MAC Russian Red Lipstick

MAC are well known for their lipsticks (understatement of the century). The three most popular red lipsticks from MAC are Lady Danger, Ruby Woo and Russian Red. While I was at their airport on my way to Stockholm last month I decided to pick up Russian Red. It is a matte finish and is a little darker than the other reds. 

Russian Red Matte Lipstick

Russian Red is a classic red, perfect for pale skinned girls. It reminds me of a Hollywood glamour red that goes with everything. An all round great lipstick which will remain in my collection for years to come. It glides easily over the lips for a flawless matte finish. Although a matte finish, I do not find it dries out the lips which is perfect.

I also have the Brave Red lipstick in my collection which is actually very similar to this but in a cremation formula. 

See the full range of MAC lipsticks here.

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Whats your favourite MAC lipstick?

Charlie xx

P.S. Sorry for the lack of post recently. I have been studying for my A Level exams. I hope to post more regularly when my exams have finished :). 

Maybelline Dream Flawless Nude Foundation

The Maybelline Dream Flawless Nude foundation was launched last month. Since then, I've been trying out this fluid-touch foundation to see if it really 'evens and perfects the skin with complete, natural looking coverage'.

Shade 10 Ivoire

So here are my thoughts:

This is the lightest, silkiest liquid foundation that I’ve ever put on my face so I had a hard time getting used to it. First of all, the concept of a dropper is new to me, so my foundation routine took a little longer than usual to begin with (but this applicator is the reason it gives such a natural looking finish). I started off by applying it with a Real Techniques buffing brush but ended up using my fingers to give a more natural, streak-free finish. 

This foundation is a medium coverage (but build-able) and is good at hiding any redness. The finish is almost matte, which is what I like. However,  I found any dry patches of my skin looked flakier and the foundation stuck to these problem areas; so it won't be replacing my Rimmel Match Perfection foundation just yet. Despite this, with a little more moisturising, I think the foundation is perfect for a more natural, light weight makeup look in spring and summer. 

Find it in Boots and Superdrug for just £8.99. 

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Let me know your thoughts on this foundation, and enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Charlie xx

Real Techniques Brush Collection

Real Techniques brushes are very popular among the beauty community because they are amazing brushes for an excellent price. Sam and Nic Chapman are professional make-up artists and the creators of these Real Technique make-up brushes. They are the sisters behind Pixiwoo make-up tutorials which can be found here.

 

From Left to Right: Powder Brush, Buffing Brush, Contour Brush, Pointed Foundation Brush, Detailer Brush, Shading Brush, Shading Brush. 

The Real Techniques Core Collection is probably the most popular out of the whole collection of brushes. These brushes are readily available in drugstores in the UK such as Superdrug and Boots retailing at £20.99. This set contains base makeup brushes; buffing brush, a contour brush, a pointed foundation brush and a detailer brush, which are perfect for beginners as well as more experienced make-up users. 

Buffing Brush:

This is my favourite brush in the collection because it helps to give a flawless and natural looking finish to base make-up. I use this brush to blend in my liquid foundation.The brush is excellent as it evens out foundation without absorbing a lot of the product, unlike some brushes I have used previously for applying my  foundation. 

Pointed Foundation Brush:

This is actually my least favourite brush in the set because I find it too small to use all over the face in applying my foundation. When I first used this brush I found it gave a streaky finish to my foundation and therefore I much prefer using the buffing brush. I would guess this brush could be used for concealing dark under eye circles or for concealing blemishes on the face. 

Detailer Brush:

This is an amazingly precise brush as it is so small. I like to use it to conceal small blemishes or redness around the nose. I also love to use this brush to give a softer finish to lipstick and to give an even finish over the lips. 

Contour Brush:

As I do not contour my cheeks I like to use this brush for highlighter. It picks up just the right amount of product and glides on the areas you want to highlight. For contour/bronzer I prefer to use a larger, more fluffy brush.

This set comes in a panoramic case which is great for travelling but also doubles up as a stand for the top of your dressing table. Another good use for this case is to hold the brushes upside down to dry avoiding the glue dissolving and bristles falling out.

Powder Brush:

This large, fluffy brush evenly apply powders and mineral foundations for smooth, high-definition results. I use this with powder to set my foundation in place.

Shading Brush:

This brush applies eyeshadow perfectly. However, it does not work as well for the crease of the eye because it is not quite fluffy enough but for eyeshadow all over the lid it works a treat.  

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Do you use Real Techniques Brushes? Which is your favourite? Do you have any recommendations?

Charlie xxx