Illamasqua | Sculpting Powder Duo

Illamasqua | Sculpting Powder Duo | £26.00 | Link

Fellow bloggers, allow me to introduce you to another new addition to my cosmetic collection - Illamasqua's 'Sculpting Powder Duo'.  I swear I'm like a broken record on this blog, aren't I? I'm forever harping on about contouring products! I shan't tell porkies - it was another one of my little impulse purchases - but it's one that I knew for a fact I wouldn't regret. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you'll know that I'm a bit obsessed when it comes to all things contouring related - I'm a big fan of defined and sculpted cheekbones and my makeup never feels quite complete without a dusting of powder and a touch of highlighter.  As soon as I saw this duo on the ASOS website, I snapped it up right away.  I adore Illamasqua blushes and have recently purchased their 'Blush Up' brush which is perfect for contouring (post here) - so I knew I'd get lots of use from this compact - Illamasqua are always spot on with their pigmentation and consistency and I'm still yet to be disappointed by their products.

The palette consists of two shades - a matte contour named 'Heliopolis' and a champagne toned highlighter, 'Lumos'.  I personally don't think there's a great selection of sculpting products on the high street that work a treat - unless you want to pay a fortune! (Kevin Aucoin anyone?) Sleek's Contour Kit was as good as it got for me - and although I love it to bits, I have to admit I always find the contour shade far too bronze and orange toned for a perfectly natural look. That's why I jumped for joy when I stumbled upon Illamasqua's offering.  At £26, it isn't the cheapest duo on the market but it's one of the best powder contour products I've come across.  The matte contour shade is perfect for my skin tone - it isn't too dark or too light - it's just the perfect colour and I can imagine it will still blend seamlessly when I get a bit of a tan during the summer months.  Although it still has a slight hint of bronze, it doesn't have that orange tone that a lot of 'contour' products seem to have and it definitely leans more grey - perfect for creating a natural shadow. It lacks that warm tone that a lot of products on the market seem to have. I was unsure as to whether I'd like 'Lumos' or not - I'm admittedly hard to please when it comes to highlighters and I often find them too glittery or false looking.  But I've been pleasantly surprised - 'Lumos' is stunning. It's a gorgeous champagne tone which blends into the skin seamlessly and effortlessly and doesn't contain any glitter flecks (yay!). It gives that much desired 'soft-focus' finish and the consistency is unbelievably buttery - honestly, it's so soft and creamy! Only the lightest touch of a brush is needed so the palette is all set to last quite some time.

To apply, I simply use my Real Techniques Contouring Brush or a tapered contour brush that I have in my collection from Elf. I've also found that the Illamasqua 'Blush Up' brush mentioned above works wonders - especially with the matte bronze shade.  The duo gives a really subtle finish that can be built up for a stronger more defined look depending on what you're going for, and doesn't look harsh in daylight. I've also been using this kit for contouring the jawline and highlighting the brow bone.

Overall, it's a massive thumbs up from me.  I really cannot fault this duo one bit.  I was worried it might be too small to be worth the £26.00 price tag - but you get quite a decent bit of product for your money.  The compact is bigger than Illamasqua's standard blushes (I didn't know this as I've never owned any of their duos and just assumed it would be the same size) - it also comes with a mirror and is really lightweight - perfect for me as I will be taking this away on holiday over the summer! It gives that naturally enhanced look to the cheekbones without looking like you've tried to fake it - and the quality and pigmentation is second to none. Illamasqua has gone and done it again! 

Have you tried this palette? What's your favourite contouring product at the minute?

Mac's 'Harmony' Blush | Quick, Simple Contouring

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you will know that I am just a little obsessed with contouring and the whole 'sculpted' look.  I feel somewhat un-finished without a quick sweep of highlighting powder and a touch of bronzing powder along my cheekbones.  However, contouring every single day can be a bit of a faff - especially when you need to get out of the house pretty sharpishly! I really wanted something that made defining the cheekbones quick and easy for those days where you don't want to spend a great deal of time doing your make-up.  Mac's 'Harmony' blush is just the product I was looking for.  Although it may not look much in the pan, it's one of the most multi-functional, easy to use cheek products I've used and it makes creating a subtle contoured look simple, easy and quick to achieve.  I can only describe it as a mid-way between a bronzer and a blush - it definitely leans towards a bronzer, but the slight pink/red tones in it takes away any orangeness and provides it with a certain warmth that looks really natural when applied.  It is described on the Mac website as a 'muted rose-beige brown' and I would agree with that - it does have a certain 'hint' of rose in there - although it definitely is more toned down and extremely subtle.

All you need is a quick sweep and you're done in a swish (yes, I just said 'sweep' and 'swish' in the same sentence...couldn't resist!).  It instantly defines and gives a beautiful, natural effect without the need for any contouring techniques or time spent applying a variety of products and corresponding brushes - with 'Harmony', you can achieve that sculpted appearance quickly and easily with just one product and a blush brush.  The matte finish is perfect for sculpting the face as it doesn't contain any shimmers - it provides a smooth, natural look.  I simply use my Real Techniques blush brush to apply; gently sweeping it along the cheeks and blending out towards the hairline to create a soft, contoured look.  Instantly, it makes my cheekbones appear more defined and my cheeks appear a little brighter and healthier - it really is a sculpting powder and a blush rolled into one!  If I want a slightly more dramatic effect, I'll sometimes go in with my Real Techniques Contour brush and define a little more around the top of the cheekbones - but that's what so great about it - you're able to build up the colour lightly, to the level you're after.   I've even used a light dusting across my forehead and down the centre of the nose for a soft bronzed look.  It really is so easy to use.

If you're a little intimidated by bronzers or aren't too confident when it comes to contouring, I'd really recommend this little gem.  It looked wonderful with a tan over the summer, and looks even more striking now that my skin is paler - there is no doubt I will be using this throughout winter.  It's perfect for uni as it looks more natural for a daytime look, and it's so quick and easy to do.  It is very much one of those 'sweep and go' kind of products.  The soft, rosey-brown colour is also perfect for this time of year - it's understated, simple and will compliment almost any make-up look - the perfect finishing touch!  I didn't take a photograph of me wearing it specifically for this post, but if you're itching to get an idea of what it looks like when worn, then I used it for this little FOTD in this recent post.  Also, whilst we are on the subject of contouring, I  have a simple tutorial here if you're after some ideas, and I've written about another one of my all-time favourite sculpting products here. 

Have you tried Mac's Harmony? What is your favourite go-to blush right now?

Lord & Berry | Luminizer Stick

Lord & Berry | Luminzer Stick | £12.00

For a while now, I've been on the hunt for a creamy highlighter that I can carry with me when I'm on the go.  I've had a select few of the Nars Multiples on my wish list for quite some time, and have debated with myself whether or not to invest in Benefit's 'Watts Up' - but really, when it comes down to it, I just don't fancy the price tag.  I wanted to hunt for a cheaper option, and immediately took to ASOS to browse their beauty section (a standard Sunday night past-time I shall never tire of). When I first began writing my blog, I mentioned and reviewed one of Lord & Berry's lipstick crayons (a must-have item for those of you who love a lippie or two..) - it still remains one of my firm summer favourites and when I saw their 'Luminzer Stick' - I threw it straight in the virtual basket.

The Luminizer Stick simply twists up from the bullet, and can be applied to the cheekbones, brow bone or any other area you wish to highlight. As you're all probably aware, I'm a bit of a contouring addict so having something like this in my makeup collection is very handy for on the go touch-ups.  I usually favour a powder highlight, but just recently I've been applying this over my foundation to give more of a natural, dewy finish and it works wonders. You don't need much at all, and because of the creamy texture it's very blendable and smooths onto the skin easily.  Wear time is a little less than my trusty Nars 'Albatross' - it does seem to fade a little easier but since I can carry this in my make-up bag in a handy little tube, I can overlook this. The consistency is quite thin, and is a little slippery, but I find it very easy to work with as it means blending and smoothing it in is a doddle.

The shade I have leans more towards a yellow, silvery tone and works very well with my skintone as it isn't overly warm. I couldn't see any other shades available on the ASOS website, and I can't seem to hunt down an alternative option on their website - there seems to be little or no variation in the shade selection - but personally this wouldn't fuss me too much as I prefer shades like this compared with warmer, pink shades anyway. The colour really brightens the complexion and I can't wait to bring this little beauty out in the summer once I start moving towards cream products on a more day-to-day basis. On tanned skin I can imagine this will look stunning.

I can safely say Lord & Berry have the potential to become a firm favourite of mine - their prices are spot on, the quality of the two products I've tried so far has been absolutely tip-top and I love the simplicity of the packaging (everything comes in a little box - yippee!) They most certainly need to be more well-known here on the bloggersphere and I urge you all to have a little nosey at the collection. I'm so glad I popped this little gem into my recent order with ASOS, and I can't wait to try some of their eyeliners next - I might even accidentally-on purpose slip another little lipstick crayon in there as well..

You can find the Lord & Berry website here

Or take advantage of student discount on ASOS here

 Have you tried any Lord & Berry products? What would you recommend from the range? Please do let me know if you decide to try anything from them! I'd love to know your thoughts.

 

Nars | Highlighting Powder in 'Albatross'

Nars Highlighting Powder in 'Albatross' | £21.00 | John Lewis (link)

Nars is fast becoming one of my go-to high end brands for makeup. Their eyeshadows are among some of the best I've ever tried, and I must admit I'm a huge lover of their 'Laguna' bronzer and blush powders.  Next on my list of things to try was their ever popular 'Albatross' highlighter - a beautiful white powder that blends into a yellow-toned bright highlight colour, perfect for cheekbones and contouring.  During the winter, my skin can tend to look very dull and lifeless, and I often feel as if it needs a little bit of lift; this is the perfect product for doing just that, as it brings light to the cheekbones and generally just makes you look more awake and fresh-faced. Perfect for those mornings when you feel far from bright-eyed and bushy tailed!

I apply this using my Real Techniques contouring brush (seen in a recent post here), and just the tiniest amount is all you need as it's very decently pigmented, - you do have to build it up rather than applying lots to begin with.  I'm really into contouring and concentrating on my skin-base at the moment, and I've been using this daily since Christmas - to say I've hardly tapped into the surface says a lot about the quality of Nars products - they last ages. 

The powder looks pure white in the pan, but when blended merges into a gold/yellow toned white that looks both natural and flattering as a highlighting colour.  It also doesn't look overly shimmery which completely wins me over when it comes down to highlighting products - there's nothing I hate more than leaving the house, glancing in the mirror and realising I look like I've been in a fist-fight with the glitter-fairy! 'Albatross' provides just the right amount of 'sheen' and looks lovely in both photographs and natural light (you can see it in action in my makeup posts here and here).  Needless to say, I'm superly-duperly chuffed I have this in my collection - it's the perfect compliment to the 'Laguna' bronzer and the yellow tone looks really soft and natural.

Have you tried Nars highlighting powders? Any others you could recommend?

♥