Pretty Pencils Review

I love the innovation thats pushing through the beauty market at the moment and I love how high street make-up is amping up the quality of their products too. More recently I have noticed how pencils, pots and sticks are becoming the norm away from standard pans of eyeshadows and bullets of lippies.
Better portability for us "jetsetters" travelling from birmingham to essex or wherever in the world as they are shatterproof.

These are a few of the ones I have been trying at the moment AND LOVING:

Nars Soft Touch Shadow Pencils

Goddess - This is in the core collection and is a beautiful highlight colour. 

Trash - From the Andy Warhol collection - a vivid purple.

NYX Jumbo Eye Shadow Pencil in Pacific 

The Nars pencils are highly-pigmented, really creamy but set quickly and so easy to blend! They are a bit dear at £18  but I think with Nars you always pay for quality. The NYX Jumbos have been a staple in the make-up world for a while, and I totally understand why because they are the perfect base for other eyeshadows increasing colour intensity! I think NYX were the trendsetters here - go on the cheap and cheerful. But I cannot help but fall in love with the colours Nars has to offer and the seamlessness application they provide. swishhhh and its done.

Pots are also making a dent in the market from highstreet to high-end.

Here are two of my favourite bronze pots:

Maybelline Colour 24 Hour Tattoo in On and On Bronze

Estee Lauder Double Wear Shadow Cream in Antique Bronze

My Lauder pot has been phenomenal to me as it is the perfect colour for everyday looks. The warm tone of this eyeshadow cream is beautiful in the sun and does not slip on my somewhat oily eyelids. The double wear range has never lied to me and remains truly long-lasting. The tattoo pots by maybelline are a highstreet must have with the turquoise one catching my eye for summer. This Bronze is a bit cooler and provides a similar pigmentation to Lauder but at a fraction of the cost! Unfortunately I think these double-wear shadow creams may have been discontinued but never fear ESTEE LAUDER IS HERE and have a beautiful new range called Pure Colour Stay On Shadow Pots with the colour Cosmic looking like Antique Gold's cousin.

Now I love lipstick - it's in the name, on my lips and filling up my drawers. But lip crayons are pushing forward with chubby sticks and lip stain pens also making a statement with bright colours and portability.

Candle from The Body Shop in Pomegranate and Raspberry at £10

My cousin Louise, bought me this beauty from Topshop:  Lip Crayon in Secret Party
Its a statement red that goes on so easily! I have never used a lip crayon with such an amazing high-shine finish and such a different colour with this red having a discrete shimmery undertone. I wore it on valentines day and by blotting some of the colour across the lips first and then layering the crayon on my lips alike to a line I found it lasted SO LONG! I need more Topshop make-up I've decided!

My cheap, cheerful but should no way be down played is from eyelipsface cosmetics: the Elf Studio Matt Lip Colour in Natural which is nude baby pink. A colour I would not usually go for but wanted to try. I fear with dark skin nudes like this would not suit but I find that this with a dark eye just works.

So move over eye shadow palettes, pans and powders is about the CREAMS and CRAYONS this Spring/Summer 2013. With Clinique expanding their Chubby Stick range with Stick Eye Tints, Mac's Archie Girls Pearlglide Intense Eyeliner Pencils being launched with iconic packaging and Rimmel quickly getting involved with a range of Scandaleyes Shadow Sticks; there is definitely a variety of colours, finishes and prices for each of us to try. Bullet Lipsticks are becoming more vibrant and contemporary lip products like crayons, stains and glazes are matching up.

Its not a battle though I guess, its a progression - easy for travel with no more shattering powders and easy application with no risk of snapping your lipstick on a moving train just one small hassle -

make sure you buy a sharpener! 

Here's to summer guys!

Love G xx