Models Own Smokey Eye Kit in Smoulder

As I often do when I have a Saturday afternoon off, I found myself at Boots today, not looking for anything particular. Whist browsing the Models Own stand I was drawn to these cute little sets. The come in a range of colours and all contain three eyeshadows, two brushes and a step by step guide.

I picked up Smoulder; three warm neutrals. All the shades are very pigmented and have a beautiful texture, and shimmer without being full of glitter. Having never bought Models Own shadows before, I wasn’t sure what I’d be getting, but I’m very impressed with these. A lot of cheaper, but pigmented shadows, will kick up a lot of dust when using but that isn’t a problem with this.

The Step by Step Guide is a great addition to this product, and would be brilliant for people who aren’t confident with smokey eyes; and are unsure of colour placement etc.

The brushes are also worth a mention, for £8 I wasn’t expecting the brushes included to be anything I would use but both the angle brush and the shading brush are of great quality and I would use them happily. My only complaint would be the shading brush is a little small for using on the eyelid, but because of this it is great for smudging out eyeshadow/liner on the lower lashline.

Overall I think these are a great product, especially if you need a bit of a helping hand with smokey eyes. The colour range means there's some day-time friendly shades as well as more dramatic shades.

Models Own Smokey Eye Kits retail at £8 and are available from Boots. They also currently come with a free Black Kohl Pencil!

Vivo Cosmetics FOTD

I was very excited yesterday when some Vivo Cosmetics dropped through my letterbox and couldn’t wait to get my hands on them! Being as I was at work yesterday evening I had to keep things fairly subtle, but I really enjoyed using the products.

I was sent the Pearl Eyeshadow in Golden Leaf (£1.50), Baked Blush in Rouge Shimmer (£4.00) and Primer (£6.00). From first impressions I love all of these products, I’m gonna have a little more of a play with them today, and write up some individual reviews, so watch this space!

Other products I used:

Face: Bourjois Bio Detox Foundation in 51, Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation in Shell, Estee Lauder Double Wear Powder in Shell, Collection 2000 Lasting Finish Concealer.

Eyes: UDPP, Gold from MUA Heaven and Earth Palette, Boujois Liner Feutre Ultra Black

Lips: Dainty Doll Lipstick In Material Girl

False Eyelashes: A Beginners Guide

I can’t count the amount of times I have finished an eye look for a night out, then ruined it by spending up 2 hours (no I’m not exaggerating!) messing about with false eyelashes ending up with an eyelid covered in glue and having to start over. I like to think after all the failed attempts I pretty much have got the knack for applying false lashes now. Here’s my tips for applying them easily…

1: Finish Your Eye Make-Up First

Put on whatever eye shadow you’ll be wearing and I would suggest at least a thin line of eyeliner as this will blend in the lashes with your own and make them look less artificial. Look at the curl of the fake lashes, and try to give your eyelashes a similar curl, if you curl to much or to little the eyelashes won’t sit right and will look far to obvious. Now apply a coat of mascara, preferably one that separates and gives definition as oppose to one that thickens, I would recommend No7’s Exceptional Definition.

2: Prepping the Lashes

Something I have found to be very helpful when applying fake eyelashes, particularly heavier ones on a thick band (as oppose to the natural style ones that tend to have what’s known as an Invisiband) is to remove the lashes from the packaging, using tweezers, and to bend the band back on itself a few times. This will loosen it and make it a lot easier to fit around your own eye shape.

3. Check The Length

Everybody’s eyes are different shapes and sizes. Before applying glue to the lashes, put them against your own and check they fit your eye shape, if you find you need to trim some lashes off, do so from the outside corner. You also don’t want the eyelashes to hang below the outside corner of your eye as this will drag the whole of the eye down and defeat the object of using the lashes.

4. Patience, Young Grasshopper!

Now you want to apply the glue to the band of the lashes. When you do this the glue will still be of a liquid consistency, so if you apply it straight away it will slide around and will be very difficult to get it to stay where you want it. If you wait a minute or so the glue will become tacky and this is when you want to apply it,again using tweezers.  Don’t worry if you don’t get in the right place the first time, you have plenty of time to adjust it to the right place until the glue dries.

5. Finishing Touches

Once the glue dries (if your using white glue, it is dry once it goes clear) finish you look off by applying one last coat of mascara, this will blend in your own lashes with the falsies.