Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer
I bought this concealer when I was in the UK at the end of last year because I liked the Wake Me Up Foundation so much, and broke it out over the holidays when I felt it was too hot to layer corrector and concealer under my eyes. I also seem to be able to get away with less concealer when my face is tanned because my under-eye circles don’t appear as dark. I started using this on its own and not only is the formula creamy and easy to blend, but it feels really lightweight and it does. not. crease. I can hardly believe it – it doesn’t settle in the fine lines under and around my eyes like other concealers and I don’t even need to powder afterwards, it basically sets itself. Absolute hero product – I’m hooked!
Sigma P84 Precision Angled Brush
I’m a huge fan of Sigma brushes (more on that soon) so I ordered this one as soon as it became available on the Turquoise Studio website. I’d been in search of a good concealer brush for a while now, and was eyeing out the P80 (flat kabuki) and the P88 (angled kabuki) before settling on the P84. I chose this one because I felt like the angled bristles with a slightly rounded top would be more forgiving than the super-precision of a completely flat brush. Well, I was right, and the P84 has proved to be a great addition to my toolkit as well as the NBF of the aforementioned Rimmel concealer. They are an under-eye-bag-eradicating dream team!
Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning
I caught a nice tan over the holidays and it reminded me how much better I look with a little sun on my face. Not only does a dose of Vitamin D leave my skin much clearer, but there’s no denying that a bit of golden glow along my cheekbones and forehead leaves me looking healthy, relaxed and well rested. In an effort to extend my tan without having to rely entirely on bronzing powder, I turned to this beauty blogger favourite and I’ve been very happy with the results. You swipe it over your face on a cotton pad as the last step in your nighttime routine and wake up to an almost imperceptible glow that you can build up over time. It doesn’t stain my eyebrows, smell funky or rub off on my sheets, and the effect is so subtle that you basically can’t mess it up.
Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick (Bronze)
This is a real golden oldie – excuse the pun! I’ve had this for years and years and always avoided it because I thought it was a bit too sparkly. I can’t even remember why I decided to give it another go but one quick swirl in the pan and a light dusting on the top of my cheekbones one adventurous morning revealed the perfect soft, pearly sheen. I think having a tan helped the overall effect (probably not a great highlighter in winter) but it’s a lot more subtle than I remember and incredibly flattering. Each strip can be used individually as eyeshadows too which creates a real golden goddess look, perfect for steamy summer nights. It also comes in a few shades to suit different skin tones, including a few pink-based variants that can double as a shimmery blush.
Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blusher (Soft Pink)
Another score from December’s UK haul (but I forgot to put it in the video – doh!) is this delightful little pot of wonders. I do enjoy a cream blush but they can be a bit tricky to work with and aren’t known for their lasting power, but this one had been doing the rounds on the blogosphere so I went for it. The formula is firm but creamy, and highly blendable so it’s very easy to apply. Pigmentation is really good (any more and it would be a pain to blend out) and I’ve found it stays on my cheeks all day with very little fading, considering I touch my face quite a lot. The finish is perhaps the most interesting thing about this cream blush – it leaves you cheeks with a very unusual glossy flush that somehow manages to look both completely natural and like you have supermodel skin. Delicious.
Smashbox Always Sharp Waterproof Kohl Liner
2014 is the Year of the Cate Eye for me, as I’ve made it my new year’s resolution to master this most elusive of beauty techniques. I’ve been playing around a lot lately and finally, the other day, I got it 100% right. The trick was in the angle of the flick – I was trying to make it go up too sharply so it was distorting through the crease and always looked wonky. By bringing the flick out right at the end of my lashline, dropping down slightly and then curving back up, I resolve this problem and land up with the most flattering feline flick for my eye shape. It was a total fluke but potentially life-changing! The product I was using when I had this epiphany was the Smashbox Always Sharp Waterproof Kohl Liner in Sumatra, which is the perfect matte, chocolate brown for day time (I find black gel or liquid liner can look a little contrived during the day). The pencil itself is smooth and doesn’t drag on your eyelid, and the short, sharp tip makes getting between the base of the lashes and drawing out the flick an absolute breeze. It stays put once it has set, and the sharpener built into the lid is, quite frankly, genius. They do a range of fabulous shades, including a great nude tone that would be a great alternative to the Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in the same colour that you can’t get in SA.