Review | Eyeko London - Skinny Liquid Eyeliner

Helloooo beauties! 

I hope you're all happy and well! & ramadhaan mubarak to those of you fasting ❤️ 

Now, if you're like me and you're completely obsessed (not in a freaky way) with the Pixiwoo sisters, you'll definitely know about a brand called Eyeko. I've always wanted to see what the hype was all about but I never really got round to purchasing any products from them. 

So, you can only imagine how quickly I picked up last months Glamour magazine issue which had an Eyeko Skinny Liquid Liner freebie with it. If I didn't like it, it only cost me £2 anyway which is no biggie. And if I did like it, hurrah! 

They were offering black or navy, and me being me, obviously went with navy because 1) I'm rebellious and 2) I do not own a navy liquid liner! 

For a "skinny liner" the nib is quite fat but the point is quite thin even though the product doesn't reach there. When I first swatched it, it appeared a little dry so I did this trick (a makeup counter girl taught me) where you push the felt nib on your hand (or a tissue) to release some of the liquid to the tip. Nifty. Oh and the colour guide on the bottom of the pen looks teal, but the actual colour of the product is waaay more darker and navier.

 

(The 1st line was applied with a lot of pressure whereas the 2nd was not) 

Colour oozed out the nib to my skin, but it dried like biro pen ink. No joke. Ever got biro pen ink on your books or hands and it looks shiny, almost irridescent purple? Yeah. That's how it looks. 

So, 1st impressions were a failure, but "if at first you don't win, try again" (is that even a legit quote?). I applied it on my eyes, and I realised the more I layered it on (because it was still quite dry) the more biro ink like it looked. However, I gave it a chance on my eyelid just to see if it lived up to the "smudge-proof, fade-proof and above all foolproof" slogan on the box. Well no, it didn't. In the liquid liners defence, I do have hooded, oily lids so that may be the reason the liner transfered on my eyelid. PET PEEVE. By now I've given up so I decide to wipe it off as I would wipe off any makeup product but lo and behold, it stained the skin around my eyes. "NO. I did not get into a fight mom" ...yeah. 

I really do not like being negative about a product, and what does not work for me might actually work for you but this review is just a guideline for those of you who might want to purchase this product and may have similar eyelid features to me. 

Having said all that, I'm sure that Eyeko is a wonderful brand as they are raved about in bloggerspheare and I would love to try out their mascaras and other products they do. However, that eyeliner just didn't do it for me. 

The packaging is BEAUTIFUL though. If I was just to buy based on packaging, I'd buy them all! 

Overall rating 3/5

Product rating 2/5

Packaging rating 5(6)/5 

Would I buy again? Not the particular product but maybe other products in the line. 

Love, 

Fatima xxx

Review | Superdrug Colour Effects Conditioning Colour

Helllooooo beautiful readers! I hope you're all well.

I've had some comments about my previous post being a tad bit too long but I won't apologise because I know it has helped some people. BUT I promise I'll make this one as quick and short as possible. 

I'm going to be reviewing a product that my grandmother uses which she loves very much. I don't think I have any mature women or grandmothers reading my posts but if you know someone that this product could help, then let them know! This product is a "wash in - wash out" product that dyes hair. Essentially, it's a shampoo that covers grays or spruces up an old/bad dye job. 

Superdrug Colour Effects Conditioning Colour 

My grandmother has gray roots which she wishes to cover and this product is like a God send for her. I mean, who wants to stay in the shower for hours on end picking bits of henna out of your hair? It's very easy to apply and wash off too. She makes her hair damp (or you can use it after you shower on wet towel dried hair) and I apply it to the gray hairs. She then covers her hair with a bag, does her daily activities (she usually leaves it on for like 20-30 minutes) then I wash it off over a bucket. Simples. 

My grandmother said she prefers this over henna as it's quick and convenient, and she also says it lasts on her hair for about 3-4 weeks. 

Superdrug have changed the formula and it smells reaaaally nice! They also changed the price from 99p a bottle to £1.49 I believe. I mean, it's still very affordable and you will get up to 3 applications from one 75ml bottle. I have used this once but I haven't noticed a big difference apart from when I'm in direct light as my hairs very dark so I would only recommend it to cover grays. Superdrug also has a range of colours from blondes to reds and browns. It also slightly stains my hand after applying it for my gran but it does wash off. 

Product: 5 out of 5
Packaging: 4 out of 5
Quality: 5 out of 5
Price: 5 out of 5
Would I (my grandmother) purchase again? YES. She's purchased SO many over the months/years.

I'm not used to writing short posts so I hope this made sense and it's helpful!

Lots of love, 
Fatima xxx

How to avoid cake face foundation!

Hello loves! I hope you're all well.

This post is going to be about foundation and how to get the best looking skin whilst wearing foundation.
Now, don't get me wrong, I love makeup but I just hate how foundation sits on my face. We're human. We have lines, pores, bumps, scars, blackheads, dry spots, dark spots etc and the sooner we accept that, the more happier we'll be. Trust me. But, there's always going to be the obvious tell tale signs that scream "look, I'm wearing foundation!!!" and sometimes, we just wanna say "I woke up like this" right?? Which is why I prefer how my skin looks and feels without foundation BUT I need the coverage. So, what to do?

LO AND BEHOLD, there are ways to ensure that you foundation can cover your "imperfections" without it looking like you dipped your face in cake batter which you let to dry. I will try and make this post as short as possible, but if you know me, I like to talk. And when I'm passionate about a subject, I can't stop. That is all.

Cake Face

Lets begin!

1) What is your skin type??

Knowing your skin type is quite frankly one of the most important things you can do for your skin. For example, if you have sensitive skin, you'll know to avoid products that have harsh chemicals and fragrances. I'm normal/combination skin. Which essentially means that I have normal cheeks and an oily T zone (center forehead above brows, down my nose and chin). By knowing your skin type, you can use the correct skin care and makeup on it. However sometimes it's okay to not use skin care/makeup for your skin type, for example, someone with oily skin might choose to use sensitive skin products if they're acne prone or someone with combo skin (like me) might use foundations made for dry skin types (like me) as they prefer the glowy/dewy look.

2) EXFOLIATE.

No one has an excuse not to exfoliate their skin. Well, unless they have extremely sensitive skin. Exfoliants can be homemade with natural ingredients, chemical grade done in skin clinics or just the stuff you buy in tubes at the drugstore. I like to exfoliate once a week using my Vitamin C Microdermabrasion exfoliator by The Body Shop (currently on offer!!!) (ERMAGERD Holy Grail alert) This stuff is the BOMB. Honestly, if you haven't tried it, you should. It has these small micro-particles and these crushed stones which once rubbed (gently!) on the face removes dead skin cells to reveal new, brighter looking skin. The Vitamin C also contributes to making my skin look glowy and bright and it makes my skin feel SOOO smooth. Sensitive skinned people cannot use this product as the particles are quite abrasive and it is recommended to only use once (or twice if you must) a week. OK enough rambling. So, exfoliate once or twice a week but make sure that before you apply foundation your skin is CLEAN (used a cleanser clean). By exfoliating your skin, you are removing dead skin cells from the surface of your skin to reveal the new skin underneath which is dying to show itself obviously. This means that your foundation will not cling onto dry patches as the surface is smooooth. Also, try and use a mask once every week or every two weeks just to remove any build up in your pores.

3) Moisturise!

Everybody needs to moisturise. Yes, even oily skinned people. By putting moisture on the skin, the skin will not have to release oils onto the surface. Some people can get away with using oils to moisturise, but others can only use creams. I would suggest to only use oils when you're not using foundation or before bed as the oils may interfere with the oils in the foundation (if there are any) and make you look like a greasy grease ball. I tend to use moisturisers that are for normal skin or for dry skin depending on what skin look I'm going for. My current favourite is the Vitamin E Intense Moisture Cream by The Body Shop (also on offer now) (totally not sponsored by The Body Shop lol, although I wouldn't mind if I was!! hehe). This cream is thick and as the name suggests, it is intensely moisturising. It almost feels like a thick moisturising primer. It does sink into my skin but still leaves a dewy sheen on my skin (which I love) and as Wayne Goss said "If you feel like you haven't moisturised enough, moisturise some more!" Honestly, moisturising makes all the difference.

4) (primer) Foundation.

At this point, you can use primer if you want to. I don't like primer but I did love the one in The Body Shop Vitamin C range, though I don't know if that should be considered a primer. Essentially, what a primer does is fill in pores and fine lines and also creates a barrier between your makeup and your skincare. It also allows your foundation to apply smoother and helps the makeup last all day or longer. Nifty.

So, this is when you start to think about the kind of foundation you're using. Is it sheer? Buildable? Opaque? To give a few popular examples, M.A.C cosmetics Studio Sculpt foundation is a medium to full coverage foundation. But this doesn't mean you have to pile the stuff on. LESS IS MORE. Seriously, if you don't mind wasting a few pumps, try applying this foundation really heavily, then try applying it sparingly. This foundation is really misunderstood as people tend to apply it really heavily and it looks absolutely horrible on the skin. Try only using foundation where you need it, or dot your face with about 4 dots and blend really well. Remember, you can still use concealer where you need to. Another popular foundation is M.A.C cosmetics Face and Body foundation (Holy Grail!!) which applies sheer, but the magic is that if you use your fingers to rub it in your skin, it starts to become a medium coverage. It is also buildable, so you can apply 1 layer, let it set and apply another (or just where you need it). This foundation also lasts all day, can be used on the body, but it looks glowier throughout the day (which I quite like). You can also opt for a tinted moisturise or a BB cream.

So, top tip for foundation: LESS IS MORE!

5) Concealer!

Some people like to apply concealer before foundation, but I prefer to apply it after as I will only apply it on the places where I actually need it and I think if I apply it before foundation, it will end up rubbing away. Which eventually means more product on the face. And more product means: cake, cake, CAKE, CAKE!

If I'm bothered, I'll use 2 kinds of concealers on my face. One for under eyes and the other for those pesky blemishes. The under eye one is usually made for the under eyes, so it sets to avoid creasing and the blemish one is usually thicker, full coverage and creamier. Some times I might use an illuminator under my eyes but that's only when I want to look like Kim K. Illuminators are usually sheer and have a thin consistency so if you don't have bad dark circles under your eyes, I would opt for that instead of a concealer to avoid the cake. Only apply the thicker concealer where you need it, apply a thin layer on blemishes and TAP rather than WIPE.

6) POWDER!

We're nearly at the end kids, hold on.

If you're after glowy skin, I'd opt for a powder that has tiny shimmery particles in (Sleek does one). In fact, I'd use a more skin finish powder if I wanted skin looking foundation anyway. However, like me, I have an oily T zone so I will definitely powder my nose, forehead and chin. But, I will opt for a translucent powder because at this point I really do not need any more coverage or colour pigments covering my face. If I'm going to apply blusher or bronzer, I will also lightly dust my cheeks too as I wouldn't want the blusher/bronzer to cling onto my foundation.

7) Setting spray

This step is totally optional and it depends on what you feel about your face at this stage. If I feel that I still want my skin to look a tad bit more glowy, I'll spritz my face with a setting spray such as the Avene water one or my current favourite which is the Vitamin C Energizing Face Spritz by The Body Shop (sorry guys, I just really love The Body Shop skin care). This spray smells so yummy and just makes me look awake and healthy (which 95% of the time I'm not). It also gives me a lovely glow which mimics natural skin. Hooraay!

8) DONEEE!

Finito! Pat yourself on the back if you have reached this far and I haven't bored you to death. Obviously you can now add whatever else you want such as blusher, bronzer and highlighter to your face. Which reminds me, I am lovingggg the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector as a highlighter recently. But that is for another day and another post. As with anything, you do not have to do everything I tell you here, and you can swap it around when and how you feel. But this is just something that works for me. In fact, most times I completely take out the foundation step and still get similar results.

Like I warned you, I can talk/type quite a lot but I really do help that you found this post useful. Feel free to contact me with any enquiries (my contact details are in the "contact me" tab up there ^) and I will try my best to help you.

Love you always,

Fatima xxx

Primark P.S. Love... Makeup first impressions

Hello beauties!

Now, I was in 2 minds about doing this blog post as I didn't think it was useful. However, I chose to write this because even if it helps one person, I'm happy.

Primark have always sold makeup but recently, they have completely re vamped their line and went all out with the brand! The brand is called P.S. Love... which I'd love to be enlightened on what inspired it (as I don't find it creative). Sadly, my local Primark's are a bit.. meh and do not sell much of the makeup so this post is only about what I could get my hands on. Hence why I thought it wasn't useful.

First of all, I managed to find the eyeshadow palette I really wanted to get my hands on which is the neutrals palette with 8 beautiful shades in. They call this their 8 Shade Day Eye Shadow Palette, which is totally reasonable as the shadows are extremely wearable during the day. 

 My favourites are the shimmer colours as they are very pigmented however, they do feel creamy to the touch which I don't know if it's a good thing because that comes with a LOT of chunky fall out. The other colours have a sort of satin finish which is really pretty and they too are extremely pigmented. The camel colour doesn't show up on my skin as good as the other but I can imagine that this will be a great transition/blending out colour! 

Yay for hurrrry arms! (too lazy to wax grr)

These are the swatches without a base or primer! As you can see, such beautiful colours and extremely pigmented. The satin shades come off quite chalky at first but once layered they look great! All in all, this palette is a must recommend as it is only £2.50 and is great for anyone starting out with makeup or anyone on a tight budget. I also believe they have a night palette but I do not own one. 

The other thing I got is a lipstick that apparently has no colour but that's totally okay because it is *beep* amazing! I do not know how may colours are in the collection but I did purchase this bright neutral/cool pink (which I did think was going to be a mauve pink when i saw it in the store). The texture feels like a lipbalm but it is extremely pigmented and long lasting! I love the tint it leaves on my lips even after I wipe it off. It also smells fruity which is quite pleasant! and it's only £1!

All in all, the packaging of both lipsticks and eyeshadow palettes are quite nice and remind me of Sleek. Because they are so affordable, I'd definitely recommend them just to try out and have fun with them. I believe that there are a lot more in the P.S. Love... range such as eyeliners, lipbalms, and a whole variety of lashes! 

I hope this helped! If anyone would like me to do a makeup look using the eyeshadows, then please feel free to ask. I can't wait to play around with it! 

Also, make sure to follow me on Instagram @shewhobelieves_beauty. 

Love, Fatima xxx

"Make Up" your mind...

Now, how many times have we heard the phrase "girls look better without makeup blah blah blah"? And let's be real, if you wear makeup, you will find that phrase annoying as hell. Right?! Especially if you love makeup and enjoy wearing it.

However, coming from me, I do enjoy not wearing makeup sometimes. I believe that nothing feels as liberating to walk out of my house with a bare face. Yes, I may look hella scary, but sometimes, that in it self makes me humble. For me, to be able to embrace my flaws (even for a day) means that I have come a looong way from when I used to mask them all. Ok, I still have days when I do wear a full face of foundation and what have you, but I'm human. One day I'll feel so high that I feel like I can conquer the world with blemishes and dark under eyes, and other days, I use makeup to make me feel pampered and good.

What I'm trying to get at is that it is totally okay to not wear makeup, just as it is totally okay to wear a face full. However, that doesn't give anyone the right to tell anyone that they should not wear makeup. No. Not cool. Speaking from experience, there are some people that tell me "why do you wear so much makeup?!" and there are some that tell me "you look so lovely without makeup!" ...now look, both these phrases are conveying the EXACT same message in the long run, it's just that one annoys the hell out of me whereas the other makes me have self-confidence. Even if it just a little bit.

So, going back to the title of this post, (which is obviously a play with words and not meant in a rude or sarcastic way) I believe the most important thing ever is how we girls perceive ourselves. In fact, it does not matter what anyone thinks of us. Really, it doesn't. Once we have the mind set that ensures us that we look good regardless of what we have on our face, is when we will feel at ease. Trust me. One day after a long day of exams, I felt really rough and was avoiding people (LOL). However, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and I thought to myself "you know what? I don't look as bad as I feel". And that alone made me feel a little bit better. So girls, make up your minds!

Love always,

Fatima x

My week on Instagram (explained)!

Hello my loves! 

I hope you are all well <3 

I was thinking about different things to blog about to make my blog more exciting, so I came up with this idea. Now, I'm not sure if I am the first person in bloggerverse to do this, but it is new to me. 

The idea behind this new concept is that I post all the things I've posted on my beauty IG onto my blog, but instead of captioning it as I would on IG, I would talk about what made me post it and the background. It sounds confusing (even to me) but let's see how this goes! 

No body is perfect. Not even makeup artists and beauty guru's/bloggers. Some of us may be good at certain things such as getting our eyeliner exactly the same, but some of may not be good at that. We all have flaws and imperfections in our talents but the concept behind blogging and vlogging is to teach others. 

This post was quite hilarious and I'm sure every single girl can relate one way or the other! 

This is the accompanying photo for my blog post about how I clean my brushes. I'm a big fan of the white background behind objects and the much loved white fur. But since I do not have a white fur area rug, I settled for the white surfaces in my kitchen! 

This Shimmering skin perfecter has given me life! That is all. I also struggled with the typical beauty blogger hand pose because 1) I do not have nice, polished hands (henna artist probs) and 2) My hands are huge! 

Who else is loving the new Eylure packaging as much as I am?! Eylure will always be my favourite drugstore mascara brands and their lash adhesive is a dream. Wish they'd add a bigger tube though ;)

1

I am a self-labeled procrastinating queen! Honestly. But I also have ADD/ADHD depending on the circumstances (LOL!) I've always wanted to do a look inspired by my cat because 1) He's beautiful (maashaaAllah) and 2) I've always wanted to try something different. Mix some boredom in and you have a look inspired by my kitty. I did get creative and instead of doing a mask like look (that would be scary) I incorporated different parts of my cats face and features into a pretty eye look. 

Who say's you can't photobomb your own photo? I was taking a photo for my IG of a mini makeup haul I did and seeing as I had applied some henna, I decided to show it too! Killing two birds with one stone an' all that. (I do not condone violence!!) 

And here's the actual haul! Becca and MUA cosmetics only. Loving all of these products except my favourite lipgloss of allllll time MUA Intense Kisses 'Sealed with a Kiss' which was recently put back in stock online and in stores. However, the colour is totally off and makes me look like I have glossy concealer lips which was NOT the case before! :(

Lastly, a photo of the henna I applied for myself paired with dainty above knuckle/midi rings. I got these from Ebay at 5 for £1!! bloody bargain! 

I hope you enjoyed this post. I really enjoyed getting into depth into each photo as you would have probably guessed it, I LOVE TALKING! and explaining things. 

Love and kisses, 

Fatima. 

P.S: My IG is @shewhobelieves_beauty

How I clean and disinfect my makeup brushes.

Hi!

I hope you are all well <3

I know I'm not the only one who hates the dreaded brush bath, but it is vital information that everyone should know and practice.

If you're a makeup artist or do makeup on other people (I'm sure you already know this), it is vital to spot clean in between back to back clients, and wash brushes after every client (each day).

For your own brushes, depending on how much you use them, you can get away with cleaning them twice or three times a week.

Instagram: @shewhobelieves_beauty

For my brushes, I wash them with any old 2 in 1 conditioner (it's quicker #TeamLazy), right now I'm using the Garnier Fructis Strength & Shine 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner. I got this one from Poundland. I know some people even use regular Fairy washing up liquid, so it doesn't have to be anything fancy or pricey. The reason why I use a 2 in 1 is because it will condition the brush hairs and make them look shiny and feel soft. Some people also use olive oil to condition their brushes but I have yet to reach that level of braveness. 

After washing my brushes in the shampoo, I rinse the suds off and dip them in alcohol. The alcohol I use is only 70% and it's from my local Afro-Caribbean hair store. I've looked everywhere for the 99% and whenever I asked sales assistants at places such as Boots if they stocked it, they'd give me a weird look and slowly back away :| ..Because this alcohol is only 70% concentration, it doesn't dry straight away so I lay my brushes flat on a clean cloth for about 48 hours to air dry. 

Lastly, for spot cleaning, I use a anti-bacterial hand gel. Now this may sound weird, but it actually works! and I've had no problems with it. But, I will be looking for the 99% alcohol to replace it soon.

I hope this post is informative and helpful.

Until next time,

Fatima xxx