MATIS

Face of the Yesterday: Champagne meets Lemonade

/ MANY BRAVE FOOLS / Leave a comment

No, I haven’t been tippling the bubbly again. More’s the pity!

Nope, I’ve just got evidence that you can mix-n-match your variously-priced products along the spectrum, to excellent effect.

Often, things come in on an individual basis, as in, I didn’t get a Name Brand Primer to go with my Name Brand Foundation. But I did get one of each from two very different lines.

So there I was, with Mineral Pro Radiance Foundation {€29.95} from Matis, on the one hand, and Rimmel London’s Fix & Perfect Pro Primer {€8.25}. Far enough away in price point, and purchase point too: the former being available in select salons, and the latter in your local chemists.

And yet, the two together work as well as if they’d been made for each other.

FOTD 31 01The tone is even, and since I’m not so mad about pressed powder these days, the usual application of Stila’s Set & Illuminate Baked Powder Trio {£24} really sparkled. I am loving this loose powder which, well, sets ISADORA BRUSHand illuminates without dulling down my complexion. I use an IsaDora Bronzer Brush {€18}, a brush so full and soft and fluffy, it’s like using a plush toy to put on my makeup.

Blush: IsaDora Glow Stick in Rose Bud {€15.50}{which seems pricey? Google is not helping me.} Lippy is a new, limited edition No7 Moisture Drench Lipstick in Highland Mist {€12.25}. The eyeshadow is by The Body Shop, a quad Smoky Eye Palette in Golden Brown {23.95}, the lashes are still extended a la Venus Medical, and…

Oh! The upper inner eyelid is lined with Rimmel ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner {@5.49}, about which I first learned via mcmademoisellelikes and was justified in my love of this line of liners by lovelygirliebits yesterday.

I don’t know, I’ve never used all one thing on the visage, ever, so I suppose this is not so remarkable. But I was still struck by how well the two very different products worked together. I remember, in high school, using like, two layers of lipstick and a gloss, to replicate some expensive look I’d seen in Vogue. Ah, yesterday!

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Hmmm, not confident about those IsaDora prices. BRB.

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Festive Face: Who’s Under Pressure?!?!

/ brightandbeautyfull / Leave a comment

I feel the reindeer breathing down my neck.

SONY DSCGet back to basics with Matis Fundamental Gift Set {€69; worth €107} — you get — I mean, the person for whom you are buying this will get a full-sized Fundamental Beautifying Cream, and samples of the Lift Effect Gel, Radiance Revealing Serum, Avantage Initial, and Youth Hand Cream SPF10. The container re-purposes as a jewellery box!

CLINIQUE black tie violets2

What could be better than Clinique Bonus Time? A Clinique gift set the like of which you see here. Black Tie Violets {€70} comes with all that lovely stuff — that little wand-y thing is a lower lash mascara — in a typically lovely wee bag. I can personally vouch for everything except that bottom lash mascara, and give a very special shout out for the eyeshadow, which blends beautifully, and makes the eyes pop {not in a scary way.}

JETSET

I’ve got an eternal fondness for BeneFit packaging, and this is a new fave, because She’s So Jetset {€39.50} comes with PoreFessional and the legendary They’re Real! mascara. You also get a 4-shade eyeshadow palette, a lip gloss in Life on the A-list, and some face powder.

DEBENHAMS cristal

If you know anyone who is really good at putting on false eyelashes, here’s an attention-getting pair: Dior Grand Bal Limited Edition False Eyelashes {€26}. I would pay someone to apply them for me, as I am not so good at them. Sparkly! {And sold out in BT’s Dublin, so ring round if you are after a set yourself.}