Ellis Faas Lights

RRP: €32

--What does the promo say?--

"Ellis Lights are much more than just highlighters. Although liquid, they dry upon application. Lights have a wonderfully smooth finish, so you won't feel any stickiness and you'll avoid those pesky eyelid creases. To create the illusion of metallic eyes, both as a fully coloured eyelid, or used topically. In combination with Creamy Eyes, the Lights give infinite possibilities to play with shadow and light – which is exactly what applying makeup is all about."

--Packaging--

Ellis Faas continues to provide a modern and innovative pen-style applicator made of high-shine metal. Just twist the end of the pen to make the eyeshadow appear in the brush.

--Application--

The Ellis Faas website advises: "Use the brush to paint on the Light over any ELLIS FAAS eye shadow, even though it can also be used on its own. For the strongest effect of metallic intensity, let the Light dry where you have painted it on the eyelid. For a more subtle effect, dab it with your finger before the Light has dried completely." These methods prove easy, fun and versatile in all their incarnations.

--Appearance--

Shade E306, which I was kindly sent by Ellis Faas' PR, is a gorgeous subtle shimmery beige that's a lighter shade of gold, perfect for those hoping to strike a classy note this party season. Needless to say, I now want to try *all* the others, from the unusual Holographic Bordeaux to the elegant Antique Silver. Wears well alone or combined with Ellis Faas' other eyeshadow ranges.

--Texture--

The liquid shadow dries powder-light, with no grittiness.

--Longevity--

Don't worry about your Christmas or New Year's party: this will see you through the night and into the morning with not a crease in sight.

--Value for money--

Would make a stunning gift for others or yourself - anyone who loves a touch of sparkle will love this, and a little goes a long way, thoroughly justifying the price tag.

perfect partners

Glazed Lips, €27

Creamy Eyes, €28

Ellis Faas Glow Down

RRP: €20
# of shades available: 3

--What does the promo say?--
"An invisible mattifier that sets makeup with a porcelain matte finish, enhancing any complexion with a natural appearance and revealing smooth skin. ELLIS FAAS Glow Down is non-powdery and transparent while feeling soft to the touch, with a veil of natural-looking mattifying effect. NOTE: this is a refill to fit into the cap of the Ellis Holder. ACTIVE INGREDIENTS - Vitamin E, amino acids, omega-3 oils, rapeseed oil, ginger root, galangal plus a Antipollution Green Complex. Use the velvety side of the revolutionary, double-sided powder puff to dust the face. Recommended for each skin type, age or style.

Vegan. No parabens. No scent. No animal testing."

--Packaging--

The Glow Down face powder comes in a standard metal pan, with a circular white sponge for application. No protective lid or plastic film is supplied beyond the cardboard nude-coloured box it comes in, so the Case (see below) is a recommended add-on.

--Application--

Using the sponge (or a brush if you prefer), pat over the skin after the use of foundation, concealer, and any primers. Standard.

--Appearance--

I'm lucky that the Fair shade matches my skin tone perfectly; however, with only 3 shades available, others might not be so fortunate. Provides a perfect finish.

--Scent--

Nothing discernible.

--Texture and consistency--

Disperses evenly on the skin without being too 'powdery' in the pan: zero wastage, so great for travel.

--Effects on the skin--

As promised, delivers a matte effect, and helps to cover imperfections while appearing smooth and natural. Over time, one would also expect the ingredients to have positive effects on skin conditions such as acne, as well as having general anti-ageing effects.

--Value for money--

A high-quality product which does what it says on the tin, and perfect for travel too. Mine was sent for free by Ellis Faas' PR (thanks guys!) but I would easily spend my own dosh on this.

perfect partners

Skin Veil, €65

Concealer, €29

Case, €10

Beauty Byte: Make Up Not War

Ever since its inception, Ellis Faas has supported renowned charity War Child via the proceeds from its makeup sales. So why not make a splash while making up this summer?

Make Up Not War is Ellis Faas' microsite, which showcases all of the good work that it is helping War Child to do (one Ellis Faas auction this month raised a cool €4k).

Its latest campaign is called Share A Kiss, which seeks to harness the power of Instagram in encouraging people to Make Up Not War. Kiss into the camera (perhaps using an Ellis Faas lipstick!), blow a kiss, or pass the kiss on however you like, using the hashtags #kisstomakeupnotwar, #MUNWChallenge, #ellisfaas and #warchild. You could even win a book showcasing Ellis Faas' work, signed especially for you!

As mentioned, you could use an Ellis Faas lipstick to participate in this challenge - perhaps their limited edition Hot Lip (which is cruelty-free and vegan) might suffice? The sale of each lipstick also enables War Child to keep one child from a war zone safe from harm for three months. Pick yours up here.

But if lipstick's not your thing, there's also the Ellis Faas t-shirt, from which the proceeds support a vulnerable child for six weeks. (Buy yours here!) Or failing that - donate direct.

There are lots of great causes out there, and this one's definitely up there in terms of being worthy of your consideration.

Big kiss!

Cosmetics Contemplations: Christmas Collections 2011

And on that highly alliterative note, let's begin.

 Giorgio Armani's Madre Perla Collection

Aiming to epitomise the glamour of the 1930s, this collection takes the art deco movement as its inspiration, exploiting pure lines, sophisticated colours and luxurious details to their fullest extent. The £95 Madre Perla palette evokes silk lingerie and is set off by lacquer and metal, while the more affordable Eyes To Kill eyeshadows (£24.50 each) come in glistening taupes, golds and silvers. The Gloss d'Armani capitalises on bolder colours - shown above are shades Rouge 404, Pink 507, Plum 603 and Plum 604, which at £21 each, would make a glamorous yet not bank-breaking gift.

Bath and Body Works All I Want Liplicious Collection

Despite being unavailable in the UK (sob), these look just too delicious to not feature here. Bath and Body Works' festive glosses combine holiday flavours with Vitamin E and jojoba oil, and are available in five cheekily-named variants: Gingerbread Giggle, Candied Smile, Peppermint Hug, Snickerdoodle Squeeze, and Cranberry Kiss. At $8 a pop (or $16.50 for the whole set of five), they're the perfect stocking-filler.

Get ready to party with MADARA Skincare

MADARA's Flower Dust Shimmering Body Lotion (£22) promises to turn heads at Christmas parties with its light-reflecting particles, as well as protecting skin from winter cold with its nourishing ingredients (including calendula, camomile, seaweed and rosehip). Its £25 Tinting Fluid uses St John's Wort, cocoa and plantain, among other ingredients, to allegedly help give you a natural dewy complexion while disguising imperfections and fine lines - but with only coming in two shades, I'd say that this tinted moisturiser is a bit of a gamble. The brand's Tinting Lip Glosses, priced at £9.90 each, may be a better bet, combining natural colours with moisturising properties using plant minerals, mica, soy beans, sea buckthorn and more.

Luxurious gifts from Chantecaille

Chantecaille's Swarovski-studded bottles and compacts are sure to glitter under the trees of those willing to cough up. Its Crystal Fragrance (of which there are 5 scents: Pétales, Tiare, Vetyver, Frangipane and Kalimantan), whose bottle was designed by artist Cimon, retails at £500, but even those with more modest budgets can also partake: its South Sea Pearl body highlighter, enclosed in a flow-through brush, costs £46, which while extravagant is not totally out of reach. The £75 Evening Duo contains two exquisite new eyeshadow shades, and is adorned with crystals aplenty.

Holiday Gifts from L'Occitane

The Holiday Confiserie comes in two different variants for L'Occitane fans this Christmas. The Rose and Violet collection (Délice des Fleurs) contains violet and rose leaf absolutes, and includes an eau de toilette, a solid perfume, a shower jelly, a body milk, a hand cream, and a lip gloss. The Délice des Fruits variant smells of lemon and clementine and offers customers a lip balm, shower jelly, body cream, perfumed soap, bath ball, hand cream, sweet candle, and home perfume diffuser. Prices start at £3.50.

Ellis Faas Winter Gift Set

To celebrate the season, Ellis Faas has devised a £60 gift set, comprising three best-sellers: Milky Lips L201, Creamy Eyes E103 for an easy smoky eye, which can also double up as a liner, and Milky Eyes E209 for fresh accents. Their bullet-like pens and refuse-to-budge hold never fails to impress.

With all of that to choose from, you certainly shouldn't be short of ideas now *cough*guys*cough*. There's something here for every style and budget, whether you prefer the edgy expense of Ellis, or the affordable offerings from L'Occitane. Wishing you a happy shopping season!

Ellis Faas Creamy Eyes

RRP: €28
# of shades available: 21

--What does the promo say?--
"Ellis has tested hundreds of eye shadows over the course of her career, and the moment she tried the formula of what has become ELLIS FAAS Creamy Eyes, she fell in love with its velvety texture. With its quick-drying properties and special blend of flower and coffee extracts, Creamy Eyes provides coverage without heaviness."

--Packaging--In keeping with the other products from the brand, the eyeshadow pen is a silver-bullet style canister that releases its colour through a sponge applicator at its end from manipulation of a click wheel. Easy, portable, convenient, sophisticated and edgy.

--Application--Just twist the end of the pen slowly until colour appears, then apply a little to your eyelid before blending using your fingertips. The brand recommends using different techniques for different looks, such as using it as a chunky eyeliner, creating a subtle look using blending, and using multiple colours for extra drama and flair.

--Scent--None.

--Appearance--The shade I was sent in 2010 - E104 - works well with my skin tone (pale) but is less bronze and shimmery than it appears online, instead being a more conventional brown and matte colour. Very classic and wearable. In 2018 I was sent shade E109, which as a creamy white defies instinct - most arguably wouldn't choose it - yet acts as a superb backdrop for just about any other colour you can think of, especially metallics (or can be worn alone if you are feeling especially bold).

--Texture and consistency--As promised, this is easy to blend to create subtle looks, or equally easy to just sweep across for something more dramatic. While it is a little paint-like, it is creamy, non-irritating, and easy to work with, which may be something that's especially important for those making their first forays into the world of makeup.

--Longevity--This product fares the best of all the Ellis Faas products I have tried in terms of staying power: no reapplication will be needed as this stuff does not budge (and yet it's easy to remove when you want to). There may just be such thing as the perfect eyeshadow.

--Value for money--My comments here remain the same as for all other Ellis Faas products: they are expensive, but you are getting a classic yet on-trend professional quality product that makes a wonderful gift or a treat to yourself. Highly recommended.

perfect partners
Ellis Faas Foundation Skin Veil, €45
Ellis Faas Concealer, €29
Ellis Faas Compact Powder, €20
Ellis Faas Blush, €29
Ellis Faas Mascara, €25
Ellis Faas Glazed Lips, €27

Ellis Faas Blush

RRP: €28 for 2.8ml
# of shades available: 4

--What does the promo say?--
"Made with essential oils,rose water and vitamins C and E, ELLIS FAAS blush gives cheeks a touch of colour while cooling and toning the skin for an instant fresh look. Apply a dot of colour directly to the middle of the cheek with the signature ELLIS FAAS pen and fade out with your fingertips or with the sponge that comes with the powder. ELLIS FAAS blush ensures a dewy finish and long-lasting glow."

--Packaging--
The signature Ellis Faas pen is eyecatching and unusual, though the click-wheel on this can be a little annoying and time-consuming to operate. However, it is easy to control, so you shouldn't end up wasting any product.

--Application--
After applying your usual base (if any), dot three dots of the blush onto each cheek and blend in. Add further layers, if desired, for extra impact and intensity; set with powder if liked.

--Scent--
None.

--Texture/consistency--
Smooth yet rich and luxurious; easy to blend.

--Appearance--
The beauty of this is that it's difficult to get wrong; no clownalikes here. It's one of the most natural-looking blushers I've tried, giving just the right amount of colour. Of the four shades, I own S302 (the second palest) and it's perfect for English roses like us. The fact that it's easily buildable to achieve different effects means that nobody should be disappointed by the fact that there are only four shades available.

--Longevity--
Falls somewhere between the lip products (which fare worse in this regard) and the eye products (which fare better) from this brand: you may need to reapply once a day. However, the professional quality of this product is obvious.

--Value for money--
As with all Ellis Faas products, while it is expensive you do get what you pay for. A professional matte finish is provided, which is easily adjustable to take you from subtle day to more intense nighttime looks. Easy to see why this is popular on the catwalk, the makeup is durable not only in practical terms but also in terms of the look it provides. This will never date.

perfect partners
Foundation Skin Veil S101
Concealer S201
Compact Powder S401
Mascara E401
Milky Lips L207
Creamy Eyes E108

Ellis Faas Milky Lips

RRP: €25/£21
shop online at www.ellisfaas.com or find a list of retailers here

--What does the promo say?--
"For a more fluid and translucent appearance, try Milky Lips. For a subtle look with just a trace of colour, either apply a feather-light layer all over the lips or apply Milky Lips to the middle of the lips and fade it with the fingertips."

--Packaging--
Long, silver and pointy, it's a James Bond-style silver bullet that will impress even the iciest of ice queens. Definitely has the wow-factor and is fairly easy to use.

--Application--
Twist the end of the pen until a very small amount of colour appears in the brush. Gently stroke over lips (best bet is from the inside going outwards) and remember that you will need only the very smallest amount, even with the lighter shades. Blend with fingers if required or add extra definition with the brush.

--Appearance--
The colour that I was sent (L205; see picture above) initially threw me as it's more of a coral-like colour than the picture perhaps portrays and I was worried about how this would look next to my fluorosis-plagued teeth. I needn't have worried: with careful application, the result is a natural-looking one with a matte finish. The effect is definitely more 1950s film star than drag queen or clownish, with the finish being more comparable to a stain or tint than to a gloss or lipstick.

--Scent--
None; doesn't smell like paint or have that Playdoh-style smell.

--Texture--
Very smooth; again, some long-wear lip colours can tend to feel like paint when you put them on, and this doesn't. Not at all sticky. Nice job.

--Longevity--
Of the three products I was sent (the lip colour, the blusher and the eyeshadow) I'd say this fares somewhere in the middle. Be prepared to reapply 1-2 times a day (possibly 3 at most).

--Value for money--
There's no denying that this is expensive; the main competitors in this bracket for lips, price-wise, are Yves St Laurent, Benefit and Christian Dior. For your £21 or €25, you get pretty good results (though arguably not excellent ones) in wow-factor packaging and from an up-and-coming designer, without being ripped off or being necessarily part of the mainstream. This is a high-quality product that will deliver that timeless movie-star quality, making an excellent gift for all women aged 20 and up who crave something a little more 'classique'.

perfect partners
Mascara E401, €23
Creamy Eyes E108, €26
Blush S301, €28