Starting out in Makeup : Part 1 - Using Primer

Face - Creating the Base

I've met so many ladies who don't wear any makeup but really want to. The problem is that they don't know where to start. 

You'll find millions of different makeup products out on the market ranging from inexpensive to very expensive all declaring they can do amazing things. It can be confusing and intimidating for those who don't know much about makeup to know just where to start and to work out if it is worth paying extra for the luxury brands . Plus some makeup shops (and staff -ha ha!) can be really intimidating...

The best way to enter the makeup world, is starting off with the basics. I'm going to help you cover all the basics starting with the "Face" and breaking products into little sections so it isn't too overwhelming. I will also cover brows, eyes and lips once I've finished with covering the face

Lets gets started!

Face Primer

The purpose of using a face primer is to help your BB cream/foundation last longer, blend easier and look smoother. It also fills in fine lines and pores and can help control oil for those who have a oily skin type. 

Primer is used after your moisturizer and before your BB cream/Foundation.  It creates a base for your foundation and I consider it an essential product in summer as it really helps your foundation last through the heat of the day.

Affordable Options: 

• She Pure Magic Primer (all skin types ) 

• Rimmel Stay Matte Primer (oily skin)

Splurge Options: 

• Smashbox Photo Finish

• Mac Prep and Prime Natural Radiance

Personally sometimes I skip using primer in my makeup routine...  Some day I just want to do wear a touch of makeup but I can really tell the difference in how long my makeup lasts and how fresh it looks.  So if you want your makeup to last all day I really recommend using a primer first and you will be able to see the difference.

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REVIEW - CLEAN & BRIGHT OXYGEN BUBBLE MASK

BOTANICAL CHOICE CLEAN & BRIGHT OXYGEN BUBBLE MASK "PEACH" BY PUREDERM

What they say about their product...

'Purederm Clean & Bright Oxygen Mask "Peach" immediately turns into oxygen-rich foam, revitalizing skin with oxygen as it deep-cleanses, exfoliates, and massages skin. The oxygen foam deeply penetrates into the skin to eliminate pore-clogging impurities, blackheads, and dead skin cells, while it helps brighten uneven skin tones. Peach extracts moisturizes and re-illuminates dull skin, papaya, green tea, and bamboo extract leave skin soft and supple"

What I think....

Firstly I was VERY surprised to learn that Purederm is actually a Korean brand...  Without reading the back of the product closely I wouldn't have known this and just assumed it was American.  Korean skin care and cosmetics have taken the makeup world by storm in recent years and produce lots of great products. However usually they are all labelled in Korean which it just a bit tricker :) 

Regardless of where it was produced I was excited to give this product a try as I've previously tried several products from this brand and been really pleased with the results. In the past I blogged about the Purederm Nose Pore Strips   - which I didn't even realise were a Korean product!

It is a very easy product to use... Just apply product onto a dry face and start gently rubbing it it. Once it is applied to your face the mask starts to foam up. I kept  just massaging it onto my skin until I had used the full sachet. Leave on your skin for 30-60 seconds before washing off with warm water. 

The mask  has a pleasant peachy smell and my skin felt lovely once I had washed it off.  I always find these sort of masks an enjoyable experience, probably because of the pampering aspect...  I'm not sure it re-illuminated my skin as they say it will but my skin definitely looked and felt better after I used it.

Priced at under $5 it is an affordable treat and probably much better for me than a coffee. I would definitely consider re-buying this product as a little treat for myself!  

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DUPE ALERT : MAC Matte Finish Lipstick - Lady Danger

MAC Matte Finish Lipstick in Shade Lady Danger vs.
NYX Matte Lipstick in Shade Pure Red

Image credit - http://beautyproductsaremycardio.com

Quite some time ago I purchased a MAC Matte Finish Lipstick in the shade Lady Danger.... I don't often wear red lipstick but of course everyone needs to own one red lipstick that flatters their skin tone! I found this warm-toned red, super flattering and lovely to wear on a special occasion when I wanted to rock standout lips :)

Unfortunately I mislaid this perfect lipstick and due to budget constraints have not replaced it - even though I would have loved to.

So I did what every sense girl would do and started looking for a more economically replacement. As NYX is now more readily available in NZ I was thrilled to learn that the NYX Matte Lipstick in Pure Red is often recommended as a dupe. So for a small outlay I purchased a new lipstick and agree that it seems to be the perfect dupe for Lady Danger :)

The colour is almost totally identical and it feels great on my lips! Personally I can't really tell any difference between the MAC and NYX lipsticks once I've put them on and both seem to last well on my lips.

Obviously it is lovely to wear MAC lipsticks and they feel luxurious in their little black bullet casing however when you are looking for a cheaper similar product I definitely feel like I've hit the jackpot with the NYX Matte Lipstick.

Do you love dupes as well?  Let me know your favourite....

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Tips for buying your foundation online

Buying Foundation Online

Read more »

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NEW - LA GIRL PRODUCTS....

LA Girl Lipify Stylo  Lipstick & 

LA  Girl Ulimate Intense Stay Auto Lip Liner

Shown :

LA Girl Lipify Stylo Lipstick in Ambitious

LA Girl Ultimate Intense Stay Auto Lip Liner in Unlimited Wine

LA Girl Ultimate Intense Stay Auto Lip Liner 

What LA Girl says-

Define lips with long-lasting color! The extremely soft formula is smudge-proof, anti-feathering, and sets to a matte finish. Ergonomic gel grip allows comfort and ease of application in a quick twist. Dermatologist tested and free of preservatives. Available in 8 shades.

What I think-

I really like this lip liner.
 It’s easy to use and glides smoothly on the lips without any tugging or pulling. It had good pigmentation and lasted well on my lips. I agree with LA Girl that it defines your lips well and it has a great formula. It definitely makes your lipstick stay longer and can also be used to fill in your lips.
I just wish it came in more shades...  I like it that much!

LA  Girl Lipify Stylo Lipstick

What LA Girl says-

Lipify glides on rich, intense color in just one swipe. Enriched with hydrating argan oil and olive oil, the non-sticky lightweight formula moisturizes lips with a luxurious soft and shiny finish. Available in a wide range of shades. Easy to use, non-retractable tip.

What I think-

This lipstick is super velvety and is almost like a creamy liquid lip colour. It feels ultra light on your lips when applied and is definitely non-drying. It has great pigmentation and a single swipe really does give great colour pay off. The colour lasted well on my lips.

To use the lipstick you need to twist the bottom part of the packaging. Unlike usual twist mechanisms only a very little bit comes up when you twist so you may need to twist a few times. However be warned the tip is non-retractable so make sure you don’t twist up many times as you can't wind it back in!

My final opinion-

Definitely both these products are worth purchasing in my opinion...  I have since purchased a few more colours in the lipstick range and really loving this range.

They represent great value for money definitely perform as expected after reading the advertising from LA Girl :)

LA Girl Lipify Stylo Lipstick - $9.09 from LoveMy Makeup stores
LA Girl Ultimate Intense Stay Auto Lip Liner - $8.39 from LoveMy Makeup stores

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REVIEW : Wet 'n Wild Gel Polish

Wet n Wild 1 Step Wonder Gel

To be honest my nails aren't in that great of shape at the moment but I've been very keen to try the Wet n Wild 1 Step Wonder Gel so please excuse the lack of photos of my nails!

Part of the reason that I've been so keen to try this product is that weirdly you can't actually view the product as the bottle is black. It seems a bit strange that you need to rely on the sticker on the front of bottle for the colour. I don’t know about you but I really like to see the actual polish colour through the clear glass like most other brands. 

Being a 1 step polish you don't need a base or top coat or UV light to set the colour. Although they're calling them a "gel", it isn't really a true gel because it doesn't require a light to cure it and in my opinion NO polish can give the whole gel look without using gel!

I found the brush applied the polish well and recommend several lighter coats of polish rather than 1 thicker coat. It dries fast and initially has the look and durability of gel. However don't expect it to look and stay like a gel manicure after a week. The gloss finish fades and the polish lasted about 5-6 days before needing to be reapplied. This is still longer than regular polish so I was pretty happy and will definitely buy more colours in the range. It is pretty good value for a nail polish.

I tried 'Pale in Comparsion', a soft pink and 'Cyantific Method', a shade of blue and the sticker on the bottle was pretty representative of both colours but didn't show the exact shade. This is totally fine if you are not wanting a perfect colour match, if you are very particular with your colour selection I suggest you stick with buying polish in clear bottles.

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