This Was October…

October was Verymakeupmad’s month of the palette! And why not? There’s always a plethora of stunning palette launches in the run-up to Christmas, and try as we might, we couldn’t resist getting our hands on one or two (or three!) and adding them to our bulging makeup drawers (admittedly we didn’t try that hard!). You’ve gotta love a good palette!

Let’s kick things off with the stunning Hourglass Cosmetics Ambient Light Edit Volume 4, £69. Before you ask, yes this comes after the enormous successes of Volumes 1, 2 (M’s favourite) and 3 over the past few years, and like those predecessors, Volume 4 is limited edition… and completely irresistible. So be quick – these palettes always sell out fast and word on the street is that there won’t be a Volume 5. It contains 4 best-selling and 2 new, exclusive powders (including blush, highlighter, bronzer and perfector), all of which guarantee to give a flawless complexion, a flattering radiance and that tell-tale Hourglass glow. The 2 blushes (a soft, shimmery-swirled coral and a swirly, lilacy mauve) look great on eyes as well as cheeks and promise to last the course. And unlike certain other patterned powders, the marbling effect continues throughout, as the powder depletes. V recently wore the lilacy blush to a family wedding and it lasted from 3pm when she applied it, to 1am when she collapsed into bed (makeup removed first, of course!). It’s a great travel palette, plus it’s in stunning metallic pink packaging. What’s not to love?! And although it’s by no means a bargain, we assure you it’ll last for years. M’s Volume 2 is still going strong.

Onto eyeshadow palettes, and nothing screams Autumn more than the new Urban Decay Naked Cherry Eyeshadow Palette, £42. This is right up M’s street as she loves sweeping pink-toned eyeshadows onto her lids (try it, pink is far more wearable than you might think – it’s just about finding the right tone for your skin). The Naked Cherry is full of pinks, plums, mauves and coppers, some matte and some shimmering metallic and is totally versatile, making it a great day or nighttime palette. Urban Decay aficionados have recently been mourning the discontinuation of the original Naked palette (yes really, did you not get the memo?) but this gorgeous new palette seems to have perked them up! We found that some of the shades don’t appear as bold or pigmented on the skin as they do in the palette, but as far as we’re concerned, that’s not a bad thing!

Our final October palette is Kevyn Aucoin Nudepop Pro Eyeshadow Palette, £46. This one definitely got our hearts racing. Not least because of the pop art packaging, but the shades inside are all so fabulous. Neither of us like to wear matte eyeshadows, but the mattes in this palette are silky smooth, and they don’t look ‘flat’ or chalky on the skin. And then there are the metallics, which are simply stunning. Layer on top of the other shades, or wear alone for maximum impact. There’s no glitter ‘fallout’ and these powders honestly last all day.

Still on eyes, we must introduce you to our latest mascara find. The double-ended Studio10 6 in 1 Perfect Lash Mascara, £24, is one of the best we’ve tried in a long time. The brush can take a bit of getting used to as it’s completely flat, but it promises to give top lashes instant volume and length. Trust us, it does! And there’s also a mini comb brush for bottom lashes, which we don’t tend to apply mascara to, but if you do – you’ll love this! M also uses it to pull out the corner top lashes and redirect any strays, to create the perfect fan effect.

Here we are, giving this wonder mascara a whirl…

 

So that’s our October round-up. And there wasn’t a pumpkin in sight! Don’t forget you can email us – hello@verymakeupmad.co.uk – for any personal recommendations and advice. We love answering your questions and helping to find the right products for you! And don’t forget to head over to our YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/2BdiJju), where there’s beauty banter galore – our most recent video is all about skincare. You don’t want to miss it!

Love and perfectly pretty palettes,

Vikki & Mala xx

The Beauty of the Balm

It’s recently dawned on us that as we’ve got older, we’ve started to complain more. We spent the summer moaning about the uncomfortable heatwave (admittedly, that was mostly V, M seemed perfectly happy!!), and no sooner did the weather cool down and our central heating systems crank up, than our skin started to tell the tale. And now we can mostly be found moaning about that. Tight, dry and sometimes flaky, skin at this time of year is not a pretty picture. And one we go to great lengths to avoid at Verymakeupmad.

Cue the introduction of a balm (actually, multiple balms) to our daily skincare routine. These days, balms are ‘all the rage’ and with plenty on the market to choose from, we’re bringing you the lowdown on a few of our favourites.

First up, Cleansing Balms – an indulgent, cocooning way to remove makeup (even waterproof mascara!), grime and all manner of ‘yukkiness’ at the end of the day. And they promise to keep skin hydrated and supple, unlike certain other cleansers, which strip skin of oils, leaving it feeling uncomfortable. These balms melt onto the face and are designed to be removed with a cloth or flannel, soaked in hot water. Eve Lom Cleanser, £55, was the ‘wonder balm’ of the 90’s – one of the first on the market, and the cleanser that everyone wanted to get their hands on. Its still just as popular today. M has used it religiously in recent years, always sticking to Eve’s ritual of placing the hot cloth over the face 3 times (rinsing in between), to remove every last scrap of dirt. She loves this balm, but has stopped using it for the time being, as she finds the slightly medicinal scent a little overpowering and her skin needed a break.

V, on the other hand, used the balm ‘back in the day’. She was happy enough, until the time that she was invited for a facial with Eve herself (V was Beauty Editor of Vogue at the time). All was going smoothly during the treatment, until Eve barked sternly at her: “Are you constipated?” (something to do with V’s congested forehead apparently). This put V off Eve Lom products for a while…and for the record, her digestive system was working very nicely, thanks very much! V’s now considering going back to the cleanser though, especially since her skin has definitely been on the dehydrated side since she hit her 40s.

Other cleansing balms that get the Verymakeupmad stamp of approval are Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm, £47, which contains wonder anti-ageing ingredient, moringa seed extract, and which smells heavenly, and Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm, £23, which makes most financial sense and which transforms at lightning speed from solid balm to liquid oil. It’s magic!

Moving on from cleansing balms, let’s talk lip balms. We love them. We hoard them. M has quite the collection (she’s officially obsessed with Clinique Pep Start Pout Restoring Night Mask £16!) Whether you go for a squeezy tube (we love the Glossier Balm Dotcom, £10), or stick form (it’s hard to beat Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant Stick, £20), your lips will thank you for it over the coming winter months. Our other favourite balms have to be: Eve Lom Kiss Mix Lip Treatment, £16, (which also comes in gorgeous, tinted versions); Nars Orgasm Afterglow Lip Balm, £22 with its signature ‘Orgasm’ golden peach shimmer; and the delicately rose-scented ByTerry Baume De Rose Lip Care, £39, which is certainly not a steal, but which delivers the perfect amount of non-sticky, long-lasting hydration. *VERYMAKEUPMAD TOP TIP- try adding some balm to an old toothbrush and brushing your lips with it for the ultimate exfoliating treat*

Finally, there are the balm “all-rounders”. The wonder products that tackle dry skin, redness, rough elbows and heels, cuticles, dry hair. You name it… there’s a balm to fix it! A little goes a long way, and these thick pastes, when warmed between the palms, soften and work their magic. (We’ve even been known to use Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant,£28, as a glossy highlighter on cheekbones and eyelids.) Check out Egyptian Magic, £24.50, which will last you a lifetime and as well as delivering hydration, can also be used to reduce scars, stretch marks, minor burns and rashes. Another new Verymakeupmad balm discovery is Pommade Divine Nature’s Remedy Balm, £14, which has something of a cult following, with loyal fans declaring it ‘magic’, ‘a miracle’ and that they ‘couldn’t live without it’.

Last but not least, these cute, tinted, multi-purpose balm sticks that add a dewy hint of colour to lips and cheeks. We love a ‘multiple’ product, so think they’re a great addition to your makeup bag – Olio E Osso Balm, although at £27, they’re a little pricey!

And we can’t sign off without mentioning Bobbi Brown Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm, £45. We fell hard for it last year (so hard, in fact, that M invested in a super-duper, Christmas edition vat of it, that she’s still wading through!) and this year we’re loving the new shades it comes in. It doesn’t really belong in any of the Balm categories above. It’s an indulgent, pearlised creamy Balm that V uses as a foundation primer, M uses alone for a glowing complexion, and we both dot on our cheek and brow ones as a highlighter. If you haven’t tried it… you should!

So our Verymakeupmad advice to you this season is to ‘go big on balms’. You’ll be guaranteed head-to-toe hydration, and it seems there’s no end to what you can do with a balm!

As ever, you can comment below or email us at hello@verymakeupmad.co.uk for any personal recommendations or advice.

Love and ‘balmy’ nights (get it?!),

Vikki & Mala xx

Beauty Premiere with LookFantastic

When our invite to The Global Lookfantastic Premiere pinged into our inbox back in August, we couldn’t contain our excitement!! 3 days of talking, eating, breathing beauty… we would be in heaven. Yes, we have 6 children and a puppy between us that would need looking after, but where there’s a will, there’s a way! So we were on that Manchester-bound train in September, quicker than you can say “beauty bloggers”.

Of course, we knew we were in for a treat, but it wasn’t all giant beauty advent calendars (yes, really), makeovers and lavish dinners. We were at the forefront of beauty, discovering innovative product launches, cutting-edge skincare brands and devouring statistics about the future of beauty and the hottest ingredients and trends. We’ve got so much to share with you in the coming months!

We were also treated to some fascinating panel discussions. Renowned Beauty Editor, Nadine Baggott, (if you haven’t already, check out her YouTube channel full of no-nonsense beauty brilliance!) hosted a talk with 4, inspirational “kick-ass” (can we say that here?!) beauty bosses. They were the women who had single-handedly set up their extremely successful beauty brands – Vita Liberata, Pestle & Mortar, Balance Me and Omorovicza – all of which we love and use specific ‘hero’ products from. Oh, and when V reconnected with Nadine (she had been Beauty Ed of ‘Hello’, when V was Beauty Ed of Vogue) she immediately recounted the tale of V being violently sick on a private jet during a press trip to Cornwall. Not her finest hour and one she’d chosen to forget… until now!

We discovered brands that have got us very excited. Shea Moisture haircare looks set to be a must for our curly tresses, to help tame, nourish and hydrate them. M is already loving the Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine shampoo and conditioner. Then there’s Apivita – a Greek brand with natural products for face, body and hair, that harness the power of bee products plus essential oils and Greek herbs. We have a feeling that the Queen Bee anti-ageing face cream might soon become a favourite. Lancer (a dermatological skincare brand that M already loves thanks to its cult product “Dani Glowing Skin Perfector”) was showcasing its new, super-duper Younger Revealing Mask Intense which left our skin feeling baby-soft. And Balance Me Super Moisturising Hand Cream, has already made its way into our daily ‘avoid-dry-skin-at-all-costs’ routines.

 

So as we’ve said, there’s tons of information, product know-how and top beauty tricks to bring you over the coming months. Our beauty brains are positively buzzing with everything we discovered. We can’t wait to share it all with you.

Love and beauty extravaganzas,

Vikki & Mala xx