battle of the bronzes

When I was debating whether to purchase Rimmel's Scandaleyes eyeshadow paint in #006 Rich Russet or not, I Google'd to see if there were any direct comparisons of it to Maybelline's 24HR Color Tattoo in #35 Bad to the Bronze (£4.99). While most blogs mentioned that they were very similar, I don't remember anyone ever directly saying "if you have one, you don't need the other". That was my justification for wanting to have both in my collection. Now that I've owned both for quite a while, I thought maybe it's about time a proper comparison was in order. 

rich russet; bad to the bronze 

Colour wise, they are indeed very similar. Bad to the Bronze is a smidge darker, with more of a silver sheen running through the shadow. It has a buttery texture, and is very easy to blend. While you can definitely get away with one swipe if picking up more product, it can get a little chunky that way, so I recommended building up the intensity with 2 layers. The finish is slightly tacky, which makes it a great base for applying powder eyeshadows on top. Rich Russet on the other hand, is less opaque, and required 2-3 coats for a similar opacity to Maybelline's cream shadow. It comes with a doe foot applicator and applies wet, before drying down to a completely smooth finish. Once it dries, it doesn't budge, so you really need to blend out all the edges beforehand. The packaging makes the shadow incredibly portable and great for travel or touch ups throughout the day.

While the longevity claims are a tad outrageous, I do think they are both very long lasting. I personally have very oily lids (e.g. the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear gel liner gave me panda eyes within an hour or so), and over a base (I use MAC's Paintpot in Soft Ochre) they both lasted around 7-8 hours. Bad to the Bronze managed to stay strong, but creased and left an unflattering beige line in my double eyelid crease. Rich Russet creased less, but faded to a light wash of colour by the end of the day. 

Now to answer that very one question I had before purchasing these products: Do you really need to have both? No, you don't. On the lids they look almost identical, and the wear of it is very similar. But as a true makeup lover (read: addict), for £4.99 each (or $10.91 with the current exchange rate), why not have both? I honestly love both products, but if I had to choose one, I personally prefer Maybelline's offering. I like how it can double up as a base, and the colour selection is more up my alley in comparison the the other Rimmel shadow paints. (I have my eye on #65 Inked in Pink and #70 Pomegranate Punk next...)

rimmel lasting finish soft colour blush: #010 santa rose

I've never really been a huge blusher type of girl. I'll take eyeliner, brows, or even lipbalm over flushed cheeks any day, and my minuscule collection consists mainly of bright coral pink hues. I decided it was about time I step up my game and add a bit of variety into my everyday cheek colour — but it did take me a while to decide on which one. I wanted something natural and fuss free; something preferably from the 'drugstore' (nothing is considered drugstore in New Zealand, really) so I wouldn't have to break the bank.

Cue Rimmel's Lasting Finish Soft Colour blush in #010 Santa Rose ($6.98). I came across this on ASOS the other day and vaguely remember Alix (icovetthee) mentioning this in her makeup collection video. I did a quick Google search, and it popped up on a lot of bloggers' favourites, top blushes, and 'best mediocre looking product that turns out to be amazing' lists. 

Complete with scratches on the flimsy looking plastic lid; the packaging isn't the best. Still, I definitely do appreciate the makeover it has had — the design is much better than the old trapezium shaped packaging, and the embossed Union Jack on the surface is a nice touch. I was initially worried that the colour would be too light on my medium Asian skin tone, but I couldn't be more wrong. While powdery when picked up with a brush, the pigmentation is on par with a lot of higher end brands. The trick to this blush is to apply with a light hand and avoid going overboard (which I did the first time. My cheeks resembled a monkey's butt). On my skin tone, it comes off as a warm peachy pink, with just a hint of brown.

I highly recommend these blushes; they're great quality, affordable, and a good beginner's product to start off with. ASOS is one of my favourite online sites to pick up beauty products — they often have discounts (permanent 10% if you're a student, which I sadly no longer qualify for), free shipping, and they stock a range of products unavailable in New Zealand (Bourjois, Pixi, Paul & Joe, just to name a few). I have a number of sites that I use and trust when it comes to online shopping, but we'll save that for another time.

pink gradient lip

Bright lips are pretty much the hottest thing in East Asia right now, and it's all thanks to Korea's superstar, Jun Ji Hyun. Famous for her role in My Sassy Girl, Jun Ji Hyun recently starred as Cheon Song Yi from My Love from Another Star (별에서 온 그대), and sales for almost every beauty related item she used in the drama sky rocketed at one point or another. I was never really into K-dramas before, but this was highly addictive — a great combination of romance and comedy, with just a touch of fantasy. (Plus, Kim Soo Hyun is perfect).

In the drama, Jun Ji Hyun had very natural makeup, with the main focus being her lips. The two most popular shades that she used would have to be IOPE Color Fit in #44 Forever Pink, YSL Rouge Pur Couture in #52 Rosy Coral. (Master list here). As much as I want to jump on the bandwagon and purchase ALL the lipsticks she used, it's almost impossible to track down these products without having to pay an absurd amount. (Seriously?!) Instead, I picked out two lip products I already had: Lioeli Blooming Pop Pinky Tint and Rimmel Apocalips in #501 Stellar, in hopes of creating that perfect Korean gradient lip.

I started off by applying Lioeli's lip tint all over my lips, making sure not to use too much. The more you layer it, the brighter it gets — which doesn't seem to flatter my skin tone. The texture of this is a bit thicker than your standard watery tint (think Benefit's Benetint), and has a milky consistency. I like that it's moisturising, but I did notice a slight tingly effect on the lips when wearing this (nothing too bothersome). Next, I dabbed Stellar onto the centre of my lips and blended it out with a finger. It's super pigmented, so I only applied a small amount and made sure it didn't overpower the rest of the lip. If worn as a full on lip, the Rimmel Apocalips lip lacquers tend to fade and leave a highly unflattering ring after eating. I love the colours and formulation otherwise, so I'm willing to let this aspect slide, but it does require maintenance on the wearer's part. 

In true Korean gradient lip fashion, concealer or foundation is generally used along the edge of the lip to further enhance the gradual effect. I skipped this process because Jun Ji Hyun's lips are painted perfectly right to the edge. While I won't be getting my hand on any of the lipsticks she used any time soon (the two mentioned above are already on my wishlist), I will at least be able to imitate the trend using what I have on hand. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to indulge in another Kim Soo Hyun drama.