Illamasqua foundation and concealer review

Until now I don’t think I have ever bought a foundation I have been completely happy with, actually I think I have never re-bought the same foundation. As such I am pleased to say that Illamasqua light liquid foundation delivers on every level for me. I have dry skin that can still get shiny, this foundation is just moisturising enough, without being heavy or overly creamy. Its texture is quite runny so you do need to make sure to shake it before dispensing. Application wise it does not highlight my dry area and gives a sheer to medium coverage if required. It sets quite quickly but you can add more on without it going patchy. It matches my pale cool toned skin (shade #120), no overly yellow or strange orange tones here, a true pale cool toned shade, this is the best colour match I have ever had. Lastly it does not break me out, which is no mean feat for my intolerant skin.
Swatch below, you can see how good a colour match it is (I've not blended it in)

I have the under eye concealer in shade #115. This is a very creamy product that offers medium to full coverage. Due to the texture you do need to set this with powder so that it doesn’t migrate into those pesky lines. This shade is a bit too light for my undereye area but looking on the site I noticed that shade#130 had disappeared. I emailed Illamasqua who confirmed it had been discontinued but the lovely Jo sent me their normal concealer in shade #130 instead (for free) as she thought this would work on the under eye area. Once again great customer service, I think Illamasqua encourages brand loyalty, not just because of their products but the whole ethos of the company and the way they deal with their customers is hands down the best.
So, does it work as an eye concealer? Whilst not as emollient as the eye concealer it applies with enough slip so as to not look dry and the maximum coverage is just want I need for my super dark circles. I apply this on the inner part of my under eye and then RBR luminous wand on the outer part or YSL radiant touch if I look less tired (i.e my little boy hasn’t fed during the night), set with powder and I’ve got the most natural, yet best coverage I have found thus far.
The under eye concealer is on the left (#115), the normal concealer (#130) on the right

Apologies for the state of the concealers, I do on the whole try to post picture before I decimate products :)

Liberty beauty GWP and Le Métier de Beauté

I wanted to get a shampoo and conditioner from Ojon and noticed Liberty had a great beauty GWP online consisting of the following:
Le Métier de Beauté Tinted Moisturiser, SPF15, 1.0 fl oz.
NARS Duo Lip Gloss, 0.07 fl oz.
Essie Fill the Gap Nail Varnish, 0.16 fl oz.
Malin+Goetz Lip Moisturiser, 0.35 fl oz.
ESPA soothing Eye Lotion 60 ml
Korres Showergel, 1.69 fl oz.
Bamford Botanic Shampoo, 1.7 fl oz.
Bamford Botanic Conditioner, 1.7 fl oz.
Green & Spring Relaxing Body Lotion, 1.7 fl oz.
REN Neroli and Grapefruit Zest Body Wash, 1.7 fl oz.
Such a great offer that I've not seen in the UK before (these things are usually on US sites like Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus). To make up to the required qualifier I also ordered some Le Métier de Beauté eyeshadows. I played safe and got Clay (neutral beige with a slight sheen) and Naked (cream base shade).I'll review these and the tinted moisturiser when I have had more of a play but so far the eyeshadows are quite soft, good blendability, apply exactly as they appear in the pan and hold up well. I'm slightly hesitant about trying the Tinted moisturiser as it doesn't say what the ingredients are so am trying to find a list at the moment !
Unfortunately although I order a Ojon conditioner I was emailed to be told it was out of stock with a 2-3 week wait, I either had to find a replacement of the same value or miss out on the GWP. As the other conditioners were out of stock as well the only thing I could see that was £18 and would be something I would use was a Green & Spring shower gel. I will be reviewing all these products at various points, however I have now smelt this showergel and think it may have not been the best idea as its got that herbal remedy scent ( like Liz Earle products) so I'm hoping it won't smell the same when applied.
I've just looked and it seems the GWP has sold out, I'm not surprised as for me this definitely encourage me to buy as it was such a great offer, that said I think its still available in stores if you are near to London maybe worth popping in!

Givenchy Poudre Libre

I decided to do a full review on Givenchy Poudre Libre in Poetique Orchid. I was hesitant this would not work for me as the majority of Givenchy's face products are fragranced so irritation was a concern. Poudre Libre is a loose powder quartet. Poetique Orchid is part of the fall collection and contains shades of apricot, beige, soft yellow and white (the white contains fine glitter, which I feel is an unnecessary addition).

Due to the packaging I find it very difficult to get just one shade out so use them all mixed together. I am however surprised that I like really like this. It gives very good coverage (which sometimes can threaten to look cakey so a good brush is a must) and gives a nice soft glow and really evens out the complexion, ruddiness gone and dare I say that it gives me a more youthful look. My only problem with this is after about 4 hours wear my skin can feel a bit itchy, so its not the best for me to wear for work which is a shame as I really like the overall effect. If you haven't got sensitive skin this is worth a try.

New Rouge Bunny Rouge eyeshadows coming out

I'd emailed RBR to find out if they had anything new coming out and they sent me information on these eyeshadows and this picture. I'm really liking the look of these. I will also say when I emailed them they got back to me really quickly and were really friendly and helpful with my queries.
Here are their descriptions:
Papyrus Canary - Semi opaque palest creamy beige
Chestnut-napped Apalis - Semi opaque chestnut puree with a hint of cocoa dust
Grey Go-away Lourie – Semi opaque smoky slate grey
Blackpepper Jay – Semi opaque smoky black brown

Pai Skincare

I have dry, sensitive and hugely acne prone skin. I don’t tend to chop and change skincare anymore, however my acne is now under control due to medication, and whilst I was happy with my current moisturiser, I have always thought my cleanser was a bit too gentle at removing all my makeup. I’d seen Pai mentioned on a few blogs and it did interest me as it's chemical free (no parabens or other synthetic preservatives) and claimed to be suitable for even hyper-sensitive skin.
Instead of buying just one thing (as I seem incapable of doing) I got the Pai Organic Skin Care Starter Kit, with the Camellia & Rose Cleanser and the Avocado & Jojoba Organic Moisturiser for Normal Skin. Delivery was free and really quick and they also sent a free full size bergamot lip balm, which seems to still be a current offer (if you spend over £20)
I’ve waited a while to review the items, as I wanted to be sure they wouldn’t irritate/break me out.
The cleanser is rather thick and has a creamy consistency. It removes all my makeup, including mascara and eyeliner (which surprised me as the only non-oil cleanser that has been able to do this for me was Fresh soy cleanser). It doesn’t irritate or break me out, and does not leave a residue on the skin. My only gripe is it leaves my skin ever so slightly dry. I will be re-buying this when I run out.
The moisturiser I am not so keen on, although it causes no irritation, it feels heavy on and doesn’t seem to absorb on the skin completely. Applying makeup over this type of base means it does not adhere well and ends up a bit patchy. I only use it as a night cream now because of this.
The lip balm, is quite nice, these types of products usually give me little spots on the lip line so I gave up on them but I have no such problems with this one. It moisturises nicely without being really greasy or heavy.

http://www.paiskincare.com/

Rouge Bunny Rouge lipsticks

As per a request here is a picture of all my RBR lipsticks. I've done swatches as well, with flash and without, the swatches aren't the best so I will update them when there is better light.
Lipsticks back row L-R:Watch out Eve,Irreverence,Nothing Unknown, Middle row L-R Prey of Lust, Tongue Tickles,Word of Mouth, and in front is Know what lies are for.The swatches follow the same order (Watch out Eve on far left through to Know what lies are for on far right)

Rouge Bunny Rouge: Sea of Tranquility, Watch out Eve and Luminous Skin Wand

I got another liquid highlighter, this time in shade, 'Sea of Tranquility'. It’s a sheer pink opalescence and unlike sea of showers it only imparts a whisper of colour. Really pretty as a highlighter that looks very natural on.

I picked up colour burst lipstick in ‘Watch out eve’, this is described as a cool toned rosewood with silver shimmer and I’d agree although I would say it’s neutral rather than cool toned.

I also got the Luminous Skin Wand- Fine Spun Light, in the lighter shade Orionis. Whilst I don’t use a really pale undereye concealer (I don’t want to highlight my dark circles) this is a tad too dark for me. Texture wise it’s quite lightweight but not runny, it sets quickly and does not seem to emphasis fine lines. Coverage wise this is more of a concealer rather than highlighter ( so not like YSL radiant touch, Dior skinflash) so offers medium coverage. I however have very dark circles so use something more heavy duty ( Illamasqua concealer or Benefit erase pastes) in the inner bit of the under eye area and this on the rest.
RBR have just released two new products, a tinted moisturiser in three shades that is “Loaded with botanicals and skin protective ingredients, nourishes, hydrates and protects your skin” sounds good but I’d have to check the ingredients first with my sensitive, highly acne prone skin.
They also have a new mascara, called Modelling Mascara, which is meant to not clump and gives the "illusion of naturally curled lashes without the use of an eyelash curler" this does sound tempting although I am really pleased with my Armani eyes to kill so this maybe something I get at a later date.
RBR is stocked by Zuneta.com

Quick look at Illamasqua Matter and Synth

I thought I'd just do a quick look of Matter and Synth. Matter applied sheerly on the outer and Synth applied on the inner. I have not packed the colours on so it will hopefully show what you will get with just a few strokes. As you can see Synth is sheer used on its own, so if you do like the colour it would be best applied over a cream base.

Illamasqua Dystopia review part 1

Illamasqua’s Dystopia collection offers a palette of pinks,purples,grays,and charcoal blacks; a mix of intense coupled with luminous iridescence. Whether you go for a bolder look or want something you can get away with in the office you will find something in this collection to suit.

I got the three individual shadows (you can also get these in the pre-made palettes, but I find their packaging a bit bulky)
Synth-white base with lots of pink iridescence
Machine- a matte black base with silver glitter.
Matter –smoky intense gray

I really like all these shades and wore them all together today. I had heard that Machine was lacking in pigment but this is not the case for me, I can use it as a intense black liner or in the crease applied gingerly with a blender brush to give a charcoal. The glitter is quite subtle in the shade. Here is a close up of Matter

As Synth is one of the shimmer shadow formulas it is sheer at first so if I want to move it up a notch I just use it over one of Illamasqua’s cream shadows or use a MAC #214. Matter is perfect for a smoky eye and it does not have any strange blue tones like some grays do.
I got some more items from the collection, but I’ll do that in a separate post.

Dior Serum de Rouge

New for 2009, these cost £23. They are housed in a long tube (quite weighty). The product comes out via a twisty mechanism and I am pleased to say that you can easily twist it so the product goes back in.
I was intrigued by the claim that these have “a lot more active skincare ingredients than other lipsticks and are meant to smooth and pamper your lips”.
For me this feels very lightweight on and gives a sheer luminous finish. Pigmentation is medium and lastabilty is average. I was not thrilled with the colour selection and the only one that tempted me was #710 Beige. This is a slightly warm natural beige, not a unique shade in the least but its more the formula rather than the range of shades that made me buy the product.
So does the formula deliver; I do think it smoothes my lips and I don’t get any dryness or fine lines showing through. I am happy with this product and I think if you can find a shades you really like they are worth checking out,especially for the more wintery months ahead when lips are going to be more dry.

Rouge Bunny Rouge: C Major - a Minor and Fire-Tailed Sunbird

Zuneta are offering 20% off RBR products for September only (code found at http://zuneta.blogspot.com/ ). Naturally this was too good an offer to miss out on so I picked up some more bits to add to my rapidly expanding RBR collection. I got an eyeshadow duo in C Major - a Minor (Iridescent sheer mint and iridescent sheer lilac) and an eyeshadow in Fire-Tailed Sunbird ( peach with an iridescent pink running through). I really like these shades, RBR shadows have good colour payoff are really soft and blendable and last well.

I got some more items but I'll post about them once I have tried them a bit more. RBR is definitely in my top three brands and I'm looking forward to see what else they put out this year.

Armani Eyes To Kill mascara

This retails for £21. Available in four shades, I got shade#1 (Black), although I am tempted by the red one (shade#4) just to see what it would look like on. It comes in a sleek tube and is rather heavy !
Unfortunately I have rather bad lashes,short,very fine and not evenly distributed and kinda droopy, sounds good doesn't it ! Due to this I expect a lot from a Mascara, as I haven't got much to work with. I need length, thickness and curl. On the whole I would say that Armani mascara has always delivered the best results; the only one I wasn't keen on was Maestro. Soft lash is great for a more subtle look and Starlash was my favourite mascara out of every brand I have tried but this has now been discontinued.
I am happy to report that I am rather impressed by Eyes to Kill. It does add length, thickness and lift and I do not get any flaking or smearing at the end of the day. I think the only disadvantage is that if you try to build it you will get it go on clumpy, so luckily I am happy with the look I get from two coats of it, as below
Ideally I would rather spend less on a mascara, but for the last 4 months I have tried to find a cheaper one ( Rimmel, L'Oreal, MAC, Clinique, Boots 17 ) that works for me; instead they have all ended up in the bin and have cost me far more than had I just stuck to high end.
####UPDATE: after about a months use the formula went dry and started to apply really clumpy####

Armani Manta Ray fall collection 2009

Armani remain one of my favourite brands, at one point I had a ridiculous amount of their stuff but due to some bad customer service and poor brand accessibility ( I don’t live near any of the stores so mail order) I’ve have barely ordered Armani over the last two years.
My luminous silk powder finally ran out and as this is a holy grail for me I had to get a replacement, naturally I had to order a few bits with it :)
I got the eyes to kill mascara, which I’ll be reviewing separately as I like to wear a mascara for a few days before giving my thoughts (this costs a fun £21!). I also got the two Armanisilk lipsticks and the sheer blusher all from the Manta Ray fall collection. I did contemplate ordering one of the new Eyes to Kill palettes but at £49 each I thought that was a bit steep.
I really like the Armanisilk lipstick formula, its creamy, pigmented and lasts very well. These cost £19 each. Shade #93 is a cool toned mauve rose. Shade #92, is a cool toned vampy plum, I think it has a slight grey tone to it.
I also got sheer blush #12, this is a beautiful cool toned subtle pink with shimmer. I really love this shade, as I find a lot of pinks turn out warm on me or have different colour tones, whereas this is a true pink. I will say this applies sheer, great for me as I’m really pale so one application is enough but I do think this will work best on lighter skin tones.
Lipstick swatches L-R shade #93, #92

MAC- the perfect cheek and Sharp focus

I had a look at the four MAC collections released this month and only came away with the perfect cheek blusher and sharp focus.
The perfect cheek is a muted mix of matte beige with pink and peach tones, on my complexion this nearly ends up looking a bit dirty if I apply too heavily, but I do really like the shade when I don't want an obvious pink or peach hue. I will say this applies quite sheer so not sure that it would show up too well on those with medium to darker skintones. Just a note that MAC's matte blusher shades I can use but their sheertones ones break me out.
Lastly I got lipstick in Sharp focus, this is labelled as a lustre but is completely not like any lustre I have tried, this does not apply with a lot of slip and is quite dry so you may need to use a balm prior to application. The advantages of it not having the normal lustre qualities is that its a lot more pigmented and lasts a lot longer. The colour is a medium to deep brown plum, this is about as dark as I can go with lip colours. Potentially this could pull quite brown on some so probably best to test first if possible

Closer look at Illamasqua nail varnishes

I've mentioned before that I really like Illamasqua nail varnishes,what you see in the bottle is what you get on your nails, they don't chip as much as other polishes do on me ( I'm looking at you Chanel !) and they dry quite fast.I think the only negative is that they contain formaldehyde.

Boosh is a deep black, Baptist is a rich shimmery true purple,Loella is a bubblegum pink with a bit of fuchsia/lavender shimmer, Obtuse is a shimmery,almost metallic goldy bronze nude, Lament is a hot coral.

I've taken swatches in natural light and with a flash to hopefully capture the colour.
L-R:Obtuse,Lament,Loella,Baptist,Boosh

YSL fall lips

I don't tend to buy from YSL as the few things I have bought in the past have been disappointing (eyeshadows, lipgloss) and I really dislike their packaging. That said I have heard a lot of raves for the Rouge Volupte lipsticks so knew I'd end up trying one at some point.
I had a look at the fall collection a few days ago and the Gloss volupte caught my eye. They have released four shades and three on them look REALLY bright in the tube (except shade #1, this is almost clear once applied so I'd give that a miss) .Straight away I wanted the frosted plum shade (#4) but they had not received shipment of this shade at any of the counters I went to so I settled for #2, chilled raspberry.
What we get is a sheer cool toned wet look pink,very wearable but not the most unique shade. Texture wise they have a lot of slip, are not sticky in the least, colour though very sheer is buildable ( but your not going to get the colour as it appears in the tube).
As they had some new Rouge Volupte lipsticks I got shade #20; spicy pink. This is a pinky brown (who would have guessed !) but it does have a noticeable mauve tone so if you are warm toned I'd avoid this one. Pigmentation is really good and the texture is creamy and the shade wears well. Both are £20 each and are heavily scented (fruity) I prefer unscented stuff ideally.
For me both shades are really wearable but not must haves, I think that #4 frosted plum maybe a bit more unique and as the YSL SA's said no where has stock of it I have taken that to be a challenge.... it will be mine :) I've updated my swatches as the light was poor the first time. On the left is Spicy pink, on the right is chilled Raspberry

Tag-I think You're An Awsome Girl

I was tagged by two lovely ladies, Shifa at http://getgawjus.blogspot.com/ and My Humble Reviews (http://myhumblereviews.blogspot.com/) to list 10 random facts about myself and tag 10 others.

1. I have a 14 month old little boy
2. I have not been on holiday for over 8 years
3. I hate Jam
4. I have too much makeup ;)
5. I keep buying similar shades (how many taupe eyeshadows and pinky brown lipsticks are needed, really…)
6. I hate having birds fly near me
7. one of my most rated films is pan's labyrinth
8. I get hayfever
9. I’ve not been swimming for over 10 years (wonder if you forget )
10. I can only put together (take photos etc) for my blog posts when my little one is asleep as I no longer posses free time.

I tag 10 other great blogs

1.londonmakeupgirl
2.Lipstick Fever
3.pinksparkle84
4.Dazzle 'n' Sparkle
5.Rupa's Makeup Diary
6.So I want to be an alternative model........
7.Robert Smith's Mistress Makeup Wonderland
8.too much blush
9.Mizz Worthy's Stuff
10.Whitz World of Makeup & Beauty