How To Tint Your Eyebrows At Home

You may be used to plucking your eyebrows at home but would you ever tint them? Tinting your brows can make a big difference, particularly if you have dark hair like me. It makes your eyebrows appear fuller and only takes a few minutes to do at home.

I like to use the permanent tint kits by Eylure. Eylure have repackaged their eyebrow tint kits and you can now buy these single application kits. However the single application kit is actually more expensive than their normal kit, which gives you up to 12 applications....Maths isn't my strong point, but that doesn't sound right to me!

Both kits are available here on Feel Unique or you can pick them up in your local Boots.

In the single application kit you get 1 mixing tray, 1 plastic stirrer, 1 spooley brush, 1 sachet of colour cream and 1 sachet of developer cream.

Step 1: Pour the Colour Cream sachet into the mixing tray

 Step 2: Add the Developer Cream to the Colour Cream

Step 3: Mix the two together with the plastic stirrer until the dye is evenly mixed.

Step 4: Apply to your eyebrows using the spooley brush provided. Before doing this make sure your eyebrows are clean with no makeup. You can also apply some vaseline to the skin around your eyebrows, this will act as a barrier and prevent the dye staining your skin.

Step 5: Leave on for 5-6 minutes to allow the colour to develop before removing with a damp cotton wool pad. Make sure to really scrub your brows back and forth to remove all the dye. You can also use the kit to tint my eyelashes like I did, but if you are going to do this make sure you do a patch test first!

Before

After

Face of the Day with Laura Mercier Sheer Lip Colour in Baby Lips

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you might know that I have a slight obsession with finding out the exact makeup used in film and TV programmes. Laura Mercier's Sheer Lip Colour in Baby Lips is one of the shades used on Christina Hendricks in Mad Men, so of course I had to try it. 

I was thinking I really should do a blog post on my favourite 'your lips but better' lipsticks. You know the ones that give you some colour but you don't have to bother looking in a mirror to apply them! My friends always laugh that I have about 20 lipsticks the same colour!

Face

Foundation

L'Oreal Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation

I am so happy that I can finally wear this foundation again! I bought it last Summer but its quite dark so I can only wear it when I have a bit of a tan going on. This is one of my all time favourite foundations and that's compared to foundations that are 3 times the price. It gives a light to medium coverage, so I would still use a separate concealer but the glow it gives your skin is beautiful.

Concealer

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

I have actually just finished this concealer and its not one I would buy again. I don't think it gave particularly great coverage, especially for the price.

Bronzer

MAC Extra Dimension Bronzer in Aphrodite's Shell

This was a limited edition bronzer from MAC's summer collection. It doesn't have any glitter in it, but it has this sheen to it which just makes your skin glow. I hope MAC re-release these next Summer.

Contour and Highlight

Anastasia Contour Palette

Full review here, I just used the banana shade to powder under my eyes and down the centre of my face and used a tiny bit of Fawn to contour the cheeks slightly.

Blush

Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso

Milani blushers are my favourite, they have just the right amount of colour and glow. You don't even need to use a separate highlight when using one of these.

Eyes

Eyebrows

Soap & Glory Archery and Illamasqua Brow and Lash Gel

I ha vent reverted back to my beloved Hourglass pencil.....yet!

Eyeshadow Primer

NARS Pro Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

My favourite eyeshadow primer, makes your eyeshadow last all day but is a nice light consistency, unlike other eyeshadow primers I've tried.

Eyeshadow

MAC Eyeshadow in Romp

I have fallen back in love with my MAC eyeshadow palettes and have been re-discovering all my old favourite shades like Romp and Woodwinked. Romp is a beautiful bronzy colour, which I like to apply all over the lid and blend out for a really effortless eye look.

Mascara

Tarte Lights Camera Flashes Mascara

From a re-discovery to a new discovery, oh my is this mascara is good! At first I wasn't sure but after about 2 weeks something amazing happened and this gave me the most volumised lashes of my life.

Lips

Lipstick

Laura Mercier Sheer Lip Colour in Baby Lips

If its good enough for Joan, its good enough for me! This is a really moisturising lipstick and looks really glossy on the lips, the only downside is that it wears off pretty quickly.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Pro Series Contour Kit

Contouring is more popular than ever this year thanks to the likes of Angelina Jolie in Maleficent and Kim Kardashians numerous selfies. 

Anastasia is America's brow queen and with Cult Beauty now stocking her products in the UK, her popularity looks set to rise over here. 

Not content with sticking to purely brow products, she has now released a contour kit so your cheeks and brows can look equally defined. 

The contour kit contains 6 shades, 3 lighter shades to highlight and 3 darker shades to contour. The palette has caused quite the beauty stir and is consistently sold out on Cult Beauty online, however I managed to nab one when it came back in stock last month.

My favourite colour to contour with from the palette is "Fawn" which is the lightest brown shade. This is a grey toned brown, so mimics a natural shadow. I use my NARS Ita brush to apply this. 

Honestly the NARS Ita brush makes contouring so easy as it does all the work for you!

Make sure to start your contour right in your hairline, I tend to start by the top of my ear and draw a line  about a quarter of the way down. I then flip my brush on the side and blend, blend, blend to diffuse the line a little.

For highlight I have been loving the slightly yellow toned powder, "Banana"

This really brightens the face and I use my powder brush to apply this underneath my eyes, on the centre of my forehead, down my nose and lightly on my chin.

Overall I have been loving this palette, as you can see from the pictures its already looking pretty well loved. The powders are lovely, pigmented and smooth, not chalky in the slightest. If you are a makeup fiend like myself you will love this. Its definitely not a must have though, purely because I have found myself sticking to the same 2 shades and I don't know how much use I will realistically get out of the other 2 darker contour colours. 

The Contour Kit is available from Cult Beauty for £45.00 its currently out of stock again so you may have to do some stalking to make sure you don't miss it when its available.

Makeup Shopping

So yesterday I blogged about my Sister's makeup trial at Bobbi Brown and of course there was a teeny bit of shopping involved. 

Bobbi Brown Almost Bare Perfume

I always wanted to be one of those people who have a signature scent and now I am one of those people, sadly that is one of the only things I have achieved in life so far! 

This perfume just smells really fresh, how I image Jennifer Aniston smells after a walk on the beach! 

If that terrible description hasn't sold it to you, I can tell you that I have had a few compliments from random gentlemen actually asking what my perfume was (I'm assuming in a good way!)

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light Bisque

So I mentioned in my last post that I had to buy this after seeing it used on my Sister. Bobbi Brown's Correctors are used to counteract dark under eye circles, the idea being that you apply this to correct the darkness and then apply a concealer on top. There really was a remarkable difference after this was applied, it just seemed to completely erase any bags or dark circles. I also find that I don't need to use a separate concealer over the top, as this is enough for me on its own. Although you do need to powder, as this is prone to creasing. 

MAC Prep and Prime Highlighter in Bright Forecast

These Prep and Prime Highlighters are one of my favourite products by MAC and I recommend them to everyone. Light Boost is my favourite which is a yellow colour, great for highlighting the face. Bright Forecast is more of a peachy colour so like the Bobbi Brown Corrector, great for brightening under the eyes. I'm sure you will see this popping up in a few Face of the Day posts.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light

As I am doing my Sisters makeup on her wedding day, there are a few products I have picked up recently which I knew I wanted to use on her. I love my Kevyn Aucoin highlighter but I thought this powder by Hourglass was a little more subtle and would look beautiful in photographs. This just gives your skin the most beautiful glow without looking like a highlighter. I think this could be a new obsession!

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara

I have heard a lot of people rave about this mascara but the idea of buying a separate mascara for your bottoms lashes seemed ludicrous to me. Well I take it all back because I am now officially converted! This mascara has the teeniest, tiniest brush which allows you to get at all your bottom lashes without getting mascara all over your face. It gives a very pretty effect with zero clumpiness or spider lashes. The other amazing thing about this is that it doesn't smudge at all. I always have a problem with mascaras smudging on my bottom lashes, even waterproof ones but Clinique Bottom Lash does not budge. Love this stuff

Bobbi Brown Bridal Makeup Trial

My Sister is getting married this Friday, so last week we paid a visit to Bobbi Brown for a bridal makeup trial.

I am doing my Sister's makeup on the day (so proud) but she wanted to try out some different products and looks beforehand. As Bobbi Brown are famous for their bridal makeup, they seemed like the best brand to go with.

We went to the Bobbi Brown counter in the Bentalls department store in Kingston. FYI they have an amazing makeup department with MAC, NARS, Hourglass and Laura Mercier to name a few!

Although the majority of my makeup skills are self taught, I did study theatrical and media makeup in college. I am always wary of makeup trials on counters, as some brands (not all) purely focus on the sales element. I have to say that the Bobbi Brown trial was nothing like that and the makeup artist didn't feel pushy at all and it was clear that she knew her stuff.

My favourite part of the makeup was definitely the base. At the beginning they had a chat and my Sister explained that whilst she wanted good coverage, she didn't want her makeup to look cakey. 

To help achieve this, the makeup artist used a lighter foundation but then used a foundation stick on the cheek, nose and any areas which required slightly more coverage. 

I am definitely a convert to their correctors now. She used this under one eye and the difference was so visible, under eye circles be gone! I may have picked one of these up for myself as well. 

Base

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light Bisque

Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit

Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish Pressed Powder

Cheeks

Bobbi Brown Bronzer in Medium

Bobbi Brown Blush in Pale Pink

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Pink Quartz

Eyes

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Shadows in Sand Dollar and Slate

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Liner in Caviar Ink

Bobbi Brown No Smudge Mascara

Lips

Bobbi Brown Sheer Lip Colour in Peachy

Bobbi Brown Brightening Lip Gloss in Nectar

I will definitely be using some of their base products on the day but I think I'm going to mix it up a little with the eyes! The makeup artist picked more grey tones but we are thinking more of a gold sparkle is needed!

Overall I really would recommend having a trial at Bobbi Brown if you are doing your makeup yourself or just want some inspiration. I will definitely try and do a post of the finished makeup on the big day!

Beauty Graveyard

Do you know whats more satisfying than buying a new beauty product? Using one up! 

Here are some mini reviews on all the beauty products I have finished recently.

Living Proof Prime Style Extender

A primer for your hair might sound weird but I actually really love this stuff. I find it gives my hair some style without doing much else to it. If I do curl my hair however, I'm convinced the curls last longer with this. I also like to use this like a serum and will rub a blob through my hair once its curled to smooth any frizz. I will definitely go back to this but at the moment I am using Bumble and Bumble's new hair primer which is amazing as well. I think hair primer is definitely the new thing!

VO5 Refresh Me Quick Dry Shampoo

As a rule, me and dry shampoos don't generally get along but I have been on a mission to find the best one. This one by VO5 is my favourite so far, mainly for the smell alone. Although this is quite white and powdery, its a light powder so blends easily into my hair and doesn't leave it looking ashy. 

Oribe Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray

My favourite sea salt/wave spray. Gives my hair those real beachy waves that I crave but doesn't leave your hair feeling crispy or matted like other sea salt sprays.

Charles Worthington Volume and Bounce Texturising Spray

The best of the budget texturising sprays. This gives volume but also gives your hair some hold, not something I would use on a daily basis but good for a night out or on second day hair that needs a bit of oomph.

Moroccanoil Treatment

I have been using Moroccanoil for a number of years now and its definitely earned its holy grail status. I use this every time I wash my hair and simply rub one pump into the ends of my towel dried hair. Without this my ends are all frizzy and nasty, which is why I don't think we can ever be parted. Although its pricey, a bottle lasts me around 6 months and that's using it every other day. 

I have already repurchased this but in the lighter version, which so far I am loving.

Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray

Although the Oribe spray is my all time favourite, the Bumble and Bumble is my current favourite ;) 

I spray this through my hair when its towel dried and then go to bed. When I wake up and brush my hair through its got so much more volume and natural wave. Brilliant for people like me who don't heat style their hair on a daily basis.

Oribe Dry Texturising Spray

Unlike the Charles Worthington this doesn't have any hold to it, so I tend to use this more like a dry shampoo and just use it on my hair when its looking a bit limp. Like all Oribe products, its eye wateringly expensive so i don't know if I could justify buying this again!

Vatika Naturals Sweet Almond Moisturising Shampoo and Conditioner

My mum likes to try natural beauty products and she found this shampoo and conditioner for me from Vatika which is an Indian brand. This left my hair feeling so sleek and shiny that I could not stop touching it! 

Lush Big Sea Salt Shampoo

I haven't used this shampoo for ages but I was reminded of it recently and wanted to try it again. This is a really gritty shampoo with lumps of salt that you can feel and touch but don't let that put you off. This gives my hair some serious volume and its so nice and refreshing to use. 

Bumble and Bumble Surf Foam Wash Shampoo

My favourite shampoo and conditioner. This leaves my hair feeling bouncy and soft. As you can probably tell, I gravitate towards any hair products that promise a beachy wave!

Aussie Mega Instant Conditioner

I love the Aussie Mega range as its clarifying, so leaves my greasy hair feeling squeaky clean without it feeling stripped or dry.

Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot Pressed Powder

I wasn't overly fussed with this powder. It wasn't bad but I don't think it was the best at controlling shine.  On the whole I find Soap & Glory to be pretty expensive for a high street brand and the Rimmel Stay Matte which is less than half the price does a better job. I wouldn't buy this again.

Shiseido Sun Protection Liquid Foundation SPF30

This is one of the best foundations for Summer as its a) waterproof and b) has a really high SPF. I also like that its light and not heavy on the skin. I would definitely look at buying this again next Summer.

MAC Opulash Mascara

This is in limited edition packaging but this is a permanent mascara in MAC's range. The brush is massive but it gives good volume and this has to be one of the most long wearing mascaras I have ever tried. Its not waterproof, but on me will last all day without smudging or flaking. 

I have found other mascaras I prefer since, so I don't think I will be repurchasing this anytime soon. 

Benefit They're Real Mascara

Possibly my all time favourite mascara, I just don't know if I'm ready to make such a sweeping statement. Also this mascara gets better after you have been using it for a couple of weeks and its dried out a little so if you are unsure at first, persevere!

Hourglass Hidden Corrective Concealer 

This is an amazing thick but creamy under eye concealer, which will give you some serious Kim K highlighting. Its great for touching up at the end of the day because it instantly makes you look brighter and more awake. 

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm

This is a real cult beauty product but it just didn't wow me. You apply this before your makeup and its meant to brighten and tighten your skin. As tightening isn't a skin concern for me at the moment, I just don't think I could really appreciate it. 

I wouldn't buy this again, not for a few years at least!

Vaseline Spray & Go Body Moisturiser Cocoa Radiant

As you can see I'm still in that lazy mood when it comes to body moisturising! This is lovely to use in the summer as well because its so cooling when you spray it. Definitely not the most effective of moisturisers but the most painless.

Yes to Carrots Hydrating Shower Gel

I'm so excited that Yes to is becoming more widely available and that you can now buy the range in Boots. I hope this is just the beginning of more natural brands becoming more easily available. 

Yes to have given their packaging a bit of a revamp so they are looking a bit sleeker these days, still the amazing all natural, nasty chemical free goodness inside though.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo +

I don't like being dependant upon things but I fear I am now dependant on this for keeping spots at bay. I use this every night before I moisturise and the improvement in my skin has been really noticeable. I still suffer from breakouts around that particular time of the month but for the other 3 weeks my skin is clearer than ever. Already stocked up on a new tube.

Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel

My favourite makeup cleanser. Its so quick, I just rub it all over my face and rinse off with a muslin cloth or flannel. It removes your eye makeup as well as your face makeup and doesn't irritate my eyes at all, unlike my current cleanser. I will definitely be coming back to this. 

That sense of achievement when you finish a beauty product, you cant beat it! I am considering doing a  "project pan" for those of you non beauty bloggers, this is where you have to use up a certain amount of makeup before buying anything new. If you have managed to successfully complete such a thing let me know and pass on your words of advice!

July Favourites

In July I was mostly a bad blogger! I love makeup but sometimes I just get writers block, or I worry that people will think I'm a vapid individual for writing posts on beauty products!

I love blogging, I have missed it and as I should remind myself, you can't spend your life worrying about the opinions of others. I am going to try and incorporate some other, non beauty related things into this little corner of the internet. I have all these ideas in my head but translating them to a written post is a whole other story. 

Lets start off gently with some of my favourite beauty products and other non beauty related favourites from the month of July! 

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation

This is one of the best foundations I have found on the high street. It feels lovely and light on the skin, gives a medium coverage and has a very natural finish. It leaves your skin with a really subtle glow and the lasting power isn't bad either. I would highly recommend this if you are looking for a new foundation that won't break the bank.

Available from Boots £6.99

Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream

I first discovered this last year and it remains the best BB cream I have tried. I have been wearing this on those no makeup weekends, you know the ones where you spend half the day watching Sons of Anarchy ;) 

This doesn't provide much in the way of coverage but it just evens out my overall skin tone and gives my skin a bit of life and colour. It must do something as I've had a few compliments on my skin when wearing this!

Available from Smashbox £13.50 for the travel size version

Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colour in Lush Nectarine

I know its officially Summer when this blusher comes out my drawer! It looks quite bright in the pan but on the skin it translates to a beautiful coral glow and lives up to its second skin name. If you like coral blushes you will love this.

Available from Space NK £20.50

Soap & Glory Archery in Brownie Points

My Hourglass pencil will always be my favourite brow pencil but as I'm running low on that, I thought I would try and use this up. I bought this last year for one of my Christmas party looks but found the pencil to be very hard and chalky, so never really reached for it again. 

Archery is a double ended brow pen, on one end you have a brush which allows you to draw individual hairs and the other end is a standard pencil. Tip for you, if you have an eye kohl or eyebrow pencil that is quite hard, put it over a flame for a few seconds. This will turn your kohl from chalky to creamy and since doing this with the Archery pencil I have loved it.

Available from Boots £10.00

Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs in Medium Glow

I cannot tell you the last time I used fake tan, we are talking at least 3 years ago. I just hate the stuff, it goes patchy, its orange and it stinks, plus I cant be bothered to go through all the effort of applying it. 

I have been trying to get my legs out a bit more this Summer but as that's a bit of a traumatising experience for me I need something to make the whole process a bit easier. As I don't fake tan, Sally Hansen's Airbrush Legs seemed the perfect alternative. 

This is essentially leg makeup, think of it as foundation for your legs! You spray it on and rub in with your hands, don't worry its not a tan so will wash straight off your hands afterwards, although I would put a towel down to avoid it going everywhere. My legs looked tanned but in a natural, healthy way. It also covers any unsightly veins or marks on your legs. This didn't rub off on my clothes or bed sheets but washed off easily when I showered. 

Amazing stuff.

Available from Boots £9.99

Essie Nail Polish in Lilacism

I have been obsessed with this pretty lilac colour on my nails recently. Before I bought this in Boots, I compared it to Barry M's Prickly Pear which I also love. Compared to Prickly Pear, this is lighter and less bright, with more of a grey/blue tone.

Available from Boots £7.99

Bumble and Bumble The Hairdresser's Trio Travel Set

I have just reviewed this on my blog here if you want the full lowdown. Sad to say I have already used up the shampoo and conditioner :( I may just have to purchase the full size!

Available from Escentual.com currently on sale for £15.60

Solillas

It took me forever to find some Summer shoes that I liked and that didn't result in your toes being on show 24/7. I discovered Solillas on Office and instantly fell in love. The style is simple and classic which I love and since buying them they haven't left my feet. One thing you should know about me, I am a creature of habit and when I find something I like I tend to buy two of it, so of course I had to get a black pair as well!

The price of these did make me wince a bit but these are handmade and real leather. They are so comfy and unlike cheap Primark flats, dint leave your feet stinking!

Available from Office £45.00

I thought I would leave you with a few of my music favourites that I have been listening to repeatedly for the last month.

Bruce Springsteen - Born In the USA

I am on a bit of a Springsteen kick at the moment and when I'm driving to work I imagine that I'm driving down a vast American highway, instead of the narrow winding lanes of Surrey! The perfect road trip album. My personal fave, My Hometown.

Joshua James - Build Me This

I discovered Joshua James through the Sons of Anarchy soundtrack. I listen to a lot of soundtracks, I just love them and I discover so many artists that I never would have even heard of otherwise. If you like a bit of folk in your life, give him a listen.

John Mayer - Paradise Valley

Sadly John Mayer's reputation with the ladies tends to overshadow his music in the media. For Paradise Valley, Mayer has gone a bit country on us and I bloody love it. There is nothing groundbreaking here but for some chilled out, easy listening I love this album.