Blank Canvas Cosmetics Brush Review

As a Makeup Artist, Brushes are so so important to me and I'm always on the look out for a good quality brand that doesn't cost a bomb for one brush! Blank Canvas Cosmetics are that brand for me!

I read about them on Tara O'Farrell's Blog about 3 months ago so I invested in the F20 HD Foundation brush! I actually got the twin pack which was 26.00 and there was a black and pink brush included in this. From the moment I touched my face with this brush I was in love! It feels so gorgeously soft and your makeup goes on with nice coverage and such a velvety feeling! I now have 6 of these brushes in my kit and use them on my clients and myself all the time.

F20

The F26 is the smaller version of the F20 brush or the 'little sister'. This brush is designed for a more concentrated foundation application and results are flawless! Some people rather using a smaller brush so if that's the case this brush is more suited to your needs than the F20! I also like to use this brush for cream contouring I find it works really well! The F26 is 12.99. 

F26

Another Gem I have from the range is the E10 Socket Blender. This is my go to eyeshadow brush! You can use it on your lid and your crease or socket. This brush is particularly good for applying product to the smaller areas of the eye! This brush is 6.99.

E10

I also have their E28 Ultra Fine Liner. I really like this brush for drawing fine lines on the eyes with gel or liquid liner.This brush is also 6.99.

E28

I would say if you want a brush to do a winged (Flick) liner I would go for the L29 instead. Its a lip and winged liner brush. To do winged liner you need an angle so this brush is much more effective. This brush costs 6.99. I haven't purchased this brush yet as I have an angled brush but I definitely plan to. 

L29

Blank Canvas Cosmetics are fast growing brand that offers good quality brushes at reasonable prices and I really do love them. They are definitely my favorite brushes in my kit!

All Blank Canvas Cosmetics products are available on their website.
www.Blankcanvascosmetics.com

Hope you enjoyed guys :)

Leonie xx

I-Envy Eyelashes by Kiss Review!

My favorite eyelashes have to be I-Evny by Kiss. People are always commenting on how light weight they are, you wouldn't even notice them on after a few minutes! They are available in many styles so there's something to meet everyone's taste. I love Juicy Volume, 03 Au Naturale and Flirt! These suit most eye shapes and just give a lovely sultry look while not over doing it!

In the picture below, Kirsten the beautiful bride, has flirt lashes on. Kirsten loves her lashes so I wanted to choose something full but not over powering. She was really happy with these and I think they're fab on her!

On Mary I used Juicy volume, I love the flick on these it really helps emphasise her gorgeous eyes!

On Claire I used 03 Au Naturale. These are perfect for a natural look but still really open the eye.

The glue provided with these lashes is actually very good, I've used it many times and my lashes didn't budge! As a Makeup Artist I need the best I can get so I use Duo Glue on all my clients but if you did not want to invest in a tube the glue provided with the lashes would do the job nicely! 

Kiss Lashes cost 3.99 in most pharmacies and 3.50 in Penneys which is definitely a bargain in my opinion!

These eyelashes are so easy to get on, so affordable and widely available, whats not to love! 

If you have any questions on this don't hesitate to contact me!

Thanks for reading :)

Leonie xx 

Catrice All Round Mascara €3.49

 If your like me you absolutely love mascara! I rarely leave my house without it even if I'm having a makeup free day as I just feel like it instantly opens my eyes! Therefore I am a sucker for buying different mascaras! 

Lately I've really taken a liking to Catrice products as they are affordable but are still good quality so I decided to try their All round mascara. This comes in a purple tube and has three different options available: Ultra Black, Blackest Black and Waterproof. I chose Ultra Black. 

 

The brush is of normal size, in other words there's nothing special about it but the amount of mascara that goes onto the brush is perfect and I find it so easy to reach all lashes with it. Within two-three coats you can see a big difference! I love a lot of mascara though so I'll give them about 5-6 coats to be safe ;)

I really like this and now use it as my day time mascara. It helps me achieve black, longer, fuller, separated lashes at such a reasonable price! 

This is available at all Catrice Stands in selected Pharmacies and Penneys around the country.

I definitely give Catrice All Round Mascara the thumbs up! 

Leonie xx 

Primers :)

When it comes to makeup primers I cannot sing their praises enough! They have only really become popular in recent years but now they're everywhere! As a makeup artist I use primer all the time and many people ask me what it is I'm using and what it does etc so I've decided to explain they're purpose, benefits and recommend one from 3 price ranges so there's one for every budget!

Primer smooths out skin, conceals fine lines and open pores, evens out skin pigmentation and helps to keep your makeup in place for much longer. What's not to love?! It's crazy to think that one of our most useful makeup products is invisible yet does wonders! 

Benefit Porefessional - €34.00

This Primer is definitely one of the best available right now! It's ability to fill in fine lines and open pores is pretty amazing, it almost gives an airbrushed look! I have combination skin and I find my T-zone can get quite oily after a few hours but when I use Benefit's Porefessional I really notice the difference. I know it seems very pricey but it is quite concentrated so you literally need less than a pea sized amount of it.

The primer has a pale beige tint to it at first but once rubbed in it becomes transparent. I use this on many clients and find it suits most skin types, tones and ages.


This product is available on any Benefit stand in Sam McCauley and Debenhams stores or online.

Inglot Under Makeup Base -€22.00

This primer gives a smooth, silky finish almost like velvet allowing makeup to glide on due to it's silicone consistency. It is also great for filling in fine lines and pores and is great for oily skin! 

I would say to be very careful with how much you use as too much will have the opposite effect and give an oily, greasy appearance and your foundation will slip right off your face so once again, less than a pea sized amount. You shouldn't be able to see it on your face but you will be able to feel it! 

This product is suitable for all skin types, tones and ages. It is available from Inglot Stores which are mostly based in Dublin.

Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro Primer 002- €8.85

I have always been a fan of Rimmel and there's no exception when it comes to their Fix and Perfect Primer. It is a silicone based gel formula that is designed to mask fine lines, help conceal open pores and even out skin.

This product is a great budget friendly option. What I really like about this one is it's brightening effect! You might decide you don't need makeup at all after use!

This Primer is available from any Rimmel stand which are in most Pharmacies!

If you have very dry skin I would recommend one of the first two mentioned as the Rimmel one is more suited to combination and oily skin! 

Well there you go guys hope you enjoyed this post! If you have any further questions or have any particular skin needs and are not sure what to use give me a shout!

Thanks for reading!

Leonie xx

Hey Guys!!

I've finally decided to go ahead and start a blog! I've been thinking about it for such a long time now so I said why not!

I'm a Makeup Artist so I spend so much time testing different products and looking up new trends for my clients. A blog is a perfect way to share my opinions and save you time and most importantly money!

As well as Beauty I'll also be posting about my interests in general such as Fashion, Showbiz, Health and Fitness! 

 

 For my first post I thought I'd start with my skincare regime as I really believe this is so so important! I know many people who spend so much money on makeup but don't bother with their skincare! For me this is madness! In fairness I have only seen sense in recent years but It has made such a difference to my skin and how my makeup goes on and stays on! I'm sure I'll also be grateful in a few years time :)  

 

My Cleanser and Moisturiser are from Avène. I am in love with this brand! After years of trying so many different products with no luck I finally came across this lil gem.

 

 I use the Extremely Gentle Cleanser and the Skin Recovery Cream as my skin was so dry and sensitive due to an allergic reaction I had in October. Within days my skin cleared up and looked better than ever!  

 

I use a cotton pad to clean my face with the cleanser and do this twice daily, I then apply the moisturiser, a pea sized amount as that's all you need!

 

 The Cleanser was 15euro and I'm only running out now, the moisturiser was 18euro and there's still loads left! That's four months so it really is worth the money!

 

 

 http://www.avene.co.uk/

 

If your unsure of your skin type or what products to pick they have a skin diagnosis test on their site which is really helpful!

 

I've recommended this to lots of friends and clients now and I've had nothing but good reports back. Avène offer good sample sizes so you can try it out for a few days to help you decide if it is the right product for you. 

 

Please don't be put off by this range if you don't have sensitive skin as it simply means there are no harsh chemicals in it, It contains the Avène Thermal Spring Water, a unique ingredient that people have being raving about for years! They cater for all skin types.

 

 I cannot put into words how much I adore Avène and I have no doubt you will too if you give it a try, it's amazing! It is available in Boots stores and selected pharmacies around the country. Your better off ringing around if your not sure!

 

I hope you enjoyed this and if you have any questions feel free to comment below or send me an email! :)

 

Ciao for now!

 

Leonie xx