Mac Blue Brown Pigment

For this blog post I'm gonna take you back... Old School... Well... Not really, but I am going to talk to you about the first pigment I ever bought.
For those who have read previous posts, I've mentioned a number of times how I like the look and finish that you get from a pigment as opposed to just an eyeshadow. (mainly because I like to have strong eye make up and pigments really POP on the lid)
So the first pigment I ever purchased, many years ago now was Mac's Blue Brown pigment. A pigment which I've recently fallen back in love with! Granted its not an every day kind of shade but it is a beauty none the less! The pigment also has a reddish tint to it which is perfect particularly if you have green eyes like me :-)
I have swatches the shade below so you can see it alone and also when applied on top of a black base (I used Illamasqua Entangle cream eyeshadow, but you could use a Mac paint pot or just a basic kohl liner) the other swatch is when I have added Mac's Reflex Transparent Teal pigment on top for extra sparkles! (L-R)
I think you will agree its a great shade and the two tone makes it different to other pigments out there (although Illamasqua do a similar one)
I have used the pigment all over the base of my eye in the picture below but if you aren't bold enough a little of this shade in the outer corners and crease will look fab!
I have blended the shade with Mac's Embark eyeshadow which is a matt reddish brown shade and highlighted using Mac's All That Glitters on the brow bone and inner corner.
Finished with a little black eyeshadow in the outer corners and a gel liner along the lash line (top and bottom)

The pigment like all Mac pigments will last you all day or night provided you use a primer first.

Hope you like!!
Rhian Xx

Spice It Up - Jessica Nail Polish Collection

I only have a little experience with Jessica polishes, I have two in my current collection. One being Witchy Wisteria (a purple shade with a hint of sparkle)and Juicy Melon (a peachy coral)
I purchase all of my Jessica polishes from The Vale Hotel Spa, and when I first heard about this collection I was keen to see if the items were in stock. In all honesty it was difficult to pick which colour to havens they were all so beautiful.
In the end after much deliberation I opted for Cinnamon Kiss.
The coverage of all Jessica nail polishes is great and if in a hurry one coat will see you through an evening but as with most polishes two coats is always the best option.
The range consists of 6 shades.
Cinnamon Kiss
Pumpkin Delight
Crimson Tattoo
Ginger Snap
Champagne Bubbles
Brown Sugar
All polishes retail for £9.75

Cinnamon Kiss was the shade I opted for on Christmas Day with a glitter accent nail. Perfect for the festive period and glamorous enough to carry through all year round too.

Why not check out the website an pick your perfect Spice it Up shade.

http://www.jessica-nails.co.uk/

Rhian Xx

Party Make Up

My previous post featured an Inglot Body Sparkle, so I have decided to use this product to create a look perfect for the party season.

Main products that I have used for this look are;
Gel Liner
Kohl Liner
Smokey Shade Eyeshadows
Inglot Body Sparkles #59
Black Mascara
Eyelure false lashes in London Calling
Eye Brow Cake in Thunder by Illamasqua
Eyeshadow Primer

To create the look I applied my foundation base to the eye area ( due to using a loose product I would advise you to apply the rest of your make up afterwards ) then applied an eyeshadow primer (I used Urban Decay's Primer Potion)

You can use any grey/black smokey eyeshadow combination for this look as this only provides the base and you will be covering the majority of it with some wonderful sparkly pigment soon enough. If you aren't sure on how to apply smokey shadows, the way most sets are designed is a mix of three shades, light, medium and dark.... Apply the lighter shade to the inner corner and brow bone, the medium shade to the remainder of the lid and the dark shade to the outer corner and in the crease. 

Once the smokey shadow is applied you can start applying the Inglot body sparkle to your eye. Place from the inner corner outwards... Pressing the loose product in to the lid to make sure it sticks (you can reapply some primer to be extra sure the product sticks or use an eyeshadow glue or cream shadow of a similar shade) Take this shade 3/4's long the lid leaving the outer corner. (For extra sparkle apply to the inner corner of the lower lash line)

On the outer corner of the eye apply a black shade at an angle and blend outwards. (To intensify this look I used a black cream shadow and some black pigment but this is not necessary) take the black shadow to the lower lash line also.

You are now ready to apply your eyeliner, I used a gel liner on my upper lash line and a kohl liner for my waterline. 

Apply lashings of mascara and false lashes if you want an extra dramatic look.

To finish the look I applied Illamasqua Eyebrow Cake to my brows.... Whenever applying a heavy, dramatic eye look such as this I would always recommend added shading to your brows, whether it be a gel powder or pencil you will be surprised how much of a difference it makes to your face. I could not live without mine.

Why not combine with a nude lip? Or if you are feeling extra bold a bright pink or red? 

Have fun trying this look out..... Party hard!

Rhian Xx

Inglot Body Sparkles #59

I love eyeshadow.... But my favourite kind of finish is a loose pigment. Pigments are perfect for extra sparkle on a night out. My collection of pigments has grown dramatically in the last two years, starting off with a number of Mac shades and then being introduced to Illamasqua pure pigments which has now resulted in me owning 8 Illamasqua and 7 Mac pigments... There are also few Barry M Dazzle Dusts in my collection. This pigment however is a little different....
Not labelled as a pigment but a Body Sparkle... The Inglot #59 shade is the most beautiful irredescent sparkle shade.
It's a messy product to deal with, as is any glitter (remember playing with glitter as a child? Gets everywhere!) Due to its denser consistency it also requires a little more to stick to than usual pigments. Eye primer is essential when using any pigment, but this product sticks better with a glitter glue for eyes or a cream similar coloured eyeshadow.
I applied the glitter using a wet brush, to make sure I didn't make too much of a mess. You will undoubtedly get fall out when using a product like this so I always apply my eye make up first and the rest of my make up afterwards.
The product catches the light beautifully and you will without doubt be the centre of attention on a night out when using this little pot of wonderful!


Inglot Body Sparkle retails for £12

Rhian Xx

Max Factor All Day Flawless 3in1 Foundation

A primer, concealer and foundation all in one bottle would be the answer to every womans prayers. Well ladies, here it is!!
Max Factor has created a foundation that claims to do all of the above... And for the retail price of £12 it appears to be a bargain - But does it actually work?
This foundation first caught my eye while I was merrily browsing the make up section in My local Tesco.... I am normally very strict with the make up I buy and foundation inparticular. I would rarely stray away from my trusted Mac Studio Fix or Illamasqua Skin Base, but the draw of 3 products in 1 was too good to pass up, so I happily headed to the checkout.
I tried the foundation out the very next day, and was very happy with the coverage that it provided (something I m always very conscious about) It leaves a matt effect on the skin, and is great on its own without the need for powder foundation.
I'm not one for reapplying my make up... Except my lipgloss and the occassional touch of powder foundation throughout the day. And in fact this product didn't even require a touch up, my skin stayed matt throughout the day and lasted well too.
I am very happy with the product and would definitely invest in it for the future, as it's perfect for work and I can keep my Illamasqua for special occasions.

It comes in 6 different shades and I opted for 50-Natural

The Max Factor 3in1 foundation comes with the Rhian seal of approval and I would definitely recommend it. It's nice to use a product which delivers on its promises.

Rhian Xx

Foundation results! Perfect Finish