makeup junkie

Urban Defense Complexion Primer

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Urban Defense Complexion Primer AED 149

I test new products on a weekly basis and I often find ones I love and add to my kit, however it is rare that I add something to my daily make-up regime! Well…NEW MUST HAVE ALERT!!

Living in the sandpit, sunscreen is A MUST and should always be worn before makeup however I have combination skin and often the added layer give me added shine so I am guilty of skipping it. Urban Defense Complexion Primer by Urban Decay has finally put an end to my search for a sunscreen that won’t mess up my makeup!!

The first time I applied it it disappeared into my skin and I felt that it would be useless but I was duped!! Like a force field, this crystal-clear primer feels like nothing you’ve ever tried and protects your skin from whatever the day throws at you. It feels as though you have not applied a product unlike some greasy primers that leave a residue. It contains SPF 30 to protect you from the sun but what amazed me was that it actually controlled my oil which is something that it does not claim to do. I did not powder for the entire day and my skin felt and looked moisturised and healthy without being oily and shiny!

Not only does it guard you from the sun, it also primes and smooths skin while minimising the look of pores..It DOES exist…a completely clear sunscreen that feels amazing, won’t interfere with your makeup, and smoothes your complexion for better application. In a clinical study of Urban Defense Complexion Primer, immediately after use:* •96% of participants had a reduction in pore visibility. • 100% had smoother-looking skin.•100% had more even-toned skin.*Based on clinical grading in a 31-person study.

My oily skinned comrades, you will be blown away, I literally have found no negatives, even the size is generous!! This is the best 149 AED you will spend on skin-prep, the product is available in all Sephora Middle East stores!

Becca Cosmetics Highlighter

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Since Becca landed in Dubai earlier this year, you may have heard me raving about it. I have a handful of items that I cannot live without and Becca’s Shimmering Skin Perfector compact has joined my “can’t live without” list. It is one of those magic products, every SINGLE time I wear it, I get comments on my skin, or people ask what product I’m wearing. The crushed pearls in Becca products blur your imperfections and make your skin look almost airbrushed. I have tried and tested around 40 different highlighters on the market and so far nothing has come close to this one.

The beauty with these highlighters are the colour theory. Many highlighters end up looking too white or too shiny, I personally like natural make-up and that strobe look is a little OTT for me. When someone asks you if you are wearing highlighter or if you are glowing you know the highlighter is working! Becca was founded on a range of complexion products for women of all skin tones. Their years of research have made them experts in shade development. Their shades cover the fairest to the deepest skin tones and you will be sure to find a tone that looks natural on you.

For evenings looks, I love to mix the backlight priming filter with my foundation to give me a luminous base. I finish my makeup by applying the Becca shimmering skin perfector with an angled brush above my cheekbones, down the centre of my nose and in my cupids bow.

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The limited edition palette is one of my favourite palettes, I actually went back and bought another before they run out as I know I will be using it a lot! It has two highlighter shades (one being c-pop), two mineral blush shades and one luminous blush shade. You can mix and match to create endless looks and the luminosity makes all the shades look great with any skintone.

You can buy Becca Cosmetics in any Sephora Middle East Outlet’s!

Sephora’s New Cushion Foundation

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This new foundation is the future of make-up…If Korea’s doing it then we are definitely a few steps ahead of the rest of the world. It is like something I have never seen before, the formula is saturated in a cushion so it is a hybrid of a liquid foundation with the practicality of a compact format. I wondered about the application and how it disperses, whether you need a little of a lot but when I patted the puff onto the compact lightly, there was plenty of product transfer. I blended it into my skin and it had a lovely natural finish with a radiant glow.

I applied a little more to see if it was buildable and it certainly gives fuller coverage if you need it to. The aim of this product was to give the “I woke up like this” look and I have to say it did give a very natural radiant look. My only scepticism was that I am not sure how many applications you get from the product but I was told about 40 is average.

I love how innovative the product is, you should definitely give it a go as it may be the future of foundations! It is priced at a reasonable AED 115.

 

 

 

 

Too Faced Hangover Face Primer

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Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Face Primer - AED 149Many of us are guilty of not getting enough sleep, we have early mornings and long days at work followed by late nights causing us to induce a beauty hangover. Dull tired skin, puffy eyes and dehydration. I have found an instant remedy: Hangover is a primer made of coconut water, probiotics and skin revivers which work together to improve tired and dull skin while locking down make-up for a fresh and optimal result. It can be worn alone for a healthy looking finish, or under bronzers, foundations and powders to create the perfect canvas.

100% of users claimed their skin was more hydrated and looked as though they had a full night sleep. 8 hours after use they claimed skin looks more radiant and make up glided on more easily. It is really important to have hydrated skin, one of my clients once told me she find blending really difficult although it looks really easy online. After looking at how dry her skin was I explained that the product was just soaking into her skin making blending a nightmare, that is when makeup can look really patchy and visible. It is so important to always use a moisturiser and primer, the make up sits above the primer and literally glides on making it look much more even and natural.

Hangover contains probiotics and revivers to:

  • Moisturise and illuminate the skin
  • Improve the skin’s elasticity and tone
  • Soothe and smooth skin
  • Provide all the benefits of a primer

After having been unavailable in the Middle East for 2 years, you can finally get your hands on Hangover again exclusively at Sephora for 149 dhs.

Kat Von D Spring Collection

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Kat Von D is launching her eye-catching collection for Spring, the colours are bolder and more intense inviting you to push the limits and create custom, high-impact looks.

 

 

The new Metal Crush Eyeshadow features a formula that contains the highest concentration of pigments that is possible for long wear and vibrancy. With a polished metal finish, 8 ultra-intense shades deliver electrifying colour with incredibly creamy-smooth texture. The bold, unexpected shade range is uniquely Kat, breaking eye-shadow colour convention with high-pigment metallics including Thrasher (metallic gold), Static Age (metallic silver), Black No. 1 (iridescent gunmetal), Danzig (pearlescent violet), Raw Power (iridescent mahogany), Paranoid (pearlescent cobalt), Iggy (pearlescent mermaid green), and Electric Warrior (pearlescent citron green). They are available in Sephora as of today and are priced at AED 95.

 

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita 2 - AED 100

 

 

Also get acquainted with Lolita II, she’s warm and bright and looks gorgeous on everyone, just like the original Lolita. In a flattering matte terra cotta nude, she’s the perfect complement to her chestnut rose sister shade—the one who took the world by storm and became Kat’s most coveted shade ever! Perfect for pairing with the vibrant eye-shadow shades, this muted colour will not draw the attention away. This soon-to-be bestseller is available for AED 100 in Kat’s breakthrough Everlasting Liquid Lipstick formula, a full-coverage, 24-hour wear liquid lipstick glides over lips like a gloss and dries to a velvety, matte finish.

The new Kat Von D Spring 2016 Collection will be available February 2016 in Avant-premiere in Sephora Dubai Mall, and from April 1st 2016 in all Sephora Middle East stores.

 

 

 

 

The Mascara, Sephora

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20160225_085213-1They don’t just call it “The Mascara” by coincidence, the developer of this product explained when you have this mascara you don’t need to look for “The One” anymore because it takes care of all your needs. The formula gives definition while lengthening and giving your lashes a lift. If that wasn’t enough it guarantees 106% volume and length after 10 coats, and 195% more after 30 coats.

I could see the difference in volume, I took a picture wearing the mascara on just one eye so that you can see the difference and how it literally lifts my lashes to my brow! I am not one for falsies so I am really particular about my mascaras and I have to say this one is definitely a leader. I was completely in love with Givenchy’s Noir Couture but this one is taking the lead only because it does everything Noir Couture does but with a much nicer texture and formula that doesn’t cement to your lashes. Its more gummy therefore doesn’t flake and easy to clean off.

How does it do it?

  1. Ridges present in the bristles of the brush allow to properly grip the eyelashes to yield buildable results and a volume that intensifies with each coat.
  2. Thanks to its formula enriched with carnauba wax, it coats the lashes while being flexible.
  3. An acacia gum-based formula that secures and improves the resistance of mascara.

This mascara, all in one, offering intense volume, length and definition, and plus…it is long-lasting! That is why it is called THE Mascara.

It will be available in Sephora from March 1st and is priced at 95AED.

 

 

 

Burberry Festive Collection

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Nothing screams “Christmas is coming!” louder then Burberry’s Festive Film which celebrates 15 years of Billy Elliot with an amazing cast! It really got me in the festive season and then seeing the holiday beauty collection was just the icing on the cake.

I love the packaging and the details, Christmas is always my favourite time to buy make-up as so many brands create limited edition items. It’s the best time to add some glitz to your make-up bag and this year I found one of my favourite products yet!! I am so in love with Burberry’s Gold Glow Luminising Powder, not cheap at 300 AED but well worth it. It gives the most gorgeous glow and makes you smell delicious as it is laced with the notes of My Burberry perfume.

The collection is available at Areej and selected Burberry retailers.

Tweezerman’s Swarovski Edition Tweezers

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With the festive season looming there is no greater time to add some glitz and glam to your make-up bag. Its always good to be equipped with these beauties, whether its to pluck that stray eye-brow hair or if you have long nails like me they can be really handy for grasping fiddly items…from nail gems to sim cards, my tweezers are multi-functional.

Beauty Tips:

  • Always tweeze one hair at a time in direction of hair growth. For expert brow shaping, use the broad side of the slant ad the tip of the higher side for precision work.
  • Clean only the tweezer tips with an alcohol-moistened pad after each use. Clean crystals by rubbing lightly with a clean, smooth cloth. Do not soak tweezer body in water/solution or heat-sterilize. As with any fine crystal, handle with care. When not in use, keep in case to avoid dulling or breaking by scratching against or dropping on hard surfaces.

The Tweezerman Swarovski slant tweezer is available at Areej, Bloomingdales, Harvey Nichols, Tavola and Salam Studios and Stores across the GCC for AED 195.

Max Factor Makeover

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I was heading out for coffee with friends and wanted a natural fresh faced look. I was feeling really tired and needed a real lift and I managed to achieve that using just four Max Factor products.

I began with the Max Factor Skin Illuminizer foundation, I put a little product under the eyes, along the forehead and down the nose and blended it outwards with a stippler brush so it was pretty natural but concentrated to the areas that really lift your face. Then I took the blusher and just blended it outwards from the apples towards the ear. I finished with 2 coats of mascara – one just wasn’t enough with my sleepy eyes. I finished with the rosy lipstick, I didn’t realise how much of a difference four products can make until I saw the pictures side by side!

Maybelline New York, Summer Collection

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There is nothing worse then going into the sun and humidity with a full face of make-up, that melted face look is never gonna be hot and it leads to open clogged pores which often results in breakouts. Zizzle has some summer solutions for you that will have your skin looking flawless and sunkissed!

Rather then a heavy foundation, use a toner to close your pores and then apply a BB cream on top of it, Maybellines Bronze BB is great with SPF 25 to keep your skin protected from those hot summer rays. Its fresh water base hydrates, refreshes and smooths your skin. Pure color pigments unify and warm the skin tone, covering imperfections. Plus, its SunGlow Complex with golden shimmer crystals gives your skin an instant bronzed glow effect that’s stunning. The result is pure sun-kissed, luminous perfection that’s flawlessly natural, in two beautiful tone-adjusting shades, Light-Medium and Medium-Deep.

You can finish this look by dusting Sun Bronzing Powder on the areas of your face that are naturally sun-kissed. Your forehead, centre of the nose, cheekbones and jawline. Powders are also great for controlling oiliness and humidity, they absorb excess moisture on the skin so if your feeling a little sweaty dust a little more on. It comes in two shades, choose one a shade darker then your skin-tone for a natural tan effect.

Corals, oranges and reds really set off tans but red lips are not the most attractive in the burning sun, instead opt for a SPF barely there lip-balm and try these fiery shades on your nails. Maybelline New York’s ColorShow Sweet and Spicy Polish collection has some really nice shades to choose from, Paprika Pop, Tangerine Tango and Crushed Cayenne have those hot hues to set your tan on fire.