Shu Uemura Face Architect Foundation

I often find illuminating foundations have a gorgeous radiant finish but that glow is sometimes given by a glitter particle within the foundation. This is fine for evening but during the day I prefer a subtle glow that has a satin finish, looks healthy but without the frosted finish!

This foundation gives that exact finish. A little goes a long way and this foundation is buildable so layer up depending on the coverage you want to achieve.

Macadamia seed oil gives it a rich, moisturised finish so perfect for a dry, dehydrated skin that looks dull.

Once on, it takes a few minutes to sit happily on the skin, so give it time to settle before applying other products such as powder or blusher.

As I move my skin in the light it has a healthy sheen that catches the light and makes my skin appear plumper and radiant. 

I would say this foundation would look beautiful on someone who has clear or slightly pigmented skin but for someone who has textured skin or suffers from breakouts may find these areas are highlighted by this foundation. An oily skin may also find this product too rich.

This foundation does contain Titanium dioxide but on camera it doesn't flash back on my skin.
A 27ml pump bottle is £34 and available from http://www.shuuemura.co.uk/

You will like this if you like: Nars Sheer Glow, MAC Mineralize, Chanel Pro Lumiere

Bond Girl Series: Eva Green

Just like my last Bond Girl (Ursula Andress) outing, it was tough finding close up shots of Eva Green as Vesper Lynd from the James Bond movie Casino Royale.

Unfortunately, the film clip isn't very clear or particularly close up, my search continued, I found the shot below on google images and while scouring Google came across a mini interview with Melissa Lackersteen, key make-up artist on Casino Royale, so I had a little insight into products she had used for one of Vesper's other looks and the mindset behind creating the characters looks.

I knew that lowering the brows would be key to this look. By doing so, I would also be able to explain smokey eyes for those with a slightly lower brow. 

I started with a picture of myself and did a little rough plotting of Eva's brow angle to see how it would change my face.

To flatten the brows I used Pritt Stick which is a washable non-toxic kids glue. Using water you can flatten the product out to get a fairly smooth surface. I then covered the glue with Keromask Camouflage Cream and worked a new brow shape over the top using three shades of M.A.C eyeshadow to create texture and depth.

M.A.C eyeshadows in Omega, Brun, Carbon, Keromask and Pritt Stick 

 Check out my previous Ursula Andress Bond Girl look here

 

Dior Golden Jungle Collection

This Autumn it is nice to see a brand doing something a little bit different to the usual plums and russets.

This August Dior are releasing their Golden Jungle collection.

The main palette from this collection comes in two different shades of Golden Browns or Golden Khakis.

I have been playing with the Golden Khaki palette which is a mixture of matte and shimmer shadows presented in a jungle camouflage pattern of mossy green, a deeper forest green and a high shimmer creamy gold.

Behind a silver door within the palette is a soft pink with gold pearl gloss.

Shadow and gloss applicators along with a mirror are also included.

My favourite piece in this collection has to be the nail polish duo set.The duo is a gold shimmering opaque base colour with a jungle green crackle top coat.

Unlike the usual long crackles of these types of polish this version crackles up exactly like crocodile skin.The gold subtly shining through.

Price break down is as follows:
Golden Jungle Palette (Limited Edition) £52.00
001 Golden Jungle Nail Art Duo £24.00

There are other eyeshadow palettes and lipsticks that form this collection so be sure to swing by (pardon the jungle pun!) your nearest Dior counter to view the range.

Dior Golden Jungle launches exclusively at Selfridges on 30th July, and nationwide from 10th August

Estee Lauder two toned eye opening mascara

Rich Plum

There are many mascara's on the market today and it can be so confusing which one to go for.Generally we all opt for the standard black or brown mascara but why not inject a little bit of colour into your mascara regime with Lauder's new two toned mascaras.
 This mascara available in three colour options is a jet black sumptuous mascara in one end with its thick, volume building brush comber brush. In the other end is a smaller, tappered end micro brush that is the perfect shape to pick out the tiny lower lashes.The smaller brush end comes in three different colours of rich brown, plum or royal blue.
 The idea of having a different colour on your lower lashes is that the contrast of colour against the top lashes will brighten and open the eye whilst enhancing the colour of your eyes.

Which colour should you opt for....??

This is where colour theory comes into place.

Rich Plum

Rich blue

 The plum would look amazing on green eyes.I have blue eyes and love to wear plums as I feel it makes my eyes look super blue but be careful if you get any redness to the whites of your blue eyes as you may find the plum not so flattering.

The brown pretty much suits most.Looks natural on a brown eye and soft on a blue or green eye.

The blue end always seems the slightly more scary colour but this looks stunning on a brown eye as its such a huge contrast.It also really brightens a grey tone eye.

Of course as always there are no rules in make up so go wild and experiment with what you would prefer. Dont be confined to just using the coloured mascara on your lower lashes.You can of course use it on the top lashes also, just on the top and black on the bottom or for something a little different why not use the black all over and just paint the tips of your lashes with the coloured end.

These 6 ml mascaras are £25.00 and available nationwide from Estee Lauder counters or online at www.esteelauder.co.uk

Olympic inspired world beauty secrets

I love nothing more than to travel around the world and with the Olympics starting here in the UK soon I began to think about beauty regimes and tips from all of the beautiful countries around the world.

 I have been reading up on the weird and wonderful global beauty secrets and thought it would be fun to share some of them with you.

 The common factor seems to be products derived directly from nature and most are in expensive too.

 India

Making a face mask containing Tumeric, gram flour and milk for an oily skin or cream for a dry skin.Mix into a paste apply and leave on skin for half an hour.This is said to help moisturise and tighten the skin.

 

Brazil

 Get the skin of those Brazilian volleyball players by mixing sand with oil and using all over the body to exfoliate and increase circulation.

 

Ethiopia

To get smooth, glowing radiant skin Ethiopians massage the whole body with natural honey before washing off.

 

China

To get a mirror shine to the hair make up a hair rinse of Rosemary and Green tea.This will remove toxins and impurities add shine and leave your hair smelling beautiful.

 

 

 

 Spain

To help with dark circles, puffiness and pigmentation around the eyes Spanish women are said to use raw potato slices over the eyes for 10 minutes.

 

 

Japan

In Japan they use Carnellia Oil on the hair as it helps to strengthen, build elasticity and soothe a dry scalp.Also helps to repair damaged or brittle hair.

 

 

Italy

In Italy to help dry, rough skin on the lips they massage the whole lip area in oilve oil.This nourishes and is deeply moisturising.

Greece

Grecian beauties use natural yoghurt on areas of the skin that are inflamed, red or sun burnt.It instantly cools, soothes and moisturises.

 

Australia

Aboriginal women use Yarrow extract on their skin to prevent stretch marks and to act as an anti inflammatory on the skin.

 

Chile

In chile they create a paste from red grapes and add 2tsp of white four.Leave on the skin for 10 minutes to revive lack lustre skin and give a radiant glow.

 

Sweden

In Sweden they recommend boiling mineral water and green tea and then freezing into ice cubes.Use these ice cubes daily as a toner by massaging gently over the face for a few seconds, pat dry and then add regular moisturiser.

 

Dominican Republic

For strong healthy nails add a chopped garlic clove to clear nail varnish.Leave to stew for a week and then paint the nails.Apparently the scent disappears! Nails will be left super strong.

 

Israel

Mix a paste of Rock Sea salt and Lavender oil and massage all over the body for an extreme body exfoliation.

 

Mexico

Mexican woman create a paste of sugar and lemon juice to massage all over the hands.
This removes hard skin and the lemon juice helps to lighten dark spots on the skin. Ensure you have no cuts on the hands first though to avoid stinging!

  

Thailand

 Bathing in Tamarind oil leaves the skin with a subtle shimmer all day whilst lightening dark spots and being an intense moisturiser for the skin.

I loved reading through these treatments and we would love to hear of your special secret beauty treatments from your country.

Chanel Fall Collection 2012

Here at Pixiwoo we are always excited to take a peek at the Chanel new season collection.
Chanel have launched a collection that has all the typical autumnal colours you would expect to see but have also dropped a few surprise pieces in there that still feel influenced by summer.

This illuminating powder has the look of summer with its radiant peach and gold stripes but the embossed glitter sequins remind me of a winter/christmas collection.

The colours blend together to give the skin a satin healthy glow.The tiny silvery glitter particles do look very pretty on the skin but they are only superficial so once you have wiped the top layer off then the glitter is gone. I actually prefer it without the glitter so this is not a problem for me.

 The illuminating powder is £46.00

 There is a choice of eye shadows in palette form or individual at £22.00. The individuals come in a gorgeous single compact with sponge applicator. The four pastel shades are sheer but buildable with a wet look finish. The black shadow is a semi matte that blends easily.

 The quad palette is £37.00 and I personally feel I have seen before. Although the textures and colours  have a good payoff and blend nicely, it's originality didn't jump out at me.

The lipstick line comes in two formulations of rouge coco in a frosted plum called Caractere or for those who prefer a sheer glossy lipstick Rouge Coco Shine in the colour Chic which is a transparent fleshy nude and Parfait a gold laced pink. All lipsticks are £24.00

I adore the long wearing glosses in this collection (£25.00). The case feels weighty and super luxurious. The two colours are, Troublant, a violet plum and Caprice a soft pink. The texture is creamy and slick with a mirror like shine.

If you prefer your gloss more muted then you may prefer the sparkly sweet beige gloss (£21.00) on the right of the gloss picture.

Chanel nail colour (£18.00) never fails to be anything other than elegant (although not always as long lasting) and this fall I cant choose which of the lilac, black or intense pink I want on my nails. I may have to paint them alternate colours!

                              This limited collection launches 24th August 2012 in the UK.
                              Visit stores or  http://www.chanel.com for more information.

Balance Me Natural Skincare

We were kindly sent some samples of key products from award winning British brand Balance Me.

Their philosophy is to provide skincare that has skin boosting benefits with therapeutic properties.

If you're a sensitive soul who prefers to know exactly what is going into your skincare products without the added parabens, sulphates, mineral oils, silicones and all these other scary sounding ingredients then this is the skin care brand for you.

With products for face, hair, body, bathing and all the other extras all skin care needs are catered for.

The key element that jumped out to me immediately was the heavenly scent. I love the smell of essential oils such as Lavender, Jojoba, Rosemary etc so these products are right up my street but I also know some people find these kind of scents over powering.

I used Cleanse and smooth face balm with the included muslin cloth.
The texture is a thick balm that when massaged into the skin, leaves a rich oily covering to the face. The key ingredients are soothing Chamomile, brightening mandarin and it has the added boost of oatmeal to slough away dead skin. Using the muslin cloth to wash away my skin feels nourished and plumped. I have oily skin so hate residue but this left my skin feeling moisturised but without any greasy film remaining.
This would also be perfect for a normal to dry skin or for those who are sensitive.
You need the smallest amount so £20.00 for 125ml I think is a reasonable price.




For my body I tried Super toning body oil. I always prefer to use oil on my body because I am lazy and feel I don't need to rub it in as much!
The people at BalanceMe recommend dry body brushing towards the heart before application to help with dry skin removal and circulation.
I cannot explain enough just how gorgeous this smells. Imagine that scent you can smell when you walk into a health farm or beauty salon that makes you instantly relax...well that's the smell!
Fragranced with Jojoba, Bergamont, Juniper and lots of other yummy ingredients. Use this when you get out of the bath it will ensure you have the most restful sleep ever, waking up with uber soft skin!
Use daily to improve skin tone, soften and smooth skin and encourage good circulation.
200ml is £20.00.

The range includes lots of other yummy products so don't take my word for it..go check them out!
To view the whole range and purchase view www.balanceme.co.uk

Bond Girl Series: Ursula Andress

It was a little tricky to find close up shots of Ursula as Honey Ryder from the James Bond movie Dr No

I watched the film clip (below) so many times that I am still singing 'underneath the mango tree'.

The skin is a very important part of this look, as Honey had just emerged from the sea the skin needs to look dewy, healthy but also utterly flawless. 

I chose Nars Sheer Glow foundation and Bobbi Brown Peach Corrector to achieve that payoff.

.

 I then set about creating a soft contour, again using creams, the Ben Nye Creme Contours and Highlights work perfectly and are amazing to work with, I combined these with Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in Chic on the cheek bone to create the perfect sixties peachy cheek.

Finally, I cut in with Givenchy Mister Light Corrective Pen to create a subtle highlight on the high points of the face and along the nose and Givenchy Le Prisme Powder to set concealer under the eyes and take out shine in unflattering areas (around nose and under eyes).

RMK 15th Anniversary eyeshadow palettes

 RMK was founded in 1997 by New York based Japanese make up artist RUMIKO.

The brand is sold globally in 8 countries but excels in Japan where it is one of the top selling make up brands.

All of RMK's products are created with RUMIKO's philosophies of innovative formulations and creative packaging that fits easily into the busy demands of the modern woman.

To celebrate RMK'S 15th anniversary they have launched these two eyeshadow palettes.

 Each palette contains four powder, shimmer textured shadows reflecting the dewy finish trends that are present this summer.

The brown palette reminds me of Neapolitan ice cream when I was young. Soft bronze shades blended with a pink and gold to highlight.

 The second palette looks like summer beach colours with the slightly more smoky blues and greys.

It is the casing that is the real selling point of this product for me as it looks like a lipstick case but when removing the lid the shadows are inside a silver casing with mirror and a double ended brush.Very compact and perfect for travelling or to keep in your handbag.

The palettes are £35. To view more products and RMK stockists have a look at their website on  http://www.rmkrmk.com

You can also view this product in our product of the week video below.

AKA

AKA(Also known as) cosmetics is a British cosmetics brand created in 2011.
The brand concept is that when you apply make up you begin to develop an alter ego that is more vibrant and confidant.
It has simple, clean white packaging etched with the logo and product description and a really reasonable price point beginning at £5.00.





The lipsticks £7.50, come in a thin stick form and the colour payoff is strong with a thick opaque satin finish.
 The glosses £7.00, although look vibrant in the packaging do not sit as brightly on the skin. Due to the high gloss finish the colours are slightly diluted and more transparent. They feel more creamy than tacky though which I prefer.



The product line up has everything you would expect to see including a eyeshadows in duos for £7.00 or quads for £9.50 They offer a mixture of matte and shimmer textures.
For those of you who prefer a long, thin liquid liner brush then you will love AKA's liners £7.00.
Available in black, brown and grey blue.




We particularly like the nail polish £5.00 line up of cream and metallic colours that last quite a few days before they begin to wear off.


These products are great for people who like to move with the make up trends and update their colours regularly but don't wish to spend a fortune doing so.

Great for budding make up artists or for people who prefer their eyeshadows in compacts rather than in singles.

You can view the whole collection and purchase from http://www.akacosmetics.com

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics

Obsessive compulsive cosmetics are a 100% Vegan and cruelty free cosmetics brand.
OCC pledge to never use animal derived ingredients including Lanolin, Carmine and Beeswax. They feel that with today's technology it is not necessary to use such ingredients.Furthermore they believe that the cause of many allergies within cosmetics often comes from animal derived products so by cutting out these ingredients they cater for a more sensitive clientele.
Their ingredients also fit in with the guidelines associated with being Kosher and Halal compliant.
Their product line up includes airbrush foundations and concealers, loose colour concentrate pigments which are mineral based and have a soft metallic sheen to them.
They also have pro pigments and glitter pigments which are so vibrant that you need only the tiniest amount.

Our star product pick is the amazing Lip Tar ($14.50). These highly pigmented products are a cross between a lipstick and a gloss. They have a thick texture that is long wearing with an opaque finish that glides on with the creamiest slick just like a gloss.
Mix them or wear on their own these tubes will last you a lifetime due to the fact a little really does go a long way!
The colour pay off of these products is insane. Unbelievable that you can get that much colour without adding any unnecessary extra ingredients.

These products are available to all but Pro's can receive a 20% discount with proof that you work in the industry. Make up students can also receive a discount with proof of their course enrollement.
For more information on all of OCC products and their discount information then check out their website on http://www.occmakeup.com or order from Cocktail Cosmetics in the UK.

M.A.C Pro to Pro and the Amy Childs Make-up Tutorial

On the 27th of June, Nic and I attended the M.A.C Pro to Pro party in London's East End.

Pro to Pro is the yearly gathering of make-up artists that work closely with M.A.C Cosmetics.
It's a great way to meet up with old friends and make new ones and check out some pretty cool body painted living statues by the M.A.C Pro Team.

Terry Barber has an enviable list of celebs under his belt including Liza Minnelli, Mary J Blige and most recently, the one and only Grace Jones. I've known Terry for years and he is one of the most inspirational make-up artists I know.

                                            Old friends, Kenneth Soh and Sonia Beckford

                                         Really old friends, Rachel Wood and Nicci Jackson

                                          Nic with Michael Ashton and Lyndsey Harrison

Michael regularly works with Adele while Lyndsey works with the fabulous and gorgeous TOWIE ladies. Below is a look she created on @MissAmyChilds.
I worked from this image when creating our TOWIE tutorial. (see below)

PRODUCTS USED:
Illamasqua Skinbase foundation
MAC Blackground Paintpot
Laura Mercier Noir Eyeshadow
MAC Mystery eyeshadow
AVON Super drama mascara
AVON Supershock liner
Chanel Bronze Universal Bronzer
MAC Vanilla Pigment
M&S Satin finish rose powder
M&S Limited Collection Bronzer
MAC Studio Finish Concealer
MAC Studio Fix
Ben Nye Ginger Snap pencil http://www.preciousaboutmakeup.com
Bobbi Brown Firefly Lipgloss
MAC Sheen Supreme Bare Again