monthly makeup/beauty review - Haul and best products

Makeup is an art. The cosmetics are your mediums and your skin is the canvas. 

I know my blog is Art & Design based, however I have always considered makeup to be an art form. Creativity within makeup can range from theatrical makeup to daily makeup to makeup for a special event, such as a wedding. Today is the last day of May, so I decided to do a Monthly Makeup review - starting with May. Enjoy the alliteration. Firstly, I will begin by saying that these photographs are not my own and I apologise in advance if there is a product that I mention which you are interested in, but can not get a hold of. Most of my products are drugstore/online products which are not high end - so hopefully these products would be in your price range or even a bargain!

Haul/shopping spree! 

As summer is approaching and England just experienced an amazing heat wave (thank you very much for my tan, sun!) I decided that I need to invest in a primer to hold my makeup in place. I have combination to oily skin, which can get very oily in the t-zone. This often causes my face makeup to slip and slide, to feel all greasy and gross, and also to not last as long as it could.
The primer which I have been eyeing for a while is the Avon Magix Face Perfector with SPF 20. This primer can be worn alone, or under makeup and helps to create a smooth, matt canvas (there is an illuminating version for those who do not want a matt finish or have dryer skin).
When you first squeeze to product out of the packaging, the first thing that you notice is that you require quite a bit of pressure in order for the product to secrete. This is an advantage in my opinion as it ensures that the product will not leak out and you do not waste any. The consistency of the product is quite thick and creamy, with a satin feel. Once you rub the product into the skin, it absorbs/sets straight away - no greasy residue which is always a plus! My hand feels like there isn't any product on my skin what so ever, so this is great for those who want a little bit of perfecting or confidence on their skin, without feel like you're wearing any makeup. I'm not sure sure if this primer is considered makeup or skincare, however it is colourless and the product is white when it comes out of the tube and leaves no colour, shine, glitter or anything behind once you rub it in. There is a slight but pleasant smell to the product.

The second product that I bought is a re-purchase, so kind of a favourite and a haul product! This is the Clinique Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliator. It claims to be 100% fragrance free (meaning that it doesn't contain any perfume) however is does have a fresh, almost minty smell. As this is an exfoliator is 'Exhilarates. Retexturizes. Buffs skin to newfound smoothness." I definitely agree with this as my skin feels so smooth and clean after using this product and ensures that my face makeup applies smoothly. I know that this is a Body Exfoliator, however my facial skin responds well to this product as I feel that it isn't too harsh. However if you have more sensitive skin, this product may scrub at your face to much, and thus would only be suitable for use on your body. After cleansing my skin, I will rub a 10p coin size amount between the tops of my finger tips, and then begin to buff at a wet face using circular motions. I usually concentrate on the t-zone as this is where I have the most problems with my skin, and then work my way towards the outer part of my face. Afterwards, my skin feels much more smooth and polished; I've also noticed that it helps it to look clearer and works well after cleansing and before a face mask, as it removes all the dead skin (due to the microbeads) and so the face mask is able to really get into the pores.

Not too sure how I feel about this product. This is the Clean & Clear Exfoliating Daily Wash. I usually use my Neutrogena face washes (I often change my washes as my skin gets used to them far too quickly, ranging from Garnier to clearasil). I ran out of my
Neutrogena Visibly Clear 2 in 1 Wash and Mask so I had to purchase another. The only problem with this wash is that I prefer a wash which contains microbeads as I feel they work well with my skin (as I get weird bumps on my skin which can easily be picked of as though it's just a build up of dead skin... no idea?!). As I was only in a small local Tesco, this product was all that was available. Personally, the smell is too masculine and 'soapy' for me. I also prefer the wash to have a creamy texture with beads, whereas this is more of a liquid gel formula. I will admit, after using this product, my skin does feel smooth, but so far my acne hasn't responded to the product, and so my skin isn't any clearer. Doubt I will be re-purchasing. 

I always have a problem with lip balms, as often my lipstick (as it's cheap, drugstore shiz) will get into all the flakes on my lips and just look like a great big mess. I don't have dry, cracked lips. If anything they're too soft and so the skin on my lips just peel away. This really irritates me, as my lipstick just looks awful and I'm always biting my lips, peeling the skin off with my teeth. Previously I used the Nivea Pearly Shine lip balm, however I like a pale lips, so I felt that the tint of the balm was too much like my natural lip colour and not pale enough. It also used to get underneath the flakes of my lips. I recently purchased the Nivea Hydro Care which is colour less and has SPF 15. It honestly feels like there is nothing on your lips! It's perfect! It doesn't have an annoying greasy texture or a heavy application which feels like your lips are smothered with crap. It feels lightweight and perfect and my lips definitely feel and look smoother and healthier. As the product is colourless, it is also suitable to be worn under lipstick, so it fixes my lipstick problem. There's a slight odour which smells sweet and it is tasteless.



Favourites/best products!

Like I said, as summer is approaching, I am really hot on SPF, long-lasting, natural feeling makeup and bronzing right now. My favourite skin coverage combination right now is the Garnier Miricale Skin Perfector BB cream range, the Maybelline fit me concealer and a bit of Bronzer on the cheek bones.

I love the BB creame Eye Roll on as it feels like air and it so soothing when you massage it onto the under eye area. I will apply it by rolling the ball over the area and then blending the product in my my finger. Afterwards, my under eyes look brighter and are much more smooth and silky. 

"- Reduces under-eye bags and dark circles- Erases signs of fatigue - Smoothes fine lines- Brightens the eye contour- 24H moistureIt combines the power of Haloxyl with mineral pigments and an ultra-fresh massaging roll-on, for a perfect look immediately."




The BB Cream Combination to Oily Skin is an all over face BB cream. I usually concentrate this on
the centre of my face and then work my way outwards, as the centre is where I want the most coverage. This product has SPF 20 and gives my skin a natural look, while still providing build able coverage.
"- Anti shine
- Blurs pores and imperfections 
- Evens tone and boosts glow
- Moisturises
- SPF 20 UV protection"

The Maybelline Fit Me concealer is definitely a favourite. I always have trouble finding a concealer which can combat my redness, acne, under eye circles and scars, without looking cakey or unnatural. This liquid concealer is perfect for my combination to oily skin (the foundation is a bit too greasy for me) and really does provide decent coverage. I do feel that I need to top up the concealer, however this is without the use of a primer and only being lightly powdered with the Maybelline Fit Me powder. The colour 20 is perfect to use as a highlighter when contouring or to cover dark spots/undereye circles, while 25 is a perfect skin match for me.

A beautiful bronzing set which I have discovered online is by sunkissedbronzing.co.uk. The bronzer and blush is perfect for my olive skin tone and adds a gorgeous sun kissed effect. The bronzer also makes my cheeks look smooth and flawless (even though they are not) and the golden shimmer looks amazing. Not too sure how this would look on lighter skin shades, however it's worth a try and these products are gorgeous! The lip gloss also looks perfect over a baby pink lipstick (I use Miss Sporty 037) and makes you look tanned and glow-y.
Link to buy: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sunkissed-20374-Sunlight-Bronze/dp/B005552Z2G/ref=pd_bxgy_beauty_img_z

Wear Plants, Not Blood. Graphic Design Communication Final A2 Advertising Campaign Exam

This years theme for A2 Graphic Communication was 'Growth and Evolution'. 

I decided to respond to this theme by communicating the idea that as we have evolved from animals, we should respect them and not use them as ingredients within our cosmetics (e.g Keratin is the protein obtained from ground up horns, hooves etc. and is used for strengthening human hair and nails). Instead of using these 'animal source' ingredients, I was promoting the use of natural plant source ingredients which have naturally grown from the earth through an advertising campaign. This required me to create the product (the packaging and the label; front and back), a billboard, poster and the double page magazine spreads.

I decided to go for a clean and simple layout and colour scheme as I wanted my design to reflect the product - clean and simple. This was inspired by some designer brands such as Chanel as I like how professional and sophisticated the designs look; I was also inspired by some drugstore cosmetic brands which also promote natural ingredients such as, Simple, Garnier etc.

I wanted to use a black and white colour scheme for some of my pieces as I wanted a sense of juxtaposition - the good, fresh side of cosmetics (which I am promoting) and the dark, chemical side (animals source ingredients and chemicals). To encourage the idea of contrasting the two sides, my watercoloured  illustration of the female face, had unearthly and more saturated colours (influenced by the colour palettes of Jenny Saville and Agnes Cecil's works) to oppose the neutral, earthly colours of the overall advertising campaign.

'dark side'

'clean and fresh'

I used slogans and taglines to help to voice my ideas behind this campaign as I wanted my thoughts to be easier to understand as I didn't want the ideas to be concealed otherwise I wouldn't have achieved my aim. On one of my double page magazine spreads, I added facts as I wanted to educate the viewer; I wanted to do this as I  was shocked when researching all of the animal source ingredients, and further disgusted to find that they have a natural, plant source alternative - I want my viewers to feel the same way. I chose to use animal source ingredients which have currently had a rise in popularity within the world of beauty today (such as Keratin, which popular brands such as Treseme use as an 'appealing; ingredient due to the positive reviews about the keratin hair treatments) - this makes my advertising campaign relevant to today, as well as highlighting a major flaw in a product which is so popular - a flaw which people are unaware of. 

Some problems which I encountered: trying to select the appropriate font which can be clear to read at a small scale (for the packaging and labelling) and also keeping the overall appearance of the advertising campaign consistent over all 7 outcomes.

Generally I am happy with how my outcomes resulted. I feel that they achieve what I set out to communicate, they fit in well with the current advertisements of today, are appealing to look at (not cluttered or too confusing) and showcase my strength - my illustrations. The watercolour splats also helped to bring in colour and an interesting, abstract texture. I particularly like the front of my packaging as the leaf cutout is unique and creates dimension as it reveals the product/label inside of the secondary packaging. 

Have We Evolved? Fine Art Final A2 Exam Installation Piece.

For my final piece in regards to this years theme, Growth and Evolution, I decided to create an installation piece inspired by the raw elements of Phyllida Barlow's piece 'Dock' and Dan Perjovschi's installation style.  

Left - Phyllida Barlow - Dock (Tate Britain) Above - Dan Perjovschi's work.

The idea of my piece is to question the spectator of our own existence and evolution. I wanted to question whether humans have really evolved as far from our primitive beings as we believe that we have - I noted our natural primitive instincts which occur in everyday life (such as the need for survival, protection etc.) and I also looked into the Freudian Theory - our Life Instinct (sex) and our Death Instinct (suppressed desire for self destruction); thus, Sex and Death. 

I painted the base of my boards/walls matt black so that I could create a 'chalkboard' effect for my chalk line drawings and text. I chose the colour scheme of black and white as I wanted them to completely contrast, just like Sex (life) and Death and it was my preferred appearance of Dan Perjovschi's installations (who also used black walls with white line drawings - or sometimes black on white). I think these colours worked well as they definitely contrasted well which made the white advance from the background and the chalk drawings portrayed rawness which depicts our raw, primitive species as line drawings on walls have been created by humans throughout years of our existence - even in our more primitive state.  

I used extracts from recent newspapers, as by extracting articles regarding modern day events to support my idea (headings such as 'HUNT', 'FIGHT', 'BEAST' and 'Simply to reach survival'), it made my installation piece relevant to today, to support the idea that we have not really 'evolved' far from our primitive state as we 'FIGHT' 'Simply to reach survival'. I also liked the variation of typefaces used for the headings as it added interest and inconsistency to my piece and I ripped some of the edges and 'carelessly' glued the pieces onto the wall as I wanted these to also appear raw and untamed. 

My line drawings in chalk each depict a natural human instinct linked to Sex and Death and the style was inspired by Perjovschi, as I used 'simplistic' stick drawings as they are easy to understand and will relate to all audiences. Once again, the also reflect how 'undeveloped' humans are in comparison to a detailed, practiced and perfected painted.  

My Installation also had a sense of spontaneity about it - just like 'Dock' by Phyllida Barlow. I didn't plan my drawings until I was in the room and ready to begin. This allowed my drawings to be exposed as I didn't think about them too much as I just drew what came to mind. The layout was also fairly spontaneous as I was ripping up different unplanned words from the newspaper during the exam and working with what I had and visually worked well. I did however use blue-tac to temporarily place my separate elements (such as articles) so that the composition could be adjusted as I progressed. 

By adding 3D objects like the candles and the flowers, this added an interesting texture and made the walls multidimensional. By adding different surfaces of everyday objects, it makes us think twice about what they could symbolise. Such as in this sense, the candles were used to depict death in the sense of burnt out flames, sex/life through romance and also a phallic object. 

I decided for the text 'HAVE WE EVOLVED?' to be the primary focus point as it's at the centre-top of the middle wall and also the largest of all components. I did his as I wanted the viewers to look at the question so that they can bear it in mind while observing the rest of the installation as I didn't want the idea to be too obscured. I also want my audience to be still be questioning this when they leave the installation. Another focal point within my piece are the two more detailed drawings which each symbolise a phallic object (sex/life) and a sharp deadly object (death) which is used for securing coffins.  

Overall I am happy with how my final piece came out; I think it's interesting and effective at questioning the viewer. I'm particularly pleased with the combination of 2D and 3D surfaces as it's interesting and a bit more unique, while I also like how simplistic yet effective the chalk drawings are on the black background. It was difficult not to smudge the chalk and to reduce chalk fallouts when drawing near the top of the boards, as I wanted to keep the black as dark as possible as the rubber sometimes removed the black paint or left a visible mark which needed to be painted over. Also for a spontaneous layout, I think that it worked well as I was able to move things around and see how the different scales worked - despite the layout being unplanned, I still mentally made margins and rulers on the walls so all of the components were in columns, rows or other shapes, so that it's easy to follow and not a clutter.  

Billboards

I was told on Friday by my tutor that my billboard designs 'didn't work'.
I created about 20 different designs and these were the two I chose -  what do you think?
He didn't really explain why they 'didn't work'...

Don't give up!

Quick update: I GOT IN GUYS!!!!!!!

Hello. On the 8th May I had an interview at one of the University of The Arts (UAL) colleges, London College of Communication (LCC). It was an interview for the Foundation Diploma in Art & Design (I have previously written a blog about the foundation course) and I really hope that I get accepted!

Unfortunately, I originally applied for the UAL college, Central Saint Martins (CSM) but I didn't get accepted as they marked my portfolio and you need 18 points out of the 5 categories to be accepted - I got 17. I missed getting into one of the TOP art schools in the world but 1 POINT! You can imagine my disappointment - oh yeah, they didn't meet me either; I literally just dropped off my portfolio so that they can look through it while I was hanging around in London, and then go back and pick it up. I really wish they had met me, as then I could have possibly made up that 1 point as I got 3/5 in the category 'Evidence of interest in Art & Design'. By meeting me in person I'm sure that category would have got more points and I would have got in!

Anyway, so I wasn't accepted to UAL - CSM. I didn't give up. I think that's key within ANY competitive field. You can not give up, you need to have bags of ambition, passion, confidence, persistence, knowledge and talent to succeed; well that's what I believe anyway.

So I didn't give up. I carried on emailing CSM incase there were any spaces available after students had either accepted or declined their offer from CSM, once again unfortunately there were zero spaces. As UAL has 6 different colleges I decided to look at them all, just so that I could make a choice for when I apply next year. However, thank the lord of Art & Design, UAL - LCC were still interviewing and accepting students! As you can imaging I immediately filled out the application and applied. Within a few days they responded and I had an interview/portfolio review on 8th May.

I'm so glad that I didn't give up. I don't yet know my outcome for applying to LCC but regardless, I'm proud of myself for trying again. If I don't get in this year, I will be sure to apply again next year. I will not give up. I've always wanted to be a student at UAL since I was 13 and I'm not going to give up that dream. It may take longer than some other Art & Design students, but regardless, I'm sure that I will keep pursuing my dreams and I will be accepted.
I receive my outcome on Wednesday/Thursday 14th/15th May. I just hope they can see that even though CSM knocked me back, I kept pushing through and found an alternative route to make it to my destination.
As long as I keep working hard and do not give up I know that I will get there - even if it is in 4-5years time for my MA degree!

Keep fighting for the things you want in life, and even if you don't make it, you'll have still made it one step closer. 

"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars"