Sleek i-Divine Palette in Storm

The amount of eye palettes you can buy these days are pretty eyewatering (I'm sorry!) so it's little wonder most of us find the process of choosing one a little too much sometimes.

Back in 2012 I won tickets to The Clothes Show along with a goodie bag courtesy of Sleek. Out of everything I was lucky enough to win, the item I loved the most using it pretty much everyday was their I-Divine palette in Storm. After using it to the point where the mirror had broken off and I'd accidentally hoovered one of the shades clean off the pan (next time I'll use a wipe to clean my makeup!) I decided it was time for out with the old in with the new.




I had planned to re-purchase this palette during my recent beauty spree to Meadowhall however with a shopping list as long as Kim K's surgery record I simply ran out of time! I was delighted to see Sleek had now brought itself to my local branch of Boots within the last week meaning no more two hour treks to the nearest outlet.
As you can see I pulled out all the brand new tester slots and had a good old neb n' swatch!



Since I last owned this palette they've since named the shades which is brilliant for being able to describe my favourites to you. Two of my can't live without shades include Firestorm and Dust Storm which are shimmery yet not glittery and extremely pigmented and long lasting especially if applied with a damp eyeshadow brush. You'll never lust over a Tom Ford palette ever again!


 

  
I think compared to other Sleek palettes, Storm is the most wearable and the shades really can be used from day through to night. It's all well and good having pretty bright colours in a palette - but if you are not going to be able to use them everyday then to me it's just a waste. With storm you can do day or night and even brows (Eye of the storm) and liner (blackout) so you can truly get the use out of every single colour. 





This palette costs £8.99 and can be picked up from Boots. For this price you get 12 wearable pigmented shades and a huge mirror in the lid which I love. For those of you who can't face paying £40 for a naked palette I highly recommend you try Sleek first. Try my damp eyeshadow brush trick and you will never look back... infact you will look forwards straight into the mirror astounded at your mesmerising eyeshadow colours!

July Favourites & New Purchases!

July has been quite the month for favourites and new purchases (it was my Birthday on the 8th afterall!)

Allow me to walk you through some of my favourites...

This set was part of a cheeky little gift given to me by a friend who was working their last shift at Lancome (probably just as well after this post gets published) ;) Some of what was in the gift pack I've saved for my Mum, however I have really been enjoying the skincare in this.

Most notably, the two products that have given my skin a noticable lift are the Hydra Zen NeuroCalm Moistursier, and the Advanced Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate. Both sit really well under makeup and don't peel when makeup is applied on top (my personal bugbearer!) Equally nourishing and hydrating and don't aggravate my skin either.

Also picked up a sample of their Teint Idole foundation in shade 005, which I have been mixing in with a white foundation and one pump of the Touche Eclat foundation in the shade BR10. This combination has given me a full coverage yet luminious base which I have been loving - especially as I have worked for Urban Decay and L'Occitane this month and had an interview for Dior! 

MAJOR love for these! The Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Treatment Pads (which are currently on offer in Boots!) I was dubious to try these after being dissapointed with the F.A.B facial radiance pads. These however really worked and I definitely did notice a difference. I love how they are gentle but very effective and don't strip the skin. I also picked up the Glycolic Scrub from the same range which I've also been enjoying. 

You know when you see something and just instantly have to have it? Yep that. I couldn't even wait to use it before photographing it (sorry not sorry!) This is the All Day Soiree Palette from Sleek. It's for eyes, cheeks, contour and well... anywhere where you would want to place any of these colours! I am utterly in love, especially with the blush colour which goes on really softly but beautifully. 

Last but most DEFINATELY not least! The Kerastase Bain Fluidealiste Shampoo. You know one of those things you have wanted to try for a very long time? Yes that!

For the last couple of years I have only used SLS-Free shampoos as I find they are far better for the scalp and leave it feeling much more soothed. I have been through quite a few and it was a bit like a game of Goldilocks Porridge. Some didn't clean the hair that well, others didn't wash out very well and some were far too harsh and others smelt like boot polish! 

I picked this up from Look Fantastic which were offering it for the cheapest price but also free delivery. I used it and instantly fell in love! It made my hair something I normally find to be quite the chore to something I really enjoyed. My hair felt really soft, manageable and less frizzy which for a shampoo is quite amazing! I highly recommend for anyone after a non sulphate shampoo.
 
Those were my July favourites and purchases! Let me know if you have used anything I have featured below and what you thought!

Sleek Foundation Tester Kit

Today I thought I'd review the Fair/Light tester kit by Sleek. I have often thought this would be a wonderful idea if more companies made similar testers that you could order online, so you could truelly try before you buy. The Fair/Light kit is the lightest range of shades that Sleek make, and contain the following 5 shades: Linen, Oyster, Oatmeal, White Rose and Shell.

Currently, Sleek are not selling the Fair/Light tester kit on the website in the Creme to powder format. However, they are selling it in their “New skin revive format” which you can find here. The difference between the two, is that Creme to powder is a compact foundation, and skin revive is liquid foundation.

I will always have a soft spot for Sleek, after winning Clothes Show tickets and a generous gift bag from them, for both me and my cousin last year. However I have to be honest, in that I was a little disappointed at how dark these shades are, once I applied the swatches to my arm. White Rose and Shell in particular, are much more suited to tanned skintones, and I wouldn't class them as “light” at all.

Also, I wasn't sure what to make of the finish when I applied the lightest shade Linen to my face. The finish was slightly cakey for my liking, however it's really up to the individual and some may work better with the finish than I did. I think if I was going to purchase the lightest shade “Linen”, then I would definitely buy the liquid version of this shade, over the crème to powder format.

At £2.99, I definitely recommend buying this tester kit if you have been wanting a Sleek foundation but don't want the disappointment of the shade being incorrect, especially as there is always the risk of the foundation oxidising on the skin, and becoming even darker.

My overall opinion of this kit, is that Linen - the lightest shade Sleek make - is the only shade I would consider to be suitable for pale skin tones. It is a similar shade to NC15 in Mac, however is lighter than this. It would be great if Sleek could remake this palette, and begin with an off-white as the lightest shade, and perhaps end with Linen. Maybe I'm asking for too much here, but I definitely think there is a market for extremely pale foundations - even if it's just for mixing with other products.

Old School Hollywood

I have long been a fan of the old school Hollywood look. There was something so classy about the women of the 20's, 30's, 40's and 50's that isn't always so apparent in today's world. It wasn't just the way they conducted themselves and they way they dressed - the makeup was also much more about being sophisticated and generally understated, rather than "plastering it on" and "more is more" as is often the case these days. That doesn't mean to say a red lip was out of the question though, most famously sported by the likes of Marilyn and Audrey.

More recently, celebrities such as Christina Aguilera and Angelina Jolie have really revived this look and made it relevant again. Back to Basics is definitely one of my favourite albums of all time, and many people who are not generally a fan of Ms Aguilera say the same. The album heavily channels all things past in terms of blues, jazz and soul and this transcends beautifully into the looks Christina portrayed throughout the album cover and tour makeup. Everything was old school with that little bit of a Christina twist.

Watch the Back to Basics into here:

When creating my own paleskinmakeup take on this look, I noticed that it required 3 vital things: A flawless base, a red lip and quite matte off white/pink on the eyes. Of course a more modern take would include a heavier eye, however I am keeping it "old school" as the likes of Marilyn would! To begin, I set my hair in heated rollers whilst I prepped the skin and got to work. (It's a good idea to get everything you intend to use out infront of you whilst your hair is setting, if like me your makeup collection spans your entire room and there's always something you can't find!)

Prep:

- Nivea Oil Free Moisturizer
- Clarins Daily Energizer Wake-Up Booster
- MUA Oil-Free Primer

Base:

For my base I custom mixed 2 foundations, to get the shade right but also get the flawless finish of a mac foundation.

- Mac Studio Sculpt Foundation - NC15
- Dainty Doll Liquid Foundation - 001
- Collection 200 Concealer - 1 Fair
- Collection 2000 Pressed Powder - 18 Ivory

- Diorshow Powder - 005 (A blusher, but used as a contour)
- Sleek Blusher - Rose Gold
- 17 Blusher - First Flush (Just a tiny bit pressed on over the top)

Eyes:

I experimented with quite a few products here. Aiming for quite a matte finish, but with a slight contrast with a lighter shade/light reflection in the inner corner. To achieve a similar look, you do not need to use as many products. However using a pure white or similar shade first as I did is advisable to help prime the lid for the colour you intend to use.

- Estee Lauder 01 Pink Flash (Shimmer) - My base
- Barry M Shimmering Eye Crayon - 5 
- Models Own Eye Shadow - Pearl Pink
- Bourjois Eyeliner Pencil - Silver
- Models Own Eyeliner Pencil - Black
- Collection 2000 Multiplier Mascara

- Anstasia Brow Kit

Lips

- Models Own Lip Pencil - Red
- Barry M Lipstick - 121
- Sleek Glossed Lipgloss - Bitten


And for the finished result!....(Pale skin style, of course)

The Clothes Show Live - Part 2 (The Goodie Bags!)

As promised from my previous post, I am now going to talk about the amazing and unbelievable Goodie bags myself and my Cousin each received from The Clothes Show Live. Before I start, I really want to thank Sleek Make-up so so much for choosing my entry as the winner, as well as for the products we received. The whole day was incredible and it wouldn't have happened for either of us without them, so if you are reading Sleek... THANKYOU! The ladies on the counter were also super lovely and shook both our hands, they made us feel like royalty!

Firstly, let me show you everything I accumulated over the whole day (minus the bags) arranged on my bedroom floor....

Sleek Goodie Bag:

Myself and Vicky each received the following products for free as part of the competition we won. Given we are such massive Sleek fans, and the nearest Superdrug that stocks Sleek is a 2 hour train ride away.... well, lets just say we screamed then Vicky let out a few choice words not suitable for broadcast in this blog. We just could not believe our luck!!

Our bags each contained... 

- Make-Up Brush Set (7 Pieces)
- I Divine Palette (Original)
- I Divine Palette (Storm)
- Glo Face & Body Highlighter (Bronze Baby)
- Cannes Eyelashes
- Rio Eyelashes
- Glossed (Bitten)
- Glossed (Whisper)
- Pout Polish (The Afterparty) 
 

Barry M Goodie Bag:

The Barry M stand was absolutely scrumptious, with rows upon rows of products in every shade imaginable. The following bag cost just £10 for £70 worth of products! I don't think I saw a single person in the entire NEC who didn't have one of these hanging off their arm! Considering just *one* Dazzle Dust eyeshadow is normally £5 alone, there was no way I wasn't going to buy the goodie bag!

I noticed the contents of the bag varied as my cousin got some entirely different products/shades to me. Here is the contents of mine...

- Barry M travel/product case
- Dazzle Dust (Shade 209) X2
- Dazzle Dust (Shade 75)
- Kohl Pencil (Shade 13)
- Kohl Pencil (Shade 15)
- Kohl Pencil (Shade 20)
- Pink Glitter  Eye Crayon
- Bright Turquoise Lengthening Mascara 
- Face & Body Shimmer Powder
- Limited Edition Lip Gloss
- Nail Paint (Shade Retro 1 Pink)
- Nail Paint (Shade Retro 3 Red)
- Nail Paint (Shade Retro 5 Purple) 

 
 Model's Own Goodie Bag:

This was another fantastic £10 for £70 worth of products offer. This time, you picked the 2 nail polishes that went with the rest of the bag. To say it was difficult is a massive understatement! Even the girls behind the counter who served us didn't know what they would pick! The stall stretched for about 40ft in a massive square, with rows and rows of colour co-ordinated polishes, with a gigantic model of a silver glittery nail polish on the roof of the stand.The stall sold pretty much every polish imaginable... from neutrals, to pastels, to brights and then to glitters. It was insanely difficult choosing, however I went with two colours I didn't already own from my nail collection at home.

- Nail Polish (04 Hed Kandi)
- Nail Polish (Red Red Wine)
- Shapeitbuffit Nail Buffer 
- Nail Art Pen
- Straight Cosmetic Scissors
- Powder Eyeshadow (Pearl Pink)
- Powder Eyeshadow (Bright Turquoise)
- Hi-Definer Pro-Eyeliner
- Lipgloss
- Moisturising Lip Balm (Bubblegum Flavour)
- Lip Liner Pencil (Red)
- Eye Liner Pencil (Black)
- Eyeshadow Applicators X4

 

 Collection 2000 Goodie Bag:

I have always been quite fond of Collection 2000, as I think over the years their products have become cult classics, especially their concealer which I use on a daily basis! The CSL Goodie Bags were being sold for an incredible £5 for £20 worth of products, which included their best selling mascara. Again, the lady who served us (we bought 3 bags in total) was incredibly lovely which can't of been easy given how manic each stand was. The stand was also selling a massive range Collection 2000 products at heavily reduced price.

Here's what my bag contained...

- Bedazzled Eyeshadow Palette
- Multiplier Volume & Definition Mascara (Ultra Black)
- Nail Smash Top Coat (1 Black Smash)
- Hot Looks Nail Polish (5 Siren)
- Volume Sensation Lipstick (Satin Bow)

     

 
 Bomb Cosmetics:

Now, many people have heard of Lush... but have you heard of Bomb Cosmetics? They may not be as well known, but do just as amazingly fragrant bath products. I have long been a fan of their Strawberry fields shower scrub (fans of Lush's Snow Fairy will LOVE it). However, it is about £8 plus postage on the website which has always put me off ordering it this way. The nearest shop to me that sells it is a fashion boutique on Lincoln's Steep Hill which is an hour away from me! When I saw Bomb had a stand I jumped at the chance of re-purchasing it. They also had masses of absolutely devine, colourful soaps and bath bombs which really brightened the whole arena. As I went to pay for my Strawberry Fields, I was informed it was 2 for £10 so I thought I'd try Shower Power too.

 And finally, some other bits we recieved from the ELLE and Cosmpolitan bags. Their Goodie Bags were priced at £2 for Elle and I think it was about £3 for the Cosmo bag. This is an incredibly steal as not only did each bag come with aload of products, but Elle is normally £3.90 an issue so it was a massive bargain just to get the two issues included. As Elle is also my favourite magazine, this left me understandably overjoyed! There are some amazing products in these bags, including the OPI nail polish which currently retails for £11 plus postage which I essentially got for free! I should note the St Tropez tanning cream will be going straight to Vicky, I am staying true to Pale Skin Make Up don't worry!

This is just a selection of what the bags contained....

I hope you enjoyed this post! Where you at TCSL? What did you think? Or have I interested you in going next year? Let me know!