The Return of Max Factor

August 11, 2016 in Makeup

US beauty lovers rejoice - Max Factor is back! I've been sitting by jealously as my favorite UK bloggers rave about product after product from this brand, and now we can all finally get our hands on some. Max Factor has come out with a small collection (curated by none other than Pat McGrath) that is now available at drugstore.com, amazon.com, Walgreens, and Target. Their idea when selecting the products to release was to fuse modern and classic - a cat eye with a nude or a rose lip. The products now available in America are the Masterpiece Max Mascara*, Masterpiece High Precision Liquid Eyeliner*, and two shades of the Colour Elixir Lipstick*.

Let me just say I'm already in love with the mascara. I've been using it every single day since I got it, and although I got sent the product for free, I'm going to be going out and buying a few backups. It gives me the perfect amount of volume, definition, and length, and it holds a curl really well throughout the day. What's sold me, though, is the fact that it isn't waterproof and still manages to last all day long on me. The shade available is Velvet Black which is just as it sounds - a rich, opaque black that really adds drama to the lashes. I've had to wear my glasses for the past couple weeks, so I've been really glad to have this to still add some definition to my eyes.

I was a bit confused when I opened the liner - instead of the typical pointed nib you get on felt tip liquid eyeliners, this one has more of a paddle shape. I'm terrible at doing liquid eyeliner, so I kept an open mind and hoped this shape would help. It certainly helps when lining my actual eye, but I'm still getting to grips with using it to draw a wing. Keep in mind that I'm horrible at doing winged liner with any eyeliner pen, so I don't fault this product at all. The shape works well to make sure you get down as close as possible to your lashes, so you're not left with a weird gap of skin. It therefore makes the lashes look so thick. The color is a rich black that doesn't have any sheen when it dries down, which I'm always looking for in a liquid liner. Again, I'm impressed!

Left to right: Charlotte Tilbury Kim KW, Max Factor Simply Nude, Charlotte Tilbury Super Cindy, Max Factor Maroon Dust

The lipsticks are also quite lovely. They're creamy and have a nice sheen, but I don't feel like they're going to be slipping and sliding all over the place if I want to eat or drink something. Because of their more moisturizing texture they won't last through eating, but they do fade evenly and are easy to touch up. The shades available are Simply Nude, a beautiful true pinky nude, and Maroon Dust, what I think I would call a terracotta rose. Upon swatching them I instantly thought they reminded me of the two shades of the Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Lipsticks I recently got, and lo and behold they're quite similar! So if you wanted to get your hands on Kim KW or Super Cindy, definitely check these out instead.

Overall I'm so impressed with these products, and I'm hoping more products from Max Factor will be available in the US in the future! Until then, my list of things to buy if I ever go to the UK has just gotten significantly longer. Have you tried any of these products yet?

*Products mentioned have been sent to me for review, but all opinions are my own. Please see my disclaimer for more information.

Five to Try

August 09, 2016 in Makeup, Skincare

One of my favorite things to do is to try new products. I not only love the excitement of opening up something new, but figuring out whether it works with my skin or general makeup aesthetic is so much fun. And of course when I find something I love, I just have to shout about it here for all of you.

Jouer Daily Repair Treatment Oil* | I love a good facial oil, and lately this one has been a great addition to my skincare routine. It contains a bioretinol complex that has the positive effects of retinol without the irritation commonly experienced. It also contains both rosehip and starflower oils to nourish and rejuvenate the skin. This oil keeps my skin moisturized all night long - usually I have to top up my oil at night with one last layer of night cream, but with this one I don't. It leaves me with incredibly smooth and plumped skin come morning, so I just can't get enough of it.

Farmacy Honey Potion Renewing Antioxidant Hydration Mask* | If you're not only looking for a nice hydrating mask but also an incredibly relaxing one, definitely give this one a go. It's a thick, honey-like (surprise) consistency when you first take it out of the pot (it comes with a spatula to make scooping it out easier), but once you spread it over the face and begin massaging it in, it gently heats up and turns into more of a silky cream. It's really quite nice. I'll be writing up a more in-depth review of this soon (if that's something you'd want to see), but for now I'll just tell you it's my favorite mask at the moment.

Dior Fusion Mono Eyeshadow, 'Meteore' | I picked up this beautiful eyeshadow about a week ago after I had heard them mention it in Fat Mascara, my new favorite podcast. I always assumed these were cream eyeshadows, but they're actually more of a hybrid gel-powder. It's quite unique. The Meteore shade is a beautiful copper shade that's perfect for everyday. The pigmentation is on the more sheer side so it just lends a hint of definition and brightening sheen to the eyelids. I've been patting this on just about every morning.

Pixi MultiBalm, 'Sheer Sculpt' | When I heard that this was a similar shade to Kevyn Aucoin's famous Sculpting Powder, I was sold. It definitely is a perfect contour shade, and it's such a blendable cream. Even on my pale skin it's easy to get a natural-looking contour. I much prefer working with creams than powders, so this has even replaced my Sculpting Powder - I gave it away to my sister as soon as I tried this!

Urban Decay Beached Bronzer, 'Sun-Kissed' | I've been debating this bronzer all summer, and I finally caved. I'll admit it was the packaging that did me in, but luckily the product inside is just as beautiful. I have the lighter shade of the two and it's really the most perfect bronze shade. It's not orange-toned at all, but I think it actually has a bit of a reddish tone, which I really love because it makes it the exact color I would turn if I could actually tan. The powder is nice and soft, but not enough to kick up too much dust. And it's pigmented, but not so pigmented that it leaves a huge streak on your face. It's just perfect.

What new products have you been trying lately? Have you tried any of these?

*Some products mentioned have been sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. Please see my disclaimer for more information.

If I Could Only Pick One

August 06, 2016 in Makeup

I've been seeing a few posts like this around lately, and I thought it would be fun to go through my collection and see what I would pick if I could only choose one product from each category to wear day in and day out. It was a lot easier than I was expecting, so maybe that should inspire me to go through my collection and downsize.

PRIMER: BECCA Backlight Priming Filter | This is only one of two primers I own, and it's definitely the one I reach for more. It gives the skin such a nice glow that works under any foundation. I even like wearing this on its own on no-makeup days if I feel like my skin's looking a little dull - this perks it up right away. I feel like it helps my makeup stay on longer as well, which some glow-inducing primers don't really do.

BASE: bareMinerals Complexion Rescue | This was probably my hardest choice, as I do love a good skin-like base. The Complexion Rescue is such a perfect product - it's lightweight and non-greasy, but it gives a good amount of coverage and a whole lot of glow. It feels so creamy and hydrating on the skin too - some tinted moisturizers I've tried have felt chalky on my skin, but this one's just so smooth. I love that it has the extra SPF in there, too.

CONCEALER: Glossier Stretch Concealer | I've recently heard this described as a "solid tinted moisturizer" and that really is right. It's one of the first concealers I've tried with a dewy finish, so it really goes well with all the dewy foundations I like to use. It gives a more sheer coverage, but it layers easily without ever getting cakey. I like that I can apply this to the drier areas on the sides of my nose that get red without it catching on every little dry patch - this is definitely one to try if you can.

BROWS: Glossier Boy Brow | I've said before that if I only use one product before rushing out the door, it's always something for my brows. The Boy Brow is my favorite because it's unlike any tinted brow gel I've tried - it's more of a cream, so it sets the brows naturally without looking or feeling crunchy. The tint gives the perfect amount of pigmentation, too, so it does a lot of the work of filling in my brows for me. I usually follow this up with some kind of brow pencil, but if I could only choose one brow product, it would always be this.

EYESHADOW: Burberry Wet & Dry Silk Shadow, 'Rosewood' | This is just my favorite eyeshadow. It's got the most beautiful formula, and it's a gorgeous plummy-bronze color. It works equally well dusted on for an all-over wash or packed on for a little more drama. This is also one of those magical eyeshadows that turns a slightly different shade when blended out, so it looks like you're wearing more than one eyeshadow and have put in a lot more effort than you really did.

EYELINER: Colourpop Creme Gel Liner, 'Brew-Haha' | I forgot to include this in the picture, but this is probably the best pencil liner I've ever tried, and it's only $5. It never smudges on me throughout the day, even in the waterline, and the Brew-Haha shade is the perfect deep brown for every day.

MASCARA: Too Cool For School Dinoplatz Escalator Mascara | This is a new addition, but I'm already obsessed. It gives me a good whack of both length and volume without getting too clumpy, and because it's a tubing mascara, it never smudges or flakes on me. This is no easy feat, because every single mascara seems to smudge under my eyes. And as a bonus, it washes off with only warm water.

BRONZER: NARS Laguna Liquid Bronzer | This gives me the most natural-looking bronze glow out of any bronzer I've tried. The liquid blends seamlessly into the skin without disturbing any makeup underneath, and the soft golden shimmers in it add a natural glow that's never glittery. I'm in love.

BLUSH: Stila Convertible Color, 'Lilium' | I don't wear blush every day, but when I do I love this fresh, creamy formula. It's super easy to dab on the cheeks and blend out with fingers, so it's a good product to toss in your bag for on-the-go touchups. The color Lilium is the perfect neutral pink that goes with anything and adds the softest flush to the cheeks.

HIGHLIGHTER: Glossier Haloscope, 'Quartz' | I know, another Glossier product. I'm a bit highlighter-obsessed, but I have no doubt in my mind that this one is my favorite. It gives off quite an intense radiant glow, but it still manages to look totally natural. It uses real crystal powders and a blend of nourishing oils as its source of sheen, so no wonder it makes you look so healthy.

POWDER: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder, 'Diffused Light' | I don't wear powder much these days, but this is always the one I go for if I do. (Actually I'm pretty sure this is the only powder I own). It sets makeup without making it look powdery or cakey and keeps the glow intact - can you tell I have a type? The Diffused Light shade is slightly yellow, so it also works great at softly canceling out redness.

LIPS: Urban Decay Vice Lipstick, 'Sheer Liar' | This was the hardest decision for me, but in the end I went for this fabulous new formula in a versatile nude shade. The Sheer Liar color can be patted on for a barely-there, "my lips but better" look or applied more liberally for a decently-pigmented hit of pinky-browny-peachy nude on the lips. It really is the perfect nude because it's got a bit of every tone mixed in.

I definitely recommend going through your collection to pick your one product of each - it was actually really fun! Let me know what you'd choose!