Glamcor Glamour Glow

Glamcor Glamour Glow is a lightweight skin brightener.
In a stylish pump action bottle this lotion comes out as a soft peachy gold light reflecting liquid.
It is easily absorbed and leaves a golden sheen on the skin.
Containing cucumber it acts as a skin soother with anti-inflammatory benefits.

This looks particularly nice on skin that can sometimes look a little ashy or dull as the peachy tint really warms the skin tone up.
Add it to the high points of the face for a highlight or mix it in with your foundation for an all over radiance.

£30.00 - 20ml bottle, can be purchased from the following sites

http://www.preciousaboutmakeup.com

www.glamcor.com/

Next Cosmetics

If you are looking for a stocking filler or a small palette selection that will fit into your kit then these palettes from Next are a great idea.
 In a super slim line book style the palettes come in five different sets.
Each set contains four eye shadow colours, a lip product and a double-ended sponge applicator and lip brush.

Sorry picture is not very clear but the silver packaging reflected so much!

The colours in each quad compliment each other beautifully and building the colour up can create a day or an evening look.
 A great palette to have in your handbag to take you from day to evening.

For £4.00 each the eye shadows have surprisingly good colour pay off but they do drop down slightly.
 The gloss in each is very sheer and transparent but does feel moisturising on the lips.

These palettes are available now but in store only at £4.00 each

To view other Next cosmetics check out their website on www.next.co.uk/

Perfect pedicure from Butter London

Feet are the area we often forget about until it comes to exposing them on the beach or in a strappy sandal.

Butter London have developed a 3-part waterless pedicure collection. Created because they found themselves working backstage at Fashion Week with no access to running water.

Each piece of the three steps can be used individually however they work much better together.

The first stage is the Glycolic Callus Peel.

A liquid roller ball applicator that you dispense all over areas of hard skin on the feet.

Easy and mess free to use and feels cooling on the skin.

After 3-5 minutes file off product using a foot file.

It did really soften the hard skin up which made using a foot file quick and easy.

There was no soreness to the feet, which I was a little scared of.

Second stage is the Hydrating Heel Balm. This is a thick, rich solidified cream that again comes in a roller ball applicator.

It was instantly absorbed and left my feet feeling soft and hydrated.

The third stage is the Powder Finish Foot Cream.

A lightweight cream that dries to a soft powder finish.

This product is more of a daily maintenance cream between treatments.

This smells amazing. Quite a masculine scented fragranced but not overpowering and not at all minty, which often these types of products are.

 These products are priced £25 individually and you can purchase from http://www.butterlondon.com

Illamasqua Lipstick Palette

Matte lipsticks stay put the longest and the colour payoff is usually strong as there is less oil in the product to dilute the colour.

Illamasqua have compiled a special lipstick palette especially for those who like their lippy pink and matte!

Made up of four existing colours fable (rosy pink), Plunge (blue toned light pink), Over (warm bright coral pink) and Corrupt (fuchsia pink).

Each glides on smoothly with a strong pigmented finish.

This has recently arrived in store and online priced at £34.00.

http://www.illamasqua.com

Stargazer Glitter Eyeliner

                                                                                                   

It wouldn't be right not to include glitter eyeliners this time of the year.

Perfect for creating a dramatic sparkle line along the lash line or for those a little more arty, a glittering design on the face.

Stargazer have several colours for you to choose from and the fine synthetic point of the applicator brush allows you to create intricate flicks or full on Amy Winehouse cat eyes.

Each liner is a bargain at £3.00.

To purchase and view the colour options check out http://www.stargazer-products.com

Bodyography cosmetics

 Bodyography is a new brand to us here at Pixiwoo but it's a brand that has been around since the early 90's.
I believe it to be a brand that is better established in North America amongst spa's and hotels.
Bodyography is a brand that is environmentally aware by using minimal packaging that is recyclable and prides itself on not testing on animals.

We have been taking a look at their Holiday collection for 2012.

This collection is designed with the holiday season in mind and with these 5 key pieces it will allow you to jazz up your daytime makeup for the evening.

I really like the Radiance boost cream. A quickly absorbed cream that is best used on the higher parts of the face to give a golden sheen. I also mixed a little in with my body lotion to give a radiance to my arms and legs.

The duo eye shadow holds a deep bronze plum (that looks a little more gold on the visual but is much deeper in real life) and a royal purple. Both have a high metallic payoff.
 The two colours blend nicely and together create a rich deep smoky eye.

The long wear eyeliner in deep violet compliments these shades.
 I found the eyeliner went on a little patchy so it needed a few layers to create a smooth finish.
 Pencil glides on softly but product tends to blend away to nothing if you over blend.










The gloss in the colour dazzle has a nice long doe footed applicator and the colour is very pretty and wearable. A lot more transparent than it looks in the container it is a dusky pink with gold glitter pigment running through it.











I am attracted to anything sparkly so if you share my obsession then you will enjoy wearing this nail varnish in Rio on your nails.
A fuchsia pink glitter suspended in a transparent liquid.
In the photo I have worn this over a dark purple nail varnish as I think it makes the Pink stand out more.
 As with all glitter nail varnish looks beautiful on but can be tricky to take off.

 This collection is limited edition and costs $65.Check out http://bodyography.com to view Bodyography complete collection.

Eysilix Instant Eye Rescue

There seems to be a theme running through my blogs this time of the year.... after party rescue!
As I get older the part of my face that I have noticed the most change is around my eyes.
I have bad eyesight so I tend to squint resulting in crow’s feet and fine lines on the inner corners.
I am always keen to try out new products that target these areas and have begun to use this eye rescue cream from Eysilix.

A small 15ml tube of white cream that contains botanical extracts and some other crazy long words which I will break down into my terminology!

I developed a few frowning wrinkles trying to get into the box but the actual product is very simple and easy to use on cleansed skin a small amount needs to be patted around the orbital bone. This should be done morning and night.

As with all of these treatments it takes a while to see results but I will continue to use it and report back.
In the beginning stages it is absorbed easily with no sticky feeling and skin is make up ready immediately.

The skin around my eye does appear smoothed due to the optical diffusing but as for long-term eradication of wrinkles I am still to be convinced.
Only time will tell for that answer.

It is £24.99 and available from http://www.boots.com

Other products made by the same company are 

Nano blur
This is basically an optical diffuser that helps to bounce the light off imperfections to help them appear smoother.

Snoxin
Sounds like a character from Lord of the Rings but is in fact the highest allowable concentration of peptides. Peptides help to produce collagen, strengthen capillaries, and improve cellular activity.

Hydraluron
This is an intensely hydrating serum that helps to plump up the skin with a shot of moisture.
It contains hyaluronic acid, which holds up to 1000 times its weight in water.

Okrapeptide
This product has an ingredient that is claimed to be "a natural alternative to injections like Botox"
It helps to diminish fine lines and skin folds.

Peptalash
This product is targeted at the actual eyelashes.
It's basically an eyelash serum, which helps lashes appear longer, thicker, and fuller.

Have you used any of these products or ones similar? We would love to hear your opinions and hear your results.

Four Brilliant Primers

Primers are not a product that I always use, Often I need to alter or totally change my makeup but for times when I need my base to last all day then a good primer is a must.

We talk alot about primers and here are our latest favourites.

Diego Dalla Palma Universal Makeup Base
£23.00

This weighty 30ml bottle is a white gel like emulsion.
It feels quite thick and takes a few moments to sink in.
It contains ingredients to help brighten the skin.
Although it is recommended for all skin types I personally think it sits nicely on a dry, dehydrated skin  as it feels quite creamy on the skin.
As this primer is slightly richer you could mix a little in with your current foundation.

I tested this primer under a flash and found the skin definitely looked brighter but it also made the skin look a little lighter. Be aware of this and adjust your make up accordingly.

http://www.diegodallapalma.com

 

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer

£25.00

I've heard a lot of buzz around this product so was keen to test.

In a 30ml tube this gel like primer feels like velvet on the skin.

Being oil free this primer is perfect for an oily or combination skin type.

It truly does feel extra matte with no residue.

I found it smoothed skin and was great as a base over my open pores, stopping my foundation from settling.

Under camera flash this primer performed fantasticly.
No flashback and skin looked silky smooth.This would be a great product for a bridal makeup.

www.smashbox.co.uk/

M.A.C Prep and Prime Natural Radiance Primer

£28.00

M.A.C offer a variety of primers however we have found their standard primers perform better on lighter skin tones but can seem a little ashy on medium to darker skin tones.

M.A.C have obviously realised this and have released a primer more suited to a darker skin.

A 50ml lightweight gold coloured emulsion this primer contains gold toned illuminating pearls to help brighten and warm a dull or ashy skin tone.

The product melts into the skin and works well on all skin types.

It does not have the glitter pigment either that I feel the M.A.C standard prep and prime has which makes it much better on camera.

This primer photographs nicely with no flashback.

www.maccosmetics.co.uk/

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer

£52.00

For those who prefer mineral based products Hourglass have a primer to suit.

For an oily skin this is my absolute favourite. Although it does have a higher price point, if you have an oily skin that few products can cope with then it might be worth splashing out.

With a satin finish it is absorbed quickly and  skin feel immediately matte.

It continues to oil absorb throughout the day and helps blur pores and fine lines.

Another great attribute is that this primer is  absolutely water resistant making it the choice for outdoor wearing or during teary occasions!

Under camera flash skin looks radiant with no flashback despite containing titanium dioxide and SPF15.

www.hourglasscosmetics.com/

We would love to hear what your favourite primers are.

Hourglass Opaque Rouge liquid lipstick

Hourglass is a prestige luxury cosmetic line that uses it's knowledge of skincare and mixes it with cosmetics to create longwearing, skin flattering products.

Over the christmas party season it's vital for makeup to stay put so that we can concentrate on having a good time and not touching up our makeup.

I suffer from dry lips so I am always a little scared to try long wearing lip products as they can often sit on the dry skin and exacerbate the problem.

Opaque Rouge liquid lipstick is an intense coloured lipstick that dries to a velvet-like matte finish.
I love it's small, slimline packaging that fits neatly into the smallest clutch bag!
The application is a doe foot sponge applicator that allows precise application.
Product glides over the lips with immediate bold colour. No real need to build up the layers as one sweep and you're good to go!
Lipstick dries quickly with no tackiness.

I have been wearing this all morning and colour pay off has remained true with no feathering or bleeding.
Obviously this product will feel permantly dry on the skin as it has no gloss finish but it does not feel any drier than a standard matte lipstick.

Available in nine vibrant shades these are more of an expensive lip product at £23.

We sampled the following colours. 

The colour in Raven is amazing and definitely one i'll be wearing this festive season. If you love MAC Lady Danger then this colour is one to look out for. 

In the UK you can purchase these from Liberty http://www.liberty.co.uk   

or SpaceNK http://uk.spacenk.com  

For other stockists check out the Hourglass website http://www.hourglasscosmetics.com/

What are you're christmas essentials this year?

Tutorials for Hooded Eyes

We've done quite a few of these over the years, here they are all in one place.
We try to find models with different eye shapes and skin tones so that perhaps there is something that you at home can relate to.

Diego Dalla Palma

Diego dalla palma is a brand we have recently started to use here at Pixiwoo.Our attention was drawn to it when we noticed they had created a palette especially for the film Snow white and the huntsman.
 Seems that we are a little behind the times as this is a brand that was launched in the mid 1970's in Milan.

They stock the usual line up of products you would expect but their most famous export is the semi permanent mascara.This is said to last days fending off water and tears effortlessly!

We were kindly sent some sample products to take a look at.

Sam loved the colour eyebrow fixer in colour 12 (€16.50).
You can see her using it in the following video. The colour is an ashy taupe colour that has a slight gold pigment running through it.
She loved the small precise wide bristle brush which made application easy.

We also sampled the lip pencil in colour 50 (€16.90).
This pencil felt creamy, soft and application was easy. The nib of the pencil holds its shape well considering it is such a soft pencil.
The colour 50 is a cross between terracotta and rose and would be a great dupe for MAC Spice lip pencil.









Metallic lipstick in number 175 (€22.90) which is a creamy deep plum with a metallic rosegold pigment running through it is a great accompany to the pencil.

The face powder (€28.90) is a very finely ground down soft powder that gives a lightweight natural matte finish.
It comes in a shaker style pot with added velour puff.

These products and much more are available from http://www.diegodallapalma.com and http://www.beautybay.com

A week in makeup tutorials

As we enter the party season our attention turns towards pretty looks for a night on the town. If you are looking for a christmas party look or new years eve inspiration, we might have just the look for you.

We started the week with a fab sparkling swarovski crystal smokey eye based on the look Nicole Scherzinger wore on X-factor and created by Alex Babsky.




Then Nic created a gorgeous smokey gold and bronze look teamed with a nude lip and soft pink blush based on Blake Lively's look.




A very much requested look on our Facebook and Twitter  pages was this Christina Aguilera inspired defined eye and bubblegum pink lip. A great look for those that like bright lips.




Something a little more simple, an easy autumnal look, balancing warm brown smokey eyes and berry lips.




...and back to a statement lip. A strong dark lip isn't for everyone but can look incredibly chic.
Nic creates a nude eye and deep red lip in this tutorial.

Christina Aguilera - Your Body

Absolutely loving a bit of Christina at the moment.
We think she looks amazing with a fuller figure, it really suits her.

Products Used

Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation 

Real Techniques Buffing Brush 

Mac Studio Finish Concealer

Real Techniques Domed Shadow Brush  

MAC Vanilla Eyeshadow 

MAC 217

MAC Copperplate Eyeshadow 

Louise Young LY38B

MAC Vex Eyeshadow 

MAC Reflects Pearl 

MAC 239

Topshop Liner Ink

Louise Young LY24 

MAC Fascinating Eye Liner 

Sleek Make Up Face Contour Kit 

Real Techniques Contour Brush 

Avon Perfect Brow Pencil Blonde

Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara

MAC Embrace Me Lip Liner 

MAC Just Wonderful Lip Liner 

BeautyUK lipstick 3 Snob

Barry M Lipstick 129 

Amazing Shine Lashes 01 

Liz Earle Natural Ivory Loose Powder

Real Techniques Multi Task Brush  

Urban Decay Vice Palette & 24/7 Pencils

This autumn Urban Decay has launched their Vice palette.

The soft touch case is slimline with a large mirrored lid on the inside.
I love the slow opening lid when you push the button... but I'm easily pleased!

Containing 20 eye shadows that are all brand new shades.

Colours are mainly iridescent but there are a few matte texture shadows as well.

Colour pay off is good with the shades reflecting on the skin exactly how they appear in the palette, although I do find that primer potion helps to keep these shadows on.

There are a good selection of colours to blend together or wear individually.

A double ended brush is included which is made up of dual fibres.

One end is a longer stemmed blending brush and the other end a shorter haired flatter compact brush for application.

Another addition to the Urban Decay line up is the gorgeous Smoked 24/7 Eye Pencil Set.

Six pencils in which two are current shades, two are old favourites brought back into the line and two are brand new shades.

These shorter length pencils are ideal for fitting into your make up bag and are long lasting, waterproof and extra soft.

Colours are shimmering jewel tones with an additional black.

Pencils are perfect to line the eyes with but they are still soft enough to use all over the eyelid as a base for your eyeshadows.

They are easy to blend but found I needed to sharpen them after every use as the point soon wears down due to the softness.

The palette is £42 and the Pencil set is £26 and both are available from Debenhams and House of Fraser 

Paul and Jo Beauty sets

Parisian brand Paul and Jo have launched their beauty bags exclusive to ASOS for this Autumn/Winter 2012.
 We love the variety of retro bags that each contain different products.
 We have the set that includes this beautiful plastic zip up bag with a bright floral print.



Inside there is a hair and body mist which is a 60ml spritz that is lightly fragranced with a warm orange scent.
 The spray is lovely to have in your bag on a night out to spray over skin and hair to freshen up.
 Also included are blotting sheets in the same floral packaging as the bag.
 These are also a Saturday night essential for those with an oily skin type as they remove excess oil without disturbing the make up underneath.
 This particular pouch and contents is £15.00 but check out  http://www.asos.com   
for other bags available.

GlamGlow Mud mask

With advances in camera technology it's more important than ever to have flawless skin for those close up shots.

 Glamglow is a brand straight from Hollywood which prides itself on giving skin that camera ready soft glow finish.

 A two in one exfoliator this thick green clay contains Volcanic rock, French sea clay and Green tea leaf.

 These mineral rich ingredients help to resurface the skin, smooth, soften and add radiance.

 Impurities are absorbed without removing all of your skins natural oils.

 The added Chamomile helps to soothe and calm the skin also.

I massaged this mask all over face and decollete to exfoliate and then left on for 15 minutes.

 It dried off to a chalky white covering. Be sure not to leave it on after the 15 minutes otherwise it can feel extremely tight and uncomfortable.

Although not fragranced the natural ingredients have a strong scent which is not unpleasant.After looking through the ingredients I think it is the scent of Marigold that I can smell.

The results were exactly as stated.Super smooth skin that feels so soft.

My skin was a little pink afterward but I guess that's because of the active ingredients.

My skin is naturally combination but afterwards felt quite dry so I did have to slather on the moisturiser.

Priced at £22.50 for 15ml or £49.99 for 50ml it is definitely a more expensive luxury item.

This product is available in the US from http://www.glamglowmud.com and in the UK http://www.glamglowmud.co.uk

 

 

Alex Babsky Makeup Artist

Some people get starstruck by celebrities... not me, makeup artists are my A listers.

Back in the days of working the M.A.C Pro Store on Newburgh Street, I knew every single make-up artist that walked through that iron gated door. 

I knew the ones to avoid and the ones that I just wanted to serve in the hope that a little bit of their magical talent might transfer during the exchange of PPID Cards and eyeshadows. 

Of course none of them knew me, which is a great gauge of character... and also makes me sound like a mental stalker!

Alex Babsky is an exceptionally talented make-up artist and i'm pleased to say was always very lovely to me, the minion. 

I can't really tell you much more than that, a google search didn't throw up so much as a profile picture but you can see his amazing work below and more on the Frank Agency website or say 'Hi' to Alex on his Twitter page.

Last week Nicole Scherzinger appeared on X-factor in a dazzling black glitter, swarovski crystal combo. As expected, there was a deluge of requests on Twitter, Alex kindly sent me a full breakdown of how the look was created and the products he used and I tried to recreate the look to the best of my ability, I hope that you will like it. It's a great one for a christmas or new years party. Enjoy x

Best quality picture I could find, sorry.

Products used (products Alex used on Nicole are in red where different)

NARS Sheer Glow  (Armani Luminous Silk Foundation)

Anastasia BH Brow Wiz (MAC Stud Eyebrow Pencil)
Diego Della Palma - Eyebrow Fixer 12
MAC Wedge & Carbon (Bobbi Brown eyeshadow in Camel)
Clarins Kajal Kohl (Givenchy Magic Kajal)
NYC Showtime Mascara
Shadow Shields
Stargazer Glitter (Kryolan Black Glitter & Ben Nye Glitter Glue)
Swarovski Crystals (Jet, Mocha & Light Gold)
Nadine GA Eylure Lashes
Illamasqua Opulent Lipgloss
Ben Nye French Roast Pencil (MAC Vino Pencil)
Avon Plum Seduction Lipstick (MAC Media Lipstick)
Shu Uemura Loose Powder

Liz Earle Signature Foundation

Liz Earle has recently added colour cosmetics to their product line and with the amazing make up artist Jane Bradley as their make up ambassador we are excited to see what new launches they have instore.

We recently tried their Signature foundation. This 25ml bottle comes in nine different shades.
The colours seem to be a mixture of yellow and pink based which would suit skin tones from very fair through to mocha.

This lightweight coverage would be great for people who like their base natural.
It doesn't seem to be a foundation that can be built up as it remains sheer on the skin.
If you prefer a heavier coverage you could team it up with a concealer to give you a fuller cover.
The finish has a slight sheen that resembles a natural skin glow but I found once the foundation set it felt quite matte.

I think this foundation would sit nicely on an oily rather than dry skin as the matte texture settled into  dry patches on my skin which made it slightly more visible under a camera flash.

The first thing I do when testing products out is smell them! This foundation (and all of Liz Earles products) smell lovely!

£21.00 and available now from http://uk.lizearle.com 

Beauty'in Beauty Drink

We are what we eat and as a lover of naughty food I need all the help I can to get my 5 a day fruit and veg!
I often have a selection of sweets and cakes on my desk but today I had a beauty drink and beauty candy.
 This Brazilian brand claims that this drink combines vitamins and minerals, fruit and digestible collagen all blitzed into a refreshing liquid.
 The idea is that by frequently drinking this the body is boosted by essential nutrients and an improvement in health will be seen.
 The collagen it contains is called Hydrolyzed Collagen and whilst it is the body's natural protein it helps form the fibres which give skin its firmness and elasticity.

The main bottle contains the flavoured water whilst the cap holds the powdered active ingredient.
 After twisting the cap and pushing down the powder is released into the water.

These drinks come in eight flavours.Four are designed with beauty in mind and are targeted at anti ageing, strengthening hair and nails and supplementing the skin.
 A further four of the drinks are aimed well being and help to detox and boost your immune system.
They contain no sugar or preservatives and have 12 calories or fewer.

I tested B-Bright which is flavoured with Pear, Green tea and Coconut water and contains vitamin E, Calcium and the collagen I mentioned.

Results should be increased skin hydration and moisture.

It actually tasted quite nice and really refreshing although would taste better chilled as advised(not warm as I drank it). I can really taste the pear more than anything else.
 I would actually buy this but would prefer it if it was in a smaller measure as 340ml felt like a lot of hard work to get through.

I have only drank it the once so imagine I won't be seeing too many instant results but it can only be a positive addition to any ones diet.

Beauty Candy is also available for people who are more partial to eating these vitamins.
 As I am a real sweet addict I ate these little chewy sweets in 10 minutes flat (not a good idea due to the laxative effect it has on some people!!) but they are more designed to snack on as and when you need them.

You can get your hands on these products from Selfridges now or online at http://www.selfridges.com
The Beauty drink is £3.50 and the Candy is £2.50 for a small box or £8.50 for a large box.