theBalm Lou Manizers, Overshadows, Bronzer and Eyeliner: Collection & Review

Oh theBalm. When this finally hit the shelves at Superdrug, I naturally got excited and wanted to try everything. I didn't go crazy and buy everything at once but I slowly made little purchases over time. Out of what is currently available on their website and in-store, I would say there is probably 5 more products I want to add to the collection to try out, but for now I am quite happy with what I have. Currently I own: Mary Lou Manizer, Cindy Lou Manizer, Betty Lou Manizer, Bahama Mama, Schwing, and 3 sexpots overshadows. 

theBalm - The Manizer Sisters - Highlighter and Contour Trio Set

 

Oh boy, oh boy, do I LOVE Superdrug for getting theBalm into their stores. I've been eyeing up this brand for a while now and could only see that Amazon was the only place I could get them in the UK. I just happened to walk passed my local superdrug and saw theBalm front and centre in their store. 

Of all the products they have (and what I wanted to purchase), Bahama Mama and Mary-Lou Manizer were sold out. So far I have purchased their overshadow pigments (super shimmery and pigmented), Cindy-Lou Manizer (highlighter/contour) and Betty-Lou Manizer (bronzer/contour), and they have all been my everyday used products since I've bought them. The colours and pigmentation are unlike anything else I own, and I could imagine that their products will work well on most skin tones. I have seen the trio Lou Manizers floating around on social media for a while but never thought to purchase since I already had 2 of the 3. But I recently saw it on ASOS for special offer for £12.60, and naturally being a bargain hunter and appreciating anything in travel form, I had to get it. I didn't think of the size of it when ordering (I actually thought it was full size) but in person, it is a miniature version of the 3 (travel friendly), which I love. Especially as I wanted Mary-Lou Manizer, I was very excited to try it. The hype certainly lives up to the name because the Mary-Lou Manizer is a beautiful pearly, light golden highlighter that brightens all areas that it's applies to. I'm very happy with the purchase of this palette, as now I can travel better with it and the packaging is super cute. Have you tried out the lou-manizers or any other brands from theBalm? (clickable link)

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow Palette & Sculpt Brush | Review

Oh my, Charlotte Tilbury. This product is beyond perfect. As some of you may know, my love for contouring and highlighting is like a drug. I love trying new contouring and highlighting products, and to date, this has become my favourite - beating my ultimate holy grail contouring product Kevyn Aucoin sculpting powder.

My Highlight and Contour Routine feat. Smashbox, MAC and Kevyn Aucoin

Contouring and highlighting is a must in my everyday makeup routine. Powder for everyday but if I'm going out or have a special occasion, I double the effort with both cream and powder contouring products. I wanted to share my favourite contouring and highlighting products, my application tools and my best tips to achieve a flawless base.

By all means, I am not an expert or a professional and I am still learning to perfect my featured contour look. I know my face shape, and I know the best ways to contour and highlight the dimensions of my face. Of course everyone has different preferences and different face shapes, so what I like to use and what works for me might not work for everyone. It's just my personal preferences and my time in testing products that best work for me and my face shape

Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer [Light] | MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter [Light Boost] | Smashbox Step-By-Step Contour Sticks [Contour + Bronze]

Highlight the high panes of the face (bridge of the nose, centre of the forehead, chin, cupids bow and cheekbones/under the eyes). I use maybelline concealer first then brush the MAC pen on top, being especially generous on the under eye section and nose. Using the contour shade (cool brown) from the Smashbox pencils, I line the outer forehead, underneath the cheekbones, jawline and the sides of my nose (optional). Then use the bronze shade (slightly warmer brown) top of the contour lines of the cheek and forehead. 

Beauty Blender | NARS Ita Brush | MAC 137 Sculpted Pointed Brush | MAC 167SE Brush

I first use the beauty blender to blend out the highlighter and then the natural fibres of the NARS Ita brush effortlessly blends the contour, bronze and highlight colours together. Using the MAC 137 brush and Kevyn Aucoin sculpting powder, I go over the cream contour and chisel the colour into the hollows of my cheekbones and the temples of my forehead. I then go in with the MAC 167SE brush with the Smashbox Suntan Matte bronzer and warm up the rest of my face. To set and 'bake' the highlighted sections, I use my damp beauty blender to generously apply MAC set powder and keep this on until I have finished the rest of my face/eye makeup.

Smashbox Bronze Lights Bronzer [Suntan Matte] | Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder [Medium] | MAC Set Powder [Invisible] 

MAC Studio Fix Fluid [NC25] | Soap & Glory Archery Pencil [Hot Chocolate] | MAC Pressed Pigments [Deeply Dashing + Blonde Streak] | Urban Decay Eyeshadows [Riff + Beware] | Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eyeliner [Waterproof Black] | MAC Zoom Fast Lash Mascara | MAC Chromographic Pencil [NW25/NC30] | Ardell Demi Wispies | Sleek Blusher [Rose Gold] | Topshop Glow Pot [Gleam] | Kiko Lip Liner [712] | MAC Lip Liner [Cork] MAC Lipstick [Velvet Teddy]

This is not an everyday look for me - this is a look I only do for special occasions and on the weekends. I do contour everyday but I skip the cream contouring and 'baking' method, and use the powders only. I love having a full-face of makeup and experimenting with contouring and highlighting. It's definitely something that is a personal preference and not everyone is a fan, but I do enjoy the process of this method.

My other personal favourite contouring and highlighting products are:

Contour Powders

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer

Anasazis Beverly Hills Contour Kit 

Contour Creams

MAC Pro Sculptung Cream - Pure Sculpture

Highlighting Powders

MAC Soft and Gentle

MAC Accentutate shaping powder

Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit (also for contour)

Highlighting Creams

Topshop Glow Polished

MAC Cream Colour Base - Hush

What are your favourite contouring and highlighting products?

Smashbox Step-by-Step Contour Stick Trio & Full Exposure Travel Palette | Mini Review

Smashbox Step-by-Step Contour Stick Trio (£35.00)

These 3 sticks come in the form of contour, bronzer and highlighter, and a handy paper guide to instruct you on how to contour based on your face shop. I particularly like the contour colour as it's quite a cool grey shade, the bronzer is a medium warm brown, and the highlighter is a pale yellow shade. The formula is very creamy and bendable using both a beauty blender sponge and the NARS Ita Kabuki brush. You can definitely get a light contour with these sticks, and build up the colour as you go. I like to set these with a powder contour on top to make sure I get a bold contoured look. The set also comes complete with a pencil sharpener so for £35, it may seem expensive but I'd imagine it'll last a long time.

Smashbox Full Exposure Travel Eyeshadow Palette (£17.50)

Now this palette is something else. I've been lusting after this palette for a very, very long time but from my knowledge, it was only exclusive to Sephora in the USA. I had friends hunting around the world in different cities seeking out Sephora to find it, but it wasn't available. I was randomly looking on the Boots website last week and seen that it was available and immediately went to Boots the next morning to find it and lo and behold, there was a stand with about 10 of these mini eyeshadow palettes. The stand looked like it was full at one point, and the sales lady told me they had been out for 1 week and they were almost gone. I was so happy to get hold of it! The texture of these are reasonably pigmented (not as pigmented as MAC in my opinion) but the colours are beautifully shimmery and mate. It is a handy little palette to travel with - literally, it is the size of a credit card, super thin and compact with a mirror that I know I'll get a lot out of.

Have you tried any of these two Smashbox products yet? Let me know!

Mini MAC Haul

So, I did it again. I made another order to MAC and got few stuff I've been wanting for a while and some stuff for my upcoming holidays to Geneva. I didn't need some of this, but I got a bit click-happy and started sending items to my basket and before I knew it, the lovely black parcel showed up on my doorstop. 

Conceal and Correct Pro Palette 'Medium' | Lightful Tinted C Cream 'Medium' | Amber x 9 Eyeshadow Palette | False Eye lashes '43' & '33' | Tranquil Cleanse Off Oil (Travel-size) | Chromographic Pencil 'Hi-def Cyan' & 'Pure White' | Pro Longer Lip Pencil 'Morning Coffee' | Lip Pencil 'Soar'

Anastasia Beverly Hills | Contour Kit | Review

Contouring and highlighting has become a huge craze lately - whether you like it done very naturally with a bit of bronzer or done very heavy with creams and powders. There has been some controversy with professional make-up artists stating that contour and highlighting is 'not a good look' or 'drawing lines' on the face is not necessary but, in my opinion, each to their own. I think contouring and highlighting can bring out the most beautiful features on your face. That's why I decided to review this extremely coveted beauty product - the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit in the shade 'Light/Medium'.