REVIEWS: Illamasqua Precision Gel Eyeliner in Infinity

This eyeliner addict is back, back with a vengeance and back with another new eyeliner almost 6 months since my last liner post. This is a big deal for me, I find eyeliner to be quite personal. Once I've found one that I like, I remain fiercely loyal. My eyes don't go wandering or flirt with other liners. Last time I wrote on this subject I was in love with Clinique's Brush on Cream Liner.

But I've been cheating on her, with a newer, younger model... Illamasqua. 

About two months ago, I really started taking my eyeliner skills to a whole new level. From the age of 14 all I've ever concentrated on has been top liner, but this year I asked myself: 'WHAT HAVE I BEEN DOING?!'

After experimenting with the Retro 60s eye make up looks, it hit me that my beloved Clinique Gel Liner was no longer cutting it. Don't get me wrong, it works beautifully as a top liner, but if you want to venture anywhere else around the eye it suddenly appears less opaque and fades much quicker - even when I used Urban Decay's Primer Potion beneath it.

So with two new-found revelations playing on my mind I paid a visit to Paddy at the Illamasqua coutner in Manchester's Selfridges. He really is a very talented make up artist, his make up is always flawless like a mannequin. And the best thing? He's self-taught, which means there's hope for me yet!

  

So I told Paddy about my eyeliner woes, that I was bored of top liner only looks and that Clinique just wasn't satisfying me any longer, and he recommended Illamasqua's Precision Gel Eyeliner in Infinity. Looking at the tester in store it had been used to the max yet still managed to look super creamy, very similar to Clinique's but blacker. Black like the night!

  

Naturally I bought it straight away, raced home and applied.

It applied like a dream. Very smoothly without any tugging. It felt creamy, very creamy but not quite as creamy as my beloved Clinique. This wasn't an issue though, as it glided effortlessly on to the skin and allowed me to create beautifully crisp, solid lines around my lids, lash line and crease area.

What pleased me most about this, was the dark intensity. It is just ridiculously black. My first thought was: 'this is what Inglot's AMC Gel Liner should have been'. Inglot's Gel Liner is just about as black as Illamasqua's however the application and removal is a nightmare. There's less drag in a transvestite bar, and I actually needed to use soap to remove. Soap.

But with Illamasqua, this problem does not exist. It is the most perfect gel liner I have ever used. It's like Clinique and Inglot got together, had a wild night of loving and conceived an illicit love child that adopted the best qualities of both and dumped the worst.

The finish is matte, it doesn't budge, it doesn't flake off. And despite the ice-cold, tear-inducing, hurricane-like winds we've been experiencing lately in Manchester this beaut has managed to stay put. Illamasqua make the claim that it's water-resistant and nowhere will put that claim to the test more than Manchester, so far it's winning!

  

How intense is this, really? LOVE. 
 
  

  

  

So now you know how easy it is to apply and how great it looks on, how does it come off? Well, there's no let-up there either. It comes off easily with my Super Facialist Vitamin C+ Renew Cleansing Oil. No soap required!

I have to say that with Illamasqua's Gel Liner in my armoury, I feel much more confident in creating more adventurous looks. I have a liner that is sharp, precise, bold and black that applies like a dream and removes easily.

It will set you back £18 for a little 5 gram pot, but whilst the pot may be little it lasts a freaking long time. I've had mine for two months now, I'm nowhere near halfway through and it's still as creamy as ever. Would I repurchase? YES!!

 

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FOTD: MAC Veluxe Pearlfusion Shadow in Bleuluxe

 

 

I think I may have mentioned this previously, but I never allow myself to get too excited by an upcoming MAC collection anymore. Usually there's a couple of months worth of pre-launch hype and teasers attempting to make you really want it, then when you go into your nearest MAC counter you have a little browse and notice that it really isn't all that. Even if there is something in there genuinely worth getting excited about, you tend to find that it goes out of stock within minutes. Literally, minutes.

So when MAC started hyping up their Indulge collection I found myself a little surprised. There were a couple of items that actually caught my interest. When the collection was finally released, I had to visit all three MAC counters to get my hands on the one thing I was dying to try. Only one counter had received any of it, and even then they only received three. Yes, that's three for the whole of Manchester!

So what was it then? It was of course the Three Ring Yellow eyeshadow. I was also interested by the Gilt Gourmet Fluidline, which shouldn't come as much of a surprise, but it seems MAC produced quite a lot of that so I didn't have any difficulty getting it. Even though it was a bit irritating to be traipsing around Manchester looking for Three Ring Yellow, every cloud has a silver lining.

Except in my case it was more of bluey-silvery lining. While I was trying out the first MAC counter, in Selfridges, my attention was diverted away from the Indulge collection momentarily by the Veluxe Pearlfusion Shadow palettes, there are six different varieties from pink through to brown, but I naturally opted for the blue one, named Bleuluxe. I swatched it on my wrist and was blown away by quite how sparkly it looked, it's also a little sheer but the microscopic glitter had me entranced. Despite the annoying lack of Three Ring Yellow, I couldn't just leave empty handed so I purchased this little surprise package instead.

 

 

How stunning does this look?

Maybe it was my disappointment about Three Ring Yellow being out of stock (although technically it was never in stock), maybe it was the misleading fluorescent lighting in-store, maybe it was just me acting on impulse or more likely it was a mixture of all three. Either way, I was fooled.

As gorgeous as it looks in the photos, this palette is truly ordinary. Ordinary is probably being a little bit generous actually. The flourescent lighting definitely played its part in MAC's trickery, beaming down on to every tiny little piece of glitter on the swatch, accentuating the shine and sparkle. 

When I took it home, I packed on Bleuluxe 3 (the medium blue in the middle) all over the lid. The colour was quite soft, very sheer and the tiny little glitter particles transferred onto the lid quite nicely, though it did feel a little heavy. I was very, very disappointed with the lack of colour, to the extent I actually wiped it back off. I prefer my eyeshadows to be opaque, and I was probably being naive to think that an opaque, sparkly eyeshadow exists!

After a bit of experimentation I found that to bring out a more intense finish, I needed to apply this wet. This results in a kind of semi-opaque, metallic finish and even then, it doesn't have anywhere near enough intensity for my liking. In the end, I grabbed my tried-and-tested Sleek Ultra Matte Brights Palette, applied the colour 'Bolt' over the lid and lower lash line, with a dab of 'Sugarlite' in the centre of both the lid and lower lash line to add a bit of dimension to the finished eye look.

To complete the look, I applied Bleuluxe 3 all on top of the Sleek Colours. And applied Bleuluxe 1, which is the pale silver, in the inner corners of my eyes.

The results were astonishing.

  

  

  

THE REST OF MY FACE:

*FACE*

YSL Touche Éclat Foundation in BD50 (MAC equivelant NC37-NC40)
NARS Powder Foundation in Barcelona

*CHEEKS*

Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Crush

*LIPS*

MAC Lipstick in Dark Side mixed with RiRi Woo (thank you to my LaaLaa for the RiRi ♥)

The finished look is beautiful when using an opaque base eyeshadow underneath, for my look I used the ever-reliable Sleek Ultra Matte Brights palette, but in reality you can just use your own favourite opaque shadow. As good as this look is, there is a teeny-weeny little caveat. The fall-out is pretty bad as you should always expect from a glittery eyeshadow, by the end of the day I had glitter particles all over my face!

As far as the MAC Veluxe Pearlfusion Shadow palette goes, if you are into your big, bold, opaque eyeshadows then I'd give this a miss. It isn't big, it isn't bold, it isn't opaque and it probably shouldn't even be called an eyeshadow either. It's just tightly pressed glitter in a palette.

Having said that, the festive season is on it's way so I'll be using this quite often, if only to make sure I get my thirty quids worth of usage out of it. Yes that's right. £30. Would I repurchase? No. It is ridiculously expensive for what it is and you could purchase a couple of Barry M's Dazzle Dusts to achieve a similar look at a fraction of the price.

Sorry MAC, must do better!

 

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FOTD: MAC Indulge Collection Make Up Look

I know that a new MAC release is supposed to be a big deal, people who aren't even in to make up get all giddy and excited over it. I don't. The promotional photos rarely ever appeal to me, they're totally unrelateable. So it came as a great surprise to me when I saw the promo snaps for the new Indulge Fall Collection.

The shot that really struck a chord with me had an amazingly pretty lady with a wash of yellow-gold eyeshadow and lashings of thick black eyeliner. It actually looks remarkably similar to what I've been sporting recently, very retro glam, think 60s! 

Obviously I couldn't just wait until MAC release the collection over here in the UK, I had to re-create the look. Like, now! I had a good old rummage through piles and piles of make-up and came up with this:

 

  

  

  

  

PRODUCTS USED:

*FACE*

YSL Touche Éclat Foundation in BD50 (MAC equivelant NC37-NC40)
MAC Prep+Prime LoosePowder

*CHEEKS*

Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Crush

*EYES*

Yellow Shade from the Sleek Ultra Matte Palette Bright V1 e/s

Urban Decay Half Baked e/s ( over Sleek's yellow shade )

Bourjois Little Round Pot in Beige Rose e/s ( Inner Corner Highlight )

Illamasqua Precision Gel Liner in Infinity
Rimmel London Scandal Eyes Kohl Liner in Nude ( Waterline )
Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Mascara

*LIPS*

MAC Lipstick in Diva


Can you believe that I didn't use MAC on the eyes? It just goes to show how dupe-able products really are. Despite that, I still cannot wait to get my hands on Gilt Gourmet Fluidline and Just a Bite lipstick. I don't have anything like the Gilt Gourmet in my own personal collection, so I'm devastated that it's already sold out online! As soon as it hits the stores, I'm there. Buying ten.

In the promo photo the woman was wearing a nude lipstick - think 'concealer lips'. I'm sure she's wearing Smash Hit lipstick and I can imagine this looking quite flattering on paler skin tones, but I haven't even looked at a nude lipstick in years. I feel I've moved past that stage now, so I painted on my beloved MAC Diva. I just cannot stop wearing this shade lately - the sumptuous, warming dark burgundy feels strangely comforting as the cold, harsh winter approaches.

In other news, I must apologise for my lack of online activity recently. I've been working on a couple of projects and have been struggling to find a balance although I did manage to find my way to Paperchase to purchase a diary that will keep me organised. 

Me? Organised? Well... There's a first for everything ;)

I have lots and lots to post about, so stay tuned!

 

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FOTD: Edie Sedgwick Inspired 60s Retro Make Up Look

 

Looking back at the year so far, I've really been starting to experiment more with my make up. I've grown a bit tired of the typical top liner and mascara combination and the smokey eyes I roll out for those special occasions. I wanted to try something a bit different, something I'd never really done before.

So I looked back in time to see what people a little further back were doing with make up, and found that the women of the 60s had some interesting techniques going on. I came to the realisation that 60s eye make up will be my signature look for 2013, and that I must have been born in the wrong era!

I'd say that the main inspiration behind my experimentation is Edie Sedgwick, who was brought to my attention by Laa Laa (big thank you!). Just a quick Google Image search shows that this lady oozed class, her make up always looked incredible, yet so so simple! 

Over the years I've kinda got into this routine with my everyday eye make up, which consists of a wash of white or cream eyeshadow on the lids. It's not too dissimilar to the kind of shadow used back then, so perhaps that plays a part as to why it has appealed so much to me.

But I think that the biggest draw for me is the sheer amount of eyeliner involved. I've been using it since I was 15 and it'd just be criminal for me not to use any. 

Eyeliner is my crack.

 If there were an 'Eyeliners Anonymous' I'd probably go, but when they say they're trying to help wean me off it, I'd scream and crash through the window, running home quickly so I can roll around on the bed with my Clinique Brush on Cream Liner.

Anyways... My 60s Style Make Up is ever evolving, no two looks are the same as I continue to play around and experiment. It's quite a bold look and some may say that it's too bold to rock out every day, but you know what? F**k the rules. If I've got the time, why not? ;)

Now onto the evidence:

 

Exhibit A: Thick Eyebrows, Rose Red Lips and Wavy Eye Shadow

  

Exhibit B: From the side...

  

Exhibit C: Thick Black Lines hug the Eye-line, before breaking away

  

Exhibit D: Close up on the Contacts, my actual pupil is still visible!

*FACE*

YSL Touche Éclat Foundation in BD50 (MAC equivelant NC37-NC40)
MAC Prep+Prime LoosePowder

*CHEEKS*

Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Crush
Fake Bake Bronzey Babe Bronzer Compact

*EYES*

MAC E/S in Orb (wash over eyelids)
Clinique Brush On Cream Liner in True Black (top liner and flicks)
Benefit Badgal Smouldering Black Eye Pencil (lower lashline)
Pixi Glow Tinker Bell Fairy Dust (inner corner highlight)
Benefit Eye Bright Pencil (waterline and brow bone) 
Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Mascara

*LIPS*

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso

So that was my 60s Style Make Up look! As I'm experimenting so much, with no two looks being the same and a few variations here or there, I feel I need to start investing more into my eyeliners. For the flick on the upper and lower lash lines, I've been using the Clinique Gel Liner which lacks the kind of precision and colour intensity that I want. I'll be looking into purchasing a felt-tipped liner to give me that, which should elevate this look to new heights!

I've been spending a lot more time recently on my make up, and as a result my skills are improving and my confidence is growing. The old saying really is true:

"Practice Makes Perfect..."

I'd encourage everyone reading to mix things up a bit with their look and try something new, what's the worst that could happen? I will definitely be experimenting more and more, and will be posting new looks in the not-too-distant future! 

It's been a little while since my last post, so apologies for that but life has been very, very busy recently and I've just been so tired! But, I had some exciting news on Friday so the blogging bug has bitten me again! :) 

Tell me about what, or who, inspires your make up looks? How often do you try something fresh?

 

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REVIEWS: NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer in St Moriz

 

Tinted Moisturisers...

I remember using tinted moisturiser quite often during my teens, it might take some effort but try to think back to the days when Nivea had just two shades. Two shades! Oh how the industry was lacking back then.

I was never really that keen on Nivea's version either to be honest, the lack of coverage for an adolescent teen with raging cystic acne was almost as appalling as the lack of shade range. It completely turned me off the idea of tinted moisturisers, and I hadn't bothered trying any since. Until last year that is.

That was when NARS launched their very own range of tinted moisturisers. As we all know NARS have a brilliant range of foundations with shades to suit pretty much any skin tone, so upon hearing of the launch I knew I had to at least try it. After all, I have complete faith in their brand.

The reason for that faith is because Sheer Glow in Barcelona is to this day my 'Holy Grail' foundation. The coverage is perfect and the shade range was spot on. It has peachy undertones which neutralised the hyperpigmentation I had, thus giving me mannequin-smooth perfect looking skin.

Anyway, I digress! Back to NARS Tinted Moisturiser in St Moriz. Would it follow in the footsteps of its big sister, Sheer Glow? 

 

I was a bit stuck for which shade to actually choose, both Annapurna and St. Moriz both looked quite close to my skin tone. I eventually plumped for St. Moriz, even though Annapurna reminded me of Nepal, as Annapurna was just a little too dark for my liking even if it did have those lush peachy undertones.

Last winter I was colour matched at the NARS counter in Selfridges to St. Moriz, and for once I actually came away feeling that it actually was the right colour. I've had a few bad experiences at these counters in the past, walking away looking either like a ghost (too light) or an Oompa Loompa (too orange!). The Sales assistance totally understood why I had my reservations at being matched in store and was actually pretty good.

Looking at the website I presumed St Moriz would have been more suited to those who use the Stromboli shade of foundation. With that in mind the SA assured me, as the colour is quite sheer, it would be forgiving in the Summer when my skin darkens quite a bit. Just for reference I'm usually anywhere between MAC's NC37 and NC40, but in the summer I can go up to NC42.

I wore the St. Moriz a couple of times in the winter, when I was a true NC37 however I just wasn't feeling it. In winter I crave full coverage foundation with tons of highligher on to get into the festive spirit. So I put it back in the drawer of unwanted, unused products to gather dust and be forgotton about. And then summer hit... 

When the sun is shining I like my skin to look natural and glowy, so I'm nowhere near as concerned about full coverage as I am in the gloom of winter. With this summer being particularly sunny and warm, this product seemed like a completely different proposition. It seemed to give me everything I need.

  

Here's what NARS have to say about it:

"Your skin – almost bare, but better. This advanced, oil-free formula provides a translucent veil of color and sun protection while helping to reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation and dark spots in just four weeks. Infused with lush, naturally derived botanicals and ingredients to immediately helps thirsty skin feel hydrated. Kopara from French Polynesia and mineral rich seawater revive and re-mineralize skin for a softer, smoother, and brighter natural glow. Skin is transported."

  

TONE, CONSISTENCY & APPLICATION

Looking at the photo above, St Moriz looks slightly cooler than Barcelona which would be a bit problematic if it was a foundation and would leave me looking ghost-like. But because this is a tinted moisturiser it's much more sheer and is actually quite forgiving. Once I've blended it on to my skin using the ELF Studio Powder Brush, you can see just how sheer it really is and didn't leave me looking ashy at all. Also the consistency isn't quite as thick as a standard foundation, so it feels incredibly lightweight. 

NARS suggest applying this over a moisturiser and as my skin is oily/combination but is also dehydrated, applying a moisturiser is a must for me anyway. When I followed their guidance though I found it to be a bit too dewy, so I tried it without the moisturiser and my skin appeared so luminous!

The tinted moisturiser contains SPF30 in it which is a real plus point. For me though I feel this probably won't be sufficient enough to protect my skin from UV rays as I've noticed the tinted mousturiser starts to fade away during the day. A little powder does help a bit, but to stop my skin looking like a slick of sweat I now use Murad's Oil Free Sunblock with SPF30 from Lookfantastic:LINK

With this sunscreen, my skin has the right amount of dewy-ness for my taste and the product blends seamlessly into my skin. At random points during the day I'll then apply NARS Powder Foundation in Barcelona to blot out any excess oil

FORMULATION, FINISH AND LONGEVITY

As my skin is relatively clear at the moment, I find I that don't need to use too much of this just now. I dot it over the skin then blend it in like a mofo. Saying that, you have to be a little careful as this not buildable at all. As it contains moisturiser within it, it can make your skin appear a bit too shiny. I'd suggest applying concealer to any areas that need covering.

Having said that, it's definitely enough to blur out any imperfections on your skin, but it won't completely mask them like a foundation or concealer would. That's ok though because this isn't really the point of a tinted moisturiser anyway. I think that this product is perfect for me, given that my skin is pretty clear at the moment. 

As mentioned earlier I do have hyperpigmentation in certain areas, so if on occasion these areas require special attention I apply a tiny amount of L'Oreal's Nude Magique CC Cream in Anti Fatigue. On normal days though I don't bother, as my skin looks pretty good with just the tinted moisturiser. The end result is that when I'm wearing St. Moriz, my skin looks and feels as smooth as a baby's bottom!

As for longevity though, the product seems to start wearing off throughout the day to the point that by around 6pm it looks like it's completely gone. What's worse is that with my oily/combination skin it just looks like I've covered my face in oil - not a great look in a restaurant! My tip here is to touch it up with a little powder throughout the day.

CAM WHORING:

  

During the day with NARS Powder Foundation on top to set it into place...

  

And by night, the skin looks quite dewy. It almost looks like I have highlighter on! It's a beauty, isn't it? 

Now, observing the picture above, I have a serious case of Flash Back Photo Face. I'm putting it down to the SPF30 within the Tinted Moisturiser which is one of the downsides to this. If you are going out expecting to be photographed, I'd avoid this and opt for a foundation such as NARS Sheer Glow or Bobbi Brown's Natural Finish Foundation, any foundation with little or no SPF will do you nicely. 

Now to sum up:

  PROS

• Lightweight coverage, perfect for Summer where you don't require heavy foundation on the skin
• The shade is quite sheer so it's not a problem if you're in between shades
• Blurs out imperfections, skin looks fresh and appears soft
• Skin appears quite natural looking and gives you that artificial glow as if your skin is happy :) 
• Can be applied and blended with fingers or a brush
• Skin glows, you could even skip highlighter
• By the end of the day, skin appears dewy (with the help of powdering during the day for those oily/combination types)
• If you're looking for an every day foundation but want something lighter, this was made for you!
• Contains SPF30 (If like me, you're into that!)

  CONS

• Priced at £28, some could argue that it's pricy for a tinted moisturiser when you could get a similar effect by mixing a blob of foundation with moisturiser
• It's a tinted moisturiser so it won't completely cover up imperfections
• Without powdering (for oily/combination skin types), this will completely disappear off your face
• Again for those of you with oily/combination skin, skin can look too dewy without a matte moisturiser/sunscreen on underneath 
• The SPF 30 will give you that dreaded white cast look with flash photography

WOULD I REPURCHASE?

I think I would, but only to use in the summer and for that reason I'd probably go for the slightly darker Annapurna shade. I definitely won't be using this in Winter as I like my face to appear supremely flawless.

 And there you have it! Well done to yous that made it to the end, quite a mammoth post this time but I hope you enjoyed it!

Have you tried the NARS Tinted Moisturiser?

 

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