Category Archives: eyes

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess 2024 Flora Verde Collection Review & Swatches

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*Links marked with asterisks are affiliate links, these help Ree with running costs of the blog

If you have been a reader for a while, you’ll know that the new Bronze Goddess collection is one of my favourite dates in the beauty calendar. For 2024, we have the limited edition Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Flora Verde collection and it is giving me all the summer feelings! Here’s what you need to know.

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Bronze Goddess Flora Verde Palette for Eyes and Cheeks 2024 Shades

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess 2024 Flora Verde Palette
Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess 2024 Flora Verde Palette

This is a really pretty palette that follows a similar format as the Lumiere palette from last year, the Desert Heat Eyeshadow palette, the Azur Summer Look palette and the Nuit Summer Look palette from previous years. 

The Flora Verde Palette palette includes a mirror inside a limited-edition case and is a 9 shade eyeshadow and highlighter palette.

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess 2024 Flora Verde Palette shades
Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess 2024 Flora Verde Palette shades

Shades include:
1. Brazilian Coast (Matte finish; a soft cream)
2. Rio Sol (Shimmer finish; a warm gold tone)
3. Flora Verde (Shimmer finish; a golden olive)
4. Nightshade (Matte finish; a flawless flat black)
5. Passion (Shimmer & Overall Highlighter; a fiery copper-gold tone)
6. Samba (Shimmer finish; a fizzy Champagne)
7. Viva Pink (Demi Matte finish; a bright, deep pink)
8. Heat (Shimmer finish; a coppery sunset red)
9. Café Brazil Nut (Demi Matte finish; deep olive brown)

This is last year’s Lumiere palette:

Limited Edition Bronze Goddess Lumière: The Summer Look Palette
Limited Edition Bronze Goddess Lumière: The Summer Look Palette 2023

Here are those swatches:

Limited Edition Bronze Goddess Lumière: The Summer Look Palette Swatches
Limited Edition Bronze Goddess Lumière: The Summer Look Palette Swatches 2023

NEW Bronze Goddess Shimmering Gelée

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess 2024 Shimmering Gelee
Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess 2024 Shimmering Gelee

This is a brand new body highlighter with a shimmering finish. It is a lightweight non-sticky, clear, pearlised gel formula.

Here’s a swatch:

Bronze Goddess Shimmering Gelee Swatch
Bronze Goddess Shimmering Gelee Swatch
Bronze Goddess Shimmering Gelee on skin
Bronze Goddess Shimmering Gelee on skin

This shot probably doesn’t do it justice. You need to imagine it on tanned shoulders and shins!

Bronze Goddess Healthy Glow Powder

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Healthy Glow Bronzer - Sunrise
Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Healthy Glow Bronzer – Sunrise

This is limited-edition face palette with blush, bronzer and highlighter in one. It really reminds me of the now discontinued La Mer bronzing compacts with the mix of all the complexion enhancers in one.

Like the La Mer, you can use them individually, or blend them together for a healthy glow.

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Healthy Glow Bronzer - Sunrise Swatches (mixed)
Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Healthy Glow Bronzer – Sunrise Swatches (mixed)

Above are the swatches blended together.

There are two shades to choose from:

  • Sunrise – terracotta bronzer, peach blush, rose gold highlighter
  • Sunset – sienna bronzer, tangerine blush, yellow gold highlighter

Bronze Goddess 2024 Illuminating Powder Gelee Shades & Swatches

Bronze Goddess Illuminating Powder Gelee 2024 - Heatwave, Solar Crush, Modern Mercury
Bronze Goddess Illuminating Powder Gelee 2024 – Heatwave, Solar Crush, Modern Mercury

Like last year, there are three illuminator shades and we have Modern Mercury again yay.

  • 01 Heatwave
  • 02 Solar Crush
  • 03 Modern Mercury
Bronze Goddess Illuminating Powder Gelee 2024 - Heatwave, Solar Crush, Modern Mercury
Bronze Goddess Illuminating Powder Gelee 2024 – Heatwave, Solar Crush, Modern Mercury

In case you’re unaware, Modern Mercury has quite the Estee Lauder history. It was a limited edition highlighter back in a collection that launched in 2013. It was a ground-breaking formula of the time, but once the collection was sold out, MM was no longer available.

Then, in 2016, Victoria Beckham chose it to be part of her debut VB X EL collection and everyone went completely crazy over it and wondered why it has never been made permanent.

Now that Victoria Beckham has her own beauty range, we had to say goodbye to Modern Mercury again. The Bronze Goddess 2020 collection brought it back and so we had it for the past few years too.

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Modern Mercury 2024
Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Modern Mercury 2024

I love this outer packaging and the pan design. Here are the swatches:

Bronze Goddess Illuminating Powder Gelee 2024 Swatches - Heatwave, Solar Crush, Modern Mercury
Bronze Goddess Illuminating Powder Gelee 2024 Swatches – Heatwave, Solar Crush, Modern Mercury

I really enjoy this highlighter formula from EL. It uses unique prisma technology which gives such a gorgeous glow. It is a tri-brid of liquid, powder and gel and it has such a beautiful smooth finish, delivering a soft sheen that illuminates the complexion wonderfully.

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Heatwave 2024
Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Heatwave 2024
Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Solar Crush 2024
Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Solar Crush 2024

Bronze Goddess Matte & Glow Bronzing Trio

This was a new format in 2020, with three different powders and remains part of the permanent Bronze Goddess collection.

Estee Lauder Matte & Glow Bronzing Trio
Estee Lauder Matte & Glow Bronzing Trio

We have two matte powder bronzers (medium and deep) and one luminous highlighter. You can use them individually, or blend them together. Here are the swatches:

Estee Lauder Matte & Glow Bronzing Trio Swatches
Estee Lauder Matte & Glow Bronzing Trio Swatches

This is the perfect palette to use with a big fluffy brush, swirled all over the pan to warm up the complexion and get it glowing.

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess 2024 Fragrance Collection

Of course we have the classic Bronze Goddess skinscent. I absolutely adore it and for me, it really is the scent of summer.

Original Bronze Goddess Skinscent 2024
Original Bronze Goddess Skinscent 2024

It’s like lying on the beach in a beautiful place surrounded by the uplifting scents of creamy coconut, soft vanilla and sexy amber. It will always be a favourite for me.

This year we also have the Flora Verde limited edition. Described as a Floral green fragrance with a Brazilian Gardenia accord surrounded by Coconut Water and Sandalwood:

  • Top notes – Italian Bergamot, Coconut Water, Orange Bigarade
  • Heart Notes – Pink Pepper, Brazilian Gardenia, Ylang Essential Oil
  • Base Notes – Jasmine Sambac Absolute, Sandalwood, Skin Musk
Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Nuit Eau de Parfum
Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Nuit Eau de Parfum

It’s a gorgeous, green floral take the iconic Bronze Goddess scent and I’m really enjoying it. It makes me think of an upscale beach holiday as Bronze Goddess always does, and I love the uplifting Bergamot in the top notes and the deeper smoothness of the Jasmine Sambac Absolute. Of course it has the milky coconut tones you’d expect from this iconic fragrance.

When is Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess 2024 out?

The full Bronze Goddess collection is out now at Estee Lauder*.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Firework Mascara Review

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*Links marked with asterisks are affiliate links, these help Ree with running costs of the blog

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Maybelline Lash Sensational Firework Mascara Review

There’s a brand new mascara from Maybelline and as it’s one of my favourite high street brands, I was very excited to try it. Here’s the low down on the Maybelline Lash Sensational Firework Mascara with before and after photos.

What is Maybelline Lash Sensational Firework Mascara?

Maybelline Lash Sensational Firework Mascara Features
Maybelline Lash Sensational Firework Mascara Features
  • Designed to deliver 360° lash-by-lash impact
  • Innovative SuperSpark Brush with bristles arranged in a unique spiral firework pattern
  • Designed to capture and lift each lash
  • Gel-based formula is enriched with Pro-Vitamin B5 to condition and strength
  • Buildable 24 hour smudge-resistant formula

Before and After Photos

Here’s the before:

Maybelline Lash Sensational Firework Mascara before photo
Before Photo

Here’s one coat on one side:

Maybelline Lash Sensational Firework Mascara - one coat
One Coat

Here’s two coats on one side:

Maybelline Lash Sensational Firework Mascara - Two Coats
Two Coats

See below for the full after photo with two coats on both eyes

My Review of Maybelline Lash Sensational Firework Mascara

Maybelline Lash Sensational Firework Mascara After Photo
Maybelline Lash Sensational Firework Mascara After Photo

I love Maybelline mascaras, so I was pretty confident that I would get on well with this.

I am a huge fan of Maybelline Sky High – see my review here – and have been wearing the Burgundy Haze shade pretty much every day for the last couple of months. See Burgundy Haze in action in this Instagram video.

Whereas Sky High Mascara is mainly about lengthening the lashes, I think that Maybelline Fireworks really delivers on the volume (and gives length too). As you will probably have seen in the Before & After photos above, I could easily have just used one coat, as it packs on so much volume really quickly.

The formula is super black and really adds great impact and definition to the eyes. What I love about this formula is that it doesn’t make the lashes at all crispy, even when it’s dry, and the eyelashes stay feeling flexible for the whole day.

This means that you can easily layer up Maybelline Lash Sensational Firework Mascara later in the day, which I find can usually be quite a struggle with a lot of mascara. Often, when I go to top up with a lot of mascaras, I can find the brush drags and kind of catches on the lashes. Whereas topping up with Firework feels smooth and fluid.

I think it is down to a combination of the smooth gel-based formula and the very flexible, bendy brush which allows for intuitive application.

I love that it makes my eyelashes look very thick, long and black. I think it separates them nicely and lifts them up with a good curl which lasts. You get a really nice full and fanned out appearance to the lashes and there is very minimal flaking and smudging. 

The pink packaging is fun, but it is pretty big and bulky, and I definitely prefer the sky high style of packaging, but it’s no big deal. For me, Sky High is more of an everyday mascara, where as Fireworks is one I will be reaching for when I need a bit more drama.

I am a fan of thick lashes, and really enjoy the bulked up look, so I loved the two coats with the Maybelline Lash Sensational Firework Mascara. However, if you like something a bit less bulky, then one coat will be all you need, which not only saves on product, but also time!

If you are looking for a new mascara and love something super black and dramatic, I definitely think this is worth a try.

It takes a bit more work to remove than Sky High, but it’s nothing that a minute massaging an oil cleanser over the lashes can’t deal with.

Where to buy Maybelline Fireworks Mascara

This mascara is available now for £12.99. Buy it via the following links:

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How To Get The 70s Makeup/Hairstyle Look: Jennifer Lawrence From American Hustle – Smoky Gray Eyes, Sculpted Cheekbones, Red Lips, Loose Waves,…

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We’re surely not the only ones crushing on Jennifer Lawrence! And during tonight’s 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards, we loved her short pixie cut and berry lips on the red carpet. But, we just can’t get over her ’70s-inspired look for her part in American Hustle (which she won the Best Supporting Actress in a […]

7 Ways to Look Younger Using Just Makeup!

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We all want to look our best, and by our “best” we usually mean younger. There are a lot of ways to help slow down the aging process. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables, using sunscreen to help block harmful UV rays, and drinking a lot of water are just a few.  Getting the right amount of exercise also helps slow down the aging process.

Some women have the idea that the more makeup they apply the better they will look. But the truth is, using too much makeup can settle into fine lines and wrinkles that we acquire as we get older. This makes them stand out instead of covering them up. However, with the right tricks, turning back the clock can be as easy as opening your makeup bag.

1. Skip the Powder

As we age, we tend to lose the natural glow of our skin. You would think that powder, being lightweight and non-greasy would mean it’s a necessity but that’s not always the case. Powder can easily embed itself into the fine lines and wrinkles on your face, especially around your eyes and that will only exaggerate them. Also, adding powder to the skin can make it look cakey or dull.  Instead, opt for a foundation that is lightweight or a tinted moisturizer. This will help even out your skin tone without making it feel greasy and allow your skin to shine through.

My top pick: NARS Sheer Glow Foundation  (Amazon) (eBay) (Sephora) (Nordstrom)

2. Apply a Creamy Pink Blush

Just like face powder, a powder blush can set into the fine lines and wrinkles that occur over time. It can also make your skin appear dull. Opting for a cream blush adds a glow to your cheeks without overdoing it. Make sure you pick the right shade for your skin tone no matter if you have light, medium, or dark skin. Using a pink color will add a nice flush to your cheeks that will give them a more youthful appearance. Just remember to use clean fingers when patting the cream blush to your cheeks to avoid getting any germs into your pores

My top pick: NYX Cream Blush in Boho Chic (Makeup Geek Store)

3. Curl your Lashes

Curling your lashes immediately makes the eye pop. With time, the eyelid begins to droop and eyelashes begin to flatten. You need to give the appearance of everything being pulled up. Curling your lashes gives the appearance of your eyes being more open and wide therefore looking more youthful.  Remember to apply a couple coats of mascara, but even if you don’t make sure you curl those lashes.

My top pick: Shu Uemura Lash Curler  (Amazon) (eBay)

Also: Tarte Picture Perfect Eyelash Curler (Amazon) (eBay)

4. Wear Plumping Lipgloss

Thinning lips is another sign of aging. Although you can’t turn back the clock and make your lips full like they once were, you can help give the effect of fuller more supple lips by using a plumping lipgloss. This will also help your lips feel fuller and appear thicker than normal. You will know when you have a good plumping lipgloss by the slight tingle on your lips. This lets you know it is working. You should however, avoid using dark colors as this will give your lips a shadow effect and actually make them appear smaller.

My top pick: Bare Escentuals Buxom Lipgloss in Bambi (Amazon) (eBay)

Also:  NYX Plump It Up Lip Plumper (Amazon) (eBay)

5. Conceal your Dark Circles

Whether it’s from lack of sleep, heredity, or age, having dark circles under your eyes will make you appear older than you actually are. Dark circles actually make your face look as if it is being drawn downward. The trick to correctly concealing them is not to use your normal concealer. Use a concealer that is peach or salmon color as this will help to counteract the blue color that most under circles tend to be. To add some brightness under the eye and make them appear more youthful, gently pat on a concealer over the corrector. Use one shade lighter than your natural skin color.  This will give automatically give a more youthful appearance to the eyes.

My top pick: Bobbi Brown Corrector in Peach (Amazon) (eBay) (Sephora) (Nordstrom)

Also: Makeup Forever Concealer Palette (Amazon) (eBay) (Sephora)

6. Wing Your Liner

Just like curling your eyelashes, winging out your liner can give an instant lift to your eyes. As we age, our eyes begin to somewhat droop.  By winging out your liner you are instantly giving your eyes the appearance that they are being pulled upward. Many women find that creating a winged eye is hard to do. The reality of it is having the proper tools and making sure to use a gel liner.  Use an angled eyeliner brush like the Makeup Geek Bent Liner Brush which sells for $3.79 USD. If you are uncertain how to use one of these brushes or how to achieve that cat eye, or winged liner effect, check out our video “How To: Use An Angled Liner Brush“.

My top picks: Makeup Geek Gel Liner in “Immortal” and Makeup Geek Bent Liner Brush

Also: Bobbi Brown Gel Liner in “Black” (Amazon) (eBay) (Nordstrom)

Makeup Review, Mascara Comparison Photos: Dolce & Gabbana Passion Eyes Mascara: Best Curl & Volumizing 2014 – Black, Brown, Blue

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Scarlett Johansson happens to be an alumni of my children’s school, and I just met her brother last year. Good looks run in the family, and I can easily see why she embodies the new Dolce & Gabanna Passion Eyes Mascara ($32.00). Her eyes are a tool of seduction, carrying off the I’m-only-wearing-mascara look and […]