Joan Collins - Timeless Beauty

When an Icon such as Joan collins releases a makeup line, you sit up and take notice. This iconic woman has seen hollywood through the golden era, plus know what wonder's makeup can achieve. So i jumped at the given the opportunity to review her new foundation and compact's.

About : 

Joan Collins Timeless Beauty is a new international luxury beauty brand, created by one of the most glamorous icons of our time.  It aims not just to inspire women, but to provide them with the tools to feel and be beautiful at any age.

Meticulous pressed powder : Sabina

The website claims that :

It evens tone and regulates shine

Hyaluronic Acid hydrates and fills fine lines whilst light reflecting particles help make the skin look fabulous

Over foundation it helps give staying power to keep make-up looking fresher for longer and give extra resistance over shiny zones

Unique, elegant compact with mirror in lid

Disguises open pores

Includes powder puff

The compact is a beautifully presented product with an art deco feel to it. the powder inside is also paired with a lipstick. The powder feels very buttery and smooth to the touch and blends easily. The powder on my skin does blend in very well but it can show up a pink shade in the light so I would colour match the powder to your skin and see if the skin response works for you. Within the compact there is a mirror which is good for touch ups but is very small for checking your whole face. The lipstick colour called "Sabina" is a rich red with a moisturising formula. 

The lipstick is creamy and applies smoothly, it defiantly needs blotting if your thinking of going for drinks or any social event as I found it does transfer. It does maintain its rich pigmented formula that does hold up and stay when on the lips. I found the lipstick to be moisturising but defiantly use a lip scrub before hand if you have dry lips as with any red lipstick it will show up. I loved the formula of the lipstick and the powder inside this stylish compact. 

It works well with a smoky eye to give a vampy feel to a look or can be used with a less smoky eye for a more chic and elegant styling. Either was it was a pleasure to use and was defiantly more of a touch up compact for your handbag with the sizing of the mirror and the powder inside. Also the powder is most definitely for light use touch ups and not coverage for any makeup that slides or comes of during a night out. Overall I would use this compact for daily touch ups with my regular makeup, which does seem a shame given that the compact is so beautifully designed, however if your just needing the lipstick for a night out then the compact will be a lovely addition to assist those touch ups. Overall I really love the styling that Joan Collins has gone for, it reminds me of old Hollywood and the collection has a beautiful vintage yet modern day feel to its design. 

Lola Makeup by Perse

Lola Makeup by Perse

I have come to know and see Lola makeup by pearse product's via there social media and often within beauty boxes. I will still as always give full and honest reviews to each product. 

Blusher mono

Add colour to your cheeks with this soft and creamy powder that gives a velvet finish with excellent adhesion to the skin.

Micronised pigments allow you to build long-lasting colour and there is a range of shades to choose from, depending on your skin tone or the time of year. From pink to peach and warm corals, there’s a rosy cheek glow for everyone.

To use: Apply over setting powder for ease of blending or directly onto nude skin using the LOLA Blush Brush for a radiant and natural look.

This blush is very pigmented, also soft and easy to blend finely milled powder. It doesn't kick up when loading your brush so I'm not loosing any product when using  my blush. I love this shade as its subtle but gives a radiant glow. 

INTENSE COLOUR LIPSTICK

This rich full coverage lipstick glides on effortlessly to give full, seductive colour in just one stroke. Ultra-rich pigments offer maximum colour impact with a sophisticated lustre and a glossy finish. The creamy texture is enriched with antioxidants and nourishing plant extracts, Vitamin C, Mango Seed Butter & Vitamin E while peptides and Hyaluronic Acid work to visibly plump, smooth, condition and volumise.

To use: Apply colour directly to the lips. Use the LOLA Lip Brush for added control and a more professional finish.

Lipstick for me can be hit or miss especially with nude shades. I was kindly sent a red with a slight undertone of raspberry. Its a rich and creamy so i would strongly recommend using a clear or similar coloured lip liner. Its a beautifully pigmented, creamy long lasting formula. 

DUO KAJAL + EYELINER

The LOLA Duo Kajal + Eyeliner combines two amazing eyeliners in one handy pen. At one end an intense black Kajal and in the other, a precise liquid eyeliner in marker pen form. It’s easy to apply, dries in seconds and stays put for up to 12 hours. The intense black liner is also waterproof, crease-proof and ophthalmologist tested.

To use: Apply a thin line close to the eyelashes or draw a thicker line flicking up at the end for a more dramatic look.

The duo kohl and eyeliner i must admit first a little wary, as I've tried similar idea's from other brands. So I firstly tried the liquid liner side which is ultra pigmented, does not flake nor bleed out of the corner eye area. It gave me good control and i felt my grip was more sturdy then a smaller liquid liner pen.

The kohl side again is a sharp tip and winds up to looking like a chubby pencil, its blended amazingly for an impressive smokey eyes look.

I have loved the Blusher and the radiant glow it gives me upon application, its a definite favourite and I cannot wait to purchase more shade's. The lipstick is beautifully creamy and highly pigmented and is a stunning colour. I loved this formula of lipstick and am looking forward to seeing the other shade's available. Now whilst the Duo Kajal & Eyeliner is a thicker "pen" to hold but it does give a feeling of better control. It is pigmented and does give me a quicker flick on my cat eyes and my waterline also needed a few strokes due to the kajal being soft and easy to apply. I would also use the Kajal as a liner for my upper lid and then smoke this out when doing my smokey eye looks. So my first impressions are that I'm very impressed with the Lola Makeup. I cannot await my second review and also showcasing more looks using these Lola products.  

Stargazer Cosmetics

Stargazer Website

Stargazer has a large selection of products that fit all needs of the makeup industry. So if your a beginner or pro, they cater for all. I love there pigments and bronzer, so im excited to move up using more special Fx products. 

Stargazer was established in 1978 with the opening of a stall in the Great Gear Market on the Kings Road London. Kings Road was the centre of the punk fashion in London at the time, and it was this attitude towards colour and outrage that moulded many of the company’s ideas behind the ranges we produce. We are still based in the UK.

We have expanded our product range considerably, in an effort to offer our customers a wide range of cosmetics and hair colouring products with a wild, colourful and in your face feel to them. Stargazer now is sold across the world- so grab your Stargazer products today and be part of the Stargazer colour.

Wet Cover colour is a Theatrical make up that is applied with water. The strong colour pigment is very long lasting Theatrical quality colour for hold under hot lights and difficult situations. The colours can be blended together for further shades is ideal for flat areas and is also suitable for all styles of body and face painting.

These colours are water activated body paint. I picked these colours as i have a Harley Quinn and Enchantress look planned. 

Tip : Roll the brush so the excess water comes out in the pan and wont water down your opaqueness. 

I primed and moisturised my face as normal and let them dry before application. You can use them with makeup brushes, they will wash clean just as easily. So i got my brush slightly wet and then mix within the pan to get an opaque colour. Then i took the paint and brushed it on, I used a makeup sponge to blend the lines and also give the dry raised skin texture. (Harley Quinn has bleached her skin to be like her love Joker "Mr J", so i imagined it would be dry and almost paint peel like.)  

I used half the pan of Wet colour in white to obtain this effect, by stippling the sponge over the drying paint. It takes a few minutes to dry, also the paint in the pan dries so keep the brush moving. Also add more water and keep your brush wet.  I have Red, Pink, Black & White. I used small artists brushes to do detail work. I swapped the Red for an eyeshadow as it was coming up more of a russet red then a blood red. Harley Quinn is very much blood red and using the black for detailing was very easy. 

I found the Wet colours very easy to use and whilst this look took me a while to plan and do, i think the time taken gave me a really good result. I think the wet colours are very multifunctional in there ability to be mixed and the vast selection. I only need 4 shades to do looks which are very different, Harley Quinn has had many different looks and i really hope to do most of them. The above is inspired from the new Suicide squad movie cast picture. I am loving the more artistic side of this makeup and cant wait to experiment some more. 

NB : *My eyeliner, eyeshadow's and lip colours will be reviewed separately*

Colourpop - The Haul

So with everyone going absolutely mental over colourpop. My amazing friend in the USA done me an order and sent me a pile of goodies. On first glance these shadows are stunning, you'll see all the stunning green shade's. So is colourpop worth the hype or is it over rated ? Let's dive in and see. 

They say :

Welcome to ColourPop! ColourPop was born, raised and made with love in the City of Angels (aka Los Angeles) so we can react quickly to the latest and greatest trends and get them in your fabulous hands stat.

We take the phrase “if you can dream it, you can do it” to a whole new level and specialize in making killer makeup in every shade imaginable at prices everyone can afford. We think that whole barrier between fancy and affordable is absolute nonsense. That’s why all of our products have luxury formulas at prices that won’t break the bank. PS. We are 100% fur baby friendly, bunny approved, and only test our products on humans – the ones in our HQ to be exact.

Top L-R Bubbly, Cowboy :Bottom L-R Dare, Fantasy

Bubbly - A truly angelic pink with tons of silver and bright bubble gum pink glitter = A princess pink that is totally rave worthy.

Bubbly is a beautiful pale pink with loads of beautiful sparkle. Its perfect for your inner corner highlight, goes well with any look. A must have for any one looking for that perfect pearl pink shade. 

Cowboy - True pastel lavender in a Matte finish, you’ll save a horse alright.

Is a beautiful matte lavender shade which is stunning and comes out so vividly. Not alot is needed, it can be used as a transition shade being so light. I cannot wait to use this in a pale look. 

Dare - Shockingly bright neon purple with hot pink and violet glitter. This shiz should be on lockdown ‘cuz it practically guarantees a wild night you totally do not remember.

This shade is very vibrant, with intense glitter duochromes. Perfect for those bright bold looks you crave to experiment with. It looks amazing on and the pigment is so bright, you only need tap the colour on. 

Fantasy - Electric neon red violet topped with multi-dimensional glitter. Practically illegal, this is our ColourPop purple fantasy come true.

This again is another favourite but be warned when using this colour. It can stain the eyelid, so i would apply a good primer and base. This should reduce the pink staining. However if you have a day off after washing this off, then its worth a day of staining. This mixed with dare gives an amazing look. 

Top L-R Empire, Chipper :Bottom L-R Snap dragon, Flux 

Empire - Fiercely rich emerald green, just like the city.

The Green shade that all lovers of this colour must have. Its a beautiful emerald green will enhance any look to a new level, with its vibrant beauty. I adore this shade and its perfect for the upcoming summer. 

Chipper - Mid-tone minty green eyeshadow with multi-coloured glitter. This shadow will brighten even the darkest days especially when repping legit mermaid sea foam green.

Again another must have for the upcoming summer, Chipper is a tad lighter and enhances any eyes looking for jewel shades. The multi-tonal glitters make this shade really sing in the natural light. 

Snap dragon - Mid-tone sea foam green in a Matte finish, it’s pretty as a flower and fierce as a dragon.

This colour really surprised me with its mix of green and aqua pairing. Its matte finish does not dull its intensity nor it's presence for your look. 

Flux - What the Flux would you do without this light mint green in a Matte finish?

This shade surprised me the most with its lovely matte light minty almost tiffany mixed green. Really is stunning if u want a nice pastel, day look that brings out the colour of your eyes with a subtle hint. 

Flawless - Deep red violet in a satin finish. It legit woke up like this.
Flawless is a bright and amazing rich red purple colour, said to be a dupe for a popular cult favourite. 

Colourpop has been impressing the USA and those worldwide whom can get it with the help of very lovely US friends. Im in love with this brand and i can't get enough of there intense pigmented creamy eyeshadows. Its really quite something to have a brand not only have one stand out product for a bargain of a price, yet to supply a whole range of them. It really is an impressive achievement for a new company in this day, with societies' emphasis put on "you get what you pay for". Well i think colour pop just broke that mould, as for $5 you certainly can now get more for your money and at a higher quality then some high-end brands. I admit its not all rosy with one minor point, if you get the richly pigmented shades such as Dare, get a strong base as this can stain. However who am i to complain about a eyeshadow with "too much" pigment. Il complain if i need to rub it 20 times and trust me colourpop does not have this problem. So yes the hype is real and yes they are coming to the UK soon, so once they do i can see us UK girls having an all out riot on the website. 
I have 3 more sets of reviews with looks coming, plus new looks on my Instagram feed featuring my colourpop colours. 

I will do a post about how to apply and best way to get the most from cream shadows, for those new to this kind of formula. So for now il say Colourpop, i got to hand it too you all there at HQ "You did it and us girls love the Unicorn dust that land"s to brighten the dreary world". 

So this is using the purple shades Fantasy & Dare with Bubbly as my inner corner highlight. Also used Pre-nup blush on my cheek's to give me that naturally flushed look. I then topped the look off with my Flawless lippystix.

MAC - Cinderella Collection

MAC UK Website

One of the most eagerly awaited for collections from MAC has been the Disney Cinderella release.  Following the hugely successful Malificent and after the comments made that it was too small, MAC certainly upped there game with Cinderella and the vast collection. Featuring new eye glosses and topped with a beautiful packaging, it was always going to be a blink and you'd miss it must have. I was very lucky that I obtained the items I wanted, the "Royal ball" lipstick being the only item i missed. 

They say : 

The most famous Disney princess of all inspires a limited-edition colour collection magical 

enough to make all your dreams come true. Beloved for her kind heart and determined mind that 

dares to dream, Cinderella envisages enough makeup shades to fill a pumpkin carriage. All 

products are transformed in specially designed pearlized light lavender blue packaging that could 

rival the most regal of gowns.

Beautifully packaged Cinderella collection 

The most beautiful of packaging being a periwinkle blue with gold edging. The Cinderella is also gold embossed with the infamous disney logo above. Its stunning and really quite breathtaking as periwinkle is rarely used and its a shame as its such a lovely colour. This is by far the best packaging I've seen from MAC since the Aquatic collection. 

Stroke of Midnight eyeshadow palette 

Eyes look entrancing in the softest browns, glimmering champagne and sparkle-flecked black of 

Stroke of Midnight. 

Shades include :

Vapour 

Phloof!

Omega

Quarry

Satin Taupe

Stroke of Midnight

Is a beautifully cased 6 pan of MAC must have shadows from there permanent line, with "Stroke of midnight" being the only exclusive shade. Now whilst i can see MAC having 2 palettes of shadows, including more of the blue's and beautiful shades included in the film. I can see that many women find blue there nemesis (as do i) being that it clashes with most eye colours and can look 80's if not done right. In saying that i have seen blue incorporated within duo chrome eyeshadow shades, that looks stunning and i wish they would have done this and also featured the packaging's duo chrome periwinkle as a shade also. 

Im happy i have this palette as out of all my 2 15 pan's i own, I do not have any neutral shades from MAC. So this is the perfect Neutral palette for me and perfect for travel, plus its beautifully presented. 

Beauty powder : Mystery princess 

Beauty Powder in Mystery Princess gives the face a touch of radiance for skin that seems to glow 

from within. Transformed in specially designed pearlized light lavender blue packaging.

Now i love compact's and will grab a collection compact if i love it as i think they are beautiful to collect. I will hit pan and then still keep the compact and boxing, as i just really think they are beautiful. Plus now pans of powder are being released i can refill them with my own personal shades. 

So onto this Beauty powder, which i will admit is not the most pigmented of all the compacts i own. It is a lovely pearl highlight with a pink tone to it. I will use this more as a highlight then an all over powder as its very shimmery, it has no fallout plus blended in very well using only a small amount. Overall for what i will use it for,  I'm very happy with the powder plus its stunningly packaged. 

Iridescent pressed powder in Coupe D'chic

Iridescent Pressed Powder in Coupe D’Chic imparts a shimmering sheen that will make you the 

belle of the ball. Transformed in specially designed pearlized light lavender blue packaging

So this powder is very sheer to the colour within the compact and its very hard, with even the biggest of swatches to see any pigment. However being an iridescent powder it is supposed to enhance rather then be the main product you use. So with this powder i would use it to add some shimmer to a matte blush and then blend upwards to give a slight highlight sheen to my cheek. It has the odd glittery speck when applied but i can't see if thats a top spray until i use it more. Overall it could have had a extra bit of pigment to really raise it to a exceptional product. For what I'm using it for, as i said above to boost my blushes then I'm happy with the product.

Of all the product i saw, i loved these 3 and the "Royal ball" lipstick was a beautiful shade, however this collection was really a task to find and grab hold of. I love the palette and the powders will serve the purpose's i have for them. I am now much more aware of what items i want within a collection before i buy. As I'm noticing a lot of the shades being re-promoted, So i don't want doubles if i can help it. Cinderella is a beautiful collection and I'm loving the products. 

Memebox : K-Style 3

Memebox Website

So K-style from what i understand are the most up to date, products making a splash on the korean market. So again an intriguiging box for me. 

From youthful and innocent girl-next-door looks to glamorous, badass beauty looks. KPOP idols rock the hottest, most up-to-date beauty trends in all of Korea. Take these glam and glitz idol looks from on-stage to on-the-street and add some spice to your look.

The 3rd K-Style Cosmetics Box, beauty advice from your favorite KPOP idols and steal the spotlight. Lights, camera, action.

Contents :

Secret kiss : Face fit strobe cream

Vella : Flower flower B.B

Tonymoly : 7 days tattoo

Style Y : Mix and match shadow

Style Y : Colour fit lip/cream

Colour world : Jewel shadow stick

Secret kiss : Face fit strobe cream is interesting and i am looking forward to compare this to the higher end editions. Its a lovely consistancy and seems to have a luminous glow, yet not heavy on the skin. 

Style Y : Colour fit lip/cream is a lovely colour i cannot wait to try. Its for cheeks and lips, so a duel product perfect for travel. I have yet to try a duel lip/cheek product, so this will be very interesting for me.

Vella : Flower flower B.B is a brand i love to try, so im so excited to try this BB cream. The consistancy is lovely and feels so lovely on the skin. Just like all Vella products that I've so far used.

Style Y : Mix and match shadow is a stunning colour and again dual product. So a beautiful shadow colour and liner is so perfect to create, a light look but can also be smoked out.

Colour world : Jewel shadow stick in purple is beautiful. Its a perfect base to any purple look's, which i feel makes my green eyes pop. So i love jewel shade looks. 

Tonymoly : 7 days tattoo is a that gives instant eyebrows, that last for up to 7 days. Needing only top ups if you think the colour is fading. The colour is perfect and i cant wait to use this. 

So another fabulous box that im really impressed with. I am excited to try the makeup, as i love the products ive recieved so far from Memebox. All these colours are perfect for me, plus will compliment my eyes and complexion. 

Essence - New products

Essence Europe Website 

So the new Autumn/Winter editions by Essence have been released. Available now at wilkingsons stores, its an affordable line worth trying.  

They say : 

Following trends in a fun and unique style but never expensive. A striking range of caring cosmetic products, essence is the ultimate brand for all beauty queens.

  New for Autumn/Winter 2014 

Soft touch Mousse : 

The range with a delicate mousse texture. Gives your face a smooth and natural-looking, matt complexion while allowing your skin to breathe freely.

Essence mousse in 04 

Unfortunately this mousse was to dark for my skin, it was however very creamy. Smooth to apply and blended into the skin well. I didn't see any cracks in application, nor did it oxidise. I hope to get this in a lighter colour and try it fully as to give a proper review. 

Soo glow!

Cream to powder highlighter and blush bring that glamour and glow. It sets gorgeous accents on your cheekbones, underneath the brows or in the inner corners of your eyes.

Blush No.20 : Everything is better in pink

 This blush gives your complexion a touch of colour for a healthy, fresh look. The creamy texture with a powdery finish, practically melts with your skin. Its easy to apply and blend with your fingers

Amazing pigment that needs only a little dabbed on, then can be blended with a stipple brush. One of the most beautiful shades and great for the winter dry skin. Blends beautifully on the skin. 

Highlight in 20 : Bright up your life

The highlighter gives your complexion a beautiful shimmer. Its creamy texture turns into a velvety, powdery formula upon application. Easy to apply with your fingers.  

This gives an amazing swatch, yet when applied it doesnt buff well with a brush. It seems to just fade away, unlike the amazing blush. Applying with fingers will leave the colour as above, however you may need to let it dry to buff it lightly. 

Shimmering bronze powder 

Keep up your summer tan with the shimmer bronzing powder. The essence sun club range, provides your face & neckline with a lightly tanned finish. Its silky-smooth texture, puts you in the mood for summery complexion. 

Bronzing powder in 01 light

This is a beautiful bronzer and also not to sparkly to be a light contour. Very impressive and great for lighter more fair skins. Didn't leave an orange nor odd shade during the day. Its beautiful and stays true to colour through long wear.

Metal glam eyeshadow

Metal meets glam in metallic and shimmering effects on your eyes. The  ultimate trend, with especially soft texture. Metallic expressive eye make-up guaranteed to be eye-catching. The range of colours is huge, sure to make every beauty’s heart beat faster.

Metal glam 

This was a disappointment as its so beautiful. The top is a spray on of heavy glitter and the brown/bronze underneath, doesnt yeald much pigment. It needs a couple of applications to see true colour. However its so affordable, perfect for those learning to blend. 

Kajal in black and white

Kajal eyeliner

Crazy and vibrant new colour. The kajal pencil creates fashionable colour. Highlights your eyes in cooland trendy colours, to ensure a totally individual style. 

Kajal in Samba green 

The colour is beautiful on this new shade of pencil. It blends nicely for a subtle hint of liner with a creamy texture. Just like the Black & white kajal liners. 

3d Eyeshadow in Lavender dream

3D shadow

With an improved texture thats even softer and easier to blend. The 3D effect (from satin to metallic to shimmering) upon application. Apply moist the  eyeshadow gives a more intense result.

I found these shadows applied well with my finger but took a lot of to apply well with a brush. Once it was applied it did blend out well. They do pack a lot of shimmer and are perfect for those looking to practice with shimmer shades that can easily be blended .The choice is impressive and i do love the Green 3d version as this is beautiful. Overall the shadows are pigmented and work well primer or none. Its affordable to gain the colours you wish to add to your kit and i found this was a perfect subtle grey for a daily light smokey eye. Teamed with a lovely highlight colour, the only thing needed is a Matte to transition and add that main lid colour.

New long-lasting lipstick 

The lipsticks provide your lips,with intensive colour for several hours without drying them out. Your sure to find whatever you’re looking for, from bright pink to subtle nude shades. 

Long lasting lipstick : 14 adorable matt

The essence logo on the texture and the matt, black packaging with a ring of colour to match the actual colour of the lipstick are true eye-catchers. 

Beautiful creamy lipstick that sits well on the lips and doesnt dry out the lips. The lipstick formula is very surprising and well executed both in comfort and pigment. 

Wearing the Essence products, i found that the Blush, Bronzer and Lipstick impressed me the most. They have such rich picgment that not alot is needed and you can blend plus apply them with ease. The Kajal liners are soft and offer very good colour payoff, they are not waterproof so may need touching up.

 The Highlight and Glam eyeshadow i would say are fine, they do take getting used too. They eyeshadow needs a few applications to gain sufficent pigment, so its good for a beginner learning to blend. The highlight again needs to applied with the fingers to gain any pigment, then tapped in rather then blended with your cheek products.

The mousse foundation feels creamy and does seem to blend well. However the colour was to dark for me to review properly. The 3d shadow gave me some colour dry, not much though. I may try these damp, as i think they may work in a similiar fashion too a baked shadow.