Why You Should be Using a Primer

Many people believe a primer is a waste of time and money as a moisturiser does the same thing. This is not the case as they have different purposes and benefits. So why bother with a primer? 

A primer has many different benefits, they are great for preparing the skin for a flawless makeup application. I will share with you a number of reasons why you should invest in a primer.

Almost every cosmetic house has a primer or a number of primers in their range. They are used for various reasons, a radiant look, for mattifying shiny appearance, for minimising pores or colour correcting and minimising redness.

Depending on your skin type is there is definitely a great primer out there for you! 

For myself, I use two different primers every time I apply my makeup; one to help control my oily nose and the other applied to the rest of my face for a dewy radiant look. There are radiant primers that also have oil controlling properties but because only my nose will get so oily throughout the day I prefer to use a mattifying one on that area. I would not apply my makeup without using a primer, they make such a difference.

1. A primer acts as a barrier between your skin and your makeup, it prevents the foundation from settling into any imperfections giving you a more flawless finish.

2. Unfortunately liquid foundation can accentuate pores making them look larger and more visible. A primer will seal the pores and once again act as a barrier. For anyone who has large pores there are primers out there that will create a blurring effect over the area almost immediately

3. Do your research and test the primers on your skin. Most primers out there are non-comedogenic which means they will not irritate your skin, block pores or cause you to have a break out. Even if you have sensitive skin there is a primer out there for you.

4. A primer will give you a more youthful appearance because it fills in those fine lines preventing the foundation from accentuating them. Some primers even have anti-aging ingredients.

5. If you have acne, a primer can help the appearance of your skin by somewhat concealing it. A primer will not act as a treatment for the acne but it will help how your concealer and foundation settle on your skin.

6. A primer feels great on your skin, you only need a pea sized amount to cover your entire face. It's a very thin, lightweight layer that takes seconds to apply. My skin feels more luminous and hydrated after applying my primer.

7. Many primers have an SPF in them which will help prevent aging and pigmentation. With the ever growing harsh sun the more layers of SPF protection the better.

8. What is the main purpose for a primer? To help our makeup stay on longer, without a primer your foundation will move and separate a lot earlier in the day. We sweat through our pores and the primer will help slow the process down acting as a shield. 

There are so many reasons why a primer is worth adding to your beauty regime, are the benefits listed worth a couple of extra minutes?

Is Lower End Makeup Always the Cheaper Option?

 

I recently was given the latest products Revlon has launched; the Anti-Shine Prime and Photoready Insta-Fix Foundation. I thought I would sample them and let you know what I thought.

 

The primer is a balm that comes with a sponge, the texture is lovely and feels like velvet. Revlon claims 'this is a multi use balm that can be worn alone, under or over makeup to prime and smooth skin and to eliminate shine. It also erases the look of pores and imperfections for a perfected look'.

 

For a lower end product I am quiet impressed, I have combination skin so I am always on the search for the right primer to help prevent the oil on my nose moving my makeup. From the moment you apply this primer you can see it mattifies the skin and minimises pores, I only use it where I am oily paired with another primer to brighten and hydrate those areas where I am dry. For someone who has oily skin this would be suitable to use as an all over primer.

 

I also found that the primer prolongs the life of my foundation by an extra few hours. I tried applying it on top of my foundation but I found it just moved my makeup even more so, therefore I will stick to using it underneath my foundation. The size of this product is 14.2 grams and priced at $29.95 in Australia, considering it is half the size of most other primers it's actually been priced at the same rate as the higher end brands. Unlike the higher end brands you can generally find a Revlon sale on somewhere so if you can get it a discounted rate and do not plan on using it all over your face it will last a long time.

 

Overall this product works quiet well, I would recommend it for someone like myself who has combination skin, but only uses it on a small area. If using all over the face my concern would be that you would go through this product very quickly.

 

 

The new addition to Revlon foundations is the Photoready Insta-Fix. Revlon are advertising it as a full foundation, a concealer and a touch up product. I have used it as a full foundation, it glides and blends well on the skin, with a semi matte finish, sheer coverage but you can layer it to a medium coverage. I really liked the finish of this foundation on most parts of my face. Unfortunately, on any dry parts the foundation tends to grab and make those areas even dryer. For someone who is not dry this foundation would work really well. As for a concealer, it's great for blemishes and imperfections but for the under eye area I prefer something a little lighter and creamier.

 

I do love this product as a touch up on the go, I keep it in my handbag so when my oily areas have moved the foundation I do a quick reapply with this convenient stick. I don't always want to be reapplying powder so this is a quick and easy alternative.

 

The Photoready Insta-Fix is available in six shades and retails for $29.95 for 6.8 grams, if you compare this to higher end stick foundations it's a similar price to the Napoleon Perdis Foundation stick, it's $65.00 and 14 grams in size. The Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation is pricier at $65.00 for 9 grams.

 

Due to the size of this product I would only purchase this product if it was on sale. That said, I do recommend it as a convenient touch up product.

 

Kelly.

The Balm - Mary-Lou Manizer Review

I think I have found the best highlighter/illuminator on the market, well out the ones I have tried this is by far my favourite. 

According the The Balm who make this product, their description is;

'Meet Mary-Lo Manizer, a seemingly innocent honey-hued luminizer that catches everybody's eye. This highlighter, shadow and shimmer diffuses light so your skin looks softer and younger while adding a subtle glow'. I used this product on Nicki's cheekbones (pictured above), as you can see her cheekbones are accentuated and highlighted but still look very natural at the same time. 

I have used other powdered highlighters and the texture has not been quite as soft and lovely as this one, it's so highly pigmented you only need a small amount. Even though it looks quiet shimmery in the packaging it doesn't once applied to the skin. The key to using this product is blending it well to achieve a natural looking glow. It can be also used on the eyes or all over the face if you want to achieve an all over illuminated look, I prefer to use it on the cheekbones, centre of the nose and on the cupids bow to highlight these areas.

Another great aspect of this product is the value for money, it's a large pan and because you only need such a small amount it lasts forever, I have found it wears well and lasts all day. The only downfall is it only comes in the one colour light gold/champagne, which may not suit some darker skin tone.

The packaging is gorgeous and price is reasonable, you can purchase this great product at David Jones for $34.95

Kelly xx

Creative and Special Effects

Airbrush Creation

Terminator 

Masquarade Party Airbrush Mask

Half face Sugar Skulls

Zombie

Character Zombie

Car Crash Victim

Why you should invest in a cream blush!

Most women seem to be a little scared of a cream blush. When I ask the question why? In most cases they say it looks too hard to apply or they don't like change and want to stick to powder blush because it's what they are use to.

The truth is a cream blush is great for our skin at this time of year, with the cold air and our heaters permanently on makes our skin dry out and we can lose that radiant look. A cream has a more luminous effect giving you a more youthful looking glow compared to the usual powder blush. Not only do they look more youthful they also look more natural, it's actually easier to achieve a light flush of colour.

These days cream blush is more advanced than what it was many years ago. They are highly pigmented, buildable, blendable, long lasting and they feel silky on the skin. I use my Ben Nye Creme Rouge wheel which contains six gorgeous colours, the shades are Red, Carnation Pink, Raspberry, Coral, Sandy Rose and Dusty Rose. Compared to other cream blushes this is very affordable with a great variety, you can purchase online for $27.00. Ben Nye is a leading professional brand designed for film and theatre. 

After applying your foundation then go ahead and do your cheeks. There are three different methods you can use to apply your cream blush; 

1. Using your clean fingers, apply to the apple of your cheeks and blend the product backwards. If you feel you have applied too much you can go over your blush with the foundation brush you just used for your base to tone it down, I usually do it in a patting motion. (Remember to clean your foundation brush before the next application).

2. Use a duo fibre stippling brush, what is duo fibre you ask? It has synthetic and natural bristles in two layers that are different colours which is pictured below. This is my favourite method, you gently dip the brush in the cream and with a very light hand apply to the apples of the cheeks and along in the cheekbones. As I said before they are extremely buildable so if you required you just add more a small amount at a time.

3. A sponge or beauty blender can also do the job, pick up a small amount on the beauty blender and distribute on apples of cheeks and gently blend it up the cheekbones.

For longer lasting results it is best to set to set the cream with a translucent powder. If your skin is really dry and you find you don't need powder to set your foundation then skip this step. If you haven't already stepped out of the box make your next makeup purchase a cream blush.

Kelly x

Rouge Terrybly by Terry - Lipstick Review

 I have to start by saying this is my favourite lipstick at the moment. I was after a fuchsia coloured lipstick so where better to go than Mecca Maxima to have a look at a wide range of different brands? This particular lipstick was exactly the colour I was looking for. I had a play and loved the texture and silky feeling of the lipstick. It was so rich in colour I had to have it! 

 I don’t have any other lipstick that feels like this one, it’s so moist. I really don't like the feeling of dry lips and most long wearing lipsticks tend to dry out your lips and at this time of year there is nothing worse. This one does the opposite of drying them out, the way it glides across your lips when applying is magical! Because it's so soft and creamy it’s actually hydrating the lips. Surprisingly it lasts very well. It doesn't last all day long but it lasts at least a few hours. 

The claims made for this lipstick is that it is enriched with Terry's exclusive anti-ageing Lumilip® technology, this means it rejuvenates and plumps up the lips without drying.

Personally, I love the colour. I chose 304 Cherry Cherry which has intense pigment, amazing staying power, is hydrating and yes, it does plump up my lips. This is an absolute winner for me, now all I have to do is add some other colours to my collection. Hopefully the others are just as impressive.

You can purchase Rouge Terrybly Lipsticks at Mecca for $66.00 which is not cheap but a great investment in my opinion. Here is a picture below of all the fabulous colours this range comes in :-)

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