EOTD: Soft Velvety Purple...

For my lucky last June EOTD, I decided on PURPLE! I've had a love affair with purple since my mid-teens, and although I adore bright and bold examples of this royal hue, I'm equally passionate about the more subtle tones I can bring out from this warm and rich colour - it all depends what you use as a base...

Just for a change I used MNY Color Tattoo in Pomegranate Punk for the first layer - I normally use a purple gel underneath, but I wanted this look to have more of a reddish hue. I stroked the pomegranate all over the lid, except along the top lashline - here I used my essence white kajal because I wanted this section to be lighter than the rest for some contrast...

Along the top lashline I added a shimmery purple from the MUA Poptastic palette...

Over the rest of the top lid went Highness from the SleekV2 Matte palette, and I also blended this with my usual Black MNY Master Precise Liquid Liner under the lower lashline ...

And here's the whole face - on the cheeks is Benefit Hervana blush, lips are ASAP Mineral Lip Liner in Three, Revlon Violet Frenzy, and Lacura Minerals Lip Gloss...

I was deliriously happy to find a purple top a few weeks ago that matched my favourite scarf...

What's your favourite purple eye shadow? Do you prefer blue-purple or red-purple?

Take care of you,
kats xxx

EOTD: Taupe and Teal...

Golly gee, now this takes me back - way WAY back to before I first started joining in the beautyheaven EOTD thread, and TAUPE was all the rage. It was round about the time that Maybelline released their tattoos (and Tough as Taupe), and I went bonkers buying anything and everything I could find in that particular shade. Actually I went so crazy over this colour I wore it all the time, and consequently became increasingly bored with it, to the point where I packed all the palettes away under the heading of "been there, done that"...

But what a darn shame - it's such a pretty hue, and fabulous if you're wanting something subtle. So there I was looking at my collection last week and thought, hey, why not give it another airing? My fave palettes back then were the essence ones below ("Under a Cherry Tree" and "over the taupe"), and I was pretty chuffed to discover they're still workable, as is the MNY Tough as Taupe tattoo, which I used as my base...

I applied the shadows exactly in the order they're pictured above (marked with the "*") from left to right, and the deep brown from the Over the Taupe palette went underneath. Naturally I had to satisfy my craving for colour somehow or other (lol), so I added MUA Fashionista Supermodel Khol Eyeliner in Naomi on the waterline - a stunning shimmery teal. Doesn't last more than a couple of hours, but it was enough to provide a much needed punch to the whole look...

I just love rediscovering something I've written off - this is such a soft and feminine hue, and it's no wonder I wore it so much all those years ago...

What's your feeling about taupe? Is it something you wear often, or do you regard it as old hat?

Take care of you,

kats xxx

COME PLAY WITH ME: How Low Can You Go...

This is Episode Six in the Come Play With Me Series started by darling IndieAna back in February, and the biggest challenge for me so far. My workday face usually takes around 25 products to make it happen, so for me to post a look with anything less than half that is mind-boggling. But hey challenges are interesting things - although it's taken me three attempts before I was comfortable with the photos, along the way I've discovered that in an emergency situation (like sleeping through the 4:30 alarm!), I can throw something together pretty quickly, even though the end result is not quite as polished or defined as I'd like...

So this is my "five product" face. My first two attempts included the usual two concealers under my eyes, but the interesting thing is that because of this particular challenge, I've found out that my huge baggies are far less obvious if I only use foundation and matte powder in that horrible area - woo hoo! So a HUGE thankyou shout out to MoniqueKerstin for prompting this major discovery ♥♥♥...

Here's what I used - started with Australis Ready Set Go Finishing Powder to matte down the shine from my moisturiser. Over that went Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme foundation - I chose this one because without a primer, it gives me the best coverage for my spider veins, freckles and other age-related imperfections, and pressed the same powder over the top. For cheeks and lips, David Jones lipstick in Sunday Best was a god-send - it's a fairly neutral nudey shade but it has a wee bit of coral in it, and therefore makes a darn fine substitute blush, plus it has enough moisturising gloss to give my lips some dimension...

For contouring my schnozz and to minimise my puffy hoods, my fave MAC Omega matte eye shadow once again came to the rescue - such a versatile shade and it lasts me around 18 months (as you can see, I'm in dire need of a refill). For eyes I went with essence Sun Club gel eyeliner in BBC All Night Blue - a fabulous teal, and once it dries, it's there for the day, and I can also wear this on my waterline without any irritation..

Well that's it - SO delighted I can ditch the under-eye concealer, well at least for the time being. Here are the links to the other gal's attempts - Monique, IndieAna & Hailey, all of them astoundingly innovative and impressive...

What's the minimum number of products you use to create your "face"?

Take care of you,

kats xxx

EOTD: Mandy Green...

A darling friend of mine is having a special celebration today, and she adores GREEN, so I couldn't think of a better way to wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY than by creating an eye look especially for her...

I laid down a base bhcosmetics Waterproof Eye Crayon in the shade Huntress - a fabulous wintery green that I keep forgetting I have in my collection...

On the inner corner I patted down the lightest green from the BYS Striking Shades palette - haven't dived into this baby in over 12 months! As you can see it used to be quite the favourite, and I bought it for next to nothing long before I started blogging, and consequently didn't take a pic of it in pristine condition :-(

On the other two thirds and lower lashline went the deep foresty green from the same box, and I applied MUA matte charcoal in the crease and outer corner...

To finish everything off, I added the Huntress crayon on the waterline. Gosh I just adore this particular shade of green - I tend to go for bright and breezy emerald, but I'm thinking I should trot this palette (and this crayon) out a lot more often and give it a much deserved opportunity to show off its unique and ever so pretty hues...

So Mandy girl, I hope you're out somewhere having a delicious celebratory dinner with your beloved, and that you've had a fabulously joyous day of surprises. MANY HAPPY RETURNS my darling! You're such a super special lady, and I treasure the connection we have ♥

Take care of you,

kats xxx

EOTD: Yellow, Orange, Red & Green...

My how time flies when you have a day job that starts becoming a night job as well - boo! June is almost over and I've only posted four EOTD's!  Will have to get a wriggle on - I always try to post eight looks per month, so I have some serious catching up to do over the next few days. So here's a colour combo I've done before, but not with mainly mattes...

Haven't used my Pomegranate Punk Maybelline Color Tattoo as a base in a while, but it was perfect for this look as I wanted to tone down the bright colours from the bhcosmetics Take Me To Brazil palette, to make the whole effect more subdued (and appropriate) for winter...

I applied the yellow, orange and red from inner to outer corner with a dry angled liner brush, blending as I added each shade. On the lower lashline I decided to liven things up a little by using the sparkly gold, and added Physician's Formula Green Shimmer Strips Gel Liner on the waterline...

To frame the eye, I added the black from the same palette in the crease and smoked the outer corner using a fine push brush - one with flat even bristles that are dead straight. It's so rare for me to use all shadows from the same palette, but this one is so wonderfully versatile - an inspired mix of matte's and shimmers, and of course, all the colours of the rainbow...

This look is especially for chunky.monkeys over at bh - she requested a rainbow EOTD a couple of weeks ago, and while this is only a half rainbow, this will have to do until I can get up a bit earlier in the morning (but that's not going to happen any time soon lol)...

Hope you like it chunky, and hope all the rest of you gorgeous gals are having a great week ♥

Take care of you,

kats xxx

EOTD: Bright Blue and Gold...

Last weekend I had the enormous pleasure of attending beautyheaven's Beauty Degustation event (you can read all about it here). As this was my first time meeting the team, plus some of the other lucky ladies, I simply had to do something special in the eye-look department to mark the occasion, so I went for Bright Blue & Gold...

It was also the perfect opportunity to try out the new Mirenesse Secret Weapon 24HR Pure Gold Eye liner that came in my last VIP pack. I'm quite impressed with this liner - the tip is super fine, and the finish is like liquid 24k gold. One word of warning though - do not attempt to use this on your waterline! I did, and blinked before it dried, and instantaneously I had millions of tiny gold particles floating around in my eye ball. Eeek! Totally freaked me out because I then had to try and get it out without disturbing the shadow I'd already applied. Didn't sting, just caused a bit of pinkness until I fllushed it away...

Takes about a minute to set, and then it pretty much stays put. Not waterproof, but it is water-resistant :-)

For once, I managed a swatch!

My base was Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal in Electric Blue. LOVE this tattoo - fabulously pigmented, creamy and dense, and gives an amazing boost to any shadow. Over the top went bright blue from the DB Bold palette, with a boost of deeper blue from the BYS Intense Pigments collection...

My usual essence white kajal went on the waterline - this was essential on the day to counteract the redness caused by the gold liner goof. I tell you I was panicking like there was no tomorrow - of all days to have an eye make up screw up!

To finish off the look, I pressed a little MUA matte charcoal into the crease...

.

Despite a shaky start, I thought this combination was a lot of fun (I matched it with bright blue pants, black top, and gold accessories). I'll be playing around with this liquid gold liner a whole heap more in the weeks ahead because of the gilded lift it will bring to any shadow colour.

Do  you wear gold eye liner? Which one works best for you?

Take care of you,
kats xxx

EOTM: "Your Favourite May EOTD" Giveaway!...

Well this is fun - one giveaway closes and another one opens! I definitely should do this more often...OK so this month I'm giving away the perfect Autumn/Winter palette!

1 x Chi Chi Glamorous Rich Gems Eye Shadow Collection

Taken with flash

Taken in natural light

These colours are deliciously warm and jewel-toned without being too wild, and whoever wins this will have a ball creating some fabulous eye looks - gosh I definitely should have bought two of these (one to keep!). They all seem to have a shimmery finish - the blue and the pink are a little more matte than the others, and the bronzes and golds look like they're pretty close to being metallic...

To sweeten the pot, I'm also throwing in...

1 x Australis Mineral Eyeshadow Contouring Brush

so you'll be all set to create your first fabulous EOTD the minute you open the prize pack...

1 x Mirenesse Auto Lip/Eye Liner Duet

The eye liner is Ebony, and the lip liner is Rose Flirt...

1 x L'Oreal Shine Caresse Longwear Colour and Shine Lipstick

in the shade Eve (400). It's an eye catching orchid pink, similar to the bold pink shadow in the palette...

All items are brand new in their original packaging, and were either purchased personally by me, or received as a GWP.

As usual, you need to choose which of the May EOTD's is your favourite from the eight pictured below, and let me know why you like it the most. As you may have noticed, last month was a little heavy on the smokey, smouldery type looks...

Because it's so easy (and totally random!) I'm using the Rafflecopter again, so please make sure that you follow the entry instructions, and read the Terms and Conditions. Please note that leaving a comment and providing your email address inside the Rafflecopter are MANDATORY for entry :-)

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This giveaway is now closed

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Yay - random.org has chosen the beautiful Sakina as the winner. 

Congratulations gorgeous! 

Sakina please respond to the email I've sent you by 

Wednesday 2nd July to claim your prize :-)

Edit: Sakina has claimed her prize ♥

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The competition closes 11:59 pm Monday 30th June 2014 - best of luck to all who enter!

Take care of you,

kats xxx

SPOTLIGHT: Beautyheaven Beauty Degustation Event...

Last Saturday was a very special day in my life. I had the honour of being invited to attend beautyheaven's very first "Beauty Degustation" event, held at their head quarters in Sydney - and what a blissful opportunity it was to meet the miracle-working bh team, catch up with some fellow beautyheaven members, and to sample a swag of tantalising beauty morsels...

Actually it was a feast for all the senses, because we were plied with a seemingly endless series of gastronomic delights, as well as pampered like princesses by some of the industries top beauty consultants, using a wide range of amazing products. We were invited to spend around 20 minutes at each of the five beauty stations that had been set up in the multitude of rooms in beautyheaven's fab residence. The bh gals are all extraordinarily glam and gorgeous, and welcomed us with open arms - can't begin to imagine what it must have taken to co-ordinate such a happening, but the team made it seem effortless, as if they did this sort of thing every other day...

There were so many delights, but I have to say my favourite station was the L'Occitane one - just look at this display!

And this is Wassim, my new best friend :-) He treated my right hand so tenderly to all the latest goodies from the Divine Immortelle range (making my left hand exceedingly jealous lol). It was such a pleasure to meet a fella so genuinely in love with his products, and his passion was totally infectious. Not that I needed any prompting - I've adored this range ever since I trialled it through beautyheaven back in 2012...

And here's the skin care routine that Wassim so expertly selected for me - a gal can dream hey?...

PLUS I scored this precious little pot of Divine Immortelle cream...

The Schwarzkopf team were on hand to offer valuable hair care advice, as well as treating the members to some styling, and we were all totally spoilt with this bag of goodies - can't wait to try every single one of these...

But this was the product from the tote that caught my immediate attention after learning about it from my Schwarzkopf expert, and seeing the instantaneous effect on my hair - I'll be reviewing this magical powder shortly...

We also had the pleasure of sampling four perfumes, being foundation colour-matched by the L'Oreal specialists, and a mini-mani choosing from a huge basket of nail polishes. Oh and did I mention the food? Check out this work-of-art cheese platter...

And if all that wasn't enough(!), every member scored a beautyheaven loot bag - here's what was in mine...

To be able to meet some of the gal pals I've been chatting with on the forums for more than five years was SO special, and I was totally bowled over by beautyheaven's generosity (how ever do they do it?). 

My heartfelt thanks to everyone who made the day one I will always remember ♥

Take care of you,

kats xxx