FOTD: EYELINER! :)

A week or so ago, I posted about my excitement on getting back in touch with the gel eyeliner. Sadly, my hand had forgotten how to use eyeliner, but I THINK I've finally got it down.. you tell me!

What I'm Wearing..

Face:

- Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Foundation in 03

- Bobbi Brown Correcter in Peach

- MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC35

- Bourjois Compact Powder in Miel Dore 83

- Benefit Bella Bamba

Eyes:

- Clinique Superfine Liner for Brows in Deep Brown 03

- MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre

- Clinique Gel Liner in True Black 02

- Rimmel Day2Night Mascara in Black

Lips:

- Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Nude Delight 700

Some of you may have noticed the newbies in my collection, and yes I've been very guilty of shopping recently! A lot of it has to do with the weather changing, but also a busier lifestyle calls for more flexible/on-the-go/easy looks and products. You will undoubtedly be hearing more about the lovely things I've picked up and have been loving - but at the moment, eyeliner and eyeshadows have been my favourite things to apply! :)

What's been the focus of your looks recently? :)

<3yu

Back to the Liner: Clinique

Until recently, I don't think I wore any form of black eyeliner for atleast the past half a year - literally! Maybe on the odd night out but it was me, my eyeshadows, mascara and a skintone eyeliner. For a girl that started make-up with black eyeliner, that's a pretty sac-relig thing to do, ey?! :P

But hey ho, the old friend is back along with the cold, and I have to say - I'm quite enjoying its company! The defined and glam look (I was going to say sultry but I feel odd saying that about what you're attempting to do..) is definitely a great way to adjust to the season in my opinion :)

However, somewhere between the boyfriend's house and mine, my K-Palette 24hr Real Lasting Eyeliner went astray, and I was "forced" (i.e. I've always wanted to but never had an excuse) to get another eyeliner since my Maybelline one dried out and after an attempt to revive it by mixing it with olive oil, I got disgusted at the idea of olive oil on my face.. Yeah, so anyway..

I bought a new one :D

I picked this up at Selfridges when I was on a little shopping trip with Vivianna last week (who by the way is actually even more hilarious and lovely than she comes across in her videos/posts), with little contemplation to say the least as I'd already been convinced by Tanya Burr that this was the gel eyeliner to go for, as it doesn't dry up as easily as the likes of MAC Fluidline or Bobbi Brown's Gel Eyeliner.

Now I realise that the brush looks a bit crap - it's not that bad actually, but I do want to give the MAC 209 or 266 a shot but it's something that is not so urgent and my wallet and conscience wont allow at the moment. So I'm rather glad it came with this little guy if I'm honest! For £13.50 it's cheaper than the other 2 brands I mentioned before.

It applies a dream, and it's a solid black. My only 'meh' about it is that it's not so black on the waterline and it does slide down when applied there during the day. I also find that it's not 100% smudge proof during the day (which my K-Palette eyeliner was). It's not to say it doesn't last a long time - it was just a step down in standards for me personally.

I'm doing a bit of a round of Clinique recently but I find their range very well priced and the basic products like my Superfine Liner for Brows and this gel eyeliner very good quality as far as I can tell. One thing I'd stay away from? The Anti-Blemish Concealer - dear god that thing was CRAP.

Anyway, my favourite eyeliner work I've seen recently? LLYMLRS. I would like her eyelashes, her hair, her tan and her legs. Ta.

Have you found an increase in the amount of eyeliner you use? :)

Have you tried any Clinique make-up?

You can get this product at Selfridges for £13.50 :)

<3yu

The Goodness of Skintone Eyeliners: UNE SkinGlow Pencils

I remember when I was completely addicted to black eyeliner - I didn't need or want anything else on my face, if I had this I was good to go! For better or for worse, those days are gone!

In its place, though to a much less degree of essential-ness than black eyeliners in the past, are skintone coloured eyeliners, and the one in particular is the UNE SkinGlow Pencil, which retails at around £7 from Boots or Superdrug. I chose this over white eyeliners for the obvious reason - it looks more natural, especially on medium-toned skintones like mine!

The reason why I got this was because I liked the idea of having brightened and awake eyes, and while it does do that, I think the best way to describe its function is to say that it defines your eyes without looking unnatural.

Black eyeliners really bring out your eyes, but it makes it 10x obvious that you're wearing make up, and on a darker skintone like mine, so do white eyeliners. Personally, this isn't a look I go for in the summer, so I wanted this definition without the obvious make-up.

Up close I suppose it's still a little bit obvious, even if this is G04, the darkest shade they have. In this pic I suppose it wouldn't make a difference if I'd gone for a white eyeliner instead!

But from afar, it really does do your eyes a favour - brightens, get rids of the redness on your waterline, and it defines your eyes.

I find that this particular eyeliner doesn't last very long - but unlike black eyeliners where you are constantly worried whether you look like a panda from melting eyeliner, this is a walk in the park because even if it melts it's not so obvious under your eyes, and the eyeliner is easy enough to carry around :) So no harm in being forgetful like me and forgetting to occassionally wipe under my eyes or top up on make up!

So yes - for the summer days atleast, I am a complete convert to skintone eyeliners. That being said, sometimes I do forget to put it on - I mean, it's fleshtone at the end of the day! But I think it's a great thing to have in general for that little oomph to your eyes, especially for days with really red or tired eyes!

How do you keep your eyes natural during the summer? :)

<3yu

P.S. Apologies for the lack of posting/tweeting - I've been on holiday with my family, as they are here in the UK to see me graduate on Friday! :) Will hopefully be back in business on Monday, from good old Japan :) I've got lots to show you, so I'm very excited! Keep in touch :)

FOTD: 11.22.10 - GOSH Golden Moss Eyeliner

I am so excited that so many people are following my blog.. Thank you so much, I'm having a blast blogging! :)

Anyway, I didn't REALLY know what to review and I haven't hauled, plus I quite like doing reviews on videos.. So I thought I'd do another FOTD, but then follow it up with a tutorial in the next week or so.. because a lot of people have difficulties in wearing coloured liners - which is what I tried out today! :)

This is the coloured liner I used today - GOSH's Velvet Touch Waterproof Eyeliner in Golden Moss. Bought after suggestion by aforementioned "not so friend" Lisa :) As far as I can tell, it's quite long-lasting for a pencil liner, it's very soft and great pigmentation. However, I do remember swatching some other colours and not finding them as creamy or pigmented.. anyway! On to the FOTD:

 I really like the subtlety of the mossy green, and the earthyness that it brings to the look. That being said, it isn't completely noticeable unless you zoom as seen above.. but you can notice the lack of definition of a black liner. The lipstick colour NEVER shows perfectly with flash - it's a bit more fuschia and darker than the zoom picture (Sorry :( ).

The other items used are as follows:

Coastal Scents 28 Neutral Palette
ELF Lipstick in Seductive
ELF Super Glossy Lipshine in Juiced Berry
MAC Blush in Style (haha yes, it needs some de-powdering..)
And of course the mascara, black liner blah blah blah.

I hope you guys like it! :) I think if the tutorial idea goes through, I will be using a liquid liner - specifically, the MAC Liquidlast in ElectroLady - an 18th birthday present from dearest friends, Abbey, Anna and Lindsay.

SOME UPDATES:
- Sent off a swap package to Mandy @ DazzleLikeGlitter!
- Made my first blog-sale purchase off Vivianna @ ViviannaDoesMakeUp
- Bought a beautiful bracelet for my friend's 21st - I hope she likes it! :)

<3yu