Frosty purple smokey eyes

Bright pink/raspberry

Products used

Face:
GOSH Velvet touch foundation primer

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer NC 20Max Factor Lasting Performance 101 Ivory Beige

Sleek Face Form Contouring and blush palette 373 Light

Beauty 88 Concealer Palette in Medium (conturing)

Vichy Dermablend Setting Powder (loose)

Eyes:

Catrice Kohl Kajal 040 White

Sleek I Divine Acid Palette

Sleek I Divine Oh so Special Palette

Sleek I Divine Ultra Matts v2 Palette

L’Oréal Gel Intenza Eyeliner 01 Pure Black

L’Oréal Volume Million Lashes So Couture mascara

Max Factor Clump Defy by false lash effect mascara

False Demi eyelashes

Brows:

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade Chocolate

Lips:

Maybelline Super Stay 24 Color 195 Raspberry

L’Oréal Infallible Lipstick 121 Flawless Fuschia

50's pin up: Neutral eye liner

I have already posted some pin-up/vintage looks. This one is specifically 50's look. Only with bit of a modern twist. What makes it 50's ? All over matt first of all. I only used matt eye shadows, no highlighters, no shimmer what so ever. Second thing is medium thick eye liner. In 50's was the eyeliner not so crazy yet, it was applied only to top lash line and extended a bit. The brows used to be much thicker than at 40's, and quite defined, but still bit further from each other, higher and more arched then I made them for this look. And the lips - all time classic - bright red.

I started with my eyes. I applied base (Paint pot Soft Ochre), then I applied light beige eyeshadow all over the lid and bit darker beige eye shadow into crease. Then I applied bit of a dark brown eyeshadow into outer V to get a little bit more definition there. I blended that all together for smooth transmission. I applied same eye shadows on my lower lid as well. If you have big or round eyes, you can skip this step.Then I applied white eye pencil into inner corners and into waterline. I smudged it with my fingers a bit (at the inner corners) and I applied matt white eyeshadow on top of it. Then I moved on to liner. I didn't make it very thick all over the lash line, I was concentrating mostly at outer part and elongated flick at the end. I tried to make it as sharp and bold as possible. Then I highlighted my brow bone with matt white eyeshadow to make my brows more defined. Then I moved on to my face, I applied primer, concealer under the eyes and foundation. I set everything with loose powder and I did bit of a contouring under my cheekbones. I didn't apply any blush. Then I filled in my brows with dipbrow pomade and I applied 3 coats of mascara on my lashes (top and bottom). I finished off with bright red lipstick.


Products used:
Eyes:

MAC Paint pot Soft Ochre

Beauty UK eye shadow Palette no.7 Naked

Sleek Ultra Matts v2 palette

L’Oréal Gel Intenza Eyeliner 01 Pure Black

Catrice Kohl Kajal 040 White

Max Factor Fusion False lash effect volume & length

L’Oréal Volume Million Lashes So Couture mascara

Brows:

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade Chocolate

Face:

GOSH Velvet touch foundation primer

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer NC 20

Max Factor Lasting Performance 105 Soft Beige

Vichy Dermablend Setting Powder (loose)

Sleek Face Form Contouring and blush palette 373 Light

Lips:

Maybelline Super Stay 24 Color 510 Red Passion

Taupe cut crease & mauve lips

It has been a while I created a look with neutral colors and I thought now would be a time for it - after all previous blues, bronzes, browns and greens looks on this blog.
I don't really like looks using neutral colors because I find them boring. I like bright colors or smokey eyes much more. But I took it as a challenge to create look using neutral colors but still being fun, dramatic or outstanding - call it as you want to. This is what I came up with.
I was using entirely my W7 in the Buff palette (which is exact dupe of Urban Decay Naked 2 palette only 4 times cheaper:-) so who wouldn't buy it?). The shades in it are beautiful, my absolutely most favourite is the matt taupe brown/mauve shade. I used mainly this shadow for this particular eye look.

First I applied eyelid primer (Paint pot Soft Ochre by MAC) all over the lid. Then I applied matt skin color shade from In the Buff palette all over the crease to make smooth texture for following shadows. Then I started applying taupe brown shadow into my crease and I blended it very well upwards (towards my brow bone) with bit of that matt skin color shade I used earlier. I made the outer V darker with black shadow blended with dark taupe one (right next to it in the palette). When I was done blending and making transmission between shadows smooth I applied white kohl pencil into inner 2/3rds of my lid (the moving part) and I applied some into my inner corners as well. I blended that pencil a bit with my finger and afterwards I applied shimmery white/pink eyeshadow on top of it. This step made the cut crease more defined.
I applied the same white pencil onto my waterline. Then I moved on to the liner. I applied quite thick line from my very inner corners to outer corners where I extended it towards brows to achieve elongated eye effect. Then I put white pencil right under this extended part to make it even more defined. Then I applied that same matt taupe eyeshadow on my lower lid as
well. Then I made second wing (line) with black eyeshadow. After I was done with shadows and eyeliner, I put on 3 coats of mascara to my top lashes. I was thinking about using false lashes but I decided not to use them - my lashes are quite thick and long so I don't need false lashes anyway.
I moved on to rest of the face, after applying primer first, I used concealer under my eyes to cover all the dark circles. Normally I put a little drop on back of my hand and I apply it on my skin just with using fingers. The leftover concealer I mixed with foundation and I apply it all over my face using. Then I did quite heavy contouring using very dark concealer and this was actually the first time I also use contouring on my nose as well. For highlighting I used very light foundation stick and I set everything with compact powder. Then I did my brows using Anastasia Beverly Hills dipbrow pomade. As a last I did my lips. I mixed 2 shades on back of my hand and I applied them on the lips with brush - this way you can mix up any colors you want.

Products used:
Face:

GOSH Velvet touch foundation primer

Max Factor lasting performance in shade 105 soft beige

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer NC 20

L’Oréal True Match powder W3 Golden Beige

Sleek Face Form Contouring and blush palette 373 Light

Beauty 88 concealer palette

Vichy Dermablend Ultra Corrective Foundation Cream-Stick 12 Opal

Blush Sleek Sugar 364

Eyes:

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in shade Soft Ochre

W7 In the Buff Palette

Bourjois Light Concentre de Lumiere 03 (white-pink)

Catrice Kohl Kajal 040 White

L’Oréal Gel Intenza Eyeliner 01 Pure Black

Max Factor Wild Mega Volume mascara

L’Oréal Volume Million Lashes So Couture mascara

Brows:

Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in Chocolate

Lips:

Maybelline Super Stay 24 Color 615 Soft Taupe

Maybelline Super Stay 24 Color 260 Wildberry

Current foundations & concealers review (L'Oréal, Max Factor, Maybelline, Vichy)

It's been quite some time since I reviewed something and I decided to talk (write) about my current foundations and concealers. I don't have that much to review and I definitely don't have capacity to review brand products (for example all foundations and concealers from brand Maybelline). I also just randomly purchased these foundations and concealers based on my skin tone and based on a very very poor choice available in the dutch drugstores ( I live in Netherlands).
Actually most of them are very good, I'm using them a lot but there are some I prefer slightly more and I will explain further why.

no foundation on

For comparison there is photo of my face without make up. There is some redness, discoloration, freckles and blemishes as well, so you can see on the photos with foundation and concealer on how good does it cover.
First I'm going to mention the name of the reviewed foundation and it's shade, and concealer as well. On a photo next to it there is foundation and concealer used on my face, little photo of the products themselves (as a proof that I actually have them and I used them) and also zoomed in part of my cheek where I have enlarged pores, some scaring, birth marks, bit of my under eye mimic wrinkles and part of my nose (where the most redness is) also with the foundation on so you can see how does it really look like from close up.
There could be little difference in color of these photo's because I was making them in front of window so I was using only daylight, no flash light and my camera makes photos which are not always 100% true colored.
Also, the foundations might be looking different on these photos than in reality but I did my best to make the photos as close as possible.
I will review foundations and concealers per brand. For certain brands I have no concealers so I won't be reviewing them.
I made photos of those foundations the same day so my face looked exactly the same with applying foundation and I also didn't use any primer in order to get the most of the foundation.

L'Oréal True Match in C2 Rose Vanilla

 L'Oréal
True Match foundation in shade C2 Rose Vanilla
True Match Touche Magique Concealer pen
"No match for me"

This is quite good foundation, medium coverage, nice matt finish - very good for women with very smooth skin. I however have very textured skin, I have acne scars and enlarged pores (which look like little holes in my skin from close-up view). What this foundation does is, that is starts sitting in those pores and scares and in the wrinkles as well and it makes them look more visible. That's one minus. Another minus for me is the color. For me foundation with name "C" (for cool, W for warm, N for neutral) should be having yellow undertone in it. This one unfortunately has red undertone therefore I'm not very happy with it. If you however have red undertone skin, it might be perfect. Maybe the name "rose vanilla" refers to red undertones but how about the name C? It is just very confusing. Maybe I picked up a wrong color, but there was not much choice. On the website there are 3 color shades from each lightness level (C1, W1, N1, C2, W2, N2...etc) but there are very hard to get in the shops in this (full) range. Still, C2 should be yellow, not red.

Concealer is very good though. I assumed that's meant to be under eye concealer - considering it's texture and packaging (liquid concealer in pen). 

It covers very nicely, it doesn't set in the wrinkles, it doesn't move much through the day and pigmentation is very decent.

It comes with little brush from which comes out the product after you twist the bottom but I really don't recommend to apply it directly under your eyes because that brush is very very stiff and that's definitely not gentle to your skin. 

I mostly get some product on back of my hand and I apply it with a finger under my eyes.

I wouldn't use it for blemishes or anything tricky to cover because it's way too light (texture) so it wouldn't cover much.

Also, it's very good for light to medium under-eye darkness but it wouldn't cover bad discoloration or too dark under-eye area. 

You can also use it as a highlighter for your cheekbones, forehead, nose, chin, etc.  

Maybelline Super Stay 24H in 030 Sand

Maybelline Super Stay 24h foundation (030 Sand) & concealer (2 Light, 3 Medium)
"good coverage, no clogging"

I have to say that I really love this foundation. It is amazing for this price and a fact that it's a drugstore brand.
It is very pigmented, formula is liquid but much thicker texture so you have to blend it well - and it goes on the best when you apply it with your fingers.
It stays on all day long - of course it won't be looking exactly same as after you put it on, no foundation does, but it is pretty "long lasting".

The coverage is also very good. It covered my freckles and redness without any problem and I really had to apply just very thin layer, which is quite surprising.

The micro-flex stretch formula provides that this foundation adjusts itself to your skin - and it really works - in my experience.
It doesn't set in wrinkles or pores (therefore no "clogging") so that's a huge plus.
Color shade is also very good. Nice yellow/neutral undertone, no reds so that's something I am very satisfied with.

I have 2 concealers from the same Super Stay 24h line and I am not very fond of them.
They are liquid concealers with bit thicker and dryer formula so they are supposed to stay on blemishes and cover any spots or discoloration - which they do, I have to admit.
I am not happy at all with the colors of these concealers - they were only 3 shades available in the store - numbers 1, 2 and 3. I picked up 2 and 3 from which number 3 has nice yellow/neutral undertone but it is way too dark for me (for covering up blemishes and redness) and number 2 has very ugly grey-ish red undertone and it doesn't match my skin at all. I can't imagine anybody whose skin it would match. So that's a minus. I also quite don't understand how these concealers look like in the packaging. There is kind of a sediment on the bottom of the bottle and I don't know what is it or why is it there. Is the product old, or did it go bad, or is that reaction on warmth or sunlight? I have no idea.

Max Factor Lasting Performance in 101 & 105 

 Max Factor Lasting  Performance foundation (101,  105)
 Pan Stik (concealer  stick), Mastertouch Under-eye  concealer pen (303 Ivory, 309  Beige) "amazing coverage, extremly  natural looking"

When I tried this foundation on for the first time I was  really amazed. So light formula and such an high  pigmentation! 
When you put this foundation on you don't even feel it. It is as light as an moisturizer. I put on just a  little drop of this foundation (half pea size) and it is enough to cover my entire face. The coverage is the highest possible. It leaves on  nice matt finish but deffinitely not dry and it is almost undetectable.
If you find a perfect shade and you put on only little amount nobody would find out that you are wearing foundation

I think that this foundation would work with any skintype.
The formula is just perfect, I can't say it enough.

I have shades 101 Ivory Beige and 105 Soft Beige. I mostly mix them up together because 101 is too light and 105 too dark - and again, there was no shade in between available in the store.


The minus point is that shade 101 is too red. Shade 105 is great, it's yellow undertone so it matches my skin perfect but it's too dark, as I have already mentioned. So the minus point is again - no color with good undertone in a lightness range.
The Pan Stik was a bit surprise for me because I didn't know wether it is foundation or concealer. The answer is simple - both! You can use it as a foundation stick or as an concealer. The coverage is very good, formula too but again - red undertone. So no match for me.
Under-eye concealers are very good. They don't set in wrinkles, they stay on, colors are perfect but they could be bit more pigmented. The L'Oréal's Touche Magique concealer pen has a better pigmentation in my opinion. So I would use this one only for light discoloration or light under-eye darkness, nothing too much of an challenge. It comes with little sponge applicator so you can apply it directly into your under eye area and blend it gently with your fingers or brush.

Vichy Dermablend stick 12 & 14

Vichy dermablend Ultra Corrective Foundation-Cream Stick (14 Nude, 12 Opal)
"perfect coverage, slight oily finish"

I purchased this foundation stick when the freckles on my left cheek turned into pigment spots (caused during pregnancy). I was so fed up by concealers and foundations I had not be able to cover these spots and I really needed something with super power. I have seen ad on this stick showing guy with tattoos and this foundation was supposed to cover them 99%.


Now after a year of using this foundation stick I have to say that it DOES cover  a lot, it does cover more than common concealer but I don't find it capeable of covering tattoos. It has no super power and it doesn't make such a huge difference.

Though it's a very nice foundation, it covers very
very good, it is meant for people with normal to dry skin so it leaves a bit of oily finish - not too oily of course. Nothing which couldn't be fixed with powder.


Good thing about it is that you definitely don't need any primer under it. It is very thick and dry but after you put on your face it melts so you can blend it easily.

I apply stripes (directly from package) on my forehead, nose, cheeks, jaws and chin and then I blend them all over my face with my fingers.
With this technique you use only a little product and you can blend it very good.
I've seen women applying this with a stiff foundation brush but in my opinion this way you happen to apply way too much of a product absolutely unnecessarily.
This way it is also easy to use 2 colors at the same time - as I do. My nose, cheeks an forehead are mostly bit darker than rest of my face (these parts of the face are more exposed to sun than jaws, chin and temples) so I use darker foundation for this area and lighter for the rest of the face.

Another big plus of this foundation is that it doesn't clog the pores - it looks much better than foundation which does clog the pores and sets in them so they look even worse and it is also very good for skin itself - who would want to have blackheads?

I don't see any down side of this foundation, so I would highly recommend it to anyone who doesn't have oily skin and needs this kind of coverage.

Vichy dermablend 25 Nude

Vichy dermablend Fluid Corrective Foundation 16HR in 25 Nude "the best of all"

After having such a wonderful experience with (above mentioned) Vichy stick foundation I decided to try also fluid/liquid version of Dermablend line from Vichy (which is pharmacy's cosmetics).
It was as I expected - another great foundation, extreme pigmentation, no pore clogging formula, long lasting effect - it has it all.
Although, this foundation feels very heavy and thick once applied on skin.

If you are used to it by wearing quite thick layer of foundation then it's not a problem but for me it's not very nice feeling.

I really prefer the "light weight" feeling of foundation on my skin otherwise I feel like I'm wearing a mask.
It is exactly opposite as I was talking about in Max Factor's Lasting Performance foundation - light foundation versus heavy foundation.

It's still very good foundation and I guess it's one of my favourites.
 I wear it on daily basis mixed with Max Factor's Lasting Performance shade 101 Ivory Beige or with my new Pro Longwear Concealer from MAC.
This concealer is shade NC 20 so it is pretty light and yellow and if I mix it with this Vichy foundation the shade is perfect and it also gets much light-feeling formula.
I also normally put my GOSH primer underneath this foundation (mixture).

This foundation is developed especially for people with big issues such as huge pigment spots, bad discoloration, dark spots, light spots etc. but it's also very good for people who hate freckles.
You can see on the photo that it has covered my birth marks almost entirely and they are dark brown. It is not 100% coverage but on the other hand I put on just very tiny amount.
Maybe if you layer it, it might actually cover some spots or marks entirely.
This foundation is also supposed to be waterproof, which I have no experience with - I never go swimming with my make up on - but, when I put it on back of my hand to mix it with other foundation/concealer it stays on and I can't wash it off with only clean water. It needs some cream or oil and some definite rubbing to remove it. So, the waterproof part might be actually true.

Fall bronze feat. Sleek Sunset Palette

This time I decided to make some more "daytime appropriate" look. I had Sunset Palette quite some time and I have been using it only in summers - but as I was going through my make up stash and I saw this palette again, it occurred to me that it might be just perfect for autumn/fall looks. It has only shimmer shades, most of them with golden undertones and it is simply amazing. I highly recommend this palette to everybody with warm or neutral skin tone and with blue or green eyes.


I started on with MAC Paint pot in shade Soft Ochre as a base. I applied all the colors similarly as I did with my previous look (cobalt ombre eyes), so starting with the darkest color along the lash line and moving on to lighter colors on the way towards the brow.
My first color was however from Sleek The Original Palette - rusty shimmery brown, then all colors following were from the Sunset Palette. The highest color was yellow golden one, and I blended it with matt light beige (from Sleek Ultra Matts v2). I applied matt white shadow under the brow bone as a highlight. Then I applied bit of dark matt brown into the outer V and on the lower lid as well. I put white pencil into waterline and into inner corners as a base for shimmery light yellow shadow which I applied afterwards.
I lined my top lash line with black kohl pencil and I smudged it with matt black shadow because I wanted more smokey line effect instead of my usual gel eyeliner.
Then I finished off my face with primer, concealer, foundation, powder, contour and blush and I applied mascara to top and bottom lashes. While mascara was drying I did my brows, then I applied one more coat of mascara and I moved on to my lips. I applied first colour (L'Oréal one) all over the lips and I applied bit of (Max Factor) in the centre of the lips just to make it more interesting.

Products used:
Face:

GOSH Velvet touch foundation primer

Vichy Dermablend Fluid Corrective Foundation 16HR 25 Nude

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer NC 20

Vichy Dermablend Setting Powder (loose)

Sleek Face Form Contouring and blush palette 373 Light

Sleek Lace (blush)
Eyes:

The Original Palette

MAC Paint pot Soft Ochre

Sleek Sunset Palette

Sleek The Original Palette

Sleek Ultra Matts v2 Palette

L’Oréal Color Riche LeKhol 101 Midnight black

Max Factor Wild Mega Volume mascara

Max Factor 2000 Calorie Dramatic volume mascara

Brows:

Sunset Palette

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade Chocolate

Lips:

L’Oréal Infallible Lipstick 312 Incessant Russet

Max Factor Lipfinity 150 Bare