The Seventeen Back Lash Mascara is a great budget mascara. It subtly lengthens with one coat which is perfect for daytime wear or no make-up makeup. With two coats, it really lengthens, defines, lifts, curls and separates! That’s a lot of work for one mascara. It doesn’t provide any volume for me but that’s not an issue as eyeliner can create the illusion of volume. The mascara comes in a silver chrome tube which is a nightmare to photograph because it is so reflective but it’s nice to use. I’m really impressed with this mascara, especially for the price, and I will repurchase this one!
Seventeen Back Lash Mascara with Anita Grant Mineral Eyeshadow in Dragon fruitSeventeen Back Lash Mascara with Anita Grant Mineral Eyeshadow in Dragon fruit
I use a combination of products to contour. I try to keep it subtle because full-on contouring for an average person in the daytime can look too “done” or over the top. I’ll turn it up a notch if I’m going out at night. Let’s face it, I’m not going to get snapped by the paparazzi and put on the front of a magazine am I?
I also use a selection of brushes mainly:
Real Techniques duo-fiber contour brush
Models Own powder brush
Models Own angled blush brush
No7 blusher brush
Sleek Contouring Kit in Medium with a blusher
use the dark shade in the Sleek kit to contour the shadows in the classic “3” shape- sides of forehead, hollows of cheeks, sides of chin plus the sides of nose. I use the light shimmery shade on the top edge of my cheek bones and sometimes sweep this up to my temples. I also use it in the middle of my forehead (risky I know!). I find I need a little something more with this kit so I add blusher to the apples of my cheeks and blend out. I either blend as I go along which is ideal, or blend it all afterwards.
Sleek Face Form in Medium
With this all-in-one palette there’s no need for anything else. The dark and light shades are the same as in the Sleek Contouring Kit in Medium so I use them in the same way as in the contouring kit. I then apply the bronzer to the apples of my cheeks and blend out.
MUA bronzer in Shade 3 with Seventeen Instant Glow Shimmer Brick in Gold Bronze
The MUA bronzer is not as dark as the dark colour on the Sleek palettes so I use this when I don’t have a tan or when I want more subtle colour. I use it for the shadows in my contour routine. I then use the three bronze colours in the Seventeen shimmer brick on my cheeks and the lightest colour to highlight the cheekbones. This is my favourite combination.
Sleek Contouring Kit in Medium with Seventeen Instant Glow Shimmer Brick in Gold Bronze
If I want a more dramatic shadow I use the dark colour in the Sleek Contouring Kit in Medium with the bronze colours in the Seventeen shimmer brick on my cheeks and the lightest colour from the shimmer brick to highlight the cheekbones.
For all of the options, sometimes I use Touche Éclat on bridge of my nose, under my eyes, under the brows, on the cupid’s bow and in that crease above the chin but below the lip. What is that called by the way?
Although it has been made popular relatively recently by Kim Kardashian West, I’m sure it has been a make-up artist’s secret for decades. I can see why.
It gives the effect of instant weight loss for the face which I love because compared with my teenage self, I’m sure my face is rounder. My friends, family and probably you guys think I’m crazy for picking on such a thing! My rational mind says I can’t look like a teenager forever but I’ve given into society’s image of beauty – just a little bit.
Actually, the best thing about contouring is that I can emphasise my best features (apparently I do have cheekbones!) but if I contour in a particular way, to some, it looks like I’m not wearing any makeup. That’s what I want really for day-to-day wear.
Some people will contour from the liquid foundation to powder but I seldom wear liquid foundation. I use powder only.
My contour kit is mainly from the high street- Seventeen,Sleek and MUA, with a YSL Touch Éclat thrown in if I’m in the mood. I’ll do another post on how I use them – it’s a complete mix and match affair!
Full face with flash – Hot Pink with Anita Grant and KikoDark Blue Eyes and Ultra Nude Lips
Seventeen Quicker Slicker Nail Colour in Navy Glint
Seventeen Quicker Slicker in Navy Glint is a quick dry glitter nail polish. I always need to keep a stock of quick dry polishes in the collection! I find that glitter polishes in general dry quicker and are easier to put on in a hurry because there’s no risk of seeing the brush strokes due to the glitter.
As a quick dry nail colour, it is slightly thick which is difficult to work with using the tiny brush. I got this as part of a set so I assume the full size bottle has a larger brush.
Colour wise, I love it! I wouldn’t call it navy myself, maybe a very dark petrol blue. The glitter pieces are tiny so it doesn’t look too party-like or Christmassy. The glitter just make it more shiny and reflective. I think it’s good for both daytime and evening.
This has become a favourite in my collection!
Seventeen Quicker Slicker Nail Colour in Navy Glint
This gorgeous orange-toned red nail polish is Seventeen Supreme Shine Nail Colour in Risky Red! Unlike the creamy Seventeen Supreme Shine Nail Colour in Love, this really is very shiny! It reminds me of Barry M Hi-Shine Gelly Nail Paint in Blood Orange, another favourite nail colour of mine. It actually shares a few similarities.
Risky Red needs two coats as a minimum but to get it completely opaque I think you’ll need three coats. The shine is quite plastic, for want of a better word. I quite liked the effect. My nails looked like they had been coated in something more special than a high street nail polish! I also found it to be fairly flexibly which helped it to stay on my nails for longer.
The only downside is the tiny brush but then I did get this as part of a set. I’m glad this was is in the set because I wouldn’t usually buy reds, especially orange-reds. The lean towards orange makes this quite fun, and the shine is striking so I enjoy wearing it.
This mini bottle of Seventeen Supreme Shine Nail Polish in Love was part of the gift set I bought in the January sales. It’s a pretty pink purple. At the time I described it as almost radiant orchid – Pantone’s colour of the year.
I love this as it is pretty without being too girly – the purple colour tones down the pink. It is a very romantic colour without being obvious so “Love” is the perfect name for it.
Colour wise, I found two coats to be sufficient and the shine is ok. I wouldn’t call it supreme but I don’t mind because I really like the creaminess of the colour.
The only thing I don’t like is the tiny, tiny brush! I find small brushes awkward to work with so I would be better off with the full size bottle.
I am a fan of Seventeen nail polishes and this is no exception – I love it!
I bought this in the January sales as part of a set of 9. I was in the mood for gold and though I would pick this darker shade. I thought it was two-tone but I was mistaken. It is a dark golden molten gold, almost bronze. It goes really well with my skin tone and has a luxury feel to it. As it is a quick dry formula, it is a bit on the thick side and does indeed dry quickly so if you linger when applying the colour will drag.
I am a fan of Seventeen’s quick dry polishes, and I love gold nails so this one will definitely be worn again!
P.S. Sadly, just before I posted this I discovered my little bottle of Fury had broken and the polish had frozen solid. I hope I can still get this colour 😦
In keeping with my small nail polish budget, I sometimes visit the Seventeen shelves. You can see I don’t do it very often as I have a couple of the old style bottles! I have
Moonstruck – silver
A shimmery purple – the name has worn off
Royal Indigo – purple and it must have been part of a set because it says “not for resale”
Tropical Island – coral
Coral is my summer colour and Tropical Island is nice and bold and the right side of orange. Keep following to find out about my latest Seventeen purchases!
