this works 'perfect look skin miracle'.

[looks like i'll be saying sorry yet again for the lack of posts. i honestly don't know how some people find the time to update their blog everyday, seriously. what about your jobs? driving lessons? school? manuscripts? JOBS? suffice to say i've been up to absolutely everything in the past fortnight, none of it being particularly fun (well, not 99% at least). hello stress, you old friend.]

recently i've been on the lookout for a tinted moisturiser to use during the summer, and had made up my mind to get the one by nars. however, my shade was sold out in three stockists (really? come on), and i wasn't that crazy about the product to go on a mad goose chase for it. so, i completely dropped the idea of getting it. a few days ago i managed to find some time to watch a lisa eldridge tutorial (unf, love her) and she recommended this. so, like a loyal little sheep, i went and got it. last one on the shelf baby. yessssss. i'm that bitch y'all love to hate.

this tinted moisturiser claims to hydrate and brighten the skin, and although i like it, i don't think it's anything particularly revolutionary. this is because it reminds me of clarins' beauty flash balm, but with the slightest tint - which is quite obvious seeing as the product itself is brown and has to be rubbed on. i also quite like the packaging (a tube with a pump) - but like a doofus i didn't take a picture of it. 

things you probably should know: it doesn't have a lot of coverage, nor is it dense. for that reason, i wouldn't really bank on this if you have skin problems or very dry skin - unless you want a non-greasy moisturiser to use as a primer, like me. i usually wear this before wearing a foundation with a matte finish, as it adds a little bit of shine but not too much. with that said, i can imagine this looking gorgeous if you're one of those people with absolutely perfect skin.

perfect look skin miracle turd.

what else is new...? well, it was my birthday yesterday. i spent it with a lot of family who came over as the rain dampened (GEDDIT, DAMPENED, RAIN, LOL) my plans for a boozy picnic. still coming to grips with my own age as we speak. this involves a lot of rocking and self-reassurance that i am not old...

top - american apparel.

face: this works perfect look skin miracle, sephora smoothing primer, mac face and body (c2), collection lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).

eyes: urban decay primer potion, urban decay naked palette (naked, hustle, buck), maybelline gel liner, rimmel kohl pencil, clinique high definition mascara (lower lashes), revlon 'grow luscious' mascara, ardell 120 demi false eyelashes, mac eyebrow pencil (stud), the body shop brow & lash gel.

cheeks: duwop (peach), no 7 illuminator (peach).

lips: mac (modesty).

as you can probably tell, i went for a smokey eye with some neutral shades all over the lid - and this is definitely the sort of make-up i've been wearing as of late. i've also rediscovered my duwop blush which i love to death (a+ would recommend) and have been wearing that everyday aswell. and last but not least, some moschino shoe porn. i finally had an excuse to wear these! YEAH!

i hope that everyone has a fabulous jubilee weekend!

ps - i wrote a guest post for urban butterfly on vintage lipsticks. perfect for any retro laydeez. give it a read!

grey smokey eyes.

man, i'm still sick as a dog. that and the fact that my exam is next week doesn't really make for a happy jasmine. see how pained i look? how frizzy my hair is? i haven't been leaving the house, i've put on 2lbs, and i'm just generally pissed off. nevertheless, i put my happy face on and went to the cinema to see avengers assemble yesterday with my brother. it was really good.

the make-up i wore wasn't really my usual. the truth of the matter is, i suck at eye make-up. i'm not even going to pretend otherwise. the only thing i'm a master of is eyeliner, but that's only because i've been wearing it since 2005. smokey eyes? nooooo thank you. but, i fancied a change... and seeing as i'm nowhere near good enough to do some kind of all-black smokey eye, i thought i'd ease into it with grey and black.

the colours i used were 'creep' and 'gunmental' from urban decay's original naked palette - two shades which really don't get the love they deserve. i really can't explain how much i love gunmetal... it's one of those shades where, even though i don't wear it every day, i would still want to have if it was sold separately. it's just this really awesome blue-grey and completely unlike anything else in the palette.

but yeah, i didn't make a massive mess out of it for once. i think my biggest problem is my eye-shape. i don't really have hooded eyes (i think?), but my socket line is elusive so i essentially have to draw one on by working backwards. i used a small brush to draw the outline of my eye make-up (i.e. where my pretend socket line will go) with creep, then blended it out using urban decay's crease brush. i then applied gunmetal onto the lid using a normal eyeshadow brush (i think the one i used was by no 7), not going past the crease line i had drawn on. then, i blended everything using a mac 217 and added bits of grey and black where it was needed.

 see where that awkward crease line is? what even is that. seriously.

face: 17 primer, mac studio fix fluid on nose (nw30), bourjois healthy mix foundation (52), collection lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).

eyes: urban decay primer potion, urban decay eyeshadows (creep, gunmetal), maybelline gel liner, rimmel kohl pencil, benefit 'they're real!' mascara, mac eyebrow pencil (stud), the body shop brow & lash gel.

cheeks: bourjois (rose ambré), no 7 vital enlightening highlighter powder.

lips: 17 (bon bon) used as a stain, vaseline.

review: real techniques stippling brush by samantha chapman.

i'm soooooorry. i know, i know. you're probably gagging and clawing away at your own face, having seeing yet ANOTHER review about the real techniques brushes that were designed by samantha chapman (who is one half of pixiwoo). i guess the hype stems from the fact that they use this brush a lot in their tutorials (so i've heard). i admittedly haven't watched any pixiwoo tutorials in a long while simply because i haven't had the time, but seeing as i didn't own a stippling brush up until now, i was curious about it.

this brush is designed for buffing in foundation, but i just don't see myself using it that way. it's probably just me with my massive head (because i'm so brainy, obviously) but the brush just seems too small for that - so i'll be sticking with my beloved kabuki brush. instead, i find more use in this brush for cream products or things which may not work as well as 'regular' brushes such as illamasqua skin base, topshop cream blushes, liquid highlighters... things like that.

there is one product in particular which this has been a godsend for. unlike the above products (where i could just use my fingers), i sometimes struggle to use nars' multiples on my cheeks. if i use my fingers it could look uneven, and using normal blusher brushes just doesn't pick up enough product. so, the stippling brush is absolutely super for that! it's small enough to control how you are applying the cream product on your face, but wide/dense enough to get a decent amount of product on. i only found this out today though.

face: no 7 'beautiful skin' day cream, 17 primer, bourjois healthy mix foundation (52), collection lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: urban decay primer potion, benefit creaseless cream eyeshadow (get figgy), rimmel kohl pencil, maybelline gel liner, revlon 'grow luscious' mascara, mac eyebrow pencil (stud), the body shop brow & lash gel.
cheeks: topshop (neon rose), benefit gilded highlighter (tangerine gold).
lips: revlon 'just bitten' lipstain (passion).

what i also really liked is how it feels. it's not as soft as brushes by the body shop or urban decay, but softer than mac. i also love how it buffs blusher into the skin and gives it a really soft-looking, more polished effect. would i recommend this to absolutely everyone? no. i only think it's a must-have if you're a blusher fiend like me and have a lot of cream blushes, or have less of a football head than i do and could use a small brush to buff in your foundation.

cons? oddly enough, i don't think i really have any. like i keep saying, i think it'd be pretty cool if they brought out a bigger version of this that would buff liquid foundation quickly. all in all, i'm just pleased that samantha chapman has obviously made people think about buffing in products into their skin. it really does make the world of difference (~i did it before it was mainstream guise~) in terms of finish and how polished your make-up looks.

in other news: i submitted my 21,000 words! but as time passes, more doubt creeps into my mind. i'm starting to think that all of those words were terrible. that aside, i also get to enjoy an extra £112 per month all to myself as i'm no longer having to commute. recently i used some of that and treated myself to this crystal-encrusted bracelet (which won't surprise those who have read my previous jewellery post). it reminds me of cleopatra, medusa, basically ALL of the historical/mythological bad bitches out there. what do you think?

bracelet - kenneth jay lane.

17 lipstick in 'deep secret'.

i was in boots recently. why? because i needed wax strips. did i get them? no. i've been in boots a handful of times recently and keep forgetting each time - so i'm suspecting an early case of alzheimers. i mean, that's clearly the obvious answer to all of this. anyway. i was just having a look at the make-up and saw a gorgeous shot for 17 cosmetics where the model had a beautiful sort of brown-pink shade on her lips. i asked vanesa what she had used, and once she told me, i was in boots yet again. rather than buy the one lipstick like a normal human being (which i will review soon), i sort of went a bit mad and bought 3. alzheimers breakdown? yeah, that.

i also got my hair cut in a bid to distract myself from a hospital visit...

one of the shades i went for is called 'deep secret'. i was still on the hunt for the perfect plum shade - seeing as the weather is way too cold and i am way too ~emo~ to embrace anything that is colourful - and at just over £4 each, i figured that it wouldn't be too dear if i tried it out and didn't like it. i appreciate that the bullet itself does look rather full-on and scary, but don't be fooled! it's honestly very wearable.

i admittedly don't have much experience with 17's lipsticks bar a few dodgy shades i bought when i was 15 or 16 - the only products i use constantly are their nail polishers and primers. to my delight, the lipstick had really decent pigmentation and felt nice on the lips. it's creamy for sure, but a different kind of creamy to say, mac cremesheen lipsticks (this just sounds like i'm typing gibberish doesn't it...). it feels light, is moisturising, and it just feels like a really fresh product rather than an oversized crayon - which is something that is unfortunately prevalent among cheaper lipsticks. how do i know this? well, i put the shade through its paces and wore it to my friend's birthday meal. i had a dinner few snacks beforehand and the lipstick had stayed put. however, it didn't last once i devoured an entire pizza by myself, leaving a nice stain instead. maybe i'd be irritated if i paid over £20 for the lipstick, but for £4? it did a bloody good job.

as for my make-up, i am going to hold my hands up and admit that i caked. it. ON. the stress in my life caused by endless bad news has caused my skin to have a complete breakdown. anything you see is literally drawn on (well, by my standards anyway), as i have really spotty skin at the moment and the beautician completely butchered my brows. i went for a high-arched brow with cat flicks on the eyes, to keep it classic. as for the eyeshadow, i went for a pinky grey finish all over the lid with subtle contouring - half to complement the lipstick, and half to hide the dark circles around my eyes. it doesn't show here, but i also pressed some of urban decay's 'cherry' onto my eyelids for a little bit of shimmer.

before i styled my hair. look at it - a total frizzball. that's how close i am with you guys. :'(

face: sephora base lissante, mac studio fix fluid (nw30), collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: urban decay primer potion, urban decay eyeshadows (virgin, naked, cherry), revlon colourstay 12 hour eyeshadow palette (in the buff, second colour), rimmel exaggerate liquid liner, maybelline gel liner, tiniest bit of nars eyeshadow palette (arabian nights), ruby and millie eyeliner (brown/black), mac brow pencil (stud), the body shop brow & lash gel, benefit 'they're real!' mascara.
cheeks: mac blush (well dressed), no 7 vital illuminating highlighter powder.
lips: 17 (deep secret).

here is also a swatch of it - but don't be fooled by how sheer it looks. usually i apply a balm before applying any lipstick ('whipstick' by lush) hence why it came out looking like that. obviously when i reapplied the lipstick it was more intense, but this just proves how wearable it can be and how you can tone it down if you want to. it's also photographed as pink, but it really is more purple in person.

ps - i'm still attempting that bloody 'banish fat, boost metabolism' challenge. it is bloody hard and then some. i hate you blog, because you make me feel guilty whenever i want to quit which, as it stands, is at least 3 times during each workout. i'm sort of lagging with it though due to a foot injury.

review: estée lauder idealist even skintone illuminator.

last week i was flicking through stylist magazine when this advert for estée lauder's even skintone illuminator caught my eye. i admit that i have limited experience with the brand (we fell out once they discontinued my favourite eyebrow pencil) and so i was doubly intrigued by this new product.

it purports to be some kind of super base (BOOMBADABABOOMBADADA BASS... sorry) and promises to even out complexions and minimise the appearance of blemishes, all while illuminating the skin. definitely the sort of product i've been looking for since the dawn of time. i therefore had made up my mind and go and seek it out... that is until...

nails - barry m (peach melba).

... a sample was waiting for me further on in the magazine! woohoo! it was clearly fate. i do wish that more magazines gave more cosmetic samples rather than perfume samples (one sniff and the joy is over) or foundation samples (which won't cater for everyone) to be honest. so, i went home rather chuffed and excited to try it out.

now, i'm going to be mean and give you nightmares but this has to be done: a 'before' photo of my skin without any make-up on. i mean, i personally couldn't care less but i understand that some of you may be easily traumatised - and consider this a disclaimer, because i am not paying for any therapy you may require thereafter. as you have probably gathered, my skin is pore central, with dark circles around my eyes. i have some redness on my cheeks and around my nose, along with some old scars from spots. i also have eyebags large enough to store britain's debt.

before.

my first impressions of the product were good - it looked like a yellowy, tinted lotion, and had a lovely citrus smell. i applied it sparingly at first, and then looked in the mirror. hmm, no change. i then applied some more. once again, no change. i then used up all of the sample, and failed yet again to see any sort of even complexion before me. this irked me somewhat, for sure.

by this point the product felt quite thick on my face, and took a while to absorb into the skin. it does illuminate your skin, but frankly, i fail to see how it wouldn't - because even moisturising can accomplish the same effect. however, i do believe that it would act as a nice base for make-up, as my foundation glided on top and stayed put all day... but that isn't something that my (cheaper) primers are incapable of.

after.

suffice to say, i'm glad that i got the chance to try before i buy, because it really didn't work for me. it costs £46 (OUCH!) and boy, i'm so happy my money didn't go down the drain. sorry estée lauder! in other news, i'm really enjoying brick tones (so oranges, reds, browns, terracottas) as of late because it warms up my face. it's definitely more of a summer look but i'm so wild and crazy and off the rails that i'm wearing it now.

 jumper - river island.

face: estée lauder even skintone illuminator, no 7 essential natural mineral foundation (220 light beige), bourjois healthy mix foundation (2), collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: maybelline gel liner, mac studio fix lash (black), mac eyebrow pencil (stud), the body shop brow & lash gel.
cheeks: bourjois delice de poudre bronzing powder, sleek blush (rose gold), no 7 vital illuminating highlighter powder.
lips: chanel (a mysterious shade from a long time ago - the label has rubbed off).

the shade of this lipstick is killing me. it's from a long time ago (much longer than i'd like to admit) so if you suspect you know the shade name, do let me know! it's definitely discontinued though which is a shame. it's a nice orange terracotta and completely unlike anything out there right now - which is probably testament to how old it is, hence it being out of style! haha.

light pink lips.

disaster has struck. my beloved 500gb external hard drive (the only man in my life) has died on me, rendering me a widow. however, unlike most widows, i am refusing to accept that it's over and am trying all sorts to resuscitate it. is that a bit creepy? possibly. i'm really stressing out as my entire life is on it. essaying is also going so-so, but i've scheduled today as my turning point where i actually get a lot done besides that. so basically: please just wish me luck with everything.

as i'm still not really going out or seeing friends anymore, i've been keeping it safe with my make-up. my skin is pretty good right now (touch wood) so i haven't needed to do much any real concealing or use any illuminating products to breathe life into my skin. i think it's the combination of exercise, drinking water and some products i use - because it certainly ain't my diet...!

nails - models own pro (hot salmon).

i now go for a natural look with cat-eye flicks on the ends of my eyes and light pink lips. i only apply liner to the outer corner of my eyes (as it makes them appear bigger), rather than how i usually wear it where i use liner on the entire upper lash line. if i took that line across, it'd be more graphic for sure (perfect if you want to do a 60s take on eye make-up) - but it wouldn't make my eyes look as big.

face: no 7 beautiful skin day cream, 17 primer, bourjois healthy mix foundation (52), collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), maybelline gel liner, revlon 'grow luscious' mascara, mac eyebrow pencil (stud).
cheeks: topshop (pop).
lips: revlon (pink in the afternoon).

as for the lips (revlon's 'pink in the afternoon'), well, i really like this shade. so much so that i took it upon myself to buy it for a friend too! i think that it would suit a large variety of complexions even if it may seem a bit on the light side, because it's rosy.... and not one of those horrendous milky pinks that barely suit anyone.

i've also been wearing my little poodle around. this was a present for my birthday from a friend, and i absolutely love it - if i'm not mistaken, she purchased it from accessorize. reminds me of paris a little bit. animal accessories are definitely one of my greatest passions in life.

stress.

i am so stressed, and quite panicky over my workload. so, this is a quick post as to what my current make-up looks like with minimal text unfortunately. i'm re-loving revlon's 'wild orchid' all over again, and really love the way it photographs. it's a beautiful pink.

face: 17 primer, illamasqua skin base (10), collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), maybelline gel liner, max factor false lash effect mascara,  mac eyebrow pencil (stud), the body shop brow and lash gel.
cheeks: illamasqua blush (lover), no 7 vital illuminating highlighter powder.
lips: revlon (wild orchid).

nude.

eek, i've been a busy bee - haven't done a fotd post in a while have i? sorry blog. i'm working very hard on my essay (there aren't enough hours in the day, seriously) and casually saved 2,500 words i accidentally deleted from it earlier today. awwwwwwwww yeah. saved myself from my own retardation. maxine is staying round mine this weekend too but will be gone during the days (london edge, dah-ling) so i'm hoping to essay all day whilst she's gone. not to mention my 30 day shred. and then we'll have super hang out time in the evenings, possibly with pizza. sorry jillian.

because of my hectic workload, i've really been liking nude lips. i'm liking this kind of look because it's quite low-key and easy to do; it's a way of looking 'done' in 5 minutes even if you are feeling massively trampy and unglamourous. the only thing that used to put me off nude lips was their capability of looking very, very wrong. for example, i once found a shade lighter than my face, which to my horror, was then recommended to me by a sales assistant. um, okay lady. it would have looked awful! can you imagine?! (actually, i think i'll save you the trouble). you can also sometimes look washed out, or find a shade that's so nude, it's a total waste of money...

face: 17 primer, mac studio fix foundation (nw30), collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: urban decay primer potion, urban decay eyeshadow (naked), revlon 8-hour colourstay quad (in the buff, second colour), rimmel exaggerate liquid liner (black), no 7 amazing eyes pencil (brown), benefit 'they're real!' mascara, mac eyebrow pencil (stud), the body shop brow & lash gel.
cheeks: nars multiple (portofino), no 7 vital illuminating highlighter powder.
lips: no 7 lip pencil (nude), mac lipstick (modesty), no 7 high gloss (smile).

sometimes i think that this lipstick, mac's 'modesty', isn't always right for me. today was one of those days so i changed the colour of the base with lip liner all over the lips, and then added gloss with the tiniest tint imaginable just to make it a little less milky and more... pinky. works quite well i think! the end result is like a nude equivalent of one of my all-time favourites, mac's 'see sheer'.

i'm also wearing my hair in my old old style. i'd been curling my hair with wide-barrelled ghd straighteners for ages now and got so bored of it. it would take 5 minutes, whereas this takes 10. i do like me some waves. please excuse the extremely-poor, half-arsed attempt at doing a swooshy hair shot.  

i'm hoping to write 6,000 words from today until sunday. wish me luck!

no 7 'vital brights' spring collection 2012.

i did it. i caved. i strolled right into boots and did the very thing i said i wouldn't do: i bought things i technically didn't need. 

... i feel so dirty and ashamed! this is indeed the limited edition spring collection for no 7, and combined with the 3 for 2 offer, i was helpless. i was vulnerable. now i'm not one for 'haul' posts (this is a baby haul) where there are just photos of the products, but isn't the packaging so fresh and pretty? 'vital brights' seems to be all about dewy, natural skin and bright colours that pop. the collection - off the top of my head - consists of a palette, highlighter powder, two cream blushers & two lipsticks. i skipped the palettes as i never use them, and the two cream blushes, as gorgeous as they were, were almost identical to the cream blushers i have from topshop in 'neon rose' and 'high five'  (which i have). i swatched them though, and they are creamy, highly pigmented and easy to blend - so if you missed out on the topshop blushers, then this is another option. unless you missed out on these too. whoops.

first of all, the highlighting powder. i have never used a powder which has pink/peach undertones and this was so lovely that i almost didn't want to use it! the inside (plus the shade) reminds me of laura mercier's face illuminator powder, which is great for those of us who can't afford it. i found it really easy to use and really light on the skin, despite how very shimmery it is (note: use sparingly!). it really does feel like a high-end product and i'm very happy with it.

i definitely see this becoming a daily staple... especially seeing as my beloved no 7 illuminator has to have the crappiest packaging of all time and is giving me grief.

i also picked up this lipstick, called 'blossoming pink'. what can i say, i'm a sucker for pink lipstick. it was met with a rolling of the eyes from my dear mother though. truth be told i am a little bit disappointed that no 7 didn't put the floral print on the tube, but it still looks clean and crisp in gold and white. don't be fooled by how pink it is though, because the finish is supposed to be a sheer balm formulation. now i knew this from the start so i wasn't surprised there, but i'm just warning those who might have not known and think that this is the pink lipstick of their dreams. i really do like no 7's sheer lipsticks, because they're creamy and have decent lasting power - so for what it's worth, i do recommend them. as i didn't have a sheer lipstick with a pink tint, i was really keen to have this.

i'm not sure if the colour is for me though. it's very light and pink! i applied my make-up in a rush (i am ill and therefore a shell of my former self) otherwise i would've built up the colour to fit with my complexion a bit better.

face: 17 primer, bourjois healthy mix foundation (52), collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light).
eyes: urban decay 24/7 eye pencil (lust), mac studio fix lash (black), mac eyebrow pencil (stud).
cheeks: topshop (high five).
lips: no 7 (blossoming pink).

finish everything off with my beloved emilio pucci wellies and off i go!

a post about brows.

bleurgh. that is how i feel in a nutshell. just pure BLEURGH. i've been feeling so tired recently, and feel like i'm going through one of those weeks i'm just bloated and gross... not to mention with a load of stress thrown on top... and a horrible cold. sexy, right? ha. i have so many deadlines and the pressure is really getting to me but i'm hoping to make real progress this weekend.

for that reason, i've been keeping my make-up simple. now i usually just line my eyes with kohl and pencil in my brows so that they look thicker and more arched - but nothing beyond that i'm afraid. talk about boring! unfortunately i'm not much of an expert when it comes to brow products, as i have never attempted using powder or eyeshadow in my brows (they are already dark and thick, and i'm worried it would just be brow overload). instead i use my beloved brow pencil from mac, which has great staying power and a thin tip so that you can draw on individual hairs for a natural look. it's this tip which sets it apart from other eyebrow pencils i've used from other brands (e.g. estée lauder). if i've altered the shape of my brows and want it to stay on for even longer, i use a brow gel from the body shop to seal it in place.

the way i make it more arched is really simple. using an eyebrow brush (everyone must have one, surely), i brush my eyebrows down. then, i begin by filling in any obvious gaps. i then slowly draw on the arch - where it would be if i had one, that is - and keep going back and forth to make sure my brows look the same. then, brush your brows back up and voila! done. it really is that simple. if your brows are naturally quite identical, it will take a matter of seconds.

one thing i miss about the middle east (probably the only thing i miss) is how amazing their girls are at threading. they know how to thread and shape brows without making them look thin or awkward on the face. now my brows just look a state and i'm far too apathetic to do anything about it. my eyebrows are naturally a weird round shape, and only those girls know what to do with them - weep. if anyone knows any middle-eastern salons in london, do let me know!

face: 17 primer, mac studio fix fluid (nw30), collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skin finish (medium plus).
eyes: bourjois bronzing powder, illamasqua fine pencil (eerie), maybelline gel liner, mac studio fix lash (black), mac eyebrow pencil (stud), the body shop brow & lash gel.
cheeks: bourjois bronzing powder, no 7 illuminator (peach), nars blush (orgasm).
lips: mac (see sheer).

sorry for such a miserable post. i feel like i'm becoming the unluckiest person on the planet, 2012 is letting me down man!

kung hei fat choi!

yesterday was chinese new year. happy new year if you were celebrating! i went out to chinatown with a few chinese friends and we had a meal. it was nice even if i ate about 50kg of pure carb. i've recently just been eating a lot of far-eastern food actually, and would love to learn how to make it. dim sum. sushi. kare lomen from wagamam's. raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar food porn.

to channel my inner china/dragon/communist fan, i went for a block of red shadow on the eyes. red eyeshadow is one of those things which can easily tread that fine line between 2005 emo and looking like your lenses have given you hell. i probably tick both boxes but i don't care, because thie pure pigment i used ('berber' by illamasqua) is absolutely beautiful and is definitely one of my all-time favourite purchases. i think it photographs beautifully and is so unique! i've honestly never seen any pigment like it still.

i could've easily toned it down by applying it with a mac 217 and blending out a lot of the shimmer but i thought that i'd go all out. i patted the colour on my lid using a no 7 eyeshadow brush, and then used the 217 to blend it. i didn't line my lashes with black eyeliner as usual, just so the red could do the talkin'.

this dress is also unbuttoned because, to put it bluntly, cos forgot that girls below a size 10 may also need breathing space around their boobs. i felt that if i had buttoned it up, the buttons would pop and go flying into someone's dim sum. i paired it with a tiger brooch from kenneth jay lane. 

face: no 7 lift and luminate day cream, sephora base sublimatrice, mac studio fix fluid (nw30), collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skin finish (medium plus).
eyes: urban decay primer potion, urban decay 24/7 eye pencil (lucky), illamasqua pure pigment (berber), maybelline gel liner, mac studio fix lash (black), mac eyebrow pencil (stud).
cheeks: no 7 illuminator (peach), nars highlighter (albatross), mac blush (ladyblush).
lips: tiny bit of revlon (peach), clinique superbalm moisturising gloss (grapefruit).

grr.

how annoying! i hate it when you do your make-up and the sun sets. means i can't take proper pictures! nevertheless, here is what i wore (on my face that is) today. big lashes and dark lips.

face: clarins beauty flash balm, sephora base sublimatrice, mac studio fix fluid (nw30), collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), no 7 illuminator (peach), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: urban decay primer potion, urban decay eyeshadows (naked, buck, virgin), rimmel exaggerate liquid liner (black), illamasqua fine pencil (eerie), nars highlighter (albatross), mac studio fix lash (black), eyelure girls aloud false lashes (nicola), mac eyebrow pencil (stud).
cheeks: illamasqua cream pigment (hollow), duwop blush (peach).
lips: illamasqua (poison), sephora gloss (08).

my brooch still hasn't turned up. i've eliminated the taxi as a line of enquiry (wasn't there) so i only have two feasible explanations left: that it is at someone's house, or that it's simply awol in my own home. my friend is going to call the house for me on monday. keep praying!

illamasqua lipstick in 'drench'.

i remember it like it was yesterday. i must have woken up absurdly early, and having just opened my emails, i heard a ping. there it was. that horrible, HORRIBLE email i dread... the email from illamasqua, saying that their sale is on. i was totally helpless. like a moth to the flame, i went on the website, and bought more things i simply did not need (except one). to be fair i didn't go really crazy, but you'd think that with 30+ lipsticks and 5+ pairs of lashes, i wouldn't be going and buying more. 

generally speaking, i really do like illamasqua lipsticks. i've played around with a few of them but only own their matte shades for some bizarre reason, even though i keep telling myself to not buy more and go for their glossier lipsticks. despite the the brilliant colour range, their matte lipsticks really could do with being more creamy. i mean, if revlon can manage it, then c'mon. or maybe i'm being harsh. you see, illamasqua's mattes are actually far more tolerable than those of mac - but because i absolutely adore illamasqua's products, i just wish they'd work on that so i could love it even more. they've also got decent lasting power, and i really like the packaging too - definitely the best shaped bullet i've ever seen, perfect for creating a perfectly defined cupid's bow.

this is the shade i ordered, in 'drench'. i expected a fuchsia pink but instead received a pink-red which was a pleasant surprise. i haven't got any other shade like it but it's definitely in the same family (colourwise) as revlon's 'cherries in the snow'. application-wise it was the same old - great colour, little bit dry. i'm quite baffled as to how it's photographed with a bit of shine despite being matte though!  

jumper - river island, earrings - asos, brooch - dior.

face: 17 primer, mac studio fix fluid (nw30), collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: urban decay primer potion, revlon colourstay quad (in the buff, second colour), maybelline gel liner, max factor false lash effect mascara, mac eyebrow pencil (stud), the body shop brow & lash gel.
cheeks: illamasqua cream pigment (hollow), topshop blush (high five).
lips: illamasqua (drench).

all in all, i do like it. i received compliments on it and it's definitely really wearable. very decent for £7.50.

spring clean update: still in the fiery clutches of ebay hell. haven't made progress on jewellery.

review: clinique superbalm moisturizing gloss.

excuse my miserable mug. i am shattered - i went out yesterday afternoon, went out again in the evening, came home, edited a draft of something rather important until 1.30am, and then i cleaned a bit (whoops). point is, i am feeling it today. my skin is in bad condition because ahem, it is that time of the month (i pride myself on my ability to delve into tmi territory at all times) and so i wasn't in the mood to play around with my make-up. i just wanted to keep it simple and look as if i was barely wearing anything, when really i was. pure stealth.

in an old post of mine, i praised the body shop's lip balms for providing the perfect amount of gloss and hydration. i still do like them, but a new kid is on the block. i actually forgot i even bought this (the cardinal sin, buying something and then losing it in your vortex of a make-up box) and so it was a very pleasant surprise. FYI, still haven't bought any make-up. i'm doing well. i'm chill. chiller than cold turkey.

face: 17 primer, mac studio fix fluid (nw30), collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: maybelline gel liner, mac studio fix lash (black), mac eyebrow pencil (stud).
cheeks: sleek (rose gold).
lips: clinique superbalm moisturizing gloss (grapefruit) (WHAT A MOUTHFUL!)

to me, this is a really exciting product. i never would've thought that anything could top the aforementioned body shop balms but this does. you see, i'm not a massive fan of glosses. i find them too sticky, or lacking in lasting-power. this gloss/balm/beautiful creation is the perfect mix of the two, with none of that going on. i found it to be really wonderful, and my lips felt oddly hydrated whilst staying uber glossy for hours - and as this gloss does not contain glitter, it makes for a fantastic wet look. moreover, i have it in the shade "grapefruit" but as this product isn't scented or flavoured the shade names are literally just based on shade only. i really cannot wait to layer this on my lipsticks!

that gurl is poisoooon....

such a tune. it also shares the name of my lipstick today! anyway, my make-up for today was probably subconsciously influenced by my desire to watch this film. it is indeed 'the artist' and i'm absolutely dying to see it! no one else is interested so i may have to go it alone. i love musicals to death you see (i grew up watching all of them, thinking that one day i'd meet fred astaire and we'd be bff), but as the vast majority of my friends are boys, i have a hard time getting people to go with me. i once threatened to make them come with me to see priscilla: queen of the desert for my birthday i'll have you know. because i am that cruel.

back to make-up. oddly enough, i purchased this lipstick thinking it would be my staple for autumn 2011. however, when it came to it, i barely used it. not because i didn't like it, but because i had some kind of cold-induced breakdown where i needed the reds and pinks and oranges to lift my spirits. i love the colour as it is a very peculiar sort of purple, unlike nothing i've found elsewhere - and so i gave it another whirl today. illamasqua's lipsticks are definitely unique in terms of colour which is why i like them (when i can't find a particular colour stocked in mac etc., i know where to go!) and they are long-lasting, but i do wish that they were a touch more creamy. this particular shade has quite a matte finish so i'm assuming that's why it's lacking on the hydration front.

earrings - forever 21.

very film noire, non? i teamed it up with a grey smokey eye and the result is a soft take on what would otherwise be a very evening look. truth be told, i can't think of nothing worse than doing a smokey eye, because a) it gets messy, b) i don't think it suits me as much as it suits others and c) all that blending does my wrist in. 

face: no 7 lift and luminate day cream, 17 primer, mac studio fix fluid (nc35), collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).

eyes: urban decay primer potion, urban decay eyeshadows (virgin, gunmental, creep, hustle), nars highlighter (albatross), l'oreal stylo eyeliner (grey obsession), maybelline gel liner, max factor false lash effect mascara, mac eyebrow pencil (stud).

cheeks: nars (orgasm).

lips: illamasqua (poison).

i'm also loving this shade by gosh, called 'purple heart'. unfortunately the sloppy application is due to the fact that there's barely any of it left! :( and the penmarks on my hands are also naughty, i'm sorry. it's a dark purple which, in some lights, also looks green. i love it, and think it's a classic shade which will never go out of style.

back to work.

that day. that one day, post-christmas, where you have to return to society. whether it be work, school, university or a grocery shop, the 3am bedtimes and lie-ins are over and you have to become reacquainted with your worst enemy: the tube. unfortunately i am still recovering from the traumatic ordeal that is the central line, and so this will be a simple fotd post.

face: l'oreal studio secrets primer, mac studio fix fluid (nw30), collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: illamasqua cream pigment (hollow), rimmel exaggerate liquid liner, maybelline gel liner, mac studio fix lash (black), mac eyebrow pencil (stud).
cheeks: topshop (pop).
lips: collection 2000 creampuff lip cream (fairy cake).

2012.

i cannot believe 2011 is over!  it had extreme highs and lows but i anticipated that from the start. i'm usually quite opinionated on new year's eve (slurring "next year will be SHIT" with cocktail in hand) but i'm oddly neutral this year. 2012 could be good. it certainly has potential. resolutions? to maintain a healthy body and mind, and to not buy anything beauty-related. try not to let this blog die. you know, the usual.

i went through all of my make-up last night and fell in love all over again with a lot of old products. and i basically own everything now as it is... so i'm done. bye bye make-up, hello a less battered bank statement! and before anyone rolls their eyes thinking i won't do it, i'm incredibly determined. :) fortunately this blog was never about 'hauls' anyway, which i find relatively boring to read about. so, for today, here is the make-up i wore - all of it being old!

face: 17 primer, no 7 mineral foundation (light beige), collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (lightly all over lid), maybelline gel liner, max factor false lash effect mascara, mac eyebrow pencil (stud).
cheeks: nars multiple (portofino).
lips: sephora ultra-shine gloss (no 08).

i also wanted to share one of my favourite purchases during the sale reason! these earrings from mikey were an absolute steal and are definitely the sort of thing i lust over on a daily basis. :)

nars holiday 2011 collection: 'arabian nights'.

is it possible for fingers (i totally did not just type "fingurs") to get abs? i feel like i've just been living in some kind of constant type-a-thon bubble. i've been writing this hiv/aids paper throughout christmas (260 words over my limit, not happy with the second half either, kill me now)... and as of next week i'm beginning research for the next one! it's on the human right to a decent environment, linked to development. you'll undoubtedly know how i'm getting along with it eventually.

 anyway, back to business. my second christmas delight (and i mean ~*D-LITE*~) was this bad boy, from nars' holiday collection 2011. my friend was very, VERY naughty. she spent christmas with me, and was naughty in general buy buying me something. i must've tweeted something like "WAAAA WANT WAA NO MONEY WAWAWAWA" ages ago so you can imagine my suprise - and delight! - when i opened this up. isn't it just beautiful? it's called 'arabian nights', which i think is the perfect name. it's evocative, dark, sparkly, and sultry. completely unlike anything else i own.

i've never owned a nars eyeshadow before. it's so soft and easy to blend! and AH LAV IT. definitely has a grown-up and 'evening' feel to it, as all of the shades come out really dark. the only bad point is that if you want to do a smokey eye, you essentially blend out all of the glitter. i haven't applied it in this way yet but i suspect that applying it wet and patting it on heavily should sort that out. please excuse my hair, it was pre-braid and was taken in a total of around 30 seconds.

face: no 7 lift and luminate day cream, bourjois healthy mix foundation (52), collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: urban decay primer potion, maybelline gel liner, rimmel kohl pencil, nars palette (arabian nights), mac  superslick liquid eyeliner (black), urban decay eyeshadow (virgin), max factor false lash effect mascara, mac eyebrow pencil (stud). 
cheeks: mac (stunner).
lips: mac (modesty).

ps - my friend also bought us a potted plant which i kid you not, is also just as exciting. my beloved little plant is now in my bathroom, in a sunny spot, waiting to grow - and then i will move it elsewhere. i don't think many people know that i'm mad about gardening. my kitchen window is lined with orchids and if i am in london during the summers, i go beserk and plant lilies everywhere. i'm pretty sure that only two people were previously aware of this - and now, the internet. brilliant.

warm sparkly look.

here is how i wore my make-up on christmas day. unfortunately my beloved jimmy choo x h&m necklace has gone awol (and still is! i'm sending out a search party) and so i couldn't wear it as planned. :(

i went for a shimmery look on my eyes with bold lips and fresh skin - it was a festive occasion after all. sadly i didn't do anything glittery (i do love resembling a disco ball) or really 'out there' as my christmas was relatively low-key. that and i'm a wuss because i didn't want any make-up to irritate my eyes. i used bronzy browns, some gold, and a coppery red on the outer corners - although the finished result looks like something better suited to a summer holiday i feel, rather than a wintery christmas! don't be fooled by the pink lips either - i skipped red due to my anticipated non-stop eating and lightly dabbed on revlon's 'cherries in the snow' using my fingers. that's how it is when lightly dabbed! it looks like i've applied a lipstick fully...

face: sephora illuminating primer, bourjois healthy mix foundation (52), collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: urban decay primer potion, urban decay eyeshadows (smog, half baked), illamasqua pure pigment (berber), nars highlighter (albatross), maybelline gel liner, max factor false lash effect mascara, mac eyebrow pencil (stud).
cheeks: nars highlighter (albatross), nars multiple (portofino).
lips: revlon (cherries in the snow) with vaseline on top.

i also embraced the day of christmas with some tights adorned with crystals. forgot how much i love them!

in other news - well, i've seen so many pretty things i would love to own, but lack the money. asking my parents is an option, but i absolutely detest doing it (think i've asked once in the past two years, only because i had £3 in my bank account, o) and so i'm going to be on the hunt for some part-time work and selling a lot of stuff i don't need or use. i'm really loving costume jewellery but annoyingly enough, all the stuff i like costs an arm and a leg. i'm also back on my fitness binge, which i cruelly deserted for the past week and a half. when i say 'fitness binge', i mean FORCING myself to be sensible and doing exercise. it is horrible.