RMK Spring Modern

The RMK spring modern collection caught my attention straight away with its crisp clean bright colours.
Eyes 05 Coral green (£25) contains a medium forest green, VERY sheer shimmery mint, sheer shimmery peach and a shimmery brown with golden shimmer. The shades have a very soft texture and wear well, be warned though that this gives a very sparkly look. I tend to wear the darker green on the lid with the lighter green dusted over it, brown in the crease and the peach lightly dusted in the inner half of the lid.
Blush 01 Pink Coral (£23) contains an orange, pink and white pink highlighter. I use all colours together and get a sheer pink peach flush (heavier on the peach), the white pink highlighter does subdue the overall effect which suits me but I think if you used just the pink and orange together you could get quite a vivid colour. Whilst not the best texture blushers I have tried I do find that RMK ones last really well.
I bought these from lookfantastic.com.

Chanel Sand and Sillage

Although my Chanel collection has diminished to a puny state compared to its past glory days, I still can’t resist a few things here and there. The Spring collection is more geared to those warm toned in my opinion, this does make a nice change from the usual pastel cool colours which seem to be prevalent around Spring.
I picked up the singles in Sand and Sillage. The texture of the singles are quite soft and silky, they do not look really powdery on and last quite well.

Sand is a medium neutral matte brown (which I’m glad to say does not pull orange on me like a lot of browns do).
Sillage is a warm shimmery peachy pink.

Not must haves in my opinion, but handy to have when you are in a rush and just want to put something on without too much effort that gives a neutral polished look.

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion

I, like many other beauty bloggers was contacted by Skin MD Natural to sample their shielding lotion. As I have reactive skin my initial thought was to decline the offer, however after looking at the ingredients I thought it would be ok. The lotion is marketed as a “dry skin care solution that keeps out irritants and chemicals. It also allows the natural oils and moisture to remain in the skin so it can heal better”

The requirements I seek in a moisturiser is that it does not irritate nor break me out (most fall at this first hurdle), does not sit on the skin and moisturises without being heavy.
The texture of this is almost gel like and once applied it has quite a silicon feel to it. It makes a good base for foundation, almost acting as a primer. I did’t get a reaction from it nor a break out, the downside for me is that there was not enough moisture for my dry skin, although it felt smooth on, when I took my makeup off my skin did not feel hydrated.
Where it worked for me was as a hand lotion.My hands have been incredibly dry lately, so much so that one of my knuckles has cracked and bleed (too much detail, I know) I found this lotion a good barrier cream to use when out and about and I do feel like it protected my hands.
Overall I think this is more suited for combination or normal skin if you are going to use it on your face. I do agree that it’s a good barrier cream but cannot attest for its hydrating qualities. I actually think this may be more suitable if you have been having a hard time finding something that does not break you or irritate your skin, when I was suffering from severe cystic acne I know I was looking for something with a light texture and a simple ingredient formulation unfortunately I was not aware of this brand back then.

I used this product for just over three weeks. This is their site http://www.smdn.co.uk, it cost £14.99 for 120ml

Disclaimer: This was sent to me for free for review purposes.

Hourglass Prodigy Hydrating Lip Gloss

Prodigy is the new lip-gloss from Hourglass. Its unique slim line flat packaging seems to have grabbed a lot of people’s attention.
I really like my extreme sheen gloss so it was just a question of deciding which shade to get. I’d seen a lot of reviews for Pulse but in the end went for Legend (£19), it’s a high shine, sheer to medium neutral rose (not shimmery).

The formula is hydrating, silky and non-tacky. As it’s not as “wet” as their extreme sheen gloss it lasts longer.
The applicator (which is a plastic tip) is a little bit fiddly to use, I tend to apply the gloss and then spread it slightly with my finger. Picture below of the applicator,
I bought this from Zuneta.com

Sisley Hydrating Long Lasting Lipstick L26

A while back I got two Sisley lipsticks and was not overly impressed given the price tag. Last week I decided to pick up the much raved about under eye concealer, there was not anyone around to serve so I thought I’d have a better look at the line up, the shade L26 in the Hydrating Long Lasting Lipstick instantly caught my attention. I do have a tendency to always go for similar colours but there was something about this neutral pink, compounded with the temptation of a GWP ( skincare samples worth over £100 at John Lewis, think it runs out end of month) that sealed the deal. I’m sure when I last bought one of these it was £26 so was slightly surprised when it rung up at £29, so this is my most expensive lipstick.
The texture is soft and very smooth, you get full coverage and they last quite well, I don’t think it’s that hydrating though. They are scented with that rosy scent, typical to a lot of brands.
The colour is a medium, neutral to cool pink with a slight bit of rose; it has a really pretty satin sheen to it. Although the formula isn’t my favourite I’ll over look that, as this is a really flattering shade.
They had their new items out, two PhytoLip Star glosses (one Fushsia pink packed to the brim with shimmer, the other a shimmery warm copper) I really wanted Modern Fushsia but couldn’t afford to get it. There was also a new compact foundation but I’d have to check the ingredients first and I’d doubt the shades would be light enough.
I’ll review the under concealer in a while as I am having issues with it, but think it maybe due to my eye cream, so if you know of a really hydrating eye cream that does not ball up please let me know.

Lancome Le Crayon Khol Pop Petrol and others

Having never tried Lancome eyeliners before I did the sensible thing and bought three at the same time……
Foolishness aside all three last really well, the waterproof 02 Chataigne (£17.50) is the most pigmented and the softest in texture, the colour is your standard dark neutral brown. The 022 Bronze (£15) is a really pretty mix of olive, bronze with a bit of a gold sheen. Unfortunately the limited edition Spring 04 Pop Petrol (£17.45) applies a bit patchy and is the least smooth of all three, it also transfers onto my top lid, a vibrant smokey blue line about a cm under my eyebrow is not a look I am ready for, performance aside the colour is really nice but out of the three 022 Bronze in my favourite.
Swatches L-R: Pop Petrol,Bronze, Chataigne

Julie Hewett Lipsticks

This is the first time I have bought Julie Hewett, I only became aware of the brand after seeing some posts on londonmakeupgirl.com, after seeing a post on the same blog announcing a 10% off code for Mise Beauty who stock the brand my decision was made (http://www.londonmakeupgirl.com/2010/02/10-discount-online-at-mise-beauty.html) .
I’d never ordered from Mise Beauty before but am pleased to say that it arrived super quick (delivery is free if you order over £60) really well packaged and they put in lots of samples. I was so pleased and will definitely use them again. They do ship internationally as well and offer an interesting mix of brands (such as Ellis Faas, Kevyn Aucoin, Mor,Rodial, Ren, Pai ). I’m also pleased to note that on the brands I looked at they list the full ingredients.

The first lipstick I got was the Icons of beauty lipstick in Annette (£18). Applied this is a deep rosy red (the colour applies a lot more intense than how it looks in the tube) I don’t wear red’s well (this was describe on the JH website as a classic matte mauve with a hint of brown) but I am surprised how much I like this, although against my pale skin it’s a statement colour for me. If you have more pigmented lips then I think this will apply more like the colour in the tube (neutral browny rose). The formula is pigment intense and long lasting. Although not particularly moisturising its not drying either, I was surprised that the colour did not bleed given the intensity. JH has a great selection of reds so I’d think you’d be able to find one that works for you.
I put on one coat lightly just to show you the depth of the colour (ignore dry lips, my lip balm has gone AWOL)
The Bijou Lipstick collection is the JH sheer lipstick range; I got shade Kiki (£16), a natural, neutral toned YLBB pink. The formula is light and quite moisturising, pigment is sheer but easily buildable.
Annette is pictured on top, Kiki below:


I also got some JH eye shadows that I’ll review separately after I have tired them more. There are quite a few more things I want so I’ll no doubt do another order soon.
http://www.misebeauty.com/

Jemma Kidd Make Up School Eye Essentials Shimmer Shadow

When the Jemma Kidd range was sold at Boots I never got round to trying it, it was then moved to Space NK to reposition it as a higher end brand. With this move the prices went up to reflect its new stance, the only problem with this is that if you had seen it for a lower price in Boots you’d not necessarily jump to pay a higher price for the same product.

ASOS had a 20% off code a while back so I decided to buy three of the eyeshadows (normal price £11 each).
ASOS also stocks the cheaper JK by Jemma Kidd range which I understand is sold at Target in America, I’d be interested to know how the cheaper range compares to the normal one in terms of quality.

All three eye shadows are shimmery but not frosty. They are softly pigmented and do have a really nice illuminating effect. They blend nicely and last all day providing you use a base (in my case TF shadow insurance).

The colours I got are:
Pearl:very sheer pink white highlight
Brulee:gold with a browned hue
Mocha:warmed chestnut brown

With Flash:

Without Flash:
Swatches: L-R Pearl,Brulee,Mocha

Although they are not unique colours they are very easy to wear and meld together really well and I have found myself using them a lot.
I would like to try more of the range but I find its more difficult finding reviews of the Make Up School products compared to the JK by Jemma Kidd products.

I bought my stuff from ASOS, once again I selected the super saver delivery and it was very quick but again not packaged that well. You can also buy this range from Space NK and Look Fantastic.com

Lubatti skincare : Moisturiser and Sparkling Eye Gel

Lubatti is a skincare and bath/body range. The line was launched by facialist, Tracey Malone (Jo Malone’s sister).
The Lubatti image seems to be similar to that of Jo Malone, I’d say its one that is elegant and quite luxurious, yet with a simplicity of products not making unattainable claims.
As I really like the white cleansing cream (I’m on my second bottle) I’d thought I buy some more items.
The Gorgeous Day Moisturiser Honey & Almond (£30) is meant to be “deeply nourishing and provides the perfect 'pick me up' for tired and dehydrated skin”. From this description I was expecting quite a heavy-duty cream but it was surprising light in feel and sank in almost immediately, the finish was very smooth and silky. The reason this is not something I continued to use is it was not quite moisturising enough (I have dry skin) and whilst it was great on no makeup days if I tried to put on foundation it balled up every time, in the end I tried patting on my foundation and that seemed OK but it just didn’t seem worse the hassle.
The other item I bought was the Sparkling Eye Gel with Green Tea Extract & Aloe Vera (£28). The gel is very light, and did feel nice and soothing on. I think it did help with the puffiness I had but its not a re-buy for me as it did not moisturise the area which made putting on concealer troublesome.

I’m not writing the brand off, as I do really like their cleanser and their bath oils look really nice. I think the mere fact that the cream did not break me out is impressive (in over 6 years I have only found about 3 moisturiser that don't break me out or cause a reaction)
The Lubatti Collection is available from SpaceNK and they also have their own website you can order from if your in the UK, http://www.lubatti.co.uk/

Just to mention that with skincare I use it for a while before reviewing so at to hopefully give you a more true reflection of the product (in this case it was about a month and a half)

Rouge Bunny Rouge Perfume of his Gaze sheer lipstick

I really liked the RBR Etna’s Plume look (http://www.rougebunnyrouge.com/cms/etna-s-plume-collection/) of deep grey smoky eyes and a subtle nude lip. I already had a few items in the look (Original Skin Blush 'Gracilis', 'Grey Go-away Lourie’ and 'Blackpepper Jay matte shadows).
The lipstick in the look, 'Perfume of his Gaze' (£21), appeared as a tan beige, had this been any other brand I think I would have stayed clear as this sort of colour usually washes me out and looks off, but I have had so much success with RBR that I figured it would be wearable.
I am glad to say it is, whilst it is a true tan beige (there is no overly peach or pink hues in this) it somehow manages to look extremely natural on, giving me a sheer glossy beige lip. I have always wanted to be able to wear this type of colour so am really pleased to have finally found something that works for me.

RBR lipsticks are hydrating and very comfortable on, the formula is very nourishing and when my lips are showing any signs of dryness I always reach for a RBR as not only does it not show up any flaky bits but at the end of the day my lips feel softer so there is definitely a skincare benefit with these as well.

Here is a picture of it with my other two sheer lipsticks (Tongue tickles and Dark Juices) so that you can see the colour against other shades.

For a picture of all my other RBR lipsticks please see here:
http://visionarybeauty.blogspot.com/2009/09/rouge-bunny-rouge-lipsticks.html

I buy all my RBR from Zuneta.com, they are a UK based company but do international shipping as well.

Clarins Rant and the fight for ingredients

As the shade in my foundation has been discontinued I am on the look out for something else. I had seen a lot of raves for Clarins new Everlasting Foundation. Unable to find the ingredients online I went to a store and after being ignored for well over 5 minutes I was finally approached…
SA: “Do you want anything?”
Me: “Can I see the ingredients for the new foundation please?”
She stares at me blankly, too much time passes…
Me: “If I could have a look at the box please?”
SA:“You want to look at the box?”
Me: “ Yes, to look at the ingredients”
SA: “Why”
Me: “ I have acne prone skin and am sensitive to a lot of things”
SA:”Like what?”
Me: “ Like Salt, Alcohol, Corn starch”
SA sighs at me, hands me the box, I look at the ingredients which unfortunately aren't suitable…
SA: “so it’s ok then?"
ME: “No, Sorry, it contains Alcohol quite high up on the list”
SA: long sigh, grabs box from me put back in drawer and walks off.

Her manner throughout the conversation was rude and she seemed highly annoyed with me, I know working in retail isn’t always joyous so I can forgive it to some extent, what annoyed me was being questioned over the fact that I wanted to check out the ingredients. I thought she was going to refuse to show me them at one point.
I wanted to look at the ingredients of the new Cotton face powder as well and buy quite a few things from the Spring collection, but as a result of this treatment I left empty handed and won’t be going back again.
These days I think people are more careful over what they put in their bodies and what they put on their skin; adult acne seems to be on the rise as well as skin sensitivity. There is more awareness of what the ingredients mean and for someone like me who has sensitive skin, battled severe acne for over 5 years and is now on the pill to keep it under control, the ingredients in a face product are fundamental as to whether I will buy it or not.

Unfortunately I have had many negative experiences trying to get ingredients from counters, the ones that come to mind are one SA saying that the ingredients are not listed anywhere, and another arguing with me that its impossible to break out from Algae.
I’d say probably 50% of websites don’t list the ingredients, a lot of people aren’t necessarily going to go through extensive searches and emailing like I have in the past to find them out and will simply not buy the product. Out of those that don’t currently list the ingredients some are really good and will email you back with the full list, others like Chanel just replied that the ingredients are on the box and to ask in store, firstly not everyone may have a counter near them, secondly as I have cited its not always easy to get them to show you ingredients.
I think from now on if it’s a product that I need to go instore and get the SA to get out for me (not something you can just take off the shelve) I will simply not bother and buy from a brand where obtaining the ingredients isn’t a struggle.

I recently found this site which is really helpful as it has the most comprehensive list of brands ingredients I have ever seen http://phoebe.pn-np.net/

Le Métier de Beauté Nail Lacquer

As soon as I saw Phlox (£13) on the Liberty website I had to have it as it reminded me of a much loved shade I had in my younger days.
Their nail varnishes do not contain formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl phthalate (DPB).
I’ll have to mention the size, as I know this is a bit of a stickler for some. They are 1.4 fl oz (4.0ml). The size is actually a plus point for me as I can only ever remember finishing one nail varnish before and I like compact makeup.

The colours I have are: Phlox (gently shimmered pinky lilac), Gardenia (sheer shimmery white), Magnolia (sheer shimmery cream).
Gardenia shown below:
Magnolia Shown below:
With Phlox I need two coats to get the colour in the bottle and with the lighter ones I just use one coat as I prefer really light shades to be sheer. The formula dries very quickly and for some reason is sets even quicker with the two lighter shades which does not give me much time to apply so that’s a slight negative. They wear well with minimal chipping.

One of the things I notice about these compared to others, is that the colour stays the same until you take it off, usually the colour tends to look a bit dull or faded after a while, but that’s not the case with these.
Swatches: Magnolia is the first on the left:
They have some interesting looking shades (especially if you like your purples, Violaceous Splendor and Black Orchid look really nice). Even though I tend towards darker colours, Phlox is my favourite polish out of my entire collection at the moment; the colour will be beautiful for spring.

Le Metier De Beaute is only stocked at Liberty in the UK. I have got to the sad state whereby I am checking their website every week to see if they will upload any new products but unfortunately not as yet!

Disclaimer: Magnolia and Gardenia were sent to me for free.

Estee Lauder Michael Kors Very Hollywood Spring Collection

Estee Lauder is not a brand I buy much from so when the news of the Spring Micheal Kors Very Hollywood collection details came out I didn't pay much attention, however I have seen lots of raves about the collection on makeup boards and blogs and then to top it off it was on a Pixiwoo youtube video so I'd thought I'd check it out.

I picked up the eyeshadow duo in Blonde Mink (£22) and two of the lipsticks (£17 each).
In the pan the eyeshadows are a golden toned beige and rich slightly warmed brown. The beige applies true to colour and has a nice smooth, soft texture. The darker colour is a major disappointment, although if I swatch it I get a brown, applied to the lid I get a medium copper, I didn't realise until I used it how red toned the colour was. Even trying to build it I cannot get the deep brown. Colour aside, the texture is nothing like the lighter shade, instead its flaky and does not apply evenly. I've only read good things about this duo so far so am surprised of the result I got.

I got lipsticks in Starlet Peach (very sheer peach) and Honey blonde (very sheer beige ) both shades seem to have a slight gold sheen to them. Of the two, Honey Blonde shows up more on me. I don't have pigmented lips so was surprised I got barley any colour pay-off at all, Starlet Peach is almost unnoticeable on me. I think these need to viewed as very sheer tints. I'll also say that if you have any dryness on your lips these do highlight it.
Swatches L-R:Blonde Mink duo, Starlet Peach, Honey Blonde (please click to enlarge)

So overall I am a bit disappointed and can't help but feel I have wasted over £50.

RMK Super Liquid Basic Concealer and Irresistible Lips

RMK’s Super Liquid Basic Concealer (£19) is not an illuminating type of concealer (like YSL Touche Eclat) instead its marketed as a liquid version of their basic concealer.
The texture is quite thick and if offers medium coverage, it lasts well, although I’d say it has a slightly powdery finish so if you have a dry under eye area this may not be for you. I choose the lightest shade 01 and whilst it’s slightly too dark it is wearable but probably better for those who are a MAC NC/NW 20/25.
Swatch on the left is it blobbed on, on the right blended in
I also bought Irresistible Lips C 24: Translucent Shiny Pink (£15) .The lipstick has a very wet/slick feel to it. The colour is a beautiful glossy shimmery cool pink but the lasting power is fleeting, I would like to try one of their n range ones as those are meant to be more colour infused.
The swatch on the left is swiped a few times, on the right just once so that you can see that the colour is quite sheer as it looks quite bright in the tube.
I bought my RMK from lookfantastic.com who do ship internationally for those of you outside the UK. A lot of the things I would like to buy from RMK are unfortunately not available online, so my future purchase’s of this brand will depend on whether lookfantastic.com expands the range they offer.