get there.
Let's talk packaging, I mentioned the rose gold tube that is just so Instagramable who can resist? I also get that warm fuzzy feeling in my belly when I see a lipstick with something embossed on the barrel. In this case a whopper set of lips are perfectly detailed on the tube I think its a great idea that the end of the lipstick instead of the standard round tip, Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks have a square finish. I have found this helpful when trying to get a crisp edge around my lips.

At £24 these are at the higher end of the pricing bracket but all in all I think this is such a classy makeup product I fully understand the price tag. I am so happy I think I am going to pick up a red shade and a darker shade too. If you have any recommendations on any Charlotte Tilbury products please leave suggestions below.

No7 City Lights Beauty Collection

No 7 is such a unique brand to me. Not because I have some emotional connection or a quirky anecdote that I can share but their products very rarely disappoint. I haven't tried any of their bath products that I can remember but some of my all time favourite makeup and skincare are No 7. I was lucky enough to receive the No 7 City Lights Beauty Collection from my parents this year.Included was 250ml No7 Beautiful Skin Blissful Body Wash, like all of the No7 products this has a really fresh, clean scent that I don't think very many people would find offensive.
Bath - 200ml No7 Beautiful Skin Perfecting Body Polish which has a good amount of scrub that you know this will help exfoliate that skin though as all body scrubs I would not recommend for the face. 200ml No7 Protect and Perfect Intense Advanced Body Serum, leave your skin feeling so soft you just want to walk around stroking your own arm.
Skincare - 50ml No7 Protect and Perfect Intense Advance Day Cream I have used this before and is a staple in my mums skincare routine too. 50ml No7 Protect and Perfect Intense Advance Night Crream, I was in need of a good night cream and you can feel the difference between the two creams. Perfect for my dry skin I already have noticed a positive difference.
Makeup - 30ml No7 Airbrush Away Primer great for making your makeup last longer but not silicon based like most primers this one helps to moisturise the skin as it prolongs your makeup. 10ml No7 Gel Finish Nail Polish in Deep Wine for me a great Winter colour but for those that get their nails done professionally probably not going to be a winner for them. 7ml No7 Midnight Lash Mascara in Black No7 mascaras are my favourite, the wands are perfect for lengthening and the formulas always last well on me so really happy there was one included. Double bonus its in Black and not a wacky glittery purple. Finally 2.8g No7 Lovely Lips Lip Balm in Parisian Pink again a fabulous addition for me as I prefer something light on my lips. I was surprised not to see a matte formula included as they are super popular at the moment but I guess they went with the bestseller.
I love the presentation of this gift, as the name would suggest its a mini city creating a skyscraper effect with the different shape boxes. I was slightly shocked my Dad picked this up for me as the outside box is covered in black glitter, he was probably washing his hands for a week afterwards.

There it is the No7 City Lights Collection a great present and I am sure Boots will have similar ones for mothers day and Christmas.

Tanya Burr 12 Days of Christmas Beauty Calendar

The new year is here, resolutions have been made and fitness goals locked in. On the week of Blue Monday I refuse to let go of Christmas so I want to talk about the Beauty Advent calendar I was lucky enough to receive from my boyfriend this year. Beauty Advent Calendars have really up their game these last few years and there are so many varieties and brands.

As the name suggests Tanya's 12 Days of Christmas consists of 12 doors with Tanya Burr's own cosmetic products behind each one. I was really excited to try out her brand as I have heard so much about it. As this is Christmas themed there was a lot of glitter and sparkle.

The best find for me is probably the nail varnishes as they apply nicely, are opaque and lasted well. I also like the lip products a lot the two glosses are not sticky and provide a good colour payoff. I wasn't expecting a matte lip colour but the colour is lovely with a soft velvety consistency.

The little mirror and nail file are good additions to a beauty calendar as they are staples in everyone's makeup bag and perfect handbag size.

As mentioned there were products with a lot of sparkle in them which for Christmas is lovely but will probably be the items that I reach for less throughout the year. I'm not too familiar with glitter liquid eyeliners, but I was pleasantly surprised that glitter was applied and wasn't solely wet liquid across my eye. The little pots of eye glitter remind me of the old school Barry M Dazzle Dusts, I used MAC fix+ to get a solid colour but generally good payoff without the fix+.

I am really impressed with Tanya's collection for the calendar, and reasonably priced at £15 I think this is a great present to receive. However if you are buying as a present for someone I would be careful about that age range. Anyone that is just getting into more luxury brands might think this is slightly too young for them.

I think the main thing that is brilliant about this calendar are the colours that have been selected, being colour shy its something I always think about when I have seen releases of beauty calendars. Even though there is a Christmas colour palette I feel there was a good mix of silver and gold for the metallic element and a very wearable pink/red that a lot of people could feel comfortable wearing.

Well done Tan!

The Beauty Calendar along with Tanya Burr Cosmetics are available at Superdrug.

Beauty Blender - Best Purchase of 2016

Start of a new year is a good time to reflect on the previous 12 months. Though I have reflected on personal things I also have had a think about what products I have discovered in 2016. I know I am a little late on the sponge in the shape of an egg bandwagon, I have tried many 'dupes' and never saw the fascination. Well that's because they aren't the real deal. I noticed a difference between the real one and others as soon as I felt it.

The basic principal is a small egg shape sponge (the original was pink but I have the nude colour to avoid looking super dirty with foundation) that is really soft and flexible. For me best results come from wetting the sponge so that it expanse to about a third larger. This stops any liquid/cream products from being absorb into the sponge. Then using a bouncing technique the sponge blends out the makeup to create a flawless look. It's so much quicker than I expected. I use the round bottom for foundation, the tip at the top for under eye concealer and the sides for cream contour or concealer.

It can get a bit messy once you have used the Beauty Blender for a while especially if you are using all the sides so I tend to try and keep mine as clean as possible. There is a Beauty Blender cleanser but currently I am using baby shampoo which works for all my normal brushes.

For someone with dry skin this is my new best friend I can feel my skin lapping up the extra hydration compromising only a slight amount of coverage from my foundation. Because of the additional hydration I have found with products such as Estee Lauder Double Wear don't tend to as perfect as when I use a normal buffing brush so I am getting in the habit of using lasting sprays which have helped.

I have seen people applying powder to help bake under their eyes and I didn't like it for that I felt mixing dry powder, water and liquid was starting to make the sponge feel heavy and could make application harder so now I only use wet,

I filmed a first impression video which will be on my Youtube (ButtonsAndBowX) shortly.

I purchased mine from Selfridges but Beauty Bay also stock individual and sets.

Mary-Lou Manizer Review

I like a good highlight, I mean I am no strober but I do know my Albatross from my Watts Up. As you can see Mary-Lou Manizer is beautifully pigmented but blends out to a fine sheen. The gold undertones work really nicely with my skin tone. Pink toned gals I personally would go for Ciindy-Lou over this one. The quality of the product is so much better than I expected to be honest, and unlike some other highend highlighters I very rarely get any fallout from this product. The powder is so finely milled it is so soft to the touch.

The packaging is lovely and very unique. If you haven't seen any of The Balm products I would suggest you take a browse, its one of the quirkiest out there. The Balm is now really accessible on the highstreet in Debenhams and Superdrug and online at Feel Unique and Amazon. At £17.50 The Balm is that bridge brand that is slightly more expensive than highstreet brands but doesn't quite fit into that highend category either. However highlighters last such a long time, especially as the Mary-Lou Manizer is so pigmented you hardly need anything, if you were to buy one treat for yourself I would chose this one. A mini secret Santa to yourself if you will.

I apply mine to the tops of the cheek bones and the smallest amount on the bridge of my nose. Sometimes when I'm feeling adventurous I use to highlight under the brow and on my cupids bow. If you are feeling crazy though take whatever is left over and lightly dust above the arch of your brow it gives the most radiant finishes to the skin.

Ultra 32 Shade Eyeshadow Palette FLAWLESS MATTE - Makeup Revolution Review

I had been eyeing this palette up online for quite a while when I strolled into my new local Superdrug and there, in all its glory, a Makeup Revolution stand. Being freshly stocked may I add.

Anyway although I love shimmery shadows I have small hooded eyes so I know that shimmer isn't always my friend. I am really into matte eye looks at the moment, I think they really help to give dimension and are great for giving the illusion I have bigger eyes than I actually have.

With so many varieties of shades, the Ultra 32 Flawless Matte Palettefrom Makeup Revolution is great for creating new looks and trying new techniques. The shades blend really nicely together but they can be a bit powdery so be cautious of fallout especially with darker looks. This is a great palette and anyone that is a fan of the old school coastal scents palettes I think would really enjoy this. For those of you that like shades to have names, each shade has indeed been named.

There is also a large mirror so even though it is slightly too big to fit in your every day sized makeup bag, I wouldn't totally dismiss it for longer trips as there are so many looks that can be made. I only have one small negative and that is there isn't a dark black shade. There are some dark browns and a few grey shades but a true matte black would make this palette even better.

Sleek packaging and of course the rose gold box it comes in makes it feel somewhat more expensive than it is. I don't think the high street has fully perfected a matte eyeshadow palette however I think Makeup Revolution has come quite close and at £8 you get a lot to play with for your money. I think this would make a lovely socking filler or secret Santa present. I am really glad I picked this up as I've been getting some good use out of it as I have been experimenting recently.

5 Brands I Want to Try - Dear Santa

As a lover of all things beauty I always have a wishlist of products. Recently I have noticed that I have been lusting over brands instead of specific products so I thought I would put it out there and ask what you guys would recommend from these brands. Some can be quite hard to get in the UK so if when I make an order I want to make sure I am getting the gems.

1. Sigma
I know I want to try out their brushes but there are so many to choose from.

2. Makeup Geek
Youtube's very own, better than MAC eyeshadows apparently I have started creating the perfect matte palette.

3. Charlotte Tilbury
What can I say it is just rose gold goodness. I imagine Charlotte Tilbury products to be to makeup what chocolate is to food.

4. Laura Mercier
I really want to try Laura Mercier products but I know I would get stuck and just panic buy. I think I sway a bit more towards the bath side of the range.

5. By Terry
I have one question. Are those eyeshadow sticks really as good as people say?

Kat Von D Shade and Light Contour Palette

Can we take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the shades in this palette.

Kat Von D Shade and Light Contour Palette

With three matte bronzers and three highlight shades this palette has quickly become a beauty cult favourite. One highlight shade is even yellow based, excellent for brightening under the eyes. Kat baby you have created something amazing. The texture of the powders are lovely soft and buttery that blend effortlessly on the skin. I have even used an eyeshadow brush to see if I could blend out a harsh line of contour and it didn't do a bad job. I seriously cannot express my love for this palette. It is beautiful and has quickly become one of my top 5 products ever! WOW I just went there.

The only downside is the packaging itself. Cardboard. Why oh why am I being charged $45 for cardboard packaging. However the massive mirror is one big plus in my book so I guess we can forgive. I also wish you could buy the individual shades, just in case one day I run out and by coincidence I am in America I might want to repurchase just one shade. Chances of it happening? Zero to none!

My personal two favourite shades have to be the two in the center Lyric and Shadowplay. With this palette I find it so easy to create an effortless, defined base, wearable for day or night. I am so impressed with the quality of this palette that I have been eyeing up the eyeshadow palette as the colours look perfect for me and I want to get my hands on some other products from this range.

Have you tried any Kat Von D products - do you have any recommendations?

Sleek Makeup Collection

I am a big fan of high street makeup I think in the last couple of years high street makeup has undergone a huge change and it's great. One of my favourite brands is Sleek Makeup. When I was first getting into makeup I remember being drawn to the Storm eyeshadow palette, at the time it was actually quite hard to fine good quality eyeshadow palettes. I was instantly hooked and haven't looked back since.

I have developed my collection of Sleek products, you will notice that it's powder product dominated and that's because I know the products work for me and I love them, but I do promise to reach out and try liquid based products from now on :)

Anyway let's get on with the good stuff..