Sunday 30 May 2010

In the Market for a New Ring... Or Two

I have a bit of a history for losing rings. I'm very careful with my silver rings but in the past year I've lost two of the rings I wore EVERY single day. The first was last summer walking along Camden Lock. I didn't even realise it happened until my finger felt naked and looked down to see it was missing its usual silver band of tapped silver.

Then recently I had an even more upsetting loss of a vintage 80s ring I acquired 3 years ago. Because it's vintage, there's no replacing it. *Sniff* And it fit so snugly on my thumb as well. Now my third ring that I wore along with the other two is hanging on my jewellery stand and has been for a month, waiting for two partners in crime to join him again. I won't put it back on until I find two permanent replacements for the ones I've lost - because quite frankly it doesn't feel right on without another two to party with it.

I've been casually searching for a while now and I'm trying to make up my mind as to what I'd like these two rings to be... I have very picky tastes and the more unusual the ring, the better for me. If my budget was limitless, any one of these would be so lovely...






Images from Etsy sellers - RingRingRing, BlindFaithArt and Jewela

Saturday 29 May 2010

Now on Model Mayhem!

This is a little bit of a news to let you all know that I'm now a member of Model Mayhem. This is a great networking site for anyone working in the fashion and beauty industry, not just makeup artists but photographers, hair stylists, models and designers.

So if you're interested in collaborating/working on photo shoots for fashion, editorial and beauty or know of anyone who is, then please feel free to get in touch! I also do makeup for music videos and musicians.

And of course I'm available for brides and other special occasions such as proms in the South East and London area.

You can find me on Model Mayhem at www.modelmayhem.com/amandaoshaughnessy

Outfit of the Day - Flowers for the Lady



As you all know by now, as well as makeup I love, love, love fashion. Inspired by hundreds of fashion blogs out there I fancied sharing with you my favourite outfits and the clobber I pull together as much as a wardrobe journey and because pulling together outfits is fun and we should all share in the joy!

So without further ado this is one of my new regular features that you'll see more of in future here at All That Glitters - Outfit of the Day. I'll be posting one every fortnight so keep an eye out for more to come.

This is was what I wore to my anniversary adventure day with the man of my dreams : ) It's the first time I wore my newly purchased flower headband and I must say I'm loving it if I do say so myself! Oh and of course I also received some beautiful roses from the man in question, hoorah!

Flower headband - Topshop, jumper - Beyond Retro vintage, belt - vintage, paisley playsuit - 'Love' for Topshop, tights - H&M.

Wednesday 26 May 2010

Boots No. 7's 75th!

While we're still on Boots - I thought I'd move over to their makeup collection No. 7. This month Boots No. 7 makeup celebrates its 75th anniversary of providing women with excellent and affordable makeup and skincare on the British high street.

In celebration of their seven decades, Lisa Eldridge, Creative Director and celebrity makeup artist created seven different looks capturing each decade's beauty trend. The images are gorgeous and Lisa's makeup looks are beautiful, I could sit and gawp at them for hours.

You may have already seen some of them on the web adverts or in-store, but you can find the full collection on Lisa Eldridge's website.

I find them so inspiring, I'll definitely be trying my hand at re-creating some of them, they look so much fun to do.

Happy Birthday No. 7! Keep your eyes peeled for my review of their Dream Lash mascara, coming soon...

Photograph copyright of Ben Hassett, makeup by Lisa Eldridge

Product Review - Boots Botanics Face Nourishing Eye Makeup Remover


I had this recommended to me by a friend and seeming as I've been turning to organic and natural alternatives for skincare I thought it was ideal timing. My facial cleanser doesn't quite manage to remove eye makeup so I needed an effective but gentle solution. Look no further, I think I just found it...

Boots Botanics describe it as:

A luxurious eye make up remover that melts into the skin, easily removing eye make up and leaving skin cleansed, smooth and velvety soft.

So does it match up?...

A luxurious eye makeup remover?
I'd say so. The consistency of this cleanser is smooth and creamy to the touch so it feels really lovely when you're applying it. A little of it goes a long way, you only need a pea-sized amount to remove makeup from both eyes. I find it best to rub your finger tips together to warm up and spread the product and then gently massage in circular motions around the eye area working into your lashes (to remove mascara) and around the eyes to get rid of the eyeliner.

Once you're done you can either rinse off with luke warm water, take a damp but hot cloth and sponge away the remnants or take a damp cotton pad and wipe it off that way.

Easily removes eye makeup, melting into the skin?
This makeup remover really does melt into the skin. It dissolves eye makeup quickly and effectively but without being harsh on the skin or if it gets into the eyes. In fact, it's quite the opposite! I was really impressed the first time I used this as to how easily it broke down the makeup and how gentle it is all at the same time.

However taking a look at the ingredients list, it becomes no surprise. This is possibly the most natural skincare product I own. It simply contains Olive oil, Jojoba seed oil, Glycerin, Water, Sucrose stearate and Sucrose myristate. Knowing that all of the ingredients are that simple and natural makes you feel a whole lot better about going near your eyes with it. I'd also go as far to say that it's the first eye makeup remover that I thoroughly enjoy to use day after day, as applying it feels like a luxury treatment...

Leaves skin cleansed, smooth and velvety soft?
Yes, yes and yes! Whilst getting rid of hardier makeup such as waterproof mascara/eyeliner can still take a little bit of work, there's absolutely no need to scrub away. A gentle relaxing massage into the eye area is all it takes to loosen the makeup.

Beforehand with other eye makeup removers, I was finding I'd be waking up with traces of eyeliner underneath the eyes in the morning. Not good if you want to keep wrinkles at bay! Either that or it would take two applications of rubbing the previous cleansers fairly vigorously around and that only distresses and damages the delicate skin further!

This cleanser's perfect because the Olive oil does all the hard work at breaking down the makeup while you're just gently pushing it around and giving it a helping hand. Not only is the Olive oil taking away the makeup but it's also moisturising and nourishing the delicate skin so when you touch it after drying your face, you will feel your skin is absolutely baby soft. My eyes feel so soothed afterwards, whereas in the past with previous makeup removers the skin around my eyes has felt quite taut and tight.

Overall...

I have to say that this is the best eye makeup remover I've ever tried and I've tried plenty! What's also an added bonus is its price - it retails at a mere £3.99 a tube and as a little application is all that's needed at any one time I think this bottle will last me a good 6 months. Whereas past eye makeup removers have only lasted me three, because I have to use so much more. At this price, I think everyone should give it a go, especially as it's so gentle and natural on the skin, perfect too for those with dry and sensitive skins - this makeup remover will be a miracle!

Would I buy again? Well, in case the above didn't make it clear - yes!

Monday 24 May 2010

The Maca Experiment

Every so often I like to write posts on health and beauty as what we consume affects our appearance and our well-being. Well, today I'm writing about Maca. I recently discovered Maca Powder in an online health store and I know a lot of people who've never heard of it before so I'll give you a little run-down...

Maca's a Peruvian root vegetable and is otherwise known as a super-food that's been cultivated and consumed by the people of Peru for hundreds of years for its amazing beneficial properties.

It can be taken in tablet form or powder and can be mixed in with cereal, smoothies and so on. It apparently tastes a little like malt or Horlicks! Containing 55 naturally occurring beneficial phyto-chemicals, it provides the body with many advantages such as:
  • Boosting the immune system
  • Improving fertility
  • Boosting energy (a healthier alternative to caffeine!)
  • Improving stamina and well-being
  • Balancing hormones and thereby combating symptoms associated with PMS
Due to the number of minerals, B vitamins and fatty acids it contains, the root is also great for your skin, eyes, hair, teeth, etc. and is a general all-round adaptogen - a substance that raises resistance in the body - that comes thoroughly recommended by health food experts the world over.

Once my packet arrives at All That Glitters HQ I'll be trialling the powder for a month to see how it helps me and to see if it improves all of the above for me as well. I'll be taking note of my progress week by week, so there will be weekly diary updates on what (if any) improvements I've noticed as the days go by.

It's also going to be good fun creating recipes to get it incorporated into my daily diet. So if any of you out there are interested in perhaps trying it out then I'll be posting recipes on here so you too can make your own!

In the meantime, watch this space as I test it out!...

NOTD: Topshop Nail Polish in Hopscotch



I fell in love with this colour as soon as I laid eyes on it. Topshop's nail polish in 'Hopscotch' is a lovely pale grey colour. Similar I suppose, to that of the concrete in a playground - hence the name 'Hopscotch'! This nail colour went on beautifully and I was very impressed with the way it comes out on the nails - the colour match to that of the polish in the bottle is perfect so there's no unpleasant surprises.

This colour's very classy and I think it's perfect for all occasions. The nail polish also dries quite fast, so drying time isn't bad at all. I'm now waiting to see how soon it takes to chip! Durability is a big factor for me, and for most people, when it comes to nail varnish. I find I like at least 4 days' solid wear before the varnish begins to chip. Well by the 4th day it did start to, but before then it had remained untainted so I thought it did pretty well considering!

I've been hearing some people complain about the price of the Topshop nail polishes. They retail at £5 a bottle but I think that's fairly reasonable considering the number and diversity of colours on offer. I know Barry M offer great value nail varnishes that really offer good quality, but I find that Barry M's range doesn't offer the nice candy colours that Topshop's does at the moment.

Stay tuned as my next NOTD will also be on another of Topshop's nail varnishes in the very cute yellow colour: 'Bee's Knees'!

Wednesday 19 May 2010

New Love/Inspired by...The Noisettes Ever Fallen in Love

I have to share my love for this version of 'Ever Fallen In Love' by the Buzzcocks.

Sure, I hear you, it's not the same as the original - nothing will match the raw emotion in the original track. But I just love, love, love Shingai Shoniwa's raspy vocals combined with what the Noisettes have done with the single. I like the fact that it shows love gone wrong from a different angle instead - maybe a darker, less angrier side - but that of a naughtier side, taken from a girl's perspective, i.e. we've all gone for a bad boy once upon a time!

And I also love the video - the makeup and wardrobe are just a little bit awesome. I've of course mentioned before that Shingai Shoniwa always loves the extreme looks and pulls them off oh, so well! Oh and check out the Doc Martens she models (celebrating the 50th anniversary of the brand) She seems to get through 4 different amazing, gorgeously coloured pairs : ) Whoop!

Enjoy:

Monday 10 May 2010

Topshop Makeup Launches!


If you haven't already heard, or read the hype in magazines and newspapers the UK over, last Tuesday Topshop's new and very own makeup range launched across the nation! The range has been under development for a long while up at Topshop HQ and the products are reportedly manufactured by those who make Lancome makeup.

The collection currently contains: skin tint, lip polish, lip balms, glazes and glosses, lipsticks, glitter, eye shadows, mascaras, eye liners, crayons and kohls, nail polish, bronzer and blush and more! However the full range is only available in their flagship store Oxford Circus, London and online. Your local Topshop however will be selling the lip balms, a limited number of lip glosses and nail varnishes.

The colour selection of nail varnishes so far is incredible. There are all sorts of gorgeous shades on offer and quite frankly I want practically every single one! There's a gorgeous cream yellow shade called 'Bee's Knees' and a beautiful nude colour called 'Big Smoke', plus a lovely grey shade 'Cloud' similar to that paraded on the catwalks for S/S 2010. They even have their very own mint/jade shade ('Gone Fishing') which has been a popular colour since last Spring/Summer's catwalk season.

The packaging is quite simple and understated but very cute with the branding being black and white spots and stripes. I'm quite fond of it including the logo/font which looks as if it's been hand-written - I guess harking back to the fact that makeup is an art form in itself and is often about painting and drawing upon a canvas!

The prices are also nice and affordable starting at £4 and working up to £10 - great for all pockets I think. Perhaps a bit pricier than the average drug store brand of makeup but more affordable than some counters. The proof now as to whether the prices are worthy or not is in the testing - I'm curious as to what the formulations are like and whether or not they're up to scratch.

The only sad factor is that the launch in all other stores apart from Oxford Circus has been a bit lack-lustre and you'll need to have a good look out for it when you go in or you could be forgiven for missing the tiny stand altogether. However the more you show your support and the more you try, the more of the range local stores will begin to stock so get down to your local Topshop and check out the goodies!

I'll be trying out and reviewing the collection on here in the coming weeks so keep checking back for my thoughts. I'm starting tomorrow with a Nails of the Day (NOTD) showcasing one of my favourite nail polishes from the range...

All of the makeup as I said is also available on www.topshop.com so if you want to check out the full collection but are nowhere near London then log on now. You'll also find their website-exclusive SS10 Trend collection and handy video tutorials on how to create some of the latest and hottest looks!

Image from the Topshop Blog

Friday 7 May 2010

Product Review - Benefit's Realness of Concealness

To say sorry for the lack of posting would be an understatement. So I'm just gonna get on with giving you guys what you've all been waiting for and what you all come here to see...!

I got hold of Benefit's Realness of Concealness kit a while ago and I must say I'm very impressed. It makes a great addition to my personal and professional kit and I'm always grabbing at least one of the products it offers. This kit is perfect for any of you on a budget, those of you who like to try products in miniature form before committing to the larger versions or those of you who like to have a few back-up pieces in your handbags for that night out/morning after. Benefit describe this product as their:

Portable mini kit containing Benefit's top selling concealers and enhancers. It's your solution for beauty dilemmas on-the-go.

The kit contains small versions of the following Benefit products:

Ooh La Lift - "instant under-eye brightening boost"
Lip Plump Primer - "for full sexy lips"
High Beam - "luminescent complexion highlighter"
Lemon Aid - "colour-correcting eyelid primer"
Boi-ing in Shade 02 - "industrial-strength concealer"

Ooh La Lift - instant brightener for under the eyes?
This is a cute little pearlescent pink highlighter fluid that comes in a bottle much like a lip gloss with the same kind of applicator. There are several tips to using this product in order to get the most out of it:

1. Less is more - don't go crazy with it or it will interfere with the rest of your makeup that goes on top next. This isn't a concealer but a highlighter for under the eyes and you should only need what comes out on the brush to do both eyes.

2. Apply it to the shadowy areas underneath your eyes. Don't go outside of this area or the effect will be undone. What you're trying to achieve is lifting the darker area of skin to make the skin appear lighter and therefore less sunken. I like to apply three dots along each circle and blend in by patting along in an upwards motion.

As I said, it won't conceal the circles so don't expect them to disappear, but the light-reflecting particles in the liquid will lighten the area making you appear less tired. Combined with concealer it works a treat.

I love this eye brightener, but the one thing that prevents me from getting it out everyday is the fact that after a long day it does interfere with the concealer I place on top causing it to crease and fade. 3/5

Lip Plump Primer - fuller, sexy lips?
I love this primer. Just like Ooh La Lift it comes in a lip gloss-style bottle, is of a creamy consistency and a slightly taupe shade. Don't be put off as to how brown it is in colour. It's merely to neutralise the colour of your lips to stop it interfering with the shade of lipstick you'd put on top. It won't affect the colour of your lipstick!

The great thing about lip primer is that it fills in all of the lines and generally, like a face primer, provides a smoother, more refined surface for lipstick to glide onto. As a result your lips will appear a little fuller (please don't expect a surgery-style collagen pout though).

But the effect I love most from this primer is that you get the colour you see on the lipstick bullet and you also get more mileage from your lipstick as primer helps to lock it down (much like eye primer for eyeshadow) 4/5

High Beam - luminescence in a bottle?
This highlighter in it's larger version comes in a bottle you'd be forgiven for thinking is a nail varnish bottle! A highlighting fluid that's slightly pink in tone - Benefit offers Moon Beam which is yellowy in colour for olive and darker skins - this highlights all of the areas of the face that you want to catch the light to give you that fresh, well-rested radiance.

This product it great along the cheek bones, above the brown bones, on the centre of the chin, above the Cupid's Bow and down the centre of the nose. It perks up tired, dehydrated skin - ideal for when you've been naughty and had one too many the night before. I like to use it a lot as it offers that subtle shimmer that gives you that glow as if coming from within! This is by far my favourite product in the whole kit - 5/5

Lemon Aid - colour-correcting eyelid primer?
You'll find this is the creamy yellow base that sits in the palette next to Boi-ing in the box. I really wanted to like this primer and don't get me wrong, I use it when the circumstance is right (e.g. dark, shadowy eyelids that need a bit of a pick-me-up). But if your lids are only mildly red/purply then all this primer does is leave an obvious, unnatural yellow tinge to the eyelid. I'd rather leave my eyelids natural or use a concealer to be honest.

The other unfortunate outcome with this product is that it creases and fades after several hours' wear so you may as well have left your eyelids untouched in the first place. This is therefore not a staple of mine, although I welcome anyone who disagrees to let me know their application tips in the comments box below : ) I give this little number only 2/5

Boi-ing - industrial-strength concealing?
Boi-ing is a cream concealer which as you may have guessed from their product description, is quite pigmented and does well for concealing even the most gruesome of blemishes. However I haven't tried this on my own face as - and this is my only other qualm with the kit - it's not the right shade.

That's right, all kits come with only the 02 shade of Boi-ing so it's not great for anyone with pale skin as 02 is much too dark. A bit of a down-er if you're wanting the sample-size version of this before deciding on the larger version!

I have however tried it on others and it does seem to cover up well. I'd still like to test for longevity though which is something I'm also unsure of having not yet tested it on my own skin. 4/5

Overall...
As a whole, the kit scores 18/25 which isn't too bad. At £23.50 it's really one of those decisions you weigh up on the basis of whether:

  • You think it's a wise investment to test all of the products in sample sizes before picking up your favourites in larger sizes
  • OR you feel that it's a waste of cash considering factors like Boi-ing may be no use to you or that you'd rather just buy what you need, e.g. highlighter fluid and not have excess products floating around.
I personally feel that this kit is still a worthwhile investment even if you are only going to use it for personal makeup application. It's just a case of being resourceful with the products. If Boi-ing isn't the right shade concealer for you, why not use it to contour your cheekbones and lightly apply it beneath cheekbones and blend in creating a subtle, softly-bronzed look for the summer? If High Beam's not the right shade of highlighter for you why not swap it with a friend for a sample-size of their lipstick, etc? There's always ways round these dilemmas : )

Thursday 8 April 2010

Coming Up in April on All That Glitters...


Yes, another month has passed me by and the amount of reviews and other posts that I want to share with you are mounting up! Here's a little taster of things to come in April for you all...
  • Product reviews galore - Benefit's Realness of Concealness kit, Too Faced's Eye Shadow Insurance Policy kit and Revlon's Colorstay foundation to name but a few!

  • By special request: Tips and products highly recommended for blemish-prone and teenage skins - trialled and tested by moi...

  • Photo shoot news and photos!

  • New fashion feature...
And much, much more! x

Monday 22 March 2010

Alice in Wonderland

Some of you may know that this is my all-time favourite childhood story! I love the Disney classic to this day and last year I finally got a copy of it on DVD. I had my reservations when last year I heard Tim Burton was producing his very own take of Lewis Carroll's amazing novel.

Firstly I kept an open mind because it is a favourite story of mine and when you feel that way about a book or film etc. you want to keep it sacred. Second I was a little worried that expectations and hype might make the final outcome feel disappointing and thirdly I was also concerned that maybe Tim would perhaps make it too dark, steering away from the innocence of the tale...

I went to see it yesterday and even though I kept that open mind that I'd reserved for a year, I was bowled over. The CGI is amazing, the costume design is absolutely beautiful and the makeup of course was something I was keeping a very keen eye on too. As you've probably seen from the advertisements and press it's so fun and crazy and perfectly enhances and plays upon all of the characters' personalities! Tim took the story to new levels but meanwhile respected the original tale enough to preserve the feeling, excitement and wonder that Wonderland has to offer.

Needless to say I'll definitely be picking up a copy of the DVD when it finally comes on sale. Talking of more Alice in Wonderland inspiration - I came across another photo shoot along this theme. I love, love, love the shots - everything's gorgeous and I want all of the clothes, ha! Ever the obsessed Alice fan I am, here are the photos for you to all share in the fun...

Photos from fabulousmag.co.uk - you can also find out where to buy the outfit pieces here!







Tuesday 16 March 2010

Urban Meadow

Urban Meadow

Items in this set:
Scallop Lace Half Sleeve Body, Topshop £25
Paris Flippy Skirt, Topshop £35
Playing around with outfits online again: I've put together my outfit Plan of Action for the Man's Birthday on Saturday! I can't wait - Design Museum, Borough Market, much meandering in London and then The Diner in Shoreditch. Bliss.

I'm loving the 'underwear-as-outerwear' look at the moment. I now have a lovely lace body which I love to pieces - I'm a huge lover of lace! And I couldn't help but pick up this gorgeous skirt the other week - it doesn't help when people say "Oooh this would look great on you!" They're just helping me fuel a habit I can't kick. Now really... *rolls eyes* : )

I also love flowers in the hair, but anything really feminine, floral and sweet in the hair goes for me. But to avoid the sickly-sweet feeling, a leather jacket toughens up the look along with some cute leather ankle booties : ) Yay!

Speaking of outfits, more fashion-feasting is to follow...

Blog Awardness!



Yay! I love blog awards - it always helps to know that my blog is helping and inspiring you guys out there : )

Imogen, author of Write About What? and Novel Ideas kindly awarded me two lovely blog awards a couple of weeks ago. The first being the Humane Award, awarded for being a blogger that makes others happy by leaving nice comments and helping them - aww, well I do try, hehe. It's my pleasure to help you all, so please just drop me a line!

And the second is the Sunshine Award. Thank you Imogen, it's lovely of you to share those with me.

I'd like to award the Humane Award and the Sunshine Award to both Georgie at So Full of Twilight Dreams that Glitter and Amanda at A Fairycake Tale. Georgie writes amazing beauty blog posts with fab product reviews and is incredibly helpful if you ever have any queries. If you ever have a culinary query I urge you to ask Amanda at A Fairycake Tale - she's quite the chef and an expert in the kitchen!

x

Wednesday 10 March 2010

Product Review - Too Faced Shadow Insurance Eye Primer


Hello my lovelies! Well, you may remember me saying a few months ago that I couldn't get my hands on this eye primer for love nor money. So you'll be pleased to hear that this is available individually at Boots stores but as it had sold out in my local Boots I managed to get hold of it in the Eye Shadow Insurance Policy kit at Debenhams. This includes an excellent eye shadow palette but that's for another juicy instalment for another day ; )

This post today will be looking at the eyeshadow primer and whether it's a fine enough match to Urban Decay's legendary Primer Potion that thousands of you all know and love! With that in mind, below is Too Faced's introduction to their Shadow Insurance primer...

Your full-coverage insurance policy against all fading, creasing, melting, blurring, oil-slicked and hard-to-blend eye shadow accidents. Our silicone-based eye shadow primer transforms any eye shadow into a perfectly blendable color-drenched intensified version of itself then locks it down perfectly until you take it off. Our skin soothing formula evens out the skin tone on your lids and smoothes out lines while it secures a barrier between the oils of your skin and your makeup so no shadow catastrophes will ever happen again.

Secures against fading, creasing, melting, blurring, oily lids and hard-to-blend eye shadows?

Yes to all of the above! This primer is just as good as the Urban Decay primer at preventing fading eye shadows, stopping them from hiding in the creases in the eye and combatting the oil in the skin from dissolving the eye makeup. Eye shadows are also equally easy to blend when you apply them over the top of this primer, I am quite used to blending shadows on top of primers now rather than without so I don't know if there's a remarkable difference in the ease of blending. Needless to say however blending is perfect with the primer so a full thumbs up there.

Eyeshadows become perfectly blendable and intensified until you take them off?
Yes! Again with the above for blending but yes, all eye shadows come out remarkably when you use this primer. You'll wonder how you ever managed without it if you've never used an eye primer before. It will make your shadows ten times more intensified and that colour will last all day. When you get back in from a long day at work - check it out in the mirror and it'll be just as great as when you left that morning...

Skin soothing formula evens out skin tone and smoothes out lines?

I'm not sure about 'skin-soothing' - I don't feel any particular soothing sensations when using it, but the product is gentle on the skin and doesn't feel as 'cakey' as its counterpart from Urban Decay sometimes can. But it definitely evens out the skin tone on the eyelids which is an added bonus from using a primer.

I'm also not sure about the smoothing-out of lines as none of the people I've used this on so far have to worry about these! However if you're talking about the tiny creases in the upper eyelid that shadow can creep into, then this primer does a fantastic job of eliminating any shadow from ever disappearing into them!

Overall...

This product is just as amazing as Urban Decay's which came as very little surprise to me because Too Faced Cosmetics is owned by the same people who own Urban Decay! However in my opinion this product trumps Urban Decay's because it comes in an easy-to-use squeezy tube so unlike the Urban Decay Primer Potion:
  • Product has nowhere to hide, i.e. in the curves of an awkwardly-shaped bottle meaning no product wastage and fuss-free application
  • It's much more hygienic as you can squeeze enough out (literally all you need is a pin-sized amount for both eyelids) onto the hand rather than using an applicator which over time will get germy. This in turn affects the product's quality in the long-run (the bacteria affects the ingredients in the primer causing it to lose its effectiveness)
  • And quite simply it's much easier to get the primer from the tube!
If Urban Decay's Primer Potion is the primer of dreams for you, but the bottle has been driving you round the bend I thoroughly recommend this as an alternative. At £11 it also comes in at the same price as Urban Decay - fairly pricey but this will last you easily at least 6 months if not more. The only inconvenience is getting hold of it is difficult because stock levels seems so erratic... Too Faced just need to send stock to their consumer retailers more regularly!

You can buy Shadow Insurance from Boots, Debenhams and online at ASOS.

Sunday 7 March 2010

Fashion & Beauty Shoot

Today I'm very pleased to be sharing with you some images from a shoot I did two weeks ago - an avante garde and a natural look were created. I really enjoyed producing the shoot and making up Rhiannon, who was our very lovely model for the day. I also styled the hair in the avante garde look which was great fun!

I hope you all enjoy the photos as much as I did helping to create them.

Thank you to Owen for the photography and Rhiannon for modelling!

More work is to follow soon from a very exciting editorial shoot that I was involved with last week so stay tuned!




Saturday 27 February 2010

Inspired by... Jonsi


Jonsi Birgisson is an incredible musician from Iceland. If you think the vocals and general sound are familiar when you hear his music then you won't be surprised to hear that he was lead vocalist and song writer from Sigur Ros. Jonsi has now gone solo and his debut album 'Go' will be released on April 5th.

His first single release taken from Go is his track 'Go Do' - this is such a beautiful track with all the amazement and sensational goosebumpy feeling that I got from Sigur Ros' previous work. I think he's incredibly talented and what's more the music video to his debut single is equally as beautiful.

Why do I mention it here? Check out the makeup, (costume and set design to boot!) in the video *here* and you'll see why...

So gorgeous it HAD to be shared!

Friday 26 February 2010

Ladies who Lilac!

This spring's colour of choice is lilac. It's been making an appearance in the clothing department but now it's going straight onto eyelids this season for a pretty-as-a-picture stare! Here's the low-down on how to achieve the ultimate lavender love...

1. Skin needs to be left dewy
This keeps the look fresh and youthful, soft and as girly as the colour lilac itself. This is a colour of innocence after all, so you're after girl-nextdoor beauty! You want a highlight down the centre of the face to catch the light flatteringly.

2. Lips are ever so slightly glossy
There's no need to worry about what shade of lipstick to wear with this look because it doesn't really need any strong shade as such. Just make sure your lips are well moisturised with a touch of lip balm and add a dash of lip gloss. You can opt for either a clear gloss or reach for a peachy or nude tone that keeps the lips soft and pastel coloured.

3. Cheeks are bronzed
You can get away without blusher on this look but so as to avoid the lilac on the eyes draining the colour from the rest of the face you need to add a hint of colour. Add a bronzing powder to the cheek bones to contour the face. If you want to, add some to the temples and underneath the chin area for a well-sculpted and lifted face.

4. Lilac isn't restricted to the eyes!
Try it on your nails or lips as well for more pastel perfection. The key to this look however is all about making the lilac the centre of attention. Lilac can be quite a powerful colour and too much of it can make the look dated or make you look older than you really are. So if you can work in the lilac in your eyes/lips/nails but avoid it all over then all the better.

So now you have the tips on how to achieve this spring/summer makeup trend, here's a few tools to help you on your way!

For the foundation:
  • Pick a moisturising/hydrating formula, rather than a full-on matte version.

  • If you have oily or combination skin and are worried about looking more greasy than goddess with this then use your regular foundation

  • To achieve the dewy, fresh effect you'll need some highlighting fluid/liquid. Benefit's High Beam and MAC's Strobe Cream are both perfect.

  • Then powder with some translucent powder, but avoid going heavy with it - a light application is all that's needed. You don't want to lose the effort you went to when adding the highlighter
For the bronzer:
  • I recommend using a matte bronzer as opposed to a shimmery bronzer as otherwise there will be too much shimmer going on making the face look too polished.

  • MAC make a great matte bronzer called Blunt or for a more purse friendly alternative GOSH sell fantastic matte bronzers as well.
For the lovely lilacs:
  • As for shades of lilac I really recommend MAC - Crystal, Idol Eyes, Digit and Beautiful Iris are all fab colours perfect for this look.

  • As for lilac lipsticks, MAC's Saint Germain is gorgeous, as is their Pervette.

Wednesday 24 February 2010

Long Time, No Post...


Hello Everyone!

First of all I'm so sorry for the lack of blog posts of late. In my defence I've been working very hard on photo shoots, testing and all of the prep in between so it's been a very busy fortnight indeed : )

Coming up shortly in All That Glitters: I'll be showing you all of the fruits of my labour and some more exciting news to come, a brand new feature and product reviews to boot, as well as inspiration and a brand new How-To on this season's makeup trend: Lilac!

Stay tuned and get your glad rags on - normal posting resumes tomorrow *whoop*

Amanda x

Monday 8 February 2010

Product Review - Purity Facial Wash

Last month we took a look at moisturisers - two facial and one for the body. This month I thought I'd shift the focus to cleansers. As you know I began using a nice natural, organic moisturiser and in that same vein I decided to turn to organic facial cleansing as well.

Since January I've been using an organic facial wash that I actually found by chance at Superdrug. It's made by a company called Purity, a British brand who specialise in organic skincare ranging from moisturisers to cleansers and facial scrubs. The Purity philosophy is "less is more in beauty" and they certainly live up to that motto with absolutely no unnecessary ingredients ploughed into their skincare products!

I'm already a big fan, so let's take Purity's product description for their facial wash and go into why I recommend this for you too...

A blend of softening, moisture retaining and conditioning Sweet Almond Oil, Aloe Vera and Glycerine is combined within a gentle Coconut and sugar-based foam to cleanse, soothe and protect skin. Added Citric acid controls skins PH Levels.

The Aloe Vera is sourced in the Dominican Republic and the Sweet Almond Oil from Spain.

Softening, moisture retaining & conditioning Sweet Almond Oil?
After a week of use I began to notice a considerable difference in the softness of my skin compared to my old facial wash. I do think it helps with moisture retention and it does contain Sweet Almond Oil (I can't say if it definitely comes from Spain though) which is known for its gentle moisturising effects on the skin! Now after a month of using this day and night I can honestly say that I've noticed an overall improvement in the softness of my skin and perhaps as a result, ironically my T Zone is less oily...

Aloe Vera & Glycerine?
Yes and yes. Aloe Vera is very widely known for helping soothe angry, dry and damaged skin (I can't tell you if it has actually been sourced from the Dominican Republic though!) Whereas glycerine is simply an organic compound which for hundreds of years has been used in the making of soap.

Coconut & sugar-based foam to cleanse?
Yes, or as it's listed on the back of the bottle - Decyl Glucoside which is produced by the reaction of glucose (the sugar) with a fatty alcohol called decanol taken from the coconut! So it's a mild and totally natural foaming agent. Unlike sodium laureth sulphate - an artificial foaming agent commonly added to most cleansing products such as shampoos, shower gels and facial washes that doesn't really need to be there other than it makes it feel as if the product is physically cleaning your hair/skin.

This is a product perfect for people with sensitive skin, as Purity recommends, because a lot of people with this skin type do not react well to sodium laureth sulphate and it can often break their skin out or at least aggravate it.

Soothes and protects skin?
It definitely soothes my skin, but I'm not sure about protecting it as such. In other words I don't think I could get away without using a moisturiser every day but I still have seen an overall slight improvement in the texture and softness of my skin.

It's also fragrance-free so all the more perfect if you have sensitive skin. Some products claim to be fragrance-free but they still smell a little bit (or is that just me?) However I really don't get a scent from this one. The only thing you'll possibly smell is the glycerine, which if you're used to fragrant and sweet smells takes a bit of getting used to! If it gets into your mouth, it doesn't taste great either but then what facial wash does? I think you do have to get past the 'raw' scent of pure ingredients but once you do, you'll be happy you gave it a chance!

Added Citric acid controls skin PH Levels?
Yes there is also Citric acid in this facial cleanser. pH levels describe the 'acidity' levels in your skin. The lower the pH the more acidic something is. Human skin pH is supposed to be anywhere between 4.5 and 6, so in other words it's fairly acidic. Skin is slightly acidic for a reason and that is to kill bacteria on the surface of the skin.

Ordinary soaps and cleansers are reknowned for being particularly harmful to the pH balance in human skin as they're especially alkaline (i.e. anything from pH 9-11). As a result the acidity in the skin changes to become more alkaline which makes it more susceptible to the growth of bacteria. This is nightmare of course if you're prone to blemishes, have adolescent skin or have especially oily skin. Citric acid is a weak, organic acid deriving from citrus fruits and therefore is added to allow your skin to remain at a nice and healthy pH level!

Overall...
I'm very happy with this facial cleanser. I definitely feel like it does a better job of removing my makeup than my last facial wash ever did and on top of that it has made it a lot softer and smoother all over. You can buy it online (via the link above) or you can buy it from Superdrug stores where you'll also find the rest of their skincare range. In addition, at £4.99 a bottle, which is a bargain considering this is a organic skincare product, I urge you to at least give it a go just the once!

Would I buy again? Yes, absolutely! This is a fantastically priced product that goes a long way and does a great job without any adverse side effects and some very noticeable improvement to my skin. If a organic skincare product is this good, why buy something full of the unnecessary gunk instead?

Photo taken from Purity's website.

Pixi Perfumes

A couple of months ago after wandering around Carnaby Street for a while I took a peek into the Pixi store. I'd seen it before but never thought about going in and recently discovered they're a makeup and cosmetic chain launched 5 years ago by three sisters who are Swedish makeup artists.

When I popped in I got round to sampling their perfumes and they were absolutely delicious! They currently sell three scents: Fig, Mimosa and Rose and the first thing you'll notice about all of them - which is really what prompted to me write about them - is that they're really different to what's out there on the market right now!

They're fresh and mellow, sweet but not sickly. I even quite liked the Rose perfume and to be honest, I'm really not normally a fan of any rose scented products. My favourite though was the Fig perfume - this one was really fruity but it seemed to have a hint of melon to it. At least that's the note I was picking up!

To be honest I wanted to buy all three but my bank allowance was a little bruised so I couldn't even take one away. Needless to say though, I've been thinking back to them ever since I did find one of the sampler papers the other day and it still smelt divine - so they certainly have lasting power. These perfumes are great for those who fancy something more natural and light to wear than the kinds of perfumes on offer by the likes of Estee Lauder or Ralph Lauren for instance. At £24.00 each I think they're excellent value so will be returning one day to get hold of my favourite!

Pixi's approach and philosophy on beauty and makeup is looking fabulous without a fuss and you certainly get that impression from their stores and their products. Their stores are very inviting and girly but simple and well laid out. The staff are really friendly and helpful and I managed to get chatting about the perfumes sampled with one of the assistants when I was there.

The packaging is also very simple but pretty and the overall feeling you get from in-store, their products and packaging is that of a slight girl's-first-love so to speak. It made me feel like being a little girl again discovering makeup for the first time. Everything's very sophisticated but innocent and sweet!

The only drawback is the price of their makeup though. That's what makes this brand anything other than a girls' first love - younger girls won't be able to afford their line because their prices are a little over budget. However they do sell makeup and cosmetics that would make excellent gifts and if you can't choose I highly recommend a gift voucher for this store as she won't be disappointed.

As for the quality of their makeup, I can't vouch for this yet as I haven't got round to sampling the collection. I will very soon though, because I love exploring the new and untried and giving you guys my honest opinion on them... So stay tuned as before long I will be giving their products a go!

Friday 29 January 2010

IMATS and the Amazing Alex Box!

On Saturday 30th January I got up as bright and as early as the birds and made my way to my first ever IMATs visit at London's Ally Pally! I was so excited and the makeup geek that I am, I even had a little itinerary of who and what I was going to see for the day:
  • Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics' David Klasfeld - Airbrush Confidential
  • MAC's Terry Barber on Beauty in Video & Music
  • Alex Box
  • And lots of visiting - and potential buying at - makeup stands galore...
OCC David Klasfeld - Airbrush Confidential
David is a very humble makeup artist considering his resume covers Comedy Central and music videos for The Stills and Sum 41 to name only a mere few! He gave an excellent and very honest 101 on air brushing, in fact he made it sound so simple I thought I'd be able to pick one up and get going in no time, ha! Honestly though, this was a great seminar and a lot of very useful tips were given, many that all makeup artists should know!

MAC's Terry Barber - Beauty in Video & Music
Wow - the work that this man has achieved and the women he's painted, Terry too is very down to earth and incredibly talented. For his seminar he created a very Grace Jones-esque look that was inspired by the likes of Way Bandy's makeup work and 1920s glamour girls. He went through the look as he carried it out on stage in very thorough detail - how to shade and contour and how to work with the cameras and directors so you help them get the most out of the video in terms of the image created!

Alex Box
By far my favourite makeup artist of the entire event and day, I was so keen to see this lady and hear what makes her tick. I wasn't disappointed. She's so down-to-earth but very imaginative. You can almost see the cogs ticking over in her facial expressions, she's so extrovert but not in a crazy in-your-face way and the stories and advice she imparted were fantastic.

I was very much in awe of her as much as I am of her work. In case you're unsure as to she is, Alex Box is Creative Director of Illamasqua, a very new and different makeup brand. She is responsible for all their makeup imagery that you'll see on their website, branding and promotional material. For years now she's been creating astounding makeup for the likes of W, Stella McCartney and Vogue.

She's also just released a book with the famous photographer Rankin containing a year and half's worth of their beautiful collaborations. "Lost for words" doesn't even cover the emotion I get when looking at them! You can find more details on it here.

Aside from the seminars given there were also the entries for the Student Makeup Artist competition wandering around the venue along with their talented creators. This year's theme, in celebration of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland was exactly that - Alice in Wonderland! All of the nominees were phenomenal but my favourites were the Queen of Hearts and Alice with mushrooms and butterflies emerging from crazy, glittery hair and fabulous tattoos reading "Eat Me"!

The stands exhibiting and selling were offering some amazing discounts on the day. I got hold of some of Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetic's AMAZING Lip Tars at £7 a tube! These are highly pigmented, rich lip paints perfect for video and photography. I got hold of some crazy colours and also their Clear Lip Tar for avante garde and fashion work. I've already experimented with them and they are brilliant, I'm so impressed - the colours are so vibrant and you can mix them together to create new colours!

Thursday 28 January 2010

New Year's Resolutions - Part 3 of 3: Improving your Beauty Routine


Well this is my third and final instalment of the New Year Resolutions series. Hope you've all enjoyed them and that you may have been inspired by them to take action for 2010 so by next January you'll be looking to new resolutions rather than recycling the 'same old' stories. It's been fantastic putting these together and I aim to provide similar advice articles in the future, hoorah!

So for all you girlies looking to get your beauty regime polished and perfected read on...

Quitting smoking
This doesn't seem to really have anything to do with a beauty regime at first, but if one of your resolutions is to quit smoking this year then great! As a makeup artist it pains me to see girls with wrinkles around their mouths from all the pouting when sucking on a cigarette. Add to that flaking lips because cigarettes dehydrate the skin so applying lipstick becomes a total nightmare! Never mind the yellow nicotene-stained nails and fingertips, sallow skin and premature ageing in the longrun.

Even worse is the damage on the inside but if you can't quit for health reasons, quit for the sake of your appearance. Granted the media can make smoking look sexy, I'm not going to deny that. But I don't think it looks great when you look twice the age you are because you smoke all of the time. And the smell, ugh, really?! Ladies shouldn't smell like an ash tray, nuff said...

Taking your makeup off before bed
I'm often stunned at how many girls admit to not doing this - especially when they've been out for a night on the tiles. It can often be a real chore when you stumble back in during the small hours of the morning but trust me, one thing that will contribute to ageing will be leaving your makeup on every night. If you could see the damage you're doing to your skin you would feel very different about your approach to taking off your war paint!

In the short run, eye makeup irritates the eyes when you fall asleep - they try to rid the makeup themselves so that's why your eyes look sore the next morning. Makeup will only clog pores if left on the skin for too long and overall your canvas will become a lot more difficult to work with, trampling on of all your efforts when applying it if you're not keeping it in tip-top condition.

Cleanse, (tone), exfoliate, moisturise

Cleanse
There are still plenty of girls who use hand or body soap to clean their faces. Hand soap is far too harsh for facial skin. It will dry it out so much and in addition if you have sensitive skin then it will only add to your troubles. Invest in a good quality cleanser and you won't regret it:
  • Gel or clay cleansers work fantastically for oily and combination skins. Try Simple's range or pop into Lush and talk to one of their advisors to pick a cleanser right for you.
  • Cleansing creams, milks, lotions and almond oil are all brilliant for drier skins - you don't want to strip the skin of any oil because dry skins have less to spare so you need something nourishing and gentle.

Tone
This step's debatable. I've still yet to find a toner that doesn't strip my skin and make it feel as rough as sandpaper. Water is as good as anything but if you do want to try an official toner, make sure it's alcohol-free - I don't think alcohol is necessary in any toner even if you do have skin that leans towards the oilier side!

Exfoliate
This will keep your skin revived, glowing and soft. Especially during the winter months, a decent exfoliant will work a treat at ridding your skin of all the dead skin cells which only dull your complexion and cause makeup to clog and sit funnily on your face. I use one every day but if your skin's a bit more sensitive try exfoliating three times a week for a beautiful visage!

Moisturise
You may be 18 and not worried about wrinkles but trust me - don't skip this step out. The sooner you begin adding this to your daily routine the better you will feel in the years to come. Your skin begins to slow down its renewal process as of 18 years of age, so it's best to start to defend your skin from the elements and ageing as best as you can.

If you have oily skin don't feel that moisturiser will only aid the oiliness - on the contrary if you don't moisturise your skin will work harder to keep itself moisturised and produce even more oil. There are plenty of moisturisers and gels out there that keep the skin beautifully hydrated but sit under makeup well and don't add to the oil, in fact some mattify and help combat oil from disrupting your makeup!

Drink water
Yeah, I know, you've heard this one before, blah, blah, blah! But seriously try it and you might notice an epic difference in your skin! My skin is far more glowy and blemish-free when I keep up the water intake each day. With central heating, most places like shops and offices having air conditioning, etc. etc. a lot of moisture is lost from the skin and body without you even realising.

The difficulty with this one is fitting it in to our daily routines or even just remembering in the first place! The best policy is to bring a small bottle to work with you or fit it in your handbag on the go. You can always top it up and it's there whenever you need it. Having it sat on your desk or in your bag every time you reach for your keys/phone/makeup bag will remind you to keep taking sips - staying hydrated will become a walk in the park.

If you feel water's a little boring, there are plenty of flavoured waters on the market or you could always add fruit squash to yours each morning. Equally if you're not in the mood for a cold drink or fancy something warming then try green tea or fruit tea (with a hint of honey) - there's a huge selection out there from many different brands. The first tea bags that spring to mind are Twinings but my advice is to explore the other options out there.

Twinings' fruit teas smell fab but some can taste a little... bland. I really recommend giving Yogi teas a try. They're really unusual, taste lovely and are all organic - I love their Licorice tea and Chai teas! They can be bought online or from most health food stores and organice produce stockists.

Sunday 24 January 2010

Inspired by...

I'm really into the new music video by I Blame Coco, I love the styling and Coco herself is very striking! In fact I thought to myself when I first saw the video that she really has a different, edgy look, kinda tomboy-ish - she could be a model... I swear I'd seen her face before.

Ha, little did I know she's modelled for Burberry back in 2008, oh and she's only Sting and Trudy Styler's daughter! Yup, makes sense now! The song's quite catchy, but I'm still not 100% sure about it and the video could be criticised for being achingly hip but I still like it!

And then there's Marina And The Diamonds' music video for 'Hollywood'. I've been hearing waves of whispers about this girl and how her and her band are the next big thing for 2010 but had yet to hear any of their choons. I LOVE her makeup and styling in this video, plus she's absolutely gorgeous. There's lots of pretty things in it that makes any girl want to shout 'Me, me, me!'

The video from I Blame Coco is for their up and coming debut single 'Caesar' (out Feb 2010).

Marina And The Diamonds' 'Hollywood' single is also released next month. Both videos can be checked out below...










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