Slapping it on

What do you use to put on your makeup? Sponges? A roll of brushes, makeup artist-style? Or just your fingers?

All of these methods have their advantages and disadvantages. People don't always like to get messy by using their fingers and some fear that sponges and brushes harbour too much bacteria. However, fingers and brushes can be easily cleaned, sponges can be cheaply replaced, and all provide good coverage, while brushes have the added bonus of providing extra precision (especially around smaller areas where more detail is required, such as around the eyes and lips).

But when it comes to brushes it can be difficult to know where to start. Virtually all makeup brands sell their own, and pharmacies, supermarkets, and other beauty retailers usually manufacture their own brands as well. So how can we mere laymen know what to go for?

People aren't wrong to fantasize about the makeup brushes of makeup artists, such as those by MAC, Daniel Sandler, Jemma Kidd, Kervyn Aucoin, Sue Devitt, Laura Mercier, Paula Dorf, RMK, and Suqqu. They're made with high-quality materials and can be kept and used for years with proper cleaning. However, with all of the brushes listed above costing at least £10 each, it can become a costly endeavour.

I've personally had great success with brushes from ELF (Eyes Lips Face), which are affordable yet durable. But now there's a new player on the market thanks to some great foundation brushes from Mii that I've found: even though its cheapest brush is still £14.95, the website runs special offers regularly, meaning that you could still grab a bargain if you keep your eyes open. The brushes are especially adapted for mineral makeup (which Mii also sells) and the bristles are beautifully shaped for ultimate definition. This wide range of high quality makeup brushes offers something for everyone meaning that you should without doubt find something to suit your needs - and even if you don't manage to find a bargain before Christmas, you can always put a request for some in your letter to Santa (or better yet, on your shopping list for the January sales). That way, you can be sure to start 2014 by slapping it on in style.

Make Your Summer Sparkle

POST SUPPORTED BY WWW.MYJEWELRYBOX.COM

So they say that diamonds are a girl's best friend? Fine - until your jaw hits the floor at what are normally stratospheric prices. You're very often looking at three figures before you even begin - and that's often for a diamond that you need a magnifying glass to look at. But as with most things these days, if you shop around a bit (thank you, Google Shopping) you can often get what you want closer to the price you want.

Another way to get diamonds more cheaply than having a socking great rock on one finger is to think smaller: diamond earrings, for instance, will be cheaper than a diamond ring. One such website bringing you the sparkly stuff for less is MyJewelryBox.com, and you can also look around for sales at the major retailers such as H Samuel and Ernest Jones. If the prices at MyJewelryBox.com are too good to refuse, but you balk in the UK at the $50 shipping charge, it's equally easy to go in with friends or to take the chance to buy some dazzling gifts in order to get maximum value out of your order.

If you're not really into jewellery, though (after all, this is a beauty website), there are still plenty of other ways to inject some sparkle into your summer, both on the high street and off. Starting with the body, you can find lots of glitter on your local high street, whether this is with Body Shop's Brilliance Powder (which has slightly flawed packaging but still does a good job) or with the ethical competitor, Lush's Iridescent Glitterbug or their Shimmy Shimmy glitter bar (which you just rub over your body until the desired effect is achieved). If you set your sights a little higher in the sophistication stakes, though, you could always try Cacharel's Noa Perfumed Body Lotion, which starts at just over £20 online and provides a divine glow as well as smelling gorgeous.

There are also seemingly infinite numbers of options for adding some sparkle to your face. For the eyes, try Avon's Colour Sparkle Lash and Line, which incorporates a glitter liner and a mascara all into one handy tube, or for a more full-on look, try MAC Pigments for wow-factor and easily achievable fairy princess looks (or their less expensive cousin, Stargazer Eye Dusts). Even the nails can carry off a Dorothy-style look as you paint your nails with Barry M Nail Paints, whose sparkly variants can make you feel like you've stepped straight out of The Wizard of Oz.

Want something more subtle? No problem. There's a plethora of glittery products out there for even the most shrinking of violets, including Bourjois' Little Round Pot Blusher, which has colours carrying the tiniest glitter particles you ever saw, and Sally Hansen's Diamond Lip Treatment, which looks natural while still making you sparkle. It's good for your lips, is hard-wearing, and is even decorated with a small faux diamond on the front of the tube. However, that's not to say that perhaps a real diamond would not be better.

MAC Paints

RRP: £12 for 6.5g
no. of shades available: 11

--What does the promo say?--
"A high tech, high performance eye shadow product which goes on creamy and dries to a powdery finish. It is ideal for colour-intensive, texture-rich looks that need to last. Made with concentrated pearl pigments in a cream colour formulation, the "transformative" abilities of M·A·C Paints allow for easy application, blendability, and flexibility of coverage. Its transfer-resistant finish creates a smooth, crease-free, slightly shiny, reflective look to the lid."

--Packaging--
Looks like it's come straight out of an artist's paint-box, exactly imitating the quirky tubes of oil paint, and therefore draws a nice metaphor of one's face being a canvas with which you can do anything. It's a small tube about 2.5 inches long, all black apart from the white MAC logo and the small coloured strip near the opening that matches the colour of the shadow you've chosen. The lid is a simple black T-shaped screw top lid. All very easy to open and close, with little risk of leakage, and all very nice to look at too. It's professional, minimalist and high-quality packaging.

--Application--
Very carefully squeeze a very tiny amount (think the size of a pinhead) onto a brush or onto the tip of your finger. This stuff really is best applied gradually, in layers, in order to achieve the desired effect. It's very easy to add more if you haven't done enough - but it isn't nearly so easy to take away when you've done too much. Be careful also not to apply the shadow too thickly or you may end up creasing it before it's had a chance to dry. However, it's easy to apply despite this and there's no problem achieving your desired look.

--Appearance--
On the eye, the shadow appears just as promised: a strong colour with a slightly reflective finish. The shadow dries fast, but not too fast, so it's easy to blend with other shadows, whether these shadows are also MAC Paints or other shadows. The range of colours offered in the MAC Paints category means that you could probably pick any 2 or 3 and blend them quite happily as the palette offered is quite harmonious. The only oddity is the shade Chartru, which is a sort of pale green, while all of the other MAC Paints are purples, pinks and taupes. You can therefore use the darker shades of purple to create an intense, dramatic look on their own, or blend darker and lighter shades for everyday wear. The colours on offer should also suit any complexion, hair colour, or eye colour - even redheads will be able to get away with the lighter shades.

--Texture/consistency--
A thick, stiff creamy formula that's not gooey, lumpy or runny. An absolute dream to apply.

--Longevity--
As long as you've let it dry properly beforehand there should be absolutely no problems, even without a primer. You can wear this all day (and all night!) with no creases at all. Simply superb.

--Value for money--
At first glance this seems expensive, but given that the colours will suit everyone and that you need to use so little each time, as well as the fact that this eyeshadow is generally faultless, there's nothing to make it not worth the money paid. Full marks.

MAC Pigment Shadow for Eyes

RRP: £15.00 for 7.5g
no. of shades available: 26

--What does the promo say?--
"Pigment is a highly concentrated loose colour powder that contains ingredients to help it adhere to the skin. Pigment comes in an excellent range of colours. Use to create a subtle wash of colour or an intense effect. Pigment does not streak or cake, is easy to blend and long-lasting."

--Packaging--
The pigment comes in a small, transparent pot with a black screw-top lid (all made of plastic). The MAC logo graces the front of the pot in sophisticated black lettering. The pot is easy to open and close, and doesn't leak.

--Application--
You will need to purchase an eyeshadow brush (or sponge, it doesn't matter) for this. Dip the tip of the brush/sponge into the pigment and either apply all over the eyelid, or follow the line of the top lashes and then smudge outwards (either with water or without). This was all very easy to do as the powder is so finely pigmented - it doesn't fall off your eyelids or the brush while you're trying to apply it, so there's no wastage and no mess.

--Texture--
A very fine, shimmery powder. I think all of the MAC pigments have some sort of shimmer or pearlescence to them. On the eyelids the powder feels very smooth and non-irritating.

--Appearance--
While this could so easily look over the top, it really doesn't. With the smoky grey, brown and black shades, you can create smoky eyes with ease without looking like you've been in a fight.

--Longevity--
Utterly perfect. I haven't attempted it without a primer, but with my usual combination of eye cream + primer before the application of the shadow, it lasted all day.

--Value for money--
Not very much of the product is needed to create the desired effects, so I'm guessing one pot of this would go a long way. I bought mine as part of a sample deal on ebay, whereby I got to try 5 colours for £6. However, I would undoubtedly shell out full price for this excellent, high-quality product. This is now officially my favourite eye shadow brand, closely followed by Bobbi Brown.

MAC Pro Longwear Lustre Lipcolour

RRP: £15.50 for 8ml tube
No. of shades available: 14 in Lustre range, 17 in regular Longwear range

--Packaging--
Comes in a slender black cardboard box, with white writing detailing the name, shade, ingredients etc. Very sleek and stylish, but obviously the box wears with age. The tube itself is actually comprised of 2 small tubes, linked by a black handle in the middle. The black handle has "MAC Pro Longwear Lustre Lipcolour" written on it in silver. Off the right-hand side of the handle you have the lipcolour itself, and off the left-hand side you have the shimmer/sealant.

--What does the promo say?--
"A two-step application of lightweight colour + mirror-finished top coat. Apply the colour. Let it dry. Apply the top coat! Provides sheer to medium coverage with a rich, lustrous, moisturizing finish. Longwearing, comfortable on the lips. Won’t shift, transfer, feather or smudge. Replacement top coats available."

--Application--
Twist the handle and pull to your left to release the applicator for the lipcolour. Apply the lipcolour all over your lips. One coat is fine, but two is better if you're looking for it to last all evening. Push the applicator back into the lipcolour and twist to close. Leave to dry (should take no longer than 5 mins) and then twist the handle and pull to your right to release the applicator for the gloss. Apply as you would a regular gloss and reapply as needed.

--Appearance and scent--
The gloss and lipcolour complement one another really well. Beware that the colours look slightly lighter/more subtle on the website than they do in reality - it's really better to go into a MAC store and try some samples for yourself. There is not really a strong scent - it smells slightly waxy, as most lipsticks do, but that's pretty normal and you don't notice it. The difference between the Lustre Pro Longwear and the regular Pro Longwear is that the Lustre has a slight glitter effect in the gloss, whereas the regular one doesn't. When it's on, the stronger shades in particular are very striking, so I'd recommend minimal makeup elsewhere on the face for maximum impact.

--Texture--
The lipcolour is quite smooth, though while it's drying on your lips it does feel like paint. The lipgloss is lovely - very smooth indeed and I wouldn't wear the lipcolour without it.

--Longevity--
Excellent - just apply two coats of the lipcolour and then keep reapplying the gloss for long-lasting colour. I find it much better than the Max Factor equivalent (Lipfinity).

--Removal--
Slightly tough to remove, but not impossible. You do have to scrub at your lips a bit, so to remove it, I wouldn't recommend using a removal cream with cotton pads like I would normally do - buy some of those makeup removal wipes so that you don't get removal cream in your mouth.

--How do your lips feel afterwards?--
Fine, but I would still recommend using a good lip balm afterwards (Nivea or Vaseline) just to be sure.

--Value for money--
I won't lie, it is expensive, but a tube lasts a very long time, it does what it says on the tin, and is way better than the Max Factor equivalent. Admittedly I am biased (I do have 3 tubes), but I would definitely recommend it as a treat.