Monday, March 30, 2015

Lip Six

Lip Six is back this week after a weeks vacation!


Top row (L) NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Never Say Never  (R) Tom Ford Lips and Boys in Giacomo (LE) Full review here

Middle row (L) Hourglass Femme Nude lip stylo in #4 Full review here (R) MAC Amplified lipstick in Girl About Town

Bottom row (L) NudeStix lip/cheek pencil in Sin (review coming Friday!) (R) Gucci Vibrant Demi Glaze Lip Lacquer in Carnelian (review coming Sunday!)

My pick?  Tough choices this week.  I loved rediscovering Girl About Town from MAC-I saw it on my instagram feed this week and was like 'where's mine?'.  The Gucci gloss is fabulous, there is a full review on Sunday of this shade Carnelian.  And Giacomo.  Oh Giacomo, so beautiful.  I said to my assistant James that Giacomo was my favourite boy and he said 'well you do realise Giacomo is Italian for James?'  Typical!

Which is your favourite?



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Sunday, March 29, 2015

Charlotte Tilbury Rock n Kohl iconic liquid eye pencil review

Charlotte Tilbury Rock n Kohl iconic liquid eye pencil review

Charlotte Tilbury Rock n Kohl iconic liquid eye pencil review

Charlotte Tilbury Rock n Kohl iconic liquid eye pencil review

Given that Charlotte Tilbury is known for her own love of eyeliner you would expect when she launched the 'Rock n khol iconic liquid eye pencil' that they would be good.

And they are.

But hold up-'liquid' plus 'pencil' doesn't seem to belong in the same sentence yet somehow I totally get what Charlotte means.  These kohl pencils apply so smoothly they feel almost liquid like and are super easy to work with.  They're soft so you can blend and smudge them easily but once set they don't budge all day.  They're also great on the inner waterline because of their soft texture and wax rich formula.

Barbarella Brown is a rich warm chocolate brown.  Veruschka Mink is my favourite (I already have a back up) and is a a kind of taupey-grey colour.  It looks great on green and blue eyes.  Eye Cheat is a little different and designed to be used on the inner rim to brighten eyes, reduce redness and make you look more awake.  I have tried dozens of this type of pencil (MAC, NARS, Illamasqua, Rimmel) and this one knocks the socks off all of them.  It's pigmented, creamy and lasts.  It's never going to last all day because you naturally blink it away but it's certainly the longest lasting one I have tried!

I think these are definitely worth the price tag and Elizabeth Violet is next on my wish list!

Have you tried these eye pencils from Charlotte Tilbury?


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Friday, March 27, 2015

Disappointing Products #5


Here's my latest round up of products I have found disappointing and why:

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustre glosses
Why they're disappointing: Poor pigmentation

I dedicated a whole post recently to these glosses.  Whilst the formula is great (non sticky, relatively long lasting, glossy) the pigmentation was really poor.  These two especially-Portabello Girl and Hall of Fame look like clear gloss on my lips.

Lancome Artliner 24hr in Chrome
Why it's disappointing-It smudges everywhere

The colour of this liner is incredible-it's like a shiny steel grey and was pretty unique to my collection.  The problem with it is that it is so wet that as soon as you apply and then blink it transfers and it seems to go everywhere.  I have tried everything to stop it without fail.  Interestingly I have the 'normal' black version (not the 24hr) and it's one of my favourite liquid eyeliners ever but for some reason the 24hr one is a lot wetter and I just can't work with it.

Hourglass Immaculate foundation
Why it's disappointing-It splits and oxydises on the skin

This foundation was on my wishlist for so so long as it promises to stay matte all day, have full coverage and be oil free, humidity proof and waterproof.  I was advised against buying it when I was in Space NK by an adviser I would have trusted with my life a couple of years ago but when I was in Space NK at Xmas I picked one up.  I have only used it once but it was so horrendous I had to wash it off immediately.  When I applied it it buffed in fine but within minutes something I have never ever seen before happened.  The foundation started to split on my skin and oxydised so badly to a horrible orange colour.  It looked like it was stuck to my skin.  At £50 it is so expensive and is a very pricy mistake.

Tarte Amazonian Clay finishing powder
Why it's disappointing-the packaging makes the product so hard to get out

The reason this product is in this post is because the packaging is a nightmare.  It's smaller than a normal face powder and only has one tiny dispenser hole making it really frustrating to try and get enough product out.  I've shook it, tapped it and banged it to no avail.  The product itself could be holy grail but it's too much effort to get to it!

NARS Soft Touch eyeshadow pencil in Iraklion
Why it's disappointing-Poor pigmentation

This is my first eyeshadow pencil from NARS and if this is anything to go by will be my last.
On the hand it swatches great-the pigmentation seems good, the shade 'Iraklion' is a lovely light bronze colour, perfect for daytime.  But when I swipe it over my lids it is really hard to get detectable colour payoff and is impossible to build up.  It's really disappointing and leaves the lightest veil of colour on the lid.

I'd love to know if you have used and loved or hated any of these products!


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Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Anastasia Liquid Lipsticks-Lovely, Sweet Talk, Baby Pink and Retro Coral

Anastasia Liquid Lipsticks-Lovely, Sweet Talk, Baby Pink and Retro Coral

Anastasia Liquid Lipsticks-Lovely, Sweet Talk, Baby Pink and Retro Coral

Anastasia Liquid Lipsticks-Lovely, Sweet Talk, Baby Pink and Retro Coral

Anastasia Liquid Lipsticks-Lovely, Baby Pink and Retro Coral, Sweet Talk

For the past few weeks I feel like I have seen these Anastasia Liquid Lipsticks on my instagram feed every single dayTasha and I seemed to be lusting after them constantly during our daily whatsapp chats and when I woke up to her messaging me a discount code I took the plunge and ordered four.

They're a mixed bag to be honest.

Baby Pink is by far the worst.  Not only does the shade not suit me at all (it's too milky for my complexion and looks odd), the formula is just horrible.  I obviously knew that these were 'matte' liquid lipsticks but it highlights every dry patch on the lips, is extremely drying and looks almost chalky.  Add to that that it emphasises lip lines, stays tacky after application and leaves a horrible ring of colour as it fades I was pretty much ready to throw the rest out.

Lovely fairs better-it has more mauve in it so stops me looking so washed out.  It's still drying but not as drying as Baby Pink and when it fades it doesn't leave that nasty ring.

Sweet Talker and Retro Coral leave me on the fence.  I really like both colours (Sweet Talker is probably my favourite shade of them all) but again they feel quite uncomfortable on the lips and don't fade well.

Personally for a matte liquid lipstick I prefer either the Kat Von D everlasting liquid lipsticks or the Sephora Cream Lip Stains over these.  Latasha has also written a review on the two she picked up (forever mutual enablement) and you can read her thoughts here.


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Sunday, March 22, 2015

Product Rave-Zoeva Mixed Metals eyeshadow palette

Zoeva Mixed Metals palette review,

Zoeva Mixed Metals palette review,

Zoeva Mixed Metals palette review,

Zoeva Mixed Metals palette review,

Zoeva Mixed Metals palette review,

Sometimes there are products that come into your life that are SO good that you want to blog about them immediately and tell the whole goddamn world.  This is one of them.  There was a genuine OMG moment when I first started playing with this palette and I cannot get enough of it.

This is my first ever product from Zoeva and I ordered mine after seeing Sharon Farrell use it in one of her tutorials.  I thought it looked nice when she used it but I have been literally blown away by the consistency of this little palette now I own it myself.

The palette itself is housed in a super slim cardboard compact-nothing fancy but great for travelling.  It has no mirror which is slightly annoying but everything has a mirror these days so it's not a huge deal.

The shadows are so easy to use-they have that lovely silky, almost 'spongey' like texture, there is very little fall out and the pigmentation is fantastic.  They also blend so easily making smoky eyes a breeze and they keep their colour definition when blended-i.e they don't all blend into one shade.

Once on the eye they last all day.  Literally all day with no fading, creasing or fallout.  I could rave about this palette forever.  My favourites from it are Platinum which is such an unusual green toned steel, and Alloy a purply taupe.  But I have now used them all and there is not one dud.  Even the matte black is the easiest to work with one I have ever used.

Below I wore a simple combination of Warm Silver and Aluminum.

Zoeva Mixed Metals palette review,

And here (taken in very bright sunlight in Cairo) Alloy all over the lid with Platinum in the crease and a touch of Rusty Steel in the centre of the lid.

Zoeva Mixed Metals palette review,

Below I used Rusty Steel and Onyx


This palette is incredible value at EUR17.50 (about £12.50) and mine was shipped to Dubai.  I'm going to be raving about this for weeks to come and I think I may need to add a couple more to my collection-Rose Garden and Naturally Yours have my name all over them!
 


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Friday, March 20, 2015

YSL Volupté Tint In Oil-6 Peach me love

YSL Volupté Tint In Oil-6 Peach me love

YSL Volupté Tint In Oil-6 Peach me love

YSL Volupté Tint In Oil-6 Peach me love

YSL Volupté Tint In Oil-6 Peach me love

Last year, YSL launched their new Gloss Volupté lip glosses which were a big hit with me-I reviewed 206 Fuchsia Oran and have since picked up two more and wear them a lot.

YSL have now upped their gloss game to the next level with their newest release-the Volupté Tint In Oil.  When I first heard about them I was a bit on the fence-oil on the lips doesn't sound particularly pleasant-but then really how appealing does oil in your hair and on your face sound?  Not very yet we're all doing it.  It's nourishing and repairing we're told.  And my lips are constantly in need of nourishment and repair....

So when Lis and I found ourselves accidentally on purpose in Dubai Mall last week, in between mouthfuls of cake, gossip and Chuck Bass fawning we found ourselves in Bloomingdales, at YSL, swatching these little tubes of gloss.  I picked up three to swatch but all three seemed very sheer and looked the same colour on my hand.  So I just purchased up one-6 Peach me love (in truth the other one I wanted was out of stock) but I was surprised that they stained my hand and I needed a good old amount of Bioderma to shift them.

I really love the feel of the gloss on the lips-it feels so lightweight and water like and the initial effect is a glass like shine that I love.  And they're buildable!  As you can see from my pictures, a second coat gives a much deeper more intense colour.  After the gloss has gone there is a definite stain left behind that really stays well.  But my lips do feel really nourished and hydrated.  I need more.

These glosses have the same 'lip shaped' applicator as the Gloss Volupté's and application is very easy direct from the tube.  The only thing I would say is that this shade is definitely a pink rather than a peach on me so 'peach me love' doesn't seem the best shade description.

But don't be put off by the word 'oil'.  The 'oils' in the formula are super nourishing apricot kernal, jojoba seed, coriander fruit and possiflora edulis oils but the texture really is light as a feather without any trace of oiliness.



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Wednesday, March 18, 2015

WIN!! NARS Dual Intensity Palette giveaway


Well good morning!

Today:

Marks the 500th post on my blog which is now 2.5 years old.
Is my birthday!

Two good reasons to say a massive thank you to everyone who takes the time to read my blog and an even bigger high five to those who comment and say nice things!

I recently hit 1800 followers on both twitter and instagram, 1300 on Bloglovin and 500,000 page views so as a thank you I am giving away a brand new NARS Dual Intensity Eye palette.  This is an international giveaway which will run for a month.  Follow the rafflecopter widget instructions below for how to enter.  Entries will be checked.  Yadda yadda yadda.

Good luck and thank you! 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Monday, March 16, 2015

Lip Six

Last week was hectic with a capital H!  I saw Ed Sheeran and Michael Bublé in concert.  I ate at the same Thai restaurant two nights in a row with amazing views of the Dubai Fountains (and had the same waitress both times which was quite amusing given I ordered the exact same dinner two nights in a row-she must have thought it was groundhog day), drank too much at Tuesday Club (thanks JP), had cake and coffee and shopping with Lis, did some pre-birthday 'treats to self' shopping and wished I could spend more time with all the Dubai visitors this week!

The weekend was all about chilling and regrouping ahead of this week.

Lipstick choices went something like this....


Top row- (L) Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution lipstick in Amazing Grace (R) MAC matte lipstick in Velvet Teddy

Middle row (L) Tom Ford lipstick in Spanish Pink (R) YSL Gloss Volupté in 202 Rose Jersey

Bottom row (L) L'Oreal L'Extraordinaire Liquid Lipstick in 304 Ruby Opera (R) Anastasia Liquid Lipstick in Baby Pink

Pick of the week?  I really like the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution range-all three shades I have are beautiful and they're so comfortable to wear.  There is also a dud of the week which is the Anastasia Liquid Lipstick-keep your eyes peeled for a full review coming soon.....

This post is my 499th on expatmakeupaddict-my 500th and a little giveaway will be live on Wednesday xxx



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Sunday, March 15, 2015

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Swish and Pop Blusher-First Love

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Swish and Pop Blusher-First Love

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Swish and Pop Blusher-First Love

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Swish and Pop Blusher-First Love

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Swish and Pop Blusher-First Love

Here's a story about love and heartbreak.

Charlotte Tilbury products are no stranger here on my blog.  So far I have reviewed three of her 'Cheek to Chic Swish and Pop blushers' (ridiculously long name and hereby known as CTCSAP which is equally as ridic) Love Glow, Love Is The Drug and Ecstasy-all rated well on the Expat Make Up Addict scale but I wasn't obsessed with any of them.

Until I tried First Love.

And I was immediately obsessed.

First Love was bordering on all time holy grail status in the blush category (previously occupied by NARS Deep Throat)-it just went with everything.  It made me look healthy and perky with its subtle tan undertones.  It had a very slight shimmer to it that just made me look glowy.  It literally moulded to the skin and I wore it constantly for two weeks, every time falling deeper in love.

And then this happened.

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Swish and Pop Blusher-First Love
This picture has a filter on it as I posted in on instagram!  The pictures of my face above clearly do not have a filter!! That's my real skin...
 I dropped it on the floor in the office and it smashed to smithereens.  Last week I had taught my assistant James what 'hitting pan' was and he was like 'oh you've hit pan' whilst I silently wept!  This is not pan JP, this is heartbreak.

Luckily the Selfridges website offered some solace in that I was able to order one online, pay the ridiculous £8 express delivery fee and it will be in my clammy little hands today.

This blush is simply perfection, I utterly love it and think it's a must for all pale girls who want a blush that can make you look alive, give shape to the face and give glow in all the right places!

At the Michael Bublé concert on Thursday evening my friend Andrew said 'surely you just could have replaced it from your existing make up items?'.  I think my look of horror probably told him that simply wasn't an option with this blush.  It's true love....



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Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Bite Matte Creme Lip Crayon-Fraise, Sucre and Tatin

Bite Matte Creme Lip Crayon-Fraise, Sucre and Tatin

Bite Matte Creme Lip Crayon-Fraise, Sucre and Tatin

Bite is one of those brands that I own quite a lot of stuff from but don't write about so today I am going to share my thoughts on the three Matte Creme Lip Crayons that I own.

Bite is a US brand but can be shipped to the UK via Sephora.  If you're in the US though I highly recommend checking out this brand-they are exclusively a lip product producer so know their stuff.

If you've ever thought about how much lipstick you have consumed over the years (honestly I don't but some may), Bite use food grade ingredients meaning you could (if you wanted to) eat the lipstick.

So it's probably no surprise, given that Bite only do lipstick products that these are excellent.

The first plus is they are a crayon-I love stick formulas because they're just so easy to swipe and go.  I have to say though, these do apply best when sharped to a pencil point but luckily, in the base of each pencil is a handy (albeit messy) sharpener.

Marketed as matte, I would say they have a more satin finish when they dry down.  The colours are opaque and even and the formula is very hydrating, it doesn't tug or suck moisture from the lips at all.  They're so comfortable to wear and leave an even stain as they wear off.  They also don't mograte outside your natural lip line.

These are perfect for low maintenance lips and are a real swipe and go lip product.

Sucre is a warm pink with a slightly coral tone to it.  Reminds me of Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Lost Cherry.

Bite Matte Creme Lip Crayon-Sucre

Tatin is a more muted rose pink and has quite a glossy finish

Bite Matte Creme Lip Crayon-Tatin

Fraise is much darker and redder than I expected it to be from the bullet but works well as a strong red lip and the pointed pencil shape means you don't need a liner.

Bite Matte Creme Lip Crayon-Fraise

Have you tried any Bite lip products?  I must get round to sharing a few more on my blog as I really rate this brand!


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Monday, March 9, 2015

Lip Six

Welcome to this weeks Lip Six-a week in which I seemed to wear six lipsticks that were roughly all the same colour!!!


Top row (L) MAC Pro Longwear Lipglass in Whoops (R) Armani Rouge Ecstacy CC lipstick in 305 Brick

Middle row (L) NARS Audacious lipstick in Brigitte (R) Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy in Defiant Coral

Bottom row (L) Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick in Confession (R) NARS Satin lip pencil in Lodhi

Which is your favourite?  For me it's the Estee Lauder-colour/formula is perfect!



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Sunday, March 8, 2015

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Swish and Pop blush in Love is the Drug

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Swish and Pop blush in Love is the Drug

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Swish and Pop blush in Love is the Drug

I am just going to get this out in the open.  Every time I look at these pictures I think 'nipple'.  I can't help it!

This however is another beautifully packaged blush from Charlotte Tilbury-I love the smooth oval disks and the rose gold accents.  This is the Cheek to Chic Swish and Pop blush in Love is the Drug, the third Charlotte Tilbury blush I have reviewed.  You can read my thoughts on Love Glow (although I have to say the shimmer was an overspray and I really love this blush!) and Ecstasy.

I have pretty good things to say about this blush-it's packed full of pigment and the lasting power is very good on the cheeks.  You can go for a subtle pop of colour or something far more intense.  As with the others, I find this whole outer and inner rim pointless and just swirl my brush around the whole pan.  I think if Charlotte wanted to create the option to use either the inner or outer colour she should have put them side by side, not in this configuration.

The pan does kick up some spray when you put the brush in as it is quite a soft formula, but this formula allows the blush colour to blend pretty seamlessly into the skin.  And of course it is shimmery-but it's not overkill, it's pretty.

It has a very NARS Orgasm feel to it so I dug out a few of my blushes as a comparison.  Love is the Drug is the most 'raspberry' pink of the four I chose but it's not hugely dissimilar to Love Glow.  Do I need both?  Probably not.  But I love this type of shade so similar or not, it's staying!



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