Concrete Minerals Sugar Skull Collection

Concrete Minerals Sugar Skull collection

I'm so excited to finally write this post.  I've had these pigments for about 5 weeks so I have had a good play with them.  Concrete Minerals have been popping up in lots of the Youtube videos I watch for quite a while so they were on my radar but last month I had a few extra pounds so made the splurge.  They have a few collections but the colours in the Sugar Skull collection stood out to me the most.

First off, the packaging! Look how cool the tin is.  I love the whole Day of the Dead thing and I think it's really pretty (it it can almost be recreated using the colours inside).  The colours themselves come in standard plastic jar with a sifter to stop things getting too messy.

My Dream Product

So unfortunately this is not about a favourite product of mine but about a product I wish existed.

I really struggle in the heat, being really pale and burning easily.  My makeup really suffers too as I am oily at the best of times.  What I wish existed is a good setting spray that keeps me matte all day AND that includes SPF 30 or higher.  That would be seriously amazing as the consistency of most sun cream products only exacerbates my oily skin.  Is it too much to ask for?  

Are there any makeup products that you feel to not exist yet? And if I have some how slept through the invention of my dream product please do let me know!

Rachel

My Favourite Spring Pastels

Illamasqua Tremble, Sleek Sweet Cheeks,  Max Factor Soft Pink

Spring is here, or almost anyway.  Our Bank Holiday was lovely and sunny and I may have ventured on a picnic, shame about the week of rainy showers since.  I'm a bit of a sun-scared weirdo who largely wears the same clothes all year round but when the sun comes out I do tend to change my makeup to suit.  Think floral mermaid unicorn and you should have the right colours in mind. Here are the products I like for cheeks/eyes/lips this time of the year.

Magnificent Copper Review

If you saw my Revolution haul you would have seen their Awesome Metals in Magnificent Copper (£4/5).  Immediately I wondered if it was a bargain dupe for Stila's Magnificent Metals (£33.50), which I am yet to try.  In both cases you have a cream eye shadow that you transform with a liquid primer in the provided tray to make the colour super metallic and shiny.

Illamasqua Summer Collection

Forbidden, Surrender and Flirtacious

I always get so excited as soon as I see the promo pictures for a new Illamasqua launch and with the summer collection it was no exception.  The collection features gorgeous pastel products in matte formulas; right up my street! As soon as the email came though on my phone to say it had launched I got myself to the local counter.

Everyday ELF

Just a short one today on my must-haves from ELF.  I have combination/oily skin so these Shine Eraser blotting sheets are invaluable to me.  After about 5 hours with most foundations I use one or two of these and then touch up with MAC's Studio Fix powder. £1.95 for 50 sheets.  I love glitter but I do not like washing glitter out of my brushes. Welcome Glitter Eyeshadow Applicator! Loose glitter sticks to the silicone tip like a dream and then I just press it on (usually over Fyrinae's Pixie Epoxy). It has made glittery looks so much easier for me, with less to clean up on my face and on my desk! They cost £3.95.
Two top brushes I use all the time, both £3.95  Their Blush Brush is soft and not too big.  I like it paired with a bright blush as I can control exactly where it goes. The Small Smudge Brush is great for precision pops of colour on the eyes but I also like it for applying lipstick. Last but not least is their Makeup Lock & Seal.  This can be used for turning powder eyeshadows into eyeliner but what I really like this for is for mixing with metallic shadows to boost their shininess, especially dabbed just in the middle of the lid to catch the light with every blink.  It works wonders on slightly powdery, glittery shadows like Urban Decay's Dust and Trick in the Naked 3 palette.

ELF is a great brand to turn to for basics such as these.  Their brushes can be a bit hit or miss but, when most of them cost less than £4, the hits really are worth it! I highly suggest checking them out, especially if you live in Cardiff. In the Royal Arcade is Europe's first ELF store.  So many things to swatch there and great customer service.

Rachel

Budget Brand! Revolution Haul

L-R Acid Brights and Matte Brights

When I heard about Revolution, a new brand being sold by Superdrug with prices comparable to MUA's, I wanted to try their products right away.  There is no counter in my local Superdrug (yet) so I ordered on their website and they delivered to the store in 3 days.