Beauty Photo Challenge #1 Favourite Lipstick

My aim this month is to take part in the #beautyphotochallenge, which basically means you work your way through a daily list of items, you find said items, take a picture and upload to your Instagram account.

First on the list is, Favourite Lipstick. After much deliberation, I chose the lipstick I have been reaching for more and more recently and that is the Maybelline Superstay 14HR Lipstick in the shade, 260 Always Plum.

Although not a very season appropriate colour right now, it is beautiful and adds a bolder, more glamorous statement to a makeup look. It looks quite matte on the lips and does leave a stain, which means it lasts throughout the day. 

I have a few other shades in this collection and I would definitely recommend that you go and check them out. If you already have some of these beauties in your collection, get in touch and let me know what you think. 

Jade x 

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipsticks

Lips are everywhere at the moment (you all know who I’m talking about), and Maybelline’s Color Sensational Lipstick range seems to be growing by the minute, with new shades popping up all over the place. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I LOVE them!

What the company says:

Fall in love with color, all over again:
 • Crisper color from pure pigments
 • Creamier feel from nourishing honey nectar
 • Lipcolor so rich, so stunning…it’s sensational
 • 68 captivating shades

Again, I only have 4 of the lipsticks in my collection, but each and every one of them is a beauty. The formula is definitely creamy, which makes it a dream to use on the lips and very moisturising. I like to blot the first application and layer up for a pop of colour that lasts.

As there are so many shades to choose from, you’re bound to find the perfect colour for you. I find that Peach Poppy and Petal Pink are the perfect shades for an everyday, subtle makeup look. Shocking Coral and Fuchsia Flash are more vibrant and will definitely get you noticed on a night out, or can be used for a bolder look during the day.

The Color Sensational Lipsticks are not lipsticks which are going to stay all day and see you through a big bowl of spaghetti whilst out on a hot date, but priced at £6.99 I’m happy to reapply, a few times throughout the day, to rejuvenate the colour.

I will definitely be adding to my collection very soon. Do you have any recommendations I should try? If so, get in touch and let me know.

Jade x 

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Shadow

Today, it’s all about the eye…shadow. In particular, the Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Shadow. It’s fair to say these shadows are already a firm favourite of mine and at £4.99 per pot, I don't really think you can go wrong. 

The experts say that:

• Collection has 12 long-wearing shades
• Our innovative pigment technology gives a visually intense, high colour impact
• Cream gel formula feels light on lids and is fade-resistant.

I must say, I agree with it all. The formula of the shadows is creamy, which makes them easy to blend out and create a more natural day time look, or they’re easily buildable to create a more intense evening look. More importantly, once set, the suckers don’t budge.

L-R: Permanent Taupe, Metallic Pomegranate, On and On Bronze, Pink Gold

Maybelline currently have 12 shades in their 24HR Tattoo collection and they are all highly pigmented and absolutely beautiful! As you can see, my growing collection only contains 4 shadows. On and On Bronze is my everyday go to shadow as it adds a lovely shimmer to a quick day to day make up look. Permanent Taupe is the only matte shade in my collection and works great as a base. Pink Gold is a very pretty shade and adds a girly femininity to a makeup look. The latest addition to my collection is Metallic Pomegranate, not only do I love the name, but the colour is amazing. This shade in particular contains a lot more glitter and I can’t wait to use it to create a more glamorous evening makeup look.

Have you tried the Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR shadow? If so, what did you think about them? Get in touch and let me know.

I think I have my eye on Eternal Gold next, so watch this space.

Jade x 

Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes Waterproof Mascara

Another day, another review and this time it’s all about the eyes. Ever since the death of my beloved, Loreal Telescopic False Lash Effect Waterproof Mascara (I still have no idea what happened there), I find myself forever on the search for the ‘perfect’ mascara. I didn’t think I was asking for much as by perfect I SIMPLY mean:

1. Holds a curl
2. Waterproof
3. Sticks like glue to the lash (a.k.a. NO AWFUL PANDA EYES)

However, after many a failed purchase, the search still continues, which brings me to the Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes Waterproof mascara. This has been another item on my wish list, however at the price of £22.50 it’s not a purchase I was going to jump into lightly. I did hear good things about this mascara most importantly, that it held a curl and didn’t budge. So, after several more seconds of deliberation, I decided to give it a go.

What the experts say:

• The cone shaped brush is carefully developed to assure the ideal load on each lash, even in the inner corner of the eye.
• The exclusive Fibershine formula, enriched with nylon powders, offers perfect load and beautiful curve for seductive fanned out lashes.
• A must-have mascara for a volumised, extended, lifted lash look.

The packaging in itself is a sight to behold. It definitely screams grandeur and I imagine fireworks to shoot off into the sky every time I pull it from the depths of my makeup bag. This is a definite bonus and possibly offers some justification for the hefty price tag.

Named ‘Doll Eyes’ I did hope for the wide eyed, dare I say it, clumpy effect. Although not for everyone, I do like a mascara that makes itself known. To keep things fair, I didn’t curl my lashes before applying the mascara, which I would usually do and I definitely think I will prefer this mascara when the lashes have been curled, as mine are pretty straight.

After one coat, I wasn’t overly impressed. The shape of the wand and brush is nice and allows you to get into the corners of your eyes and grab even the smallest of lashes, however there wasn’t a lot of volume or lift to the lashes. There is also a perfumed scent to the mascara, it’s not offensive, but if you have sensitive eyes I’m not sure if this would be an issue.

After the second coat, the mascara did begin to clump (which, as I said before, I do like!); it also gave more lift and length to the lashes.

After the third coat, I noticed more clumping to the outer lashes and slightly more curl. More importantly, length has clearly been added if you compare the second and last image.

Pros

Beautiful packaging

Waterproof

Not going anywhere

Perfect wand to grab the smallest of lashes

Cons

Price

Need to curl lashes before use

Begins to clump after several coats

I can already tell that this mascara is not going to budge, which already outweighs some of the negatives for me. I’m looking forward to curling my lashes before applying the mascara next time to see the difference it makes. Based on first impression, I do think I’m going to like this mascara. However, I’m not calling of the search…just yet.

Do you know of any ‘perfect’ mascaras that meet my checklist? Get in touch and let me know.

Jade x 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Flawless Wear Concealer

My very first post (whoop, whoop!), focuses on EsteeLauder’s Double Wear Stay-in-Place Flawless Wear Concealer. As a lover of their Double Wear Stay-in-Place foundation and despite the bloody long name, this concealer has been on my wish list for quite a while and since I have been scraping the barrel of my old concealer for the past few days, it seemed the perfect time to indulge. As at £22.00, for 7ml, it’s definitely not the cheapest concealer on the market.

What the professionals say

• Looks flawless. Lasts 15-hours. Feels comfortable, never dry. Stays seamless, without creasing.
• Its lightweight creme formula creates the perfected look of flawless skin all day. 
• Transfer-resistant, colour-true, with medium buildable coverage that won't slip, slide or melt away. 
• Luminous finish.
• Infused with minerals and emollients to condition skin and make blending easy. Oil-free. Water, perspiration and humidity-resistant.

So, not wanting to risk an online purchase, I took a trip to Boots and on the recommendation of the sales assistant purchased the shade Light Medium to conceal redness. So far I’m impressed with the colour match and after testing it in store it still hasn’t budged a good 9 hours later. For me, this can only be a good thing. Gone are the days of your face melting off by lunchtime, nobody wants to leave the house looking like Cinderella and returning at the end of the day as the ugly step sister.

The dofer applicator makes life a little easier during the application process, for hygiene reasons I tend to apply the concealer to the back of my hand first and then use my ring finger to warm the product up and blend out onto the skin. The concealer does blend well, but you need to work quickly as once it sets, it’s not going anywhere. It is also quite thick in consistency and if you’re not careful I think this could result in it looking quite cakey on the skin. However, if applied with a light hand, the concealer does the trick at covering redness and imperfections. As well as this, it also contains SPF 10, so on lazy days a swipe of concealer in replace of a full foundation routine and your good to go.

Pros

• A little goes a long way
• Once set, will not budge
• Easy to blend
• Covers imperfections
• SPF 10

Cons

• Has the potential to look cakey on the skin
• Need to blend quickly before it sets
• Price

Are you a fan of the Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer or can you recommend an even better one that I should be trying? Get in touch and let me know.

Jade x