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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Before and After

Photoshoot for actress Bianca Reale.