MAC Soft and Gentle Review

Today I've decided to review the latest addition to my collection; Soft and Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish by MAC.

To me Soft & Gentle is a bit of an apple pie; Everyone knows it and most people love it. So I'm really feeling a bit late to the party on this one. It works well on most fair to medium skintones as a basic highlight, although darker tones may prefer a more bronze toned highlight. I think MAC's claims of a "gilded peach bronze" may be a tad ambitious. I have (untanned) sallow skin, and swatched I could see champagne and white gold tones, with a light peach frosted sheen. Again, it's definitely at the lighter end of the spectrum.

Now I had originally believed that application would be the easiest thing ever (it's a powder, not rocket science. I can handle it), however I honestly was pretty frustrated during the process. I used my Paul & Joe all over face powder brush (natural tapered bristles), and I don't know if it's the brush or the skinfinish, but I found it really difficult to judge the amount of product I was picking up. I know that sometimes on first use MAC products can seem to have a film over them that needs to be removed before the full effect comes through (Wash & Dry collection I'm looking at you) so I did give it a rub over with a tissue. Even still, I found that until you begin to apply it you can't tell how much you're working with. So in my opinion this something that needs to be built up in light layers. I suppose the plus side to this is being able to create a slight glow and also a very strong highlight. 

At the end of the day I'm not surprised to see so many people absolutely loving Soft and Gentle. It works on most skintones, it's not over the top and yet can be brought up to a more intense finish, and it's a product that gives a natural glow as opposed to something totally artificial. On the other hand it is a very generic highlighter, and didn't blow me away at all. I'd recommend it as a reliable part of any kit, but it's not something I'd reach for first.

Have you tried Soft and Gentle? I'd absolutely love to hear your thoughts!
Claire x

Sally Hansen VitaSurge Strength Gel Review

I guess I should start by saying that my nails are not pretty; never have been and never will be. I bit them, pulled at them, scraped and chipped nail polish off them for thirteen or so years. Nothing could stop me. Stop 'n' Grow was useless. I was an anxious child on a mission, and my nails paid the price. 

That is, until I was seventeen and I decided that I'd had enough. No more short little stubs that looked awful, thanks very much. I wanted long nails and that was that.
Or so I thought.
What I got were weak nails, that broke constantly; either coming straight off or cracking at the sides. I can't count the amount of money I spent or products I tried, to no avail. A month ago things got super bad. Eight out of ten nails broke within a few days of each other, and the ones that didn't were threatening to crack. The ring finger on my right hand looked about to split right down the middle. So after a recommendation from one of the girls in work (my hero) I sped to TKMaxx in search of products from the Nail Goddess- Sally Hansen.

The VitaSurge Strength Gel promises 'a fast absorbing gel formula for weak nails that split and peel. Dries clear. Stronger nails in 5 days. Vitamin C formula for strength and resilience. Multi-active bead infused gel formula instantly releases a surge of nourishing vitamins C and E for stronger more resilient nails. Helps increase flexibility so nails resist splitting and peeling'.

Naturally, after reading that I was sold, and the amazing turquoise colour made it even better. 

Application is simple. Just apply some of the product to your nails- bonus points if you get the little balls (no laughing) and rub it in either with a finger or the applicator. It dries in within two minutes or so, which is perfect for on the go use.

As far as I can tell the little white balls are the vitamins C and E and if you press down on one they break up and disperse. 

Now, I suppose the big question is did it work in five days? For me, no. But after one week of usage every night before bed I did notice a small difference. Now a month later my nails aren't splitting or peeling as much, although the problem hasn't been completely alleviated. Strength- wise I've not noticed a huge difference as my nails were actually pretty strong to begin with.

Possibly for someone with normal nails that  only occasionally break this could be perfect, but if you have severely damaged nails I wouldn't necessarily recommend this.

Have you tried it? If so, let me know and tell me your thoughts.

Claire x

Makeup Brush Guide Part 1: Choosing Your Brushes

As Philoctetes in Hercules said: 'A hero is only as good as his weapon'. That being said, a make up artist needs good tools. Brushes are an essential part of any good kit, however, with so many to choose from, it can be difficult to know what you need. The right brush will give you the best finish and maximise the quality of the products you're using. 
Until I learned what brushes different brushes were used for, and what I actually needed, I would mindlessly buy more and more and still find them to not really be right. So I decided to compile this little guide to help you figure out what you need and when you need it.

The Basics

Anatomy of a makeup brush
Almost every makeup brush is made from the head (bristles) and body (ferrule and handle).
Bristles can be natural or synthetic, and the handle can be wood or plastic. The ferrule is the connector between the bristles and handle and is usually metal.

Natural or synthetic?
Choosing between natural or synthetic bristles does make a big difference, believe it or not. Synthetic brushes are slightly more suited to liquid or cream products compared to natural brushes, as the hair is smoother and has less naturally occurring blemishes and doesn't trap products as much. 
Natural bristles are fantastic to use with powder products as they blend them so well, and give a beautiful finish.

Natural: pony, goat, squirrel, sable, horse, badger
Synthetic: acrylic, taklon

Types of Brushes

Makeup brushes can be divided into two main categories: face brushes and eye brushes. 
Eye brushes are an extensive category but can include:
Definer
Smudger
Blender
Pointed liner
Angled liner
Crease blender
Basic eyeshadow
And all can be small medium or large but I think my fingers may fall off if I try to list them all.

So hopefully this has helped break down the endless selection of brushes available for you. If you have any suggestions or comments please leave them below.

Claire x