Last Saturday, I was invited to a quaint little makeup workshop, held at Muse by Watsons, by the latest brand to grace their shelves - Mary Quant cosmetics.

The brand is inspired by fashionista Mary Quant from London, and features loads of colours and textures, aimed at 'bringing fashion to faces'.

We were treated to a makeup demonstration by Mary Quant's senior makeup artist, and then given the opportunity to play around with the products. In particular, Mary Quant's Action Lashings mascara and Eye Gloss stood out to me - more on that later if I get the opportunity to trial these products. In the meantime, I have a couple of products that I did receive to trial, and here are my thoughts on the brand.


Mary Quant Malaysia have 20 shades of Moisture Rich Lipsticks, ranging from the light to the very bright. I was lucky enough to receive a shade of lipstick that I definitely enjoy wearing - this is the P-05 lipstick, and it is a soft, rosy pink shade. It has a slight mauve-y undertone to it which makes it the perfect soft pink for warm skin tones, and is sheer enough so that a tiny bit of your natural lip colour shows through. These lipsticks are very moisturising and easy to wear, but make sure that you don't have little flakes on your lips (check out my lip tutorial here to find out how to rid your lips of flakes before applying lipstick) or this lipstick will catch on those flakes and create unsightly lines on your lips.


I also received a beautiful peach blush, shot through with extremely fine gold shimmer - the Blush Baby in #11. Think of a toned down, very natural version of NARS Orgasm. The colour is an absolute beauty, and would match so many different kinds of skin tones. Don't worry about the shimmer because it does not show up in even the harshest of lighting. Mary Quant have perfected the glowing skin effect without the need to use harsh shimmer or glitter. It also layers well for extra pigment and colour. If you're looking for a natural blush that will take you from day to night, this is it!


I also received two eyeshadows - the FP-07, pictured in the palette with the blush above, and the M-07, pictured here. Both eyeshadows are beautiful and smooth, and I am particularly impressed with the pigment and the smoothness in the matte brown eyeshadow (FP-07) - good matte eyeshadows are so difficult to find, and this one passes all tests! There is not a bit of chalkiness in this matte, and it blends and applies beautifully.
But my absolute favourite among the products I received, by far, is the gorgeous M-07 - a opalescent silver with an amazing amount of iridescence. This gives the most beautiful sheen of silvery colour to your lids, and can easily be used as a higlighter in the inner corners of your eyes, on the tops of your cheekbones, and in your cupid's bow. Again, this is nowhere near as harsh as a stark silver, and has a tiny bit of lavender shot through it. This makes the colour more wearable on warm skin tones.

Here are all the products swatched side by side:



The brand's logo is a black daisy, which you will find incorporated into all their packaging. I love most of the packaging, but was quite disappointed with the fact that all their eyeshadows and blushes come with slimy, sticky goo on the bottom (presumably so they stick to the palettes), because for their price range (between Inglot and MAC for single eyeshadows) I think they should be able to stick some magnets in there somewhere.

Overall though, the product formulations truly impressed me, because the colours are beautiful and soft, yet can be layered for more colour or coverage. Their eyeshadows are smooth and buttery, and so are their blushes. There are a large range of colours across the board, from lipsticks to eyeliners to eyeshadow. If you're looking for quality colour options with colours that are formulated specifically to match a wide range of skin tones, then this is where you should look!

Mary Quant is available at Muse by Watsons outlets and is out on counters now.

We are constantly bombarded with new formulations, products and textures by cosmetics companies. It's understandable that the layperson might find these new formulations confusing and sometimes unnecessary. Why use all these new products when my regular powder eyeshadow works just fine?

I totally agree - if you're happy with what you've got and you're comfortable using only that, then by all means, stick to it. Don't fix what ain't broke, right?

If you like to play around with textures and colours, however, and just don't quite know how or are Googling around to find out, then this article is for you.

One product that has been introduced to the cosmetics market (and that doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon) is the crayon eyeshadow, or stick eyeshadow.


These crayons are simply eyeshadows in cream form, and are formulated slightly harder than cream eyeshadows (the ones that come in little pots - more on these products in another post) in order to be able to hold their shape in pencil form. Some come in pencil form and can be sharpened with a slightly larger-sized pencil sharpener, and some are simply twist-up pens.

They are simple and very easy to use - simply apply the product straight from the pencil onto your lid, taking it up to the crease, then blend. I recommend testing these pencil eyeshadows out first before using them on their own - because of the soft, creamy texture, some brands tend to crease and slip around on your eyelid.

How are they different from regular powder eyeshadows? These products look a little different - they create a slightly wetter, more dimensional look on the lid.

Why use eyeshadow sticks then?

For a different look - textures are slightly different when you use eyeshadow sticks.
For a more intense colour - when layered underneath powder eyeshadow of a similar colour, the colour and shimmer of the powder eyeshadow is much stronger and more obvious.
For a long lasting makeup - powder eyeshadow adheres better to cream eyeshadow, and also sets the cream eyeshadow in place. This combination helps your eyeshadow last for hours and hours without smudging, creasing, or melting off.

Here is the difference illustrated in swatches:


My favourite eyeshadow sticks:


NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils - these are by far the most affordable of the lot, but perform equally as beautifully as the higher end eyeshadow sticks on the market. They are very pigmented, and once set with a powder, stay on the lids forever. They come in a host of different colours, some shimmery and some matte, and are easily available in Sephora in Malaysia, and online in Australia at websites like Crush Cosmetics and eBay.


ck one color gloss eyeshadow sticks - these are beautiful, sheer eyeshadow crayons for those who want less pigment in their eyeshadows. They are lightweight and easy to apply onto the skin, and are a little bit more prone to creasing than other eyeshadows, so be sure that you only use this as an eyeshadow base. Because of their shimmery formulas, they create a gorgeous base on top of which to apply your eyeshadows, and give the powder eyeshadows a new, more 'wet' texture.

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick - this is the latest product to grace my beauty cupboard, and I have fallen head over heels in love with it. This is one of those rare products that doesn't need to be set with a powder eyeshadow, and has amazing lasting power. It sits on the lids through heat and humidity and somehow still manages to stay put without any creasing or melting throughout the day. Laura Mercier also has an entire host of colours to choose from with these caviar sticks, so I highly recommend these to anyone who wants a quick, easy, and convenient way to wear and touch up their eyeshadow throughout the day.

So what do you think? Are you an eyeshadow stick user, and if you aren't, would you purchase some? I personally find them very convenient, especially for intensifying my eyeshadow colours or to create a quick, no-fuss makeup look.

A pet peeve of mine is when people don't blend their eyeshadow properly. Whether you are doing a smoky eye or a simple, everyday look, blending is key. When blended, eyeshadow looks so amazingly beautiful and I feel like just a little bit more effort would have made those eyes look so much more beautiful and put-together.


I picked up a couple of tips here and there about eyeshadow blending in my years of playing around with makeup, and I thought I might share them here.

First off, brushes! Now I must stress that you can blend eyeshadow without brushes, and you don't need to go out and buy these brushes. But brushes make the whole process a lot easier and quicker, and if you use the right brush, the finish is a lot more polished too. Here are my favourite brushes.


The MAC 239 brush, or Sigma E55 Eye Shading brush (or in my case, simply brush similar to these two brushes), is the perfect brush for packing on product when you first apply your eyeshadow. These brushes are great because they pick up and deposit a lot of product onto your eyelid. This way, you get a solid block of intense colour on your eyelid from the get-go.
You can also use your fingers in place of this brush, simply reapply a couple of layers to achieve the intensity you want.


The Sigma E25 blending brush (or its 217 MAC equivalent) is the hero of blending brushes. This is the perfect blending brush, whether you have large, small, or extra small eyes. This brush is made perfectly for blending out product and is fool-proof! It is tapered at the tip (forgive my brush - it's a little splayed because I had just cleaned it for this shot) so you can get to the very edge of the eyeshadow and blend it out into a nice haze of colour. It is also perfect for the crease


When you want your crease to look a little more defined, you need a brush that is more tapered at the tip, and I have found that the NP Set Crease Blender brush serves my needs perfectly. It is small enough so that it fits into my crease, and fluffy enough so that the crease colour doesn't get deposited as a strong line, and also fluffy enough so that I can blend my crease colour with it, without having to use another brush.

Now on to the actual techniques!

Initial Application


When I apply my base eyeshadow to my mobile lid, I like to use my fingers. This way, I can warm up the product, and really pack it on. Just circle your clean finger into your eyeshadow, then push onto your lid. You can twist or drag your finger a tiny bit after pushing the eyeshadow down onto your lid. This will pack it onto your lid. When I need a more intense colour, I use a primer and the MAC 239 brush.

Blending



When you are using light or neutral colours, your fingers are more than good enough to blend the colour out. Darker colours are less forgiving, so I would recommend using the E25 brush.

As you can see, darker coloured eyeshadows are much less forgiving and can look a lot more harsh when applied. The same goes with matte eyeshadows. They require a little extra attention and care, but in the end, the result is exactly the same.


When applying your crease colour, use a blending brush and apply directly into your crease (this should be where the very edge of your eyeshadow is). The reason why I recommend blending out your eyeshadow first before applying a crease colour, is that it makes it easier and quicker to apply eyeshadow this way, even though you could technically do both at the same time.
The crease colour should also blend into nothing towards the brow bone.

Everyone knows Bobbi Brown does neutral, earthy tones like no other. Their products and promo images always ooze class and absolute earthy perfection.

It's no surprise that Bobbi Brown's latest collection - Desert Twilight - is every neutral lover's dream, with a little bit of a twist thrown in.

I was sent a couple of products from the collection, and my absolute favourite by far is the Desert Twilight Limited Edition Eye Palette.


Packaging
Bobbi Brown limited edition products always have fantastic, fashion-forward packaging. This time, the eye palette is encased in sleek titanium-esque packaging, built sturdily as always.


Product
I have always known that Bobbi Brown produces high-quality products. I would expect nothing less!

What I didn't expect, however, was for the matte eyeshadow colours to be so incredibly smooth and buttery! I have tried every eyeshadow brand out there, and not once have I blended out such an incredibly pigmented, buttery smooth matte eyeshadow. There is even a creamy-smooth matte eyeshadow in the palette that is shot through with a hint of glitter, and that formulation is so hard to get right!

In the swatches below, you will hopefully be able to see just how beautifully smooth these eyeshadows are. Unfortunately, neutral colours don't photograph well - they look so much better in real life!


You can hardly see the first colour in the palette, because it is the exact same colour as my skin. I can tell you that this is an insanely smooth eyeshadow, though! Perfect for laying down a base on the eye to aid with the blending of the eyeshadows.


Performance
Both the shimmer and matte eyeshadows have the best staying power and pigment. They apply smoothly and blend beautifully. As I mentioned before, the matte eyeshadows are the most impressive of the lot. I still can't get over how amazingly smooth they are!
The glitter colours (fourth from left in the first row and third in the second row) are a little less smooth and also less pigmented, but there is hardly any fall down from the glitter, which is great, considering the glitter from most glitter eyeshadows always end up all over your face no matter how carefully you apply them.

This palette retails for AUD 130 as part of Bobbi Brown's Desert Twilight Collection, which launches September 9 2012 here in Australia.

This product was sent to me for review and consideration in accordance with this site's Disclosure Policy.

Hello everyone! I have a really quick review of a gorgeous Sisley product today - their Golden Touch which I received with their June Jewel collection.


This is meant to be a cream eyeshadow, but it is so versatile that I've been using it in a lot of different ways to create a glowing, warm makeup look.


Packaging
This comes in the typical Sisley colourful box packaging. The compact itself is sturdy plastic. I do wish Sisley's makeup packages were more posh-looking, but the plastic compact does do its job and I don't have any more serious complaints.

Product
I am very particular when it comes to cream products. If a product's texture is too hard and can't be warmed up with my fingers, I hate it. If a product is too soft, I hate it. If a product isn't pigmented enough, I - you guessed it - hate it.

I am glad to report that the Sisley Golden Touch checks none of the above boxes. It is the perfect texture - soft enough that I can pick it up with my fingers easily, and hard enough so that I don't pick up too much. It is also very easy to use with brushes if you are so inclined, and the colour payoff is just perfect! With products like this one, you want to be able to control the exact amount of product that you apply, and this eyeshadow has just the right texture for that.

The sparkles in this product are medium-sized, so they are not overly noticeable but definitely not one of those 'subtle sheen' kind of products.


Performance
I am very impressed with this! It makes a beautiful eyeshadow all on its own and lasts for a moderate period of time on the lids. It also makes for a very interesting eyeshadow base because it adds a golden warmth to any eyeshadow that is layered over it. Be careful to apply it with a light hand if you want to maintain the overall colour of your eyeshadow, because the pigment in this can be a little strong and overpower the eyeshadow that you want to layer over it.

You can also layer this over a lipstick on the centre of the lip and pop a gloss on top of it to finish off your look - it looks gorgeous! The gold sparkles stand out so beautifully against the red and adds a bit of dimension and interest to the lip.

My favourite way to use this is as a highlighter - I used it in my latest makeup tutorial (I will paste the video below) and it adds a warmth and glow to the skin that balances out any cool-toned makeup products beautifully. It will also make for a fantastic highlighter in the summer because this will look gorgeous against a tanned skin!

All in all, this is a wonderfully versatile product, and one that is definitely worth checking out if you have some extra money to spend.

This product retails for AUD 50 at Sisley counters.




This product was sent to me for review and consideration in accordance with this site's Disclosure Policy.

If you have been following news from Estée Lauder, you probably already know of their latest powder gelée technology. It is a combination of powder, gel, and liquid all in one. It is supposed to deliver high definition colour that won't crease, fade, or flake.

I was absolutely fascinated by this and have been to the Estée Lauder counter numerous times to swatch and play with their new powders. I hadn't found a particular colour palette that I liked, though, until I heard of the new Bronze Goddess Capri collection. The promo image, shown below, is absolutely striking (as always), and what I loved the most was the combination of eyeshadow colours in their Bronze Sands palette.


The palette has an exquisite combination a cool-toned gold (very hard to find!), a warm gold, a bronze-y orange, a dark brown with purple undertones and a subtle purple shimmer shot through it (my favourite!), and a pop of turquoise.


I adore this palette of colours! I have posted swatches below, so you can marvel at the colours yourselves.
The dark brown is an absolute stunner, and perfect for neutral to warm toned skin. It's one of those must-have colours because this kind of colour palette somehow brings out a lovely natural glow to the skin. I could go on and on about this gorgeous glow, but I won't torture you. Suffice it to say that you definitely want that glow!
The cool-gold (my second favourite colour in this palette) is so rare to find in such a smooth, non-chalky form, and if applied correctly, works perfectly on both cool and warm skin tones.

My favourite way of wearing this palette is with the cool-gold all over the lid all the way up to the brow bone, with the dark brown in the outer corner and into the crease. If I want to spice the look up a little, I apply the turquoise shade onto my lower lashline with a pencil brush. The turquoise and dark brown contrast beautifully.


As for the performance of these eyeshadows and the new powder gelée technology, I couldn't be more impressed! The eyeshadows are smooth to the touch and blend like a dream. The colours are intense (the swatches above were done with only two swipes each), and they stay that pigmented once applied.

It's been a while since I've been this excited about an eye shadow palette and if you haven't checked out the new Estée Lauder eyeshadows yet then I suggest you head in store to swatch them!

This limited edition palette retails for AUD 90 and is in store now.

The new Bronze Goddess Capri collection also includes:

For Face:

Limited Edition Pure Color Illuminating Powder Gelée AUD 75.00
Bronze Goddess Luminous Liquid Bronzer* AUD 63.00
Bronze Goddess Soft Matte Bronzer* AUD 68.00
Bronze Goddess Soft Shimmer Bronzer* AUD 68.00
Bronze Goddess Soft Duo Bronzer* AUD 68.00

For Lips:

Limited Edition Pure Color Gloss in Shimmering Mirage AUD 42.00
Limited Edition Pure Color Long Lasting Lipstick in Urban Auburn AUD 45.00

For Eyes:

Limited Edition Pure Color Five Color Gelée Powder EyeShadow Palette in Bronze Sands AUD 90.00
Limited Edition Pure Color Intense Kajal Eye Crayon Duo in White Sands/Molten Lava AUD 40.00
Sumptuous Waterproof Bold Volume™ Lifting Mascara in Black* AUD 48.00

For Nails:

Limited Edition Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Molten Lava  AUD 38.00

*permanent products in the Estée Lauder line

This product was provided for review and consideration in accordance with this site's Disclosure Policy.