It doesn’t matter where you look right now, from celebs on the catwalk to the girl on the street, excitement was huge for the Olympics and sporty chic is everywhere!
But before you don your lycra, and head off down to the gym, we thought we’d let you in on a few tips and tricks to get the natural, fresh faced look of our gold medal winners – and how you can achieve the look for yourselves…
Now we don’t know about you, but we wont go anywhere without giving our eyes a little pop, so waterproof mascara is a must! Not only does it open your eyes, but trying a waterproof will ensure that no matter what your doing, your makeup will stay just where you want it and that’s on your ‘lashes’girls!! Try YSL Volume Effect Faux Cils, (£23 at BOOTS) to get big natural looking lashes! Remember – light applications will build up lashes and achieve a more natural look and more importantly, avoid clogging.)
Next on your make-up list should be waterproof eyeliner! We like Mac’s Liquid Eye Liner, which at £14 is a must in any girls’ make-up bag. When drawing that super sleek sporty line along your lashes, there’s nothing that works better and achieves the look of the moment, more. Draw the line a little thicker or add a flick at the end of your lash line for a dramatic twist, or keep it thin and simple for a naturally beautiful look just like those Olympians!
And finally, finish your sporty chic look with a plump, glossy lip. We like Topshop’s glaze in Laid Back, which is only £6 but smells gorgeous, lasts for hours, and gives you a super shine without any gloop!
So girls, remember these three tips and you’ll have fresh-faced beauty in the bag this summer!!
I’m quite the mascara junkie, mascara was one of the first items of makeup I ever used. Over the past few months I’ve ended up trying ridiculous amounts of mascaras and at the moment own around 10. I decided to pick my top 5 Mascara’s of the moment.
The latest addition to my collection is the Accessorize Fibre Lengthening Mascara. The mascara is available in Ultra Black, Black and Brown Black and retails for £5.95 in Superdrug and Accessorize stores. I’m normally a girl who likes volume, but lately I’m really into lengthening my lashes with a little volume. If you want full flattering lashes this mascara is the one to try without needed falsies. It’s been expertly design to ensure the ideal amount of fibres are transferred to the silicone wand, giving you bigger, longer lashes. Apply with the supple multi-comb wand, tiny fibres in the formula lengthen and thicken from root to tip and zero clumping. The packaging is always a nice extra when a mascara is amazing, I always love Accessorize for their packaging. 9/10.
Another mascara I swear by, Scandal-eyes by Rimmel. You either love or hate this mascara, I know a lot actually hate it. However I’ve got it to work for me. The brush is incredibly large and the formula is very wet, but it gives me amazing volume and I love it paired with the Accessorize mascara. The results last all day and I never get any smudging, especially in hayfever weather. It’s around £5, it always seems to be on offer in all the drugstores. If you didn’t get on with this bright orange packaged mascara, then they’ve recently released a second version. 8/10.
I actually picked this mascara, Thick&Fast up with a magazine, I was yet to try Soap&Glory makeup, but I already loved their body range. This mascara is pretty brilliant and the wand is another big brush, though not as big as the previous Rimmel mascara. It’s supposed to give you super volume, though I’d say it was more natural. I don’t like to cake on mascara, you’re just asking for spider lashes. The curl lasts all day and it’s incredibly black! It retails at £10 from Boots. 8/10.
MUA are a very cheap make-up brand found in the UK, in drugstore Superdrug or on their online website. Their Extreme Curl Mascara is one I’ll always repurchase. It’s only £2 and is one of the best mascara’s I have ever tried in my life. The brush is curved, shaping lashes from root to tip and the curl lasts all day! If I want volume then I just use my Rimmel Scandal-Eyes on top. If you can get your hands on this mascara, try it, I always get compliments. 8/10.
Lastly, Bad Gal from Benefit, I used to hate this mascara as well as the matching eyeliner, however I picked the sample size up in a magazine to try again and I love it. It’s not the most amazing mascara, but it’s super black and I love how big the brush is. It separates me lashes well and lengthens, it gives a little volume not a lot, so it’s perfect for quick touch ups throughout the day and doesn’t cake. It retails for £16.50 full size, a little over priced. 7/10.
What’s your favourite mascara for summer? Out of my favourite five, the Accessorize mascara has to be the ultimate.
It’s that time of year again girls, garden parties, summer holidays and more importantly – the races! And what does a girl need as the ‘only’ accessory to a gorgeous frock? Yep, we hear you – a tan!
So this month, nd Make-up will be letting you in on our favourite tanning buys!
Firstly, we begin with a self tan that at a glance could be mistaken for a well known high-end product, but when handing over your well earned cash at the till point, will find that this little beauty will NOT break the bank! St Moritz is a tanning mouse that may require a pair of rubber gloves on application, (to prevent those telltale orange hands) but gives a fabulous all over colour for as little as the price of Starbucks coffee.
But girls, if you’d rather leave it to the professionals we think you ought to head on down to St Tropez, Debenhams, which, if you want a perfect application, is the only place to consider! An all over spray tan by one of these girls has you looking and feeling great in no time! And what’s even better about it, is that the money you’ve spent getting it done, can then be redeemed on products at the till point when you leave! (We like to treat ourselves to the Everyday Gradual Moisturiser to help keep our colour for longer.)
And just for good measure, we always finish our regime with another great little product, which does exactly what it says on the tin *drumroll please* – Sally Hansen-Airbrush Legs! Not only does this product give your legs that airbrush affect, it’s actually really easy to apply! So for those of you who like your legs to look as flawless as your makeup, this ones for you!
Best Wishes & Safe, Summer Tanning!
nd Make-up girls x
To write a blog and be Glitzy Queen’s “Blogger of the Week” please email blogs@glitzyqueen.com
Have you subscribed to Glitzy Queens You Tube channel? Subscribe NOW
MUA – Lip Booms are a four in one product created by Alexandra Burke. Whether you’re a fan of her or not, you can still find yourself loving them. They come in a variety of shades, eight. Being pale I’m always weary of the colours I wear, however I’ve stepped out my comfort zone and started loving so many bright and bold shades this month, my drawer of lip products is now over flowing. Lip Booms are a lip stick with an accompanying lip gloss to be used as a highlighter. The highlighting gloss is incredibly glittery however helps give you that extra volume to your lips. The shade reviewed today for Glitzy Queen is LMK, one of the trickiest colours I’ve found to wear and photograph. I’ve already reviewed Cheeky, a barbie pink & Doin’ Good on my blog, Lucyywrites. Lip Booms retail at £3 each, an absolute bargain. Pick yours up from any Superdrug or MUA’s website.
Product:
As Lip Booms are a 4 in 1 product, you can wear the gloss alone, all over the lipstick, the lipstick on its own, or you use it to just highlight. I prefer to highlight the top of my lip/cupids bow. Colour can be built up. I haven’t really worn this colour, it scares me a little, however looks a lot nicer in person. I’ve stayed away from using the glitter. It looks horrid to me with the highlighter, but that’s just my opinion and usage.
Packaging:
Easy to travel with and easy to store. The packaging is very sturdy for the little price of £3 and I like it. They’re super easy to store and take up less room than two separate products. The little pot of product at the bottom of the lipstick end is secure.
Pros:
Every Lip Boom comes with a small pot of product at the bottom of the lipstick. Just use a lip brush to apply. They have a great range of shades and I really do like this shade, despite it scaring me before I tried, it does actually suit pale skin, however not an every day colour. They’re incredibly cheap for two products, or three if you count the little pot. I love the taste of Lip Booms, if you’re a fan of vanilla you will too and they don’t even dry your lips.
Cons:
Gloss is extremely glittery and doesn’t apply that well with this shade at all, I find that it actually can rubs a lot of the lipstick off. The gloss is pretty gritty when on, so I’ve preferred to wear this shade alone rather than be a glitter ball. Not an every day colour.
Rating:
I still give this product an 7/10. I love the Lip Booms and can’t wait to get my hands on more. MUA you never fail to amaze me.
What do you think?
Happy Friday BeautyBoosters! We’ve made it – the weekend is here!
This week I’ve been discovering the delights of the divineDecleorrange – it’s all part of my good skin quest which started recently with theManuka Doctor Apiclearrange in my previous post.
I’ve been using the following products: HARMONIE CALM – SOOTHING MILKY CREAM - This high-tolerance day cream with a silky and melting texture is specially formulated for normal to dry sensitive skin. It acts on the skin like a caress to help:
·soothe and calm feelings of discomfort and redness by addressing the source of skin’s fragility (Essential Milk of Rose, Extracts of White Birch Bark)
·nourish and protect the skin from irritants by strengthening its protective barrier (Lacto Calm Complex: Essential Milks of Cotton and Lily, Concentrated Rose Water, Cotton Lipids, Pine and Grape Polyphenols)
·reduce the signs of reactivity by helping to reinforce skin’s tolerance levels (Extract of Green Macatia) Your skin is left feeling soft, supple and infinitely comfortable.
I am IN LOVE with this day cream – the scent smells beautiful and the texture feels luxuriously creamy but light – like stroking a feather on your face! I’ve been taking my time when applying this as it’s such an enjoyable experience every time I open it up! Previous to using this my skin has been a little troubled but this delicate formula really felt like it was caressing and soothing any problems I had and I’m delighted with the results after just a week!
AROMESSENCE™ YLANG YLANG – Purifying Serum - A naturally powered Super Serum containing both Essential Oils and Plant Oils specially formulated for the daily care of oily and combination skin. The Essential Oils purify the epidermis, reducing excess sebum and closing the pores. It is a real efficiency booster for the AROMAPURETÉ Shine Control Oxygenating Fluid.
This smells absolutely HEAVENLY and despite my reservations of using this oil serum on my combination skin I was really surprised to see how well I responded to it. My skin looked fresher and pores are definitely less visible after just a week – it’s advised you use 2 drops and apply the Decleor acupressure method over the entire face (I might have skipped this part but I’m still noticing the benefits!)
AROMA PURETÉ IMPERFECTIONS ROLL’ON - A roller ball treatment that cleanses the skin and quickly reduces the appearance of blemishes and imperfections. The refreshing gel formulation soothes the skin whilst delivering a concentrated blend of Essential Oils to leave skin purified and clean.
This is my favourite ‘can’t live without’ wonder product in my battle against blemishes! I bow down to its magical powers it’s that good! The scent of essential oils is so lovely and doesn’t have that ‘medical’ fragrance that can be a bit off putting with some treatments of this kind. it dries quickly leaving no residue and within an hour I noticed red or blemish areas appeared reduced and the next day my skin was looking the clearest it’s been in months. I just can’t praise this enough – so happy to have been able to experience its benefits first hand.
Do you keep it real or fake it? You know you want more length or volume to your hair and cannot wait for it to grow so you opt for hair extensions. However, you need to make the best choice for you – synthetic or human hair extensions, that is the question.
Synthetic Hair Extensions
Synthetic hair is made up of fine plastic filaments and its structure is very different from natural human hair.
It has the ability to blend with your natural hair BUT the extra shine and silkiness of synthetic hair extensions makes them appear unnatural and unlike real hair
Synthetic hair is unsuited for long flowing hair.
Synthetic hair extensions have a better ‘memory’, so a pre-set hair style will stay the same under most circumstances, including when subjected to rain and humidity.
Synthetic hair is heat sensitive so applying heating tools to synthetic hair will be a disaster. The synthetic hair will melt, even if light heat is applied. This limits your styling options – you will be left with the same style until you remove the extensions.
Human Hair Extensions
Human hair extensions are made from real human hair donated by individuals for money or spiritual reasons. They blend well with your own hair, so unless you touch the root of the hair, there is no way to tell it is not real.
Human hair extensions give you the same feel and softness of real human hair, owing to the way they are made.
People wearing human hair feel more confident as they know their hair feels and looks good.
Human hair extensions are better for styling then synthetic hair extensions as they are receptive to heat styling with a curling iron or a straightener and they can also be blow dried without losing their natural feel. You can style with hot rollers or curling tongs, simply wash and dry the hair as you would your natural hair.
Human hair extensions are versatile so you can style them different ways on different days without damaging the hair.
Human hair extensions, such as ‘virgin Remy hair’, may be coloured, just like your own hair, but these are not as cheap to purchase. The cost of clip in human hair extensions ranges from £25 for a single piece up to £80 for a full head set, but they will last for a year.
How Long Will Your Hair Extensions Last?
Even human hair extensions will not retain their style for long so will need to be restyled every 3 to 6 months.
It is not advisable to colour-treat your extensions, even if they are high quality Remy hair extensions, too many times, as it will damage the hair. Most human hair extensions have already been coloured and chemically treated in the factory.
So Fake it Or Use the Real Deal?
Overall human hair extensions will give you greater versatility and flexibility than synthetic hair extensions. They will look and feel good, giving you confidence but synthetic hair has its place in the fashion world too, especially if you are on a budget. Synthetic hair will hold it’s shape when it’s wet – but your natural hair will not, which may look odd, depending on your style.
About Cliphair: Cliphiar is one of the UK’s top online retailers of real human hair extensions, selling to both trade and public. Check their website at http://www.cliphair.co.uk/ for the latest extensions, or check the YouTube channel for the latest styling and care tips.
To write a blog and be Glitzy Queen’s “Blogger of the Week” please email blogs@glitzyqueen.com
Have you subscribed to Glitzy Queens You Tube channel? Subscribe NOW
With the weather finally getting better I can wear all my favourite SS polishes, without looking crazy. If you’re a polish addict like me, I currently have more than the salon I go to then you can’t wait to paint your nails a couple times a week, with all your bright summery polishes. Picking out my top 10 polishes for Glitzy Queen was hard. There’s many I’d like to include, but we’d be here all day, with similar colour swatches. All polishes are reasonably easy to get hold of, even if you’re from a different country to me and they’re all affordable. When it comes to polish I don’t go too high end, the most I’ve paid is £11. A polish only lasts so long and when you have as many as I do, it’d be money wasted!
I’m a big fan of pastels and I’m excited for SS12 because pastels are huge this year, okay they come back most years, but all the clothes in store and new makeup ranges coming out are all pastel based. Pastels are more of a spring trend to me where as the brights I keep for June and onwards.
Barry M – Strawberry Ice is a prime example of the lovely pastels from this brand. If pinks not for you try the Peach Melba or the mint greens. Both polishes are on my to buy list. Barry M’s polishes are pigmented and sometimes only need one coat.
Avon – Vintage Blue is a colour I’ve worn for the past 2 years, I adore this blue, Avon do great nail polishes I have a good 20 of them. The brushes are average and the pigmentation is great. Always look out for the offers, I only buy when they’re half price.
MUA – Love Hearts – An affordable range from the UK, though they now have an online store. These are the cheapest polishes from my top 10. £2. The brushes are hit or miss, but the colours in this limited edition range are gorgeous and you only need 1-2 coats. They last well too. U & I is a gorgeous yellow, I had to add this to my collection. Love U 24/7 is my ultimate Lilac polish, this replaced my Avon Lilac that I’ve used for years. This has been used for a nail look on my blog.
When it comes into summer I love having bright nails, last year I was big on colour blocking my nails with a couple of these polishes, all from brands I’ve used for many, many years.
Rimmel 60 seconds – Sky High is from one of my personal favourite ranges of Rimmel & favourite colour to use, they dry quick, they have great coverage and they last well. This polish lasted on my toes for over a week on holiday. I was in 40 degrees, climbing sand dunes, swimming and the most important activity, shopping, this didn’t budge. Not a single chip.
This next polish, Avon – Viva Glam, I also wore while away and throughout the summer. This polish also lasted the whole holiday on my finger nails. Avon have great polishes and I picked this up for free in an Avon offer. Even better. Viva Glam, is the perfect bright pink oh and it looks great with just a basic black crackle over.
No7 Cheeky Chops, I love No7 polishes, especially because Boots do £5 vouchers allowing you to pick up the nail polishes for £2. My collection has grown due to these. I own many No7 polishes and adore them. The brushes are amazing, perfect size. As for the polish itself, Cheeky Chops has great coverage and is a beautiful coral on the nail. This lasts well too.
We all love a bit of glitter, just not the removal of it. I love having pretty glittered nails, but no matter what trick you use to remove it’s always hard work. These next three polishes are the easier and prettier glitters I own. This is why I love them.
O.P.I – Excuse Moi! O.P.I were extremely popular last year when they released The Muppet’s collection, I was lucky enough to pick one set up in my salon. I fell in love with Excuse Moi! And I think every nail polish addict did too. What girl doesn’t love pink glitter, this can be built up or can be worn over a polish. It’s the best of both. Mines a mini due to buying the set. Though I do want to get my hands on the full size. O.P.I is expensive in the UK.
Revlon, Facets Of Fuchsia is another well loved polish from last year and still is. I’d wanted this polish for so long and a blogger gifted this to me for Christmas. I am in love with it. You need a few coats of it, but when on, it is the most gorgeous polish out there. Who doesn’t love purple glitter polish. This is one polish everyone needs in their collection.
Lights Camera Glitter – NYC is a polish I’ve fallen in love like most NYC polishes. I’m still new to NYC. Whenever I’m doing the food shopping, I’ll end up putting one or two in the basket. They’re super cheap and the glitters double as a great top coat. This looks beautiful built up and pretty as a top coat. It’s full of turquoise and purple flecks. Lights Camera Glitter is my favourite glitter from NYC. I highly recommend this glitter polish.
Professional make-up artist, DAVE WATERMAN, is one of the fashion industries best make-up artists.
Having worked with clients such as Calvin Klein, M.A.C and Agent Provocateur you can regularly find his work splashed inside magazines like DAZED AND CONFUSED. Ex-mechanic Dave talks to NLCbeauty about the journey throughout his career and gives upcoming make-up artists some advice.
“I’m a professional make-up artist from Melbourne Australia, now living and working here in the UK. The UK is a major melting pot for fashion, creativity and the freedom of artistic expression.
“I set out on my career with big dreams and aspirations, the kind of things that get a good laugh when I informed people of what I was setting out to do. But that never really bothered me. I was never the kind of person to work in a mediocre job for 40 years only to be given a cheap watch and a crappy signed card at the end of it.
“My first job in make-up was working for a small agency in Melbourne, not really being able to do much make-up but rather a counter dolly. That was a challenge for a straight guy and was very hard but as time has gone on I have been able to become an artist with a difference, breaking the stereotype and maybe the mould.
“I have worked in most mediums from catwalk, editorial, short film, TV and more while relishing every moment of it with a true passion and love for what I do. Over the past 6 years I have settled into my favourite medium of being primarily an editorial make-up artist and working alongside my two other passions fashion and photography.
“I chose to work mainly in the fashion side of the art because there are far less boundaries. Shoots or catwalk shows are generally shot within the day and it is very fast-paced with little to no room for error so one has to be quick and on the ball. At the same time it can be a lot of fun! Every time I do a job I don’t see it so much as working, rather I see it as a hobby and I never get bored of it.
“I get a fair amount of freedom in my job and you work within the brief but you also express beyond it. Sometimes a client, photographer, stylist or designer may just hand the whole thing to you and say, “Do your thing, go crazy!” Whatever the case you still go over the ideas with them before you do what you have in mind.
“I play about in various other artistic mediums as they all have so much in common with make-up. In saying this I don’t see make-up in a traditional point of view, I see it as art like any other. I firmly believe that anyone can wear anything, and look good in it. It’s largely my role as a make-up artist to ensure the overall look comes together.
“If you’re starting out as a make-up artist there are two paths you can take but these depend on what prior knowledge of art or make-up you have. If you’re not artistic and have no knowledge of art and/or make-up I’d suggest learning the whole lot in a long intensive course. However, look closely to what it provides and how good those teaching it are more than what it will cost.
“Unfortunately there are some who go to study make-up and think they are fully fledged make-up artists and that they will work with famous people right away. Or they get into it looking for the money. Either attitude will result in failure. Be patient and do it for the passion, and in time the rest, if that’s what you want, will follow.
“For myself, I made the jump into the field from a polar opposite career. Going from a mechanic and welder to the fashion world is not an easy trek. I have always been into art and was quite creative but I had no idea whatsoever about the history of make-up or what the individual products did, who did what and what did what? That is what I needed to learn. I took a university course that taught me the basic fundamentals. In nearly thirteen years since my study I have learnt an immense amount from working with others in the industry. The higher you work the better the skills you will learn. I use techniques from all kinds of art that I dabble in as the only difference is the canvas it is applied to.
“Make-up is a form of expression like our clothing, hair, or just about anything to do with identity. It expresses our mood, our opinions and our intent. It can mask our insecurities, strengthen our abilities or frame our confidence. Make-up is too often only viewed as a bit of lippy and a dash of shadow. It is deeper than that.”
As a freelance makeup artist, I always love trying out the latest makeup products. While in Rite Aid today, this new and colorful eyeliner trio by Physician’s Formula immediately caught my eye. Since I’m already a fan of the Physician’s Formula brand, I wanted to give these pretty Kohl eyeliners a try. It was only $10 for 3 eyeliners.
I bought the “for green eyes” box, which came with black, green, and purple.
Ordinarily I avoid lining the lower rim/waterline of my lashes, but these Kohl eyeliners were meant to be applied there, so that’s what I planned to do. The packaging states that they are “hypoallergenic, fragrance free, dermatologist approved, and safe for sensitive eyes, and paraben free.” Another plus!
Once I ripped the package open, I swatched the eyeliners on the back of my hand. They are very pigmented and “waterproof” according to the box. It took a bit of scrubbing to wash the eyeliners off the back of my hand, so the waterproof claim seems to be true.
The purple eyeliner glided on very smoothly with no tugging. My eyes did not water or experience the slightest bit of irritation. I wanted to try purple first, since that’s my favourite color.
Many hours later, the eyeliner hasn’t budged, smudged, or flaked off. It still looks great. That said, I haven’t done anything strenuous today and it isn’t summer. Once I have tested this eyeliner during a workout class and in the heat, it will definitely stay in my regular rotation.
So last month all you Glitzy Queen readers saw how I get near perfect skin, this month I’ve been finding the best products for getting rid of dry lips. I’m really off of using lipsticks and lipglosses at the moment. For pretty much the whole of January I’ve been using lip balms. I thought I’d share my thoughts on these 5 very popular products that are all found in drugstores world wide. Are they really as good as the hype is? & What to use to get those perfect soft lips for Valentines.
The products I’ll be reviewing before sharing my personal favourite:
1. Carmex
2. Vaseline
3. Burt’s Bees Ultra Conditioning
4. Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm
We have all heard and most of us have used Carmex in our lives, but does it live up to the hype? When I tried this out last winter I purchased the original before getting the strawberry pictured above. I prefer a product in a tube since I have nails. A little of the thick gloss like lip balm goes a long way. It tastes nice, depending on what flavour, but the actual result? It’s soothing for sore lips, but does it get rid of my dry lips? Not really, well not 100%, you have to use it for a good few days to see results. For me this doesn’t live up to the hype most bloggers give it.
This retails at £2.69 in Boots in the UK. But is found world wide.
Now, what about the famous Vaseline, I own every single Vaseline, some are better than others. I personally think this one is the best. Creme Brulee is limited edition, it may even have gone completely sadly. Typical, the best products are always limited. This doesn’t even taste like Creme Brulee if I’m honest, but it does taste and smell lovely. It glides on better than other Vaselines and it does cure dry lips completely within a couple days of using it. Again no instant results for me.
This retailed at around £3.
A product I have been using for the last two months, I’ve gave this an in depth review on my blog here. It’s truly amazing, which is why I’ve chosen to give it away on my latest giveaway. One application of this clear lip balm, gives 4 hours of moisture and I feel an instant result. It’s all natural and contains no nasty paraffin’s. It’s packed with Cocoa butter, Shea butter and Kokum.
This retails at £3.69 on the Burt’s Bees website, but also found in the UK in Boots and House of Fraser.
Lastly, another Burt’s Bees product or products. They’re both the same, just different shades. I’ve also had these to test out the last two months and wow. These give such a subtle tint to your lips and they really do moisturise your lips too, not as much as the Ultra Conditioning lip balm. But they still have helped and treated dry lips. What do we have to thank for this? Shea Butter, they’ve packed this lip balm with all natural products and a lot of She Butter. These retail at a slightly more pricey £5.99, but look at it this way, you get two products in one. I get so many compliments when wearing these. Out of the two, Hibiscus and Tiger Lily, Hibiscus is my favourite. I couldn’t recommend these any more. They come with great packaging too, inside the cardboard tubes are their classy and simple dark tubed lip balms. So, Glitzy Queen readers, what is my favourite brand? Clearly my favourite brand featured today is Burt’s Bees, but my favourite product? It has to be the tinted lip balms, these are the products that have made me leave lip glosses and back onto lip balms. The shades are gorgeous and they moisturise & care for my lips too. I want the whole collection.
What would I say is the worst? Definitely Carmex!!
Glitzy Queen is an online beauty community website that focuses on cosmetics making them accessible worldwide. We wanted to create a ‘Go-To’ site where your viewers know where to go to purchase the products or similar/cheaper products that you use/discussed within your blogs.
We were inspired by You Tube Gurus and Bloggers who create videos and write blogs, talk, test and show how make up and various cosmetic products can be used. With many Gurus and Bloggers having such large followings, gaining thousands, even millions of views within weeks, it became apparent that some viewers didn’t know where to go to purchase the products.
Glitzy Queen aims to build a ‘home’ for the Beauty Gurus where consumers can not only search, watch tutorials, videos and read blogs, they can also click straight on the link to purchase that product that have read within your blog.
We would like to encourage Beauty Gurus and Bloggers, old and new to record tutorials / video reviews, write and review products and to discuss anything beauty related. If you would like to create videos or blogs and display them on Glitzy Queen, then send your video You Tube web address or Website URL link, or copy and paste your blog content and images to the following email address:
The site can be a resource for you to use for potential exposure, which could lead to increased subscribers and traffic to your personal sites. We are a growing community and will keep adding brands, products, videos and blogs.
Feel free to submit anything ‘Beauty’ related and become a Queen!
I apologise in advance for the state of my cuticles and nails right now, I’ve just been camping for a week and it really takes its toll on your hands!
Anyhow, this post is on Barry M Nail Paints. I love them, I really do. Here I will be reviewing three nail paints: Barry M 3 in 1 Basecoat, Topcoat and Nail Hardener, Barry M Nail Paint in 290 Spring Green and Barry M Nail Effects in 311 Black Magic. These polishes are only £2.99 each and are amazing quality; I would say they’re the best budget nail polishes!
Barry M 3 in 1 Basecoat, Topcoat and Nail Hardener
Barry M Nail Paint in 290 Spring Green
and
Barry M Nail Effects in 311 Black Magic
So this post cleverly kills two birds with one stone, the Spring Green polish is perfect for summer and the Nail Effects is great for instant and effortless nail art, this crackle polish is also available in Pink Fizz, Blue Print and White Frost.
So lets start with the basics…
Barry M 3 in 1 Basecoat, Topcoat and Nail Hardener:
This isn’t really something you can swatch so I’ll just talk a little about it. This really is a multi-use product and my most repurchased product, I’ve tried a few different topcoats but I always come back to this. It lasts about four or five days at the very least and it’s very, very, very important to use a base coat, especially when using a dark polish… Trust me, I’ve made the mistake far too many times, I currently have blue stained nails…
This product is well worth the £2.99 it costs!
Barry M Nail Paint in 290 Spring Green:
One thing I’ve always noticed with Barry M Nail Paints is the perfect opacity which is achieved within two coats. This polish is extremely long wearing and if you have a tan it’ll look even better! Unfortunately I don’t tan so I can’t show you but really, it does look great!
This wonderful grassy green is perfect for the summer, you could apply a matte top coat for a more unique look or layer with Barry M Hologram Hexograms for a glitzy night out.
Barry M Nail Effects in 311 Black Magic:
As you will know if you’re a follower of my blog, I’m a big fan of crackle polish. I get lazy when I’m doing my nails and there’s nothing simpler than applying a coat of crackle polish for instant interest! I’ve got to say, I’d love to see a green crackle polish over a blue polish to paint the world on my nails!
Barry M’s Nail Effects is different to other crackle polishes because it dries into larger chunks with wide crevice’s which some people don’t like but I think it’s great, it looks less like chipped polish this way. I love it over Barry M’s Shocking Pink or Silver.
Have you ever tried Barry M Nail Paints and what do you think of them? x
Where can I find it? http://www.barrym.com/products/nails.asp
How much product? 10ml How much? Nail Paints: £2.99, Nail Effects: £3.99 Disclaimer: I paid for these products myself and these opinions are my own. I am not affiliated with any company.
If you liked my post why don’t you check out my blog?
Its no secret that Lush is one of Glitzy Queen’s favourite brands. It is safe to say that we have tried many moisturisers and one of the very best has to be Lush’s ‘Vanishing Cream’.
I in particular love this product as it is so easily absorbed, includes minimal oil content and works fabulously with all skin types. I have combination skin, but like most, it needs extra TLC during those colder seasons. During those chilly autumn and winter months, I add a little drop of Bio Oil to my Vanishing Cream at night, just to give it that extra moisture it is thirsty for. Works a treat! Any who- Bio Oil is another story……..
At night when I use the cream, the delicious relaxing smell helps me to relax and to fall asleep. It contains subtle rose, lavender and witch hazel notes that are very calming and soothing to the skin. When I rise, I cleanse my face and then prepare for my wall paint to be applied. In those winter months, I will apply the moisturiser directly to the skin, then the foundation etc. on top, but in the months where I am slighter more tanned, and just want a hint of colour, I tend to mix the moisturiser with my foundation and buff it into my skin. It is great to mix in as it doesn’t slide off your skin, it actually gives a really dewy / glowy look. Perfecto!
With the healing ingredients, it can really help skin that is acne prone, oily, or skin that has T zone issues. I would definitely recommend trying the moisturiser and I bet you will fall in love just like I did. Its been over a year now and I am still in love and very happy.
I am like most females, (maybe worse) I like to try out the latest fads, and I know I will continue to do so over the years, but I know that the Vanishing cream is a consistent product and a product that I will always return to using.
Pop into Lush store and test it out and ask for a sample. I find the staff to be so attentive and they want to show you just how great their products are. I CANNOT (or shouldn’t) go in there unsupervised, as I end up spending a fortune. I go in to have a nosey and come out buying the shop!!!!
Hello! My name is Charlotte and I blog over at ConvenientlyCharlotte.blogspot.com. I’ve joined GlitzyQueen to give all you lovely readers an insight to the monthly Beauty Box trend that seems to have divided the Beauty blogging community, Some people love it and others think it’s a waste of money, so I’ve come up with a monthly feature on my blog called Battle of the Beauty Boxes where I run through all the items you receive in each box and that months boxes ‘samples’ value for any of you who might be thinking about signing up but aren’t quite decided yet!
Here’s a condensed version of this months BOTBB, for the full post just click here.
August saw the launch of two new beauty box subscription services, Beauty Box from feelunique.com and Boudoir Privé. GlossyBox has been running for a few months now and has received some very mixed reviews across various blogs. As with anything, you can’t please all of the people all of the time but lets see how they did this month!
Starting off with the… feelunique.com Beauty Box
Bare Escentuals bareminearls Flawless Definition Volumizing Mascara
Sample Value : £6.38 Thaglo Frigimince Spray
Sample Value : £9.00 Xen Tan Transform Luxe
Sample Value : £2.41 Decleor Foaming Cleanser
Sample Value : £1.53 Phillip Kingsley Elasticizer
Sample Value : £2.80 Jimmy Choo Eau De Parfum
Sample Value : £1.47
Total Box Value : £23.58 My thoughts on this months box? Since it’s the companies first box I’m quite impressed, they’ve given a good range of different types of products and it seems well thought out. My favourite item is the mascara – I’m a big fan of the bareminerals range, I’ve tried one of their mascaras before and I wasn’t too impressed with it – it was clumpy to apply and ended up flaking off after a few hours (very painful when it gets in your eyes!) Fortunately this mascara is alot better, I wouldn’t say that it is ‘volumizing’ but its definitely good for defining the lashes, I’d say it’s an ideal one to use with false eyelashes as it doesn’t clump together and the rubber bristles help to separate and coat each lash.
Next to arrive this month was… Boudoir Privé
Jane Iredale PureLash Extender and Conditioner
Sample Size : 2ml
Sample Value : £0.29 Olavie Antioxidant Body Butter ‘Chardonnay Wine Therapy’
Sample Value : £5.44 Bloom Green Tea and White Tea Duo
Sample Value : £0.80 Sachajuan Hair Repair (Full-size item!)
Sample Value : £11.00 E’Tat Libre D’Orange Putain Des Palace and Rien
Sample Value : £3.15 Babor HSR Lifting Extra Firming Cream
Sample Value : £8.20
Total Box Value : £28.89 My thought on this months box? Well it’s definitely luxury! Lots of nice high-end samples in this box, not neccesarily things you spend the full amount on but some nice samples to pamper yourself with once a month. My favourite item from this box was the Olavie Body Butter - This is so nice that I’ve actually used it all up already! It doesn’t leave an oily feeling once it sinks in either which is a bit of a plus for me as I hate feeling oily or sticky after I’ve moisturised – which is something I find happens alot when I use the Body Shop Body Butters. To buy the full size product would cost £43.55 which is a bit too steep for me to justify spending on what could be an ‘everyday’ product but I might consider putting it on my Christmas list.
Last but not least… GlossyBox
KMS California HairStay Style Boost (Full-size item!)
Sample Value : £13.70 Murad Time Release Blemish Cleanser
Sample Value : £4.35 Ahava Mineral Body Lotion
Sample Value : £3.52 Rebel Nails Nail Wraps (Full-size item!)
Sample Value : £5.99 Daniel Sandler Baby Jet Mascara (Full-size item!)
Sample Value : £12.80
Total Box Value : £40.36 My thought on this months box? Like the feelunique.com box this months GlossyBox was nice and varied in its contents. My favourite item from this selection was the Ahava Mineral Body Lotion – This body lotion has a light powdery, flowery, natural smell to it. It soaks in really quickly and doesn’t leave a stickiness to your skin so it’s pretty on par with the Olavie Antioxidant Body Butter BUT the full size version is more than half the price of the Olavie Body Butter. It did feel like it left my leg slightly powdery and almost matiffied a bit like baby powder would do, which isn’t necessarily bad, it doesn’t bother me but of course it’s all down to personal preference.
The Results
This isn’t the easiest thing to judge as, although they are all ‘Beauty Boxes’, the companies aims for their boxes are all different.
For example feelunique.com is a beauty retailer and as such their box is used to promote brands that they sell, I think you are more likely to receive brands that you recognise and due to them being a retailer I also think you’re likely to get a better cross-section of products.
Boudoir Privé is a box that promises high end luxury products (be it beauty, skin care or lifestyle – yes I’m looking at the people who were whinging about receiving Bloom teabags! I personally think it was a good product to go into the box and it kept completely within the genre they had advertised) You’re guaranteed luxury products with Boudoir Privé, yes the full size products may be scarily expensive but for the price of their box it’s a great way to pamper yourself each month.
GlossyBox prides itself on tracking and promoting the latest trends and giving you an opportunity to try them out before buying the full size product. I think it is definitely fair to say that they do do this, whether they do it well is a matter of opinion – I know alot of people were upset about receiving the Batist sample in the last box because it wasn’t classed as a ‘luxury’ product but maybe that was GlossyBox anticipating that people may want to try dry shampoo before festival season started and therefore going with the trend? Either way if there is one less favourable sample in the value of the rest of the samples still make it worth having.
Best Value for Money : Glossy Box With it’s total box value coming in at £40.36 the winner is most definitely GlossyBox Best Customer Service : Boudoir Privé I had a lovely email conversation with Therese at Boudoir Privé the other week when I emailed to double check some of the sample size ml’s. She was very helpful and prompt to reply. Boudoir Privé are also very hot on keeping up on Twitter and Facebook. Also, the way the whole box was presented, with the hand written note and the booklet made it feel like the most professionally and thought out box.
On the complete flip side I have had nothing but trouble trying to contact GlossyBox this month, hopefully this is something they will work on over the next few months/boxes! Best All-Rounder :feelunique.com Beauty Box This is probably due to the fact that they are actually an online retailer first and a beauty box company second, if you want a good cross-section of products that are on the market at the moment I’d say to go for this box. Best for Luxury : Boudoir Privé There’s no denying that the lovely Thérése and her team can pick out some lovely expensive goodies for us to try, perfect for a mini pamper evening every now and then! Best for Make-Up: GlossyBox Although I didn’t rate the mascara or nail wraps that came with this months box I was pleased to see that they went for more unique products (a mascara especially for small eyelashes, nail wraps instead of nail varnish).
Overall Winner : Boudoir Privé
Maybe it’s because it’s their first month, or maybe their just that good, but I genuinely feel like they have made the most effort out of all companies this month and been the most ‘hands on’ with their customers and this says a lot to me about their staying power as a new company, after all a company is nothing without their customers. Well done to Thérése and the Boudoir Privé team, I can’t wait to see what you come up with next month!
Hey lovelies, I thought I’d dedicate a post to my top five products that I cannot live without! (Well for the last month and half) And for the first time, there’s nothing from LUSH. For all of you who don’t know I have a rather large obsession with LUSH, I don’t go a single day without LUSH, so these products have really got to be something to of beaten LUSH to the top five.
Product number one, is the one scrub I swear by, I received this for my birthday in July. This scrub is beyond amazing, it gets rid of the tiny bumps on the tops of my arms! No scrub has completely got rid of them. The smell is gorgeous, reminds me slightly of the Britney Spears perfume Fantasy < only slightly. So if you hate the perfume still give this a try! A little scrubs a long way! It leaves your skin silky soft, not a bump in sight and makes your skin look unbelievably healthy and shiny! Soap and glory have invented the perfect scrub for me <3
Everyone needs a Scrub ‘Em and Leave ‘Em in their lives!
The second product I can’t live without is my new rather gorgeous and different looking perfume! The bottle definitely stood out when I first saw it. I received a sample of this perfume in a magazine back in January and loved it, just not the price back then! So whilst on holiday I decided to treat myself and purchase this, rather than buy pointless small things and more clothes to add to the ones I’d already bought there and the exploding wardrobe back home! One spray of this and it lasts all day. (I have the body lotion too, from the set i purchased too) It smells citrusy and florally, now it’s a rather different floral scent, I personally hate floral perfumes but this is gorgeous! Everyone asks what I have on. Womanity by Thierry Mugler has taken over the top spot on my perfumes, sorry Vera Wang.
Number three is the well known fake tan st moriz, in mousse formula! This tan is cheap with high end quality! I love it. For someone who is pale and doesn’t tan and doesn’t want to fake it looking like you’ve been tangoed this stuff is amazing. Easy and quick to use and at £3 how can you grumble! It does have that gingerbread, biscuity smell, so just apply it before you sleep and wash off in the morning!
Product number four. Nail Wraps, I have fallen for these wonderful things and for one brand especially. Nailease make wonderful nail wraps, no need for heat with these. In every pattern you can imagine. I’ve posted about these on my blog and have written a guest blog comparing two brands. If you have no time to paint your nails, no good at nail art or just lazy, these are perfect! Peel, press on to nails, file and top coat and your away to go! They lasted ten days on my fingers and 4 weeks on my toes! 4 weeks?! And at just under £6 who can complain!
My last product is a bit of a sneaky one…..12 shadows in one? Everyone has heard of the naked palette I’m sure! This palette was made for me! The girl who needs more practice when it comes to eyeshadow and only wears neutrals! There’s matte and there’s glitter. It has every colour you’ll need for neutral looks, comes with a brush and primer. It’s easy to travel with. Take on holiday, staying out or in your handbag! Urban Decay certainly make palettes and eyeshadow’s well! I swear by this brand. And at £26 this was a bargain for 12 shadows, one brush and a primer.
I’d waited so long for this and duty free on the plane home I had to get this!
Now that was my top five products I cannot live without! Now what’s yours?
Hello All! Hope your week has been fabulous? We have been mega busy here at the GQ headquarters!
Over the past few weeks we have been searching for the best facial scrub…. We have found it! It’s the ‘Soap and Glory – No Clogs Allowed’. It is a ‘Super self heating, deep cleaning’ scrub.
I discovered the scrub in Boots, I was wondering around and I love a good ‘3 for 2’ offer, so I stocked up on a couple of Soap and Glory items and thought I would give the scrub a wurl!
I have to say, I really like it! It smells like Orange Matchmaker sticks. Remember those chocolate sticks that only ever seem to pop out during Christmas time? Well, the delicious smell made me want to lick it, but I controlled myself! Phew!
I look like the 'Masks' child!
I am the biggest bath-a-holic you could ever know. So I love my bath comforts. I jumped in my daily bath to relax and used a suggested grape sized amount (of the mint green – soon to turn blue) and as soon as the scrub makes contact with your skin it goes super warm for a few seconds giving the skin a great tingling sensation and leaves you looking like a cute smurf!
I would say I have combination skin, I have a break out every now and again but this made my skin feel baby smooth. It has really reduced my pores and prevented blackheads (I do suffer with the dreaded B’s) so this has helped!
It says on the tube to use it once or twice a week, but I will use it a little more often. I will leave it on for maybe 5 – 10 minutes once a week and then 2 times apply it, give a quick scrub on the blackhead prone areas and rinse off straight away. (Please note that everyone skin is different, this routine may not be suitable for your skin type, however it works with mine.)
Verdict:
I find the scrub really refreshing and the pink sponge that is included is so useful, its gets all the remaining scrub off the skin. It made my skin feel squeaky-clean and I think it is definitely worth the price (£11) and will last a good few months as a little goes a long way.
Ingredients:
• ZEOLITE – special heating active.
• PUMICE – for polishing & smoothing the skin.
• SALICYLIC ACID – for skin smoothing & cell renewal.
Hello ladies I’m Liz from AspirationsOfGlam and today I’m going to write about One product I cannot live without. One…well this is pretty tricky but a product I have got into in a big way is Lipstick.
Lipstick can be subtle and enhance your make up look, or it can give you that POP and add that extra glamour to your look as a whole. I am going to break my lipsticks into categories. Two daytime shades and two evening shades, each will contain one high end brand and one drug store brand. Ive done this to show a range of colours..this doesn’t mean you cant switch it about…rules? what rules?!
Daytime- drugstore
Rimmel Colour Show Off lipstick in Pink Gossip 110.
This lipstick is pink with coral undertones.
I like this shade for when I am using neutral colours on the rest on my face and I apply this for a little splash colour on my lips. The pink adds to your look without being too over powering and lasts pretty well. The colour payoff is good and the lipstick isn’t drying in any respect.
Bizarre for a lipstick but this smells amazing! Kinda like grapefruit.
I quite like the packaging its fun and stands out from other lipsticks.
Daytime -High End
MAC- Hue
This lipstick is a neutral with pink undertones and to my knowledge
is a beauty blogger favourite!
I have tried many neutral colours and this is always my “go-to”.
This lipstick is perfect just to polish off your look. The glaze formula is moisturising to the lips and gives a hint of colour without being over powering. I tend to use this lipstick more than often in the daytime but it also compliments a smokey eye look too.
Swatches:
Its really difficult to do these shades justice with my camera!
Evening – Drug store
Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick- Tantrum 164
This is simply the most luscious red I own. The shade is a deep red (opposed to an orange red!)
When you have a plain outfit a lipstick such as this can crank it up to a whole different level.
It works fabulously in achieving a “pin up”look.
The colour payoff is wonderful and the formula is moisturising for your lips.
The packaging is nothing to rave about pretty classic..but I think the colour is that good it can easily be forgiven!
Evening- High End
YSL- Rose Fou 10 Provocative Pink
The shade of this lipstick is a vibrant fuchsia its just so gorgeous!
You know when you hold an expensive piece of jewellery and its weighty?
That’s what this lipstick feels like! Weighty and expensive…after all it is.
The packaging alone is so sexy and elegant.
The colour itself has great colour payoff and has the capabilities to really draw attention to your lips, its not drying in the slightest but does require re-application to maintain its vibrancy
Swatches:
Such beautiful and vibrant shades!
So there you have it one product I cannot live without and a few different shades!
Whats your favourite product?
http://aspirationsofglam.blogspot.com/
To write a blog and be Glitzy Queen’s “Blogger of the Week” please email blogs@glitzyqueen.com
A big hello from me … Jess! I write a blog called “Lovely Jubbly”, which I started a few months ago, after spending hours reading and drooling over various beauty and fashion blogs. Blogging is something I class as a huge hobby of mine, and my blog contains a mix of posts about beauty, bargains and general happenings in the life of a shopaholic! I recently posted some ‘beauty tips’ on how to get the most out of your products, after finding that so many of the products I use, have other ways to be used – which also make great alternatives if you are running low on your favourite items, or you want a cheaper alternative that won’t break the bank! So here are a few more tips and tricks on getting the most out of your everyday products at home….
Vaseline – This works great as a tool when painting your nails, if you rub a small amount of this around the nail area (not the nail!) before applying your favourite nail polish, any little mistakes or slips of the hand are easily wiped away . Another tip, if you are bracing yourself for wearing those killer shoes which you know will result in blisters, try rubbing a small amount of Vaseline on problem areas – there will be less irritation from the new shoes!
Homemade lip scrub - I love the Lush lip scrubs, and there are also others on the market which are equally as good.. They can get quite expensive though, so a great tip is to unleash the scientist within and create your own little batch of lip scrub by mixing some oil and brown sugar together and applying gently to the lips, it’s also handy to gently scrub your lips with an old clean tooth brush to remove any dead skin and keep them smooth!
Simple yet effective ..Cold water with maybe an ice cube or two in a bowl or dish can be a saviour if you are rushing to get those nails painted and dried before you hit the town. Slowly submerge your hand into the cold icy water for a few seconds and remove gently, and this should help your nail varnish dry almost instantly. If like me you are a nail varnish addict, you may experience a little bit of discolouring on your nails from repeated use of nail polish, giving them a light gentle scrub of tooth paste will lighten the enamel, and really clean your nails bringing them back to their natural clean colour. A final nail varnish tip is using nail varnish remover, I hate it when my favourite nail polish turns gloopy and becomes really hard to work with (barry M nail effects I’m talking to you) If you just pop a tiny amount of nail polish remover into the bottle, give it a shake and shimmy and you should find your nail polish restored to it’s normal easy to work with formula!
My final tip for this feature is one for those of you with natural curly hair, like myself. A great tip to tame those curls and waves is to mix a little of your normal everyday conditioner in with your styling mouse, you can do this in your hands easily and quickly before applying, this will help give you thosef sleeker waves and curls, help tame and hold shape to your curls without being a sticky mess and most importantly less frizz!
www.jesslovelyjubbly.blogspot.com
Follow Jess on Twitter – @Justjesswoah
http://www.youtube.com/user/LovelyJubbly284
To write a blog and be Glitzy Queen’s “Blogger of the Week” please email blogs@glitzyqueen.com
Stilla Striking In South Beach Palette MakeUp look & Review/Swatches
Oh here is how I did the look
Urban decay Primer
Stila – wave used all over lid taking slight above crease
Stila-cabana with nightlife in Crease/Outer V
Mac Vanilla Highlight
Collection 2000 Liquid Liner- above lashline
ColorTrend Kajalstick in Navy in waterline slighly smuged below lashline.
Mascara Collection 2000-Pump Up The Volume
Lashes Model 21 (So hard to blend with natural lashes as they kept lifting up :-/ )
Hi lovelies, it’s Lucy again from over at http://lucyywrites01.blogspot.com, I first blogged for Glitzy Queen back in September when I’d only just started out, 2 months later and my blogs grown so much! Well I think so! So I’m back with a lovely review about my Winter Skin Guardian Angel. Followers of my blog will know I raved a little about this product in my latest haul, promising a review! So here is my review on the Buche De Noel which sells at £5.95 from LUSH.
Buche De Noel has now been in the LUSH Christmas collection for two years. Thank god they decided to bring it back this year again, this really is my guardian angel when it comes to skin care. It does a better job than my usual Angels On Bare Skin as well as smelling much better!
This year it’s not in a regular black pot however, it’s in a corn rusk. It isn’t as bad as I thought, just looks slightly strange. And I can see this being the end of the black pots soon, you know the deal that you bring back 5 empty and you get a free face mask, if this goes well I’m sure they’ll come up for an alternative for the lotions etc sadly.
Like most of the LUSH cleansers this cleanser is one where you mix it with the smallest amount of water to create a paste to apply to your face. I take a small amount, the size of a pea in the palm of my hand and then mix with a little warm water, not boiling that’s bad for your skin. Keep adding drips of water till you get the consistency of paste you want. Then massage onto your face paying special attention to the dry areas. This doesn’t hurt if you get it in your eyes either. Once you’ve finished massaging this around, wipe off with a clean face cloth, cool water, not hot, bad for skin if you do. This gets all my makeup off and I wear a lot of foundation and no panda eyes!
The cute packaging insides.
A brief overview of the ingredients of this delightful everyday treat for your face. If you have sensitive skin you don’t have to worry, this is perfect for you and really gentle! Trust me. If you have dry skin this is heaven! I also hear other skin types swear by this too. Buche De Noel contains; Ground almonds, fresh satsumas, dried cranberries, Cocoa butter, Brandy and many more natural ingredients all wrapped up inside seaweed and finished with a candy pine tree, though not everyone is lucky enough to get the decoration . If anyone wants more detail then check out the LUSH website for the full list of ingredients.
The fruits in this cleanser balance out your skin while the cocoa butter moisturises. The almonds become a gentle exfoliatant. While the Kaolin absorbs the oil. So I think this really is a cleanser to suit all! Well done LUSH.
I know, it doesn’t look appealing.
I heard this cleanser was coming back around the summer time, by the lovely girls at the Bristol store, while I returned pots. I became excited because this really is the cleanser for me. If only it could be around all year round. I shall be stocking up on this cleanser to get me through winter, because lets be honest, the use by dates on the LUSH fresh range are always shorter than what they really are, I’ve still got a cleanser that’s 6 months old and keeping like new! It’s all about how you store them.
If you want soft silky skin for the holiday season, to defeat all the heat inside and the snow outside then give this a try. Though remember what works for me doesn’t always mean it will for you, though I haven’t come across somebody it hasn’t worked for just yet! You can always ask for a sample in your LUSH store.
I hope everyone enjoyed my returning guest blog for Glitzy Queen, I know I did.
The very first Celebrity ‘Look of the Week’, is a wearable Beyonce ‘Party’ Video Makeup.
This is where the inspiration has come from.
Below is a step by step guide of how to achieve the above look. The products I used are in brackets below. Fell free to use similar products that you already have.
Step 1:
Apply sellotape to the side of the eye to create a precise line.
Step 2:
Prime eyes – Use any eye primer, (MACS Paint Pot in Painterly).
Step 3:
Pat a black eyeshadow on the lid. (BH Cosmetics).
Step 4:
Reduce the harshness of the black eyeshadow on the crease by blending in a matt nude colour. (Naked Palette – Buck)
Step 5:
Apply a white shimmer to the arch of your brow and all over the brow bone. Blend in with the nude and black shadow.
Step 6:
Line the lower lashes with a vibrant purple. I mixed several purple eyeshadows to achieve this colour. (BH Cosmetics).
Step 7:
Line the inner waterline with a Black Gel eyeliner (MAC Blacktrack).
Step 8:
On the bottom of the lower lashes, on the outer eye, gradually blend a black shadow (from the wing) into the purple. This will make the eyes seem larger and give the colour more depth.
Step 9:
On top, in the centre of the black shadow, pat on a Gold / Bronze shimmer.
I used the BH Cosmetics 120 Shimmer Palette, I have circled the colours that were used.
You can keep your lips nude for a more wearable look, or use a bright pink like Beyonce.
I used MACs – ‘Show Orchid’
Products Mentioned:
MAC Paint Pot – Painterly
BH Cosmetics 120 Shimmer Palette
Naked Palette – Buck
MAC Black Track Eyeliner
MAC Show Orchid Lipstick
For a chance to win a BH Cosmetics 120 Palette, click here
This weeks post is about a FABULOUS product that I have just discovered and now cannot live without. It is from a really great affordable range ‘Colour Couture’ and it is the Bronzer Brick.
This is a must have product in your makeup bag. It has 5 beautiful shimmer colours and can be used in various other ways as well as a bronzer!
As you can see above, a blusher brush can be swept over the 5 shimmers and create a beautiful bronzed glow, or they can be used individually as subtle eye shadows. Above are some colour swatches, the darkest shimmer is the furthest on the left to the lightest shimmer on the right.
In the left image above, I used the lightest shimmer as my brow bone highlighter. It is a must to complete your eye look with a really great highlighter. This will help to create depth and dimension to your eyes. It will also enhance your eye makeup and make it ‘POP’.
I am wearing all the shimmers as a bronzer in the image on the right. I have also used the lightest shimmer as my brow bone highlighter and a cheek highlighter to give my skin a healthy glow. The reason why I love this product and think it is great quality and value for money is because the bronzer is highly pigmented, so it has that lasting power us ladies need to stay throughout the day.
In the day I will use the 3 lighter shimmers for a light bronze, then when I am venturing out at the night time, I use the darker shades to transform my cheeks and make them more ‘tanned’ and bronzed.
In the above images I have used the palette as eye shadows. This is a perfect and subtle enough to wear in the day, at work or shopping. The lightest shade was used on the eyelid, brow bone and in the outer corner (tear duct). The darker shades were used in the socket and blended up and out towards the outer eye. I obviously added a black eyeliner to make the look more dramatic.
This amazing product is only £6 for a 5g compact, it is a handbag MUST!
Hi lovelies, so I have been given the lovely opportunity to blog for Glitzyqueen once a month from now on! Exciting. I love the whole idea of Glitzyqueen and have blogged twice before since starting my blog in August. You can find me here: Lucyywrites.
Today I bring a review of possibly the worlds worst nail wraps. I have tried many brands since the summer and I’m always looking for new brands to try, I have a few more to find tomorrow while shopping! Everywhere seems to be bringing them out, but to be truthful a lot do not live up to the original brands. Or the brands I first came across anyway. I am a nail girl; I’ll be training soon in everything to do with nails, expensive to say the least. So though I’m not a professional just yet I know what I like and hate about nail wraps.
The 3 designs.
For those who have not come across nail wraps/ nail foils/ nail stickers, there are a lot of names for them out there that each company likes to differ from. I’d say nail wraps first came around by the brand Minx, most salons these days will provide Minx nail foils, these are the cheats answer to nail art and will last between 4-8 weeks on your nails. Over the past year nail wraps have been hitting the high street. Some rivals to Minx and others that wouldn’t be able to beat Minx if they were asleep. They all come in various amounts, kits and designs as well as sizes to fit, so don’t worry if you have diddy fingers like me.
Today’s set. Pretty design. Pretty Packaging.
Today’s brand I’m reviewing is Fearne Cotton Nail Art, Nail wraps. I love the design on the front. The floral pattern and cute bugs on the front of a black matt packet and Fearne logo. Perfect. I would never of tried any products from Fearne’s range that’s in Boots for Christmas if I wasn’t such a nail wrap addict. You get 16 nail wraps/stickers in each pack. It’s a shame you don’t get as many as other nail wraps. But, you can still get 2 uses out of the packet. Use the last six on your toes, just cut a few in half, the advantage of having small toes! Each pack retails at £6. I picked up the 3 designs on offer, as these are included in the 3 for 2 offers. Though I regret picking these up. So for £12 you get three sets of nail wraps with 6 uses. Though you get no nail file and cuticle stick like others.
Awful! Just Awful.
Now to the all important how to use them, you simply match up the size nail wrap to your nail, peel back and place onto your nail. Make sure you have the rounded end at your cuticle. Rub the nail foil onto the nail, to make sure it’s stuck down and file off any extra.
Simple you say. Well every other brand I’ve used has been. These, no. Now ladies, if you want perfect, smooth nails this brand is not for you. I have used two packs of these now. Same result every time. The nail wrap themselves are too thick, when you apply nail wraps you want them to be thin to glide onto your nail and sit there and last well. Well these are a pain to file off any extras and even with heat and pressure these still have bumps. Then when you file the extras off, they don’t file correctly like other brands, you are left with messy edges. Great more filing. Give them a day they will be lifting up. Also to remove these it says to soak your nails in warm soapy water….so how are we going to wash…a baths soaking in warm soapy water…a shower is warm pressured water and soap to wash…general washing hands with soap…not good.
Nailease x2 & Incoco nail wraps.
Would I buy again?
Never. I may give the last set I have away on my blog and see if anyone else gets along with these. Though I doubt anyone will, they’re too thick to get any professional result, even using heat you’ll just burn yourself and frustrate yourself. However the designs are lovely and packaging is certainly different and stands out. The brand I swear on for professional looking nails is Nailease. For a look and review on these check out my blog!
Another alternative to Nailease is Incoco for all you Americans! Though they’re slowly hitting the UK!
Lucy
x
In my first guest blog on Glitzy Queen, I wanted to tell you about a fabulous product that I just happened to stumble across!
A few weeks ago, I was wandering down the supermarket aisles looking for inspiration. As usual, I popped into the beauty section to pick up a few things. I’m always on the lookout for new products that can help me with certain things; in particular I have quite an oily t-zone and so I’m still on the hunt for the perfect product(s) that will help me keep my foundation on and matte, not disappearing and all shiny!
I’d just run out of my moisturiser which I must admit I have never used religiously! So many moisturisers alter the balance of your skin, and can easily make you more oily! I took a quick glance at the moisturisers on offer in my local supermarket, and something immediately caught my eye…..the gorgeous packaging of Good Things. Their designs are simple but absolutely beautiful and elegant. I scanned the shelf and not only saw that they had 1/3 off the price but there was one called “Miracle Mattifier Moisturiser“. I didn’t need much convincing to try it, but the back of the box made me instantly drop it into my basket:
“Even if your skin is oily, it needs moisture to keep it soft and healthy. Miracle Mattifier with blackcurrant and goji berry superfruits pulls off a clever balancing act. It is quickly absorbed and gives your skin plenty of hydration whilst helping to absorb any excess oil, so your skin stays smooth and matte and is less prone to breakouts”
In addition, this product is free from parabens, mineral oils, sodium laureth sulphate and animal ingredients – just full of good things for super skin!
The first thing I noticed about this product when I used it was the smell – SIMPLY WOW! It’s clearly packed with superfruits and boy do they smell incredible! A great purchase just for the smell alone! The cream itself looks thick and is lovely and rich, but still absorbed really quickly leaving your face feeling instantly smooth and revitalised! It doesn’t even feel as though you’ve just put any product on – absolutely no residue left after the instant absorbing.
I have been using this religiously for a couple of weeks now, usually both in the morning and before bed! Has it made a difference? Yes – my skin looks healthier, it’s more even and really soft! It is more matte and gets less oily throughout the day….it hasn’t eliminated it completely but certainly has made a big difference!
A lot of people think if you have oily skin, you should avoid any sort of artificial products. Good Things set us right:
“Oily skin needs careful treatment to clear away excess sebum without stripping it of moisture. You might think that the first thing you need to do with oily skin is ‘dry it out’ but if you strip the skin too effectively of all its oil, it tries to rebalance itself by producing even more oil to make up for what it has lost. And because oil and water are two different things, you can end up with oily, yet dehydrated, skin. Which is why even oily skin needs a light moisturiser.”
You can take a look at the range of products at the Good Things Website - Good Things Skincare was developed by award-winning beauty writer Alice Hart-Davis using her years of experience in the beauty industry. This skincare range is designed to make the most of young skin.
Whether you’re looking for skincare or bodycare – check out Good Things and it really is fine to expect good things from this range….!
Hello Ladies, we hope you have had an amazing Christmas and New Year?
This blog is about products that I absolutely love. They are essentials for any girls makeup bag …. Or in my case, a suit case.
1) Naked Palette: £35.00
This has been my absolute favourite cosmetic purchase. The colours are stunning, its compact and I use it nearly everyday. You can create all sorts of looks ranging from subtle and natural, to dark, smokey and dramatic!
‘Buck’ and ‘Naked’ are matte shadows and are great for adding depth and contouring around the eye and even the nose.
‘Virgin’ and ‘Half Baked’ are beautiful and shimmery and could even be used as a bronzer / highlighter.
To purchase an Urban Decay eyeshadow individually, it would cost £15 each, so considering you are getting 12 colours in the Naked Palette for £35, this is actually quite cost effective and an affordable way to own 12 Urban Decay eyeshadows.
I’ve found these eyeshadows silky smooth and immensely pigmented. They also build up nicely and aren’t chalky.
Here is a look I created recently using the Naked Palette:
2) The Ultimate Fine Liner Brush – Bobby Brown – £21.00
I do not know where I would be without this brush. It really is a must have! I don’t know what I even did before I discovered it!?????
“The brush hairs are finely pointed and tightly packed for precise application.”
With the fine tip I use this to define my eye brows, create my flicks and create detail when doing my eye makeup. Eyebrows filled in using the brush
It was quite expensive for a small thin brush. But I do believe in investing in your make up brushes because when you buy good quality, they will last you and are less likely to shed their hairs. I have bought many brushes over the years and I still have them today, I look after them and they look after me.
3) MAC Buffer Brush (from the Christmas set)
At Christmas, I treated myself to a MAC brush set. The set itself is so pretty and the brushes are really useful. My fave brush is the small buffer brush. I used to use the longer haired buffer brush to apply my cream blusher, however after trying the shorter haired version, I found that the creamy blusher looked so flawless and seemed to last longer. It is such a useful brush because you can build up product on your face for a natural look and effortless application. You can really buff the product onto your skin.
I love this base from Colour Couture. They are an amazing up and coming brand and are extremely affordable. The beauty base is a fab must have in your bag because it really does reduces redness, minimizes the size of pores, reduces the look of fine lines and hides imperfections. It hydrates my skin and my foundation sits flawlessly on top. Over all, when using this product in my ‘need to cover zones’, it makes my skin look a lot smoother, brighter, whilst protecting with SPF15 from the day to day effects of the environment.
The colour you can see on my hand (above) appears several shades lighter then my natural skin tone, however, once the product has been rubbed in and fully absorbed, it does match your skin colour.
It costs £5 and will last you ages as a little goes a very long way.
I have had this product for a few years now and Mac Paint Pots are fabulous used as eye bases / eyeshadows. ‘Painterly’ really is my favourite product. It has so many uses!
It is mostly known as a highly pigmented eye colour that goes on creamy but dries and acts as an eye primer. It is one of my fave eye primers to use as my eye make up will last all night and does not budge a fraction. Most recently though, I had a massive spot on my chin that concealer would cover for a short time, but after a few hours the spot began to show its ugly face. It was actually quite embarrassing. Now after 2 weeks this spot was still with me…. So I grabbed my Painterly and applied a little to the spot. The shade is a few shades lighter then my natural skin tone, so I then applied my foundation on top and set it with powder. The spot literally was invisible on my face and it stayed that way all day! As you can imagine, I am so glad that I discovered this as it will come in very handy for the future.
FYI – The spot has now gone.
The other great use for Painterly is to use it on your lips. I often wear really vibrant lipsticks and I have tried nearly every brand going. Some lipsticks have longer staying power then others, but every single one mostly fades after a few hours, especially when eating and drinking cocktails So I always find myself popping to the ladies to re apply the lippy!!
I have tried many lip bases, but non have had an impact. I tried using Painterly on my lips one night, applied a colour, went out and after a cocktail or two, I took a trip to the ladies to re-apply and to my surprise, my lipstick was still on and vibrant as ever!
Hi lovelies, I can’t believe it’s time for me to write another Glitzyqueen post. I’m loving writing for them every month. With the New Year beginning, this year is going to be all about me. My top priority is to have better skin and I think I’ve cracked it. I’m not talking about just facial products. So I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, or holiday you celebrate and a Happy New Year.
For me the only skin products I 200% trust are from LUSH. I know I blogged previously about a cleanser on GQ, but these are the products I use all the time that really do help me. So, here are my top 5 products I swear by for you to get the perfect skin in 2012.
Product number 1 has got to be Ocean Salt. Ocean Salt is the ultimate facial scrub in my book. Not only does it smell wonderful, it gets rid of every tiny little bit of dry skin on your face without leaving you with red, sore skin from exfoliating. It’s not ideal to use this every day, though I have done, it’s what your skin needs at the end of the day. But I’d recommend every other day. This product is even easier than the previous cleanser I reviewed on here. You wet your face, use a pea sized amount of this and gently work all over your face and rinse off. I’ve lost count of how many pots I’ve used of this over the last few years. What’s even better is the fact you can take the black pots back and get a free face mask when you have 5 empties. So not only will this banish your sea monster dry skin, it will tighten it too. Okay not a lot other wise plastic surgeons would be out of business. I never have to moisturise after, my skin is left silky soft and smooth and smells delicious. Can you get any more delicious than coconut and lime!? Avocado oil, violet leaf, seaweed and extra virgin coconut oil will leave you feeling like the ‘siren of the sea.’
£6.75 – 120g or £12.50 for 250g, it works for every skin type.
On the topic of face products, if like me you suffer from redness of the skin sometimes and even the greenest of concealers don’t get rid completely then I have the product for you. Aqua Marina, another cleanser. This ones a little bit messier and a little more, not so nice smelling? You get used to it, especially with the results. I don’t use this all the time, but when I want a product similar to a face mask but don’t have the time. Again, you take a small size piece and mix with enough water to make a paste, this gives you, your cleanser, but if like me you want it a bit more like a face mask and to concentrate on specific areas, don’t mix it. It’s amazing. It’s basically sushi for your face, they wrap it in seaweed. Want to know whats in it to give you that soft, smooth, calmed skin? Well, Irish moss gel, aloe vera, sea salt, kaolin, sweet wild orange oil and patchouli oil. This is packed with minerals, a clay powder based cleanser, meaning it deep cleanses and absorbs grease, though I have dry skin and it works wonders. Another all skin types products. £5.95 for 100g
Woken up with a massive spot, or gone to bed feeling like there’s one under the surface? No need to worry, this is a product Ive recently tried and tested from a sample and I’m going back for the full size. So you’ve had a nasty breakout, whether you suffer from acne, time of the month or reacted to a product. Grease Lightning is here to banish those spots. This product will dry out the eruptions without drying out the skin around it. You need the smallest amount of this gel formula for it to work. I can’t stop telling people to go out and get this on my Twitter! The product is clear, so nobody will know you have it on and can go around your daily activities or put it on over night and the mountains vanished. (well mine do, everyones different) This has everything possible that’s great for your skin, aloe vera, witch hazel, tea tree, sea water, grape juice & rosemary. No wonder is gets rid of them like lightning. £5.65 45g.
Now, for a bath time treat or if your a LUSH addict like me a daily treat, try a Butterball, this product is lightly scented and so moisturising. So one for the sensitive skins. This is packed with cocoa butter and fragranced lightly with vanilla. Mhm, my favourite. It’s actually my Mum’s favourite product too, I’ve turned her into a LUSH junkie over the years. Now for every occasion that needs presents she’ll have some of these from me. Had too many hot showers and baths or tired of dry winter skin? Chuck one of these into your bath and let your skin be moisturised again. You won’t even need to moisturise after your bath. A bonus in this cold winter weather. This is one of the oldest LUSH products and still is one of their best sellers, so don’t judge it for it’s lack of colour and small size! £2.30
Lastly, slather your skin with Dream Cream every day and you’ll have the softest skin in town. This gets rid of any dryness, all my family have used this. From my brother to my Nan. This wonderful product is amazing for sunburn, so cooling and moisturising, I didn’t peel. Oh and another example of goodness, I have little tiny bumps on the tops of my arms sometimes, mostly in winter, none of the creams the Dr’s gave worked, but oh this did. Perfect. At a respectable £10.75 this is well worth it. So what’s inside this number one product from LUSH to make it a ‘your life partner’? (according to LUSH.) It contains, Oat milk, rose water, cocoa butter and extra virgin olive oil, tea tree and lavender. As you can may know, oat milk and rose water are must haves in a product when it comes to moisturising and calming skin. This can be used by any skin type, for multiple reasons and beats any product the Dr’s give you.
So there are my top 5 products that help me achieve perfect skin. What I love about LUSH is that it’s all natural and you can ask for a sample before you buy. No more wasting your money, though when it comes to LUSH I’m yet to be disappointed.
When we were invited to be a guest blogger on Glitzy Queen we wanted to accept without hesitation. It is not often that you as the reader can get the opportunity to get the information direct from the brands that are so often blogged about so we saw this as that opportunity to interact with you and tell you about something we have a lot of passion for.
We thought there was so much to say but wanted to choose a unique topic that has not been covered before, So we thought why don’t we cover Makeup and Skincare for Men, After all at Cazcarra London and TEN IMAGE Professional Cosmetics we believe Men Deserve To Look Good Too.
In today’s fast growing fashion conscious world makeup is fast becoming the norm for many men today. Everyday makeup is no longer a trend that is only acceptable for women only. Men also have appearance flaws that can be corrected with the application of just a small bit of makeup. How men feel about how they look, building their self esteem is every bit as important as it is for women.
For years it’s been accepted that male movie stars and models wear makeup, so it seems a logical progression that the everyday Joe should also enjoy that privilege. Just because a man wears makeup does not mean he must belong to a certain sexual persuasion. Definitely not! Further more it’s totally misplaced to even think so.
The days when a man’s travel case only contained deodorant, shaving cream and hair gel are long gone. Now it is perfectly normal and acceptable for men to wear appearance-enhancing products to feel good and confident about how they look. It’s true that some guys may be a little slow to warm up to the idea of skin care and makeup, health clubs were the first step to discover that there is nothing better than a relaxing facial, so we are confident it won’t be too long before everyone will be embracing the concept of makeup for men.
Women often wear makeup to glamorize whereas for men the main focus is to conceal. It might be a nick from the razor, dark circles under their eyes or a zit that requires being hidden for appearance’s sake. Even older men are getting into the practice of concealment by using products to deal with wrinkles like crow’s feet and smile lines.
The exciting news is that Cazcarra London and Ten Image Professional Cosmetics have worked hard to put together a line of makeup and skin care products specifically for men. Check out the exquisite “Selected for Men” range products, give these amazing products a try and see and feel the difference. Make a mental note of who else notices the difference when you flash that winning smile.
Check out the video that demonstrates the “Selected for Men” Range by TEN IMAGE PROFESSIONAL.
Make no mistake just because we have the word Professional as part of our brand doesn’t mean that these products are for professionals only, quite the contrary, our products are for everyone, Why shouldn’t you have access to quality professional level products as well, Our products are for everyone.
We have included some product information below and you can see the whole range at Cazcarra London by following this link:
As experts in Personal Image, we know the importance of healthy, luminous, hydrated, and well-groomed facial skin.
TEN IMAGE offers you a line of the highest quality products for all skin types and needs. Containing particles that reflect light, reduce lines and equalize tones.
Our line of facial cosmetics contain perfumes without allergens, preservatives, parabens or thiazolinones. They also do not contain mineral oils.
Night and day creams, eye contours, make-up removers, tonics, masks, peels…
Our professionals use these products to prepare for a spectacular makeup finish.
PERFECT SKIN SERUM
A cream-gel made of silicon combined with vitamin E which has antioxidant and anti-age effects, jojoba oil nourishes and regenerates.
Creates a soft-focus effect on the pigment which also corrects imperfections by the dispersion and reflection of light.
Corrects the optical form of dull skin by illuminating the skin and visually eliminating imperfections, minimizing the size of pores and contributes to the skin with a silky touch.
Application: Administer a small amount of the product on the skin and apply it with the fingertips. Use make-up over the corrector cream or use it by itself as a beauty product.
Unit: 15ml.
EYE CONTOUR SERUM
Serum specifically formulated for the eye contour area. Contains soft-focus properties, which reflect light, while hiding expression signs and providing uniformity to the face.
Formulated with DMS (Derma-Membrane-Structure), an ingredient which provides the serum with a very similar structure to that of the skin and makes active flow easier, preventing irritation and leaving a feeling of comfort.
Also contains vitamin A and C, they work for cell renewal and contribute to wrinkle reduction.
Unit: 15ml.
FACIAL REGENERATOR
Exfoliating scrub rich in moisturising and repairing ingredients. It is formulated with natural particles which remove dead skin cells.
The facial regenerator contains shea butter, which protects and repairs the skin, avocado oil provides antioxidant vitamins A and E, while sweet almond oil provides the skin with a protecting layer.
Unit: 50ml. Travel Size, Also available in 250ml.
MOISTURISING CREAM
FOR OILY SKIN
Oil-free emulsion, has better properties than regular cream-gels.
Ultralight cream, which aids in optimum hydration for the skin throughout the day.
Controls oil excess maintaining a matt finish and provides a prolonged sensation of freshness.
Actives are: propolis, extract of brewer’s yeast, salicylic acid, zinc, nettle extract, witch-hazel extract, serine and hyaluronan.
Unit: 50ml. Travel Size, Also available in 250ml.
LIP BALM (SPF-15)
Contains sunscreen SPF 15.
Formulated with beeswax, a natural thickener rich in vitamins and lanolin, which keeps skin moisturised.
Also contains vitamin E, which delays ageing and protects the skin, and allantoin, which contributes to dead cell removal, providing the lips with a smooth effect. It is an efficient regenerating and protecting treatment for lips.
The sunscreen factor has a characteristic raspberry taste and smell.
Unit: 10ml.
Concealers/Correction
Concealers are indispensable to professionals and are the first step for perfect makeup.
Skin generally presents small imperfections; dark under eye circles, areas of redness and discolouration and blemishes that with the use of correctors can be concealed.
Dark areas can be brightened, while discolouration can be neutralised by the use of contrasting colours; pink and yellow tones to cover dark spots and green to cover redness.
CREAM CONCEALER
Smooth, creamy texture for even, natural coverage.
Cream correctors can be applied with corrector brushes 01, 10 and 11 and then blended with the fingertips to ‘melt’ into the skin.
LIGHTING UP CONCEALER
Lighting Up Concealer contains light diffusing particles that illuminate the skin to eliminate the appearance of fine lines and dark under eye bags.
Smooth texture that blends easily on the face using the inbuilt applicator or a corrections brush.
Quick drying, non-greasy, long lasting finish. Water resistant. Contains antioxidants Vitamin E and Vitamin C, which fight skin ageing, lock in moisture and improve the condition of the skin. Does not contain parabens.
Unit: 2.5ml.
Foundations
How to choose a foundation
Choose a foundation that matches the skin tone, the foundation should be blended with a sponge or brush for a uniform finish. It is important to blend the neckline and the ears. Finally, a make-up fixative powder can be applied.
The TEN IMAGE, Selected for Men range includes:
Dual Active: All skin types. Provides a natural finish.
Body: Non greasy and very natural results.
DUAL ACTIVE FOUNDATION
The great versatility of Dual Active Foundation, Selected for Men is a great ally for the modern man. Suitable for any type of skin, it is indispensable for oily or seborrhoeic skins.
Ideal for executives, grooms, runway, theatre, TV and cinema. Perfect for working within the new HD world.
Can be applied directly as a dust with a powder puff, sponge or brush. Can also be used on top of a fluid foundation or stick foundation, using light pressure it acts as a compact powder blender.
Unit: 40.5g.
BODY FOUNDATION ROLL ON
Body makeup that does not transfer, especially suggested for application on the neckline, arms, back, legs…
Can also be used as a facial makeup, applying before a base of moisturiser to improve the result.
The caring non-oily formula and its high degree of permanence ensures that it is maintained throughout the day without the need of touch ups.
Provides the skin with a silky and fresh touch and a luminous finish without shine. Perfect for working in the new HD world.
3 minutes after its application, the product soaks into the skin and does not stain.
Unit: 30ml.
Bronzers
With Bronzers skin can have the appearance of being tanned all year long.
Bronzers have become a makeup staple for their ability to give the skin a healthy sun-kissed look.
They are easy to apply and can be used on all parts of the face; as a substitute for makeup base or instead of a blusher, also use on the neck and chest.
BRONZE EFFECT
Easy to apply on all parts of the face, neck and chest; use instead of a blush or to sculpt the face.
Apply directly to the skin instead of foundation for a natural effect or on top of makeup for a darker, tanned look. Micro shine finish. Apply with a brush.
Unit: 20g.
Eyes
Eye liner is used to define the eyes. Eye liner is applied around the contours of the eye to create a variety of aesthetic illusions.
Keep eyebrows and lashes fixed and natural looking with eyebrow fixer.
KAJAL PRECISION
For perfectly defined eyes.
Contains antioxidants and mallow, which have a smoothing anti-inflammatory effect.
Easy to apply, the shape and size of Kajal Precision allows for precise uniform strokes with a smooth non greasy finish.
Unit: 2.5g.
EYEBROW PENCIL
Long professional wood pencil.
Creamy texture for a smooth sure line. Facilitates blending without staining.
EYEBROW FIXER
For eyebrows and eyelashes. Covers brows and lashes with a flexible, transparent and protective film, fixing with a natural look.
Water-resistant.
Unit: 13ml.
Lips
It is important that lips are well hydrated and free of dry skin. Prepare them with the lip balm that was mentioned above in face care.
Achieve the long lasting wet look with the Lip Gloss Star.
LIP GLOSS STAR
Long-lasting with ‘wet’ effect.
Easy application due to its great fluidity.
Contains vitamin E. Smooth texture; emollient and moisturising, takes care of the delicate skin of the lips.
Unit: 8ml.
Tools
The professional artist’s secret
Brushes are the essential tools of a good professional. Ten Image Professional offers an an extensive range to cover all of your needs: suitable hair types, specific designs…
Make-Up brushes can be manufactured with natural or synthetic hair.
Generally, natural hair brushes are ideal for applying powders and blending while the synthetic are ideal for applying cream and liquid products and for drawing precise, clean lines.
We have selected a collection of brushes that are most suited to the application of the featured products.
Fix the makeup to maintain a long lasting look with the makeup fixer.
MAKEUP FIXER
Fixes the makeup to maintain a long lasting look.
Creates a light layer that assists in the prevention of staining to clothes.
Also use as a base before applying glitters.
Contains active emollients, moisturisers and aloe vera.
Apply by spraying a light layer over the completed makeup area.
Unit: 125ml.
BRUSHES
Good quality brushes are essential part of anyones tool kit for skincare and makeup application. The brushes from TEN IMAGE Professional is an extensive range of top quality brushes.
We hope that you have enjoyed our guest post, If you have any questions you can contact us directly in a number of ways:
I have an insanely low beauty and fashion budget, yet a closet full of clothes and a vanity full of beauty products. Quite honestly there aren’t that many products that I actually pay full price, it is because I follow a few set of tips that allow me to not only purchase the same number of beauty and fashion items as I desire, yet save a ton of money!
Here are a few common tips that a lot of us tend to forget to follow; there will allow you to save on beauty and fashion products, yet be able to buy as much makeup and fashionable clothing items as you normally would:
Beauty
♥ Sign up for weekly ads and register with your favorite stores and sites. You will be able to get in store coupons, extra savings, and online codes, which are not available to the general public. Also, many stores will email special invitations, free gifts with purchases, and free samples.
♥ Check the weekly newspaper and online ads before making any beauty purchases. What I have noticed is that stores like CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens will compete with each other, so if you miss a sale in 1 store most likely the others will offer a very similar deal if not better that same week!
♥ Do invest in good skin care products! This is something I usually splurge on because having good, clean, clear skin is very important to me. I find that when my skin looks good I spend less money on makeup since I don’t have to cover up as many blemishes.
♥ Make the Dollar Tree/Dollar General your best friend! Items like cotton balls, q-tips, makeup sponges, bobby pins are of the same quality whether you purchase them at a drugstore or a dollar store, you can easily save $2-3 on each item!
Fashion
♥ Don’t be afraid to search through bins and racks in order to find good deals on clothes. Sometimes it can be overwhelming but I’ve found that it is well worth it. Department store bins are always great, especially because you are purchasing high quality brand names, at discounted prices!
♥ Make sure you check the prices of clothing items as they are being scanned at the register; at times clothes are on sale, but the register doesn’t recognize it, so you end up paying full price for it. By the time customers realize they overpaid, they are already in the car or even at home, and don’t bother to go back and get the difference.
♥ You will get the best deals if you stock up on seasonal clothing as each season is ending. For maximum savings, look for shorts, bathing suits, and maxi dresses around October/November, and rain boots, sweaters, and coats during March/April.
♥ Visit your local discounted stores like Big Lots, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, for items like scarves, gloves, leggings, and shoes. I’ve found that the quality is just the same as department stores, but you will save 50-75% off each item.
Hopefully a lot of you will want to follow as many of these tips as possible, if you aren’t already doing so. Now days it’s very important to make a dollar stretch, to find as many good deals as possible, yet be able to buy good quality beauty and fashionable items! Please check out my blog Glitz Glam Budget for more budget friendly tips, bargain hauls, drugstore product reviews, and fashionably low priced clothing finds! You can also find me on twitter: @glitzglambudget.
I am so honored and excited to do my first guest beauty blog on Glitzy Queen!
This is going to be a product review about the Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr cream gel eyeshadows J
So I’ve finally decided to give my thoughts on the very much talked about Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr cream gel eyeshadows. I have been using them for about 2 months now and I thought was a good time to really test them out and tell you what I think. I haven’t worn every color that I own because my profession doesn’t allow too bright of looks but I have tested them out on arm for almost a good 24hrs.
So what are the Maybelline color tattoos is something that your probably asking. They are cream gel eyeshadows that do remind me of MAC paint pots but the colors are very bright. They are a cream gel eyeshadow but when they dry depending on the finish it looks like regular eyeshadow. They are supposed to last 24hrs, which I will tell you my opinion on that claim in a bit. I didn’t get all 10 shades but I do have 6 of them which is a good amount. These are the colors that I knew I would wear more and some that I want to wear more and be more bold with my eye looks.
So the colors that I own are Promegrante Punk, Edgy Emerald, Painted Purple, Audacious Asphalt, Fierce & Tangy and Bad to the Bronze. I missing Too Cool (white), Tough as Taupe (matte brown), Tenacious Teal (blue) and Bold Gold (bronzy gold). I will probably go looking for Tough as Taupe and Bold Gold.
I am in love with the colors, they are bright and vivid and apply great. My favorite of the group is Bad to the Bronze, I wear it everyday. It is simple and gets me out the door. I wear it alone and apply a eyeshadow to my crease from one of my Urban Decay Naked palettes. It seriously is the best color. It has a frost/shimmer to it so if you’re not a fan of frosty or shimmer eyeshadows you may not like it on its own but if you apply a matte eyeshadow on top then it will be great.
The wear time of the eyeshadows are great in my opinion. I have swatched them on my arm and they don’t move. I can lay on my arm and none of the color will transfer after I let it set. I have to say I have not worn the shadows without a primer on my eye. I can’t go a day without primer because it’s embedded in my makeup routine. So I can’t say that they wear great without a primer but with a primer they are amazing. I haven’t experienced any creasing. I apply them with my fingers because I find that it applies best that way.
I can’t compare them to MAC paint pots because I only own two and I am not a huge fan of paint pots. The ones I own aren’t special in terms of color. So in this department I am not an expert on which is best but they are significantly cheaper than paint pots so that is plus.
The Maybelline cream gel eyeshadows I wear as a base really to bright up my looks and on it on and it is a really great eyeshadow. I haven’t used them as eyeliner but I’m sure that they will work just a great as an eyeliner since they are cream gel eyeshadows.
I do have one warning about Painted Purple, it is probably the only one that has terrible payoff when applied to the eyelids. You will see in my swatches that it applies great but for some reason on the eyelids, it is sheer and I have to coat my eyelids with twice as much product and I still don’t get the pay off that I want so it is being used solely as a base for my purple eyeshadows. Other than that one tiny complaint, they are perfect!
So on to the pictures!
Audacious Asphalt
Bad to the Bronze
Pomegranate Punk
Edgy Emerald
Painted Purple
Fierce & Tangy
Close up with flash
As for the price of them, I have seen it vary depending on where you go from $6.99 to $8.99. I found most of mine a Target and a few select CVSs. It really depends on the area you live and what your beauty store carries. I would look around if your going to drugstores. I don’t know if these are permanent or just a collection that they put out but if not then I will be buying a backup of Bad to the Bronze as soon as I find it again because I love it so much!
I hope this review helped and please let me know what other products you would like to review in the future and what information you would like me to include for next time so I can refine my product review.
Disclaimer:
. If anyone wants more detail then check out the LUSH website for the full list of ingredients.
