Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes Liner - Champagne 23L & FOTD

I got this liner during my trip to Hong Kong last December, and of late have been wearing it every day. I like to use a flesh coloured liner on my waterline, especially during the week at work, as this really does a lot to brighten my eyes and make me not look so tired. Combined with a bit of eyeshadow, concealer, brows filled in and mascara - this is what I do to achieve a wide eyed fresh faced look!

And the MUFE eyeliner helps me to do this. It is described on the Sephora website as metalllic pink champagne - and I would add to that that the pink is a very light shade of pink so if you are looking at a flesh coloured pencil, it still works. It's also pigmented, so not just shimmer.

As the swatch on my hand shows, it really isn't that OTT.



One great thing about this liner is the application. It glides on really smooth and has great staying power. I don't think it's waterproof - as by the end of a long day it's not as apparent as when I first put it on in the morning - but it's pretty good at being smudge proof.

I always shied away from a shimmery flesh toned waterline as I thought it might be too much in comparison to a matte liner. That it might look bit tacky. Either my taste as changed (!), or the formula and finish isn't offensive. You can definitely layer on the intensity and the more you put on, the more shimmer there is. I hope you agree from how it looks on this pic!




I also love to use it on my cupid's bow as a higlighter. I don't use it so much on my inner eye corners or browbone as higlighter because funnily enough it's not easy to apply on larger areas (even the inner corner), I much prefer using creams/powders.

This has now become a HG staple for me. I have since tried 2 others colours (black, OL and bronze, 10L)- and they're as good too. I'm doing this review on 23L as I just think it is more unique.

I'm a fan of the MUFE Aqua Eye Creams as well, so I would definitely recommend checking both the creams and liners our from this brand.

Not easily available in the UK,you can get it from PAM cosmetics and gurumakeupemporium in London and for those of you lucky enough to have a Sephora, they are stockists too.

Have you tried these items from MUFE? What are your thoughts?

Kate Middleton - a makeup junkie like us?

I have to say that I have a love/hate relationship on the Royal Wedding. It's everywhere : ) I know it's a historic moment. But I for one will be taking advantage of the fact that hopefully the shops will be quite quiet on Friday and then I will pop home early to make dinner for friends (who will have camped out on Pall Mall the night before) who are coming over to analyse the day's events.

The title of this post however is about makeup. How would you do your makeup on your wedding day? Do it yourself, get a friend or family member to do it or get a professional?

I've wondered this myself (ahem, big hint dropped to the boyfriend) and having done makeup for friends and family at weddings, I was interested to read Amy Lawrenson's (ELLE UK) report on the future Queen of England's Kate Middleton's decision to do her own makeup:

Kate Middleton took make-up lessons for big day
'It has been widely covered that Kate has shunned the help of a make-up artist on her wedding day to do her own instead. However, we can now reveal that she took make-up lessons from bridal artist Arabella Preston in preparation.

What caused her aversion to professionals? According to sources Kate used a make-up artist at the Mario Testino shoot for the official engagement pictures, but was unhappy with the result so removed it and reapplied herself. Since then she has embarked on a few make-up lessons with Arabella held at Clarence House and her home in Chelsea.

Arabella is a London-based make-up artist, married to author Alex Preston and a mum of two; on her website she says, 'I am an experienced bridal make-up artist and love helping brides make the most of their beauty. I am particularly adept at natural bridal make-up'. Kate is famous for her girl-next-door look, favouring a clear complexion, nude lips and putting emphasis on her eyes switching between a liquid liner or smoky look, which is probably why she trusted Arabella with her lessons.

It's interesting that Kate has chosen to do her own make-up on a day when around 2 billion eyes will be scrutinising everything from her hair and make-up to choice of dress. We can't wait to see the results.'

Could Kate be wondering the same thing as simple old makeup junkie me? I would love a professional to do it, so that I don't need to worry about it, but I love makeup and feel quite satisfied putting it on myself. It's a ritual. It's mine. That's one of the reasons why I think Kate Middleton might want to do it herself. The need to be a control freak aside - as well as being the wedding for the British public (and international public) it is her wedding afterall - it's probably the one thing that she can take from the wedding and the one ritual that might give her some calmness in all the madness, pomp and circumstance that is beyond her control. I certainly have felt something like that when at family weddings. Putting on my makeup (for which I didn't need help) and just sitting on the floor in front of a mirror gave me such satisfaction and peace!

Kate's makeup style is relatively simple, she plays up her eyes quite a bit with dark eyeliner, minimal shadow, with some bronzer and simple moist lipstick. My own opinion is that though her makeup style is relatively simple, she tends to look a bit older than she actually is - I would love to see her use more highlighter/dewy products to make her look younger with glowy skin. Would love to see her with bronzed or smoky eyes. Or even winged out eyeliner with red lips. Doesn't have to be too outrageous. I know she is the future Queen of England and conservatism is the preferred order of the day but some of the younger royals now branch out (badly or not) in the fashion stakes. Think Lady Gabriella Windsor.

What Kate does have, which makes any woman beautiful, is a great smile. A smile that shows through the eyes and face. And that is something she shares with her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana.

Original ELLE UK post can be found here:
http://www.elleuk.com/news/beauty-news/kate-middleton-took-make-up-lessons-for-big-day/(gid)/761395

What would you/or did you do for your wedding?

And last but not least, wishing the couple much happiness.

TheBalm Cosmetics Mary-Lou Manizer aka the Luminzer - review and swatch

I used to be a real real fan of highlighters, I couldn't get enough of them. When I first became interested in makeup, the highlighter was the one product for which I was on a never ending quest - for THE ONE. But then my makeup obsession grew and turned to other things such as foundations,blushes, eyeshadows etc and highlighters kinda went on the back burner.

In this year's January sales I spotted this highlighter in one of those can-I-be-bothered-to-rummage boxes at the SpaceNK counter in Harvey Nicks. I'd looked at this product before but had decided that it was too shimmery for my liking. It still is, but blending it out really makes the difference. It has sparkles and frost like the majority of MAC MSFs but the texture is much more creamy like. It also doesn't flake everywhere like the MAC MSFs can do, and also I have no qualms about tossing it into my bag (mirror compact handy too) unlike I am with my fave MAC MSF - Refined.





In comparison to NARS Albatross - a much coveted product - theBalm's offering is much more of a pale yellow gold tinge. I find Albatross too white for me. theBalm's colour/tone is more yellow gold with a touch of white gold which is just beautiful. That's what sold me on it I think. Suits my skintone well.

Mary-Lou's Manizer is a surprise to me. I do have to watch it when I apply, as I don't like frost ala the real 70s style, but the fact that I can achieve a very pretty glow on the cheeks, summery dewy like champagne gold eyes or highlighting the inner eye corner or cupid's bow makes this a a very multi use product.

Have you tried this and what are your thoughts? Any other highlighters you love?

1st post back into the blogging world - random. Makeup,life,fashion

Hello viewers. I'm gonna use this post to get back into the blogging world, it's gonna be a random 'first' post.

I'm back from my hols from San Francisco and Hong Kong - and the US hols was a hols with the girls and the Asia hols was one with the family. Had good times during both. I didn't do too much damage makeup wise - I think for some reason I've just about reached saturation with my makeup collection. I'm now focusing on swapping (got a some MAC blushes recently) and really only lemming things that are 'new' to me e.g. Dior Summer 2011 bronzers and Clarins Skinfusion foundation at the moment.


Plus, I really need to slow down on the spending money front. I need to save some moola - Pay day is too far away!


I don't want to take life so seriously. Wanna have more fun. Wanna be more silly. Wanna be more adventurous.



I'm still obsessed with Lauren Conrad. Totally psyched she started a beauty/lifestyle website.



I check Catalina Su's makeup blog daily:

catalinasumakeup.blogspot.com



I absolutely love ELLE UK, their website too. I don't love the fact that my annual subscription (to save cost) isn't great - I always have to chase missing monthly editions. Crap service.

I aspire to dress like an ELLE woman.



I'd like to be one dress size smaller. Currently a tight UK 12.



To take up my scrapbooking again - I read loads of magazines and paste things from them into this scrapbook which I refer to back and back again-




Am so excited that I have finished my Prescriptives All Skins Mineral foundation powder. It took a long time, though I didn't wear it every single day, but I wore it alot - wet, dry, sheer, heavy. It's a staple. Good job I got loadsa backups!!



Mostly, I want to work on being kinder, funnier, more open and friendlier. I'm too harsh on myself and others at the moment in trying to be an independent woman.

And to you - my thanks for sticking around. Bring on summer!
xxx

Holidays......absence....makeup

Hey all, I haven't quite been in the mood posting blogs or posting videos on my YT channel. I can't explain why, but for some reason I feel like I've got a YT/blog bug or summin'. But my interest in beauty and makeup hasn't dissipated! I've just come back from a well deserved (if I do say so myself) girlie hols in San Francisco and did some great shopping - fashion and beauty. Spent a bit of moola : D

And I'll be heading out to Hong Kong soon to attend a cousin's wedding. I'm hoping that after that I'll get the blog/YT bug again. It is something I do enjoy - when I do it.

So thanks for hanging in there - and please hang in for a bit longer - and I'm totally enjoying still the beauty blog and YT worlds : D

Take care til then.....xxx