Tuesday, November 17, 2009

inspiration...

Here are two very different looks I am going to attempt to recreate (well, the eyes anyway, I don't think I could pull off the second lip but I'll try!)

From shuuemura.com
I love the simplicity of this look, it's just gorgeous! My version will be without all the airbrushing though :P


















From vogue.com.au
Purple and yellow/gold is a match made in heaven to me, I can't wait to give this one a go!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

barely there eyes

As much as I love me some crazy makeup, most days I just want something simple. Especially for work when the snooze button controls my morning. My version of barely there eyes probably looks like I'm not wearing anything to some people, but I'm OK with that. After all, I guess it is my 'no makeup' makeup look!

It's rare for me to go out with completely bare eyes, but a really simple look like this only takes two minutes and opens up my tired eyes!









(excuse the 'scara smudges on the last one!)

For these eyes I used my NARS Skin Deep palette. This is the palette that started my NARS addiction a few years ago, I really love it for a natural look.



The shadows in Skin Deep are All About Eve and Blondie-



For this look I used a highlight shade on my browbone (MAC shroom), All About Eve on the lid and Blondie lightly in the outer crease. I used a fluffy blending brush (MAC 217 and stila #9) for a sheer wash of colour. I usually skip liner anyway since it's all you can see when my eyes are open and it detracts from my shadows and makes my eyes look a bit heavy. I applied Sportsgirl About Face Daringly Defined mascara for separated and defined but not overdone lashes. Easy peasy!

Here are some of my other favourites for barely there eyes. Funnily enough, most of these can also be built up for more intensely contoured eyes. I love multi-purpose!

NARS Portobello Duo Eyeshadow

Soft matte beige nudes that work really well in the crease and lightly on the lower lashline.







MAC Accentuate/Sculpt Duo

This duo gets a lot of use for contouring my face, but it's just as effective on the eyes.





Stila Purrfect Eyes

Well, Black Cat isn't exactly subtle, but the other three shades in this palette work so well together for a really soft eyes or something more amped up with Black cat as a liner or in the outer Vs. I love this palette so much, I call it my 'classy eyes' palette!





Too Faced Lockdown Creaseless Cream Shadow- Bondage

I wear this a lot for work all over my lid with an eye opening mascara and nothing else. The colour sheers right out to a subtle champagne and leaves a few specks of silver glitter that I love! It sounds a bit garish but it's actually really pretty and simple, there's just a slight twinkle that you see sometimes. I've nearly finished up my tube I use it so much.





So there you have it! What are your staples for looks on the run and simple 'no makeup' makeup?

Saturday, November 14, 2009

about face... of the day! x2!

As promised, here are some looks using the Sportsgirl About Face range. Everything is from About Face apart from my foundation, powder and eye base.

I would have posted earlier but I've had a few days away in the city being a good girl and taking my sister out for her birthday dinner to The Press Club (yum!) and accompanying her to see Tori Amos. So tired now!

About Face 1 - Smoky

revlon colourstay foundation
MUFE HD powder
sportsgirl about face all nighter fighter under eye brightener

MAC painterly paint pot
sportsgirl about face get cheeky- brow highlight
sportsgirl about face shady lady the break up- crease
sportsgirl about face shady lady night shift- lid
sportsgirl about face draw the line black liner
sportsgirl about face daringly defined mascara

sportsgirl about face oh my goddess- matte
sportsgirl about face you glow girl- blush

sportsgirl about face give some lip gloss- play time









About Face 2 - Colourful

revlon colourstay foundation
MUFE HD powder
sportsgirl about face all nighter fighter under eye brightener

MAC painterly paint pot
sportsgirl about face get cheeky- brow highlight
sportsgirl about face shady lady tiny dancer- lid
sportsgirl about face shady lady riot act- outer lid & crease
sportsgirl about face shady lady perfect storm- lower lashline
sportsgirl about face daringly defined mascara

sportsgirl about face oh my goddess- matte
sportsgirl about face get cheeky

sportsgirl lighted up lip gloss- heartbreaker













I was really happy with both of these looks, and I honestly think that if I can make these products work, then you can too! :D

Happy Friday! xo

Thursday, November 12, 2009

About Face - Sportsgirl Beauty. Part 2- Eyes!

I’m back! It’s been so hot here the last few days I haven’t even contemplated blogging or much else really. I’m dreading the heat of summer…

So last time I focussed on the cheeks and lips from About Face, today I’m back looking at the products for eyes.



Shady Lady Eye Colours. I'll give a rundown of each shade individually but as a whole I can honestly say I'm really impressed with the shadows I have. The pigmentation is surprisingly good, so is the lasting power. I'm not sure how they hold up without a base- I use them over MAC painterly or bare study paint pots as I do with all my shadows. There's a wide range of colours available from soft neutrals to mermaid blues. But I would also say try before you buy because there are some differences in pigmentation between just a few of the shades.



Shady Lady Eye Colour- The Break Up


The Break Up is a warm chocolate brown packed with gold glitter. It’s super pigmented and blends out really well. Applied lightly with a fluffy blending brush it can be sheered out. I’ve worn this in the crease with a black lid for a smoky look and next I think I’ll be pairing it with Tiny Dancer. Peach + Brown = ♥ to me!

Shady Lady Eye Colour- Tiny Dancer


Tiny Dancer is a peachy shade with lots of sparkle. It’s great as a wash of colour on the lid with a flick of black liquid liner (try To the Point from the About Face range, for 10 bucks it’s a great dupe for the MAC penultimate liner) for a classic look. Alternatively, Tiny Dancer with a soft brown in the crease makes for easy neutrals. Or amp it up with some added colour (my version of this coming soon!).

Shady Lady Eye Colour- Riot Act


Riot Act is a dark purple, but not the sort of dark purple that just looks dark without the purple on the lid. Know what I mean? Sometimes I find purples just look dark and nondescript on my eyes and lack colour. Not this purple! Riot Act lacks the obvious glitter that some of the other shadows have, instead it has a great sheen, which is quite unique for a dark shade. Riot Act would be great for an alternative to the usual black smoky eye. Also great for that pop of colour on the lower lashline.

Shady Lady Eye Colour- Perfect Storm


Hello Lovely! This is my pick of the bunch. A grey with golden shimmer, Perfect Storm is totally unique and like nothing else I have in my makeup collection. I love it! The combination of grey and gold tones means that this shadow can be paired with so many different colours and work. As a crease &/or outer corner colour it works equally well with a light gold or silver shadow on the lid. Amazing! If it’s a straight grey you’re after, check out Holy Smoke.

Shady Lady Eye Colour- Poison Ivy


Poison Ivy is another shadow without glitter or sparkle. Instead, it has an amazing glow to it. When I was in store I just couldn’t decide between Riot Act and Poison Ivy so I got both and I’m glad I did. It’s great paired with pinks and purples and lighter greens for colourful looks. On try it the lid with a charcoal or black smoked in from the outer corner for something dark and fun. Worn over a black base such as Draw the Line pencil, Poison Ivy explodes!

Shady Lady Eye Colour- Night Shift


Night Shift is a black with silver glitter. Think MAC Black Tied or NARS Night Breed, but for 10 bucks. It’s refreshing to have an eye shadow that looks as black on the eye as it does in the pan. I wore Night Shift on the lids for a smoky eye for a hot and sticky night out (over 30 degrees, yucko!) filled with cocktails and it did not budge or fade into some sort of grey. Yes, I did wear an eye base but that’s a must for me with all shadows and trust me, they don’t all past the crease free and fade free test! I’ve also used it smudged over black liner to set the liner and highlight the silver sparkles.

Swatches in different lighting!

Top-Bottom: Night Shift, Poison Ivy, Riot Act, Perfect Storm, The Break Up, Tiny Dancer.




Everything else for Eyes!



Daringly Defined Mascara


The last mascara I tried (Covergirl Lashblast Length) was such a disappointment to me I didn’t even bother uploading the pictures I took of if. This mascara is the opposite. I’ve been walking around the last few days demanding that people look at my lashes in amazement. Sportsgirl Mascara! I proclaim at them. No way? Yes way! Love this! I can’t stop wearing it.

Honestly, I am so fussy when it comes to mascara and I had such low expectations for this just because of my frustrations with so many mascaras and I’m blown away. Firstly, it has a rubber wand which I love. The shape of the brush reminds me a bit of Chanel Inimitable in terms of the shape but the bristles are finer which makes it easy to wiggle right into the roots of the lashes. This mascara doesn’t smudge and does exactly what the description on the Sportsgirl website claims- define and separate. No clumping. No leaving heaps of mascara blobs all over my eyelid. There are two other mascaras available- volume and curling. I wonder if they’re this good too? Woah sorry about the essay but it had to be done!

Draw The Line Eye Liner- Black


Draw the line is like a cosmetic gadget! It’s an automatic wind up pencil that’s a rich black with a bit of silver shimmer particles. Down one end of the pencil is a smudger which is handy for smoky looks or just to soften the edges of the line.


The smudger pops out to reveal a sharpener! This is a feature I love because it means I can have a precise line if I want.


I’ve used Draw the Line a few times and it hasn’t let me down. I wore it smudged with Night Shift and The Break Up shadows for a smoky eye and I’ve had it on my lower waterline a few times. Draw the Line is also available in a few other shades, one of which is an amazing metallic purple.

Star In Your Eyes Liner- Disco Black


I love glitter liners. They can give a bit of sparkle to your look without being too OTT or they can add some serious drama. Disco Black had a grey gel base with multicoloured glitter.



Worn alone it creates the more subtle version of a glittery look. Worn over a black liner the glitter absolutely pops and adds extreme sparkle to your eyes. Wearing Disco Black over a coloured liner emphasises certain colours of the glitter depending on which colour you’re using. I love wearing glitter liners with smoky eyes for an all out look!

Swatches!

Left-Right: Disco Black, Disco Black over Draw the Line Black, Draw the Line Black


All Nighter Fighter- Nude


Love the name! This is the Sportsgirl equivalent of YSL touché éclat, which I used to use before my skin decided to be bratty and break out. All Nighter Fighter is a decent replacement. Nude is one shade fits all which I’m not so sure about since it’s perfect for me, perhaps it might be too much of a brightener for ladies with darker skin than me which is just about everyone! It blends easily, although I still apply it with my regular under eye concealer brush since I can control that more easily than the built in brush. It photographs well and doesn’t break me out! It doesn’t offer a heap of coverage (it’s not really supposed to) but it takes care of any light mascara mess under my eyes.

Swatch- after I blended it in it’s not obvious at all but here it is pre-blending


So there it is! My wrap up of About Face. I will continue to use all of these products because they all deserve their space in my stash and can compete for a spot on my eyes, cheeks and lips with the MAC and NARS and shu an everything else…

I’ll have some looks (and something for you!) posted soon, that’s always the true test if how good a product is!

Check out the About Face range at https://shop.sportsgirl.com.au/index.html

Sunday, November 8, 2009

comfort & by candlelight FOTD two times!

So I used my new MSFs a couple of times this week. The first time, I just wanted to test them out and see how they looked on. The second time I wanted some more oomph. If you're not into the overblushed look don't look at the second face hehe

Look #1

revlon colourstay foundation
MUFE HD powder
stila illuminating concealer

MAC painterly paint pot
too faced smokey eyes palette
loreal mascara that I forget the name of but I am in love with

MAC comfort & by candlelight MSFs

MAC pleasureseeker lipstick
MAC smile dazzleglass










Look #2

revlon colourstay foundation
MAC prep & prime finishing powder
stila illuminating concealer

MAC painterly paint pot
sleek safari palette
same loreal mascara

MAC so sweet, so easy cremeblend blush
MAC comfort & by candlelight MSFs

barry m peachy pink lipstick
MAC steppin out dazzleglass





did everyone have a nice weekend?

About Face - Sportsgirl Beauty. Part 1- Cheeks and Lips

So I was lucky enough to be sent some products from the newish Sportsgirl cosmetics range- About Face. I liked what I saw so I went out and bought some more!



It's about time there was an affordable colour cosmetics range here in Australia. I think the pricepoints of the range are reasonable. Yesterday I bought 3 shadows, a pot of pink bronzing balls and a lipgloss for around fifty bucks. Not bad! I know I could go and get a similar haul from priceline for maybe a bit more cash, but I just can't justify the priceline pricetag, knowing I can get most of the brands they sell for maybe a quarter of the price (sometimes even less!) on ebay. Anyway, I'm in ramble mode now...

Back to About Face! You want to be fun, dramatic, natural, bright, vampy, classic, smokey, understated, sophisticated? Whatever look you want I'm pretty sure you can get what you need from the range.

Onto the products! I've decided to break this down into two parts, today will be cheeks and lips, next time will be eyes.

For cheeks-





Get Cheeky Cheek & Eye Shimmer- Bronze


In the same family as Bobbi Brown shimmerbricks and The Body Shop shimmerwaves, Get Cheeky can be used on eyes and cheeks. I don't think there's much differentiation between the golden and pink shades so I'll probably be smooshing my brush all over the surface of this one. This can be a little metallic and frosty so buff buff buff! Get Cheeky also comes in pink!

Oh My Goddess Bronzer- Matte


I was a tad concerned when I saw this one that people would be greeting me saying hello oompa loompa! Not the case. Applied with a light hand this can be a great bronzer for fair skinned ladies like myself. Applied more heavily (or just normally really!) I can see this bronzer working for most people. It also comes in a shimmery version too, but I prefer a matte bronzer for my skin.

You Glow Girl- Blush


Love this! I wore these on my cheeks last night. Just a swish of my brush along the surface of these little bronze and pink balls and I had a really nice glow to my cheeks that lasted all night. I don't think you can go wrong with these, you can add on however many layers of this blush you want until you're satisfied with the intensity. The Blush shade is a great alternative to straight bronze, it's a totally wearable pink shade with just a hint of bronze.

Swatches!

Left: Oh My Goddess swatched heavily
Right- Oh My Goddess swatched lightly


Left: Get Cheeky- Bronze
Right: You Glow Girl- Blush





For Lips



Give Some Lip- Play Time


For $8.95 you can't really go wrong with this gloss. Play time is a peachy shade but once on the lips it doesn't really hold true to the colour in the tube, but I guess what sheer gloss does? The texture of this reminds me of MAC cremesheen glasses- smooth and milky. Awesome! There's some shades in this line with some shimmer and there's some more pigmented shades such as Red Carpet (which you might be wearing on your lips soon... stay tuned!). The only downside for me is the heavy vanilla scent- to say it's overpowering would be an understatement!

Lighten Up Lip Gloss- Heartbreaker


Now I'm really impressed with this one! I thought the name Lighten Up was simply referring to the sparkle factor of this gloss. No, there are actual lights in the wand!I tried to capture it with my camera and failed, here is my best attempt hehe



I originally thought the lights were a bit of a gimmick until I saw the mirror on one side of the gloss and realised the combination of lights and mirror means you can apply this gloss anywhere and not end up with gloss all over your face! Even in the darkest of rooms you can still see what you're doing. Clever!

For under 10 bucks I wasn't expecting a dazzleglass, but for the price it's not bad. There's a lot of glitter which means there is a little grittiness left on the lips but its' not extreme.

Swatches!

Top: Lighten Up Lip Gloss- Heartbreaker
Bottom: Give Some Lip- Play Time




Coming up next- About Face for Eyes, and of course some looks featuring these products- that's the true test!

Aussie girls- what have you tried from the About Face range and what are your thoughts? Can't wait to hear!

ellis faas giveaway reminder!

Just a quick post to remind you all to enter the Ellis Faas giveaway if you haven't already. The cutoff date is today, November 8th! Details here!

Good luck!