Face of the day #3 | 02.03.14

better skin

Products used:
Topshop highlighter ~ crescent moon

It's finally beginning to get warmer in England - despite the still miserable weather forecast of rain - which means fresh, spring time pink lipstick can be worn again - not that you can't wear it at any point of the year as there aren't any rules to makeup. I picked this particular one up from boots the other day and have been loving it. It lasts a good four hours and doesn't dry out the lips, also the colour is gorgeous. Satin taupe has been mentioned a number of times here on Aquapearl but now those of you that haven't bought it yet - though you definitely should - can see why both Lucy & I love it. It's just great.



Are you looking forward to spring makeup trends?

~ Jade xx

Monthly favourites | February

colour burst


I wanted something new to apply my powder as the Superdrug's own brand powder brush I have been using isn’t very soft and seemed to apply too much product, making my face look a bit cakey - also I found it smelled rather unpleasant. I had heard good things about the eco tools brushes so I picked this one up in boots LINK and have fallen in love. It is unbelievably soft, applies product evenly and softly and gives great control. I like to use this for all face products as it just works really well and I would definitely recommend it. 



As the weather is slowly but surely becoming slightly sunnier - yay!  - I have been adding some more glow to my face. I have been liking the highlighter in the sleek face form kit - full review here - as it is not too in your face and obvious but adds a nice shimmer when caught in the light.



Jade kindly bought me my first MAC eye shadow for Christmas and I have been loving it. Satin taupe is the perfect shade as it has just the right amount of shimmer. It is also perfect for both everyday and a more smokey evening look. It is lovely to blend - as all MAC eye shadows are - need I say any more?




When I bought this eyeliner I was intrigued by the angled top. I have found the tip makes it very easy to apply this eyeliner and do small wings - as I don’t venture too far in to the cat eyed look unlike Jade. It's not joking when it says it's waterproof as I have to use an eye makeup remover to remove all of it at night as my cleanser doesn't cut it. It also doesn’t fade or smudge all day.


 


I have a love hate relationship with this mascara but I thought that I'd mention it anyway. I love the way it makes my lashes look, it really gives them both volume and length. However, I find this mascara smudges above my eyes after about an hour after applying it and it is rather frustrating. It is also a bit of a pain to get off. Other than that, I love it. 




These new lacquer balms have been quite hyped over for the past couple of months and I completely agree with the excitement over them. I have been loving wearing this everyday pink with a slight but not too overpowering shimmer. It gives a gorgeous shine to your lips, is so easy to apply - even on the bus to college - and will be perfect for spring and summer - full review here. 



What are you february favourites?

~ Lucy xx

Current favourites | #2

barry m

Barry M textured nail varnish - lady
Revlon lash potion mascara - blackened brown
MAC eyeshadow - satin taupe
Bourjois happy light serum primer - matte

Barry M recently came out with a new textured line of nail varnishes called the ‘royal textured glitter’ collection. I picked up the colour ‘lady’ and have really been enjoying it. Two coats gives an opaque finish and the varnish itself is really pretty. Its part iridescent sparkle, part white glitter and part matte white flecks with an interesting textured finish. Barry M previously came out with a textured line of polishes during the summer and they didn’t catch my eye however this time around they have and I will be looking at picking up some more shades. The best part is they last a lot longer on the nails than a regular varnish because they’re textured. 


I’ve done a full review on the new Bourjois matte primer - which can be seen here - and since I bought it a couple weeks ago and I haven’t stopped wearing it. 

I picked up MAC’s eyeshadow in satin taupe when I was in London a few weeks back and I think I’ve fallen in love. I don’t usually go for cool tone eyeshadows as I don’t think they particularly suit me however satin taupe is great to pair with a warm toned champagne colour and adds just the right amount of smokey-ness for a daytime look. 

I’ve been trying out a new mascara recently and although I picked up the wrong colour - I’m a true black mascara girl all the way - I’ve been really liking this new option from Revlon. It adds just enough length and volume without my lashes looking too spidery or too full. 

Finally I’ve been in love with my contour brush from real techniques. Originally I used this for what the name suggests - contouring - however recently I’ve been using it to buff in my concealer. It’s the perfect size and as it’s duo-fibered and synthetic it doesn’t soak up too much product or make concealer look heavy and caky which I can sometimes find when I use a heavy duty concealer like my MAC pro-longwear. 



What are your current favourites?

~ Jade

My MAC quad

eyeshadow


Left to right: Smut, Kid, Woodwinked, Satin taupe

Today I thought I’d share with you all my MAC quad. I recently slipped the fourth pan into my palette after switching from buying eyeshadows in pot form to pan form - it’s a great money and space saver.

Smut - a very dark almost black purple shade - perfect for adding sultry smoky definition to the outer corner or using as a powder eyeliner as it’s less harsh than liquid or gel and blends for a softer look.

Kid - my favourite definition shade for when you don’t want to wear a lot of colour but want a little something to give some dimension. Great for when if you want to have dramatic liner but not too much going on, on the lid. It’s not too cool or too warm toned so gives a very natural look.

Woodwinked - out of my small but growing MAC eyeshadow collection woodwinked is definitely my favourite. A warm toned golden shadow I tend to wear packed across the lid and then blended throughout the crease as where blended woodwinked changes to a more warm toned matte brown - perfect for when you’re in a rush and don’t have time to faff around with shadows - but I also wear this with a lighter, shimmery shadow on the first half of my lid and then woodwinked packed onto the outer half and blended.

Satin taupe - my most recent edition to my collection. A purple, silver, brown-y mix matched shade. Great for adding to the outer corner for a subtle smoky day-time look for for using underneath the eyes in a smoky eye to balance the look out. Also great to use as a lid colour in a smoky eye.



And that’s it! What colours do you have in your MAC palette?

~ Jade xxx

Photography information

Canon 600D with 18-55mm lens, Canon 24mm lens or Sigma 70-300mm lens. Canon EOS M with 18-55mm lens or Canon 24mm lens. Any edited photos are edited using Photoshop CS6. Picture source is given for any photo used that is not directly ours.