Kevyn Aucoin : The Sculpting Powder in Medium : Swatches and Review

This is one of the original contouring powders- it's a classic.

I am not into contour kits- I have never seen the appeal of the Anastasia Beverly Hills contour kit because I simply don't need 6 shades and I know at least 3 shades won't suit me.

I do have the Smashbox contour pencils (review here) and that is as far as I go with the contour thing- I feel at tops you only need 3 shades- the ashy contour for definition, the bronzer for warmth and a highlighter to lift your features.

I am not an everyday contour sort of girl and to be honest I am so bored of those excessive contouring videos where people slather themselves in bright yellow or warm brown. I don't think it looks natural, but if that's your thing- please carry on.

However, if your like me and enjoy every now and then adding a bit of extra definition, let me introduce you to one my favorite contours of all time; the Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder in Medium.

This is a very ashy shade so it is perfect for creating that shadow under the cheek bone.

In photos this looks fantastic, but for everyday wear you need to take your time blending otherwise it can look muddy on the skin.

I have found the best way to use this is to first powder the section of you face where you want to contour with any matte translucent powder to make sure there are no excess oils on your face for this powder to cling to, as if it does cling it is a right bugger to blend out.

You can see from these swatches that this is a taupe brown- perfect for a shadow!

This is very pigmented, so powdering before hand and blending is absolute key.

I like to use my Mac 168 brush to carve the cheek bones out and blend, but if I need extra help blending I will go in with my Charlotte Tilbury Powder and Sculpt Brush.

Bottom Line : Kevyn Aucoin just hits all the marks for me...I have his highlighter in Starlight (reviewed here) and that is a peachy shimmery dream and I have swatched so many of his eye shadows and they are so creamy and pigmented I am dying to get my hands on a few.

I know KA is a high end expensive brand, but I do feel like it is worth it- you get what you pay for. 

This is a fantastic, matte ashy contour that really does give the cheek bones an extra boost.

This is in my top 2 favorite contours- the other being the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow - I am more than happy to do a review if anyone is interested!

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Kevyn Aucoin Starlight : The Summer Highlighter

I'll admit I haven't tried a huge amount from Kevyn Aucoin, but what I have tried, I have loved and the Celestial Powder in Starlight is no exception. 

I have had my eyes on the original Celestial Powder in Candlelight for some time which is a pale, champagne gold colour, however, the highlighters I already have seem to be in such a similar colour family I didn't know if I could justify it, such as the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow and The Balms Mary Lou Manizer (you can see a swatch of Mary Lou here) .

Candlelight just looks so beautifully subtle and more muted than Mary-Lou.

However, when I saw Starlight I thought I could definitely justify it as it is quite unlike what I already have!

Starlight is a gorgeous peach/pink colour. 

I'm not talking pink like benefits High Beam (which is too pink for my tastes) it definitely has some warmer peach in there. 

 When I first swatched this in SpaceNK, I could believe how pigmented and glowy it was.

It was so smooth to the touch and the colour just screamed summer.

 There are more shimmer particles in this than Candlelight, but it is not obvious.

I love wearing this on the tops of my cheek bones, sweeping up in a C-shape near the ends of my eyebrows and on the cupids bow. 

I think if you are going for that summer bronzey look and you want a highlighter that adds a warmer peachy glow a oppose to a champagne, I think you will really like this. 

I have been loving adding a touch of this over my Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel. 

If you are familiar with the Mary-Lou Manizer, you will be aware that you have to be very, very careful to make sure you don't get too much on your brush and you have to make sure you really tap off any excess- you wont have that issue here.

This never looks metallic like an over application of Mary-Lou can do. 

I apply this with my Smashbox Fan Brush for a lovely peachy sheen that can be built up if needed.

I know I will be getting a lot of use out of this this summer.

I am all about the warm corals/peaches/bronzes - nothing looks better with a tan so I know this little guy will be my new summer fling.

Have any of you tried the Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Powders?

Do you reckon I can justify Candlelight?

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Quick, Prettyfying Make Up

Is prettyfying a word? For the sake of this blog post, we'll just say it is.

If you're reading this, I'm guessing you're also a lover of all things beauty.

I love the creativity, the new products or rocking a kinda weird kooky look and making it wearable, but there are times when I just want to use products that are more 'prettyfying'.

You know, just adds to your natural beauty- I find these products make me look healthy and natural, in a quick and easy way.

Lets start in order of application:

Dior Glow Maximizer : Like name like nature. I don't use this all the time, but when I do, I use it all over my face like a primer and it adds such luminosity.

When you see it swatched it literally looks like a liquid highlighter- which it can be used as, but under make up it just brightens up my face. 

Lovely.

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua : I have already talked about this product so I wont bang on, but it is one of my favorite bases- light, natural, glowy but not overly so and it feels very comfortable on the skin.

No caking, no sitting in pores, its beaut.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer : This is probably the best concealer I have, read a full review here.

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder : I'm so glad I managed to take a picture of this as I've just hit pan. 

I was never into powders up until trying this.

I have dry skin so the idea of setting my make up with powder just feels kinda gross to me...but I thought I would invest in a high end powder and I really like it! I use this every day to set my concealer under my eyes and to be honest ever since I started doing that I cant fathom that I didn't before.

It mattifies the slight sheen from my concealer so hence makes it look like I have added a hint more coverage. I use it down the side of my nose and it does mattify were shine isn't wanted, but it is never cakey. 

It is very important to add this step here as I am using a lot of glowy products, so this is needed to take any of the shine away from unflattering areas, for example the nose/forehead etc.

Benefit Brow-Zing : As you can see- I have hit pan here! As I have used it daily for over a year, I think I am doing pretty well. The little brushes are very useful, I use the angled brush for the wax and then with the flat brush add the powder- you end up with lovely, natural looking brows.

I need quite a bit of brow help so I never go without this.

I cannot stand blocky/harsh eyebrows- this does not produce them.

Benefit Gimme Brown : I use this everyday to set my brows, read a full review here

Kevyn Aucoin Eyelash Curlers : Because I have the worlds straightest lashes.

Nars Eyeliner in Via Veneto : I use black eyeliner EVERYDAY- it is a non negotiable.

However, I only use it to tightline- if you don't know what that means, I just line my upper water line.

After I've curled my lashes so the curlers don't rub it off, I just add this and it helps to thicken up my super fine lashes. If you haven't tried before- it may feel weird, but give it a go. I guarantee you will be amazed by how much more defined your eyes look, in the most subtle way.

Also- if you want to wear make up at school and you aren't allowed/your male  and you want to wear a bit of make up but not have it look obvious- try this as well.

This Nars one is quite new to me, a full review is on its way.

Benefit They're Real : You can see I'm having a bit of a Benefit moment!

Read the full review here. 

By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Bronze Moon : When I'm trying to do pretty in a hurry I use this after my mascara. Why you ask?

Because I'm messy.

Pretty much everytime I use mascara I end up with a little bit of smudging just behind my lashes- not like eye liner, no just a smudge and it really annoys me.

I often can't be bothered to wipe it off as that can make the matter worse, so I swipe the tiniest, lightest line behind my eyelashes and then blend with a finger.

It hides the smudge and leaves me with subtle, shimmery bronze lids.

For a swatch, click here. 

L-R: Mary Lou-Manizer, Pink Coral, Dior Glow Maximiser, Clarins Lip Perfector 

Bobbi Brown Pink Coral Blush : Read a full review here

The Balm Mary Lou-Manizer : Use this with caution! This is very easy to over do, but I like to use a fan brush and sweep this beautiful champagne highlighter on the tops of my cheekbones, round of sides of my eyebrows in a C-shape and the cupids bow.

If you use a light hand you will look gorgeous and glowy- and you have already helped yourself out by using a matte blush so things don't get OTT.

This product is so damn smooth and buttery I just kept touching it when I first got it.

It is a stunner, but be careful otherwise it will look incredibly obvious.

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Balm Perfector in Rose: I'm sorry you can barely see the swatch on my arm- it is a very transparent colour that just adds the slightest hint of pink.

I love lipsticks- but can take time to apply/can be high maintenance. I LOVE lip liners as well but when I just don't have time or patience I put a bit of this on and it makes my lips look moisturized and just healthy.

I think I might prefer the lip gloss version but I am yet to make up my mind on that...

It's just a nice hint of pink that you can apply as you're leaving the house.

This may seem like a lot of steps but trust me- I can do this pretty quickly!

Do you have any tips on hour to be pretty in a hurry?

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Face Of The Day

Here's a look at whats on my face today!

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua : This is one of my favorite foundations of all time. I use the shade B20 and it matches me perfectly, giving me a light/medium coverage that looks natural and glowy.

This is totally day time appropriate although I have worn it at night as well.

You have to give it a good shake as its a very watery foundation, but it just blends into nothing on the skin.

I sometimes use a brush with this, but as of late I have been loving just massaging it in with fingers.

If you love natural, glowy bases- check this one out.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush : I feel quite harsh talking about this beautiful palette as it was a limited edition, but the shade on the far left (Luminous Flush) and far right (Mood Exposure) are both permenant.

The middle shade Incandescent Electra was initially a palette exclusive, but I saw on Temptalia that Hourglass will soon be releasing this as a single, permanent shade!

I'm so glad because I adore this shade, everyone should have the chance to own it.

I love all of these blushes as a whole, baked products are my obsession at the moment as they look so natural.

These blushes look glowy and genuinely achieve that lit from within look. I love these- I highly recommend.

Also they are pigmented, but they blend in seamlessly so you don't get that harsh block of blush on your face.

Incandescent Electra is my go to whenever I'm tired as it perks up my face without being obvious and due to the subtle shimmer, it negates the need for highlighter.

Incandescent Electra

I don't know if that swatch helps at all! But it is a lovely peachy pink.

By Terry Ombre Black Star in Bronze Moon : I love this, if you weren't sure which shade to get, go for this one. The formula is exceptional, fairs better without primer (which is basically unheard of in my books) its appropriate for all occasions and its so damn easy to work with.

Just a note though, I also have the shade 'Misty Rock' and I think the Bronze Moon formula is better, as its just that bit smoother and doesn't crease at all. MR doesn't, but at the end of the day, I can see a few lines starting to appear and it looks ever so slightly patchy.

I love both of them, but if you're going to spend £29 on one eyeshadow, you want it to be perfect, and for me BM just takes the lead here.

I sweep this over my eyelid, the formula just glides across, and then I blend through the crease.

A gorgeous, sheeny bronze eye in no time. You will look polished with zero effort.

Perfect on days like today, when you just can't be bothered.

                                             

Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick in Sexy Sienna : This is still my number one at the moment, read a full review here.

Benefit Gimme Brow : I love this stuff so much I've nearly run out. I have the shade medium/dark which is a perfect match, it's nice and ashy, none of that warm red undertone creeping through...I made that mistake in my teens. It didn't suit me.

If I am having a good brow day- if they have just been threaded, I only really need to use this on its own. When the brows are unruly, I tend to use my Benefit Browzing, but always with this after, to set and add texture.

I have sparse eyebrows, which annoys me as I have dark hair and dark eyes, yet not much in the way of eyebrows.

I'm not bothered about having Cara Delevinge brows, I just want my brows to look groomed, fuller and natural. Gimme brow does this by darkening the eyebrows that I do have, and adding volume making it look like I have more hairs than I do.

Kevyn Aucoin Eyelash Curlers : I have to curl my lashes everyday and these do a lovely job at grabbing the lashes and giving them a good lift. Some curlers can pinch the lid (which is as unpleasant as it sounds) but I rarely run into that problem here.

I am also wearing Benefits 'They're Real' mascara - a full review is on its way!

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