Benefit Perk Up Artist Palette

A foundation/concealer crisis had me standing at the Benefit counter, I had 15 minutes to spare on my lunch break to fix my skin/foundation before a meeting at work and a Benefit SA kindly came to my rescue. As I clearly stated that I only had £25 to spend before we began, I did not get any hard sell typically associated with Benefit SA's. Of the rather humongous amount of products that were used to re-do my base makeup, the perk-up artist palette (£22.50) caught my eye.

I'm going to ignore the ridiculous man picture on the box/palette lid.....

The mirrored palette contains a double sided mini brush and three cream shades that are meant to correct, cover and brighten. They each have a protective flip top lid, which I thought a nice addition.


You get a very yellow "correct" shade that is meant to disguise redness/discolouration, a medium skin toned colour which runs slightly warm and is meant to cover dark circles/imperfections and finally a light pink shade to brighten the eye area.
Here is the leaflet you get inside.

 The shades feel very lightweight and have a lot of slip to them, I wouldn't say they feel greasy but oily skin may not appreciate these. The coverage of all 3 is very sheer so I would say to forgo the notion that you will get a lot of coverage out of this palette. Whilst I had assumed the shades were lemon aid, the medium boi-ing shade and eye bright, having tried it they don't seem to correspond to the full sized versions, though it was a few years back that I had those.

 Ingredients:

Though this is not a miracle working, its a really nice portable palette that brightens the complexion and lessons discolouration. Benefit is not a brand I tend towards for various reasons but I won't discount it in future.

I bought this from Boots

Beauty Spotlight: Whats in Modesty Brown's.....

Modesty Brown loves nothing better than a good snoop. On a visit to her Mother's house earlier this year, she went on a scouting expeditions and unearthed three generations worth of perfume. It's an eclectic mix of old and new, including some memorable old favourites. Let's pay Modesty a visit to find out what's in her Mum's Perfume Archive.

Omorovicza Essentials & Queen of Hungary Mist

I bought the essentials set a while back as I thought it an excellent way to try out a range of items at a reasonable price (Its normally £75 but is currently on offer for £50).

Though the set is still on their site, there is one product that differs to the set I show here, instead of the thermal cleansing balm the updated set contains the deep cleansing mask.

The items come housed in a blue see through bag, you get travel sizes of the Queen of Hungary Mist, Illuminating Moisturiser, Rejuvenating Night Cream, two deluxe samples (5ml) of the Thermal Cleansing Balm, and a cleansing mitt.

 
The illuminating moisturiser has quite a light texture yet delivers instance and lasting hydration, though I don't think it would be enough for a really dry skin type. Its meant to provide a light diffusing effect, and I do think my skin looks just a touch better when I have this on.

The night cream is real luxury, my skin looks better in the morning having used it the night before. It has a lovely creamy texture without feeling too heavy or greasy. My skin is left hydrated and looking more rested.

I was very taken with the cleaning balm. Black in colour, it removes makeup well and does not leave the skin feeling stripped nor irritated, my skin feels smooth and soft after use. My only issues with this is that I had to use quite a a lot of product each time so I went though it really quick. 

The mist is great for refreshing the skin, especially in humid weather as it manages to make the skin feel clean yet provide the right amount of moisture. It smells nice as well, probably the orange blossom and rose listed in the ingredients. As soon as I used it up I bought the full sized version, pictured below.

 
The kit is a great way to introduce yourself to the brand and also contains your skincare needs for travel. I think the price of individual items is a slight issue for me so whilst the set is still on offer I might well buy another.

I bought these from omorovicza.com

Burberry Light Glow Natural Blush Tangerine

The blush is housed in a sturdy and quite heavy mirrored compact, complete with a mini angled brush.

The shade Tangerine 06 (£29) is a dusty beige peach.Though it has an almost matte finish it does not look at all flat on the skin. It applies without any harsh lines and never looks overdone. Though not as creamy as my Rouge Bunny Rouge blushes, it feels smooth, light weight and has a finely milled texture.

Swatched below, on the left two swipes and on the right one blended in
 
I had initially avoided these blushers due to the corn starch. Whilst it can be difficult identifying acne triggers due to the sheer amount of ingredients in any one product, the blushers I was breaking out from all contained this ingredient. I have not had any breakouts or itchiness from this and I have been using it almost daily, however I am still hesitant with products containing corn/rice starch.
Ingredients:
 

The only downside I have found is that it does fade quite a bit after about 5 hours. However, overall I'm really pleased; it applies so well and I haven't got another shade like it, I'm already contemplating what shade to get next.


I bought this from johnlewis.com

Beauty Spotlight Roundup: 21/07/12

 The Pink Sith’s July Birchbox has arrived. This month's theme is the 5 senses. Does that make sense?

Is your holo polish not holo enough? Not to worry, Jessika from polish insomniac shares with us the return of GOSH Holographic!

Pammy Blogs Beauty channels her inner "Palette Princess" as she embarks upon a new Palette Review Series with her review of Jemma Kidd's Backstage Palette.

There’s a new natural brand on the market, Visionary Beauty look’s at what the raw, pure, skin and body care range from Ambre Botanicals has to offer.

Buying makeup online can be a tricky game. Modesty Brown tries a Shiseido Perfect Rouge lipstick and finds that, although the colour isn't perfect, the formula is!

Is the Yves Saint Laurent Palette Couture really the star accessory for autumn? Check out her review for Perilously Pale’s thoughts on this much anticipated release for Fall 2012.

L'Oreal Infallible eyeshadows keep getting prettier and prettier. Beauty Info Zone wants to share some of the Fall 2012 shades to see if you'll "fall" for them too.

Prime Beauty continues her love affair with Kiehl’s. This time it’s the new fragrant Aromatic Blends that has her swooning.

London MakeUp Girl reviews Soapwalla Deodorant Cream, an all natural blend of oils, powder, clay and essential oils that promises to keep your armpits smelling fresh. Does it work? Read her review!

Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed loves a tinted lip balm during hot weather - moisture and colour that won't melt off your face! Check out the swatches of what she's been sporting on these lazy, hazy summer days!

If you have thought about doing your own gel polish manicures at home, Paula from Older Girl Beauty, shows us what is included in the "Mally Beauty 24/7 Professional Gel Polish System" as an example of one kit.

Ambre Botanicals: Herbal body scrub & Mango and Carrot Seed Extra Rich Hand Cream

AMBRE Botanicals is a relatively new skin and body care brand. For me they are the epitome of what a natural brand should be. The products are made by hand in small batches, they use only plant-derived ingredients in their pure, raw state.The formulations do not contain any water nor chemical ingredients, preservatives, artificial colour or fragrance, and they use a special cold process ( ingredients are not heated above 30°C ) to retain their natural, potent, nutrients.

The Mango and Carrot Seed Extra Rich Hand Cream (£17) is dense with a balm like texture. Yellow in colour it has a slightly herbal scent. As its so concentrated (like all their products) I only need to use a tiny bit . It melts on application and applies and sinks in well without leaving a greasy feel. It doesn't irritate my skin at all and is very effective in alleviating any dryness or rough bits and leaves hands feeling smooth and comfortable.

 Ingredients: Mango Butter (Mangifera Indica), Shea Butter (Butyrospermum Parkii), Carrot Seed Oil (Daucus Carota Linn), Sunflower Oil (Helianthus Annuus). Non-GMO Natural Vitamin E (D-alpha Tocopherol), Rosemary Antioxidant (Rosmarinus Officinalis). Pure essential oils of: Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia), Lemon (Citrus Limonum), Clary Sage (Salvia Sclarea ). Components naturally occurring in essential oils: Citral, Limonene, Linalool, Geraniol, Benzyl Benzoate.

The Herbal body scrub (£20) contains sugar cane to remove dead skin cells and apricot kernel and safflower oils to moisturise the skin. There is a slight coating left on the skin (not greasy like some scrubs) which leaves my dry skin comfortable.

Its a very effective scrub that is not too harsh and does not irritate my very sensitive skin. Perhaps my favourite aspect of this is the aroma. Its eucalyptus, basil and clary sage. It really is uplifting and makes me feel more awake and clear headed, if they could bottle this aroma I'd douse myself in it for the 14:00 work slump. Like the majority of scrubs it is a tad messy to use, I use a spoon to mix the oil and solid elements together and just put a bit on and work it over the body.

 Ingredients:Safflower Oil (Carthamus Tinctorius), Coconut Oil (Cocos Nucifera), Vegetable Wax, Cane sugar, Glycerine. Botanicals: Lemongrass, Eucalyptus, Olive, Spinach, Iris root, Rosehip. Non-GMO Natural Vitamin E (D-alpha Tocopherol), Rosemary Antioxidant (Rosmarinus Officinalis). Pure essential oils of: Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus Radiata), Basil (Ocimum Basilicum), Clary Sage (Salvia Sclarea). Components naturally occurring in essential oils: Eugenol, Limonene, Linalool, Geraniol.

I'm thoroughly impressed with this brand and have ordered quite a lot more which I'll review soon; it suits my highly sensitive skin, I really like how pared down and raw the ingredients and processes are and there is also something satisfying buying from an independent brand.

My husband has an Etsy account which is where I bought these from (etsy.com). You can also buy AMBRE from beingcontent.com and ambrebotanicals.com

# For some great reviews on Ambre, please visit Grace from Londonmakeupgirl

Laura Mercier Cinema Noir Collection: Mystere duo

The Mystere duo (£18.50) from the fall Cinema Noir collection immediately caught my eye. Its a cool toned duo featuring a matte clay taupe and a deep shimmery navy blue.

(I took my pictures near an open window hence the rain droplets)
The colours are beautifully saturated and create a smoky and sultry look. They feel quite smooth and have great pigment and very good wear.

Unfortunately I have a major problem with these and that is how they apply; its patchy and looks dry. I find trying to blend these near impossible and it just looks a bit messy. I've tried different primers and using none and still I get the same result.
The below picture is the best I can get using all my blending might.

A beautiful colour pairing let down by a sub par formula, you can call me disappointed...very...

I bought this from John Lewis

BM Beauty Dewy Perfection Finishing Powder & Eye Shadow Brush

I was reordering my mineral foundation from BM Beauty and would you believe it some other items jumped in my basket!


For those new to BM beauty they are a UK company that offers mineral makeup. They are approved by BUAV and the products are suitable for Vegans. The products are free from bismuth oxychloride, parabens, nano particles and synthetic dyes and fragrances.

The Finishing Powder comes in one shade, called Dewy Perfection (£8). Though its a slightly peachy champagne, once on the skin it only imparts a whisper of colour.

It gives a very subtle dewy sheen to the skin without looking frosty,sparkly or shiny. It applies very well and does not feel heavy like a lot of mineral makeup can.

The brand has a concise range of seven brushes (all synthetic). The Eyeshadow Brush (£8)  is more of a crease brush in terms of its oval shape and length.

Its reasonable dense but does not feel too firm, it picks up product well and deposits and blends very nicely. Given the low price I am really impressed with this.

 As I spent a certain amount I qualified for some samples. The blusher in Velvet Dawn is a slightly dusty warm pink with very slight golden shimmer.

I often find loose mineral blushers can be overly pigmented, unblendable and a shimmery mess, so I was very surprised just how workable this was on the skin. Its easy to not over do the colour, it blends in very well with extremely good wear time.
The other sample I got was a eyeshadow called Looking Glass.

Its a matte white that does not look chalky nor dry and it adheres well to the lid and has good colour payoff.

Swatches L-R: Finishing Powder, blusher,eyeshadow

I've not been a fan of the majority of mineral makeup brands on the market but BM beauty is undoubtedly a solid brand, and one that I hope will expand its range as it certainly has a lot to offer.

 I bought these from bmbeauty.com ( the samples I qualified for as I spent over £40)

Rouge Bunny Rouge Original Skin Blush:Orpheline

Orpheline (£25) is a departure from my normal blush shades as I tend to go for more subtle peaches, pinks and beiges.

 

I rarely go for brighter toned blushers as my skin has a lot of discolouration and brighter tones tend to heighten it. Orpheline is one bright I will be keeping as it does not look ruddy on. Its a healthy strawberry pink that applies with a satin finish.

Swatched below: Two swipes on the left and one swipe blended in on the right

Swatched below with my other RBR blushers L-R:Orpheline,Delicata,Gracili,Starina

 One of the biggest attributes of RBR blushers is that the colours never apply patchy, they also have a beautiful smooth texture, great pigment and good wear time. RBR are easily one of my favourite brands for blush and I am very glad I have added Orpheline to my collection.

I bought this from zuneta.com

Beauty Spotlight Roundup 07/07/12

Love Chanel polish, but don’t want to spend the moolah? Jessika from polish insomniac shows you a new dupe for Chanel Paradoxal!

Get matchy-matchy with Prime Beauty and the new Benefit Ultra Plush Lip Glosses!

It is Giveaway Time on Pammy Blogs Beauty! Enter to win the RoC® MAX Resurfacing Cleanser and the RoC® RETINOL CORREXION® MAX Wrinkle Resurfacing System.

Edward Bess has added some new shades to his ultra slick lipstick line up, Visionary beauty checks out the shade that most of the neutral lip lovers will home in on, Lotus Bloom.

Modesty Brown takes part in a colour challenge and is surprised to discover that purple is the most purchased colour in her collection.

Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed tried to beat the heat by trying out products from Yves Saint Laurent fall - check out her swatches and see if they cool you down!


Perilously Pale shows us why the Chanel Lumiere d'Artifices Beiges Illuminating Powder with Shimmer from the Les Essentials de Chanel Fall/Autumn 2012 collection is not only a beautiful highlighter but also a fabulous subtle bronzer for those with fair skin.


London MakeUp Girl reviews the new Jo Malone Velvet Rose & Oud Cologne Intense. It is every bit as delicious as it sounds.

Have you ever wondered what your makeup has done for you? Beauty Info Zone has found the answer with Tarte.

The Pink Sith does not have a constipated face but she is putting Phillips Milk of Magnesia on her face to control oil. She's weird but she's shine free!


15 Minute Beauty Fanatic has some great tips for how to keep your hair looking great despite all of the time in the sun and at the beach!

Paula, from Older Girl Beauty, finally get to show us the NARS Fall 2012 "Undress Me" Multiple she first told us about during NYFW back in February.

Edward Bess Ultra Slick Lipstick: New Shade Lotus Bloom

Edward Bess has recently added new lipstick and gloss shades to the line up. I ordered Lotus Bloom (£24) which is described as a sheer peach pink.


On me I don't see any pink and I would describe it as a peach nude with a sheen finish (which prevents it looking flat).

The texture is creamy and has a quite a bit of slip, more so that other shades I have from the brand. It has good pigmentation and an average wear. Though it does feel moisturising it does highlight any dry bits so I think its better to exfoliate the lip area first.

The lipstick is very strongly scented (its described as a fig scent) and I do find that the scent lasts.
Ingredients:

Though not quite the colour I was expecting it is an undoubtedly pretty natural peachy nude that is surprisingly wearable (as its not too nude/pale and doesn't go orange).

(Just to note it started to rain when I was taking pictures so you may notice water droplets on the lipstick in some of the pictures)

I bought this from zuneta.com

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Boy

Like the majority of the population I finally have Chanel Boy (£24).

As this was the one shade that was released earlier in some stores to showcase the new Coco shine lipstick formula in 2011, they must have thought it universal. In the tube it looks like a slightly mauve pink  with a hint of shimmer, it swatches slightly warmer on my skin but applies on the lips as a sheer slightly cool toned rosy pink with a glossy/shine finish.
I really like this, its very easy to wear and it won't compete with your other makeup.


I swatched it below with more cooler tones L-R: #52 Fetiche, #54 Boy, #72 Effrontée

With a light weight and hydrating formula, the Coco shines are very comfortable, wear time is poor though.

Ingredients

My brother bought me this from the world duty free store at Terminal 5, Heathrow airport.