How to Depot/Repackage Indie Eyeshadow Samples ft Shiro

A short while ago I delved into the world of indie make-up. There are a lot of great brands out there, and so many innovative formulas and finishes. Naturally, the best way to try out new shades is to buy a sample, but they come in those annoying baggies that are so hard to work with. The solution? Repackage them into little pots! 

I recently ordered a lot of samples from Shiro's Anniversary Sale, and I want to show you how I depotted - or should I say de-baggied - them.

This was a very fiddly task - you don't want to waste any of that precious make-up, or cover your carpet in it. Best to lay a towel down first. 


Step 1
Get some 2ml pots from eBay or Amazon. Arrange them like so, and spray them evenly with 70% alcohol or surgical spirit. This is a very important step, as it ensures your containers are sterile - we don't want any nasties growing in out makeup! Allow to dry fully.

Sorry about the powder spillage on the towel, this wasn't my first batch!

Step 2
Take your baggie, and hold it in the top left hand corner. Shake it vigorously so that centrifugal force pulls all the powder to the right/bottom of the baggie. if you hold it up to the light, it should look something like this:

Step 3
Now, using clean, sharp scissors, cut the top off of the baggie so that the seal is completely removed. The seal will catch powder as you try to empty the bag.

Step 4
Before you pour your sample into the pot, take the sticker on the sample bag and place it on the lid of your pot. You may have to trim it.

Step 5
If you try to pour out the powder straight away, the sides of the baggie will stick together and make it very difficult. Carefully open the baggie like so to prevent this.

Step 6
Pour carefully. You may need to tap the bottom to get the last of it out.

Step 7
If your pots come with a sifter, insert this now. (Note - these should have been sanitised with alcohol like the pots)

Step 8
Screw on the lid and you're done! 


Do you want to see the rest of my haul?

Eye shadows

I got Neutral Cool, Neutral Warm, and Bright Sample Packs.

Neutral Cool Sample Set

Neutral Warm Sample Set

Brights Sample Set

Extra Samples

Shiro Red in My Ledger Gloss

I adore this lipgloss, it's become my new favourite lip product! You can apply it thinly or thickly for a different intensity, and it wears off to a beautiful stain on the lips!

Hope this post has been informative. I've been loving the products, Shiro has gained a fan in me!

Til' next time,
Emma
xXx

A Very Late Princess...

You may remember, that on the 12th of May, I posted about fundraising for ME Awareness Day, by dressing up as a princess. Except I didn't actually dress up as a princess that day, as I felt too ill. The thing about having ME, is that you feel 'too ill' an awful lot. My depression has also been worse lately, I seem to have lost all motivation, the past month or so. 

Actual footage from my life.

Me trying to get stuff done.

So, I didn't get around to taking my princess pictures for a while, and I haven't got around to posting them until now. What can I say, I like leaving you in suspense!

Do you want to see my princess pics? Go on, then...

I chose to base my look around how ME makes me feel. Grief, for the life I could've had. Frustration, from having to push through debilitating fatigue in order to do anything. Envy, watching others live their lives, healthy and unencumbered. Basically, I threw a pity party on my face, with make-up. I'm carrying a powder brush to represent my (sometime) job, and a spoon to represent the 'spoon theory' explanation of illness, and me as a 'spoonie'.

Product list!

Face-

Kiss My Face Sunscreen SPF 50 Face Factor

 - I actually forgot I was wearing this, it's why I have a bit of a white cast from the flash on my face and neck - oops!
Illuminare Concealing Extra Coverage Mineral Foundation in Alabaster and Porcelain, as concealer.
Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation in China Doll.
Lunatick Cosmetic Labs Cool Contour Palette in 1 to highlight, and 2 and 3 to contour.

She bravely posted a side profile pic. #schnoz

Eyes
E.L.F Mineral Eyeshadow Primer
Diggy Diggy Hole by Shiro on lid and undereye.
A touch of an acid green shimmer Yaby Shadow on inner corner
A mixture of forest green and brown matte Yaby Shadows on crease and inner socket.
Barry M Black Kohl liner all around eyes, on waterline and tightline.
Brows Smoking by Neve Cosmetics. 

Tears Mystery by Beauty Without Cruelty mixed with acid green shimmer from Yaby and Holographic glitter from OCC. Mixed with E.L.F Mixing medium and a touch of clear OCC Lip Tar.

Mascara - Barry M Lash Vegas
Ardell Demi Wispie Lashes

Lips
Women's Weapons by Shiro Mixed with E.L.F mixing medium and clear OCC lip Tar. Topped with 1 from Lunatick Cosmetic Labs Cool Contour Palette in centre of lips.

What do you think of the look? Hopefully I can raise some money for ME Research UK! I have already raised £40 (yay!) at the time of writing on my JustGiving page, so I should get a bit more now that I've come up with the goods, right? I'm really hoping to get to my goal of £100. If you can, please donate! It's so important, ME research is extremely under funded.
In order to encourage you to donate, I present to you these silly pics from my princess 'shoot'.

Theodore getting on on the fun.

Spoooooooon.

Ballgown & socks, the new fashion trend, because sometimes princesses have cold feet!

Click here to donate, or text CFSM51 £3 to 70070. (Or replace £3 with how much you want to donate.) It really means a lot to me.

It means a lot to kitty, too.

That's all from me for now. I have a couple of posts in the pipeline, so don't be too surprised if you see another post soon!

Til Next Time,
Emma
xXx

M.E Awareness Day, The Princesses & M.E

I'm taking a break from beauty related posts to write about something more serious,  and a lot less fun. Today, 12th May, is ME Awareness Day. As an ME sufferer, I wanted to share with you my story, and what it's like to have this disease. 

I first began suffering from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, otherwise known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, in 2008. Onset is usually triggered by a viral infection - I caught cold sores that didn't heal for six months, accompanied by a constant feeling of being run down and worn out. After a plethora of tests and referrals, I was finally diagnosed with CFS/ME. In the early days of my illness, I ignored it as much as possible. I was functioning at about 60% of full health - throwing myself into my work and occasional social life, and sleeping or resting every spare minute I got. 

Then in late 2010, one week into a three week TV series shoot, I fell ill with suspected swine flu. The stress of the long hours, combined with the shock of a sudden death in the family, made me particularly susceptible. Since then, I fluctuate between 50% and 20% of normal functioning.

So what does it feel like to have CFS/ME? Think of a time when you've had a really bad flu or virus, and you're over the worst of it, but you aren't better yet. You're weak as a kitten, your muscles and joints ache, and simple tasks like getting out of your chair, washing your hair or preparing a meal take monumental effort. This is daily life with ME. 

'Hang on,' I hear you say, 'you can't be that ill, I saw you down Romford/ doing makeup/ up the pub' (delete as appropriate). Let me explain to you the concept of 'spoons'. 

Physically, I feel like lying down or sleeping 24/7. Mentally, I want, no I have to do stuff otherwise I'll go completely mad. 

So in order to do anything at all, I have to use willpower and determination to get myself moving, when really I feel like curling up in bed. But when I do any physical activity, I'll pay for it the next day. This is where 'spoons' come in. Imagine energy is measured in spoons (don't ask why, just go with it.) A healthy person has 10 or 15 spoons a day to spend on activities, until they run out and feel tired. With CFS/ME and some other illnesses, you might only get 5, or maybe 3 per day. 'Wait,' I cry,  'that's only enough for breakfast, showering and getting to the bus stop! What about the rest of my day?'  

'Shh,' says the devil on my shoulder, 'just push through it, borrow some spoons from tomorrow.' 

I try to go about my day, walking slowly, needing to sit down here and there. 

Then tomorrow comes and I feel even more like hell than usual. I spend the day in bed, I don't get up to eat, I barely manage to drag myself to the bathroom. This is known as spoon deficit, but doctory types like to call it post-exertional malaise.

It's not recommended to push yourself or overdo it, but what choice do I have? The other option is staying in bed every day, and that gets boring and lonely very fast. I have ambitions, I want a life. And so do the millions of other sufferers around the world. However, there are currently no biological treatments offered for ME. Because the disease is so poorly understood, sufferers are only offered therapy or counselling to help them cope, along with painkillers or antidepressants (because, let's face it, this disease sure sucks the fun outta life). Some doctors until recently even thought the disease was psychosomatic, or 'all in the mind', but research has proven there is a real biological cause. 

Lives are ruined by this disease. Most never recover, some are left bedridden, some even die from it. We need more research to find effective treatments, and maybe even a cure, for this debilitating illness. 

This is why I am joining The Princesses and ME, to try to raise money for ME Research UK.

It started when a group of friends with ME started comparing themselves to princesses. 

The similarities - (taken from Me, Myself and M.E)

"Sleeping for a very long time like Sleeping Beauty

Being really uncomfortable in our beds and the slightest things annoying our conditions like the Princess and the pea

Feeling like we've been locked away  in a tower like Rapunzel

Wanting legs that work like Ariel (find me Ursula now!)

Being out past midnight is way too late for us to stay out like Cinderella and just like her brainfog would probably mean we left something behind

We have a large propensity for hope

The bed head of Princess Anna from Frozen (anyone else love that moment and think hey she's just like me)

And we are in search of a fairytale"

In order to raise money for ME research, I will be dressing up as a princess! I did aim to do it today, but in true ME fashion, I felt too ill - I had a stinking cold to contend with, on top of everything! This is also why I am posting it at 11pm at night!

I tried to take a quick selfie, but I look as ill as I feel! So take this fancy princess pic of my teddy, Theodore, as an IOU, and watch this space for fabulous princess Emma!

It would mean such a lot to me if you could make a donation. It doesn't matter how small, every little helps! The charity I've chosen does not test on animals, and funds research working towards effective treatment or a cure for ME.

 

Thanks for reading,

Til next time,

Emma
xXx

Review: Lunatick Cosmetic Labs Cool Contour Palette & a Brief History of Contouring

Apart from my birth (obvs), one of the great things that happened in the 80s was the rise of the contour. The art of sculpting the cheekbones using makeup moved from stage and film, into fashion and everyday wear. Women and men were using colour to give their faces definition and enhance their features. It was awesome, but in the bold blush colours of the day, it didn't look natural. At all. 

What do you mean? We woke up like this! (Pics via Google Images)

In the 90s, the contour trend waned a little, although makeup god Kevyn Aucoin was giving celebs and top models the sculpted look, using lighter and darker shades of foundation to add light and shade.

Technique diagram, from Kevyn Aucoin's Book 'Making Faces'

Fast forward to the 2000s and it was all about the tan. Everyone and their Nan was on the sunbeds and fake tan. People smelled of dirty biscuits, and calling a girl 'pale' or 'white' was the harshest of insults. Contouring was in again, and this time it was done with bronzer, applied in an orange-brown stripe under the cheekbones.

Britney, being a Slave 4 Bronzer. Pic via Google Images.

The problem with all of these techniques is that they don't take into account the colour of actual shadows. Shadows are not hot pink, bronze, or even a darker foundation colour. They are a cool greyish taupe. And this is where I think Lunatick Cosmetic Labs has got it spot on with their Cool Contour Palette.

The palette itself is coffin shaped, and is decorated with Ouija boards, ghouls and monsters! But even if you're not a fan of creepy kitch, the 5 shades inside will more than make up for it.

The shades don't have names, so I have imaginatively called them, from L-R, 1,2,3,4 & 5.

I think the lightest shade, 1, is supposed to be a highlight. With shades 2-5, you can create a truly real looking contour on the lightest to the darkest of skintones. It doesn't look like makeup, it looks like shadow, a true hollow in your skin. 

The colours are extremely pigmented, so you only need a little on your brush. They work wonderfully as eyeshadows, too. They have a silky texture, which means they blend easily into the skin with little effort.

One swipe, no primer.

I've really enjoyed using this palette, but I'm afraid this can't be a 100% glowing rave review. When I first received it, I noticed there seemed to be a little powder that had leaked between the outside of the palette and the plastic it was wrapped in. Uh-oh. This was what I found when I first opened it -

As you can see, the powder has leaked a little and made a mess inside the palette.  Each pan came with a glass counter on top to help you re-press the powders. Hmm, this doesn't bode well. You see, as soon as you touch the surface with finger or brush, the powder turns from pressed to loose and goes everywhere! Massive pain in the bum! I was worried the powders would break and go everywhere during transport in my kit, but luckily they have stayed intact so far. I've put one of the counters in my kit so I can re-press them before I pack my things away. I've tried spritzing them with alcohol before pressing them, to see if they would stay solid longer, but as soon as I touched them with a brush, they turned powdery again. 

Does this put me off the product? I think the colours and performance outweigh the negatives, but I kind of wish Lunatick Cosmetic Labs had just made them loose contouring powders, and sold them separately, with an option to buy the full set. I do think it's worth having all the colours though, because they do all work wonderfully as eyeshadows, too. Plus you can blend them together to get the shade that is right for you. 

Lunatick Cosmetic Labs Cool Contour Palette is £22.95 from CuteCosmetics. 

Keep an eye on my Instagram, I'm going to post a pic of this in action in a day or two!

Til Next Time,

Emma

xXx

This product was purchased by me. My reviews and opinions will always remain unbiased and impartial. Please see skimlinks disclosure in the sidebar.

PSA: Don't Use Old Products & Review: Oz Naturals 20% Vitamin C Serum

Any online shopper knows the feeling. That frustrated impatience you get while waiting for an order to arrive. Uggh, come onnn, I want it noooooww! The week before last I was waiting for my new sunscreen, and my Oz Naturals 20% Vitamin C & Amino & Hyaluronic Acid serum*. THE AGONY. I was especially irritated because the sun had really started to shine, and my SPF 20 moisturiser had ran out. I needed to do something because I had to leave the house, and sunlight cannot be allowed to touch my unprotected skin. I will get wrinkles. I will get a tan and then my face won't match my make-up, let alone the rest of my body. Rummaging in the bathroom, I found my tube of SPF50 face lotion from last year. I thought to myself. "It's a year old, but I'm sure it'll be fine." Those were my famous last words.Three days later and my face was a bumpy mess of blocked pores, blackheads and angry red dots. 

My reaction when looking in the mirror.

Conveniently my orders turned up, but at that point I was too scared to try anything new out and anger the skincare gods further. I patch tested them, one behind each ear, and tried to sort out my facial mess using the oil cleansing method (sunflower oil) and also my Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay mask. 

After a few days of this, the blocked pores were clearing up, but the red spots were as angry as ever. So I figured it was time to try out my new Vitamin C Serum from Oz Naturals.

The packaging.

The serum is a clear liquid, which is quickly absorbed into the skin. Importantly, it contains ferulic acid, which helps stabilise the vitamin C so that it doesn't oxidise too quickly, losing its efficacy.  You are supposed to let it dry before applying moisturiser, and it dries fast with no sticky texture. 

It comes in a brown glass bottle, to protect the serum from UV rays. The dropper means you can accurately control how much product you want to dispense.

I've been applying it morning, before my (new) sunscreen, and evening, before my night cream. It's not terribly moisturising, but I don't mind as that's what my moisturiser is for. As long as it's not drying, which it isn't. There is no discernible scent, and it plays well with my sunscreen and makeup - some serums can ball up when you apply products over them. 

The serum - clear, and very liquid. Dries quickly and doesn't ball up under other products.

I've been using it for a while now, and I really think it's helped the red spots fade much faster than spots usually do for me. My skin usually gets hyperpigmentation for months after a zit, but this seems to be greatly reduced in the short time I've been using it. I have also noticed an overall brightening effect, which I'm rather pleased about!

Unfortunately, I haven't noticed any improvement in my fine lines, or dark circles. During my online research, I may have found the reason. From a post by 'shewh0mustnotbenamed' on reddit's skincareaddiction -

"SAP isn't as good at stimulating collagen synthesis as L-ascorbic acid (LAA) or magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (MAP). To achieve the same amount of stimulation of collagen synthesis, the amount of SAP used must be 10 times the amount of LAA that would be used (Source: [1]).

...

SAP has anti-acne properties (Sources: [1] [2] [3]). AFAIK, LAA and MAP don't."

Oz Naturals Vitamin C Serum contains vitamin C in the form of sodium ascorbyl phosphate, or SAP. This explains why it has been great for my zits and marks, but had little affect on my dark circles and fine lines, which require the collagen boosting forms of L-ascorbic acid or magnesium ascorbyl phosphate. 

My conclusion 
Oz Naturals 20% Vitamin C & Amino & Hyaluronic Acid serum is a good product for sufferers of acne or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. However if you primarily want a vitamin C serum for anti-aging or dark circles, I would try a serum containing one of the other forms of it. Would I buy another bottle when this runs out? I'm not sure, I do like the results, but I'm looking for a product to boost my collagen levels, which I don't think this one does enough. I'm thinking of trying the DIY Vitamin C Serum next.

Oz Naturals 20% Vitamin C & Amino & Hyaluronic Acid serum is £15.95 at Amazon UK.

Til Next Time,

Emma
xXx

*This product was sent to me for review purposes. My reviews and opinions will always remain unbiased and impartial. Please see skimlinks disclosure in the sidebar.

Most Used Products in my Vegan Makeup Kit!

Ever feel like you have to compromise on quality when choosing vegan cosmetics? That lacklustre, 'crunchy' vegan makeup could never compare to what the pros whip out of their zucas to use on top models and celebs?  Well I'm here to show you that professional quality vegan makeup isn't as hard to find as you might think. Here are some of the products I reach for the most from my own pro makeup kit.

Eyes

A product I use time and time again is the Beauty Without Cruelty Sensuous Mineral Eyeshadow in Serenity, which is a beautiful shimmering beige with a hint of rose gold.

It's perfect for injecting a pop of light to the inner corner of the eye, or to highlight the centre of the lid for a 3D look. I've yet to see a skin tone this shade doesn't work beautifully for. 

While sometimes their products can be a little hit and miss, BWC have got it right with this pretty, reflective formula. It's £8.79 to £8.99, depending on where you shop.


The next product I love is OCC Pure Cosmetic Pigment in White. No fillers, no shimmer, just pure, matte white. 

It's great patted onto the eyelid over primer, or blended with other shadows to make the colour paler. As you can see, I've had mine for a while, and as I wipe over my products with alcohol periodically to disinfect them, the print on the label has disintegrated. Sorry it doesn't make for the most attractive product snaps!

 It's such a versatile product, it can be easily mixed into powder, cream or liquid products. OCC Pure Cosmetic Pigment is £9.00.


Gel eyeliners can be a tricky product to get right. Some melt and smudge too easily, some dry out and refuse to blend. I've enjoyed using B. Precise Gel Eyeliner in Black. 

It's blacker than a goth's wardrobe, and you do need to work quickly, because once it's dry it really won't budge!

I do recommend using your own fine or angled liner brush instead of the one that comes with it. B. Precise Gel Liner is £6.99 at Superdrug.


If gel liner is tricky to get right, mascara is almost impossible! Too clumpy, too flaky, too thin, too smudgey - it can get expensive trialling mascaras to find that ideal thickening and lengthening formula. The brand I always come back to is Barry M.

Lash Vegas mascara is amazing. I use the waterproof formula the most in my kit, to ensure it withstands the rigours of emotional brides and hot studio lights. The non waterproof version comes in a pink tube and contains fibres to really amp up the length and thickness. Unlike other fibre mascaras, they don't migrate into your eyes or onto your cheeks during the day.

It's supposed to have a 'spiral brush', but it doesn't look much different to a regular mascara wand, to me. It doesn't deposit too much product, and separates the lashes nicely. It usually retails at £6.49, but it's going for £4.49 in Superdrug at the moment.

These next three products are technically eyeshadow, but they are much more versatile than that. I use them for brows, for contouring the cheekbones and socket line, as a transition colour to blend out shadow in the crease or under eye. Yaby eyeshadows may be small in size, but do not underestimate their power.

The top shade, es048 or Bark, is the perfect brow colour for natural blondes, and a great contour shade for pale, warm skintones. My lighting makes it appear darker than it looks in real life. 

The bottom shade, es198 or Firewood is a stunning taupe that works for most blonde and mid-brunette brows. It's also my go-to natural crease colour on white skin. I could write pages about how much I love taupe shadows, and this is my favourite matte taupe. 

The right shade, es168 or Fresh Earth is good for dark brunette brows. It's a favourite of mine for deepening the crease and outer v, and using with mixing medium to make a dark brown liquid liner that doesn't pull too bronze or red. 

As these shadows are small, it's easy to fit a spectrum of shades into a magnetic palette, like Yaby's Freestyle Palette or the Z-Palette. This means you will never be stuck without a colour you need, plus it's easy to replace the shades you use most. To contour, I lift the pan out of the palette to ensure my brush doesn't pick up the adjacent shades. Yaby eyeshadow refills are £2.75 each.

Swatch time!

Top to Bottom, B. Precise Gel Liner - single line and thicker to show how black it is. BWC Mineral Eyeshadow in Serenity. OCC Pure Color Pigment in White. Yaby shadows in Bark, Firewood, Fresh Earth. Swatched over a stripe of E.L.F Mineral Eyeshadow Primer (left) to show how they look over primer and bare skin.

Face

I use airbrush makeup in my kit to give the most flawless, natural looking results. I've tried a few different products, but Kett Hydro Foundation gives great coverage and looks just like real skin! The shade I always finish up first is O3.

This is a water-based foundation. I prefer this over silicone based products as it dries down to a skin-like texture, while with silicone based makeup the finish looks more obviously like product. I use cream products (like cream blush or bronzer) before airbrushing. Always wait at least 5 minutes for airbrush makeup to dry without touching it before using powder products on top. I usually do the lips while I wait. 

I was going to swatch this for you, but it has literally just ran out, and I can't coax a drop more out of it! This is the smaller size, but I will be repurchasing the larger 35ml size for £23-£23.50 at love-makeup or Guru Makeup Emporium.

Lips

OCC Cosmetic Color Pencil in Trick is the definitely a contender for best neutral lip liner ever! It's a warm toned beige, and is just the right consistency to define without dragging the skin.

It produces the perfect nude lip, and works well with a number of different lip tars. I love this product so much I get a little excited about using it. Is that sad? Shh, that was rhetorical.

OCC Cosmetic Color Pencil in Trick is £10.95 - £11.

The final item I have to show you in this tour of my favourite products is OCC Lip Tar in Clockwork. A rich terracotta shade, this lippie is perfect for when you want something brighter than nude, but not a 'statement colour' like classic red, pink or orange.

It adds warmth and vibrancy to the face, but doesn't detract from a strong eye, or overpower the face. It is a warm colour, but it can be cooled to a taupe with the tiniest smidge of blue mixed in, like OCC's RX or Life's Entropy's Osmosis. It's a great colour, and a great base colour to add to, to start mixing your own lip tar concoctions! As with all lip tars, a little goes a long way, so if you only squeeze out what you need, it'll last much longer than a regular lipstick.

Swatch Time!

Top - OCC Cosmetic Color Pencil in Trick. Bottom - OCC Lip Tar in Clockwork

This concludes my most-used products list!

Have you tried any of these? I'd love to hear some of your most used vegan products!

Til Next Time,

Emma

xXx

All products in this post were bought by me, except the BWC Serenity Pigment, which was a gift. My reviews and opinions will always remain unbiased and impartial. Please see skimlinks disclosure in the sidebar.