My halloween look: Disney’s Maleficent

It is no secret I absolutely LOVE dressing up. Halloween is just another opportunity for me to get drawing, cutting, sewing and hot gun gluing.

Maleficent is my favourite Disney character. It has always been, since my mum bought me the Sleeping Beauty book from the book circle people (it was so long ago, they used to come to your door, hahahahaha) and then later on, the VHS, which I watched repeatedly, as any good child obsessed with their favourite story. However, even though I love Aurora, Maleficent was for me, the highlight of the story and even though she deserved to die (as these stories go), I just loved watching her turn into a huge, scary dragon.

Maleficent Halloween look - somanylovelythings

So this year, I decided to turn into the Mistress of All Evil. I interpreted her three times when younger at school, and although I perfected the evil cackle after the “prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die” line, my costume making and makeup resources and abilities weren’t even close to what they are today.

With high expectations, I started to gather the bits: a cheap vampire cloak, twisted devil horns, an amazing raven (or crow, not quite sure!) and purple satin from eBay. I painted the horns black (with acrylic paint from Tiger, they originally had some red in them) and using a hot glue gun, attached them to a wide alice band. I wrapped a satin ribbon around the joints and headband to give it a better finish.

For the sceptre, I bought a cheap devils trident and a tacky oversized Christmas bauble, which was red. I removed the colour with nail polish remover to rveal the silver and glued (hot glue) to the trident stick. I then hot glued my raven on to it.

I then cut the sizes of the cloak, added a lining layer of purple to the back and added the shredded purple details to the from opening. Underneath, I wore a New Look black velvelt bodycon, tights and black court shoes.

For the make up, I created my usual base with Hourglass Veil primer, MAC Fortified skin enhancer in adjust, foundation, concealer and powder. I then started the eyes. I used Urban Decay purple Vice and MAC Bitter for the eyes, as well as Eyeko Skinny liner and Black Magic mascara and a set of exaggerated, cheap false lashes.

Lovely raven

Maleficent Halloween look - somanylovelythings

The whole look

Green and purple

The eyes have it

My inspiration approves!

My Maleficent wears Loubis…

I painted my raised eyebrows and my widow’s peak with MAC gel liner in Blacktrack. I then applied eyeshadow Bitter all over my face, to exhaustion, until I became green-ish and contoured the cheeks quite blatantly with MAC’s Carbon eyeshadow and my usual contouring shade from Inglot (a muted almost grey brown).

I finished off with MAC’s Russian Red and a huge black ring.

And as a bonus, here is a pic of my better half Frankenstein monster, which I put together pretty quickly! Make up took five minutes with green face paint, MAC gel liner in Blacktrack and Carbon eyeshadow. Bolts were made of grey foam, painted unevenly with Barry M Foil effect polish and glued on with Duo lash glue.

I think I looked quite scary. I was very pleased with my Maleficent – I was so worried I wouldn’t make her justice, but in the end, I think I pulled it off!

What did you dress up as for Halloween this year?

Product review: Pro Hygiene Collection from Pro Make-Up Shop

Now, before I start, I must confess I had been thinking about getting a product like this for a while now and my wishes came true when I spotted the Pro Make-Up Shop at Olympia Beauty! How lucky!

They were displaying their Pro Hygiene Collection, which is formed of a Antibacterial Make-Up Spray (sanitizes makeup and helps reduce the growth of bacteria that can lead to infection. Suitable for pressed and loose powders, creams, gels, pigments, lipsticks, pencils and tools), the Make-Up Brush Cleaner (removes product residue, oil and pigments and helps reduce bacteria build up while remaining safe for use on natural and synthetic brushes) and the Hand Sanitizing Gel.

All kill 99.99% of bacteria and both the Make-up and the Brush Sprays also kill candida albicans, all within 60 seconds!

I don’t think I need to say how important it is to keep your make-up tools and kit clean, either at home but especially if you are a professional, applying make-up on other people. This range is just great for domestic or professional to keep yourself and your clients safe!

The packaging is simple and easy to manipulate. Nozzles are sturdy, product is dispensing even and efficient; for the sprays, a fine mist, for the pump, a reasonable amount of product.

For me, the star in this trio has the Make-Up Brush Cleaner. Really, this is what I had been looking for and my mind is much more at rest now that I use it daily. It takes one or two sprays on the brush applied from about 10cm, a little brush on a dry piece o paper and in 60 seconds the brush is dry, ready to re-use or put away. It smells a bit lemongrass-y and doesn’t leave any residue or smell after a minute.

The Antibacterial Make-up Spray is also great; spray at about 15cm from the item and it dries in 60 seconds and doesn’t spoil the make-up on which it has been applied. There is also no residue, marks, smells left behind.

Finally, the Hand Sanitizer. It feels great on the hands, it is not drying and doesn’t leave a sticky feeling.

The Pro Make-Up Shop will also bring these products in a mini size, I was told, making it easier for professionals to carry in their kits!

You can get the Pro Hygiene Collection in bundle offer, with the three products for £25.93 or each individually, from £6.50 to £15.00 for 240ml at the Pro Make-Up Shop website.

They also supply a variety of disposable makeup applicators, tools and accessories, hygiene essentials, bottles, jars, cosmetics tools and student kits on their website and have a very handy Safe Beauty Guide which can be downloaded by professional and beauty enthusiasts – well worth a look.

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

L’Oréal Nude Magique Eau de Teint foundation

Attention all lovers of very light make-up!!! The news of this foundation has been doing the rounds recently. Lots of people already swear by L’Oréal~s new Nude Magique Eau de Teint foundation and the company released this video backing up their “lighter than water” claim. The new lighter than water texture foundation promises to be perfectly invisible and invisibly perfect with amazing coverage – the ideal nude that glides on the skin and doesn’t feel like makeup. The new foundation comes in six shades from Porcelain to Golden Sands, costs less than £10 and you can find more information at the L’Oréal website!

Product Review: LOLA Ultra Shine lipstick

I love a strong lipstick – reds and pinks are my staples, day and night, so I was delighted to see the lovely LOLA sent me a delightful shade of bright pink called Show Stopper!

LOLA make-up by Perse was launched in last month and is designed in London, with their products made in Italy. At the moment, they have 307 (!!!) product on their range, with prices from £8 to £26.

They strive to offer a look for everyone, hence the 307 products in their fashion-forward range; they are set to offer the finest tools to help women of all ages. I found it so cute the bag they sent me came with a label that said “Dani is LOLA x”, it really gives the message that the products are for you and to bring the best of you!

This lippy is part of of Ultra Shine line. It glides beautifully, the colour is very saturated and the finish is beautifully shiny. It has a good durability for a shiny lipstick – held a few hours, faded a bit when I drank coffee and came off when eating breakfast, which I find normal for a lippy with this finish and no other products to fix.

The smell is very discreet and very nice, it doesn’t taste of anything.

I really love this colour, it is versatile and will look fabulous on many skin tones – it complimented mine very well and it can be used day or night.

Take a look At LOLA’s brilliant range, including face, eyes, lips, nails and tools, all available now at M&S. They have a base range and also launch two seasonal mini-ranges a twice year, so keep your eyes peeled!

You will soon be able to purchase on the LOLA Makeup website and you can follow them on Twitter @loveLOLAmakeup and on Instagram @lolamakeup.

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product Review: Hi Brow kit and Smoothing Wax Pencil by La La (Lash Perfect)

The first time I had my eyebrows filled, I found it really, but really odd. Fast forward a few years, and today, I cannot leave the house without them being filled – it is like something is missing in my face. For that, I really welcomed the Hi Brow 24 hour , to make sure my peepers are framed beautifully by defined brows.

Hi-Brow is made by the same company that brought to us by Lash Perfect Professional Eyelash Extensions, as part of their La La Brows range. The kit comes in a little compact; simple, functional with a very smooth latch and a mirror. Inside you will find a brow powder, a highlighter, a double ended brush and three eyebrow stencils.

Check how it enhances my brow, left is with, right is without!

Now both!

The compact powders are very pigmented; I am using the DARK BROWN and found the colour warm and right for me. Application is good, the brush is quite soft; I am used to harder brushes for eyebrows, but this applied very well, no dropping!

The highlighter is beautiful. It has a pink-ish shimmer to it, reflecting light very well, really bringing that brow bone out and creating a lovely contrast with the filled eyebrow.

Personally, I don’t use the stencils as I like my brow shape, but they are a great guide for those who don’t! They are very easy to use, there are guides for correct alignment and they are quite flexible.

Hi Brow by La La - somanylovelythings

To finish off the look, I applied their the super thick Smoothing Wax Pencil, to fix my eyebrows in place. I quite like that one sweep will cover the whole brow and the wax will set the hairs in place, keeping that sharp look for longer.

Hi Brow by La La - somanylovelythings

The wax is smooth and doesn’t feel too waxy, if you know hat I mean! It last well and you don’t have that feeling of hard brows you get with some gels!

Hi Brow by La La - somanylovelythings

The Hi Brow kit , which is available in four colours to suit your complexion (grey, light brown, dark brown and dark charcoal) and the Smoothing Wax Pencil are available from the Lash Perfect website.

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product review: Eyeko Black Magic Mascara

Lately, my mascara life turned a bit odd. Old favourites stop doing the trick and I felt everything made my lashes clump. Luckily for me, in the past month I have encountered a few solutions and the Eyeko Black Magic is one that has given me happy lashes. Drama and curl indeed.

Packaging is very nice – a silver squeezy tube and it has a curved hair bristles brush which feels very soft when applying. The liquid is smooth, not too thick and a shiny, well pigmented black.

This is a true bit of magic – it gives good definition (picking up all little lashes), good volume, length and curl – so ticks all the boxes, which is quite hard to find. Plus, it comes with a cute and functional Eyeko branded plectrum which helps application by protecting your lid – you can really get in there without worrying about smudges!

This mascara sits very well and lasts all day, no flaking or smudging . After spin (my ultimate test!) there was very minimal transfer to the close to the crease (the studio has been extremely hot lately but I’ll spare you the details!)!

It applies extremely well on top of dry mascara (for that all important top-up when you are going out after work), but it makes it waaay more difficult to remove!

With (L) and without (R) mascara: length and volume!

Good length and volume – drama in a bottle!

Now, if the Black is a staple for day or night, wait for this: Midnight Blue. Yes, you heard it. The Black Magic mascara comes in a new shade: blue. So beautiful. It really gives your lashes that je ne sais quoi. I was worried it was going to be too out there but is in fact, very wearable . Overall, it has that blue aura, but you only see it is really blue when it catches the light. And it looks stunning!

This is the kind of mascara that will change your lashes in a way that sometimes I catch a little glimpse of them and think – wow – they are fluttery! So I probably don’t need to spell out that I love it!

Eyeko black magic mascara in midnight blue

You can get this fab mascara from the Eyeko website – and also take a peek at their amazing liquid metal liners, which I reviewed a while ago.

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product review: Eyeko Liquid Metal Eyeliner

Oh-so-pretty. That really sums up how I feel about these liners. The Eyeko Liquid Metal eyeliners in Black Onyx and Rose Gold and simply gorgeous.

The packaging is very nice, pencil like, with a “barrel” at the end where you can see the liner’s beautiful colour. Black Onyx is a wet look black with a slight silver shimmer and Rose Gold is what is says on the tin, a bright, metallic gold with a rose hint – to be honest, it was more yellow than I thought!

To start applying, rotate the barrel and soon the fine “hair” fine brush is permeated with colour. The brush is not hard, so a little bit of practice is required if you are not used to applying your liner with a normal eyeliner brush!

Black and gold eyes using eyeko liquid metal eyeliner - somanylovelythings

Be careful though; rotate it ever so slightly not to waste the precious liquid! The texture is very light and quite runny, so to create delicate lines, a little bit will do; the colours are very saturated. I went over the lines a second time after it dried, to exaggerate the effect! It was fairly easy to work with and didn’t irritate my eyes (which are very sensitive!).

eyeko liquid metal eyeliner - rose gold

And boy, they shine. Instead of swatching on my hand, I decided to go all out on a super lined eye and it looked beautiful. It doesn’t dry to quickly but it doesn’t take too long either, so it is important to be careful with transfer to the crease, to the upper lid, to the lower lash line (in this design case!). I barely used anything else on this eye make-up and I am in love with it.

It lasted well and after it dries it won’t move. It was fairly easy to remove with a good eye make-up remover though!

I am now addicted and so glad these beauties came my way!

You can get these stunning eyeliners from the Eyeko website – keep an eye out, as they are launching a collaboration with Alexa Chung soon!

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product review: MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash mascara

For me, a good mascara is a definition mascara. Yes, I love volume, but I prefer that all of my lashes are separated and coated – and that is why I liked MAC’s Extended Play mascara.

Its brush has tough short bristles, and they pick each individual lash, creating a nice fan effect. If you build up three layers, it will also give you some volume, but this baby’s business is definition. Also, it is a lovely super black, which I favour.

MAC EXTENDED PLAY GIGABLACK MASCARA

However, what I really love about this is the staying power. When they say extended play, they weren’t kidding: it lasts. I don;t like waterproof mascara, it dries my lashes too much. But I used this on the beach and it lasted.

And it doesn’t smudge or flakes. It does comes off with warm water, in flakes, so there is no panda eye mess when washing your face. An eye make-up remover, although always used by me, it barely necessary after washing. For this reason alone, this mascara is well worth its price of £14!

With (L) and without (R) mascara – I enjoyed the definition it gives my lashes

From this angle, I noticed my lashes are not only defined, but also lengthened

Fact: have been put off MAC mascaras for a very long time, and never though anything good of them – and never though I’d buy another one (think the last was about seven years ago!). This product certainly changed my mind.

Rush Blogger Meet at the House of Rush

The House of Rush is a gorgeous flagship Rush hair salon located near Piccadilly circus in London. But this is no ordinary hair salon – it is a locks and beauty haven offering treatments for your mind and body, and of course, great hair services. From the outside, it is unassuming; enter, and you are in for a luxurious treat over two floors.

Through the partnership with the Epson Skin Clinics, they also offer medical treatments including botox, dermal fillers, radio frequency, permanent hair reduction, vein and pigmentation removal, microdermabrasion and peels, amongst others. Varied beauty treatments are available: face and body using Kéraskin, Rodial and Elemis, lashes, massages, waxing, tanning, manicures and pedicures. Hair cuts, colouring, treatments and extensions are also available, as well as male grooming! So much!!!

Downstairs – mani and pedi paradise

Manicures in full swing

Oooh, polishes!

A treatment room

Tranquil…

Blogger receive their oxygen blast

Tresses delight

Botox demo

And bit more

A tiny bit showing, but not for long

Dr Gillian Carver shows how it’s done

Bliss products – and bloggers!

Male hair care

I want it all – Redken, L’Oréal and more…

Shu Uemura

My hair wants Kerastase!

Keraskin potions!

Make-up time!

Rodial and Keraskin

Elvive

At the event, we watched a botox demonstration by the capable hands of Dr Gillian Carver, and had all of our questions answered. You’d be surprised how natural looking a botox-treated face can be – no need to be totally overworked and expression-less!

I also had a demonstration of oxygen blast, where 100% oxygen in mist form is applied to your face. It can be done over the make-up without spoiling it, and it is great to help skin retain hydration. I found particularly nice over my eyes, as I suffer from really dry eyes and it helped to alleviate it. It takes 10-15 minutes and costs £20 – a great lunchtime treat!

The manicure queue was long – most ladies left with beautifully painted talons using Essie and OPI polishes! The autumnal berry shades were by far more popular with the ladies, from what I could see.

Everyone was lovely, and I met loads of amazing bloggers including Sophia from Beauty in my mind, Zoe from Face value beauty blog, Rachel from Beauty Queen UK, Olivia from Beauty from the Fjord, Sheen from Golden and Sheen, Lisa from Lisahh-Jayne.com, Becky from Lipgloss and Lashes, Kimberley from Kimberley’s beauty blog, Alice from Tea Party with Alice, Kat from Tales of a Pale Face amongst other lovelies.

It was a fun night and even better, you can get 20% off any beauty services or 50% off microdermabrasion! All you need to do is to quote the code BLOG20 and/or MICRO50 when booking. The discount is valid at House of Rush only, until 31 October 2013. It makes a great autumn treat!!!

Finally, I’d like to thank Rush, Laura from Alison Jameson PR and Becky from Lipgloss and Lashes for the invitation! 🙂

You can check out the House of Rush website for more information on all treatments and to book – remembering there are over 60 Rush salons across London and the South.

You can also follow @RushHairBeauty on Twitter to be in for great information and promotions!

Product review: Lancôme Hypnôse Drama Eyes smoky eyes palette by Alber Elbaz

lancome by Alber Elbaz smoky eyes palette

There is no way of resisting this palette for a lover of all things pretty. Although the colours are not new for Lancôme, the pretty dotty packaging created by Alber Elbaz for this five-colour Hypnôse Drama Eyes smoky eye palette is. And yes – I am a sucker for packaging.

More than a that, I am an ultra-sucker for black eye shadow. A black smokey eye is my favourite look. I would wear it everyday. You read it right. DAY. Plus, as a wearer of red lipstick, black is pretty much the only smokey I can get away with. There you have it.

This palette comes with five very wearable shades: a very pearly pink, a light silver grey, a metallic charcoal, a very dark charcoal with silver particles and a satin pure black. What a selection!

I created this look using all but the pink colour in the palette. It was an “Ibiza clubbing eye make”, hence the over the top crystals.

Application was alright, the colours are super pigmented and look great when applied. You can also use them wet for extra impact. Dry they are extremely blendable. The only problem I found with it is that the darker colours drop an awful lot when applying, so if going bold, do eyes first then skin. Or hang tight to tissue under the eye. Once it drops, it really sticks.

Not only it looked fantastic but it also lasted well, so this is a palette which will be accompanying me in many nights out!

Love it.

So Many Lovely Things

A blog about beauty, style, shoes, fashion and lifestyle

Category Archives: Make Up

My halloween look: Disney’s Maleficent

Product review: Pro Hygiene Collection from Pro Make-Up Shop

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

L’Oréal Nude Magique Eau de Teint foundation

Product Review: LOLA Ultra Shine lipstick

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product Review: Hi Brow kit and Smoothing Wax Pencil by La La (Lash Perfect)

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product review: Eyeko Black Magic Mascara

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product review: Eyeko Liquid Metal Eyeliner

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product review: MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash mascara

Rush Blogger Meet at the House of Rush

Product review: Lancôme Hypnôse Drama Eyes smoky eyes palette by Alber Elbaz