Sunday 29 March 2015

SUQQU Balancing Cheeks: Mizuhanamoya 04

This Spring we see the launch of two new blushers from Suqqu. Part of the Chiffon collection, they have been added to the permanent line.

Blushers are often difficult for me, I'm not blessed with good skin so they often look patchy and can highlight my redness, however Suqqu blushers are a really beautiful thing and are amongst my favourites. They have a really lightweight texture, smooth in feel and apply impeccably on the skin, one of the few blushers that need no blending.


Mizuhanamoya  #04 (£38) contains two shades of pink, one a cooler toned satin finish and the other deeper in tone with a warm gentle glow finish. Both shades are softly pigmented and last all day on me. The finish looks natural, yet impacts a healthy sheen.
Swatched below the left then right side then both combined:

The other blusher released, Yawakohaku #03, contains an orange tone, though I initially thought I wouldn't need it, after seeing how beautifully the shades combined in this post here by the lovely Bellyhead I will have to purchase it as well.
Overall this is a first class blusher which is a pleasure to use. Whilst the colour doesn't necessarily scream unique its the application and finish that makes this top notch. Its worth mentioning that the accompanying brush is a very good quality, unlike a lot of the throw away brushes that many brands supply with their products.



Ingredients:


I bought this from http://www.selfridges.com

Sunday 22 March 2015

BareMinerals Modern Pop Spring 2015

I don't really consider BareMinerals a "me" type of cosmetic brand, nonetheless I feel victim to the cute polka dot design of the limited edition Modern Pop collection.

The collection takes inspiration from the Sixties with a fluttery lash and nude lip. First up I bought READY Eyeshadow 4.0 The Modern Icon (£29).

The palette contains a satin cream with hint of pink, satin peach, semi-matte mauve and a matte deep taupe. All shades have good colour payoff, with a soft smooth texture that blends well (though the deepest shade is not creamy like the others).

The combination of the peach with smokiness works really well, a lovely composition to bring us into the Spring season without going too light and pastel.

If I had one gripe about this (which you know I do) its that the shades look a tad dry on, now I do have dry lids to begin with and they were not to the extent of looking crepey but nonetheless I do notice it.


Of the three Marvelous Moxie lipsticks I bought the lightest shade, Dream Big (£18). Its a nude peach that gives a subtle touch of warmth and surprisingly does not wash me out.

Whilst I like this shade I am not liking how it applies. Its quite clingy and shows up dryness and lip lines. As much as I like the shade I want a lipstick I can just throw on rather than having to faff about prepping the lips first.


Certainly not total fails by any means but there is something to be said about sticking to your tried and tested brands.

I bought these from Debenhams

Sunday 15 March 2015

By Terry New Eye Designer Palette Smoky Nude

By Terry has recently released two limited Eye Designer Palettes. There is the more natural toned palette called Smoky Nude or the brighter more colourful option called Color Design. I bought the sedate Smoky Nude (£69).

The palette contains 10 eyeshadows that can be applied wet or dry with a mix of finishes. The palette comes in the signature purple By Terry design and the lid has a rubberised finish (pretty but a magnet for finger prints). It feels sturdy whilst still retaining a luxurious look.


It has a good sized mirror and a brush. The brush is disappointing as it feels and performs like I'd expect from a drugstore brand. Its dual ended, one side for application/blending, the other for lining. The fluffy side is too soft and long and the eye liner side is not firm enough to draw a clean line
The first row of shades are (L-R): matte black, shimmery copper, satin grey, shimmery taupe and matte deep cool toned brown.
 
The bottom row of shades are (L-R):matte mauve grey, matte pink, matte yellow peach, matte beige and matte tan.
 
 
The majority of shades (apart from the black and deep brown which has a dryer feel and do not apply as smoothly) are smooth and silky with a fine texture, the shimmer shades are my favourite as they have a creamier texture. Mattes are always a tricky formula but these are of a very good quality. Pigment is a slight issues when using them dry due to the softness and lightweight texture, colour is very quick to dissipate if you do any type of blending/sweeping motion. If you want the colour that you see in the pan you are best to use a more dense brush and press these onto the lid or use them wet.
Used with a dampened brush, pigment/vibrancy is increased and they all apply smoothly and blend well (without going thick and patchy as some shadows do when you use them damp).

Swatched below dry then damp.
 
 
 
 
I can't say that I find the shadows unique or exciting, and do pair this palette with other shades, as on its own I find the looks it creates are rather drab. Nonetheless this is very much a workhorse palette that will get a lot of use. The shades are great staples to help create a soft everyday eye or a more intense smoky eye.

Whilst I quite like this formula it doesn't supersede my favourite eye shadow brands so if you have similar shades I wouldn't suggest this is a must have.
 
Ingredients:
 
I bought this from http://uk.spacenk.com

Sunday 1 March 2015

Suqqu Spring 2015: Blend Colour Eye Shadow #19 Awafujisukashi

The Suqqu Spring 2015 collection is inspired by the delicate texture and translucent colour of chiffon. I bought the eye quad that was used in the beautiful promotional image for the collection, #19 Awafujisukashi (£45). The quad contains a white with pink opalescence, lavender/periwinkle with satin finish, copper with a shimmer finish and neutral to cool toned satin brown.

 
 
These are not pigment heavy shadows but I don't find them lacking in showing up true to pan once applied. With a lightweight, silky feel, I find the application and performance the normal high quality from Suqqu.
 
Swatched below, try as I might I couldn't capture the pink opalescence of the white so you will just have to trust me that its a beautiful shade.
 
Its an interesting mix of shades, it works as the lavender/periwinkle does not scream pastel due to its more hazy tone and the inclusion of the copper gives balance to the cooler tones.The overall look is soft, with the copper and lavender adding an interest to the look and the pink opalescence of the white shade imparting a beautiful sheen.
 
I'm really enjoying this so I'm glad its not limited edition as I can see myself hitting pan on this.

Ingredients:


I bought this from http://www.selfridges.com
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