Are you happy with your hair?

Beautiful with brains says: not really. I kinda like my natural brown color but I hate that my hair is so thin, fine and flat. I tried everything to give it some volume but nothing seems to work, not for more than a couple of  hours anyway.

Name: Precision Eye Pencil in Purple
Brand: Kiko
Size: 1,14g
Price: €4,20

From Kiko’s website:
High-control pencil. Firm and precise lines also inside the eye. Easy to apply. Defined and precise lines for a perfect hold.

What I liked:
- pigmented
- easy to apply, no tugging
- longlasting
- can be used on the waterline as well
- the price

What I didn’t like:
- tip is a bit hard
- doesn’t last long on the waterline

I’m always looking for an inexpensive colored eyeliner that can be used on the waterline as well as the lid so when I stumbled onto the Precision Eye Pencil line from Kiko I just had to try one. The color range includes only six basic colors: black, white, brown, purple, green and blue. I decided to purchase the purple one and here are my thoughts about it.

Just one coat gives a defined and opaque line, but the shade is quite soft which is very wearable for the daytime and makes it perfect even for those that are scared of colors. But if like me, you want a more intense color, then just apply another layer. Also, getting a precise line is very easy, which surprised me as the tip of the pencil is quite hard. I thought that because of that, it would tug at the skin or something, but instead application went very smoothly.

Despite not being waterproof, the pencil lasts about 10/11 hours on my lids without smudging nor disappearing even if I don’t use a primer. Granted, my lids aren’t very oily so you might experience different results. Still, I’d recommend wearing a primer underneath anyway. On my waterline, instead, it was a completely different story as it disappeared from there pretty soon. I don’t have particularly watery eyes either but then most eyeliners don’t last long on my waterline, so even if I’m a bit disappointed, I still think this is a really good pencil.

Available at: Kikocosmetics.com

Summary
Overall, Kiko Precision Eye Pencil in Purple is a pigmented eyeliner that provide an opaque but soft line of color in one swipe, but can be built up for more intensity. The point is quite hard but still the pencil glides on smoothly without tugging. And while it lasts most of the day on the upper lashline, it fades fast from the waterline.

Rating: 3.5/5

We all use a toothbrush daily to keep our teeth healthy and white. But when, after a few months of use, it becomes too old and ruined to clean our pearly whites well, don’t discard it. An old toothbrush can still be useful. Here are 4 beauty related ways on how to put it to good use:

1. Exfoliate your lips
One of the most common and known ways to put an old tootbrush to good use is by using it to exfoliate lips. Simply brush the toothbrush on your lips to remove the dead skin cells on the surface. You may also use the toothbrush to rub vaseline or a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, honey and sugar. The results? Soft and smooth lips that are ready to be kissed.

2. Exfoliate your elbows and knees. And anywhere else?
The skin on our elbows and knees is thicker and rougher and so needs to be exfoliated regularly to be kept soft and smooth. Using a toothbrush on those areas is a great and inexpensive way to do that. In theory, you could use a toothbrush to scrub the skin all over your body, face included, but I wouldn’t recommend doing that. On some areas like the face, our skin is more delicate and needs to be treated with proper care. If you still wanna exfoliate those parts with a toothbrush, use a very old one with very soft bristles or you might end up doing more harm than good.

3. Groom your eyebrows
Do you have unruly eyebrows? You don’t have to spend money on eyebrow brushes to tame them, your old toothbrush will work just as well. Simply put some vaseline on it (some people prefer using hair spray instead) and comb your brows back into place.

4. Clean your hair brushes
Just like your makeup brushes, your hair brushes need to be cleaned frequently otherwise the gunk in them will be transferred onto your hair whenever you brush it and comb it. And you don’t want that, right? Wash your combs and brushes with shampoos and then brush them with a toothbrush to remove all the traces of dirt that could still be left on them.

Do you know any other beauty-related things you can do with an old toothbrush?

Source: bptakoma

Name: Eyeliner Precisione Waterproof
Brand: Deborah
Size: 5,5ml
Price: about €7,00

From Deborah’s website:
Brush eyeliner. The special applicator ensures a flawless line. Special filmogenic polymers ensure stay-on water-resistant colour.

What I liked:
- beautiful black shade
- shiny finish
- easy to remove
- the price

What I didn’t like:
- application is quite hard and not precise at all
- clumps
- not waterproof
- smudges and doesn’t last long without a primer
- dries too fast, mistakes are hard to correct
- even though it is easy to remove, the process is kinda messy

After mastering the art of applying eyeliner pencils, I felt confident enough to try using liquid eyeliners again, which was something I hadn’t done in ages as every time I tried I just made a huge and ugly mess. I didn’t want to spend lots of money on one though in case I still had problems with application so I decided to purchase Deborah Eyeliner Precisione Waterproof. Unfortunately, as soon as I got home, I regretted it. I just can’t get this eyeliner to work for me.

The only thing (apart from the price) that I really liked about this eyeliner is the color, black. With two coats (like in the swatch above) you get a beautiful dark black shade with a shiny finish. If only one could get it to apply it properly and make it stay put, it would define the eyes so well but sadly, both the applicator and the texture suck.

Despite its name Eyeliner Precisione (Precision) Waterproof doesn’t make application neither precise nor easy. That’s due to the applicator, which instead than a felt tip, has a thin brush. Personally, I’ve always found this type of applicator difficult to use and, as hard as I tried, I can never get a precise line with this. But if unlike me, you never had problems with thin eyeliner brushes, you may find Eyeliner Precisione Waterproof easy to apply. But be careful not to make any mistakes cos correcting them ain’t easy!

This leads me to the texture. First of all, the eyeliner easily clumps so you’ll often have to clean the brush before proceeding with the application. Now, if you manage to create a perfect line straigh away, great. Otherwise, the problems start. This eyeliner dries very fast and when you try to correct it, it comes off leaving you with small pieces of black eyeliner all over the eye area.

This is something that happens also after a few hours of wear (always use a good eyeshadow primer with it) and when you take it off with a makeup remover as well. It also isn’t waterproof at all. It comes right off as soon as it comes into contact with water and you don’t need a special makeup remover to take it off. Whatever you use, it comes away very easily. Too easily for something that’s supposed to be waterproof.

Available at: Deborah counters

Summary
Overall, Deborah Eyeliner Precisione Waterproof was a huge disappointment. The color is beautiful: an intense black with a shiny finish. Sadly, the brush applicator makes it hard to draw a precise line unless you already have a lot of practice with this type of applicator. But even them, it clumps and dries too fast so if you make a mistake and try to correct it, the eyeliner will come off and cover your face in tiny black spots. It also isn’t waterproof at all.

Rating: 2/5

I’m completely and utterly in love with Pupa Baroque Couture Collection for fall 2010. Everything looks absolutely gorgeous, don’t you agree? And the makeup the model’s wearing is stunning. The collection features soft green and pink tones for the eyes, delicate hues for the cheeks while all the attention is on the lips, in red and burgundy shades. Baroque Couture will hit the shops in a couple of weeks and I can’t wait! I think I’ll haul quite a bit from this collection. Here are the full details:

LUMINYS EYESHADOWS (€14,50)
Now available in 4 soft pastels shades with a satin finish: Mystery Pink, Pink Raspberry, Emerald Green and Smoky Brow. I love these eyeshadows, they have a soft texture, good color payoff and that green is so calling my name!

BAROQUE NATURAL-MATT FINISH COMPACT BLUSH (€22,95)
Available in Pink Delight and Brown Delight, this blush has a light texture and comes with a mirror for easier application. And doesn’t the pattern look pretty?

DIVA’S ROUGE MATT (€18,50)
If you’re a fan of matte lipsticks in intense colors, you’re gonna love these. They are available in Pink Raspberry and Opera Red and will get your pout noticed!

LASTING COLOR (€5,99)
I love Pupa nail polishes. They have a lovely formula, are pigmented and cheap. They are now available in three new beautiful shades: Mystery Pink, Emerald Green and Smoky Brown.

BODY AND HAIR SPRAY-ON SHIMMERING POWDER (€24,95)
Available in shimmering pink, it will make your body and hair sparkle. And I just love the packaging. It’s retro but with a modern touch.

BAROQUE EYELINER PENCIL&STICK (€12,50)
Available in Baroque Gold this is a perfect way to accessorize your hair. And would look great in a chignon!

What do you think of this collection? Do you like the soft pastel shades or would you have preferred darker, more autumnal shades?

We all know how important it is to use sunscreen daily to avoid the damage sun exposure can do to our skin, but there’s still a lot of confusion in what order to apply it in our skincare routine. Is it better to slather sunscreen on before moisturizer or should it be the last product we put on our skin?

I used to think that this latter option was best and when I first started applying it daily a few years ago, I would always put it on after my moisturizer. But I’ve done a lot of research on the topic since then, and while there doesn’t seem to be a clear answer to this question, most experts think it’s best to apply sunscreen first. Here’s why:

Chemical sunscreens need to get into contact with the skin to be effective

According to Dr. Neal Schultz, a board-certified dermatologist who practices in Manhattan, chemical sunscreens should be applied before you put on your moisturizer. That’s because active chemical sunscreen ingredients need time (20 to 30 minutes which is the time you should wait before going outside after application) to bind to the skin so the chemical reaction that activates them can occurr.

By applying your moisturizer first, you’re interfering with this chemical reaction as the sunscreen won’t be able to interact with the skin the way it should. What about reapplying sunscreen during the day, when you already have your moisturizer on? Well, by the time you need to put on your sunscreen again, most of your moisturizer will have already worn off, and won’t therefore interfere with it much.

What about physical sunscreens?

Physical blockers are products that contain Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. These two ingredients work differently from chemical sunscreen agents as they don’t need to be activated through a chemical reaction with the skin. Think of them as a shield for your skin. When the sun rays hit them, this shield simply bounces them off and away from the skin, thus protecting it from sun damage. For this reason, physical blockers can be applied both before or after moisturizer.

However, even in this case, some experts think it’s best to apply them on clean, bare skin before using any other skincare products. That’s because some of the ingredients in our moisturizing creams can interfere with the sunscreen and make them less effective. For example, your moisturizer could contain ingredients that could dilute your sunscreen, reducing the protection it offers, or make it harder to spread evenly so that some parts of your skin may be left unprotected.

What about sunscreens that have both chemical and physical sunscreen agents?

Again, there is not a definite answer on this, but considering that chemical sunscreens need to be in contact with the skin to work and physical blockers are better applied before moisturizer too (although you could still put them on afterwards if you wanted as long as you’re careful with application), I think it makes sense to apply this type of sunscreens first too.

The exception to the rule

Just like any other rule, this has its exception too. We have already discussed in a previous topic that the products in your skincare routine should be applied based on their consistency. This means that products with a lighter texture, like serums, should be applied before products with a thicker consistency, like moisturizers. Most sunscreens do have a thick texture, so where do they fit in?

Unfortunately, that’s another question without a clear answer. If you’re using an exfoliant or serum with a very light consistency, then you can apply it before sunscreen without compromising its efficacy. If the sunscreen is lighter than the other skincare products you are using, then apply that first. But as mentioned above, there isn’t a definite rule to follow so in the end, it is up to you to make a choice based on your best judgement and personal preference.

Do you apply your sunscreen before or after your moisturizer?

Eyeko, the cutest UK makeup brand, has recently released some very interesting products..

If you’re a fan of the famous Eyeko 3 in 1 cream, you’re gonna love the LE Eyeko Cream with Extra Glow (£8.00). The cute pink cream has all the benefits of the 3 in 1 cream, but in addition it is loaded with micro light-reflecting silver pigments that will highlight your complexion by creating a beautiful and soft sheen.

Eyeko has also released two new nail polish shades and they’re beautiful. My favourite is Punk Polish, a bright neon pink. It may not be the most original shade but I’m a sucker for all pinks, especially when they are so intense. The other new shade is Chi Chi, a baby pink polish with pink glitter glitters for nails that are girly but not juvenile.

Both polishes retail at £3.50 each and can be bought, like the Cream with Extra Glow, on the Eyeko website.

Name: Flat Eyeshadow Brush
Brand: Gosh
Price: £7.00

From Gosh’s website:
Broad, short hair brush designed especially for all types of eyeshadows. 100% natural hair.

What I liked:
- bristles are soft but dense
- packs a lot of color onto the lid
- no shedding nor bleeding
- looks chic and professional
- the price

What I didn’t like:
- if you don’t like natural bristles, this is not for you

About a month ago, I raved about the Gosh Round Eyeshadow brush and now it’s time to talk about another brush from Gosh, the Flat Eyeshadow Brush, that I bought in London a few months ago. Seriously, why aren’t these brushes more easily available worldwide? They’re awesome! Well, at least their eye brushes are. I can’t speak for the face ones as I haven’t tried them but after my positive experiences with these two brushes I’m so tempted to.

The Gosh flat eyeshadow brush has a black handle, that looks sleek and professional, while the bristles are brown pony hair. I know not everyone likes brushes with natural bristles but I don’t have a problem with them and I like that being brown, they don’t get stained and are easy to clean.

The brush has the perfect shape. It is flat, slightly domed with dense bristles that pick up quite a lot of product straight away ensuring great color payoff with just one or two swipes. I find this type of brush works extremely well at packing eyeshadows onto the lid. In addition, the bristles feel extremely soft on the skin, not scratchy at all.

Although this brush is designed to apply colors on the lid, and does it very well, if I’m in a rush, I also use it to blend colors on the crease and I find that it works quite well that way too. It’s not as precise as the Round blush for blending, but if you’re in a hurry or wearing natural colors instead than crazily bright looks that need to be blended to perfection or they just look awful, then this’ll do too.

I’ve been using this brush for a few months now and wash it regularly. It has never shed a hair, nor did it bleed. In addition, the bristles still retain their shape well after washing and they are still as soft as the day I bought it.

Available at: Superdrug stores in the UK and Shoppers Drug Marts in the USA.

Summary
If you’re looking for an eyeshadow brush to apply colors on the lid, Gosh Flat Eyeshadow Brush is a great option. The bristles are very soft but dense and pick up a lot of product for a pigmented finish in just one swipe. In addition, they don’t shed, don’t bleed and are natural. Plus, the price is cheap too!

Rating: 4.5/5