This is brilliant! QUICK TIP: Fool Proof Eyeliner

Happy New Year 2013!

Happy New Year to you all.  May 2013 bring all the joys, love and happiness that life has to offer!

Remember to do all your research BEFORE you go out and buy product.  Test it, ask loads of questions and once your satisfied buy it. DON'T impulse buy and DON'T get forced to purchase by pushy and snooty sales assistants. Otherwise you'll need another whole room just to store product you won't use because it's just not suitable for you!   Remember it's your money which you work very hard for!  Plenty of bargains to be had so just be clever.  You'll quickly learn which assistant is brilliant and which one isn't.

Another quick tip:

Baking/Bicarbonate of soda makes an excellent and cheap exfoliant.  Add a teaspoon of soda to your facial cleanser, mix well, and massage into skin about 1-2 times a week.  If your skin becomes irritated, use a little less soda and use the treatment at night so that your skin has a chance to recover while you sleep. Remember to always, always moisturize afterwards! 

There is some evidence that baking/bicarb soda may be beneficial in treating acne since the exfoliating properties of the soda can increase the skins cell turnover rate. Making your acne look less noticeable. Also, baking soda’s neutralizing properties maybe reduce redness of the skin which can reduce the appearance of acne. If you want to try using baking soda as an acne treatment, use as above.  Or make a thicker paste of just baking soda and water and apply it to the acne as a mask for 5-10 minutes or overnight (but use an old pillow slip because when the mask dries it will crumble so you may wake up to a little bit of a mess). 

Here's to a brilliant new year of information, colour and more reviews! Please give me your feedback.  I'd love to hear what you think and also what you would like to know.  Tips of course are always welcome.  I couldn't possibly know everything and I'd be a liar if I said i did!

Until next time

Margaret
B-Lush Cosmetica

 

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation

Hi again everyone,

I just wanted to let everyone about another brilliant product that doesn't cost you a whole week's wages.  Maybelline's Fit Me Foundation is absolutely brilliant!  It boasts the following:

• No oils, no waxes
• Natural coverage that leaves skin the way it was meant to be…fresh, breathing, natural  
• Exclusive translucent base and lightweight pigments allow skin's natural highs and lows to show through
• Non-comedogenic, dermatologist-tested (this means that it will not build up oils onto the skin and block your pores)

I have done one on one shopping trips with clients and always recommended this foundation as a starting point when creating your own make up kit at home.  Each time I'm impressed at just how good it looks on all types of skin.  And my clients are too!  Mature, dry, combination and oily skins all look great with this foundation.  It leaves the skin looking flawless, even and dewy.  It feels quite silky and light, has a medium coverage which you can build.  For those of you with oily skin a little powder on your oily areas will set it all in place.

12 Colours to choose from as well as matching powders, concealers, bronzers, and blushers.  And for us Aussies who all lack an ozone layer an SPF 18.  Not too bad for a product that will cost you around $19-$20 for 30ml.
        (pix appear courtesy of google)

I highly recommend this product.  When I finish my current foundation and buying this!  I hope everyone gets this in their Christmas stocking this year.  I think you all deserve it!

Merry Christmas to you all and here's to a brilliant, joyous and peaceful 2013.  For any of you going through a hard time may the universe send you love and peace to help you along.

Until next time

Margaret
B-Lush Cosmetica

Maybelline Illegal Lengths Fibre Extensions Mascara

Hi everyone,

It's getting to that time of year where we all go insane with shopping and there are many many bargains to be had.  Particularly online.  I have checked out another mascara.  Maybelline have released Illegal Lengths Fibre Extensions Mascara.  The claims are:

• Builds 4mm of measurable extensions! 
• Fiber-fix brush has 6 different contact points with each lash for optimal fiber placement
• Breakthrough formula contains fibers up to 4mm in length
• Sealing formula stretches lashes and seals fibers to lashes
• Washable, also available in waterproof formula

I have been using it every day for 2 weeks and am now into my third week.  I like the brush as it doesn't deposit loads of blobby product.  It combs through each lash and evenly distributes the product through the lashes.  After about one week I felt that it did add length, not sure about 4mm (I didn't measure), but I like lots and lots of volume so it didn't give as much volume as I'd prefer.  So I use a one coat of another volumising mascara (Volume Express One by One mascara is brilliant for this) and then a coat or two of the Illegal Lengths.

Be careful not to get the mascara on your upper water line (upper inner rim) as the fibres will irritate your eyes but as long as you don't do that there is no problem re the fibres falling into your eyes as there are with some other fibre lash mascaras.  It's also recommended on the packaging that you don't wait for the coats to dry before reapplying.  An easy way to combat that is apply one coat on one eye, then on the other and then go back to the original eye and so on.  Also make sure you apply it from root to tip and not just the tips of your lashes.  Otherwise the lashes will become too heavy and will droop instead of opening up the eyes.

I'm very happy with this mascara.  If length is an issue then this mascara is for you!  And it's soooo easy to wash off!  Any cleanser will remove it without harsh rubbing or pulling (not that any of you do that anyway!).  I give this a big thumbs up!  

I plan to have a few more items tried and tested over the Christmas break.  Merry Christmas to you all.  I hope you have a lovely and safe festive season with friends and family and may the New Year 2013 bring you all much love, happiness and most of all good health.

Until next time

Merry Christmas

Margaret

B-Lush Cosmetica 

IMATS Sydney 2012

Hello everyone,

I trust you are all well and happy.  Recently, I went up to Sydney to the IMATS.  That is the International Makeup Artist Trade Show.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day and the nice walk down Darling Harbour was quite pleasant.  I was not prepared for what was inside the Sydney Convention Centre!  Hundreds of people everywhere!  Almost every booth crowded with general public and fellow artists.  Students doing their 'pieces' for the competition later that day.  Some amazing artwork!

I was delighted to see that I found Make Up Forever products at a couple of different booths and will be purchasing from them from now on. Talking to various people at the booths it was easy to be energised by them and also by the people visiting.  Unfortunately the sessions with the various guest speakers/presenters were a little difficult to hear over the talking of all the punters.  But all in all I loved the experience.  I got some bargains and also products that I couldn't have bought anywhere else.

I would highly recommend a visit to next year's IMATS.  It is open to the general public and I found that all the staff behind the booths were happy to chat and help people find the right product for them.  I would suggest that you need a good 3 hours in there.  It is quite busy!  I had a game plan so went to the booths I wanted first and then wandered around at all the other booths.

All in all a great but tiring day!

Until next time

Margaret
B-Lush

PS:  Keep an eye out for my new website launch soon.

Revlon Grow Luscious by Fabulash

Hi again everyone,

I wanted to tell you about Revlon's Grow Luscious mascara.  

Revlon claims "The first Revlon mascara that helps lashes grow stronger while visibly adding length and volume".   "96% of women saw instantly longer and  lusher lashes", "Uses a patented formula of unique fibers and phytopeptide complex to help condition and strengthen lashes."

Well I'm not sure about the helping the lashes grow stronger just yet but I'm hoping!  I've been trying it for about a week now and I have to say I really really like it.  It gives full volumised lashes!  I would liken it to Christian Dior's DiorShow.  I feel like I have alot more lashes than before and the colour Blackest Black is exactly that, giving loads of definition and really black lashes.  The wand or brush is quite big (for volumising) and is a little awkward initially but once you've used it for a week or so it does create the most amazing look.

If I could say only one thing.  It does smudge a little under my eyes but I think that's because I used a little too much under eye cream.  I'll let you all know if this continues.

I'd like to give this the thumbs up.  A friend has also tried it and said that it makes her look like she has fake lashes on.  Not a bad achievement and no fumbling around with glue!

This mascara retails for about $21 but you an always look out for specials at Myer, K Mart and Big W.  And you get a whole lotta bang for your buck!

I hope you get to use it and please let me know what you think.  Remember just because it works for me doesn't mean it will do the same for you.

Until next time.

Margaret 
B-Lush Cosmetica

L'Oreal's Mega Voume Collagene Mascara

Hello everyone,

I hope those of you who are in Australia are looking forward to the summer!  It's been a long and cold winter!  I have been busy trialling another mascara.  L'Oreal's Mega Volume Collagene Mascara.

It claims the following:

"A new booster breakthrough formula enriched with collagene biospheres and black booster pigments to achieve breathtaking individual lash by lash volume. It increases 15x more impact for the ultimate volume look."

So my verdict?  I quite like it.  It's a very big brush so you have to be careful of the amount of product you apply onto your lashes.  I found initially it didn't give the volume with one coat.  But a second coat and my lashes became much fuller and more 'volumised'.  Without being too clumpy.  But be mindful.  This formula is a little thicker and so again I emphasise don't apply too much product to begin with.  Build the volume slowly.

The colour is great as it's a very dark black and it's one of the rare mascaras that doesn't smudge under my eyes.  Bonus!

So I do recommend it.  It's a little more expensive that the usual price point for L'Oreal so perhaps wait for a sale at your local pharmacy or department store.

That's all for but stay tuned for more!  Would also love to see comments, suggestions and queries from you all.

Margaret
B-Lush Cosmetica

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