Sunday, March 31, 2013

Easter Feaster!

Happy Easter Everyone!!!

I hope you've had a great day celebrating Easter how you do best!

Today I went for a shop and picked up a few goodies! (I did get some clothes but being that the focus of this blog is beauty I won't worry about that! lol)

My poor hand was a bit beaten up for swatching about 40 gazillion lipsticks and pencils (I'm pretty sure that's an accurate number! lol)


My nice stained hand!


It was a nice day out and the shops weren't horrendously busy as per usual so I could actually get some decent help! Anyway, here are my goodies!

MAC Mineralize Rich Lipstick in Luxe Naturale
I already currently own one MR lippy (Lady at Play) and I love it! It feels so nice to wear. It sort of has a glossy non-sticky texture, but still having the pigmentation/better staying power of a lipstick! I chose Luxe Naturale because I was in the search for (another) nude for when I do bright eye makeup! (sometimes i'm not in the mood for bright eyes AND bright lips together!)
Mineralize Rich Lipstick in Luxe Naturale
Mineralize lippies have different packaging to other MAC lippies. They have a stylish flared design and a magnetic cap! Very sleek indeed! You also get an extra 1.04g of product compared to a standard lippy (4.04g vs 3g) and pay an extra $10 for it ($46 vs $36 in Aus). Therefore, I recommend if you get one of these lippies, pick a colour that you will get wear out of!

Swatch of Mineralize Rich Lipstick in Luxe Naturale

Luxe Naturale is a nude colour with just a hint of pinky peach! I feel that it suits my few-shades-off-ghostly-white skin tone.

Bare Minerals Eye Colour in Grace
Like a MR lippy, I already have a few of these (my theory: if it's good, buy it in every colour! haha). I wear two, Drama and Nude Beach, on a regular basis. I bought this from Mecca Cosmetica for $17.95 (well, the fiance paid for it as an easter present... so it cost me nothing! haha). While it looks like you get a decent amount (and yes, they would last you a while), you don't get as much compared to other loose pigments. They are however, very good, so it makes up for it!

Grace is a pinky nude with a gold undertone. I chose this for everyday wear, when I am wearing  more gold coloured things (my other stock standard - Nude Beach - is very cool toned and I don't think it's always appropriate). Grace also comes out a bit lighter on the skin than you would expect!

Bare Minerals - Grace
 
Bare Minerals - Grace Swatch
 Illamasqua Bronzing Duo in Glint/Writhe
Ahhh Illamasqua. My favourite counter at Myer Chadstone. I am always served by the same awesome chick and we always have a great laugh, chat about the products, and she is rather patient when I ask all sorts of reasonably curly questions and laugh about what I can be talked into! haha. She was the one who first fit me for my Skin Base Foundation and 100% props she got it right and I LOVE it! Anyway, today I picked up two products. A bronzing duo and the lippy. I am not normally a bronzer person. Blush blush blush is all I'm about, but I looked at this palette, swatched it and HAD to have it! The bronzers feel SO SO silky and luxurious, they melted onto my skin. I can almost see myself using Glint (the lighter one) as an eye highlighter, and others have suggested to use them as shadows (also something I am likely to do as I use NP's Bronze Patrol as a shadow from time to time). I am actually really excited to use these because they feel so awesome!

Bronzing Duo in Glint (Left) and Writhe (Right)

Glint (Left) and Writhe (Right)
These bronzers have beautiful gold tones and aren't what you think of when you think bronzer (well I think of a horrible dark matte powder a-la Rimmel). Anyway, they are shimmery, but not too shimmery. Almost like a satin (if that is the correct use of that texture! lol). Glint is a nice nude colour and Writhe is a darker, warm tan/terracotta-ish brown. There is another bronze duo available if this one doesn't totally hit the spot! It's Glint/Burnish - where burnish is a cooler brown.

Illamasqua Lipstick in Apocalips
Last but not least, my other lippy purchase for the day! I have always had a bit of a crush on Apocalips, plus I like it's pun-factor, but not felt like I could wear it! (When you see the swatches, you may understand why if you've never seen it before!) However, when I was picking the brains of my favourite Illamasqua lady, she suggested a few ways to wear it and I was sold! haha (see, told you I can be easily influenced at times!).

Illamasqua Apocalips
See, it's teal! (and very in your face!). Certainly not something for wearing in a small-town! However, I have no issues with colour so I would happily wear it! (It is sporting a few moisture spots but the product is a-ok!)

Apocalips Swatch (with a hello from my Easter Nails!)

As you can see, from the swatch it is a nice mid-teal very matte! While Illamasqua lippies can feel a tad drying they don't budge! (like really, don't budge!) They are a very low maintenance lippy if you want to throw it on and go! They also have very bright and a very good range of colours so there is something to appeal to everyone! With the price drop in Australia they are down to a much more reasonable $25!

Now is also a good time to mention that illamasqua.com are currently having an 'easter hunt' and have big savings on shadow, pigments and polish! (they also have one more to release which I'm betting to be lipstick!) - So now is a good chance to grab some bargains or try some colours you wouldn't normally while they are 45% off! (BARGAIN!)

So there you have it, today's Easter picks!
If there is any other products you would like to see, let me know!
Love,
Your PM x

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: Violent Lips/Violent Eyes

Hello again and happy hump day Wednesday! WOOHOO!

Only one more day of work before Easter Break! (read: bulk napping for four days LOL)

Anywhoo,

Tonight's post will be on the Violent Lips/Violent Eyes Products that you may have seen floating around the net! These things turn heads! (and you need to be a little bit brave to wear them, particularly the lips!)

I orginally purchased these products when I went to support Andy Murray at the Australian Open with the Fiance! (Unfortunately, no Scottish Flags so I had to settle for Union Jacks!)
I was pretty excited to try these out!

Violent Lips Packaging

Violent Eyes Packaging

The packaging is quite decent but the back is REALLY sticky so you just about have to destroy the packet to open it! It is nice and sturdy though (your lips/eyes aren't likely to bend or bow!)

Violent Lips

Back of Violent Lips

 The lips pop out of their little paper stencil and on the back is various markings so that you can trim to your desired size! There is a video tutorial on the Violent Lips website which outlines what you need (cotton tip and scissors really!) and how to get them on! I did find them rather awkward to use... they definitely take practise! It ended up taking me two goes to get my lips decent but I am sure that with more practise it would be easier! 
  
The Finished Product!
 
Ta-da!! As you can see... super effective and they look pretty awesome! (don't mind me cropping out the fiance! haha). The only downside was they felt a bit sticky... I was worried to put my lips together incase they stuck together and ripped apart! (and I was licking my lips every 20 seconds because of this too!). You can put gloss over them, but I had read somewhere that people had issues with it and I didn't want to wreck them! (It was the Grand Final and I didn't want to have silly looking lips if I was gonna be on the telly!)



Violent Eyes

The Violent Eyes have a similar set up to the lips - you pop them out of the paper and there are markings on the back so you can cut them to size. Though with these you get four different styles to choose from depending on your mood! Once again, there is a tutorial on their website which is strongly worth the watch! Images below of the finished product!
 
Eyes Open!

Eyes Closed!

Once again, super effective! I liked that these were a bit more subtle - likely to appeal to alot more people than the lips! (That being said I didn't make them very subtle with my blue lips!) The eyes were comfortable to wear and didn't budge! I had put one eye on a bit crooked and could notice it but you would have had to have been staring at my face! They were alot easier to get on than the lips (I found). You can put your desired eye makeup on underneath too! Awesome!

These products definitely turn heads and I received lots of comments while wearing them! (Lips especially!)

I bought my Violent Lips/Eyes from www.violentlips.com. They have free worldwide shipping and they often have discount coupons! (win win!). I have bought some more too, I bought the black glitterati eyes... I am pondering some more lips but I am struggling to think of an occasion where I could get away with them!


Have any of you tried the Eyes/Lips? What are your thoughts?
Happy (early) Easter!
Love,
Your PM x

Please Note: When I review products I aim to be fair, based on my personal experience. Just because I do/don't like a certain feature/product doesn't mean you will have the same experience! Your thoughts may be the opposite to mine! (If only personal taste wasn't so subjective! lol) Therefore, take all of my reviews with a grain of salt! Though I do aim to try and point out all necessary things so that you can make an informed decision on a product, it doesn't mean that you may neccessarily love it/hate it as much as I do! Thanks :)



Tuesday, March 26, 2013

What to Expect from the PM!

... NOT MUCH! haha just kidding :)

By PM I mean me, Polished Makeup!

Tonights post will be short and sweet as I'm out and about (and I HATE typing long mesaages/emails etc on a touch screen! lol) but I just wanted to let you know what I'll be blogging about over the next little while!

I aim to review: (in no particular order!)
- Beauty Sponges  (they seem to be all the rage atm!)
- Bite Beauty Matte lip pencils
- Zoya Diva Collection (if I can get my hands on it at Salon Melbourne!)
- Violent Lips/Violent Eyes
- LineCrime Geradium
- My newest Nars blushes! (including Sin)
- MAC Mineralize Lipstick

I hope to talk about:
- Eye Highlighters
- Brush Washing Tips
- My Makeup Routine
- Brushes I Use
- Dupes

I will also post some looks as well as what I've got happening on my nails! (and I have just done some Easter themed ones too!)

But now I will put it to you! What would you like to see on Polished Makeup?

xx
Ebony :)

Sunday, March 24, 2013

My Favourite Nars Blush (and a comparison...)

Why hello there!

Tonights post will be about my favourite Nars blush - Deep Throat. Nars blushes as a whole would have to be among my favourite. Good colour spectrum, good pigmentation and they stay on! (I think I would easily get 6+ hours of wear from pretty much all of my blushes! I pick well! haha). For those unaware, Nars' best selling blush is one called Orgasm. (Seriously, why the names? I am not really keen on explaining to people that I have Deep Throat and/or Orgasm on my cheeks! lol).

Anyway, to the "review"!

I would describe Deep Throat as a "dusty pink with a hint of coral and a slight gold shimmer". The Mecca Cosmetica website describes it as "peach with shimmer". Mecca's description is a bit more to the point! It's definitely a pink based blush but there is that bit of orangy/peach/coral thing in there!


Nars Deep Throat (With Flash)
(I will apologise now for the average picture quality... While this is still in it's teething/is-it-going-to-be-popular stage, I'm not going to go forking out for new equipment... so handheld camera and phone it is!)

 Nars Deep Throat (No Flash)
I felt compelled to compare it to Orgasm as it's the most popular (and DT is my fave). Mecca describes Orgasm as "peachy pink with shimmer". So the difference between the two is "pink"! lol. There is definitely more pink in Orgasm (almost a reddy-undertoned pink) and the shimmer is MUCH more noticable in the pan. Both shimmers in the two blushes are gold undertones. 

Nars Deep Throat (Left) and Orgasm (Right)

Nars Deep Throat (Left) and Orgasm (Right)
Though lighter in the pan, DT (I'm abbreviating now... much quicker!) does come up a bit darker when swatched on my hand. Orgasm is definitely more pink on the hand, it is quite pretty actually, and the gold shimmer is extra noticable (though apparently not as noticable in this pic! might be time for a light box...) So if you are in a sparkly mood, Orgasm is a good choice. DT has a sheen, but I am not sure shimmer is the right description, especially when compared to Orgasm! They are both really pretty in their own way. I am a real coral/peach lover so I am always drawn to DT and colours like it! This is why DT gets a big thumbs up as my fave. I like that depending on what the rest of your face has got going on, it can lean that bit pink or that bit coral.

You can buy Nars blush in Australia from Mecca Cosmetica (www.meccacosmetica.com.au) - they also have physical stores too :)

Thankyou for reading and I will be sure to post some more of my blush collection in the future! (Well, it's pretty much guaranteed because I LOVE blush! haha). Two reported, only 412387 to go! haha (Probably not an understatement there!)

Please also bear with me while I get used to the whole blogging settings and set up! I'm kind of flying by the seat of my pants at the moment! lol (And for those readers that don't know me that well... I do like to have a bit of a laugh and I will put my sense of humor in these posts! It's gotta be fun hey?!)

Till next time...
Ebony
xx

(Yes I need to work on a good sign off too!)

Welcome!

Greetings!

I have finally decided to bite the bullet and start a blog... so welcome!

It is my aim to talk about makeup... and polish! (and I love a good pun/play on words, so I felt "Polished Makeup" was appropriate!)

As for the 44... it's a running joke between the fiance and I! Thought it would have a bit more meaning being that polishedmakeup is taken :( sad part is it's not even used anymore!

I will post looks and reviews and probably some other random things on the way!

You can also find me on instagram! My user name is ebdog (still having a dilemma whether to change it or not! lol)

For those who don't know me, I am actually a Scientist by trade - with majors in Chemistry and Microbiology! I then fell in love with nail polish so I decided to go to tafe and study a Certificate II in Nail Technology! It was at tafe that I got more serious with makeup and I did a short course on Makeup Techniques. I would like to study more makeup but the availability where I am is pretty limited :(

Anyway, I best get back to sleep! (if you can't sleep, start a blog! right? lol)

I shall do a proper post sometime soon!

Ebony
xx