Eye of Horus Cosmetics - Awaken the Goddess within!

Hello all!

I'm really excited to share this new brand that I recently discovered - let me introduce you to Eye of Horus Cosmetics. They're an iconic Australian brand fairly new on the shores over here and first impressions are excellent - their promo images are ah-mazing - right up there with Illamasqua for creativity and drop dead all round gorgeousness.

But looks aren't everything right, so what about the company itself?

Well, Eye of Horus are paraben and cruelty free, contain as much natural content as possible and are suitable for even those with sensitive skin. There's no animal testing on their products or their ingredients - so double kudos there!

The packaging is lush! Black and luxurious gold - straight off the bat they look and feel like premium products, these are definitely a step up from the high street brands. 

My package came wrapped in gold paper inside a black and gold Eye of Horus gift bag, complete with gold handle - if you're stuck for a last minute present, whether it be for yourself or for someone else, you'll definitely feel like you've been spoiled rotten opening some Eye of Horus products. 

I've been trying out the Goddess Mascara in black with Egyptian Moringa Oil and the Emerald Tabula Goddess Pencil.

"Goddess Eye Liner pencils are uniquely formulated with beautiful waxes in a creamy rich formula ideal to draw, smudge, smoke, and define the eye blending, or combining with our Goddess Eye shadows. Can be used for day wear to accentuate eyes, or evening wear to get that sensual smokey look. Smudger on tip allows to define or smoulder as much as you like.
Safe to apply to waterline,  It literally glides onto the lid so smoothly with no pull, and once it sets its truly waterproof and has lasting power that stays all day and night."

The Emerald Tabula Goddess Pencil is ultra creamy and very pigmented. It really reminded me of Urban Decays 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencils - very smooth to apply with no tugging of the delicate eye area. Longevity was fantastic - I easily got 8+ hours of long lasting, smudge free wear.

Inspired by the shade and the Egyptian origins of this brand really makes me want to go out and create a Cleopatra inspired look now. These products are just calling out to be used for a Liz Taylor makeover! Think lots of teals, emerald greens and petrol blues set off with metallic gold highlights and mega winged liner!

Of course, you don't have to be quite so OTT - the Emerald Pencil looks great when applied to your waterline and slightly underneath your lower lash line to make an otherwise everyday nude, matte eye look really POP! I've also tried it as a winged liner with Sugarpills Goldilux Chromalust - the combination of metallic gold and emerald looks great, I'll definitely be wearing a lot more of this over Christmas.

The pencil is double-ended and features a handy sponge smudger to smoke out your liner and blend any harsh edges.


I've also been trying out the Goddess Mascara in black with Egyptian Moringa Oil

More beautiful imagery!

"Uniquely formulated in the style of the ancient Egyptians with natural waxes and the revered Moringa Oil, found in Tutankhamen’s tomb. Ideal for sensitive eyes, Eye Of Horus Goddess Mascara strengthens and lengthens for Ultimate Goddess lashes. Natural based formula wont clump, run or smudge.

Volumising, Nourishing, Paraben Free."

I'm not a huge mascara aficionado, sacrilege I know, however as I religiously bin every mascara once they hit the 6 week mark once opened no matter how much is left or how good they are, I hate shelling out big bucks on something I know I'm only going to get 6 weeks out of, max. However this really feels like a high end product with the luxe packaging and the formula inside doesn't let it down either! Oh no!

"Suffering from sensitive eyes and fine, brittle lashes we researched how the Aincent Egyptians used natural waxes and oils in their iconic beauty products. We used this aincent formula as a basis for our eye makeup range to provide products that are naturally based, non irritating, nourishing and great for sensitivities"

The wand can really make or break a mascara and I'm pleased to say that I love this wand! It's got a slight hourglass shape and it's made of stiff synthetic bristles which make it really easy to get at the roots of your lashes to build thickness and volume.

The inclusion of Moringa Oil feels very nourishing on lashes, and it's super pigmented leaving a lovely glossy black patent finish. 

Panda eyes, clumpy lashes and flakiness are my absolute mascara pet-peeves, but I had no such issues with this beaut.

I really loved this mascara when since I've started using it because it sweeps on, defines lashes beautifully – with no clumping nor gluing.

It leaves lashes feeling flexible rather than stiff and comes off really easily.  A great one for sensitive eyes so this is a brand to earmark if you find some mascaras irritating.
Despite the massive number of mascaras on the market, finding that perfect mascara can be a bit like finding the Holy Grail but Eye of Horus has developed a formula that won’t run, smudge or clump and it strengthens and lengthens for ultimate “goddess lashes”. If you love a mascara that veers towards natural and is non-irritating, then this one’s probably got your name on it.

Removal is a cinch with a cloth warmed with water (yes, just water!) as the heat melts the waxes, or use your usual eye makeup remover or all over cleanser to gently sweep it off.

Mascara and liner are everyday staples of mine so, like most ladies I've tried quite a number throughout the years, often feeling disappointed and let down by outrageous claims - not so with Eye of Horus however. The products really live up to their description and do as they're supposed to without costing the Earth either which is a welcome relief.
Emerald Tabula Goddess Pencil £13 / €15.50

Goddess Mascara £17 / €20

Find them here at Eye of Horus Cosmetics

Frontcover Cosmetics - NEW Party Queen Edition

Frontcover Cosmetics have quite the selection of new A/W 2013 releases to choose from at the minute and I have the New Party Queen set to show you all today, which dare I say it, looks like it's going to be a fab set to get a lot of use in the run up to Christmas parties.

Collection Cosmetics - Colour & Go and Killer Curves Mascara

Collection Cosmetics have recently undergone a brand spanking new revamp (you may remember them back from their days of Collection 2000) and I have to say that the new product range is all blinged up and pretty spectacular.

The new Primed & Ready Smoothing Skin Primer and Fix Me Up Long Lasting Makeup Fixer are already staples in my kit so I was looking forward to trying out the newly launched  Cover & Go and Killer Curves Mascara.

Blank Canvas Cosmetics - E26 & E30 Brushes

Hi Guys!

I'm a total hoarder when it comes to Makeup Brushes - I think I seriously have an addiction at this stage! Nothing makes me happier than coming across a new must-have / holy grail brush which I can add to my kit.

When it comes to makeup application, it really is true that you can do a lot more with cheap cosmetics and good quality brushes as opposed to expensive makeup applied with cheap brushes.

Good quality brushes should be the backbone of your makeup kit. I'm not saying you need to go out and spend €€€'s on some fancy, designer Brush kit, because of course, you don't, but you really should have a few key brushes in your stash however, if you want to play and experiment with more dramatic makeup looks, or even just to perfect your natural, every day look. Proper tools will help ensure you achieve a flawless finish each and every time.

I recently came across an exciting new brand called Blank Canvas Cosmetics, which offers a good selection of individual brushes and brush kits at very affordable prices. 

Today I'm doing a mini-post to show you 2 brushes which everyone really should have in their makeup bags. These are my makeup brush "must haves"

The first up is the E26.

The E26 is a flat shader brush made from soft, natural hairs. Natural hairs are best used with powders, so this is a great brush for packing on eyeshadow - by patting on eyeshadow you'll suffer from less fall out and you'll get a more intense wash of colour on the lid.

The E26 has the classic styling of a black, glossy handle with a shiny, silver metal ferrule which firmly holds the brush fibres securely in place.

This can also be used with cream eyeshadows and gel liners if you're creating a soft, smokey eyes look.  Its fluffy rounded tip is perfect placement of product and for shading and contouring around the eye area. The design also means that it picks up product very easily on its bristles.

You can pick up this brush for just €6.50.

Next up is the E30.

The E30 is a dual ended brush featuring both a spoolie and an angled liner / brow brush.

This brush features synthetic hairs, which makes it perfect for use with cream products such as gel liners, mascara, brow gels etc...

The E30 differs from the E26 in that it features an all black handle and black ferrules. The purple synthetic hairs add a gorgeous pop of colour - as lets face it, makeup brushes can sometimes be on this boring side - not this baby however!

The angled tip of this brush means it's ideal for use as an angled eyeliner brush (angled liner brushes are a personal favourite of mine) it is also great used as a brow brush when you want to fill in your brows with a brow cake. The angled head makes lining your lids and shaping your brows super simple and easy to do.

The spoolie at the other end of the brush can be used to brush and groom your brows into place before setting with a brow gel.

Spoolies are also great for applying mascara on yourself or others, as you can sanitise and disinfect them afterwards to ensure that you don't have an icky mascara wand sitting in your favourite tube of mascara - which is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and can lead to nasty eye infections such as conjuctivitis e.g pink eye, yuck!

The E30 dual ended brush is also available for just €6.50.

You can find both of these brushes from Blank Canvas Cosmetics - http://www.blankcanvascosmetics.com

E26 - http://www.blankcanvascosmetics.com/products/e26-flat-shader-brush.html

E30 - http://www.blankcanvascosmetics.com/products/e30-double-ended-brow-spoolie.html

They deliver worldwide and have very reasonable shipping rates.

Have you tried any Blank Canvas Cosmetics brushes before? Got any favs you'd like to mention? If so, let me know in the comments below! :)

Make-Up Designory Professional Makeup Artist Kit

Hello everyone!

I hope you're all keeping well! :)

I've been on a bit of a spending spree lately, adding to my kit and my latest purchase is a biggie.

It's the Make-Up Designory (MUD) Professional Makeup Artist Kit.

The MUD Makeup Artist Kit is a great buy for any budding makeup artist out there, or someone who is just starting out. It contains all the basics you need to start off with and get you on your way to the world of makeup artistry.

I got mine for €195.00 and it includes the following;

MUD Make-Up Artist Kit S1

• PRO Foundation Pallet Holds up to 8 foundation refills 
• PRO Colour Pallet (empty) 6 hole eye shadow and 2 hole cheek colour 
• MUD Face Primer 
• MUD Loose Powder Loose Powder - Zero 
• MUD Creme Foundation Refill WB2, CB3, CB4 
• MUD Eye Color Shimmer Refill Eye Color - Pixie, Spanish Gold, Tea Tree, Galaxy, Sienna (Demi-Matte), Bone 
• Mud Eye Color Highlight Compact Eye Color - Honeysuckle (Highlight), Dulce De Leche (Highlight)
•  MUD Cheek Color Refill Cheek Color - Lemon Cream (Highlight), Rose Petal MUD 
• Corrector - Refill Blue Corrector #2 Red Corrector #2 
• MUD Creme Mascara Black 
• MUD Lip Gloss  - Shine (Clear) 
• MUD Eye Pencil Eye Pencil- Black, Brown 
• MUD Lip Pencil - Natural 
• MUD Satin Lipstick - Lady Bug Sheer Lipstick - Mai Tai 
• 12 Piece SE Essentials Make-Up Brush Set in wallet (note make up brushes are not MUD brushes in S1 Kit).
• MUD Pre-cut make-Up Sponges - Pack 12 
• MUD Pencil Sharpener 
• MUD PRO Palette Knife
• MUD PRO Stainless Steel Palette 
• PRO Black Metal Make-Up Case

Well, they say a picture tells a thousand words, so without any further adieu, here is what you get;

Face Palette

Eyeshadow/Blush Palette

Satin Lipstick in Lady Bug

Sheer Lipstick in Mai Tai

Translucent Powder in Zero

Face Primer

Lipgloss in Shine

Eyeshadow compact in Honeysuckle

Eyeshadow Compact in Dulce de Leche

Creme Mascara in Black

Pencil sharpener

Lip Pencil in Natural

Eye Pencil in Black

Eye Pencil in Brown

Metal Spatula

Metal Palette

And last, but not least... Sponges!

Overall, it's a well rounded kit and has everything you need to start you off, if you're venturing into the world of Makeup Artistry.

At  €195.00, it's certainly not cheap, but MUD are products designed for professionals and as such they are of excellent quality. The eyeshadows are nicely pigmented and not at all chalky and have great staying power. I have yet to try out the other products, but once I do, I'll report back! :)

All About Eyes

I think we can all agree that Katy Perry has got amazing eyes, so in a bid to get luscious lashes and peepers like hers I've been trying out a range of eye products to lengthen lashes, and brighten and improve around the eye area to banish any fine lines and wrinkles.

The products I'm going to be introducing today are:

Talika Lipocils Expert

Talika Eye Therapy Patch

Eyesential Under Eye Enhancer

Blinc Mascara - The Original "Tube" Mascara

I got these wonder eye products from http://www.treatyourskin.com/ who have a fantastic selection of face, skincare and body products including BB Creams, Cosmetics, Anti-aging products and lot's more - it really is a one-stop shop for all your skincare needs!

You can also get a 10% discount off your order there by using code "TYSBELLA" when placing your order.

First up is the Talika Lipocils Expert.

Lipocils is an amazing lash enhancer which promotes lash growth while also conditioning and nourishing your lashes. It's composed of a blend of natural active ingredients and this product has been around since 1948 believe it or not!

I've seen first hand the impressive results from Talika Lipocils products in the past, and Lipocils Expert is no different.

Lipocils claims to: "Lengthen lashes by up to 36%, Darken by up to 50% and curl by up to 50%"

Ingredients:

Aqua (water), Sodium Lactate, Carbomer, Hydrolyzed Sericin, Glycerin, Maltodextrin, Phenoxyethanol, Alcohol zdenat., Phosphatidycholine, Sodium Hydroxide, Allantoin, Dextran, Hypericum Perforatum (St. John's Wort) Extract, Pyrus Malus (apple) Fruit Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Aesculus Hippocastanum (horse Chestnut) Extract, Urtica Dioica (nettle) Extract, Coleus Forskohlii Root Extract, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1, Methyparaben, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben. 

Directions:

Use the sponge applicator to apply the product on the eyelids, at the root of the lashes, then, use the brush to apply on your lashes. Apply every morning and every evening for 28 days, then once a day.

The full size product features a unique doe-foot sponge applicator and traditional mascara wand combination - however as this is just a 2ml sample size of the product, it features just the doe-foot sponge applicator.

You can purchase the full size product from here; for just £13.95

You can also use "TYSBELLA" to get an additional 10% off your order! :)

Next up is the Talika Eye Therapy Patch, which is billed as "The 1st Reusable Patch"

This award winning dry patch acts in 30 minutes, delivering moisturizing and anti-ageing ingredients directly to the skin by osmosis. Developed from a post surgery technology. I love the fact that these patches are reusable, so there's more bang for your buck!

Ingredients:

Avocado Oil (Persea Gratissima), Safflower Oil (Carthamus Tinctorius), Wheat Germ Oil (Triticum Vulgare), Mineral Oil (Paraffinum Liquidum), Rosa Mosqueta Oil, Manteca Karite (Butyrospermum Parkii), Ceramide III

Talika's reusable Eye Therapy Patches revitalize eyes in only 30 minutes. This nourishing formula reduces inflammation, puffiness and wrinkles while eliminating dark under-eyes for a fresh, alert look. These rejuvenating patches can be used up to three times.

After 30 minutes I definitely noticed a marked improvement in my under eye area - gone was any puffiness, fine lines and dark circles. The product really does live up to it's claims. My eyes felt refreshed and rejuvenated - the patches do work, however, be warned, the results aren't permanent - after a few days your eyes will go back to their pre-eye patch appearance. 

Overall, Talika Eye Therapy Patches are an excellent way to get your eyes looking younger and brighter for special events or occasions. These are a quick beauty fix for smoother, brighter, less puffy eyes.

You can get them from here; for £29.95 for a box with 6 treatments and a beautiful silver carry case.

Again, you can use code "TYSBELLA" to get an extra 10% off your order.

Now onto the Eyesential Under Eye Enhancer.

If you suffer with puffiness around the eyes or lines/crows feet etc, this might be the product for you! It can give an instant, temporary eye-lift which genuinely diminishes imperfections, erases wrinkles, giving a youthful look. Seeing is believing! The product has been hailed as  The Non Surgical Face Lift

"The Beauty Secret To The Stars"

Developed for the Hollywood film industry, this secret weapon has been used by top make-up artists to the stars for over 30 years to give them an instant eye lift. Celebrity fans include Sarah Jessica Parker, Cindy Crawford, Barbra Streisand, Juliette Binoche, Sigourney Weaver and Brad Pitt.

Ingredients:

aqua, sodium silicate, magnesium aluminium silicate, iron oxides, propylene glycol, methylparaben, propylparaben

The product states: "Eyesential Under Eye Enhancer is a unique non-surgical cosmetic miracle which temporarily erases puffiness, fine lines, dark circles and wrinkles around the eye. It works in minutes, yet lasts for up to 10 hours. Once applied the non penetrative light weight formula works immediately by forming an extremely fine and invisible veil under the eye leaving the skin noticeably smoother and younger looking."

The product comes in a sturdy and classy looking clear plastic bottle. It features a spatula inside which you can use to apply some product to the back of your hand before applying around the eye area, so as not to contaminate the product inside.

I've been using this product for a few weeks now and there's been a noticeable difference to my eye area. It really is like an instant "eye lift" for the eyes, results are instant and very noticeable, however, they are only temporary.

I can definitely see why this is a favourite with celebs due to the instant firming and toning results.

You can purchase the Eyesential from here; At £33.95 for 20ml it's not cheap, however the formula really does work, and you're guaranteed results, so personally I think it's worth it.

You can use code "TYSBELLA" when you check out to get 10% off.

Last but certainly not least, is Blinc Mascara.

Blinc is the original manufacturer of the "tube" mascara. I had been dying to try out a tubing mascara for a long time, so I was delighted to be able to try out the original and the best - Blinc.

Blinc's mascara is the original water resistant mascara to form tiny tubes around your lashes rather than painting them like conventional mascaras. Once applied, the tubes bind to your lashes and cannot run, smudge, clump or flake, even if you cry or rub your eyes. Blinc's mascara will add both volume and length to give you a radiant natural look that lasts all day. 
Only when you are ready for removal, the tubes will effortlessly slide off your lashes without the use of harsh makeup remover.

APPLICATION:

Use on clean and dry lashes. Within 2 minutes, apply one or more coats. Keep applying coats until the desired lash volume, length and separation is achieved, before Blinc mascara sets. Once set, additional coats cannot be applied.

REMOVAL:

Neither water alone nor pressure alone will remove Blinc mascara. Only the combination of lots of warm water and gentle pressure, from your fingertips, a washcloth or water pressure (i.e., shower), will slide the tiny tubes effortlessly off your lashes. Upon removal, you will actually see the tiny tubes in your hand! 

Among the nominees in the 2008 Best of Sephora, Blinc Mascara has been clinically tested to be non-irritating, making it ideal for sensitive eyes, contact lens wearers, and active people in search of a mascara whose look, hold, and ease of removal is without compromise.

I've been wearing this the whole time since I got it - this mascara is incredible - it does not flake or smudge - once the mascara dries, that's it, you can rub it, wipe it, splash it with water - no matter what you do, this baby doesn't budge and stays flawless!

You may be thinking you'll need a heavy duty BiPhase eye makeup remover to get this stuff off - but nope, all you need is warm water and then you simply pull the tubes off your lashes. No more panda eyes - I think I love you Blinc! :D

You can get Blinc Mascara here; for a bargainous £14.80

I absolutely love this product, so much so that it has become my "holy grail" mascara.

You can also get an extra 10% off by using code "TSYBELLA" when you place your order.

Well guys, that's my round up of my favourite eye products to get your peepers in tip top shape!

Have you tried any of the products mentioned? If so, let me know how you got on, I love hearing feedback and opinions from others to see how products worked for you.