Review: Mac Paintpot in Groundwork

Two things before we even begin to go into my thoughts on this product: 1. Yes, I was an impatient blogger and cracked this open on a weekend away, meaning I didn't get to photograph it before use - hence it now looking more than a little bit gross. 2. Adding to the grossness is a delightfully placed hair, which I can assure you is from a makeup brush. You have my apologies for both.

On my last visit to my local Mac shop, I went in with two things in mind: A new spring lipstick, and a Mac Paint Pot. Despite being an avid Mac shopper, this was one product I had yet to try, perhaps owing to my - until fairly recently - reluctance to branch out from palettes when it comes to eye colours. Generally, I'm far too greedy and indecisive to ever go for a single eye shadow or pigment, be it cream or powder, but I'd seen these little gems floating around the blogosphere for a while by then, and had noted how lovely both Groundwork and Painterly seemed to look just used on their own.

So, what exactly are these Paint Pots, for those of you who have never tried them before? They are highly-pigmented cream eye colours which set with an intense finish, and the neutral shades among them  work well as a primer/base for powder eyeshadows as well as looking pretty darn good worn alone.

I picked up the shade Groundwork, which I must admit doesn't look all that exciting in the pot. It's described by Mac as a mid-tone neutral taupe, but while it does look pretty matte before application, on the eyelids it does have a bit of a glossy, sheeny finish. The best thing about Paint Pots is that they are really long-wearing - this one doesn't budge all day, and I have to make a point of removing it especially when it comes to my evening skincare routine. It doesn't crease at all either, which is one of the reasons it does make such a fabulous eyeshadow base.

Personally, I've been wearing this solo all over the lid for a really easy, day-time neutral eye. For me, it seems a shame to cover it up with layers of eyeshadow when it looks so pretty on it's own, and since the day I bought it I think I have pretty much reached for it every single day. It's such a quick and effective step to include in my morning makeup routine, and it's handy for travel too as it's such a small and sturdy pot.

Of course, for evening looks I do take full advantage of  Groundwork's power as a base for a more dramatic look, and that works really well too.

 The only downside to the Paint Pots, I would say, is that they do tend to dry out slightly, so it's a good idea to keep the lid screwed on really tightly and, as I was advised at Mac, to store it upside-down. Saying that, mine only looks slightly drier in the pot, but it's still just as easy to apply with a fluffy eyeshadow brush.

Overall I'm really impressed with this, and am looking to get my hands on a couple more very soon. I only wish I'd discovered them sooner!

Paint Pots are available from Mac at £14.50 a pop.

Have you tried any of the Mac Paint Pots? If so, which one is your favourite?

xx

Review: Mac Pro Longwear Concealer

Hi everyone, I've been a bit absent on here for the past week or so due to illness, as I did mention in Monday's post. I had a nasty bout of the flu, which knocked me for six a bit, and it's only today that I've been feeling back to myself and have got the energy to get on here and get back to blogging. I'm glad to be back, as I do hate leaving this little corner unattended. Normal service shall now resume!

I often complain about the dark circles I have under my eyes, and while they are hardly a severe example they do tend to put a dampener on my day in the mornings. I've tried countless concealers and eye creams, and while I have now discovered the Elemental Herbology Eye Elixir, which has worked very well for me in terms of darkness and puffiness, I was still on the hunt for that perfect concealer. Previously, I had been using Benefit Erase Paste, which I did quite like for some while, but essentially I began to notice that it was sinking into and emphasising fine lines just beneath my lower lash-line, and let's be honest, nobody wants to have to contend with that in their twenties. I had often wondered if the level of coverage Erase Paste gave was all there was - it's quite a thick paste, but still I could see the darkness through it.

So, on a fairly recent trip to Mac, I thought I would ask for some advice, having never tried their range of concealers in the past.

I was recommended the Pro Longwear Concealer, which is designed especially for the under-eye area. It comes in a small glass tube with a pump dispenser on the top - something which I quite like as it seems far more hygeinic than dipping your fingers into a pot or jar. The only down-side on that score is that often, one pump is too much, so you can end up wasting a bit of product here and there.

I was surprised to be recommended the shade NC30, which is a shade darker than my NW25 skin (I'm still unsure whether I'm really supposed to be an NW or NC, as I'm yet to find the perfect shade for me in Mac products). Anyway, I have always been of the belief that it was wise to go for a lighter shade under the eyes, since you are trying to counteract the darkness. However, the assistant very kindly applied some of the product for me, and I was astonished to see how much better a job it did of concealing my dark circles. It seems to me that using a lighter shade under the eyes only serves to highlight the problem, and if you're not careful you can easily end up with reverse panda eyes. Saying that, some people seem to swear by this method, so as usual, I suppose it's down to personal preference.

The concealer itself is a liquid, not unlike the Pro Longwear foundation in consistency, and blends effortlessly into the skin when applied with my Real Techniques setting brush (maybe not its intended purpose, but it works for me!). I find  the lasting power to be really good, even more so when I dust a small amount of powder over the top to set it - after eight hours it still looks pretty good, but it does depend on whether or not I've been absent-mindedly rubbing my eyes throughout the day or not, which does happen on occasion!

Overall I'm really pleased with this concealer, and I don't think I've ever been able to say that about any of the others I've tried. I'm going to stick with it, as used in conjunction with the afore-mentioned Eye Elixir, I'm finally feeling better about my dark circles and don't have that moment of despair in the mornings any more.

The Pro Longwear Concealer comes in at £14.50 for 9ml, and is available from the Mac store here.

What are your favourite under-eye concealers and creams? Have you ever tried anything that worked really well for you?

xx

Banish Tired, Puffy Eyes With EyeSlices

As you are very well aware, puffy eyes and dark circles are pretty much the bane of my life in the mornings. I have tried countless eye creams and gels, not to mention a vast array of natural remedies (cold teaspoons or teabags, anyone?), all of which I have found to be pretty ineffective or awkward to use. So, when a company called Calla Distribution very kindly sent me over some eyeSlices to try, I jumped at the chance.

I was sent two different varieties to have a go with: Legendary Eyes, which aim to combat puffiness and dark circles, and Happy Eyes, designed to keep itchiness caused by allergies at bay.

Eye Slices are oval-shaped gel discs which can be moulded into the eye contour and will adhere, thanks to their patented Cryogel technology meaning you can pop them on for a pick-me-up any time, anywhere. Each slice comes in a little resealable container, and can be re-used up to five times on each eye.

What's more, Eye Slices are natural and non-toxic, and have been tested and approved as a non-irritant. Plus, they are never tested on animals, which is always a winner in my book.

The slices feel instantly cooling when pressed into the eye contour, and it's a pleasure to sit back and relax for the recommended five minutes and let them work their magic. You can do one eye at a time if you prefer, which is handy if you're trying to cram in some last minute reading in the morning or eat your breakfast before rushing out the door.

So, do they work?

Well, I have to say, they do! The Legendary Eyes slices well and truly put paid to my under-eye puffiness, no mean feat considering everything else I've tried! The first time I removed one of these gems and looked in the mirror, I was - quite understandably - speechless at how firm and perky my under-eye area was. As for dark circles, I wouldn't say they completely disappeared, but the general appearance of my eyes was vastly improved, therefore making them less noticeable.

As for the Happy Eyes, I can report much the same thing. The slices were really soothing on irritated eyes (when my cat comes too close to my face it doesn't go down too well with me), and once again did a fantastic job at bringing down any swelling, puffiness and redness.

I wasn't able to take a photo of myself using the Eye Slices, but this one taken from www.eyeslices.com should give you some idea of how they look.

Final thoughts? I love the fact that these are natural, portable and reusable, and find the fact that they actually adhere to the eye contour really handy, as it meant I could actually walk around with one on. However, the 'stickiness' didn't last as well beyond the second use, after which they are better used when you've got the chance to lie back and relax.

These do take a bit longer to use than your standard eye cream, but personally I think they are really worth putting aside those extra five minutes for - as I said, they actually do work, whereas the majority of eye creams don't seem to do much for me at all. Yes, you could just use teabags, but these are so much more convenient, and you don't have to worry about getting streaks of tea running down your face!

If you're looking for something to pep up your tired eyes in a hurry and have been so far unimpressed with eye creams and gels, then this one is for you!

For more information, visit:

http://www.calladistribution.co.uk

www.eyeslices.com

xx