Amazing Elf Brushes

So recently I have had lots of people asking me about brushes. What brushes do I use, what brushes should they use, what brushes are easiest to use and what brushes can they buy that don’t break the bank, so today I thought I would do a little post about elf brushes and my all time new favourite brush.

I do have a full range of professional brushes which are mostly MAC and Bare Minerals, however recently I have really loved the Elf brush range. They are easy to use, give great results, the prices are fantastic and in my opinion they are perfect to be used in a professional kit or for home use!! Here is a picture of my recent brush purchase.

If you have worked with me at all in the past 3 weeks I’m sure you would have heard me talking about my new favourite brush! It is the Elf Studio powder brush, and at £3.75 it’s such a bargain!

This brush can be bought here

 It is such a perfect all rounder, as although it is sold as a powder brush you can use it for almost anything on the face. I think this is the perfect alternative foundation brush to MAC’s 187 Duo Fibre brush at £32.50.

 

When doing my own make-up I use this brush to apply, blend and buff my foundation, apply and blend my cream blusher and also apply powder. 

If you aren’t already hooked on this brush have a look at the flawless finish it gave to this gorgeous model Katie on a recent shoot with the talented Zoe Barrie of Photos By Zoe.

One last use to this brush. I used it to cover a models entire body in gold paint!!! 

Hopefully after reading this blog everyone will be convinced to buy this amazing brush and some of the other great brushes that ELF has to offer!!!

Let me know what you thought of my blog post and if you have ever tried any ELF brushes or any of their products <3

 

Dermalogica Skin Care Review

Everyone is always looking for that perfect flawless make-up look, but they often forget that one of the first steps is looking after your skin. I am frequently asked what skin care I use and would recommend and although there are lots of skin care brands that I love, the brand that always come out on top for me is Dermalogica. 

On their website Dermalogica claims that “When Dermalogica meets skin, skin health is redefined. Dermalogica is the number one choice of skin care professionals and consumers worldwide. Why? Because for over 25 years, we"ve been dedicated to delivering skin health results through education, innovation, and professional recommendation, not through advertising, frilly packaging, promises of miracle cures, or overblown hype.”

Although I mostly advertise as a make-up artist, I actually trained for three years to gain a Higher National Diploma in Beauty Therapy before advancing onto another Higher National Diploma in Make-up Artistry. During this time I trained in Dermalogica and fell in love with their products.

Today I will be reviewing the products that Dermalogica advises a make-up artist to carry in their kit. Here they are in order of recommended use, from top to bottom Ultra calming Cleanser, Daily Microfoliant, Multi Active Toner and Active Moist.

Ultra calming Cleanser 250ml £25.50 + VAT or 500ml £45 + VAT
This gentle cleanser is so easy to apply to the skin and feels cool which is great for me as my skin is really sensitive and gets irritated really easily. It feels super light on your skin and has a fresh subtle lavender smell. It easily removes all of my make-up and as it is gentle enough to use on your eyes it even manages to remove my eye make-up including my thick black liner and mascara! Massage all over your face and eyelids and remove with facial sponges or damp cotton disks.

This cleanser is great for your kit as it is perfect for every skin type. It is great to use on a model that may have many different looks over the course of one photo shoot as it contains Lavender and Cucumber to cool the skin and reduce redness. It is also perfect for use with brides as it is extremely gentle which is perfect for a bride who may be nervous or stressed. 

Daily Microfoliant 75g £38.50 + VA
My skin is really dry so this product is perfect for me as unlike most exfoliants it is gentle enough to use every day. After cleansing all you need to do is put some of the powder onto your wet hands, rub your hands together to create a paste and massage in to your face for one minute. 

I found this is great for a photo shoot if a model has some dry patches as it exfoliates skin without being too harsh and causing redness on the skin. For this reason it is also great for brides.

Multi Active Toner 250ml £25.60 + VAT
I love this toner as its really cooling on your skin, which is great if you have sensitive skin or if its really warm. It’s so easy to use as it comes in a spray bottle so you can just mist it over your face.

I love having this product in my kit as its so quick and easy to use, which is great during busy photo shoots or fashion shows where you may have lots of models to get through. Also as its a pump spray you don’t need to use any cotton wool which little by little cuts your costs down.

Active Moist 50ml £28.50 + VAT or 100ml £41 + VAT
I like this moisturiser however I don’t think it is rich enough for my really dry skin, however its great for using in my kit.

This product is great for my kit as it smoothes the skin, making it soft and supple and ready for make-up application. This is an oil free moisturiser that helps to combat surface dehydration so its a great all rounder for your kit.

Let me know what you think of this review and if you have tried any Dermalogica products!

http://buy.dermalogica.co.uk/home.php

Waste Not Want Not!!

Hey Bloggers :)

Don't you hate it when you buy a great product that you fall in love with and you cant get the final squeezes out of the tube or bottle? You know it is in there but no matter what it just wont come out!! Don't throw it in the bin just do this!!!

Pretty self explanatory:

1 Get your old tube and an empty make-up pot.

2 Cut it open and use a spatula to start spooning it out into the tub.

3 Cut the tube as many times as you like to get every last scrape out.

4 Put the lid on your little pot and use this till its done.

It doesn't seem like much, but this little pot will do me about 6 faces of strobe cream, its such an amazing product i wouldn't want to waste it. And as you can see I also have a lovely new strobe cream to use once this is done!

Let me know how you all get on and if you try this !

Jillian Elizabeth

Illamasqua Sheer Lipgloss Review

Ok guys I really have been lacking in my blogging so be prepared for a turnaround! After assisting Andii James (MrAJBx3) on a photo shoot and reading his amazing blog I have decided to get back into posting mine.

My first product review is going to be my all time favourite brand Illamasqua! Illamasqua is all about finding that gorgeous within all of us and expressing it through make-up. 

as “Illamasqua is for the bolder person hiding inside all of us. It is an act and an attitude. A symbol of tolerance. A celebration of idiosyncrasies. A confident statement of self-ownership.”

Last week I ordered 5 Illamasqua sheer lip glosses along with a few other gorgeous items. They come in the most beautiful packaging I have ever seen, what do you think?

Here are swatches of the the 5 glosses I chose, from left to right: Provoke, Soul, Kindle, Tantrum and Violate.

 

Sheer lip glosses retail at £13 and come in 7ml.  Illamasqua claims that they are “Super glossy, with a sensual, sheer colour designed to enhance your lips. Use Illamasqua Sheer Lip gloss on its own or with Illamasqua Lipstick for added pout. Add a little more sexiness to your smile.”

These lip glosses were amazing, the colour pigmentation was fantastic and they were really bold on the lips. They are so easy to apply with a lip brush however if it is your personal lip gloss (and not for client use) then it is easy to apply with the slanted applicator end of the tube or even just using your finger if you want to be quick and easy with it. I found the gloss to be pretty long lasting as I wore it on a night out and I didn’t need to reaply for a few hours, also it smells fab!

Provoke

Soul

Kindle

Tantrum

Violate

Ok guys that is it for my first review so please be kind as its the first I’ve done!!! Let me know your thoughts and come fine me on FB if you like!!

http://www.facebook.com/jillian.elizabethmua