Sleek's Limited Edition Nude Collection!

At the end of summer Sleek released its limited edition nude collection for Autumn/Winter 2011 compromising of the 12-piece Au Naturel I-Divine palette, Suede blusher and Bare Minimum Pout Polish.

 I am loving the autumnal and rich colours in this palette, from shimmering champagnes to the warm and soft dark browns. I think this is a beautiful collection of colours that are really on trend to achieve smokey brown looks and the red and orange tones to some of the colours really provide autumn warmth. Most of the shimmering colours are well pigmented, however with the matte shades I found the colour pay off wasn't particularly strong and it took a lot of work to build on the colour. However, like all other Sleek palettes this one retails at 7.50euro so is undoubtedly fantastic value for 12 shadows, even if some of them aren't amazing to work with.

The blusher, although not particularly 'nude' and more of a terracota peachy colour is pretty nether the less and it adds warmth to the cheek. It can also be used as a contour but because it is quite orange toned this would only benefit certain skin types, so potentially test it out first and see how it suits!

The Bare Minimum is a natural peachy colour that adds just enough colour to make the lips look healthy and full. This kind of product is great for teaming with rich smokey eyes. It also smells great because it contains sweet almond oil, and also contains avocado and jojoba to keep lips nourished and moisturised. It also contains SPF 15 to keep lips protected and all at 5euro.

An overall warm and autumnal collection, with pretty colours and a few staple bits that are perfect for autumn trends.

Say Cheese! Smashbox Rereleases Their Photo Finish Foundation Primer!

 

Smashbox is going back to basics with their new fall products. Concentrating on the skin, the beauty house pros have re-released their famous Photo Finish Hydrating Foundation Primer to help you get impeccable, photo-ready skin. Made with Hydraplex, a desert-plant extract, the lightweight primer is oil-free but still manages to douse your skin with that extra punch of moisture you'll need during the colder season. Once you're all quenched up, the primer locks in the moisture and fills in any extra lines or unwanted pores, leaving you with flawless, mag-ready skin! On top of this must-have product, Smashbox has also released the Studio Skin 15 Hour Wear Hydrating Foundation with SPF 10, in an array of shades, and the Halo Highlighting Wand, which allows you to highlight away with grace and precision. Looks like Smashbox will be our one-stop-base-shop for the fall!

Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Foundation Primer, 31€ , Halo Highlighting Wand,23.5€ , Studio Skin 15 Hour Wear Hydrating Foundation SPF 10, 31€, available at smashbox.

A Red-Hot Reason To Abandon Your Eyeshadow!

With many of the spring season's beauty looks going sans mascara, MAC makeup artist Javier Romero went full-force ahead for Katie Gallagher's spring '12 presentation, giving lashes a dramatic boost with bright red mascara, a little red eyeliner, and matching cherry lips to boot. Romero actually created the red-hued mascara using blend of MAC Pro Lash mascara, a mixing medium, and MAC Pro Basic Red Pigment. But if you're not feeling DIY, the look is easily recreated by picking up a colored mascara. And the best part about this vibrant look? With lash toppers like that, who needs eyeshadow?

Night-Fall Neon Makeup That's Your Own Little Daytime Secret!

Do you ever find yourself coveting a raver-chic look while sitting at your office desk? (Come on, you know you do.) Your alter-work ego can be a reality with Makeup Forever's new Fluo Night makeup; a white powdery substance that glows fluorescent under ultraviolet lights, but is completely undetectable to the naked eye. Mix this extra-fine grain powder with any makeup, or use on it's own, to add a special "glow" to your evening look. The powder adapts to the pigment of your makeup, so your ordinary red lips will glow like hot coals–but only if the lighting’s right. Would you rock this day-to-neon makeup?

Makeup Forever Flou Night, 23euro, available at Sephora.

Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation

Illamasqua have recently launched a new foundation and wow is it fantastic. I love it. It comes in a huge array of colours and tones so there is pretty much a foundation for everyone. Once you have the right colour you are well on your way to flawless skin. It completely evens out complexion without looking or feeling too heavy and brightens the skin instantly. Only a small amount of product is needed for optimum results and it absolutely lasts all day so in my opinion is a perfect base and a foundation you can completely trust. *

                     

The shades here are No.8 and No.9, you can see how the tone completely varies between shades. It is available in 18 shades with varying undertones i.e Pink, Pink/Yellow, Yellow/Pink, Olive etc

The foundation was inspired by the up and coming cult Beauty Balm creams in the Asian market which are known for perfecting skin and being the solution to a completely even complexion. It blends into the skin beautifully making it really easy and efficient to work with. It leaves skin feeling soft and renewed and the coverage is buildable so you can alter it to get your desired look, which also makes it great for taking you from day to night. Another really important point about this foundation is that it photographs beautifully, with no flashback or unnatural appearance. I just love it.

The foundation is 29euro and is worth every penny.