Wednesday, 12 April 2017
Monday, 20 March 2017
The Real Techniques Multi Tech Collection
I’m a huge fan of Real Techniques brushes, having bought into the Youtube hype of them when they first launched. I would actually say they are the best blog/vlog-influenced purchase I have ever made. These brushes are just as soft to touch as the rest of the range and are still made of completely synthetic fibres but that’s where the similarities end.
The multi tech brushes are unique in the fact that they are designed to be used in anyway you want. Now, if you’re like me this won’t be a particular draw to them - brushes are just brushes, right? You can use them how you wish if if that means a setting brush is actually your favourite to apply highlighter. The best part about the range is that they are all the same brush. Literally. Each of the seven brushes and even the point are the same rounded shape with a slight point, meaning that you’ll never have to say “this brush would be perfect for [insert makeup stage] if only it were bigger/smaller”.
The range consists of XXXS, XXS, XS, S, L, XL, XXXL and a makeup sponge which is like a cross between the beautyblender pro and the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. Also the sponge and the range of small brushes come with a sponge/brush holder which is a nice touch. My favourite is the XL, it’s a dream for applying bronzer, it picks up the right amount of product and distributes it perfectly on the high points of your face.
The Real Techniques Multi Tech Brush Collection is available from superdrug.com
Monday, 13 June 2016
Monday, 23 May 2016
stila aqua glow watercolor blush in water blossom
I'm so not usually fussed about blush, I'm normally much more of a highlighter and bronzer lover. Give me a fan brush and I'll go to town highlighting the hell outta my cheekbones so by the time I've finished, blush would just be absolute overkill.
But lately I've been embracing a more pared back look and this blush is the perfect accompaniment. Where I like my base to be more velvety matte the texture of this blush adds a hint of life back into my cheeks. It's literally the less painful, more expensive version of someone pinching your cheeks with the result obviously lasting a hell of a lot longer. To use, I simply give it a little shake and then use my ring finger to dab it onto the apple of each cheek, blending up towards my temple. While the shade looks a bit 'in your face' in the pot, on the cheeks it just a pretty flush of colour.
I'm definitely going to try the other shades too!
Tuesday, 22 March 2016
Topshop Beauty
I don't think Topshop Beauty gets enough credit. The range is great. It's affordable with an unreal selection of products with fab colours and the formula is always on point too!
I dipped my toe in the Topshop Beauty pool when the range first came out years back with a lipstick and nail polish - that's all and to be honest, the nail polish was a bit pants - it was streaky and chipped within a day. The lipstick on the other hand was the thing that had be coming back. The pigment, the staying power, everything! So I bought a few lippies (which have since become staples in my collection) but didn't really explore the rest of the range - until now. They are killing it y'all, here are a few of my fave Topshop Beauty buys.
Lipsticks in All About Me and Inhibition, £8 each - All About Me was the aforementioned first lippy I got from Topshop and Inhibition (pictured above) is the smoky purple of dreams. The Topshop lipsticks are matte but so creamy and not at all drying.
Cream Blush in Dalliance, £7 - I love the muted colour of this blush. On my skintone it gives me a subtle healthy glow and is perfect for lazy weekend not-much-makeup kinda days.
The Concealer Palette, £12 - This palette comes with three different shades so you can mix and match for custom colour it also comes with a translucent powder to set it.
Contour Cream in Swerve, £10 - The Contour Cream comes in two colours now, Swerve being the darker one. and when I say dark I mean real dark, and therefore actually wearable for us brown girls. I love the consistency - it's highly-pigmented and creamy therefore easy to blend out. Because ain't nobody wanting contour stripes.
Smokey Eye Palette in Subversive, £12 - Twelve pounds for four awesome colours that create a bangin' smokey eye. Nuff said.
Monday, 22 February 2016
Bobbi Brown Nude on Nude Eye Palette
If there's two things I love most when it comes to eye make-up, it's matte shades and a nude colour palette. Sure I like to experiment with colour every once in a while but as I'm more of a statement lip lover (way easier to perfect) for the eyes I prefer a simple colour and a precise eyeliner flick. So when this Bobbi Brown beauty dropped onto my desk I basically resembled the heart-eye emoji.
The Nude on Nude Eye Palette, £36, hits shelves in March and is limited edition as a part of their Malibu Nudes Collection. The five shades come with a dual-ended brush so while it's on the higher end of the price scale you do get a range of shades and a quality brush to apply them with.
All the lighter shades work well as a base and to even out the skin tone on the eyelid. The first shade is also great as a matte brow-bone highlight. However the darkest shade (Espresso) is my favourite, not only is it fab for a smokey eye, it's fab for filling in your brows too if you have dark brown hair like myself, which is great if you're travelling.
The formula of the shadows are pretty buttery soft with just the right amount of pigment.
Get yours at bobbibrown.co.uk from March
Tuesday, 16 February 2016
Kiss USA Blooming Lash
Lashes, they are amazing for making make-up look complete. I, however just can't seem to get on with them. They are irritating to wear and a faff to put on and I always feel like they are going to fall off when I'm out.
These lashes, however, have changed the game (well for me anyway). After attending a Kiss USA event last week guests were given some samples of the lashes and nails to try and I thought, hey, why not give them a whirl.
Above I have on the Kiss Blooming Lash in Lily and it's love. The Blooming Lashes are supposedly super spesh as they are created with 'multi-angle technology' which basically is a fancy way of saying that they are layered. Said technology does though give them a lovely fluttery look so I decided not to apply mascara to my actual lashes so the look was fresh and natural. The band is so thin I found them easy to apply onto my lashline and they are super light too so after a while I genuinely forgot they were on.
They are also 100% natural hair, and you can get your hands on them at boots.com
N.B Shout out to the Zoeva Warm Spectrum Eyeshadow Palette which I used to create this look.
Monday, 21 December 2015
Smashbox's Smash Hits!
When I got my first payslip from full time employment I headed straight to Westfield and bought myself the Smashbox Liquid Halo Foundation. I hadn't heard a great deal about it and I don't really know what made me get it but I did and that my friends was the first ever Smashbox product I bought.
Now two years later I would say that the brand is one of my absolute favourites, up there with the likes of Bobbi Brown and Char Tilbs, I just know I can rely on it for great products that won't break me out and deliver quality every time. I've tried my fair share of Smashbox and I haven't ever hated something the brand has to offer, but these bad boys are definitely, in my opinion, the best of an awesome bunch.
If I'm not mistaken, this was the second high end foundation I ever bought. It's sheer to meduim coverage and feels light and breathable on the skin. It's hydrating too but doesn't look too dewy, which I love because my immensely t-zone will give me that all by itself. It lasts a decent amount of time before it needs to be powdered too!
This is the newest Smashbox offering I've tried and I love it! I know what you're thinking. A primer... Oil? An oil that primes? Whaaaaaaaat? Because I have to admit I thought the same. But dang I love it! This is perfect for the colder months if you're prone to tight, dry skin as it helps to moisturise the skin before applying make-up. I'll cleanse and tone and then apply a few drops, allow it to sink in for a few minutes and then apply my foundation. It gives your skin a lovely dewiness without looking or feeling over greasy.
This is your regular kinda primer (the type with a silicone slip feel) but I love this one when I'm rocking a powder foundation as it creates the smoothest bloody surface ever and doesn't slip off after like 5 minutes like many others I've tried.
I am so obsessed with this powder. Previously I used the M.A.C compact but found that if I used it throughout the day it would cake up, so when translucent powders were on test I opted to try this one as it was a loose powder. Don't get me wrong at first it is a bit of hassle and messy but now I don't even notice it. It rids the skin of immense shine yet doesn't make it look dull and overly matte.
This is a newish addition and it's love. While I really like the Sleek offering (and it's a lot less expensive) I love this more for two reasons. Firstly, it comes with a handy contour guide on the actual mirror so you can look at it as you apply - genius Smashbox babes. And secondly, all three shades are super wearable, which is something I didn't find with the Sleek Contour Kit. There's the contour shade, great for creating shadows, a rich terracotta blush and a perfect non-shimmery highlight shade.
I don't own any BB or CC creams because they all tend to be too dewy for my oily t-zone. But a BB eye cream I can get behind. My undereyes and eyelids are actually some of the driest parts of my combination skin so a hydrating concealer is exactly what I need and this one is a Godsend. It's quick to apply with a twist up brush so you get the perfect amount of product and is easy to just blend with your fingers. Not only does it hydrate, it brightens too - this is the first thing I reach for in my makeup routine.
Saturday, 17 October 2015
CHARLOTTE TILBURY MAGIC FOUNDATION REVIEW
I don't think a foundation has ever been more aptly named than this bad boy! When I saw this floating around the blogosphere from July I was more than intrigued. I'm not usually one for full coverage foundation as I don't have that much hyper-pigmentation and only get the odd spot, so I tend to stick to light coverage or sometimes branch out to medium. However, a recurrent problem I face with my current crop of foundations is that by lunchtime, without doubt, my t-zone is shining like a beacon! I get so so oily it is literally sebum central. So when I saw this was the new foundation on the block that claimed to leave a demi-matte finish - well, I just had to try it.
(left - bare-faced//right - with the foundation)
The Good
Despite being so full coverage and flawless when applied, it doesn't feel heavy at all. I like to use my Real Techniques Buffing Brush to work it into my skin and once it's set down it it literally leaves your skin looking airbrushed. The finish is definitely matte (but not drying) so you don't need to use a powder to set it. The great thing is that despite the matte finish your skin still looks glowing! I usually find that mattifying products can leave the face looking quite flat but this foundation leaves the skin radiant without using any glitter or shimmer. I'd say, in terms of endurance, it lasts well - say about 8/9 hours - without needing to powder.
The Bad
One thing I would say is the colour range is definitely lacking. While I'm happy that they DO cater to dark skin (which should just totally be the norm in this day and age) I found it crazy that there is only one shade darker than mine (11) and it's still not even that dark - I mean, what would Lupita do? The only other thing that I don't like is something that I also love about the foundation the fact that it doesn't need powder. It's great because it's one less step you have to do BUT I found that when it gets to the time that a little shine starts sneaking through at the end of the day and you want to touch up with powder, if you're going out after work for instance, I found that it just doesn't powder well. I've tried a few different ones and it just ends up looking hella cakey.
Overall this is the perfect foundation if you're looking for flawless coverage with staying power. Just don't try and powder it, OK?
Monday, 12 October 2015
Ride or Die Lipsticks
You know those lipsticks that are just there for you no matter what? You, know that no matter what the season you can turn to those lippies and count on them to complete your look/distract from any other facial imperfections/huge craters. Well these are mine and I can recommend each and every one of them...
MaxFactor Colour Intensifying Balm in Posh Poppy - £8.99
Why I love it - Just what it says on the tin an intense balm that's perfect for a delicate flush of colour.
M.A.C Lipstick in Capricious, £15.50
Why I love it - My go-to pinky nude, the first lipstick I've gotten this close to finishing (see above)
Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Lip Colour in Cocoa, £21
Why I love it - Ever fancy a 90's brown lip All Saint style? This is the ultimate - it's super moisturising and the red-tone keeps it from looking too too '90s if you know what I mean.
Bobbi Brown Art Stick, in Harlow Red, £20
Why I love it - When I'm looking for a ridiculously fab pop of colour I always reach for this. Amazing staying power and the fact it's a crayon makes it easy to apply.
Flori Roberts Lipstick in 12723, £11.95
Why I love it - This is the red I reach for to add something to a boring t-shirt and jeans kinda outfit.
Friday, 4 September 2015
Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette
I really really don't need anymore palettes. But I just couldn't say no to this one - I mean, it's smoky eye heaven!
While I definitely am more of a statement lip girl, there really isn't anything sexier than a sultry smoky eye. It's the thing that every make-up fan wants to master and this palette just made it a whole load easier. There are 12 gorgeous shades, nine of which are shimmery or glittery and the other three at matte shades. The product also comes with a double-ended brush and a few tutorials that actually are quite easy to follow. The shadows are buttery soft and easy to blend (the brush is actually useful unlike a lot of compact counterparts). Super sparkly shades such as Armor do have a bit of fallout when applied but also give a great colour pay off.
In the above image I applied Combust all over the lid as a base and then filled in my mobile lid with a black kohl liner. I then blended that before applying Smoulder on top and finished by blending Password into my crease as a transition shade.
If you're on the hunt for the comprehensive must-have to nail the smoky eye once and for all, look not further.
Ok, now I really don't need any more palettes...
Thursday, 3 September 2015
Wednesday, 26 August 2015
Wednesday, 12 August 2015
5 of the best... high street brands for dark skin
If you're anything darker than a mocha, beauty shopping on the UK high street can be real tough. If it's not ashy or orangy foundation it's blush and shadows in shades that just don't suit. While I tend to splurge a little too much on luxury brands, I do think that that should be something that's a choice not the only option. However, these are my pick of the best high street, inexpensive brands that cater for Black and Asian skin.
Sleek
The holy grail in inexpensive dark skin make-up, available at Boots, Superdrug and online. The pigment in the blush and shadows are amazing and the base shade range is really vast.
Kiko
I don't own loads from KIKO but what I do own I like a lot. It's not the cheapest "high street" brand but I like the fact that for all of their face products, there's a dark option. The quality of the range is on point too!
Top pick - Highlighter
Rimmel
Ok, let's just get this straight, Rimmel's base offering for dark skin is non-existent however, there shadowsticks and lipsticks are highly-pigmented enough for deeper skin tones.
Top picks - Shadow Sticks, Lipsticks
Revlon
I love Revlon! The bases, powders, lipsticks... Everything. The quality of the foundations and the formula of the lipsticks are great for a high street brand.
Top pick - Illuminator
W7
I'm not keen on all W7 make-up but their Ebony range blushes are really really good - highly-pigmented and really tailored to dark skin. Sometimes I feel that the only high street blushes that are for dark skin are bright and bold, which is nice, but sometimes you just want a subtle glow to rock with a smoky eye or red lip.
Top pick - Ebony Blush
Sunday, 2 August 2015
Monday, 20 July 2015
Wednesday, 7 January 2015
Bobbi Brown CC Cream - Review
When the whole BB and CC cream train came along I stayed
with my feet firmly on the platform of the station, for two reasons. One, I
didn’t really believe the whole one-billion-benefits-in-one-product shbang and
two (mainly) I couldn’t find a bloody colour to match my skin tone. Seriously,
maybe I didn’t look hard enough, I don’t know, but it seemed that every single
one I swatched on the back of my hand dried with a slight ashy tinge. No bueno.
Enter Bobbi Brown. When I heard they were bringing out a new
dark colour in their CC Cream, I was finally swayed to trying the whole
alphabet cream phenomena out. Rich nude is a deep cocoa – I’d probably say
slightly darker than my skin tone but a small blob blended out properly works
well colour-wise. And overall, I have to say I’m impressed. It definitely has
quite full coverage for a cream/non-foundation and does well in blurring
imperfections as well as having the added benefit of UVA/UVB protection at a
SPF of 35. While this level of protection seems a bit futile now – I mean, my
little toes are close to frostbite – I literally know this is going to be the
first thing I pack in my makeup bag for my summer holiday (come soon please?).
The Bobbi Brown CC Cream is £29 and available from
bobbibrown.co.uk
Love Keeks xo
Saturday, 13 December 2014
6 tips to keep your make-up looking flawless all night!
It’s
party season (how many times have you heard that already this week?) and the festivities
are about to kick in – office parties, meals with friends, New Year’s Eve etc,
which means we’ll be expecting our make up to stand the test of time. Here are
some tips on helping your make-up stand the test of time…
1.
Let that sink in…
A
great foundation is all well and good but if you haven’t got the stuff
underneath down pat then it’s pretty much useless. In order to ensure your
foundation doesn’t slip and side throughout the night make sure you allow your
moisturiser to sink in before you start applying any make-up.
2. Prime
time
A
decent primer will seriously keep your make-up glued to your face, but not in a
gross way. I personally love the Clinique Superprimers, especially the
universal one. When applying, don’t rub it in, but smooth it on. It’s supposed
to be a light layered on top of your moisturiser, not mixed in with it.
3. Ace
the base
Once
you’ve gotten the pre make-up faff out of the way, choose your base wisely. If
you’re in for a long night, as much as you want to look natural - do you know what the worst possible
foundation choice you could make for an all nighter? A dewy finish. Don't even
go there unless you want to shine like a beacon a couple of hours in. Opt for a
matte or Demi-matte finish. If you feel like matte foundation flattens your
face, you can always add shape with subtle highlighting and contouring.
4. Lashes on lashes
Now
I'm not one for fake lashes. I'm way too self-conscious that one of them is
making a break for it and is half dangling off of my eye while I party on,
blissfully unaware. But if you love your falsies then the one tip I'd give is
to carry your lash adhesive in your clutch to avoid any going AWOL.
5. Lip
service
The
best bet for a long-lasting lip would be a stain. However, I’m super-allergic to
one of the ingredients in pretty much all stains available so I have to opt of
the next best thing. Applying a lip liner all over the lips is great because it
has awesome staying power and allows you to define the lips at the same time.
6.
Pow wow powder!
If
you want to set your makeup before you head out or touch up while you’re there,
I recommend translucent powder as no matter how many times you touch up it won’t
cake, whereas normal, skin-coloured powder layered on foundation can tend to
look cakey. Just powder down the centre of the face when you start to look a
lil’ shiny.
And make sure you have a fab night, ladies!
And make sure you have a fab night, ladies!
Love
Keeks xo
Tuesday, 4 November 2014
Clarins The Essentials Mineral Eye Make-Up Palette
The only thing worse for a beauty junkie than working with
hair and beauty products for a living is also having a close friend working
with hair and beauty products for a living – we are the ultimate beauty product pushers, so when the ever-enabling Zoe said there was a new Clarins palette
that she thought I’d like, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.
The new Essentials Mineral Eye Make-Up Palette is a limited
edition offering from the Clarins Christmas Collection and includes 9 wearable neutral
shades shades (and one ‘out there’ glitter) that can be used wet or dry and a
double-ended brush. The shades all have a great colour pay off and even the
lightest shades look good on darker skin, where other brands offerings can look
slightly chalky.
The shadows are suitable for sensitive eyes and are all ophthalmologist and dermatologist tested. I seriously
love this palette and it would make the perfect present for a subtle smoky eye
enthusiast.
Love Keeks xo
Tuesday, 28 October 2014
Six Shades of Lipstick
I’m not going to lie, I own far far too many lipsticks - so
much so that I have a special lip product draw and in this lip product draw I
have special sections for each group of colours; reds, nudes and pinks (then
balms, gloss and crayons…) In Autumn I tend to veer away from pinks and
embrace darker and duskier nudes and reds with the odd berry thrown in for good
measure. These beauties are my favourites…
(Clockwise from top right)
Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in 108 Determinee, £26
M.A.C Lipstick in Capricious, £15
Lipstick Queen Velvet Rope lipstick in Entourage, £35
Bobbi Brown Limited Edition Scotch On The Rocks Lipstick in
Bordeaux, £22
Flori Roberts Lipstick in 12609, £11.95
Burberry Lipstick in Bright Plum no.15, £23
Picking a favourite from these beauties is like picking a
favourite child.
Love Keeks xo
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