Wonders of Beauty

Looks - 14:40

Looks | Keeping it Coral

I think I really need to start naming these types of posts "Face Of The Other Day" because I never get around to actually...

Makeup - 23:00

Been too long...

Been too long.. ♥ WOW! I haven't blogged in 5 months and it actually seems like forever. I've even forgotten how to use this t...

Beauty - 15:14

Dupe Alert | Wet n Wild Sugar Plum Fairy 908C and MAC Rebel

Dupe Alert | Wet n Wild Sugar Plum Fairy 908C and MAC Rebel.. ♥ As this is my first post of the year, it's only right that I still...

Swatches | Wet n Wild Mega Last Lipstick 908C, 901B, 965, 907C..♥

Hey beauts

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas!

As promised, I have swatched the Wet n Wild Mega Last Lipsticks that I bought recently so that you can hopefully see the colours better and also maybe to help someone out there who is having difficulties picking shades to buy. As you should already know, I only purchased four lipsticks to start off with because I didn't want to buy loads and then find that I don't like the formula. Now that I've had them for a while, I really do like these lippies and I'm happy to have had Wet n Wild lipsticks recommended to me :)

901B Think Pink can be described as a peach toned pink. Out of the four, this is the shade that I haven't really played with. It's quite light and I'd suggest darker skin women to use this lipstick with a lip liner. Light and medium tone ladies should be able to pull it off fine though.

Everyone's current favourite Wet n Wild lipstick - 908C Sugar Plum Fairy. As you can see this is a plum/berry shade and so far my most worn lipstick of the month! I'm really loving this shade at the moment and I always pair it with my NYX 808 Deep Purple lip liner. Every skin tone can pull off this shade with ease!

I've only ever worn 965 Cherry Picking once which was at home on Christmas day. It's sort of like a pinky red. It's a very feminine and bold shade in my opinion. I haven't really given it much of a chance as I'm always wearing Sugar Plum Fairy lol.

Over the past 2/3 days, I've been rocking this shade and also paired it with my NYX 808 Deep Purple lip liner. As the lip liner is closer to Sugar Plum Fairy, when worn with 907C Mauve Outta Here, it gives it a sort of ombre-ish look which I like.

The top set of swatches are without flash and the bottom set was taken with flash. I took both so that I could show you the true colours of these shades and hopefully give you an idea of the finish in the best way possible.

1. Mauve Outta Here 907C
2. Cherry Picking 965
3. Sugar Plum Fairy 908C
4. Think Pink 901B

I need your help ladies! One thing I do struggle with is pairing lip liners with my lipsticks as I don't have enough. Could you kindly suggest lip liners to be used with these lipsticks as I do always love to define my lip shape. Any brands that are easy to get hold of will do. I mainly own NYX ones though.

This is possibly my last post for the year so if you've got any NYE plans, I hope you enjoy them, keep safe and have a Happy New Year! ♥♥

Which is your fav shade? Are you thinking of buying any?

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Beauty Joint - 22:40

Swatches | Wet n Wild Mega Last Lipstick 908C, 901B, 965, 907C

Swatches | Wet n Wild Mega Last Lipstick 908C, 901B, 965, 907C.. ♥ Hey beauts Hope you all had a lovely Christmas! As promised,...

Beauty Joint - 15:00

What's New | Wet n Wild Mega Last Lipsticks and L.A Girl PRO Concealer

What's New | Wet n Wild Mega Last Lipsticks and L.A Girl PRO Concealers.. ♥ As I mentioned before, I've been interested in try...

When you’re not so clued up in the make-up field, choosing a lipstick may seem tricky as the variety available on the market is unbelievably wide. Before selecting a colour to suit you, it is important that you know the formula you’re after. The finish of lipstick you go for is a very personal choice as not every texture works for everyone. When searching for a lipstick, you may be after one with a lot of coverage or maybe you just want a wash of colour; some people require one that provides moisture, others do not mind. It is entirely up to you. You may have to play around a bit until you find one that you feel comfortable with.

To aid in your decision, here is a breakdown of finishes you may consider:

Matte

Matte lipsticks have absolutely no shine at all and give a flat colour. Due to the lack of shine or gloss, they have the tendency to make your lips appear dry and dehydrated. It is important that your lips are well prepped beforehand if you are going to be wearing a lipstick with this finish otherwise it may accentuate any fine lines and any dryness that you may have. A matte lipstick will definitely give you the most coverage out of all the different finishes available and due to its formula, it will also be very long lasting. This finish is good if you’re going for a sophisticated and classy look and is great for creating retro looks.

Example: MAC Matte lipstick range

Sheer or Glaze

Sheer or glaze finishes are great for a natural look or where you want your natural lip colour to show through as they provide a glossy, sheer wash of colour. Note that this type of lipstick does not offer intense colour, it really just adds a hint of colour. The coverage is not as long lasting as a matte lipstick obviously, but it will last longer than your typical lip gloss. This finish is especially good if you like to apply your make-up on-the-go as not much precision is needed during application.

Example: Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick or MAC Glaze lipstick range

Satin/Cream

In terms of coverage, satin lipsticks are very similar to matte lipsticks. The difference between a matte and a satin finish is that satin lipsticks contain more emollients. This means that you can get similar colour durability to a matte lipstick but with added moisture without looking shiny. A satin or cream finish tends to vary from brand to brand, with some providing more rich formulas than others and different levels of coverage.

Example: MAC Satin lipstick range, Wet'n'Wild Mega Last Lip Color range, YSL Rouge Volupte Lipsticks, Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense Lipsticks

Frost

If you’re looking for a lipstick with a shiny, metallic finish then you might be after a frosted lipstick. Frosted lipsticks have an added touch of shimmer to the colour and generally provide an opaque coverage. They are good if you want a shiny appearance without using lip gloss.

Example: MAC Frost lipstick range

I hope this has helped somebody out there who is clueless when it comes to choosing a lipstick. Believe me, once you've found the right finish then taking making a colour choice becomes easier. Try testing out different lipsticks to see which one you like the most. Eventually you’ll find one to suit you.

I really like lipsticks with a satin finish. For those daily lipstick wearers out there, which finish is your favourite?

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Back To Basics - 16:50

Back to Basics | Knowing Your Lipsticks

When you’re not so clued up in the make-up field, choosing a lipstick may seem tricky as the variety available on the market is unbelieva...

Going Bananas Over the Ben Nye Powder?..♥

If you haven’t heard of the Ben Nye Luxury Banana Powder then where have you been the last couple of months?! Ben Nye is a brand that specialises in theatrical makeup but their face powders have become very popular and in particular their Banana Luxury Powder used by Kim Kardashian’s makeup artist and also infamous for its use as a highlight setting powder especially amongst women of colour. The reason it has become such a cult product within the black community is because many women of different skin tones are able to use the shade ‘Banana’ for setting their highlighted areas without leaving an ashy or grey cast. In fact, many retailers have sold out of this product due to the sudden high demand and you may have to pre-order it to secure yourself one.

Although the finely milled powder is very yellow, it works well on just about every skin tone including black skin as it’s translucent and will definitely help brighten areas. If you’re looking for a not so yellow powder or an all over powder, Ben Nye also offers Luxury powders for different skin tones including darker skin.

If you’re one to use under-eye concealer then you know the importance of using a setting powder to prevent the concealer from creasing and settling into fine lines. The Ben Nye Banana Luxury Powder does just that! When the correct amount of powder is applied with either a sponge or powder puff, this powder sets your concealer leaving a silky matte flawless finish. As long as you’re not a 24hr makeup wearer, this powder will also stop any product settling into fine lines for the whole duration of your makeup wear. In addition to setting your under eye concealer, when used elsewhere eg. to highlight forehead, for those with oily skin, you may appreciate that is does well at keeping the oil at bay so you stay shine free for longer!

In my opinion, the only downfall of this product is the way it’s dispensed. With it being such a difficult product to source, the last thing you need is product being wasted! Unlike most powders of its kind, it doesn’t come in a packaging where the right amount of product is being sift which makes it a bit awkward and messy to use.

Overall, I think this is a very good and inexpensive product to invest in. It is perfect for setting your under-eye area and will work just as well or even better than high end products that retail for £20+. Yes it is difficult to source and especially in the UK but make sure you grab them whilst in stock or secure one by pre-ordering. It comes in three sizes; 1.5oz., 3oz. or 8oz. (3oz. pictured above).

Availability: Can be found on Amazon (UK), Treasure House of Makeup (UK), Makeupmania (ship to UK), or Camera Ready Cosmetics (ship to UK)

Did you manage to get hold of the Ben Nye Banana powder? Or are you going to jump on the bandwagon? Let me know!

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Banana Powder - 20:59

Going Bananas Over the Ben Nye Powder?

Going Bananas Over the Ben Nye Powder?.. ♥ If you haven’t heard of the Ben Nye Luxury Banana Powder then where have you been the las...

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish for Darker Skin..♥

The MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural is by far my favourite powder to use for finishing/setting my foundation. Although it is by MAC and we all know MAC usually has a large variety of shades to choose from for darker skin but for this product, that isn’t the case. There are only two shades available; Dark and Dark Deep. Don’t let that put you off though! Because the powder has very low coverage it can be worn by many shades of dark skin without looking ashy or grey. For example if you’re between an NC45-NW45, then you may be able to go for the shade 'Dark'. Those that are deeper than NW45 may use the shade 'Dark Deep'. As I am a MAC NC50, personally I don't mind using either shade because the powder is on the sheerer side so, for someone of my skin tone the noticeable difference isn't great. I've been using Dark Deep since the summer when I got darker and now I feel it just gives me a bronzey look which I like.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Dark

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Dark Deep

“A luxurious domed face powder with minerals, slowly baked to provide a dimensional yet natural-matte finish. Provides perfect low coverage. Use to set and fix foundation or as a touch-up throughout the day.” – MAC Cosmetics

On the MAC website it does say that the powder is designed to be used to set and fix foundation but as it does have some coverage to it, if you have clear skin or very few blemishes then this powder can definitely be worn alone! Worn alone it acts as a sheer foundation. If you do have scars from spots then you can conceal them with a concealer of your choice and use it all over your face to act as a foundation and to set the concealed areas. This powder worn alone looks like your skin but better! It has an undetectable flawless finish but creates a radiant look. It’s almost as though it has tiny light reflecting particles because it really does make you glow yet look natural. A glow from within let’s say.

If you don’t feel comfortable wearing just a sheer powder then why not use it to set your foundation? The MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural powder is far from heavy so it can be used as a setting powder for your foundation. I would describe it’s finish as demi-matte. It doesn’t give you a definite matte finish which can come across as cakey but instead it’s more of a silky finish which I guess that’s probably why it has been described as luxurious. You only need a little amount to set your foundation and control oil but it can be built up for a fuller coverage without appearing cakey.

Price: £21.00

Availability: www.maccosmetics.co.uk or any MAC retailer

Do you own this powder or will you be trying it? If so let me know!

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Makeup - 12:19

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish for Darker Skin

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish for Darker Skin.. ♥ The MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural is by far my favourite powder to use for finish...

Pages

Looks | Keeping it Coral

Been too long...

Dupe Alert | Wet n Wild Sugar Plum Fairy 908C and MAC Rebel

Swatches | Wet n Wild Mega Last Lipstick 908C, 901B, 965, 907C

What's New | Wet n Wild Mega Last Lipsticks and L.A Girl PRO Concealer

Back to Basics | Knowing Your Lipsticks

Going Bananas Over the Ben Nye Powder?

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish for Darker Skin

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