Archive for the ‘Bronzer’ Category
I am going on holiday to Marrakech soon. It will be 7 days in the (here’s hoping for) scorching north African sun, and I am looking forward to getting my first sun tan in almost 18 months.
One thing I am determined to do is to minimise on my packing with make-up and beauty products for two main reasons: I will be flying by no-frills airline Easyjet who are notoriously difficult with luggage dimensons and weights (total size includes wheels and handles for crying out loud!). Also I want to leave enough room for any potential purchases I will find difficult to resist from the souqs.
I took a heaving bag of make-up on my last getaway and shamefully I didn’t even use two-thirds of the contents. What is it about going away that sends us into a panic that we might need several palettes and lipsticks? It’s a holiday, not a fashion shoot!
So here are the essentials I’ve whittled down to:
- Maybelline’s Volum’ Express The Rocket Mascara – my current favourite mascara (not photographed)
- Illamasqua’s Precision Liner in Abyss
- Illamasqua’s Skin Base (12)
- MAC Pro Longwear Concealer (NW35)
- L’Occitane’s Sublime Beauty Cream – BB Cream in Medium*
- GOSH BB Cream in Warm Beige
- Bourjois cream blusher in Sweet Cherry (04)*
- Nars cream blusher in Maui
- Avon Supershock Gel Liner in black
- Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Roomiest Rose and Mightiest Marschino*
- Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush (005)
- Smashbox Megatint in Punch*
- Bourjois 3D Effet lip glosses in Brun Exotic and Brun Rosé*
- Hourglass Extreme Sheen High Shine Lip Gloss in Icon and Empress
- Elemis Pro-Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm* – doubles up as a primer
- Liz Earle Sheer Gold Shimmer
I have purposely avoided products which need brushes as well as powders, and subsequently I am leaving out the eyeshadows because frankly I can’t be bothered with all that faffing around.
Bourjois’s new collection of cream blushers are not until 15th May but you can read a review and see swatches by Leanne of Do Not Refreeze. Light and slim in packaging, these are perfect for travelling so I’m popping one in the bag.
I am also looking forward to putting L’Occitane’s new BB Cream through its paces and I will be posting a review on it.
All of these fit nicely in my relatively small Bourjois make-up bag*. Honestly my make-up bag before was hand bag size!
Is there anything else I should take? I know I’ve overdone it with the lipwear but the trouble is, I don’t know which ones I will wear (depending on how I feel at the time) so I’m taking a few. Madness. I would love to know if you try to downsize your make-up when you go away or if you take more than what I am packing.
On a separate note, if you’ve been to Marrakech, please let me know your recommendations about what hidden gems I should visit or try. One thing that is an absolute must is a hammam and massage and picking up some argan oil. Can’t wait!
*PR sample
On Tuesday night I had a preview of Marks & Spencer’s new beauty collections for this year’s spring/summer at the newly reopened Cafe Royal in London. It has to be said the restored and transformed grade 1 listing building is breathtaking.
I was thrilled to see so many recognised brands under their wing – Tara Smith, REN, H20 Spa, Glam Glow as well as their signature collections from Autograph.
Make-up is pink and warm peachy tones with bronze-gold shimmers and one product that caught everyone’s attention was Autograph’s eyeshadow palette, which looks very similar to the Naked palette but at more than half the price (£12).
M&S’s Beauty Hall is wonderfully innovative and welcoming, and they have certainly raised the bar with handpicking some pretty lovely things and making them more accessible to a wider audience. It looks like I’ll have to make a stop at my nearest M&S Beauty Hall now…
Meanwhile I thought I’d include some snap shots from the evening with cookie decorating among the highlights.
What do you think of M&S’s Beauty Hall?
Peonies & Lilies’ Fei concentrating hard on decorating her cookie
Recently Daniel Sandler very kindly sent me some of his products to try and interestingly this included a cream-in-a-compact.
I trust liquid and gel more for an even distribution and flawless coverage. It’s been years since I used a base in compact form (powder actually) and my only experience with a creamy compact wasn’t particularly memorable. With that in mind I wasn’t sure how Daniel’s Catwalk Compact would compare to the methods I am comfortable with.
The creamed compact is packaged in a solid and attractive looking compact, which also comes with a sponge applicator. It has SPF 25, is suitable for combination to oily skin types and is available in 10 shades with attention on medium to dark skin tones.
While it’s not unusual to use your fingers to apply liquid or gel foundation, you most certainly need a sponge for cream as you are dealing with a thicker and almost solid texture.
The cream light-weight foundation is very soft and very little is needed for a medium coverage which is buildable for maximum coverage. I used shade 06 which was a perfect match and it blended effortlessly and quickly with the sponge, but most importantly once it was on it stayed on.
Wearing Catwalk Compact in shade 06
I usually prefer a dewy finish but Catwalk Compact leaves a soft matte finish with the setting properties of a powder. However it doesn’t look caked on at all and as I mentioned earlier, it is incredibly light. I really didn’t feel the need to layer it on as it gave me the sufficient coverage with long lasting results.
I also used Daniel’s Watercolour Crème Bronzer in Fiji – a gorgeous terracota – with my fingers and it would have been rude not to finish off with his watercolour blush in Spicey. I love this product so much!
Daniel also has a liquid foundation, Super Mineral MakeUp which is a foundation, sunscreen and anti-oxidant in one.
Containing nutrients and vitamins to nourish the skin while offering protection (SPF 15), its light diffusing mineral pigments help diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles too.
The product which comes with a pump, offers medium to full coverage, giving a dewy look. It’s oil-free, fragrance-free and water resistant like the Watercolour Blush and Bronzer. Suitable for all skin types it comes in a total of 10 shades too.
I can’t fault this one either and I have two choices when it comes to selecting a foundation by Daniel Sandler. The compact is great to slip into my handbag and is practical to use on the go or when travelling while the Super Mineral Makeup liquid is something I would opt for more frequently just because of personal preference. Both have delivered impressively and sit very reasonably in the price scale when it comes to foundations.
Wearing Super Mineral Makeup in shade 06
You’ll have noticed I’m wearing a bright red lippy in the first photo – it’s Daniel’s Red Carpet matte lipstick and Daniel insisted this colour would suit me. Hmm. Well this one is full of surprises.
Not only did I notice immediately how smooth and evenly it glided on, the texture was so soft too. What should be pointed out is the lipstick contains a “non-drying” matte formula – 4 hours since application, my lipstick were still moisturised with no cracking or peeling.
Red Carpet feels light on the lips and the colour is richly bold and beautiful – it couldn’t have a more apt name. This is how all matte lipsticks should look and feel!
The magic ingredients are Squalene, a natural moisturiser and Hyaluronic Acid to soften lips as well as Vitamin E and as a result this lipstick doesn’t bleed. It is also hypoallergenic, free of preservatives and fragrance.
Catwalk Compact and Super Mineral Makeup foundation are currently available at the special price of £15.50 (usually £21.50), Red Carpet lipstick costs £13.50 and Watercolour Crème Bronzer (available in 2 shades) is £15.50.
Thank you, Daniel for creating such superb products that deliver – I’m in love. I think this is one affair that will go the distance.
To buy online and support the best of British, visit www.danielsandler.com.
*PR samples
As London gears up for Fashion Week, London Westfield had been getting into the swing of things with their own spectacular fashion weekend.
Those who managed to catch the action would have seen three packed days of catwalk shows and retailers discounts marking Westfield’s nod at Autumn/Winter 2012 fashion and beauty trends and it was with great pleasure to accept Westfield’s warm invitation to recreate a key look of my choice for this season with a beauty make-over at the NARS counter in House of Fraser. NARS, House of Fraser and Westfield London – this must have been the best Sunday afternoon I’ve had it in ages.
I was greeted by the beautiful NARS make-up artist Kasia and decided to go for plums, purples and blues with a metallic theme that’s just perfect for the autumn and wintery seasons.
Kasia got to work with stripping my face bare (so I looked like a child) and using NARS’ twinkly new skin care range before I told her to go wild with the make-up. Now I normally wouldn’t jump at the chance of wearing light metallic shades Kasia used but her clever artistic work opened my eyes. NARS’ emphasis is on the eyes but also the lips so a bold look was what Kasia pushed for and I am happy to say I am glad she did.
Experimenting with the vampish metallic burgundy of Rouge Tribal on the lips
Boom!
And here are the products Kasia used…
Skin prep:
Multi Action Hydrating Toner
Aqua Gel Moisturiser Oil-Free
Total Replenishing Eye Cream
Total Brightening Concentrate
Face:
Pro Primer, SPF30
Foundation in Sheer Glow Stromboli M3
Concealer in Ginger Medium 2
Bronzer in Laguna (for contouring)
Orgasm Illuminator (for the blusher)
Rouge Tribal for the lips (from Nars’ Fall 2012 Color Collection)
Eyes:
Melusine (silver for base)
Marie Galante duo (for the lids and outer creases)
Larger than Life Long Wear Eyeliner in Rue Seint-Honoré
Beli eyeshadow (for the brows)
I have wanted to try NARS’ foundation and how the Sheer Glow felt and looked on me means I will be handing over my credit card at the NARS’ counter on the next pay day (as if I don’t have enough make-up as it is) but I also loved the Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner. It’s so soft and pigmented and it’s unbelievably difficult to budge. I’m glad I opted for navy blue instead of the conventional black – it’s far too easy to play it safe with the latter and the results are stunning. What do you think? Will you be reaching for the metallics this season?
To explore more on NARS, visit www.narscosmetics.co.uk and to find out about London Westfield’s key catwalk trends make sure you bookmark http://uk.westfield.com/london/fashion. To enquire about a free make-over at NARS at House of Fraser, call 020 8765 3290.
