I used to not wear makeup in high school because of seeing the girls put on too much makeup. I started wearing makeup in college mainly for my super oily skin. I started experimenting with makeup again because it is actually fun. I think every girl at one point in their lives will play with makeup. Hehe I’m sure every girl is trying to find the right look for them; so guys, please don’t be so harsh on us for wearing makeup. Some girls are still trying to find their own look, but you know it’s the right look when you see that their inner beauty radiates with their outer beauty. Hehe :3

Blush in Pop of Pink : a slightly reddened carnation pink with berry undertones. It has slight shimmer and a satin/matte finish.

Be Legendary Lipstick in Posy Pink : a nude carnation pink with a glossy finish.

Reflection High Shine Lip Gloss in Pop of Pink : a sheer bubblegum pink with a slight cotton candy scent.

Full Exposure Mascara : a jet black volumizing and lengthening mascara with a large bristle brush. Medium/dry consistency.

Overall all of the products are fantastic. My only complaint is that I much prefer the discontinued Photo Finish Lipstick formula to the Be Legendary formula. The Photo Finish lipstick formula glided over any dry patches and made your lips look flawless, whereas the Be Legendary formula clings a bit more to dryness on lips.

You can get this set at Ulta for $39 : http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod5230007#details

1)Cobalt Eyes: Even though it sounds risque, cobalt eyes are the go to trend this season. Taking cue from Stella McCartneys indigo lashes, you can incorporate this trend as little or as much as you want. Do a fun winged liner for maximum impact or soft cobalt lashes with some mascara. Go all out with an indigo smokey eye if thats what catches your fancy !

2)Lavender Lips: Taking cue from the mid-season Punk obsession (a la Met Gala 2013) take charge with a fun yet bold lavender lip as opposed to your regular go-to Pink Lip. Keep the rest of your look minimal and fresh, adding just a hint of bronzer to achieve that sun-kissed freshness. 

3)Pale Nails: Defy the summer norm that screams neon and brights and switch it up this season for a cleaner and not to mention CHICER way of summer grooming. Eggshells, nudes, soft pinks and pale yellows should do the trick ! 

4)Mint Green Eyes: Another fun way to update your look with the new colour that defines summer- Mint Pastel ! A colour for all skin tones, this fun eyeshadow/eye liner can be paired with a tangerine or a fuschia lip for a loud day out. My personal recommendation is a fabulous liner that NARS does in the same shade ! Go grab yours now. 

MAC cosmetics as a Lovemark, do you agree?

Even though, the cosmetic industry is one of the most competitive and quick changing FMCG’s industries, MAC is a brand that is aspirational for its customers and for those that would love to be one.

The brand is all about intense colours, bright highlights that make you glow. MAC understands the subtle power of colour, that’ s what it makes it a Lovemark to many. Receiving a MAC-bag makes any girl’s heart beat higher, no matter what product it will contain.

MAC knows what women wants and positioned itself successfully in the premium cosmetic segment, not at least by attention attracting advertising and print campaigns and the help of celebrity endorsers.

I didn’t use to wear lipstick often but lately I’ve been wearing a lot of reds and I decided to switch it up and wear purple which seems to be trending lately!

Here is some more advice on making your lips beautiful:

Begin applying the lipstick at the middle of the lip and draw it outward. Use patting motions instead of strokes for a fuller coverage. Do not apply any lipstick to the corners of the mouth, because it is very easy to smear and you will look like a clown. You can fill in the corners of the lips with lip liner in the same color.

In order to be precise when applying lipstick do not contract or twist your lips too much. If you are frowning you will not be able to achieve an even spread.

After applying the first coat of lipstick, press a tissue to your lips and then brush them with a powder brush in order to remove the excess lipstick and create a long-lasting base for the color. Now you can apply a second coat, but do not rub your lips together after that, or else the color will smudge.

Red lipstick requires more care, precision and corrections than the more neutral tones, but the sexy, provocative effect it creates is totally worth the extra effort.

Not everything is that easy.

How do you correct the unnerving little mistakes you make while applying red lipstick? Here is how:

When there is color on your teeth, first remove it with your fingertips, tissue or a small makeup pad and then apply a tiny amount of Vaseline over them for better protection.

When the color looks as though it is leaking outside the contour of your lips, dab a little makeup remover lotion on a cotton ball or pad and carefully rub the lipstick outside of your lips until you completely erase it.

If you have left a colorful imprint on the collar of your man’s shirt, spray the stain with hairspray and leave it for 10 minutes. After that, wipe and rinse. If this does not work take the shirt to the dry cleaners immediately.

Officially 2 more weeks till summer school starts…

I love nearly all of Revlon’s makeup so I was really excited when I stumbled across there new range of ColorStay Ultimate Suede Lipsticks in Boots. I went a little crazy and bought all the shades they had in store. Obsessed with Revlon much? I think I am!

The Revlon ColourStay Ultimate Suede Lipstick states that it has a suede effect (meaning matte) and lasts 16 hours. If any lipstick lasts 16 hours then I will be hugely impressed.

Packaging – I love it! The lid is very securely on and it won’t pop of whilst in your handbag.

Application – The lipstick glides on very smooth. With one stroke all the shades are quite sheer. I had to swipe it about four times across my lips to get a strong colour. Once applied, after a few strokes, they all have a strong pigmentation.

Texture - This is where I start to get confused with this lipstick. When first applied it has a smooth, moisturising, glossing texture that feels really nice on the lips. After about 5-10 minutes the ColorStay lipstick feels likes it sets on the lips and the texture changes to the ‘suede’ effect. The lipstick turns matte and has a slightly sticky texture when you blot your lips together. I love the matte look but I don’t like the (very slight) sticky texture.

16 Hour Wear – I have to admit that this lipstick is long lasting. However the formula is made, they did it well. The lipstick doesn’t transfer onto glasses or smudge whist eating. But… and there is always a but, after a couple of hours the lipstick goes into any creases in your lips and is very uneven. I didn’t take the lipstick out with me when I was wearing it so I had to put on a clear lipgloss to smooth out the patchiness. After doing this, the lipstick remained on all night.

Removal – It doesn’t stain, WoooooHooooo! I used a makeup wipe to remove it and it came of with a little scrub.

Overall - I would say it is an OK lipstick. I would have to carry it in my bag and reapply it about every  2-3 hours to stop any creasing, so the 16 hours wear maybe true but it just won’t look very nice. The main plus for the ColorStay Suede lipstick is that is does not transfer off the lips. My boyfriend was amazed that when I kisses him it felt like I had nothing on my lips. This is a big bonus for me as I can’t even normally peck him on the check without getting lipstick all over his face.

I have a lot of the colour range so I don’t think I will be running out fast to re-purchase any of them. My favourite colours are the deep plum (35 – Backstage) and deep pink (5 – Muse).

They can be found in high-street retailers for £8.99. Boots currently selling them for £6.99.

The Revlon ColurStay Ultimate Suede Lipstick is long lasting, matte and has wearable colours but it does have a few glitches. I would definitely advice you to exfoliate your lips beforehand. What do you think?

One of my fave make up trends is bright lipstick. As I travel alot for my job, I can barely pass through an airport without purchasing a little pick me up and that pick me up usually takes the form of a new lip colour to top up my collection. Here’s my quick guide to getting the perfect colour pop pout;

Step 1: I start by exfoliating my lips with a lip scrub. This will remove dead skin and let the colour be applied to smooth lips. I love the sweet flavour of Lush Cosmetic’s Bubblegum lip scrub, just rub a little on with your finger tips and lick off the remaining granuals of sugar.

https://www.lush.co.uk/

Step 2: Apply some moisture to the lips, I use the ever miraculous Elizabeth Arden 8 hour creme. Just a touch of this is fine as you just want a bit of moisture, not glossiness.

(Available from most good chemists, department stores & for a slight discount at airports. It is quite expensive but lasts for ageeesssss and can be used for just about anyting so I would advise you make the investment)

Step 3: Use a lip brush on your colour of choice and line the outsides of the lips. I can’t see past the vast array of colours offered by MAC. I am hording quite a collection of these little black tubes! When the outside of the lips are defined, it’s time to fill in the gaps.

Step 4: Blot the lipstick over the remainder of the lips and purse together to ensure the colour is evenly spread.

Step 5: Operation colour block lips complete. Remember wear at you own risk, those painted lips may be irresistable to the unsuspecting male, the last thing you want is for a sneaky snog to mess up your perfect pout!

If you are looking for a vibrant balm, steer clear of these bad boys! I, however, LOVED these Burt’s Bees lip balms. The colors were the perfect shade for the look I was going for, kind of like the way you want your blush to look like flushed cheeks! I love how these balms can easily be wore to school, work, or out to a classy dinner. The best thing about these lip balms is that they are soo moisturizing! My lips almost feel more moisturized after one application then compared to my regular Burt’s Bees chapstick. (What’s that about??)

These babies go for about $8-9 dollars a pop, so they are a bit pricey. Honestly, I think all the tints would look just about great on anybody just because the color is not as saturated as pehaps a bright pink lipstick. There isn’t any flavor which is refreshing since I don’t always want to taste cherry or pomegranate or asparagus (JK! Imagine an asparagus flavored lip balm??). The ingredients are really good, although there are a lot!

There are a few more shades available that I can’t wait to try! Hibiscus is my favorite so far! So far, these balms get an “A” in my book! (until I loose them all in my vortex of a purse). What do you ladies think of these Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balms? Comment below!

Peace, love & coconuts!

-Zeena

Bite Beauty’s line of lip products has become my new favorite over the past six months or so. With a full range of color in all-natural lipsticks, pencils, and high-pigment glosses, I’ll be sticking with this brand for years to come.

who: Bite Beauty

what: an all-natural lip care company based in downtown Toronto

when: the company has been in business circa March 2011

where: exclusively sold in Sephora in the US, with a newer traveling Lip Lab that makes pop-up appearances in select stores. As of May 9, 2013, the brand new Bite Beauty Lip Lab is now open as a perma/pop-up shop in Soho at 174 Prince St. (review below…)

why: all-natural, packed with anti-oxidants, does NOT leave your lips dried out, so moisturizing you’ll want to sleep in it. All products are free of phthalates, parabens, synthetic dyes and fragrances.

Lipstick cremes are displayed like candies, adding a youthful flare to the experience.

After a lip pro (sporting an ever-so-fitting lab coat) tests numerous colors on your pout, you choose two existing shades to melt down and blend together.

If you wish, you can blend in a hint of flavor. The choices are violet, peppermint, cherry, and superfruit.

The freshly-melted custom color is then poured carefully into the mold…

…and then rested on an icy cold plate for 5-7 minutes.

I chose custom color #15 from the palette of customized testers. The combo was a mixture of Rose & Zinfandel, resulting in a deeper yet vibrant pink. I’m super happy with my color. It can be blotted down for a more subtle look, or layered for an uber-vibrant summer hue. I also opted for the cherry flavor. Yum! It’s not overpowering at all and reminds me of my childhood years indulging in cherry Italian ices on the beach. Heaven.

Cost: $30 per customized tube
Noteworthy: The Lip Lab in Soho will be open through the summer, then closing up for a short time to remodel for a permanent store. They plan to feature custom lipglosses in the future as well.
Hours: 11am to 7pm Tuesday – Sunday

Kellie talked about last week’s performance, when she received a perfect score of 30 for her Argentin Tango. Kellie said that was her “favorite dance” of the season. It’s been a lot of hard work for Kellie and her partner Derek Hough. Kellie talked about her body has been affected by dancing and the strain and pain that goes along with. Even with the pain Kellie said she’s “going to miss it when it’s over”. Hopefully when it’s over she has a pretty little mirror ball trophy in her hand! Kellie also talked about the funnier moments that her and Derek have on the dancing floor, particularly one from last week.

Take a listen to Kellie Pickler’s interview below:

 
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I was expecting sunshine today. Every year on the 20th of May there are blue skies and sun shine. I guess we won’t be getting any today unfortunately.

Anyway. Hello again! This is going to be my first beauty post. How exciting. I will keep this short and sweet, I mean, I will try to keep it short and sweet.

Okay, let’s talk.

In the past, I could never understand that love for lipstick that many women had. My earliest memory of it was when I used to spend most weekends at my grandmothers in Essex, her dressing table full of treasures and potions. I always remember picking up many different lipsticks, opening then up, and seeing, what I thought was the exact same colours over and over again?

To a child, tone does not mean a thing. I remember thinking “why does nana have so many red and brown lipstick” when really they were colours like maroon, morocco, Ox blood and passion.

My love for lipstick definitely has been inspired by my mother and grandmother. Although they are both a darker completion to me, their taste in lipstick colour has always been tasteful, flattering and sophisticated. I’m still finding my way.

There are colours I would love to explore ! I’m not entirely sure if they would do me any favours at all but I guess it’s worth a try. So far many of my lipstick colours have pretty much been trial and error. Right now however, I am wearing one that I feel like will stick with me for a very long time.

The lipstick is soft coral by bobbi brown.

Quite a few people at my work place use the one that is a shade lighter called salmon. Salmon is light classy and extremely feminine, this shade will definitely be my next buy! However, people I know who use it find that it is just a little too light for them. An olive skinned Scottish friend of mine found it wasn’t right for her but has been convinced to try out the same one I use. Another friend from Hong Kong says she absolutely adores her bobbi brown lipstick in salmon and is on her 8th one! I must admit it does look ah-maze on her.

For now I will stick to using soft coral as and when ever it is appropriate. I would recommend this soft and silky, long lasting, slightly moisturising lippy. You won’t regret it !

ShamarLoves x

Rona Nishlu sums up our emotions during the voting

It’s no secret that Ireland expected to do well this year: We, and the bookies, thought we had secured at least a Top Ten finish with Ryan Dolan and his self-penned Only Love Survives, a track described by many as perfect Eurovision fodder. That, however, was our first mistake, and probably what left us languishing at the bottom of the leader board.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the Eurovision Song Contest over the past few years, it’s that complacency and gimmicks don’t win the prize. In fact, more often than not, a cracking tune walks home with the title in hand, and the price of staging next year’s contest hanging over the head of their national broadcaster. Was Only Love Survives decent Eurovision fodder? Yes. Was it a Eurovision-winning tune? No, and neither was anything else we’ve sent since Eimear Quinn stole the show in 1996.

Ryan’s tune was no Alexander ‘You’d Ryback him any day’ Rybak-esque Fairytale

Both Twitter and Facebook have been ablaze since voting began during Saturday night’s contest, and the Irish media have been getting in on the controversy. Did Dolan really deserve last place? Probably not: It’s rather sad to think that the Lithuanian lad who sang about his shoes managed to nab 14 points from Europe, while we struggled to get 5.

Of course, that’s where the ‘Bloc Voting’ advocates come in. There has been talk of little else on forums and Facebook, with angry anti-European comments appearing beneath news stories on popular websites too. The Bloc Voting theory isn’t one that I, as a long time fan of the competition, ascribe to. Denmark didn’t claim victory because of the Bloc, and neither did Sweden, Germany, Norway, Russia, Serbia, Finland, Greece, Ukraine or Turkey before them. We could continue, but the list is endless. And as for Azerbaijan in 2011? I never understood the appeal of El and Nikki myself, so we’re leaving them off the list.

Azerbaijan’s AC Slater left us feeling rather ‘meh’ this year too

To put it simply, all the Eurovision winners we have seen throughout the years have won because Europe (and the countries that call themselves European for the sake of the contest) really liked their song, be it because it was catchy, original, or very well staged. Take Lordi in 2006 for example: Yes, the masks were a gimmick, but Hard Rock Hallelujah was a cracking tune that you couldn’t get out of your head for a week after the contest. To this day the Finnish entry holds cult status, even beng featured on our own Late Late Show earlier this year.

From Helena Paparizou to Alexander Rybak, Lena Meyer Landrut to Loreen, Eurovision winning tunes have varied throughout the years, but that’s something Ireland doesn’t seem to have come to terms with. You quite simply cannot write ‘A Song for Europe’ any more, because Europe’s taste keeps changing. You need a song that extends beyond that, that merits memory, and offers something in terms of personality and style. Was Europe on the hunt for another David Guetta/Danny Zuko? No. Was the continent captivated by the haunting ethno-pop which emerged from a Danish Game of Thrones-esque bare-footed ‘princess’? Totally, and quite rightly so.

How could Europe say no to blonde Isla Fisher and her cracking tune?

If we’re really going to get into it, I may as well be honest: I wasn’t overly keen on Only Love Survives the first time I heard it. I was rooting for young Amy on the big night, even though I felt her ballad wasn’t really going anywhere. In summary, I was under the impression that the song was the best of an OK bunch, and praying that someone would tell the production crew to turn down the backing singers, who were easily drowning out the Strabane man. You know things are bad when you’re silently thinking that Jedward’s Lipstick is the best thing Ireland has sent to the Eurovision in 17 years. If they’d had better voices, the song could actually have gone places.

If there’s one thing that is often said about this island, it’s that it’s not what you know but who you know that matters, and when it comes to Eurosong that’s most definitely the case. Year after year we see acts and writers emerging from the same stables. Take Dolan for example: His management team brought us Jedward, staged their national tours, and even came up with the idea for that Waterfall fountain. From the mentors to the song-writers, we’re still in with the in-crowd, sticking to what we know, and The Late Late Show Eurovision panel won’t voice honest opinions with regard to any tune for fear of upsetting ‘someone’s sister’. We’re not going to cast stones, they’ve done their best and done an OK job of it (nobody could say Ryan and co didn’t give a decent performance on the night. They really didn’t deserve to come last.), but perhaps now it’s time to admit defeat and give somebody else a shot at the err, big time?

The nation continues to complain about Europe’s lack of love for the Emerald Isle, putting defeat down to everything from sour grapes over our decision to send that turkey in 2008, to Enda Kenny’s decision to bow to Ms Merkel, but the our abysmal performance had nothing to do with any of the above: The fact of the matter is, the voters and juries just weren’t that into our song, and nobody, not even the Eurovision fan sites, saw that coming. Neither did we to be honest, but we probably should have as soon as Emmelie de Forest opened her pretty little mouth. Acts like Denmark, Norway and Ukraine were just in a different league.

So, in summary, if Ireland really wants to be competitive on the Eurovision stage, it’s high time we waved goodbye to the familiar faces and really started thinking outside the box. No, we don’t need to regress to Dustin or Dervish-like antics and make another pan-European laughing stock of ourselves, but  bringing back the old Dana factor wouldn’t exactly hurt our chances.

Sure wasn’t she the Lena Meyer Landrut of her day?

As a self-confessed lipstick hoarder I thought it was high time to do a post on what will be my most-worn shades this Summer. Similarly, as a self-confessed made-up glutton, if there is any way I can associate food AND makeup I’ll do it, hence the ‘fruit’ theme (OK so I’m really hungry now.) As I rifled through my rather disorganized sea of lipsticks, of which 7 have made the cut, it occurred to me that they all have certain characteristics in common. They are all bold, fruity, creamy, matte shades which are capable of holding their ground as well as taking a backseat on the makeup highway. For me, this versatility is going to be paramount this Summer. Sure, we’d all love to be able to spend the afternoon tending to our maquillage and contouring to chiseled perfection, but the truth is, when your mum pops her head in to let you know you’ve got 5 minutes to get ready for that family BBQ you REALLY want to go to, you need to be safe in the knowledge that a simple lippy color pop alone will have you turning heads. Plus, no one wants to look like an overdone Barbie with a face busier than Alton Towers in mid-July, so let your lipstick do the talking. So here they are, my 7 fave fruity shades….whether you go all black cherry or choose to embrace your inner satsuma, make your lips a center-piece this Summer and tuck in!!

From left to right: Revlon Super Lustrous in Cherry Blossom

Maybelline Color Sensational in Pink Punch

Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate in Rossetto

Mac in Fast Play (amplified)

Topshop lipstick in Rio Rio

Mac in Diva (Matte)

Tom Ford lip color in Black Orchid

A few popular actresses of that time were Louise Brooks, Clara Bow and Mary Pickford.

Mary Pickford

Louise Brooks

Clara Bow

Although there are several techniques to create the smokey eye look, the classic technique was to use one eyeshadow and blend it outwards to make it look gradient. The smokey eye look is not only limited to the color black you can use a variety of colors like blue, green or brown.

Before

I put a creamy concealer as an eye primer and used a black eyeshadow from Makeup Forever‘s Smoky Eye Palette. (it’s limited edition.. I think) True enough the colors on the palette were great for doing smokey eyes. The eyeshadows were very pigmented and it really helped me create that gradient look. Plus, its also about the blending to get the right color.

(source)

The Smoky Eye Palette

After

I decided to go for light eyebrows and a nude lip to draw more attention to her eyes. I also don’t like the combination of heavy eyes + dark lips because there’ll be too much going on or they could end up looking like a panda (aww cute)!! Some people can pull it off though. Oh don’t forget to add falsies or mascara! It will look 10x better.

See what I did there?

….I just put the saturation to 0 because I don’t have Photoshop really.

Take One: Francine in the picture!

(Sorry, being in a picture was unplanned. That’s me with no makeup as usual)

Take Two! <3 With my gorgeous friend!

(Hi Annina, Love you! Thank you for always letting me put makeup on you )

Cult Nails Spontaneous is a purple nail polish. Yes, I know that you know that I don’t like purple very much, but also, sometimes it just fits an outfit too well to remain unworn.

Spontaneous is a greyish purple, filled with tiny pink glitters. Unless you zoom in very much or stare at your fingers closely, you’ll not be able to spot the pink glitters. What they do however, is add liveliness to this polish, which you can see from further away too.

I wore two coats of Spontaneous, and it applied perfectly fine. Because it is not your average purple, I felt very comfortable wearing it to work too. I paired it with a blue pantsuit (pants from Benetton, jacket from Mango) and a very pale pink shirt from Kookai. The shoes are from Cate Gray (Humanic, last year) I think.

What made the look whole, I think, was the right lipstick. I picked Shiseido lip lacquer in Disco*, which I think is an awesome pink. Totally what I like to wear! Also, I like the idea of lip lacquers although I never really felt like buying one from YSL, they just didn’t make my heart jump. The texture of the Shiseido lip lacquer was light, but it covered completely in one go, and it stayed on in this intensity until after my second coffee. After lunch only a slight tint was visible, but considering I’m in a talking and coffee drinking profession, that is surprisingly long. A winner in my books!


 Products marked * were provided to me for review. It remains undiscovered why people write honest opinion, unbiased, personal. You can be assured that I have no other opinion than my own.