Illamasqua Precision Ink in 'Scribe'

I love Illamasqua products and I have to say that I have accumulated quite a large collection of Illamasqua products over the past few months. I love the Illamasqua blushes and the infamous skin base foundation but what I love the most is the precision ink eyeliners. I already own the shades 'Abyss' and 'Havoc', and I recently bought the shade 'Scribe'. Scribe is basically a pure white liquid eyeliner. It's something I've never seen before, as brands tend to go for the typical black eyeliner, so I was really excited to try Scribe. I felt I needed to blog about it too as it's such a unique eyeliner. 

What Illamasqua have to say about their Precision Ink liners...

"Create looks with attitude that no one can ignore. Precision Ink's fine tip allows for defined application. Long-lasting and waterproof it's perfect for use anywhere on the face and body to bring out your bold side. You can even use it as an nail art pen; simply seal with Illamasqua Top Coat."

What are the product claims?

• Fine tip allows precise application.
• It's long-lasting, it lasts until you remove it. 
• It's waterproof.
• Can be used on both the face and the body.
• Can be used for nail art. 

How can you use it?

• You can create a thin/thick line.
• You can create a winged effect.
• You can use it on your waterline.
• You can use it to create different shapes (in body art).
• You can use it as a nail art pen.

Do the Illamasqua Precision Ink eyeliners come in different shades?

Yes they do. There is a total of 5 different shades, these are:

• 'Scribe' - Pure White
• 'Alchemy' - Antique Gold
• 'Glister' - Opalescent Nude
• 'Havoc' - Aubergine
• 'Abyss' - Gloss Black

How much do the Precision Ink eyeliners retail at and where are they available?

The precision ink eyeliners retail at £17.00 and can be purchased in-store and online at both Illamasqua and Selfridges. ASOS also stock Illamasqua products too! Handy to know if you're a student as you can get 10% off!

Scribe is also part of the Human Fundamentalism collection and may in fact be limited edition. 

What does 'Scribe' look like?

The pointed tip enables you to create a precise line.

Left: One Coat

Right: Two Coats

Here's how I used 'Scribe'...

Here is what is called 'tuxedo' eyeliner. Tuxedo eyeliner is basically creating both a white and black winged effect. I personally like tuxedo eyeliner and I think I might be daring enough to wear it out in public. 

Is Scribe suitable for everyone?

Scribe is suitable for absolutely anyone. Obviously if you're sensitive to certain eyeliners I'd suggest to try before you buy as you don't want to waste £17.00 on an eyeliner which isn't suitable. 

Scribe is suitable for both light and dark skin tones. 

The Good

• Application - Scribe is super easy to apply and this is due to the applicator. It has such a fine tip and this enables you to create a very thin, precise line with ease. The main reason why I love Illamasqua precision ink eyeliners is because of the fine tip. 
• Pigmentation - Scribe is very pigmented which is quite unusual as white eyeliners tend to lack pigmentation. They tend to look quite patchy and streaky but this isn't the case with Scribe at all. 
• Longevity - Scribe lasts all day without fading, flaking, smudging, running or completely coming off. The only way it will come off is if you remove it yourself.  Scribe is a tough cookie, it does not budge at all. 
• Drying Time - Scribe takes around 5 minutes to completely dry which is a good thing as there's nothing worse than liquid eyeliners that take a million years to dry.
• Waterproof - Scribe is 100% waterproof. It doesn't matter if you're caught in a heavy downpour or have been crying for 12 hours, this eyeliner will NOT budge. The only way this eyeliner will budge is if you remove it yourself. 
• Removal - Scribe is very easy to remove despite it being waterproof. The key is to use an eye-makeup remover that is designed to remove waterproof makeup as well as normal makeup. 
• Packaging - I love Illamasqua packaging, it's sleek, classy and very expensive looking. I also love the applicator as it's tapered and has a fine point.
• Availability - Scribe can be purchased both in-store and online at both Illamasqua and Selfridges. It can also be purchased from ASOS too. If you live internationally you may have an issue hunting it down so it may be worth ordering it from ASOS as they offer free shipping!

The Okay

• Opacity - Scribe hasn't got the best opacity but it certainly hasn't got the worst. The trick is to use more than one layer (coat).
• Price - £17.00 is a little pricey for an eyeliner, especially for a liquid eyeliner as they don't last as long as pencil or gel eyeliners. Inglot do a white gel eyeliner which is identical to Scribe, the only difference is that Scribe is a liquid eyeliner and retails at £17.00 whereas the Inglot white eyeliner is a gel eyeliner and retails at £10.00. I haven't seen any drugstore white liquid/gel eyeliners on the market so my only cheaper alternative would be the Inglot white gel eyeliner. 

The Bad

• I have nothing bad to say about Scribe at all. It's a high quality white eyeliner, one of the best I've ever tried. 

Overall....

Overall I like the eyeliner, it's got great pigmentation and it lasts all day without fading, flaking or running. Scribe lives up to it's claims as it's long-lasting, 100% waterproof and it has a fabulous fine tip which enables precise application. It's a brilliant eyeliner and I would imagine it would make a great nail art pen too but I cannot comment on it's 'nail pen' abilities as I have never used it for nail art. I love Illamasqua Precision Ink eyeliners and I especially love the shade 'Scribe', it's unique, fun and very different to the norm. I will DEFINITELY re-purchase Scribe and I most definitely will be trying out 'tuxedo' eyeliner again. Overall, a big thumbs up for Scribe. 

Would I recommend? Yes, it has excellent quality. 

Would I re-purchase? Yes, it's super easy to apply and it gives a precise line.

Rating? 8/10.. opacity could be better and the price could be lowered. 

Have you tried Scribe? And are you brave enough to try 'tuxedo' eyeliner?

:)

Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation

I have been using the Illamasqua Skin Base foundation for around 4 months and have never really thought about doing a review on it until now. I feel that I should write a review about the foundation because it is THAT good, it's possibly one of the best foundations that I've ever bought and I will continue to re-purchase it. Although next time I buy one, I think I'll get re-matched as I'm still adamant that it's too dark for my skin tone.

As I always do in my reviews, I'm going to include good and bad points about the foundation and I'll also be telling you a bit about skin types and application. I'm also going in include the ever so handy Skin Base comparison charts as this will give you some indication as to what shade you will be.

What is Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation?

Here's what Illamasqua have to say about their lovely Skin Base Foundation:
"Inspired by the cult Asian market Beauty Balm creams, Skin Base Foundation is a brand new, refined formula unlike anything on the UK market. Easily blendable, it effortlessly creates a perfect complexion, and like the entire Illamasqua foundation range, is undetectable in a professional HD environment. Suitable for all skin types, it smoothes, softens and conditions your skin whilst providing natural, buildable coverage."

How many shades are there and where is it available?

Illamasqua Skin Base foundation is available in 18 different shades, ranging from light to dark. They also have a pure white shade that would be prefect for mixing in with other foundations to make them lighter, this would be handy for those people who choose not to tan in winter and also those people who are naturally very pale. The great thing about the shade selection is that the foundations all have a different undertone, the shades either have a pink, yellow or neutral undertone. There is literally a shade for everyone.

If you want to find out which shade you would be, here a few comparison charts. The comparison charts compare other brand foundation shades to the Illamasqua Skin Base foundation shades. For example, if your the shade 'Siberia' in Nars foundation then the likelihood is that you'll be shade '02' in Illamasqua Skin Base foundation.

Bobbi Brown / Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation - Bobbi Brown Comparison
MAC / Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation - MAC Comparison
Nars / Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation - Nars Comparison
YSL / Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation - YSL Comparison
Other Illamasqua Foundations / Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation - Illamasqua Comparison

To give you all an indication, I use the lightest shade in all brands of foundation and according to the online comparison charts, I would have to use Skin Base '02'. Just to be sure I went to an Illamasqua counter and was matched at Skin Base '06' due to it having a neutral undertone. I think the comparison charts are really handy but I would go and get matched if you can!

The Illamasqua Skin Base foundation retails at £25.00 and can be purchased from the following places; Illamasqua, ASOS and Debenhams. The foundation bottle contains 30ml of product which is a standard amount as most foundations contain 30ml.

What does Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation look like?

Shade '06' - Neutral.

Is it suitable for all skin types?

Illamasqua Skin Base foundation is suitable for all skin types, from very dry to combination to oily. To give you a little insight, my mum suffers from very dry skin and has done since she was a youngster. Over the years she has tried and tested many foundations but unfortunately they haven't cut the mustard  as many of them settled into her dry bits. The only foundation that doesn't settle in her dry bits is the Illamasqua Skin Base foundation which is amazing. My mum does follow a strict skincare routine so this could also prevent 'settling'. I know a lot of people have said that this foundation isn't good for dry skin as it settles but if you think about it, every foundation will settle into your dry bits if you don't follow a skincare routine. If you do have very dry skin then I would suggest buying an exfoliator and a moisturiser. Any exfoliator will work, you don't have to buy an uber duber expensive one, they all do the same job at the end of the day! If you exfoliate your skin 2 or 3 times a week and apply moisturiser in the morning and at night, you should see a difference in your skin. You'll also notice that your foundation will look a lot different on your skin too. 

The Illamasqua Skin Base foundation is also great for combination skin types, I have combination to dry skin and whenever I wear the foundation my skin looks completely flawless. It honestly looks as if I've been airbrushed! I also find that the foundation doesn't give me a shiny look at all, it's more of a healthy glow. If you have oily skin then you may need to use blotting paper or loose powder but I honestly can't say that you will definitely have to do this as I don't have oily skin. I can only suggest what to do if you do experience a bit of shininess when using the foundation. Also, the foundation doesn't slide off the skin after hours of wearing it which is fabulous as it means you don't need to use a primer but if you suffer with oily skin then you may need to use a primer. 

The Good

• Application - The foundation applies to the skin very nicely. It goes on smoothly and generally just feels lovely, the foundation melts into the skin straight away. To apply the foundation to the skin I use a Sigma F80 flat-top kabuki brush, you can use other brushes and tools but I like to use that brush as it's AMAZING. The Sigma F80 and the Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation are a match made in heaven. 
• Coverage - The Illamasqua Skin Base foundation has a build-able coverage so you can either apply a light layer or build it up so you've got a full coverage. The good thing with this foundation is that you can also use it as a concealer too! When using this foundation I feel that I don't need to use a concealer as the foundation does a good enough job at hiding things, it really does cover a multitude of sins! 
• Longevity - The foundation lasts all day without going patchy or sliding off the skin. I'd say that it lasts between 10-12 hours which is great if you're out all day as you know your foundation is going to last. The foundation just seems to sink into the skin and it honestly stays put. I teach dance and actually wore this foundation while carrying out a dancing lesson, I'm pleased to tell you that the sweat on my forehead and nose didn't move this baby as gross as this may sound!
• Texture - The foundation has quite a thick consistency but feels very light on the skin. It almost feels as if you're not wearing any foundation at all. 
• Shade Selection - The Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation is available in 18 different shades which is absolutely fantastic. I sometimes find that I can't use a certain foundation due to the lack of shade selection, most brands don't do very light shades which is very frustrating. Estee Lauder foundations are great but I cannot use them due to the lack of lighter shades. Luckily Illamasqua cater for everyone. 

The Okay

• Packaging - I love the Illamasqua packaging, and I have to say that I think and will always think that Illamasqua have the nicest packaging out of all cosmetic brands. The packaging is sleek, sexy and sophisticated. With regards to the foundation, I love the odd shaped bottle and I also like how it comes with a screw top as this is very practical. It prevents spillages and other such catastrophes. The only negative thing I have to say about the packaging is that it's hard to squeeze out the product once you're running low. So when you're a little weakling, it's frustrating when you know there's product left but are unable to squeeze it out. On the plus side, the bottle has a thin nozzle meaning you don't use heaps of product.
• Availability - Illamasqua is sold online and in some department stores which is handy if you live in the UK but if you live outside of the UK then availability may be a bit of an issue. The only issue I have is that delivery is quite expensive if you're ordering in the UK but saying that, delivery is expensive everywhere nowadays. 
• Price - I personally don't mind paying £25.00 for this foundation because it's utterly amazing but I must admit it does have quite a hefty price tag. If you're a student and looking at buying this foundation but don't want to spend £25.00 on it then check out ASOS because they offer 10% student discount all year round and sometimes offer 25% discount for 48 hours. ASOS don't stock all shades but you'll be on a winner if they do! It's also good to know that if you 'like' the Illamasqua Facebook Page, they have an exclusive discount for their online website so it's worth checking out!

The Bad

• I have nothing bad to say about this foundation at all. If I can think of a minor negative it's that it's so good, it makes me want to spend money on another bottle. 

To round up this very long review all I'm going to say is, the Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation is AMAZING and you all need to try it. Before you buy a bottle I'd recommend being match just to make sure you purchase the right shade. You really need to try it, you won't be disappointed!

Thank you for reading this post and if you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch!

:)

Best Beauty Products of 2011

I’m not going to lie, this post is a little hefty and it’ll probably take around 12 hours to read so I suggest getting a drink before you sit down and read it. I’m not going to explain what this post is going to be about as the title is pretty self-explanatory so without further ado, here are the products I loved throughout 2011.

Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in ‘Epatant’ - £22.50

This has probably been a favourite of mine ever since I purchased it. It’s a beautiful colour, has a lovely fluffy texture and it’s so quick and easy to apply. The best thing about this cream eyeshadow is that it lasts all day without creasing or fading, great for if you’re a busy bee like myself and need something that it going to last throughout the day. You can also apply different eyeshadows over the top of the cream shadow and it’s also really blendable. A must have for any make-up artist or make-up lover!

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in ’01 – Fair’ - £4.19

This is the best concealer of life and it’s only £4.19! I have an Estee Lauder concealer very similar to the Collection 2000 concealer, the only difference between them is that the Estee Lauder concealer is £19.50 and it’s also too dark for me even though I bought the palest shade… handy. You could buy 4 Collection 2000 concealers for the price of one Estee Lauder concealer.

I adore this concealer; it’s creamy, long lasting and most of all blendable. You usually find that full coverage concealers are a pain to blend as they tend to be quite thick but you don’t experience this with the Collection 2000 concealer. You can blend with a brush but I use my finger as I think this works best. I also love how this concealer covers anything; it covers spots, scars, and skin pigmentation, basically anything that needs covering! I bet it would even cover tattoos!

I highly recommend this concealer and if you haven’t tried, you need too! It’s AMAZING. The only downfall is that it’s only available in 4 shades so if you have a dark skin tone, you may not find a suitable shade. If this is the case then I would recommend mixing a bit of foundation into the concealer to darken the shade.

Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation in ‘06’ - £25.00

I have to admit that I absolutely love foundation, without it I’d have a mini meltdown. It covers a multitude of sins and gives the impression a have ‘Beyonce like’ skin. (I envy her skin so much!) I own so many different foundations but my Illamasqua Skin Base is the foundation I reach for the most. It has such a lovely lightweight consistency meaning it doesn’t feel heavy on your skin. It also covers everything, which is great considering the foundation is so lightweight. The foundation is available in so many shades so there is a shade for absolutely anyone. This foundation beats any foundation that I’ve ever tried and if you haven’t tried it, go and get yourself a sample! You will not be disappointed.

MAC Eyeshadow in ‘Short Shorts’ - £11.50

This eyeshadow was part of the MAC Surf Baby collection, a collection that contained a vast amount of bright, beautiful colours. A collection I had high expectations for. At first I was a little disheartened by the eyeshadow as it doesn’t have great pigmentation, it’s quite sheer and does need building up if it was to be worn on it’s own. I was instantly put off by its sheerness but was willing to try different methods of application. I found that this eyeshadow is a perfect highlight eyeshadow because it’s not too shimmery, it’s just gives a nice glow. I literally use it everyday now and have become best friends with it. So here’s a handy tip, if a product isn’t working for you, make it work by giving it a different use.

MAC Penultimate Eyeliner - £14.00

I have to admit, I’d had my ups and downs with this product, not because it’s rubbish but because it sometimes makes my eyes run a little bit. I’ve learnt not to use it anywhere near my waterline otherwise problems will occur. Overall it’s a brilliant eyeliner, it has a nice tip and it gives such a precise line. The good thing with this eyeliner is that it’s a true black and it lasts all day. It also lasts for months on end, to give you all an indication, I bought this eyeliner around spring time and it’s still going strong, 9 months isn’t too bad don’t you think?!

MAC Zoom Fast Lash Mascara - £13.50

I own many types of mascara not because I’m a crazy mascara addict but because I cannot simply find a good mascara that will lengthen, separate and add volume to my eyelashes. I don’t know if many of you know this but my right eyelashes are twice as long as my left eyelashes, a little weird but also a nightmare. I would invest in individual lashes but after hearing they rip out natural eyelashes, I was soon put off the idea, I’ll just stick to mascara. The point I’m getting at is that this mascara is by far the best mascara that I’ve ever tried; it actually makes my left eyelashes look remotely normal which is a massive bonus for me! The mascara also does a great job of lengthening and separating my lashes, its just genius. It’s a great mascara for wearing everyday even though it gives you huge eyelashes! I just LOVE the stuff and I will DEFINITELY re-purchase!

MAC Shadestick in ‘Tundra’ - £13.50

I bought this around mid September, I didn’t know much about shadesticks so I thought I’d try one, I also loved the colour and I think this was another factor why I bought it. If you don’t know what a shadestick is, it’s basically a pen style eyeshadow; they’re fast and easy to apply. The great thing with shadesticks is that they can be worn alone or you can blend other eyeshadows over the top of them. I also use my shadestick as an eyeliner too. They are practical for those people who have little time to apply makeup in the morning. Just swipe over your eyelids, blend a little using a fluffy brush and you’re done!

MAC Lipstick in ‘Unknown Pleasures’ - £13.50

I recently got this lipstick and I have to say that it’s probably the best berry toned lipstick that I’ve ever tried. It’s a mattene lipstick, which is basically a matte lipstick without the horrible dry feeling. I’m quite saddened that MAC haven’t made these lipsticks permanent because they truly are brilliant, the formulation is amazing. I love everything about these lipsticks, the packaging is sleek, they glide on the lips with ease and they last 8+ hours without fading! The perfect lipstick for wearing to a meal as drinking and eating does not affect this lipstick in anyway. A good tip if you buy one of these lipsticks, use eye makeup remover to remove it because it you don’t, this baby will not come off!

MAC Lipstick in ‘Mlle’ - £13.50

This is the perfect nude lipstick and even though it’s a glaze lipstick, it has great pigmentation and lasts around 5 hours without fading. I primarily wear this lipstick when I wear a bright or smokey eye, as I want all the focus to be on my eyes and not my mouth. It’s also my go to lipstick when I don’t know what lipstick to wear. Some people dislike this lipstick, as it is quite pale and can resemble ‘foundation lips’ but because I’m ghostly pale, I can pull it off. I going to be devastated when I run out of this beauty, I just hope MAC re-promote this lipstick in a future collection.

Nars Lipstick in ‘Schiap’ - £17.50

This was one of the very first lipsticks I purchased in 2011 and it remained one of my favourites, especially one of my favourite pink lipsticks. This lipstick is so pigmented that it actually stained my hand after swatching it, it is definitely a lipstick that you can rely on.  This lipstick lasts around 12+ hours; you literally need to scrub it off your lips so invest in a decent eye makeup remover! The only warning I will give you is that you need to apply it with a brush, if you apply it directly from the tube and get a bit on your skin, then you’re going to look as if you’ve been chomping on beetroot.

Nars Loose Powder in ‘Flesh’ - £26.50

2011 was the year I discovered loose powder. It wasn’t that I’d never heard of them before, I just didn’t feel the need to own one. After a couple of months of blogging I noticed that a lot of people were raving about certain loose powders so I decided to check them out. After deliberating between Chanel translucent powder and Nars loose powder, I went ahead and bought myself the Nars loose powder. It’s a hefty tub and I don’t think I’ll ever reach the bottom of it; I’ve had it for months and haven’t even used a quarter of it. I use the powder to set my makeup and I also use it on it’s own when I don’t want to wear foundation. The powder has a slight tint to it so you’re able to wear it alone or on top of other products. It’s a great powder and it does exactly what it says on the tin. It doesn’t cause breakouts, it’s not cakey what so ever and it feels really light on the skin. It really is flawless skin in a tub.

No7 Cleanse & Care Eye Makeup Remover - £7.75

Skincare is very important to me and if I didn’t follow a skincare routine I know I’d develop under the skin spots and other little demons. One product I think ever makeup wearer should own is a good eye makeup remover as it’s important to remove every last bit of eye makeup. I used to use the Clarins eye makeup remover but after learning that it didn’t last long (approx. 2 weeks), I figured I needed to seek a different eye makeup remover. After seeing online reviews, I opted for the No7 eye makeup remover. It’s a brilliant product, it removes waterproof makeup and one bottle lasts around 2 and a half months, which is brilliant! Another thing I like about this product is that it comes with a pump meaning you don’t use up a lot of product, the remover can also be mixed with water too. It’s a great makeup remover and I highly recommend it to anyone.

Orly Nail Varnish in ‘Passion Fruit’ - £6.95

This is a beautiful yet unique colour. It’s basically a mix of red, pink and orange, a true passion fruit colour! Orly nail varnishes are amazing, they have great staying power and each bottle contains 18ml, which is brilliant as the majority of nail varnishes contain 8-15ml. I’m quite shocked at how reasonable Orly nail varnishes are because I would have expected them to cost a lot more as the quality is exceptional. Orly has a great selection of nail varnishes available, from bright neons to subtle shimmers.

Sally Hansen Double Duty Top Coat - £4.95

I use this top coat over absolutely anything, whether it being a plain colour or fancy nail art.  It really does help to keep your nail varnish in place. I also have an O.P.I top coat that was triple the price of the Sally Hansen top coat and in comparison it’s rubbish, I actually regret buying the O.P.I top coat. The Sally Hansen top coat is by far the best top coat that I’ve ever tried and once I’ve run out of it, I will be re-purchasing.

Sleek Oh So Special Palette - £6.49

This is a lovely little palette, it contains a great mix of colours and it’s an ideal palette for creating various different smokey looks. From brown smokey to purple smokey. The pigmentation of the eyeshadows is amazing; they are so pigmented that you literally need to use the tiniest amount. If you would like to see swatches and an in depth reviews, check out this blog post: Sleek Oh So Special

I honestly cannot praise this palette enough! For £6.59, it’s amazing!

Urban Decay Naked Palette - £35.00

I have seen this featured on a lot of people’s ‘products of 2011’ posts so I won’t say much about it as I think my opinions will relatively be the same. All I have to say about this palette is that it contains 12 beautiful colours and the perfect palette for creating everyday and smokey looks. The eyeshadows are also extremely pigmented and blend so well! I just cannot wait to get my hand on the Naked 2!

I also have a full post on the palette so if you would like to see swatches and an in depth review then it may be a good idea looking at that post if you wish to know more information about it. Here is the post: Urban Decay Naked Palette

Here are the swatches...

Top Row: Epatant, Short Shorts, Tundra, Eyeliner, Flesh.

Bottom Row: Mlle, Unknown Pleasure, Schiap, 01 Fair, 06.

 If you would like to see the video version of this post, here it is:

I hope you all enjoyed looking at my best beauty products of 2011! If you have any questions, please comment below! 

Thanks for reading/watching!

:) 

Illamasqua Medium Pencil in 'Bait'

If you have seen my recent post about my purchase from ASOS then you'll know that I ordered an Illamasqua Medium Pencil in 'Bait'. The intention of the Medium pencils is that you can use them as lip liners and also eyeliners. The Medium pencils come in a wide range of colours so there's something for everyone.

I have only ever used these on my lips and I really cannot praise them enough, these beauts last all day which is great! No matter how much you drink or eat, these really do not budge. The pigmentation is excellent too and the colours are so intense.

Here's the packaging...

And the pencil...

A close up...

And finally,  a lovely swatch...

This is such an amazing colour, and I'd probably wear this as a lipstick. You can line your lips with them but you also have the option of colouring your full lip in and wearing them as a lipstick. 

Pro's of Medium pencils:

• Amazing pigmentation
• Intense colour
• A wide selection of colours available
• Long lasting, it takes a lot of scrubbing to get these off
• Very versatile
• Can create amazing looks with them 

Con's of Medium pencils:

• £13 each, so they're pretty pricey
• Quite short in length

If you want to buy this Medium pencil you can buy it from; ASOS and Illamasqua

Thanks for reading! 

:D