The beauty world, as you will have realised by now, has gone contouring crazy. I mentioned in my previous post that my preferred contour method, for a really soft and subtle look, was simply a sweep of matte bronzing powder beneath the cheekbones. None of that “snail trail” of illuminator across the top, no harsh lines, no muddiness. With that in mind, I decided to give the Clinique Sculptionary Cheek Contouring Palette a go. Much more “up my street” than the Chubby Sticks, which, despite having received a unanimous round of applause online I still can’t get the knack of. (The illuminator stick is very weak-willed, for a start – it barely shows up on my skin. Then there’s the dark contour stick, which only comes in one shade and can get a little muddy and messy upon blending, as can all cream contour products. Seems foolproof, with its chunky child’s crayon-type appearance, but I’m still struggling to get it looking as good as a powder.)

And so move over Chubby Sticks, enter stage left the Sculptionary Palette. I used the Defining Nudes version. Three shades – one highlight, one colour, one contour – for painstakingly creating that sucked-in-cheek look with your various contour and blush brushes. Or, if you’re lazy like me, three shades that can be swirled together with one massive brush (Chanel Powder No.3, perhaps) and applied slap-dashedly all over for an instant healthy glow. Behold my before:

And after.

Who needs lengthy contouring methods when you can lightly bronze beneath your cheekbones and be done with it? Marvellous. Clinique’s Sculptionary Cheek Contouring Palette costs £28 here.

I seriously doubt that this will be the end of my contouring investigations; I have become slightly obsessed with it, recently. Not with actually doing it, but just observing others who have. I enjoy bearing witness to the various levels of contour ridiculousness, but also having a genuine admiration when it is done really convincingly, when it becomes kind of like a weird optical illusion. I did a Max Factor video last week (don’t think it’s out yet, I’ll give you a nudge when it is) where I did a softer contour using the new Creme Puff blushers (which are properly lovely, by the way) and I really liked the effect. It was far stronger than I would ever wear in real life, but that’s the problem with this whole contouring craze: most of the demos you see are in online video tutorials, and you have to pile on loads of makeup so that the effect is dramatic enough. In an everyday situation, you need – and want – far less. Tread carefully, use the lightest touch!

The post Contouring Makeup Products Continued: The Sculptionary Palette appeared first on A Model Recommends.

Continue reading →

Space NK are running their brilliant £15 “try something new” discount again*, which means it’s a great time to do your stocking up if you’re running out of your favourite products. Or, if you’re particularly organised, a good time to do a bit of Christmas shopping! Space NK are giving every shopper £15 off when they spend £60 or more – just use the voucher code EXPLORE30 here.

The idea is that you use your £15 saving to explore different brands and discover something new, so I’ve done some quickfire reviews of new and interesting things just to whet your appetites. (Lies: a couple of the products are old favourites. But equally as interesting.)

Kicking off with some skincare, the fresh-as-water Hydraskin serum from Darphin. A recent discovery, this lightweight serum feels cooling and soothing and really helps to boost moisture if you’re feeling dehydrated in the facial department. It’s £43 .

OM is a new brand on my radar – I haven’t had a good go with the whole range yet, but it all looks and feels delicious. The Revitalising Beauty Booster is a gorgeous little bottle of antioxidant goodness – a few drops can be massaged neat into the face or mixed with moisturiser. I think this could be a great travel product for frequent flyers and those who repeatedly burn the candle at both ends! It’s £22.50 .

Omorovicza’s Elemental Emulsion is an old favourite – so wonderfully light but so incredibly hydrating. If you’ve got oily skin but want something rich and decadent that won’t feel greasy on the skin then this is it. Ditto if you’re on the dry side and want a moisture boost to layer on before your thicker cream… The price makes me want to weep, but if you’re in the market for a luxury skincare buy then this is a top choice. It’s £90.

Read my original review of Omorovicza’s Elemental Emulsion…

Diptyque Baies: where has THIS been all of my life? How have I reached thirty-five (thirty-six next month but let’s brush that under the carpet) and not ever burnt a Baies candle in my house? This smells like being trapped in an underground fairy grotto – there’s something of the woodland about it, fresh and green, but it’s also rich with berries. Difficult to describe, just know that you need this scent in your world. Candles start at £20 for the small size

Christophe Robin’s Volumising shampoo and conditioner with rose extracts have become my top hair treats. They seem to add bounce and life back into my hair when it’s limp and flat and the smell when I use them is so beautiful that it’s like a little uplifting mood boost. I’ll admit that the prices are extremely steep (I seem to have done a bit of a fantasy shopping session on this page I’m afraid!) but – again – if you’re after something decadent and take your haircare very seriously, this is a great brand. Find it online

Another brand that seems to be making waves (ha!) on the hair scene: Ouai. Now look; I don’t love the Ouai shampoo and conditioner quite as much as the Christophe Robin, but it is, price aside (another wince-inducing £20+ tag) very effective and, long-term, my hair does feel better and stronger after a stint with the “Smooth” range. I have the “Clean” products to test out (shampoo pictured above) and I’ll report back on those – I do like a thorough, non-stripping shampoo – but you can browse the entire Ouai offering