Beauty Catch-Up

 And Wow on Wednesday

Dear friends.  It's time for a beauty update, where I share products I've both bought and been gifted, and give my honest reviews. 

First up, new creamy eyeshadow sticks (gifted) from Look Fabulous Forever. Many of you are fans of this brand, created for the specific needs of older women.  

I prefer cream formulations for eyeshadows and blushers because they're less likely to gather in lines than powders. 

Cream eyeshadow gives a subtle wash of colour which is buildable.  Here I've used the shade Champagne along with LFF's Soft Eyeliner in Soft Grey. My eyes are emphasized but not in a showy way. The cream eyeshadow sticks last well too, all day.

The other shades are Smoke, Pearl - a pretty pink - and Copper.  The sticks are £19 each. 

Let's Talk Necks! 

Another new product from LFF is Nourishing Neck Cream (gifted) in a 50ml pump action tube.  I stopped using specific eye and neck creams a few months ago, determined just to use a normal moisturiser. 

However, like Nora Ephron, I wish I'd taken more care of my neck. I have come to realise that I have a somewhat over developed masseter muscle in the jaw, thanks to grinding my teeth. This gives a rather square shaped face as well as a dimpled cushion on the chin. 

I'd be expecting too much for the Look Fabulous Forever cream to reverse this, but I like the light scent and it certainly makes the neck skin look more smooth. If I did want to get a more obvious improvement, I'd need Botox which can help with masseter muscle problems. I won't be going down that road.  

Another solution might be polo or roll neck tops but reader, they don't do me any favours: I think my neck is too short. 

Iconic Blusher

On the subject of cream blushers, after a lean spell when it was difficult to find them, there are now several on the market. I bought Iconic's Blurring Blush Stick in Mimosa from Cult Beauty. I find blusher is difficult now because I have to avoid putting it on top of a large patch of pigmentation below my eye.  These patches seem to have a different texture and grab makeup and makes it more obvious.

But I love blusher for how it lights up the face, so what I do now is apply a little on the apples of the cheeks, avoiding the pigmentation, and on the temples. 

More Indignities 

The other age related issue I have is pigmentation around the top lip, which can look like a moustache in certain light.  Ladies, is there no end to the indignities!  I am forever whisking away any peach fuzz with my Hollywood Browzer, and couldn't understand why the moustache was still there.  Then a friend told me it was pigmentation.

I've tried every product known to man to tackle pigmentation and brown spots and frankly none of them work. I'm currently diligently using Dr Sister's Dark Spot Vanish, (not gifted), and will carry on doing so until it runs out. I rate Dr Sister's products quite highly, even though they are sometimes hard to get hold of. The best ones are often out of stock.

Mr Mutton's Seal of Approval for this SPF

I took Dr Sister's new Solar Shield SPF50 to Greece (not gifted) and both the hubster and I used it every day.  Now Mr M is a hard man to please, but he said it was very good.  The great thing is that unlike most SPFs, it seems to care for our skin.  He noticed that he didn't have any flaking or peeling. (He never wears a moisturiser, he is not a metrosexual man).

I applied it the other day and forgot to put more on.  I was out in the sun all day, but didn't have any redness.  I'm not advocating you do the same, but it goes to show this SPF is effective. I didn't think anything would better La Roche Posay's Anthelios SPF50, but this does. It doesn't pill either if you put  make-up on top. 

 I've just bought three more tubes. 

Not the Holy Grail of Concealers

When India Knight in the Sunday Times recommends a beauty product, they usually sell out right away. I made a note when she rated Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer. She has her own test where she applies a smudge of dark eyeshadow to the back of her hand and then sees if a concealer will hide it.

I bought one when I was passing a John Lewis in shade Madeleine, Light 2.3 (light with neutral undertones).  It is apparently Britain's best selling concealer. 

I've tried applying it the Lisa Eldridge way, which is with a tiny brush and patiently blending and perfecting (see her tutorial). I've also tried using the doe foot applicator supplied.  I don't find it a particularly effective concealer - dark circles seem unchanged.  Also, it crumbles away by the end of the day.   I'm probably asking too much from it as I want a concealer that hides dark circles and pigmentation, and I probably need two different ones.

Anyway, it's a No from me. 

Give Your Skin a Luxurious Sheen

I wouldn't be without body lotions because my skin is prone to dryness.  I'd never come across a formulation like Ark's Body Beautiful Conditioning Body Serum, £35, (gifted), but I really like it.  It's a light oil that's quickly absorbed.  It gives my legs and arms a lovely sheen. The delicate fragrance is also aimed at de-stressing the mind, so it's perfect to apply before sleep. 

Avon Calling - Online! 

My last beauty buy to share with you is three lipsticks from Avon.  Did you know you can now buy their products online, if you don't have a representative?

I'd never thought about buying Avon products until I saw colour consultant Amanda Richardson recently. She has painstakingly matched Avon's various shades to the four seasons, for those who've been analysed.  I now have Hibiscus, Spring Bling and Lava Love, and they're all brilliant shades.  They won't break the bank either. In the top pic I'm wearing Lava Love. It's an easy to wear orangey-red.

I hope you found something of interest in my round-up.  Let us know if you have any concealer recommendations in the comments. Scroll down below the link-up to find the comments box.

Disclosure:  products were bought by me unless indicated. Is This Mutton doesn't use affiliate links. 

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TIME FOR A BIT OF WEDNESDAY WOW

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Other topics relevant to women - motivation, fitness, books, gardening, travel and recipes - are welcome.  

LAST WEEK'S FAVOURITES

A Fashion Exhibition by Jill of Grownup Glamour. Australian Jill shares pictures from an exhibition she saw in Paris. Below:  a suggested cycling outfit, which Jill would wear in an instant. 

Summer Sun! Six Flowers from my Front Garden by Rosie Amber. Here are three.....visit her link to see more. 

Is This Mutton Choice: Alameda Rock n Roll Flea Market by Pat of Adventures in Weseland. Pat shows us the most interesting places and scenery with his photos.  This is an original ticket for Woodstock. 

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