Sleek MakeUP Luminaire Highlighting Concealer

Luminaire, Sleek MakeUP's answer to YSL's infamous Touche Eclat highlighter pen launches on 11th May. I've tried a whole range of these pens - YSL, Lacura, No7, Bourjois and while these are great for a highlighting effect over concealer, I don't tend to use them on their own. Luminaire is slightly more pigmented so you can actually get away with using it as a concealer too, which for £6.49 is great value!

Luminaire brightens dark circles (I get particularly blue ones!), conceals blemishes (I use it on the redness around my nose and on my chin) and fades out other minor imperfections.  It also adds radiance along your cheekbones, can slim your nose with a thin line down the middle and can contour your lips for a more defined look and patted over cupid's bow creates the illusion of a fuller pout.

I love the functional and pen applicator, while the product remains hygienic without exposure to air or fingers, I wouldn't be too happy to dot the brush over spots and then reuse it, so if you do need to cover blemishes I would click a bit of the product onto a clean finger and pat over the offending area.  I keep it in my handbag make up bag to keep my under eye area radiant on the go.

  

  It comes in 5 shades and I have the lightest - L01, which is an excellent match for my pale skin.

Under eye without Luminaire

The applicator brush didn't do all of the blending as the product has quite a dry formulation - denser than its more expensive counterparts - you need to pat it in with a finger.  I would also make sure to use a moisturising under eye cream before application.

With Luminaire 

Luminaire launches as a permanent line on 11th May in Superdrug stores and online.

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Whatta Dress!

Given Kate's normally understated and 'safe' style I thought she would go for a a form-fitting dress along the lines of her sister Pippa's bridesmaid dress, but when she stepped out of the 1978 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI I had to say whatta dress! and from then on in I was gripped by the ceremony! Clearly the 'Mad Men' effect has reached Royal circles!  It was designed by Alexander McQueen's successor, Sarah Burton, and props to them all for keeping it a surprise! 

Of course it's drawn many comparisons to Grace Kelly's wedding gown of 1956 when she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco - another 'commoner' who married a royalty.  Like Grace's, Kate's dress had a fitted bodice and long fitted lace sleeves with the skirt slightly flaring from her tiny waist.  Even their bouquets bear a resemblance.  The nine foot long train elegantly steered away from 'meringue' territory.  She looked nothing less than regal in her timelessly beautiful dress.  Her Cartier Halo tiara lent to her by the Queen (something borrowed!) was stunning and not to blingin' and her choice of a sheer, diaphanous veil was brilliant as it allowed everyone to see her, her happy expressions, and of course, get a glimpse at her DIY make up!

To prepare for doing it herself on the big day it's reported Kate received lessons from makeup artist Arabella Preston.  Given that she probably didn't get a wink of sleep last night and has no doubt been stressing for the past six months I thought she looked healthy, radiant and elegant.  She probably used a bit of a heavier hand than most wedding make up artists would, but in my opinion this is no bad thing.  Of course you want to look 'natural' and dare I say 'virginal', or at least innocent on your wedding day, but I've seen so many brides who wear quite a full face of make up as their natural routine hand the reins over to a MUA on the day only to end up looking a bit washed out without much definition to their features.  This is fine is you're a no-make-up kinda gal, but for the likes of me, this wouldn't fly!  

My only criticisms of Kate's make up was that she seemed to have brought her blush a bit too far in towards her nose, which can drag the face down, but then again this could have been part of a natural flush knowing that she had two billion people watching her! The black eyeliner under her lower eyelashes can look a little bit harsh and aging, but then again this is how she normally does her eyes.  She could have dotted a charcoal eye kohl along the lash line or lined dark brown or charcoal eyeshadow along there with an angled eyeliner brush.  Having said that, I think she looked stunning and her lipstick was a lovely colour which looked almost a light pinky coral under her veil.  No doubt YouTube will soon be soon flooded by Kate's wedding make up tutorials, I found a few 'interpretations' which were put up before the actual wedding but none were very accurate to what she actually did.

I adored the piece of music which accompanied her procession up the aisle, I Was Glad is from Psalm 122 and here's a video of it from the Queen's Golden Jubilee, it sounded pretty much the same today and was very moving.  Don't ask me why but it reminded me of the waltzing scene at the end of Disney's Sleeping Beauty!

Prince William was in his uniform as Colonel of the Irish Guards and looked very dashing, but I didn't know he'd gotten that bald!  They are very sweet together and clearly in love.  As for the other guests, Kate's mum looked lovely and not too 'mumsy' in Catherine Walker, a nod to Princess Diana as she was her favourite designer. 

Victoria Beckham looked sour-faced as usual, no doubt due to the huge heels she was wearing with a big mummy tummy!  Her expression was more than made up for by David's hotness! 

Harry's on-off lady friend Chelsy Davy wore a bright aqua Alberta Ferretti skirt suit which was managed  not to look too mature with a very wide collar.  Her grey lace hat was by Victoria Grant and looked much better than some of the headdress monstrosities on display today *cough* Princes Beatrice *cough*.

I woke up quite late, at 10.10 so I missed much of the coverage of the guests arriving at Westminster Abbey, but after the double kiss balcony scene I headed down to Hyde Park to soak up the atmosphere, which was buzzing.  There are always those who moan and groan about the cost of the occasion on the taxpayer, but there are much worse wastes of money - wars against nations that pose no real threat to British sovereignty anyone?  I'd rather donate a few bob to this and get a day off work to party in the streets! 

I picked this souvenir edition of the Evening Standard up just after 2pm - I have no idea how they put it together and got it off the presses in only a couple of hours!

Kate's gown for the evening festivities is equally gorgeous and also designed by Sarah Burton, but white as opposed to her ivory wedding dress.  Good hair too!

Let's hope they have a happy ever after and I want to see babies soon!

Where did you watch the wedding? Did you go to a street party?

*some images taken from Google*

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Convening with Nature (very pic heavy)

I hope you all had a happy hoppy Easter weekend!  I spent most of it outdoors and have been away from the old lapdog so I do apologise that the beauty related posts have been a bit sparse! Anyway, here's a snapshot of what I've been up to...I did buy some make up at Petticoat Lane Market, so that counts, right?!

On Saturday I headed down to Westminster Pier and jumped on a boat heading westwards to Kew.  Most of the boats on the Thames head eastwards to Greenwich and while this is the more scenic route, the journey to Kew and Hampton Court Palace is just as pretty in my opinion.  I got a good discount on my ticket as I have an Oyster travel card.  I highly recommend this little trip - it takes 1.5 hours.

The seat of Government

Somewhere around Barnes

Chelsea Marina - or something like that, anyway, it's where celebs and stuff live.  Tres expensive!

MJ statue outside Fulham FC.  Not incongruous at all.

Where the Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race starts

Beautiful Kew Gardens.  It had been a decade since I was there and it's much improved.

Inside the inconic 'greenhouse'

The Waterlily House

 

The Pagoda 

I adore Bluebells

 The Tree-Top Walkway is a relatively new addition to Kew Gardens - if you're in anyway scared of heights this is one to avoid as you can see right through the metal grating beneath your feet.  I'm always hanging off cliffs so I was in my element!

The Waterlily Pond

We got caught in the worst Monsoon deluge I've seen in ages and after being burnt to a crisp we got soaked right through!

My little present from the gift shop

On Sunday I did my daughterly duty and went to Church with the Madre, but my patience broke just before Communion and I had to make a break for it before I went nuts.  I headed over to SheBu to catch the tube to Liverpool Street and was entranced by the beautiful sounds coming from this group.  Of course they had to be interrupted by a TFL jobsworth who made them move their little speakers back about two quarters of an inch.

A couple of minutes from Liverpool St. tube is Petticoat Lane Market.  Strangely I'd never ventured there before, but it was a mighty let down.  It's all just 'new' tacky rubbish - cheap suits, bags and other rubbish.  There was a stall selling Benefit and MAC items which I got a little excited about, but I soon saw they were fakes, and bad ones at that.  A couple of Portobello Market stall holders sell MAC and Benefit but their stuff is the real deal.

I did pick up another Maybelline Superstay Gloss as I'm still in love with the Citrus Fizz one I picked up last week.  Fresh Pink is a pretty colour but not as pigmented.  Bargain for only £1.50!

Pretty church opposite Spitalfields Market

This was the only photo of a stall inside Spitalfields that I managed to snap - there were loads but most had 'no photography' signs up.  I can see where the stall holders are coming from - they don't want pesky photographers snapping their wares blocking out potential customers and there's the danger that their wares could be copied.  Still, I did feel they were being a little precious.  I bought one of these cute flower headbands for £2.

I then went all commercial and had lunch in Fire & Stone - it was the lure of their Lychee Martini, but the food was below par so I wish I'd for Jerk Chicken at one of the smaller outlets.  The Martini wasn't as good as I'm used to either.  

They left out the artichokes so I sent it back...I was then too scared to eat it!

No sunny weekend is complete without a jaunt around Regents Park and up to Primrose Hill.

 Last night I finally got around to watching The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.  It was okay, but not one of those films that has you thinking about it for ages afterwards, but I'll probably watch the sequels at some stage.  So it's back to work for me in the morning, thankfully I've not got that holiday blues feeling as it will be good to catch up  and get organised as I'm off again Weds to Mon - standby for lots of 'normal' make up posts!  I've actually been quite busy corresponding with companies for my SS2011 Weekly Giveaway Series which is launching on 14th May.  I can't wait to launch this and give a big thank you to all of you who read, comment and visit here.  I can't believe I've only been posting for less than a year and my rambles have garnered almost 1400 followers - tis amazing and thank you x

Are you doing anything on Friday? Going to a street party? I don't think my street is having one but as I live next to Portobello Market I'm hoping there'll be something going on I can crash! 

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