Battle of the Primers: Smashbox vs Maxfactor
Sleek Face Form Contouring & Blush Palette in Fair Review
Bourjois Delice de Poudre | Review
Makeup Revolution ‘Golden Sugar’ Ultra Blush Palette | Review
Makeup Revolution Ultra All Day Prime & Anti-Shine Balm | Review
Seventeen ‘Define and Conquer’ Contour Kit | Review
I don’t think there’s a woman out there who doesn’t love contouring – the ability to give ourselves skinnier faces without giving up Hobnobs? Hell yeaaaah.
I wrote an Idiots Guide to Contouring earlier this year, and my routine and products have been much the same since then. However, I recently caught wind of a new contouring kit from Seventeen and of course HAD to give it a whirl. Seventeen is one of our favourite drugstore brands and they’re always bringing out pretty innovative stuff.
I picked the Define and Conquer Contour Kit up the next time I was in Boots for the teeny tiny price of six quid. Packaging-wise, it’s sleek and sturdy, and has a big mirror in the compact for extra super handiness.
What really appealed to me about this contour kit was that both shades are matte. Highlighters in contouring kits are usually shimmery, which is fine for cheekbones and the bridge of the nose but can lead to a serious case of sweaty upper lip syndrome – and who the devil wants that? The Seventeen highlighter is a matte, light powder, which is more pigmented than a finishing powder but still quite subtle. 
Unbeknownst to me, I picked the kit up in shade Medium. How was I to realise there are two options? My mind is busy thinking about important world issues such as who my favourite is on X Factor and when exactly tortilla chips become nachos. Anywho, the two-shade option is really good, because my only criticism of this product was going to be that the highlighter may not be light enough for those with pale skin. It suits my perma-tanned face just fine, but the contrast would be much more pronounced if I had the lighter kit. I’d recommend actually using your brains and your eyes to see which palette best suits you before buying.
The kit comes with a handy little guide showing you where to apply the powders in order to get the shadow and highlight that contours your face. I will say that the one thing I’ve learned about contouring is that everyone’s bone structure is so different that one technique doesn’t really fit all in this way, but it’s still really useful for those brand new to contouring.
Overall, I really like this product. I tend to go for a more matte makeup look in winter, so contouring with powders as opposed to cream products as I was before suits me really well. I also think the pigment of powders makes contouring smaller areas like the nose much easier as you don’t end up with a look so subtle it’s actually unnoticeable. The highlighter also has the extra benefit of covering pores really well, making the skin look much more flawless.
I do have one additional little niggle, and that’s how quickly I’m getting through the highlighter. As you can see from the picture, I’m already seeing the pan and this is only after like two weeks of use. Maybe it’s me getting carried away with all of the pore-hiding goodness, or maybe there needs to be a bit more product. WHO KNOWS, EH?
If you’re in the market for a new contouring kit, then I would definitely recommend giving this one a go. You can pick it up in Boots stores or on their website. There’s currently a three for two offer on across all cosmetics in Boots so GO GO GO, little monkeys.
Have any of you tried this product?
Bigger Lips Without Fillers? Lip Voltage: Review
What does a lip plumper that actually works have in common with a unicorn? Answer: they’re both completely frigging fictional.
Or so I used to think.
I then started to hear news of LipVoltage, mainly because it’s loved by the likes of the Geordie Shore and TOWIE cast (look, I never pretended I take beauty tips from Kate Middleton?, okay), and eventually I caved in and had to buy the product that’s hailed as the best alternative to lip filler injections.
LipVoltage contains 2 products: The LipVoltage gloss, which you can see above in the standard lipgloss-style tube, and the MixUp the Voltage solution, which comes in that beautifully gimmicky syringe. The LipVoltage apparently contains peptides and collagen, while MixUp the Voltage is a VBE-infused plumper. I hope all of your faces are as blank as mine.
I was a bit obsessed with finding out what all that actually meant, but there’s not a huge amount about it. What I can deduce from my reading around the web is that on the most basic level, the ingredients produce a tingling, which increases circulation to the lips, which increase blood flow, and therefore leads to the plumping. Still not a simple explanation but hey ho, nothing good is ever simple.
To use, you add between 1-3 drops of MixUp the Voltage into the LipVoltage lip gloss and then mix together for 30 seconds. 1 drop is supposed to result in a warm tingle, 2 gives a warm to hot tingle, and 3 drops will produce a very hot tingle. I’ve heard tales that this ‘tingle’ is actually very, very painful – and I think, in as non-sick and masochist a way as possible – it was this that actually made me buy it. No pain no gain, right lasses?
When it comes to mixing the two, I personally don’t find it too easy to add the drops in to the gloss; the MixUp formula is quite thick and gloopy, so you have to be careful not to accidentally make loads squirt out (oo-er). However, all that REALLY matters is 1. does it hurt as much as people say it does? And 2. does it actually work?
In terms of question number 1 – it kind of hurts, yah. It’s not so much pain as a burning, slightly raw sensation similar to if you have really irritated, chapped lips. However, I definitely wouldn’t say it’s unbearable and it’s a case of mind over matter really. Yes, you might feel like your lips are burning and about to drop off. But they’re not. So what’s your beef? The burning does also stop after around 10 minutes, so if you do find it a struggle, know that it doesn’t last that long.
And onto question number 2 – yes, it basically DOES work. I’ve experimented with between 1 and 3 drops now, and do honestly think there is a more noticeable difference each time. This is mainly because of the increase in blood flow that the tingling causes to the lips – they become redder, particularly around the edges, which in turn makes them look bigger. I would say that the lips themselves aren’t actually made larger; it’s more that they puff up a bit, as they do when they’re irritated. Results aren’t drastic, but they are noticeable.
LipVoltage is notoriously hard to track down due to its cult celeb status, but I bought mine from To Make You Gorgeous and it was delivered super-quickly. At around £16 RRP, I personally think this is a really good product that is much more than a gimmick. Of course, you’re never going to achieve the effects of a cosmetic procedure like lip fillers without actually having the real thing – but for those who just want a bit of plumping, I really do recommend this product.
Have any of you tried LipVoltage? Or would you like to? Let me know in the comments below!
3 of the Best Everyday Lip Shades: MAC, Bourjois & Collection
There are some girls out there who are confident rocking a statement lip everyday; slicking on fuchsias, reds and purples with gay abandon. I, however, am what’s known in the industry as a ‘coward’. Bold lip colours are so risky; what if I clash, what if I get it in my hair, what if people mistake me for a clown? I prefer to stick to neutral lips on most days, and so usually have at least 8 different lip products floating around my bag at any one time, all slightly different shades of nude and pale pink.
There are 3 that I’m currently reaching for most at the moment that I decided to share with my fellow neutral-loving chicas. They’re all from different brands and are in very different price brackets, so there’s something for all the Fancy Nancys and Cheap Chelseas out there. Let’s begin with the cheapest of the 3, which has been a staple in my makeup bag for years…
Collection Lock ‘n’ Hold Lipgloss in Urban Punk – £2.99, Boots
I know some people find lipglosses a bit dated, and considering I think I first picked this up when I was still a teenager it should really be very dated. However, I just can’t let go of a decent, easy to apply nude lip gloss, and this one from Collection does the job. Lauren gave the Rock Steady shade a mixed verdict when she reviewed it here, but I will say that Urban Punk is a slightly warmer, less milky shade than Rock Steady, making it more wearable. The 6 hour wear claims are, as Lauren said, really high on the nonsense-ometer, and I apply this lipgloss fairly regularly throughout the day. But despite that, I always like how it feels on my lips, like the colour, and when it does fade it does so evenly and still leaving a nice sheen.
For £2.99 this is a cheap and cheerful lipgloss that I think still does a lot better than a lot of its similarly-priced rivals.
Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick in Beige Trench – £7.99 from Boots
Although it’s a drugstore brand, I always find Bourjois to be the slightly pricier end of the scale and so don’t usually get much from them. However, I fell in love with this shade during a recent swatching frenzy and had to have it. Although it looks very brown in this photo, it’s actually a cool-toned nude. With a slightly purple undertone to it, it gives quite a 90s effect while still being basic. This is the first of the Bourjois Rouge Edition lipsticks I’ve tried and I have to say, I am super impressed. The formula is creamy and moisturising, and lasts well without flaking. I still think paying £8 for a lipstick is a bit steep (you know Cheap Chelsea I mentioned earlier? SURPRISE, SHE’S ME!), but for an everyday colour that you know you can rely on, I suppose it’s worth it. It’s also double worth it if you can buy it while there’s a Buy One Get One Half Price offer on, like I did (Chelsea wins, hurray).
MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Crème Cup – £15.50 from MAC
Finally, we have the brand that really needs no introduction. I recently added Crème Cup to my pitifully small MAC lipstick collection as I was looking for a neutral shade for my sister’s wedding, but wanted something slightly pinkier than my beloved nudes Crème D’Nude and and Pret-A-Pretty (which can look a bit foundation-lip-esque if over-applied). Once again ignore the darkness of the photo; Crème Cup is the perfect pastel pink. My toes curl at the cliche phrase ‘my lips but better’ but unfortunately that’s probably the best way to describe this shade. The Cremesheen formula is smooth and moisturising, though I do think you have to be careful when re-applying if you have any dry patches on your lips. Other than this though, it is of course HEAVEN in a lip case, and the typical vanilla scent will have you belting out “I’M SO FANCY” to any passers by.
Collection | Bourjois | MAC
So there we have my current 3 favourite everyday lip shades. If you have any you think I should try, let me know in the comments below!
Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H Foundation | Review
Dear readers, it finally happened. After months – or possibly years – of saying “I really need to stop being such a tramp and buy myself a decent foundation”, I finally did it. Despite my bank balance looking uber depressing, I read some reviews, made my decision, and then took myself off to Boots to pick up the Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24 Hour foundation.
After a bit of umming and ahhing and dibbing and dabbing with the counter woman, we eventually decided my best match was the shade 01 Beige Albatre. 010 Beige Porcelain was also a good match for me, but as I was having a pale day and usually am more orange tanned we opted for the slightly darker of the 2. There are an impressive 18 shades to choose from, so I think everyone should be able to find the perfect match.
I steadied my nerves as I handed over my £28.50, trying not to think about how many cocktails that could buy me during happy hour (answer: 8, with £4.50 left over for my taxi home) and instead focused on how pretty the packaging was and how super fancy I felt.
Now, onto the review! So as I said the packaging is pretty beaut, with a frosted glass bottle, sturdy lid and pump (which I was happy to see, as I am not tolerating that MAC crap where they make you fork out extra for the pump) so you know you’re dealing with a higher end product from the off. Once poured out, the consistency is creamy and quite thick, in keeping with the foundation’s claims of being super long-lasting.
According to Lancome, “Teint Idole Ultra 24H remains retouch-free, providing a flawless looking, even complexion with a velvety-smooth, shine-free finish.” As I’m a working bird, longevity is one of the main things I look for in all of my makeup – and of course looking flawless (for the first time ever) wouldn’t be too bad either. I first applied the foundation before a night out and I have to confess that as I first started to buff it in I thought ‘oh…is this it?’ I think in my head I had the assumption that paying nearly £30 for something would mean the foundation would do everything for me – act as a base, conceal all blemishes, cure world hunger… you know, the usual.
I admit now this might have been slightly ambitious of me, and to be honest there was nothing wrong with the coverage or feel of the product. It’s generally regarded as a full coverage foundation, but I would say it’s more medium if you go for just one layer. However, it’s really easily buildable and so once I blended a bit more in around my t-zone it definitely took a fuller coverage effect.
Before / After
As you can see from the above photo that was taken without concealer, powder or any other type of wizardry, it completely evened out my skin tone and gave a lovely matte finish. But where the foundation REALLY impressed me was indeed it’s staying power. As I was getting ready for said night out, my room was an utter sweatbox and after I had put my heated rollers in I thought to myself what an utter boob I had been applying my makeup first, and that I was deffo going to have a to re-apply.
And then. I looked in the mirror. And I gasped. My base was still perfect. It had not budged. I was not shiny. I did not look like the complete sweaty pig-mess that I felt. I wanted to run around my room doing a lap of victory, having finally found a makeup product that delivers on its promises.
I’ve now been using the foundation for over a week, and can honestly say that it hasn’t disappointed me at all. It holds up unbelievably well during the working day, and I can even get away without powdering my nose, never mind having to reapply any foundation or concealer. I’ve heard other people say that they find the finish to be quite dewy, but for me it definitely delivers on its matte promise – this is probably down to different skin types, so it might be worth you trying out a sample first if you can. Overall though, this foundation fully delivers on all of its claims for me, and I am really impressed.
For dragging me from the slums and finally making me a convert to high-end foundation, Lancome, I salute you.
Have any of you tried this foundation? What did you think?!