Hey Beauties!
As you all know i am absolutely crazy about Illamasqua i love their makeup and i love the idea of their company and what its all based upon. They have came out with another new collection, The Sacred Hour which again doesn't disappoint they have some gorgeous new colours and a new product "Skin Base Lift" but today im going to be reviewing the new eyeshadow palette called Reflection.


It seems these days Illamasqua has taken a step away from always doing matte colours which i do sometimes miss in the palettes as this palette is quite shimmery and it looks to me like its laced with small particles of silver glitter. The Reflection Palette contains 4 gorgeous eyeshadows with the same texture as the Paranormal Palette in the last collection, the not quite a cream but not exactly a powder texture. They are quite pigmented which for Illamasqua is a given they would also be great for beginners because you can't really mess it up as they blend like a dream and they only apply as much as you need. The colours in this palette are Precipice (Soft Lemon), Acute (Ash Taupe), Graphica (Graphite Grey) or Dart (Toasted Bronze)




These eyeshadows are water resistant so they won't just slide off although i would suggest using a primer first then applying these so you get smooth even base to work on. They are pretty long wearing i remember using them on set and it lasted around maybe 6 hours that i was there and that was in a hot studio so if we are talking everyday i would say around 8+ hours which is really good



The packaging for this is just the same as all the other Illamasqua compacts. It has a shiny black casing with the Illamasqua Logo on top with a snap closure which makes sure it doesn't open in your bag. The best thing about these eyeshadows is they aren't powders so they won't shatter in your bag if you're throwing it about which i absolutely love.

Hey Beauties!

I wanted to do a new type of post today where i show you the different things you can use to get this look. I particularly loved this look just because it was so soft yet quite strong and confident



For the skin apply YSL Touche Eclat Foundation to where you need it, the idea of this makeup is glowy dewy skin then apply Illamasqua Skin Base Lift Concealer under the eyes to brighten up and to correct dark circles etc.
Apply the Brown/Taupe tone in the Daniel Sandler "Sandal at Midnight" Palette to the lids softly and blend up creating a smokey effect, take the same colour underneath the eyes a bit more intensely than on the top and line and blend with the black on the lids closest to the lashes to create dimension then apply the white colour to the inner corners of the eyes to brighten them up, Curl your lashes and apply YSL Baby Doll Mascara to the top lashes. Once you have done the eyes move on to the brows using Illamasqua Brow Cake to define the brows use soft short strokes.
For the Cheeks use MAC Harmony Blush to contour to give depth to the cheekbones as a highlight use White Light Skin Base Lift from Illamasqua
For the Lips, MAC Russian Red Lipstick a classic red you can either apply this straight from the tube or with a lip brush, i prefer a lip brush with red lips as you can be precise 


If you have any suggestions on future "Get the Look" posts please leave a comment!


I'm happy to answer any and all questions.

Any requests or questions tweet me on Twitter @AndrewJamesBlog
If you love my blog, Don't forget to follow me by CLICKING HERE! or following me on Bloglovin'

Thanks for Reading!

Hey Beauties!
I thought it was about time to review some of these Label M products for you i got a while ago. When i did my course for Hair Styling we used Label M products and from them on i absolutely loved them because they worked really well.
I have a few products to show you, Protein Spray, Curl Spray, Curl Cream, Thickening Cream, Souffle and Resurrection Dust

First we have the Label M Protein Spray which is a new favourite of mine for styling hair. Protien Spray is basically a primer for your hair like you would use for makeup you use it before you even do anything spray it into the hair and let it dry in its basically like food for your hair as your hair is made up of protein, its great to use on colour treated hair as well as it evens out the hairs porosity.


Then we have the Curl Spray and Curl Creams, both do the exact same thing and are good at it but i usually use the Cream on people with thick hair and the spray on people who have quite fine hair that way the product does not weigh the hair down. I think these products are great when you are doing a wet set because they will help to keep your hair curled but also shiny as it contains Coconut which conditions the hair and gives shine. The cream is great for the same thing but on thicker hair because the formula is quite a thick cream


I really like using this next product on those with really thin hair its called Thickening Cream because it basically swells up the hair shaft to give the illusion of thicker hair it can be used when your hair is a little damp and blow dried into the hair or if you don't have much time you can apply it into dry hair and wait for a while i find it does make a bit of a difference but not as much as if you were to blow dry it into your hair


Souffle is an awesome product i usually use it as it says on the tub to create loose waves or volume its also pretty good at defining curls when im finished doing someones hair i apply a little into the bottoms of the curls its not heavy so it wont way down the hair but it does give textures and definition to the curls its also great for using on beachy waves too


Finally we have the Resurrection Dust which is like the product Dust It by Osis but i think this is much better because it expands so when you dust it on the hair and massage it in to create volume you get a ton more than you usually would as the product expands its also a great base for back combing the amount of height you get with this is insane!

I think these products are amazing for hairstylists because when doing work on photoshoots or when you're doing TV and Film work hair usually needs to be redone in a certain way or broken down etc and with products you can rework a style because its not totally set in stone which i think is so useful.
Although there is one thing i would change is the packaging tells you what it can be used for but it doesn't say how you should use it so it kind of leaves you wondering how to use them?

Hey Beauties!
Since i started doing Hair ive loved finding out new products and new appliances for styling hair, a while ago i was sent the Session Tong to try out and apart from burning myself a few times ive had fun trying it out

The Session Tong heats up to temperatures of 230 degrees which i don't think you will ever need it that high but its good it goes that high. Its made of Nano-Diamond technology which is super hard and sturdy and the appliance heats up super fast, i think when i use it it takes less than a minute to heat up with is really great.
In the box you get your tong, a heat protective glove that i don't use it as its a bit small for my hands it also comes with a heat protectant silicone mat to protect against heat damage


I think one really great feature of this tong is it has a display where you can see the set temperature that you can change and also it has the actual temperature so you can see its heating up or cooling down right in front of you. It was has a temperature memory so it remembers the temperature you used the last time it was switched on


I quite like these kinds of tongs because they can create a variety of different looks depending on how you use it, I have to admit i do prefer the one with the clip because i don't burn myself as much but thats just me im rather clumsy.
I did these looks below to show how versatile the tong is, you can either use it to give the hair beachy waves by twisting the hair as you wrap it around the tong having the tong facing down to create almost spirals or you can use it as you could use a tong curling away from the face wrapping the hair flat across the barrel

For the first look i just randomly curled sections in no real order just to give it a more natural curled feel to it and the second i just took the hair that i had curled and pinned it up in a sort of curly bun



I think this tong is a great idea for those who want fast styling without the trouble of using the clip with your average curling tong because when you're on set and doing hair you do have to be a little bit speedy.

You can purchase the Diva Professional Instant Heat Session Tong from Divapro.co.uk for £79.99 or you can get the same tong from Salon Services (Sallys) for £49.98 so you are saving £30 which is a pretty big saving

Hey Beauties!

I think using makeup removers is really important because wipes just wont cut it in my opinion and using this remover it will work so much better than makeup wipes.

The Elemis White Flowers Eye & Lip Makeup Remover is a biphase product meaning it has 2 parts to it, an oil "phase" and a water "phase" The oils break down the makeup that you use on your eyes even waterproof mascara which i think is a big thing sometimes trying to find a remover that removes waterproof product then you have the water phase which cleanses the oil away after the product has done its work. You have to shake the bottle to combine the parts so the makeup remover will work properly



Elemis White Flowers Eye & Lip Makeup Remover contains White Peony to hydrate the skin, White Tea to soothe and refresh, White Lily, Marine Spring Water and Vitamin B5

I think this is a great waterproof remover as it has both water and oil in it so its sure to remove even the most waterproof makeup. I like the way it removes but im not to keen on the oily feeling after i feel like i need to use a fresh cotton round to just take away the oilyness

Packaging is something often overlooked when talking about a product but i think good packaging is just as important as the product its self. The bottle this comes in is a sturdy thick plastic so there is no chance of it breaking the lid also screws on tight so no accidental leaking. I just think in all the packaging is really sleek and classy

You can purchase the White Flowers Eye & Lip Makeup Remover (£19) online at timetospa.co.uk or at John Lewis, Debenhams or Harvey Nichols

Hey Beauties!
I thought i would do a comparison post since i haven't done one of these in a while. I am going to compare 2 quite similar products one being from the drugstore and the other higher end.



The Sleek MakeUP Pout Paints are an intensely pigmented Glossy stain why an almost creamy texture which are from Superdrug although don't let the fact its from a drugstore fool you these do a pretty good job at being a lower end version of the lip tars
They come in a variety of different colours from reds, peaches, oranges and even a blue tone which is something you don't usually find in a drug store. They contain around 8ml of product for £4.99 which for a product like this is well worth it.
I have the colours Port, Lava and Peachy Keen. These colours are pretty intense you only need a little bit of product for your entire lips the key is to use less because if you use more it will start to shift and bleed. What i don't like about these is that they tend to separate in the tubes so you have to shake them quite a bit to make them mix back together. I feel like these are more moisturising and soft on the lips this must be due to the Glycerin in the ingredients that is missing from the Lip Tars


Then we have the OCC Lip Tars which are the new Stained Gloss kind which i really like but apart from the stain i don't see much different in them maybe they are a little less pigmented but still pack quite a punch.
These come with 10ml of product for £11.95 so you could get 2 of the Sleek Pout Paints for 1 of the OCC Lip Tars but you are getting more product and i find the staining properties of the OCC Lip Tars are better than the above. They do have a slight minty smell which i like but maybe others won't so keep that in mind
I have the colours Androgyne, Meta and Jealous which again are gorgeous colours, the orange "Androgyne" is a total on trend colour for SS13. I can't say enough on how bright these are what you see in the tube is what you get when you apply, As above you have to be careful with how much you apply because it will bleed and spread of you apply too much.

For both the Sleek MakeUP Pout Paints and OCC Lip Tars are best applied with a precision lip brush so you can get the precise application you need for such pigmented products. These products are good but you have to take the time to apply them because you can't apply them straight from the tube as a lipgloss because they aren't a lipgloss and it wouldn't look very good

Above- OCC Lip Tars Below- Sleek MakeUP Pout Paint

As you can see above they pretty much look the same, i would like the think they pretty much do the same job i don't think there is much of a "winner" here both are good if you can afford the OCC Lip Tars go ahead and try them but if you don't have the money then you don't have to worry as the Pout Paints are just as good.

You can purchase the Sleek MakeUP Pout Paints online at sleekmakeup.com or in superdrug
You can purchase the OCC Lip Tars from Cocktailcosmetics.co.uk


I'm happy to answer any and all questions.

For requests or questions not about the post, ask me on Twitter @AndrewJamesBlog
If you love my blog, Don't forget to follow me by CLICKING HERE! or following me on Bloglovin'

Thanks for Reading!

Hey Beauties!

Sometimes i think using false lashes can really complete a look and add that really glam gorgeous feel to it. I think finding the perfect eyelashes to be a really tricky thing because they either feel like plastic, they weigh a ton or they cost a fortune. I think my lash worries might be over since discovering Eldora. Eldora are a company that make handmade lashes which is amazing to me because you dont get many things done by hand these days its all automated in a massive factory line.

I absolutely love these lashes simply because:

1. They are cheap 
2. They feel like real lashes
3. They are super light
4. They have a tiny almost invisible band

Hey Beauties

I recently bought the NARS Pro Prime from House of Fraser because i wanted to try a new primer as i had run out of my Urban Decay Primer Potion which i absolutely love! So i asked for recommendations on twitter and Lisa Eldridge suggested the NARS Pro Prime as it was her favourite so i went out and bought it.

Primers are used to extend the wear of makeup, to prevent creasing and sometimes to brighten and give a kick to the colours you're using to make them more intense. Primers come in all different types from Matte Primers, Shimmery, Extending wear, even out colour etc

The NARS Pro Prime comes like the Urban Decay Primer Potion used too in a lipgloss like tube with a doe foot applicator which at times can be quite annoying because its so stiff but it think its quite a good thing too as it stops you using too much product.
Unlike other primers this is totally clear and has no colour to it once you apply it and blend it into the eyelid

This might sound crazy but i actually prefer this now to the Urban Decay Primer Potion because it keeps the eyeshadow on for ages, it matties the lids and best of all it brightens and intensifies the colours that you apply on top of it, it almost acts like a magnet which is just what i want from a primer. I know a lot of primers end up cracking or flaking from long wear but i didn't find this at all i found no creasing or not moving at all and that was after at least 6/7 hours of wear on a full day of filming.
I have used this primer under the eyes on occasion when i wanted to apply concealer its a great trick because the concealer will go on smoothly and evenly and last all day and won't crease because of the primer under it


Above i applied the lime green colour from the NARS Rated R Duo. The swatch on the bottom is just the colour alone and the colour on top is the one applied with the NARS Pro Prime underneath as you can see its more vibrant, looks smoother and look more even in terms of colour.

If you want a primer that will extend the wear of your eyeshadows, prevent creasing and give vibrancy to your shadows then try out the Pro Prime its £19 whereas Urban Decay Primer Potion is £15 but i feel the Pro Prime performs better




I'm happy to answer any and all questions.

For requests or questions not about the post, ask me on Twitter @AndrewJamesBlog
If you love my blog, Don't forget to follow me by CLICKING HERE or following me on Bloglovin'

Thanks for Reading!

Hey Beauties!

I have been trying out some Oribe products for the past week and i have to say they are amazing! i dont know how im going to survive without them haha

Oribe pronounced "Or-bay" is one of your really luxury brands think Chanel for your hair and its amazing i don't know any other word to describe the brand the thought that goes into everything from the packaging to the actual product everything seems really well thought out.


The Dry Texturizing Spray comes in a spray aerosol can which looks gorgeous and contains Oribe's signature fragrance which smells like heaven its got a really nice soft smell that isn't overpowering and doesn't smell funky.
This is basically a volumizing texture spray its quite like the Umberto Giannini Backcomb in a Bottle with a bit more of a hold its for those days that you want to clean up your hair and give it a bit of oomph without actually styling it, the Dry Texturizing Spray makes a great styling product for those of you with short hair so this is ideal for men because it gives hold and texture without making your hair rock hard which i actually love ive used it this way now since i found it out a few days ago you spray into your hair all over once you have applied your gel or matte paste mess it up then style into the position you want and create texture you will find it gives a great look and won't weigh your hair down its easy to restyle as well


For women this is a great product for creating texture in your hair when you are doing hairstyles. It can be a great base for your backcombing as it gives the hair a bit of grip i used it in this method in this style below using Label.M products and finished it off with some dry texture spray to give texture to the ends of the hair then applied some of the Superfine Hairspray


The Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray comes in 2 sizes both available at SpaceNK, now don't choke when i tell you the price as these are amazing products but are expensive the small bottle contains 75ml and is £18 and the larger bottle contains 300ml for £38

I will be blogging about the rest of the range that i was sent so keep an eye out. I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone at Oribe UK for the products and for voting for me in the Cosmo Blog Awards it means so much to me!


I'm happy to answer any and all questions.

For requests or questions not about the post, ask me on Twitter @AndrewJamesBlog
If you love my blog, Don't forget to follow me by CLICKING HERE! or following me on Bloglovin'

Thanks for Reading!

Hey Beauties!

NARS will be launching a new foundation this year and what i can gather from the title is that it will be a bit like the concealer they just released.
Radiant Cream Compact Foundation is a lightweight medium to full coverage foundation which gives the lightweight feel of a cream foundation but the coverage of a liquid. It contains the NARS advanced emulsion technology as well as their light reflecting technology which brightening and reflects light just to make the skin look better it also combats redness, balances tone, and helps skin look naturally glowy.



I really like the look of this foundation because i really like a cream that isn't too oily and one that doesn't completely clog out your skin so you can see there is just a layer of makeup just sitting on the skin. This foundation can used either wet or dry which will change the coverage, To apply wet you would use a damp sponge and press the cream into the skin rather than swiping as you will get a better finish. I am concerned a bit about the amount of product you're getting as from the picture it doesn't look like a of product i find creams don't usually last as long as liquid as you tend to use more. You do have to be careful with this product as it is air sensitive so remember to replace the lid tightly after use so it doesn't dry out. The range has 20 shades which all come in their own little compact but you can buy the larger compact with the NARS logo embossed but that will cost an extra £6 plus the price of the foundation at £28.
NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation will be launching in September '13



I'm happy to answer any and all questions.

For requests or questions not about the post, ask me on Twitter @AndrewJamesBlog
If you love my blog, Don't forget to follow me by CLICKING HERE! or following me on Bloglovin'

Thanks for Reading!

Hey Beauties!

I have heard about Lime Crime before but id never actually tried anything from them and was really interested in trying out what they had to offer and by luck i recieved a few of Lime Crime products courtesy of CocktailCosmetics.co.uk


Its really hard to find some really good coloured liners but Lime Crime has really hit the mark on this one. These liners are super pigmented which is something i love because the more pigment the better. Orchidaceous is the gorgeous purple, it looks pretty dark in the tube but once you apply it you can see its an almost neon purple its described on the Lime Crime website as a bright violet purple, 6th Element is the Orange which is described as a vivid "Fanta" orange and i totally agree it really is fanta orange


If there is one thing im not too keen on its the wear time of this liner, it wears ok you will get maybe 5/6 hours wear out of it but its not waterproof and it will end up smudging if you have oily lids which is never great but if you have normal lids then you won't have to worry much but it does crack a little after a while, a little tip i usually do is apply this liner then apply some Illamasqua Sealing Gel over the top of it this will seal the eyeliner so it wont move, it wont rub off and it become water resistant because nothing is really waterproof.



I really love the packaging of these liners just because they look so cute and the packaging is really well thought out as it just looks like vines and stuff which is pretty cute. The functionality of the product is great as it closes tightly so it wont dry out and the brush is really thin and draws really great thin lines

 

You can purchase these from CocktailCosmetics.co.uk only £9 each which i think is great thing because most liners from these types of higher end brands are quite expensive





I'm happy to answer any and all questions.

For requests or questions not about the post, ask me on Twitter @AndrewJamesBlog
If you love my blog, Don't forget to follow me by CLICKING HERE! or following me on Bloglovin'

Thanks for Reading!