More Soap and Glory! Lid Stuff Eyeshadow Quad

I've been really impressed with Soap and Glory's makeup range in the past year. Last week, I talked about my ultimate setting powder that has earned it's place in my Makeup Artist kit and this week I'm going to talk about one of my favourite highstreet eyeshadow quads.

Well loved!

Sorry about the stray hair!

I apologise for the messy looking case! This product is very well loved!

The Lid Stuff comes in 3 different shade ranges. We have this one which is browns and taupes, a greyscale set and a beautiful bright set that comes with purples and blues.

I adore this palette and would safely say that if I only had to choose one neutral palette from my whole collection, it would be this one. The quality of these eyeshadows is something I'd expect to see from a high end brand. They are soft, creamy and blend like a dream. Not only all of that but it has 3 matte shadows. 3, amazing quality matte eyeshadows from the highstreet!

They are also 1.5g of product each so you are getting the equivalent of 4 M.A.C eyeshadows in quality and size for...

Drum roll please!

£10!

A tenner for 4 beautiful eyeshadows. You can't even buy one M.A.C shadow for that.

Now that I've gushed enough, lets see swatches and look more closely at the product.

Left to Right; Vanilla, Pink T, Mudhoney, Aubersheen.

The Shades

Vanilla is exactly what you'd like it'd be. A lovely creamy ivory colour that great to brighten the eyes or as a highlight. This one is slighty bitty and chalky compared but nothing that would make you a avoid it. Just don't swirl the brush in it like a maniac. (But you shouldn't be doing that anyway!)

Pink T is that weird kind of pink/peach skin tone colour you'd see on a pair of pants or a bra. It's odd but I really like it as an all over colour. I love pinky shades on my olive skin because it really stands out next to the yellow/green undertones of my skin. It is so soft and blends like its made of clouds!

Mudhoney. Mudhoney, mudhoney! This eyeshadow is worth the price of the whole palette. It is the perfect brown/grey taupe for medium skin tones. It's perfect and so pigmented. I use this as a transition colour in my crease nearly everyday.It is the best eyeshadow in the bunch for versatility and quality. You can pack it on for a beautiful day time smokey eye or use it lightly in the crease. It's smooth and creamy and almost does the work for you as blending is concerned! My only negative is that Soap and Glory don't do this in a single!

Aubersheen, I love the name. Cheesy as shit but playful. Sadly though, it's the worst and only shimmery shadow of the lot. Aubersheen isn't a bad shadow, just disappointing when you compare it to the godlike Mudhoney. Also, it's not purpley at all. If it was a purpley colour I'd be all over it like salt on a chippy but it's miss leading name and poorer quality in comparison to the rest make Aubersheen the gooseberry of the palette. The colour goes on a lovely reddy brown shimmer and I do like it and use it a lot. But you have to work a bit harder to get the same play off as the rest of the group. It doesn't have the same movement as Vanilla, Pink T and Mudhoney.

Over all, I adore this product. It really sets the bar high and shows that the highstreet can do matte eyeshadows just as well as their high end counterparts. And hopefully, Soap and Glory will bring out some more palettes or even singles to expand their range!

Where to buy -
Boots - boots.com Lid Stuff
Soap and Glory - Soapandglory.com Lid Stuff

x

My Favourite Setting Powder: Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot

First off I'd like to apologise for this blog being up later than usual! To keep up to date with my blog follow me on twitter @moondroptitle

I've used a lot of setting powders over the years both loose and pressed and I have to say that this bad boy surpasses every single one of them.

Three cheers for Soap and Glory's One Heck of a Blot!

It's a great product if you get passed the gimicky packaging

Words can't express how much I love this product but seeing as blogs are a word based medium I'll give it a go.

Pinched my sister's one cause it looked nicer!

Soap and Glory claims that it's "Amazing, addictive, invisible – an oil absorbing, shine controlling face powder for all skin types"

And I whole heartedly agree! I've used this on all of my clients and it suits everyone skin type wise. Dry - Aye! Combo - Aye! Oily- Aye! No matter what, I've been able to use this and build it up without it looking cakey or chalky. It's got an ridiculously lightweight, silky texture and it just sits on the skin so well without settling into any fine lines or scabby spots (makeup's arch nemesis!)

The only thing is that I'm not sure if it would go ashy on deeper skin tones. The darkest I have used it on is tanned olive skin tones and it still worked brilliantly. Even though the powder does go on incredibly clear it's hard to judge if it would go ashy on darker skin tones.

One Heck of a Blot is the only powder I've notice do a really

good job at controlling oil and sweat universally. I've used it on multiple fashion shows and the model's makeup always hold up really well with minimal touching up. And that's being in confined spaces and hot lights everywhere!

So it definitely gets the night out approval!

The only thing that kind of sets this powder back is availability and price. Only larger Boots stock Soap and Glory's makeup range. It can be avoided by ordering online but I know that sometimes you just want to feel a product before you buy and try.

It's also a bit pricey for a high street brand. Full price, this wee gem comes in at £12. Which is a lot! But considering that it's on par with higher end blotting powders like M.A.C's offering then I would say it is worth the money.

I will definitely be rebuying this for my kit and my own personal makeup when they run out!

Where to buy

Boots: In shops or online at this page
Or online at Soap and Glory

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How To Wash Makeup Brushes

Yesterday I was charged with washing both my little sisters brushes and realised that it was a the perfect opportunity to talk about it!

Washing your brushes regularly is really important in order to keep them in good shape and to also keep your face in good shape! You'd be surprised at the amount of people that come to me for advice on what makeup is good for spot prone skin, only to find out that the most likely reason they are breaking out is because they don't wash their makeup brushes often enough - or worst... not at all!

So here is my simple, step by step guide for cleaning all of your makeup utensils.

What You Will Need

1. Anti Bacterial Soap. This could be liquid or a bar. An optional ingredient is some oil for more stubborn brushes but mind and wash all the oil off again!
2. Kitchen Paper. This is to lay the brushes on while they are getting washed.
3. A Clean Towel. For drying purposes.
4. Brushes to wash!

Gather your ingredients

Step 1 

First off, I like to wet the brush under some warm running water in order to dislodge some of the surface product from the brush.

Step 2 

Grab the soap and lather the brush up. Don't be rough with your brushes, gentle hands all the way!

Step 3

Use your fingers like a washboard in order to give the brush a deep clean. Again, be gentle. You don't want to ruin the brushes. This step might need to be repeated a few times if the brush is really dirty or if you're anal about staining.

Step 4

Squeeze the brush of any excess water. Be firm here to check you've throughoutly rinsed all the soap out.

Step 5

Gently pat, squeeze and rub the brushes dry on a towel.

Step 6

Find somewhere to place your brushes to dry. NEVER EVER put them bristles pointing up as this will dissolve the glue in the ferruls over time and cause the brushes to fall apart. Try to get them as upside down as possible but over a radiator is a good choice.

How I like to dry mine is with this little beauty

I got this this for Home Bargains from a few pounds. What it is is a small washing line, thing. I'm assuming for socks and pants but it works great for drying brushes on! I use rubber bands to allow for more brushes to be put on or for the brushes with thicker handles.

I like to call it the Brush Tree

And there was have it! Some wonderfully clean and happy brushes drying away!

I hope you all found that useful!

Till next time :)

x

Something a Wee Bit Different: An Interview with Lynsey Macdonald

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of being able to ask the lovely Lynsey Macdonald from Allsorts and Anecdotes and ask her all about starting a blog! Lynsey is a fellow Scottish Blogger and trained makeup artist who blogs about not just beauty, but lifestyle too. She's a charming and witty individual who juggles being back at university, blogging and life in general! If you haven't checked her out before, I definitely recommend doing so!

Without further ado; Lets get into the interview!

1.  Let's start with the obvious one: Why did you want to start a blog in the first place?

When I was at university I sort of stumbled across the beauty blogging and YouTube scene by accident, and fell in love with it straight away. For a while I really just watched from the outside – I found reading blog posts and watching YouTube videos a great way to unwind when I wasn’t studying. As time went on though I really wanted to be a part of it, and I’ve always loved writing, so it seemed like a good fit for me. I started posting occasionally on my blog and then at the beginning of 2012 I decided to make a proper go of it! I’m so glad that I did – I love having my own little corner of the internet to ramble away on!

2. Have there been any unexpected obstacles you've encountered while having a blog?

Time management is really the biggest obstacle I’ve found. Right now I’m back at uni studying my post-grad, and finding the time to post regularly can be really difficult. What I’ve found though is that it’s better to take a little break if you need to than to force yourself to post for the sake of it – there’s a great quote doing the rounds on Pinterest that says ‘‘Blog what you live, don’t live to blog’’, which is so true! There’s no point in forcing yourself put a post together when you’re stressed or uninspired, because it’ll show. I got to a point where I worked out a schedule and said I’d post twice a week – that helped me feel more organised.

3. How has your blog changed/enhanced your life so far? Did you expect it to take off?

I really didn’t expect it to take off! It sounds so cheesy and predictable but I can honestly say the friends I’ve made through blogging have been the best thing to come out of it. I was away for the weekend last month with six of the girls I met through blogging and they are some of the loveliest people I know. Going along to blogging events also really helped boost my confidence – it’s quite daunting walking in to your first event not knowing anyone, but it’s so worth it!

I’m also just proud of my blog in general! It takes dedication to get a blog going, and getting into the swing of things definitely doesn’t happen overnight! Twitter is brilliant for this – the number of bloggers I’ve met through the Sunday night lifestyle bloggers (#lbloggers) and beauty bloggers (#bbloggers) chats is crazy. It also helps to get your blog out there, which can be so tricky at first!

Thirdly, blogging really helped me figure out what I want to do career wise, which is an amazing thing to be able to say. It introduced me to a whole new world of social media and marketing and gave me the drive to go after something I’d love to do!

4. The main focus of your blog has changed since it first started. What made you want to widen the content of your blog?

I think over time it just happened without me even thinking too much about it! I did start off focusing on beauty, and I look at the amazing beauty bloggers out there and cannot praise them enough for posting amazing regular content. I’m quite careful with my spending though, and there’s really only so many times you can post about the same nail polish! I loved reading lifestyle blogs, which combine so many different aspects of the blogger’s life, and I realised that’s what I had started doing. It meant I could do things like blog about my trip to Australia when I went travelling, write film or music reviews and talk about my uni experiences without it seeming out of place in a beauty blog!

5. And lastly, any advice to anyone wanting to start a blog?

My three main pieces of advice would be persevere, write content you would love to read and make use of twitter!

For some people it can feel like an eternity to get your first followers – I remember sitting at four followers on GFC for literally months and thinking that number would never change! It’s so important not to focus on that though and just focus on posting. Readers will come in time, and the engagement you get from chatting to people in the comments and on twitter is much more important than that figure! So keep going!

In terms of the content, trust me, I know the temptation is there to jump on the bandwagon of a popular type of post because other people are doing it – it’s so much more important to write posts you love though! If you want to write about a product you’ve loved that everyone else seems to have hated, go for it! If you don’t love what you’re writing about, it will show, so be brave and stick to what you like.

And finally, in terms of twitter, it really can be your best friend when it comes to getting started in the blogging world. The Sunday night chats are amazing because you end up connecting with people all over the world who have similar interests, and it gives you a great opportunity to make friends with other bloggers and give your blog a well-deserved little plug!

I hope this was as useful to beginning bloggers as it was to me! And to anyone starting out like me who wants new readers send me a link on twitter @moondroptitle. I'd love to read blogs from people in the same boat!

And once again - visit Lynsey at Allsorts and Anecdotes

Stay tuned next week for some lovely product reviews! 

x

The Primer Saga. Finale! Chafing Gel.

Any chafing gel will work.

Welcome to the last installment of the Primer Saga. Today, I will be talking about something that might seem a little strange at first - chafing gel. Now you might be sitting there wondering why anyone would rub chafing gel on their face but this is a very useful wee trick for those with a multitude of problems on the skin.

Chafing gel works so well as a primer because it essentially is a primer. Just an extremely silicone heavy one. So it works as a really heavy silicone primer. Now, this has its advantages and disadvantages. For those wanting to try it it will be the best silicone primer you will ever use. For
those of us who hate the feel of silicone primers will hate using all over the face and to those of us who can't use a silicone primer, I wouldn't recommend it.

But! and a big but is that it has so many uses besides being a primer. Being totally clear, a chafing gel can be used to mix into thicker concealers in order to make them glide under the eyes, or into bases to help them sit over fine lines better.

Sadly, I don't have any pictures to go along with this part but I will let you in on a wee secret that I use on clients and myself, if necessary!

This is the best way to cover a really bad scabbed spot that I have found so far:

1. Use whatever primer you want to use or the chafing gel all over the face.
2. On the problem area, take a small amount of chafing gel and gently dab it over the scab. It's important to dab it on rather than rubbing to avoid breaking the skin again or rubbing off the scab (ew).
3. Take a medium/heavy coverage foundation and again, gently dab it over the spot! You can use a lighter coverage foundation if you wish but bear in mind that probably wont cover the spot but it will make the foundation sit nicer over it.
4. Build a bit if need be. Because the chafing gel is so siliconey it has created a big barrier between the scab and your makeup so it can be build on top of. Just be careful of looking too cakey.

And viola! A covered scabby spot!

I've found that using a foundation rather than a thicker concealer works best to get an even texture. And I'd rather have the texture look right and have a small bit of redness than turning the spot into a colour matched scab.

And that's a wrap for the Primer Saga! I hope this has been helpful for even one person and thanks to everyone who has stuck with my very first series on my blog!

On Thursday, I will be uploading an interview I had with the lovely and talented Lynsey Macdonald from Allsorts and Anecdotes. Hope you tune in to read!

x

The Primer Saga. Episode 4. Silicone Based Primers

While I may not be a great fan of silicone based primers, there are a few that I do love and use in my makeup artist kit and use on myself. Both of these primers aren't as siliconey as some people might like or are used to but that's just a personal preference!

These primers perform almost identically so I would recommend them to anyone of any skin type!

First up is the Nip+Fab Sheer Make-up Fix Clear Complexion Perfector (mouthful!)

I apologise for the lack of original photo!

Nip+Fab's offering is a lovely clear gel like formula that claims to perfect the skin and even out blemishes. Now, while I think that's a bit of an over exaggeration I do really love this primer. It's a lot thinner in texture than most silicone primers so it doesn't leave the skin feeling like the skin of the RealDoll (those of you with a nervous disposition might not to google that one!).

My biggest gripe with this primer is that it doesn't do the best job at extending the wear of makeup or keeping oil at bay. I tend to only really get an hour or 2 extra wear out my makeup with this one and my oily T-zone appears within about 4 hours. Nip+Fab's saving grace is that it does make your makeup go on beautifully. I find this primer is brilliant underneath powders and mineral foundations because it's light enough to match the weightlessness of minerals but is also siliconey enough to really smooth out the skin to make any powders just glide on effortlessly. It is also great to mix in with thicker concealers to help them smooth over the skin a bit better too!

I would recommend this to anyone who's skin is balanced or on slightly drier side.

Where to buy: Boots, Superdrug, Tesco. Price: £15.99

However, my ultimate favourite silicone primer and the one I keep in my professional kit is the Rimmel Match Perfection Fix & Perfect Primer!

I adore this primer, like the Nip+Fab, it is lighter in texture than say, Smashbox, but it just wonderful on so many different skin types. It comes of white but turns clear once rubbed into the skin. Once this is applied the skin just looks to beautiful, fresh and ready to receive the makeup you will slap on top! Well, not slap... You know what I mean! And the thinner texture means you will avoid that horrible balling that happens when you apply too much!

This primer has really impressed me since I first used it. It has fantastic longevity and makes your makeup look fabulous for most of the day! Aye, there is a small amount of oil breakthrough but it really does a great job of keeping your makeup where it's meant to be. If you're looking for a great all rounder, lets not think about it primer then Rimmel is where you need to head! Like the Nip+Fab this primer is great under minerals and powders but is perfection under creams and liquids. So this wee hard worker definitely has earned his place in the own makeup bag as well as my makeup artist kit!

I would recommend this to anyone. Just straight up anyone!

Where to buy: Boots, Superdrug, Tesco, Asda, Savers, anywhere! Price: £.6.99

Next Tuesday we will be finishing my Primer Saga with a wee tip that might make you go wow! or might make you go what?

;) 

The Primer Saga: Episode 3. Water Based Primers

As we have already established, water based primers are great for dry or dehydrated skin. Or simply for people who hate that silicony slip of most primers. So here are my 2 top picks for water based primers.

Runner up on the water based war is the newest addition to Bourjois' range - Happy Light Matte Serum Primer. 

I love this product, it's super light and makes the skin feel like silk once it's dried in. Even though it does look very pink in the bottle and when first applied to the skin, it quickly turns clear once it's rubbed in making it perfect for most skin tones.

This primer is fantastic at really prolonging makeup on the skin. Oil control is much better than Nip + Fab's primer, I noticed some oil breakthrough but only about half of what I usually would notice 4/5 hours in.

Bourjois' offering is similar to #1 on my list but does have its drawbacks. The price of this primer is verging on ridiculous. We're only getting 15ml in this bottle and at the hefty price of £10.99. So while it's a great primer, the price is very steep compared to others on this list and on the market.

Where to buy: Boots, Superdrug, bourjois.com. Price: £10.99.

But the winner is...

Laura Geller's Spackle! 

I adore this primer. And if you where to ask me what is my favourite primer of all time, I'd go for this one. Laura Geller has multiple versions of this primer and  all of them are fantastic. Its like a serum in texture but leaves your skin feeling like a baby's bum. And with so many different finishes to chooses from you'll definitely find something that suits. Pictured above is the Champagne Spackle. Don't let the glitter put you off, it's barely detectable on the skin and once your base goes on top it leaves you with a beautiful, glowing complexion.

This primer out performs every water based primer and silicone based primer I've tried. It's evens out the skin, it makes my makeup last near enough all day and is the best at oil control on this list. On top of all that, it's phenomenal under powder and mineral foundations as well as creams and liquids.

But the piece de resistance is the price. Laura's standard size is 59ml. 59ml of product for price. Easily the best value for money when you combine it with the fact QVC gives you a 30 day money back guarantee on everything they sell. So you can try it for 3 weeks and then if you don't like it - get your money back!

Where to buy: qvcuk.com. Price: Intro price £19.56. Reg Price £21.50.

There we have it, my top water based primers! Check out my Silicone based primer blogpost if you want to find out my top Silicone based primers.