Cosmetic Kingdom Blog

Hi All

For the month of July 2011, Cosmetic Kingdom are offering 10% discount on all orders.

To obtain your discount on your order, when checking out, simply enter SUMMER10 as the coupon code. Your order will automatically be updated with a discount of 10% off the product total you have purchased.

Discount code SUMMER10 is valid until midnight 31st July 2011. No minimum order required. Discount does not apply to any delivery charge applicable.

I simply can not believe where the time goes – it’s over a week since I last blogged about my favourite topice – Makeup, Cosmetics and Beauty Potions & Lotions !!

Well here we are again…… here is a frank and honest review from Charlotte Button (aka Sparkes & Mirrors) for you to have a look at on L’Oreal HIP Eye Cream Paint…….

First Impressions: I always maintain the basis of a good eyeshadow look is a liquid base, there are many liquid eyeshadows;, however this I feel is the best – for value and quality mainly.

The L’Oreal brand is trusted by millions of women and has an image of good quality. I came across this product as I was looking for cheap liquid liners, and a L’Oreal product at £1.75 :)))))))) seemed a definite way to go.

 When it arrived, it came in a little box and a decent brush too! (not often found with some eye-shadows)  It does seem a bit of a strange design, but strangely professional and smart. The tube itself seems really small, however you only need a small ½ pea size on each eyelid, it covers space well and makes the eyes look lovely, bright and dewy.

Application

As always on Sparkles&Mirrors I suggest using this type of product for a base on all eyeshadows, this eyeshadow is light and still with a strong colour so it can be used on its own or as a base. As well as ALWAYS applying with a brush.

As mentioned above the tube size makes you think that you will get through it quickly but you only need a small amount.

Likes & Dislikes

I LOVE the price, quality, range of colours (mainly neutral colours, still very effective) I dislike the fact that the tube isn’t bigger, I’d like a little bit more product.

COSMETIC KINGDOM PRICE JUST £1.75

http://www.cosmetic-kingdom.co.uk/loreal-hip-cream-shadow-paint-eyeshadow-steely.html

OMG!!!! We are inundated with Urban Decay at the moment. We have just had a huge delivery in, of my absolute favourite Cosmetics!!!! Urban Decay - ethical – no testing on animals – we love them !!!

I can’t tell you how excited I am looking at all these gorgeous palettes and boxes of beautiful products, so enough of my hot air……. I am in Urban Decay heaven !! Here are just a few of my favourites….. Book of Shadows Volume III . Who doesn’t love NY ? Get 16 eyeshadows that go beyond just neutrals and brights, including seven new complex shades that beg experimentation. This covetted palette holds pop-up landmarks (like lady liberty and the token taxicab) and comes alive with real skylights. A pullout drawer reveals two eye pencils and eye primer….because more is so NYC. Our price £47.49

The Black Eyeshadow Palette . Eyeshadows dipped in black. Dangerous sparkly-shift jewel tones plus a sooty matte black shadow assure your place in rock star history. Our Price £27.49

URBAN DECAY 24/7 SUPER STASH GLIDE-ON EYE PENCIL SET  It’s a buffet, a box of chocolates….it’s nine of UD’s gorgeous 24/7 glide-on eye pencils in super cute mini sizes. This rainbow of shades includes five best sellers and four new hues exclusive to this set – perfect for the Urban Decay junkie jonesing for new shades. More importantly, they’re the undisputed best in the industry. Never before has a pencil this creamy and brilliant been waterproof too! Our Price £18.99

URBAN DECAY MIDNIGHT COWBOY BODY SHIMMER LOTION  Inspired by our best selling eyeshadow, this shimmering lotion is a veil of gold dust that leaves you looking like a million bucks. The light paraben free formula leaves skin soft with avocado and jojoba oil, aloe and chamomile while vitamin E and green tea extract serve as powerful antioxidants. The subtle milk and honey scent is soothing and sweet. 195ml Our price £10.99

And here are some my everyday fab makeup bag favs…… just sooooooooo many products. I don’t think I’m going to sleep tonight from excitement… or if I do I’ll be dreaming URBAN DECAY all night!!!!!

OK…..so with the foundation truly found, I have moved onto application. I have to say a massive thank you to Vicki from Estee Lauder who showed me how to apply foundation for simply the best and perfect airbrush finish.

I know all you self confessed makeup junkies will already be using this technique but for me this is something I have fought against for a long while – the use of a Foundation Brush!  It’s just something I have been uncomfortable about using, as I had a makeover with MAC a long time ago, which left my skin thick with foundation after using a brush and I have never tried it again, thinking all brush applications will leave your skin thick and slimy!!

But this time Vicki explained step by step how any foundation should be applied, and the results are simply Fab !! I used an Estee Lauder Foundation brush - seen above, but any good foundation brush can be used. We at Cosmetic Kingdom have a new range of brushes coming in this week, including the beloved foundation brush, so watch our new products for these.

It’s important to use exactly the right amount of foundation. Vicki told me that you should never use more than a 5pence piece amount of foundation to cover the entire face area. So first measure out the amount onto  the back of your hand – no matter what type of bottle or tube your foundation is in – always measure out first.

Then always apply the foundation from the back of your hand. It’s much easier to control.

With a foundation brush, redistribute the measured foundation into 5 equal dots over the face. One on the forehead, cheeks, nose and chin. Then with light downward strokes blend the foundation into your skin. It’s important to always use downward strokes and to blend well. This may take a while, but it will save the foundation from ‘sitting’ on your skin like a mask.

Et voila! The result, is an even, well balanced finish, blended to perfection. I’ve been using this technique all week with my new Mineral Power Foundation from Maybelline, and it works like a dream. Gone is finger tip application for me !!!!

Honestly – try this out – it’s a really great technique. For me the major point was the amount of foundation to use – I am sooooooo pleased with the results !!!

Let me know how you get on – I’d love to hear your feedback x x

Hello!!!!

I am sooooooo excited. I have been on the hunt for a new cheap foundation for absolutely months now. I have to confess when it comes to foundations, I’ve always been a bit of a Dior fan, my favourite being Dior Capture Totale, but at just a tad over £60, it’s a little bit expensive to say the least – although I do justify this by it also being a treatment aswell as a foundation !!!! But my pocket is not really stretching to this sort of extravagant purchase these days. So I have been hunting and hunting for something that makes my skin feel fresh and light, yet at the same time gives a good coverage.

But no need to look any further – it’s here……. I’ve found it !!

MAYBELLINE MINERAL POWER NATURAL PERFECTING FOUNDATION    OK…..so this is not exactly a comparison to the Dior Capture Totale at all….. but that’s not what I was looking for. I was looking for something that sits on my skin, allowing my skin to breathe making my skin feel smooth, dressed and flawless and a foundation I could use every day without the mega expense.

The photograph above shows the foundation in shade Light 3 – Natural Ivory. Cosmetic Kingdom price starting from just £4.99

To apply, the foundation is quite liquid and loose, not what I am used to or what I was expecting, so the feel of the application is extremely lightweight. However, the liquid applies evenly and with very little effort or blending. The loose liquid makes the foundation easy to build, giving a full coverage where necessary. I have a few spider veins appearing across my cheeks, and I had no problem covering these and without any heavy, clogging application or look. The mineral feel made my skin feel bare, smooth and perfect in one.

I’m won over ! My Dior Foundation will be my special ocassion foundation, but the Maybelline Mineral Power Foundation is now going to be my new best friend for everyday wear!!Oh…. I nearly forgot – it also contains an SPF18 sunscreen, so great protection from the stresses of the ever changing sun!

So, the foundation is found !!!! All I have to do now, is find a perfect finishing powder/veil……any recommendations anyone ??

Hi All

Hope you all enjoyed the Royal Wedding, and wasn’t Katherine’s dress absolutely fab?! Also have to comment on her immaculate and understated, sophisticated makeup – a very mature and grown-up look but it sooo suited her. I have to say I had a tear in my eye whilst watching – I’m not usually a Monarchy fan, but William and Katherine do really seem like a normal, grounded couple who are deeply in love……ahhhhhhhh !!! Hopefully they’ll bring the monarchy back into favour and into a more realistic world.

Well, that’s enough of the Wedding, otherwise I’ll be rambling on page after page – lol !! Some exciting things have been going on here in the last week. We’re about to launch a couple of new categories… one for wholesale makeup and another for hair extensions. We’re just waiting for a bit of IT work, then we’re hot to trot !! Will be great to have some new categories added !!

We’ve also been busy adding loads of new products onto the website. Have you seen the Constance Caroll Glimmer Shimmer Compacts ? These are really great, 4 shades in total to match whatever takes your mood. I have tried and tested each of these and am a big fan of them all – just £2.75 here at Cosmetic Kingdom. Here’s the nude shadeway shown here on the right.

Also just in are the Rimmel 25 hr lasting finish foundations. We only have one shade in this – Soft beige, but this is already flying out – see pic below – so at just £5.99, get in quick whilst stocks last… I’m a great fan of the Rimmel range and love the Brightening Powders too. We have these available in a few colours, but these are soft and airy when applied and really give your skin a great tone. I like wearing these with just concealer underneath – a great quick makeup fix for a lazy Sunday . Pictured below are a few of the shades we have in……

So keep watching our website for all the new products being listed – loads to be added this week, and for the new categories coming very soon.

You can also follow us on Twitter and facebook for all new updates and competitions…… a new giveaway is to be launched very soon !!!

Have a great Bank Holiday everyone. Bye for now x

Hi Everyone

Well what a fabulous week of weather, and at Easter too ??!! Amazing. I’ve had a bit of a week one way or another, so I thought I’d have a spot of relaxation and pamper time this evening. And I have to tell you I am so shocked….. so shocked that I must share this little beauty find with you straight away !!!

Yesterday evening I was in Waitrose and thought I’d treat myself to some of their lush looking UMI bathing products. I was drawn to this simple yet stylish looking range, all in glass jars and with unusual scents and ingredients. (The 1/3rd off the RRP also attracted me !!!).  So knowing I’d had a pretty rubbish week, I thought I’d have a pamper night tonight and take some time out to chill.

So while I was waiting for a soak in a cool bath with the Fig & Walnut Bath Soak, I tried out the Peach & Macademia Nut Sugar Scrub, pictured above. The smell is to die for, the mix of peach and macadamia nut are very strong but this product is supposed to Rejuvenate…… infact, I think it smelt good enough to eat!!!. I applied to dry skin before I got into the bath, as I always do this with oil based scrubs. The consistency of the scrub is just right…. not too oily but not to dry. Some scrubs can be far too dry, but this is simply amazing. Yes….. I love that word ‘AMAZING’ I know !!, but this is truly fab…. ever since I got out of the bath I have been stroking my silky smooth skin. I didn’t even bother to moisturise when I got out of the bath and that’s unusual. My skin feels really soft to the touch and exceptionally smooth…an almost instant effect. The bath soak itself is also great. Really delicately fragranced and not over the top with foam… just a subtle, grown-up soak. I love both of them !!

So well done to Waitrose for this great range of realistically priced bath products. I have taken the following extract directly from the Waitrose website, and this is what they have  to say about UMI…..

Product Description

Peach and Macadamia Nut Sugar Scrub for Rejuvenation
A fusion of uplifting ingredients to indulge the body and ease the mind.
Peach extract is known to nourish the skin, while macadamia nut oil softens and hydrates

From reading the Waitrose/Ocado website, all products are produced in the UK and include natural ingredients. These really are a little bit of paradise for me…… so that’s my evening done with….. I will now be on the internet pawing over all the online UMI goodies !!!!!

Have a Great Bank holiday weekend everyone………… HAPPY EASTER  x

Hey All

We’re lovin’ these gorgeous NYC Colour Wheels. There are a number of colours in the range including shimmering, bronzing, and simple pink cheek ones.

Our girl on the ground, Charlotte, has been at the forefront of testing and reviewing these little beauties …check this out…..

NYC Colour Wheel Mosaic Powder

First Impressions The case is sturdy and the same size as other powders on the market, therefore still making it easy to take with you. The look of the mosaic powder gives a more ‘tonal’ impression.  Despite the price it doesn’t look cheap either which is a major plus!

Application
The powder is smooth and you can run a brush over it and pick up various colours and once applied to the apples of the cheeks looks lovely and natural. It gets darker with layers, with me being a fan of natural/flawless look I only needed 2 light layers and it felt silky. 


Likes
I like the price, the sturdiness of it, the soft powder, the novelty of the mosaic powder shades.

Available in 4 gorgeous shades :

 ~ TRANSLUCENT HIGHLIGHTER GLOW

~ PINK CHEEK GLOW

~ ALL OVER BRONZE GLOW

~ ROSE GLOW

So, just how do you create the perfect smokey look ? We have read so many articles of late on this subject and everyone has such different ideas, that we thought we’d let you all know, how Grace, our MakeUp Artist extraordinaire, achieves this look……

There are several steps to perfecting a smokey eye look according to Grace …..

Firstly, always conceal. Any visible imperfections need to be hidden, otherwise the addition of makeup will just exaggerate any blemishes or flaws. But remember,  only use concealer where you need it, and blend gently and lightly with your fingertips, trying not to pull or tug the delicate skin around the eye area. Grace recommends Maybelline’s Mineral Power Concealer for this job as it gives good coverage yet is easy to blend.

Next, use a matte pressed powder shadow in a dark charcoal colour, sweeping over eyelids to create a wash of colour. Blend up to and into the socket area, no further, keeping the colour contained exactly to the eyelid area. This will flatter the look.

Then add your pencil…… apply pencil to the top lashes along the lash line as close as possible, then do the same under the bottom lashes, from the outer corner to midway across. With a soft blending brush, (Grace likes Royal Blending Brush ~ see above) blend your lines right into your lashes, hiding any visible areas of skin. This is important to make your eyes seamless and give continuous cover. This also takes away the harshness of the solid lines drawn, to make your eyes instantly smokey.

Now using a liquid eyeliner, (we recomend L’Oreal Voluminous Liquid Eyeliner in black – see pic above)  sweep an upward line at each outer corner, top lid only, as close to your eyelashes as possible. This will make them look thicker instantly and will deepen the look of your smokey effect. Remember, no visible patches of skin, so make sure the eyeliner covers everywhere necessary.

And finally, add your normal mascara by jiggling the wand from bottom lash to top lash, covering every lash from corner to corner. If you like your bottom lashes with a sweep of mascara, try Clinique’s tiny bottom lash mascara, designed specifically to help you create great bottom lashes. Apply 2-3 coats of mascara to add volume and depth to your look.

And et voila, you have achieved the perfect smokey look !

Morning !

It’s official ~ My nails are rubbish! Weak, brittle, splitting stumpy things, and before you say it, no I don’t bite my nails, and never have done.  Somebody suggested it was hormonal….. perhaps?? because some days I feel so fierce ~ lol ! No seriously, it’s been an ongoing battle in recent months, so I decided this week to do some research on nail issues and cuticle care. It seems cuticles can add a lot to the problem of weak nails.

Here at Cosmetic Kingdom, we have various nail ranges in stock, but the one brand that comes up time and time again, as being a consistent performer is SALLY HANSEN. So this week I have been trying out a few products, to see if they can help me overcome my weak nail issue !

First up, I used Sally Hansen Smooth Cuticles Now product. This is a cream formula which you apply liberally around the base of each nail, ensuring even coverage. After 2 minutes, I gently pushed back the cuticles with a wooden manicure stick (I prefer these to the cuticle pushers), and then rinsed off with warm water.  I’m not sure my cuticles are actually so bad, as the results were not dramatic, but I could definitely see an improvement and the area around my cuticle was definitely softer, and more uniform.

As my nails are so short, I decided to try and put a little shape into them. My thinking is that maybe if I keep them short for a while, they won’t have chance to split and break and may grow a bit stronger. I’m a traditional girl at heart and love, plain old emery boards. No, new gimmicks or gadgets for  me !! I’ve also decided to leave the polish off my nails for a few weeks to give my nails a real good chance to sort themselves out….. with a little bit of help of course!!

So next in line for a trial run was Sally Hansen Miracle Cure for Problem Nails.

The packaging on this, tells us that the ”Exclusive micro-mineral formula fills in cracks Instantly strengthen and reinforce nails Stops peeling, seals nail plate and bonds nail layers together Strong moisture magnets target severe dryness with insensive moisture Natural protein & anti-oxidants penetrate nails from within”.

I think it will all be a matter of time before we know if these products really work or not, but so far so good. My nails are definitely holding up this week. I re-applied the Miracle Cure on Wednesday, and aim to do this twice a week going forward. So with some very careful TLC, I’ll be reporting back on this for you over the next few weeks…… we’ll then be able to see if these products do what they claim !!

Sally Hansen is America’s No 1 nailcare product, so I have a strong feeling the products will be as good as they say…. so there may still be hope for my little, stumpy talons in the making !!

I’m not sure how my life will pan out this weekend without nail polish…… but it’s got to be worth it in the long run !!

Will tell you all next week……

Have a lovely relaxing weekend everyone and see you next week x