A Little Jubilee Makeup Silliness

I accompanied Small Person #2 to the school Diamond Jubilee party this afternoon. I'd had a glimpse of the bunting earlier in the day and couldn't resist going with a little red, white and blue theme. Well I guess it was more red, cream and blue unless you count my white hairs! Anyway...

I wouldn't normally go out of the house with shimmery blue eyeliner and red lips but no one batted an eyelid. Some of the children had full union jacks painted on their faces, so I figured I'd have to be going some to raise eyebrows. On my fingers, I went for alternating blue and red. I'm obviously not on trend as I don't own any white nail polish.

Here are my reds and blues. The red nail polish is Lancôme Miss Coquelicot* from the Vernis in Love collection and the blue is YSL Moonlight Blue. The eyeliner is MAC Petrol Blue Pearlglide  liner and the lipstick is Ellis Faas Glazed Lips in L303.

There are no proper close ups of my nails as they were done quickly before I went out and anyone with children knows that wet nails are an open invite to a series of calamitous polish smudging events. It also reminded me that I need another fast drying top coat.

Are you planning any Jubilee celebrations over the weekend?

*PR Sample

Updated Brush Collection

I rearranged my brush collection over the weekend and as most of the brushes were clean, I thought it would be a good moment to do an updated collection post. The number of brushes I have seems to have grown again since this post. Judging by my original brush collection post, this urge to talk about my brushes seems to be an annual event!

Rather than make the post overwhelming by commenting on each brush, I will simply name the brushes pictured and provide links to previous reviews where possible. Hopefully it will help me identify any brushes that I haven't reviewed yet. Also, if there are any which you would like me to discuss in more detail or compare you can put a request in the comments.

Previously I had my brushes split between the handmade brush roll I bought from asoftblackstar's Etsy Store and a glass vase. The brushes in the vase were often neglected and I was fed up of having to clean them because they had collected dust. I bought this Stilazzi mesh bag from Cocktail Cosmetics (as modelled by my furry helper) to store the brushes from the vase in order to keep them clean and tidy, and also to allow me to store them in the plastic drawer unit I keep my makeup in. I have the STZ-027M mesh bag and it fits my brushes perfectly but the bags are available in a variety of sizes.

The brushes in the picture above all fit in the Stilazzi bag. The Rouge Bunny Rouge Contour and Blusher brushes don't normally live in there as I keep these loose in my drawers with my face products. I managed to miss a couple of other brushes as they are also slotted into my storage drawers or hidden in makeup bags such as my Le Metier Concealer Brush and my short handled MAC 213 Fluffy Brush. Otherwise this is better much a complete collection.

FACE BRUSHES

Left to right: Essence Blusher brush, Sigma F25, MAC 187 duo fibre, MAC 188 small duo fibre, Hakuhodo B214BkSL Highlighter and The London Brush Co. #12 brush.

Left to right: 2 x MAC 168 Contour brush, MAC 129 SH, discontinued Ruby + Millie Blusher brush, Rouge Bunny Rouge Blusher brush 012 Face Contour brush, Rouge Bunny Rouge Blusher brush, Illamasqua Blusher brush1, MAC 109 Contour brush, MAC 165, RMK Cheek brush and Hakuhodo Medium Pointed Yachiyo.

Left to right: adesign Angled Concealer Brush, GOSH Professional Face Brush, Hakuhodo G5552 4mm Powder & Liquid round/angled brush, adesign Flat Topped Foundation Brush, Le Metier Angled Foundation, Max Factor Foundation Brush, adesign Cream Cheek Brush and MAC 242 SE brush.

EYE BRUSHES

Left to right: The Body Shop Shadow brush, 2 x MAC 239, Hakuhodo Kokutan ML, Hakuhodo K024, Rouge Bunny Rouge Blusher brush Large Shader 003, The London Brush Co. Shadow Blender, Japoneque Fluff Brush, The London Brush Co. #14 and Cozzette D225.

Left to right: GOSH Smudger brush, MAC 266 Angled Brush (brow), The Body Shop Angled Eyeshadow Brush, KIM E131 Angled Eyeliner, MAC 210 Eyeliner Brush, Louise Young Eyeliner Brush, The London Brush Co. #18 Small Blender, MAC 219 Pencil Brush, The London Brush Co. #17 Blender Brush and the Smashbox Definer.

Left to right: Hourglass Crease 04, MAC 217, Sigma E35, Rouge Bunny Rouge Blusher brush Crease 011, MAC 224, Japonesque Angled Eyeshadow and Sigma E40.

Top to bottom: MAC 226 Crease Brush, Louise Young LY38, Cozzette S175 and Cozzette D330.

LIP AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS BRUSHES

Left to right: MAC 316 Lip Brush, KIM L311 Narrow Lip Brush, discontinued Ruby + Millie Angled Liner Brush, MAC 204 Lash Brush and adesign Short Handled Foundation Brush.


Listing everything and looking for links highlights the fact that I have a few reviews outstanding. I was certain that I had reviewing the Rouge Bunny Rouge Blusher brush before but it seems I was mistaken. Both the Hakuhodo B214BkSL and G5552 also warrant further mention.

I shall leave you will a picture of my furry friend enjoying the brushes (just before he started to eat them). Do let me know if there are any brushes which you would like to know more about.

Disclosure: The brushes shown here are a mixture of those bought by me and sent for review.

A Treasured Find: Dior Tendre Poison

When I visited my parents over Easter, I did some scouting around for perfumes for a future post. There are many nooks and crannies in their house and the bathrooms in particular are a veritable treasure trove. I was mostly looking for perfumes belonging to my Mum and Grandma but I happened upon this bottle of Dior Tendre Poison which I very much remember being mine...no matter what my Mum claims!

I did a little research and apparently Tendre Posion was created in 1994. So I was right in my recollection that this bottle dates from around the time I went off to University. It's moved around a bit since then (and evidently changed owners!) but thanks to the fact that it's been kept in the box and out of direct sunlight, this perfume smells exactly as I remember it. I really can't describe the fragrance and do it any justice: it's an unusual blend of sweet, floral and zesty and it works really well with my skin chemistry. It is a strong scent but I don't find it over-powering and headache inducing which unfortunately my Mum does. Obviously, you can see why I had to rescue it.

Whilst the scent does evoke fond memories, I don't think of it as particularly dated and I was sad to see that it has been discontinued. I know I'm going to be caught between wanting to wear it all the time and trying to conserve it. I will make a point of trying some of the newer Dior Poison spin offs to see if I can find a suitable replacement.

Illamasqua Naked Strangers Collection

I first heard about this mini Spring/Summer collection through my subscription to the Illamasqua e-newsletters, as they were offering customers an early shopping preview of the three nail colours. Oddly, this grabbed my attention more than the usual press and blog build up. I like that Illamasqua want to engage with their customers not just schmooze bloggers and if it hadn't been for my nail polish ban, I would have bought Monogamous (flesh pink) and Faithful (metallic copper) there and then.

The collection will be available nationwide from 31st May and as well as the three nail polish colours, they are releasing two lipglosses and two blushers. Both of the blusher looks like quite neutral shades: Naked Rose is described as a neutral beige brown and the cream blusher, Zygomatic, is a naked pink brown. The lipgloss are one of each formula; Stranger is a platinum gold in the intense formula and Intimacy is a sheer nude pink brown.

Although I like the sound of Intimacy (ho, ho!), I know I rarely wear lipgloss so I should be sensible and pass on this. I am however quite tempted to get one of the blushers. I get a lot of use out of nude-y pink blushers, the only tricky decision is powder or cream? Are you planning on picking anything up on Thursday?

Omorovicza Balancing Moisturiser and the Radiance Renewal Serum

The name Omorovicza has been popping up on radar quite a lot recently. My perception of the brand was of luxurious skincare without any of the ridiculous claims that seem so popular these days. If you promise me more radiant, supple skin without suggesting I'm going to look 10 years younger or that I'm applying botox in a jar, I'm a happy lady. So, when approached, I was very keen to see how the brand would match up to my expectations.

The products I was sent to try are the Radiance Renewal Serum and Balancing Moisturiser. As you can see, there has been much attention to detail in the presentation and packaging. I like that both the serum and moisturiser come with a pump dispenser. In the case of the moisturiser, I find it best to depress the pump slowly to dispense the exact amount that I require, as a full pump is more than I need for both my face and neck. Although I have been using these products for a month, I've still got plenty left as you can see in the pictures. They are expensive items and probably more than I would normally spend on skincare, but it's clear that they will last a good while.

The serum has a nice fluid-gel consistency and is easy to spread. I find it sinks into my skin without leaving a film. The Balancing Moisturiser has a really light texture and I find it very hydrating. It's a little thicker than a lotion and feels really fresh and cooling when applied. Both of the products have a fresh 'cologne' like scent which I enjoy.

I discovered that the serum and moisturiser have very compatible textures and I will confess to pumping them both out together and mixing them between my fingers in order to apply in a single step. I find that the combination of the serum and moisturiser have left my skin hydrated and more 'fresh' looking which is impressive considering how tired I really am. For best effect, I think I probably need to use these in combination with a good anti-ageing night cream, as I felt my fine lines became more noticeable.

The Balancing Moisturiser is designed to hydrate the skin without leaving a shiny T-zone. My skin has been getting a little shiny on the chin and forehead by mid-afternoon. However, it's really hard to say if the moisturiser is at fault or if the combination of using a separate sunscreen plus the heat of the last couple of weeks is the real culprit. I suspect in Autumn/Winter I would be less likely to experience such breakthrough.

Radiance Renewal Serum

Balancing Moisturiser

I've included the ingredients list for both products for completeness. Omorovicza use Hungarian Thermal Water as a key ingredient in all of their products. You can read more about the idea behind using minerals in skincare here. As an aside, if you're interested in the power of thermal water you might enjoy reading Musing About Beauty's guest post about the benefits of Avene Thermal Water.

The Ormorovizca Balancing Moisturiser costs £74 for 50ml and the Radiance Serum costs £68 for 30ml. The products are available direct from the Ormorovicza website, as well as Cult Beauty and Liberty in the UK.

Disclosure: These products were sent to me without charge for review consideration.

Sunny (work) FOTD

This is the makeup I wore on Friday. Although the eyes are still quite neutral, I added a little summery colour with the coral pink cheeks and lips. I haven't worn the Chantecaille Lip Chic in Zinnia for a while but I thought it compliment the blusher from the Kevyn Aucoin 'The Corals' palette that I posted about recently. I'm pleased with how RBR Bejewelled Skylark turned out when used as a liner too.

Face
Hourglass Primer
Max Factor Second Skin Foundation*
Perricone MD No Concealer Concealer* - on undereyes and around the nose
Shu Uemura Brow Pencil
Cheek colour from the Kevyn Aucoin Lip & Cheek Palette*

Lips
Chantecaille Lip Chic in Zinnia

Eyes
Too Faced Shadow Insurance
RBR Long-lasting Cream Eyeshadow in Atlas Swallowtail* as a base
Chantecaille Shine eyeshadow in Bois on the mobile lid
RBR Bejewelled Skylark used as an eyeliner
Lancome Hypnose Drama in Gris Fatale*

* PR Samples

Beauty Spotlight 26/05/12

Revlon's new Summer 2012 Escapism Collection catches Pammy Blogs Beauty's eye this week. Check out what she got from the collection in her recent Revlon Drugstore Haul.

Forget matching your shoes with your purse, as Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed has discovered it's now all about matching your lips with your cheeks thanks to Benefit's Ultra Plush Gloss! Check out her swatches and see if they have you feeling all matchy-matchy!

Modesty Brown gets a pleasant surprise swatching Rouge Bunny Rouge Umber Firefinch eyeshadow. If you were put off by the description, this is definitely worth a second look.

The Pink Sith imagines herself in an infomercial when she reviews the Natura Bisse NB Ceuticals Eye Recovery Balm.

A product that promises to provide a moisturiser, foundation, sunscreen, concealer and anti-aging cream all-in-one, Visionary Beauty reviews the Omorovicza Complexion Perfector BB SPF 20 to see if it delivers.

Who doesn't need an outstanding concealer? The ladies of Beauty Info Zone certainly do so they appreciate Tarte's Maracuja Creaseless Waterproof Concealer and think you will too.

Perilously Pale brings us the beautiful limited edition collection of four new Eyes to Kill Intense eye shadows from the Armani Beauty Summer Collection.

Prime Beauty takes to the beach and discovers Hourglass Cosmetics Visionaire Eye Shadow Duo in Dune.

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic learns how to add volume to her braid without teasing her hair!

London MakeUp Girl reviews La Bella Figura Decouverte Eye serum, an all natural oil-based serum that works on fine lines, dark circles and puffiness.

Did you miss the original KardashianKolors collection from Nicole by OPI the first time around? Jessika from polish insomniac shows us how to score the best colors in the new Pretty Petites collections!

At Everyday Beauty, Zuzu*s Petals marveled on the wonders of red lipstick.

Paula, from Older Girl Beauty is excited to announce that she is an Ambassador for RoC Skincare. Find out who else was chose for this year, too.