the review: theBalm Mary-Lou Luminizer

 

I've been wanting to review The Balm's Mary-Lou Manizer for a while now as here in the UK it's not an easy to product to get hold of outside of London, and not one you're able to swatch or see in person. But there's no swatch here, I hear you say. Well the reason I haven't is because the swatch really doesn't do this product justice. This highlighter has to be the most natural in terms of texture and blendability (is that a word?) I have ever used, so much that it doesn't look like anything but a lovely natural sheen to the skin that is only obvious in person. On the face it is a million times better than the swatched (which are also gorgeous, fyi). Helpful, I know. But it does mean that it doesn't matter that you can't see it. Mary-Lou is one of three offerings, one more pink and one for more tanned tones. It wears really well and despite being really natural, it is very strong pigmented as well, so a little goes a long way and is very very buildable. I've been wearing this day and night, just adding more, and also taking a big brush to add all over glow lightly, I stress lightly. I've warned you it's pigmented so don't go in heavy handed here. It really does luminise beautifully just as it claims. For £16 full price it's not the most budget friendly but not the most expensive, and look out for offers on Asos or Feel Unique, there's always plenty of them. I really think this is a highlighter that will suit all as it isn't heavily warm or cool toned and is just soooo natural on the skin. You can catch me wearing it in this pic. 

 

After this I'd love to delve into more The Balm products, what do you recommend?

Charlotte xx

dug out from the stash: soap and glory arch de triump

I'm about to make a not so secret confession. I am a beauty hoarder. Hardly breaking news. But here in a new feature on GAB I've decided to hunt through my stash from time to time to bring you the best bits from a very big collection that seem to have got lost along the way. If you're a fellow blogger, or fellow hoarder, you'll probably be all too familiar with getting caught up with the hype or in a trend, loving a product for a couple of months then moving on to the next thing. Or in the never-ending search for bigger and better things, our once favourites get a little bit neglected. Soap and Glory's Arch de Triumph is a perfect example. 

First things first, what an amazing product name. Ten out of ten for another brilliant play on words from S&G. Probably one of the first brow pencils I ever bought, this pencil houses a brow pencil on one end which is a really nice cool shade, perfect for my (and I imagine a lot of people's ) natural shade as it isn't too warm. Its also quite hard in texture, which I really like in a pencil for brows as it allows you to draw on tiny lines to fill in areas unlike some softer offering which end up as once big dark line. The only niggle I have is that it is a tiny bit thick for me, I prefer a thinner offering. But the reason I really love this product is the highlighter end. It's gorgeously creamy and unlike a lot of highlighters really matte which makes it really natural when blended into the brow bone or even down the nose and center of the face, contour style. It's really good for contouring the T-zone as you won't leave people wondering if you're looking Kardashian-esque or just a bit too oily, as some shimmers can. I wouldn't it on the cheekbones, simply as it's too small. The colour is a dead ringer for Benefits High Brow highlighter pencil, and in fact the packaging in quite similar too, with both Soap and Glory and Benefit rocking that kitsch retro thang. 

But why buy this over High Brow (which I also love, FYI)? The price. Both products perform exactly the same, but at £9 Arch de Triumph is £6.50 cheaper than benefit with the added bonus of a brow pencil too. The fact that it's double ended also makes it great for travelling. 

I'm so glad I had a rake through my stash and put this baby back into my everyday makeup bag, I'm really loving it. Although I don't think the brow pencil is about to give my powder a run for it's money, the highlighter is once again a daily staple. 

Find Arch de Triumph here, for £9. 

Charlotte xxx