Friday, September 25, 2009

Barry M blusher swatches


ltr: pink orchid, rose, strawberry, raspberry, apricot, terracotta

Since I'm unemployed newly graduated, today I had nothing much to do except some housework and browse job sites, so I walked into Superdrug and swatched all the Barry M blushers.

They're new in. It's taken Barry M forever to come up with blushers, but these look pretty good. They go for £4.50 each in Superdrug and are highly pigmented. Like most other Barry M products the blushers address your basic need, ie. to put colour on your face, so all the blushers look pretty matte and not shimmery, which is good I guess. I know people are turned off by shimmer in blushers sometimes because they're more mature and have strict job roles, etc. I know that the Barry M website describes them as sheer, and I reckon they could be applied sheerlyw, but they're pretty bright. You'll have to be careful to not go overboard with them.

My favourite out of the lot is Strawberry. It looks like a cute reddish pink on my skin and I'd buy it, except I've got quite a few blushers I don't use regularly and I feel a bit guilty buying more, especially when I'm not in education employment or training.

Apricot looks a vivid orange in the pan rather than apricot - I've never used any blushers that are quite so brazenly orange but I must admit I like it. It looks like it could give a really good burnt flush if used right. I'd like to see someone do a comparison between Apricot and the ever popular orange blush Nars Exhibit A.

The Terracotta: I thought it looked brown in the pan but it looks kind of mauvey/mauvey-brown on me. If you're ordering it off the internet and you think it's brown, well, it ain't. Maybe it'll look browner if you're fairer or have a cool skintone or something. I don't know. It's my second favourite and the most subtle of the lot.

I'd say all the colours look good on darker skin except for Pink Orchid, which looks a bit chalky and purply on me. It shows up easily, just looks a bit weird.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Jewel Kilcher: her makeup, and a Jewel-inspired FOTD

Remember Jewel Kilcher? Way back in the 90's she sang Foolish Games and yodelled, and hooked up with a rodeo cowboy. She's still in country music or something. Apparently she's writing for her new country album, and talked with AOL about clothes and makeup. In summary, she uses YSL Mascara, Armani foundation, MAC Brit Wit blushcreme and Midtone Sepia CCB, and Blinc Kiss Me eyeliner.

I know about this from a twitter post by James McMurtry. He sings country songs and is really rather good but not that popular it seems. He does gigs in London from time to time, I meant to see him the last time he was here but haven't yet.

To celebrate this rediscovery of Jewel I'm doing a Jewel-inspired FOTD.



It's a bit much so I toned it down. I also don't have bright pink blush or that lipstick - I'm a bit afraid of bright colours, this makeup blog thing is kinda helping me with that.




What I used:

Eyes: Rimmel eyeliner and Benefit Bad Gal Lash, MAC Waternymph eyeshadow, the purple colour from the Sleek Originals palette, Bourjois Ombre Stretch in Violet Profond.
Cheeks: MAC X-Rocks
Lips: MAC Craving lipstick

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

I am back!

I disappeared!

I've been doing my dissertation etc. etc. and now I'm finally done with university and graduating on the 30th with an MSc in Pharmacognosy. Yes I chose a relatively specific and obscure course ("Sounds like alchemy," someone said to me) but I have an undergrad degree in biology and my dissertation project was on natural antimicrobials, so I hope I have a good chance of getting a job. So far I've applied to a microbiologist job and a job testing pee for drugs, I have a somewhat good feeling about the pee job. I feel that testing pee for drugs is within the range of my skillz.

Anyway. I did watch the final episode of True Blood but because of all the above dissertation etc. I haven't made any screencaps yet. The ending felt a bit anticlimactic, I'm not all thrilled and eagerly anticipating the next season like I did with Supernatural and Bones (Supernatural and Bones!) but it was alright. I did try to do a lipstick look like in the True Blood poster though, but failed desperately.


I have huge fucking teeth yall.

I used a Jordana lipliner in Silver Lilac but everything still bled desperately, I think I really do need a decent quality red lip liner. Like I'll pick up a Barry M one or something.

Looking at that picture, there's obviously a darker liner around the mouth. I tried to do that with an Urban Decay pleather pencil in Rubber, and put gloss over the top. I recommend a squeezy gloss or to put it on your fingers first. That red rubs off on the applicator. You can also see the pink 'the inside of my lips' bit on my bottom lip - I'm sure I'm not the only one with this problem. It's just a different type of cell or something I'm not quite sure, but it's wet and lipstick doesn't stick to it. And it's on the inside but it shows when you talk or open your mouth.

I used Urban Decay Pleather Pencil in Rubber as a base and as a kind of liner. This is old school stuff. You can probably find it on Ebay still or discount cosmetics outlets but I wouldn't bother. The main draw is that it's like a huge pencil and theoretically you could line your lips with it and colour them in, but it's slippery - I'd say more slippery than MAC Frost formula lipsticks so it slides everywhere. I used to be into gothness and, by association, pleather and Urban Decay (though they seem to have a way more cheerful and girly image now), so I still keep them around.

MAC Red lipstick over that. This is a new acquisition. I love this lipstick. It's less orange than Barry M Fire Engine Red but applies more of a true red on me than the other red lipsticks I have. It's also the first Satin formula lipstick I have, I've only tried Frost and Amplified finishes, and this feels 'wetter' than both of them.



I've compared it to the Prestige Velvet lipstick because I seem to have lost my So Scarlet lipstick. The last time I used it was when I went to a concert. I know I brought it back so it must be somewhere in the room, maybe under the bed or in a bag or something.

The gloss I used is something I bought when I went to Tokyo for my honeymoon. It's called 'Curvy Lip Silicone' and is made by Sony CP. I thought Sony made TVs and shit, but it seems in Japan they make makeup as well. There are a few colours available but I chose the clear one as the most versatile. It goes on shiny but feels really really sticky, stickier than Juicy Tubes.

This is one of my most treasured makeuppy things, because it is from Japan and applies with a LITTLE SPATULA! I'm a sucker for gimmicks.




I still have a few ideas about that True Blood red vampire poster opening sequence lipstick though. I possibly need a more burgundy/blood red colour, which I don't possess. Everything I have seems to be much darker or much pinker. I'll give it a go again.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Red lipstick day one: Revlon Sinnamon lipstick

Red lipstick day one: I used Revlon's Crushed Velvet Lip Creme in Sinnamon. In summary: it's a red lipstick, except the outside's covered in silver glitter that are essentially irrelevant to the actual lipstick. This looks like a light pink on the Revlon website but they lie. It's a dark brownish red. Hell it's that colour in the tube. Seriously, the person who decided to put up a light pink swatch on that website must've been trippin.





And I don't think it's still on sale either. You can just get to the Revlon page surreptitiously, from google.

Other things I'm using: Victoria's Secret Mosaic blush in Godess, MAC studiofinish concealer in NW35, Rimmel eyeliner. The nail polish is NYC long-wearing nail enamel in Skin Tight Denim Creme.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

New In Shops Post: Barry M Blushers and Self-Challenge

Barry M finally has blushers. I always thought they weren't making any because they expected you to use that damn dazzle dust as a generic coloured powder for just everything. They're priced at £4.50 each, like the dazzle dusts and much cheaper than their bronzer (which is supposed to be similar to Nars Laguna, I have neither so I can't talk about that). They're available in six colours, all of which look really bright on their website. Barry M stuff is generally good and well-pigmented so I have great hopes for these blushers. I haven't seen them in my local Superdrug yet but I'll update you when I do. I kind of like the look of the raspberry one and will be trying it out when I see it.

I'm wearing that Barry M red lipstick again today. I've decided to face my fear and wear red lipstick for the whole of next week. This will also prompt me to use red lipstick in different looks, not just with neutral eyeshadow and black eyeliner. Yay!

Friday, September 4, 2009

Barry M Pillar Box Red

I said yesterday that I thought I should get a true red lipstick and, well, I work fast. I got Barry M's Pillar Box Red lip paint as recommended by Glamour and Look.

Barry M products don't actually have names on the label, this is #121.



The name is accurate, it's actually pillar-box, Royal Mail red.








The good news is it isn't shiny. I don't like shiny bright red lips, I think it makes me look like I've eaten something in sticky red sauce, like BBQ ribs or something. It also controllable and doesn't go on like a bright wild red immediately, I've got like about three coats on in the picture so it looks like an actual bright red.

I'm still not that fond of the texture of Barry M lip paints. This lipstick doesn't seem to dry out my lips, but I don't know. Possibly I'm just used to lipglosses and sheer, moisturising lipsticks so the lip paints feel drier and more powdery. It just goes on less smoothly than my other lipsticks, it's a personal thing.

It might be a smidge too orange on me too. I'll have to do up a whole face with the new lipstick to see how it goes, or if I'll have to mix it with a darker red before I can go out. It's an affordable price though which is good if you're just trying out a colour or it's a colour you won't use often. I sometimes wish that lipsticks came in tiny tiny tubes, especially in colours like fuchsia and red and things so you could buy the amount you'd reasonably need.

Bright red is a difficult colour. I have fairly full pouty lips ('like a little heart', said my husband), and fear walking around with the wrong red lipstick on and looking like a horrible racist 1920s caricature. Kind of like this:



Yeah that's right. I said it. I'm not sure if other people feel this way but don't say it, or I'm just fucked in the head. It's partly why I find dark red lipstick and sheer red stains more comfortable to wear. I especially have this problem with glossy red lips. To be fair, it might just be because bright red is just so, well, bright. It's kind of an out-there colour. If I were a white girl I'd probably be just as terrified of looking like a clown.



Red lipstick does bleed if you aren't careful.

But don't be insecure. I see girls of all types and colours wearing bold red lipstick and looking great. I definitely do need to sit down and create a whole retro look (foundation, etc.) to be able to wear that lipstick and be comfortable with it. It's just a thing that I need to wrap my mind around.

In the same vein...

... those of you looking to recreate Sophie-Ann's hair might like these livejournal communities:

diyretrohair
vintagehair

I'm personally fond of the 50s look and I do it sometimes when I have loads of free time (not now). I've been to Miss Betty's Beauty Parlor on Carnaby Street and she's simply amazing, it's just that it cost me fifty quid.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

True Blood inspired makeup

Short post before I go out. I know I said I'd use the MAC Prom palette today but I felt a bit sexy and decided to do Sophie-Ann inspired makeup. I used these on my eyes: black Rimmel eyeliner, MAC Boot Black liquid eyeliner, Benefit Moon Beam for highlighting, Urban Decay Strip (this works for me but I don't know if it'll work if you're fairer, I've watched the episode again and her eyeshadow might possibly be a light, faintly green or blue shade, so Aquavert might work well though it's too white on me), and Benefit Bad Gal Lash. I used the Dr Pepper lipbalm and MAC So Scarlet lipstick on my lips. I don't have a matching lipliner to use with red lipstick though I should so I just put it on very carefully. I also used my Boots Natural Collection tinted moisturiser today, MAC concealer in NW35, and MeMeMe Pussycat Lip & Cheek Tint.

I decided I need a true red lipstick though. It achieves looks no other shade of red can. Possibly I'd just not got the right shade of retro red before.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

MAC Rock It! Prom Palette

One of my favourite makeuppy things is my MAC Rock It! palette. It's the prom palette from I think 2004, and is mostly pink glitter. I used it today, and I'm going to use it again tomorrow since I'm going on a sort of 'date' with my husband. I'd say this is a really sweet palette for a date, for prom (like it was meant for), or for raving/clubbing, or for school. I remember really really wanting it when i was 19 but didn't want to pay full retail price for it. I forgot all about it until I saw it on livejournal recently for much cheaper so I was like, yeah, that's cool, I want that. I still wouldn't pay full retail price for it even though I love it to bits, it's one of those things that's just all lovely and girly, kind of like My Little Pony and tutus and rainbows, but it's seriously more My First Makeup Kit than other palettes you could get for a comparable price.



Pink glitter case!



That said the shades are rather lovely. The glitter cream (Rock It) is apparently comparable to the Playmate Pink glitter cream. The pink shows up on me as a highlighty kind of sheen but the glitter is large. This is like rave glitter, people. Personally I don't think it's similar to a cream colour base, it's much much drier but in a way that's good since I find the ccbs pretty oily. I use it on my cheekbones though I don't advise it for your day job, but I've also used it on my eyelids without going blind and, y'know, it just shows up as chunky glitter. It reminds me of a stack of glitter creams I got when I was 18. They were like cheap drugstore schoolgirl makeup but were similar, except they were a bit creamier. Those were awesome.

The last gloss (Up The Beat) is pretty much just sheer on me though it looks peachish in the pan, but the first and second are rather good. The first is a cute shimmery baby pink (Pretty Fab), and the second is a light berry pink (Berry Rush). They're all pretty but standard glosses.

Today I used Pretty Fab, the glitter cream on my cheekbones and eyelids, and Stila All Over Shimmer liquid in #6, Barry M Candy dazzle dust (#58), MAC Beauty Marked, MAC Boot Black liquid eyeliner, and my new mascara for September, Benefit Bad Gal Lash on eyes.



I'm not sure if you can see the glitter on my cheeks. I think you can.





I wanted a light pink eyeshadow and at first wanted Ice Pink or Pale Pink dazzle dusts, but when I tried them on in the shop they showed up too white on me. Candy is a really good light pink for darker skintones. I haven't got another pink like it but it looks like it should be a fairly common shade. I'm extremely fond of it.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

True Blood Makeup: eps 9-11, and red lipstick.



Yeah I do owe you all some True Blood screencaps. The True Blood makeup has just been so boring until the latest episode.



I swear that girl gets more and more like Dita Von Teese every time I see her.

It looks like she's got some blue-ish silvery eyeshadow on (Urban Decay Strip is very good) but I might just be making that shit up, and this fancy powder compact. I don't have a nice powder compact like that and have no clue what it is. YSL? It's a little gold box.



Nah I don't think it's that, but, y'know, it's pretty fancy all the same. Now I have perspective enough to know I don't need it since I'm not really into the whole powder thing and I've already got a powder, but, y'know. If I were the Queen of Louisiana I'd buy that shit. It's got a heart in it! Aww.

Now the obvious: retro-red lips. Yeah there'll be a MAC lipstick you can wear that'll look like that, MAC Red, Ruby Woo, or something, but red is a pretty common colour and I'm sure you'll be able to find an equivalent shade fairly easily. I've used one from Revlon to good effect, it just made me look like a transvestite hooker. This shade of red just ain't for me. Everyone's got a shade of red they think they look the hottest in, but if you're looking for a red like Sophie-Ann's don't get So Scarlet.

Of course I had to put on a red lipstick after the episode and I put on some So Scarlet - it's the red I've committed myself to and it's a kickin' red, but it's nothing like that. It's nothing like Hadley's red lipstick neither (see below). It's way pinker and more cool-toned. It's LE as well, but if you want it you shouldn't be like trawling the internet looking for it. I swatched my red lipsticks and found that my cheap li'l Prestige lipstick is extremely similar to So Scarlet. Prestige lipsticks are alright as well. I find the MAC creamier but So Scarlet is the Amplified formula. I'd say Prestige is just a bit drier than that, and I much prefer the Prestige lipstick over Barry M, which I find a bit powdery. I know Barry M is pretty popular but they don't have a great range of lipstick colours, and no lipstick should feel kind of dry and powdery. The Prestige lipstick colour is a bit sheerer and a tiny bit pinkier than So Scarlet, but when you layer it on your lips they look extremely similar. Hell, they look extremely similar in the tube.







That being said I still have both. I use the MAC for specialer events, like going somewhere kind of posh or a birthday. I guess I'm just attracted to the same colours, over and over again.



Hadley has a warmer brickier shade of red on. It reminds me of an old lipstick I had. It was Nars Spanish Red and was a wonderful self-treat that was way beyond my student budget, until it melted in my drawer into a pool of expensive wax and carmine. Alas. That lipstick was the bomb, I'll get it again when I'm making a good taxable salary. Employ me! Yes.

Nobody else had very noteworthy makeup, except Hoyt's Mama:



she's matched her lips to her earrings to her clothes,



and has gone and glued scary dead spiders on her eyes,

and the Fangtasia White Trash Daytime Guard lady,



who I swear to God is using MAC's Bare Truth lipglass,

but I'll run through their faces anyway from episodes 9 and 10 in a brief montage. They're pretty much all wearing what they've all been wearing most of the season.



Apparently there are only one or two more episodes until the end of the season? Bizarre happenings have occurred in Bon Temps that weren't in the books. Alan Ball has taken the characters and now they inhabit a strange, sexual, Spanish-Moss-draped world with liberal definitions of maenads.