Recent Makeup Purchases #1 (Video)

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Recent Makeup Purchases #1 (MakeupOverMind)

Back with another video today to chat to you all about some new makeups bits I've picked up recently! It's a pretty long video, my longest yet...I had a lot to talk about! 

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Links Mentioned:

Real Techniques Review: Coming Friday 21st June!

Bourjois Cream Blush Review 

Beachey Makeup

MakeupByTiffanyD

Tar Mar's Review/Demo 

Makeup Geek

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Products Mentioned:

Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray

Inglot Freedom Palette: Shades #330, #154, #402, #55

Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeshadow Stick (Bulletproof Beige)

L'Oreal Caresse Shine Stain (200 Princess)

Essence Stay Matt Lip Cream (02 Smooth Berry)*

Essence Guerilla Gardening Lip Cream (01 Mission Flower)

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation (210)

Maybelline Anti-Age The Eraser Eye Perfect & Cover Concealer (Nude)

Maybelline 24hour Colour Tattoo (Metallic Pomegranate or Pomegranate Punk)

Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner (02 Brown)

Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner (02 Brown)

Bourjois Cream Blush Rose Tender (03)

Bourjois Bronzing Primer (Universal Shade)

Bourjois Bronzing Primer (Universal Shade)

NYX Blush Taupe

*PR Sample

Review & Swatches: Bourjois Cream Blush 02 Healthy Glow

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Review & Swatches: Bourjois Cream Blush 02 Healthy Glow

New to the Bourjois range, I have welcomed the introduction of their cream blushes with open arms! It's clear that Bourjois are a brand which continue to fill the gaps where 'affordable' makeup is concerned. There are 4 shades in the range which come in pots slightly flatter than the traditional powder blushes which also boast a travel friendly magnetic clasp. Each pot contains 2.5g of product and has a convenient mirror on the inside lid; and are currently at an introductory price of €8.99 in Boots.

After much debate at the Bourjois stand I picked up the shade 02 Healthy Glow. Although in the pot the colour appears to be a vibrant coral peach, as you can see from the swatch above, it doesn't translate quite as vividly. However, I do love the shade, which looks (as the name would suggest) like a natural healthy glow. Certainly a great universal tone, which can be worn subtly or layered for intensity. It is a product that layers quite well which is also great for medium-to-dark skin tones. 

The texture is creamy, but not sticky, and sets to a silky matte finish on the skin. As a cream-to-powder formula this offers great longevity, while still allowing the flattering skin-like finish offered by a cream blush.

For application I tend to dislike using my fingers to apply and blend cream blush; I mostly favour something like my Real Techniques Mulitask Brush or Stippling Brush. However, because the formula of this particular blush is less sticky than, for instance, the old MAC cream blushes - I quite enjoy applying this with my fingers too! This makes it perfect for on-the-go touch-ups and a quick injection of life back into the skin late afternoon!

Review & Swatches: Bourjois Cream Blush 02 Healthy Glow

Overall I really like this product and have been wearing it almost every day for over two-weeks now. I'm definitely eager to try out the other shades in the collection! Once more 'high-street' brands continue to up their game, providing us with serious quality and affordable prices! 

Have you tried it yet? Which colour is your favourite?

Would You Rather....? (Beauty Edition)

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Would You Rather....? Beauty Tag

I was tagged by Lauren Marie to do this and it was a lot of fun! Despite my first statement of the video, this is my second (not first) tag video! Somehow I forgot about this gem (10 Things I Would Repurchase)! If anyone would like to do this tag, please find the questions below! Also, I am tagging Karen & Joanne!

QUESTIONS:
1.) Would you rather lose all of your mascaras, eyeliners, lipsticks, and lipglosses or lose all of your palettes and eyeshadows?
2.) Would you rather chop off all your hair or never be able to cut it again?
3.) Would you rather have a coral cheek or a pink cheek?
4.) If you had €1000 to spend, would you rather buy clothes or makeup?
5.) Would you rather apply lipstick as eyeliner, or eyeliner as lipstick?
6.) Would you rather only shop at MAC or Sephora?
7.) Would you rather only use one eyeshadow color or one lip color for the rest of your life?
8.) Would you rather wear winter clothes in summer or summer clothes in winter?
9.) Would you rather have dark nails or bright nails all year round?
10.) Would you rather give up your favorite lip product or your favorite eye product?
11.) Would you rather only be able to wear your hair in a ponytail or a messy bun?
12.) Would your rather never be able to paint your nails again or never use lipgloss?
13.) Would you rather shave your eyebrows and have none at all or sharpie them in everyday?
14.) Would you rather live without makeup or nail polish?

May Beauty Favourites

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www.makeupovermind.com  

It's that time again! I'm a little late I know, I just wanted to wait for my new studio lighting (as recommended by Letzmakeup & TarMarTales)! Would love to know what you think! Personally I definitely see a difference but I think they may have been a tad to close to my face making me look super-shiney (oops!)....I'll figure it out I'm sure!

Products

Ginvera Green Tea Nude BB Cream

Estée Lauder Double-Wear Flawless Stay-in-place Concealer (Light/Medium)

Bourjois Cream Blush 02 (Healthy Glow)

Real Techniques Multitask Brush (from Travel set)

Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray

Some links I mentioned, in case you're not watching this on YouTube!
- Summer makeup tutorial - 
- Estée Lauder blog post -
- Katie Healy (organiser of Irish Beauty Blogger meet-up) - 
- itsjudytime(for great first impressions videos) - 

What did you love this month??

Estée Lauder: Product Picks & Makeup Tricks !

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Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Summer 2013

I recently posted details about a special Estée Lauder event taking place at Brown Thomas stores throughout the country. I must admit I've never been to such an event before and having no idea what to expect I arrived a few minutes early to settle myself in. Despite the delay in kicking off, I had the delight of conversing with two older Irish women while we waited on our wooden chairs. It was a joy to share our varying makeup interests in needs which had brought us all to Brown Thomas for the session.

Product Picks

When the beautiful Derek Miller (ah-mazing eyelashes) got started I was more than eager to learn more about Estée Lauder, a brand which honestly I've never been overly familiar with bar a few cult products.The near hour long session was split in two parts. First Derek shared his favourite product picks which included:

Perfectly Clean Triple Action Cleanser/Toner/Makeup-remover (€29.50): Suitable for all skin types, this is a foam cleanser which feels beautiful on the skin and aims to minimize the number of products/steps in your routine.
Global Cream (€72.00): Your night cream, day cream, and serum in one!
Advanced Night Repair Concentrate (€96.50): Sister product to the original Night Repair - this is (as the name suggests) a concentrated version as a sort of emergency pick-me-up when our skin is subject to extra stress such as air-travel.
Advanced Night Repair Eye Serum (€56.00): Similar to the concentrate, but suitable for the under-eye area.
Invisible Fluid Foundation (€34.50) & Powder (€36.50): Derek says "if you want foundation that perfects the skin, but doesn't look or feel like foundation then this brand new formula is for you!"

Summer Trends

Next it was all about trends and their new collection which launched this month. This summer Estée Lauder is all about pops of colour for lips and cheeks, but in a sheer way that's wearable for everyone. Unfortunately my own budget only stretched as far as the Double-Wear concealer (€23.00; which I'm quite enjoying and will review in time), but my two picks from there summer collection if you're looking to splurge would be.....

The stunning Cello Shots (€36.50) which are pumped out as a beautiful gel-like formula and stain the cheeks beautifully.

Estée Lauder Pure Colour Cello Shots

And the Bronze Goddess Illuminating Powder Gelée in Heatwave (€39.00), a stunning golden highlighter!

Bronze Goddess Illuminating Powder Gelée in Heatwave

Makeup Tricks

Finally I wanted to share three tips from the International makeup artist himself:
1) Try applying lipgloss before lipstick for bigger smoother looking lips
2) To save yourself buying a new foundation coming into summer, use a few drops of their Bronze Goddess Luminous Liquid Bronzer (€39.00) to darken up your current foundation!
3) Mix in a few drops of the Night Repair Concentrate with your concealer (e.g. Estée Lauder Double-Wear) to keep the under-eye are hydrated and fresh looking.

So that's everything I absorbed in the hour session and I can't wait for the next one! Like school for makeup nerds! I must admit, with the great weather we've been having I'm very tempted to cave to either the blush or the highlighter....

Did anyone else make it to the event? What were your product picks?

*This is not a sponsored post, just wanted to share all the fun I had! :)

Natural & Glowing Beach Makeup

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The Products: Summer / Beach Makeup Tutorial

It's been a while since I've done a YouTube video that wasn't just favourites! While planning this blog post I decided last minute to throw together a bit of a chatty demo rather than just write about the products I've been loving in the sun this week! I've also included a before and after so you can not only see how well the products work together, but also how natural the final look is (also, you Facebook peeps made me *wink*)....Lot's of cream products to create a glowing healthy skin look. Let's hope this warm weather keeps and we might get that for real!  

Products Used

La Roche-Posay SPF 50 Sun Protection (off camera)

Embryolisse Creme Concentrate (off camera)

Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream

Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Flawless Wear Concealer (02 Light Medium)

Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronzing Makeup Base

Topshop Cream Blush 'Head Over Heels'

Smashbox Highlighter Quad Preview

Tools

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers

Generic Spoolie

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

Real Techniques Domed Shadow Brush

Real Techniques Multi Task Brush

Before & After: Beach Makeup Tutorial

Natural Beach Makeup Look

Do you enjoy this kind of 'no makeup' look or do you abandon the stuff altogether when the sun comes out?

Brave Women, Feminine Feminists

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Today's post is something a little bit different. As I mentioned on Facebook the other day, I usually try to keep this blog fairly 'opinion neutral' outside the realm of makeup, but gender representations in the media is something that I  think is always worth a discussion. 

You may have seen during the week that Merida, heroine of Pixar's Brave, has undergone a fairly radical redesign (see above) for her induction as a Disney Princess. The change has sparked some outrage and a petition to keep the original Merida on change.org. The result is a slimmer, more mature, 'sexier' portrayal of what was seen as the first 'real' looking princess. They even took away her bow and arrow! As the petition creator puts it: "....you are sending a message to girls that the original, realistic, teenage-appearing version of Merida is inferior; that for girls and women to have value -- to be recognized as true princesses -- they must conform to a narrow definition of beauty."

Another brave woman received heavy media attention this week; as Angelina Jolie revealed her preventative double mastectomy in The New York Times. In contrast, this is an example of the positive power of media. It depicts a personal and informed medical choice, but also speaks volumes coming from a pinnacle, to many, of feminine beauty. Often voted 'world's most beautiful woman', Ms. Jolie, also intends to have her ovaries removed to further reduce her risk of cancer. The actress stated: "… I do not feel any less of a woman. I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity." 

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I realise that this post might seem surprising, counterintuitive, or even hypocritical coming from someone who spends a great deal of time writing and thinking about beauty-related things. Am I not also sending a similar message about female beauty? I guess in a way, I am. However, I also know that you are intelligent well-informed women who know there is more to life than shiny pretty things. But, I also know that doesn't mean we are immune to media or societal pressures telling us how we 'need’ to look as women. Much as I try, I know I'm certainly not immune to such messages.

And finally, I also know that I'm not the only modern woman trying to find balance between feminism and 'femininity'. I often find myself in this grey and murky conflict. 

We are all multifaceted human beings with diverse interests and opinions. I'm not ‘against’ playing princesses, but I'm also never happier than when my 3-year-old niece declares that she is instead a dragon, a knight, or a king! I love makeup and I think it's great fun; but I also think that's all it should be. 

I'd love to know how you feel about this. So, let’s open up the discussion!

Do you struggle to balance feminism and femininity? 

Do you think it's important? 

To the comments!

Note: There are many aspects to the topic of feminism and femininity - this is just one small snippet. Please feel free to delve into more complex factors in the comments if you wish!