Beauty Pet Peeves- A Chance for a Rant

Given that I can’t get decent pictures at the moment, it’s a picture free posting today. So this is the perfect opportunity to rant about the stupid things that beauty companies do that make me want to come after them with sharp implements so they never do it again.

1) Conditioner sachets you can’t open without scissors.

This is one that seriously pisses me off. It particularly applies to the conditioners you get in hair dyes. See, when I’m in the shower and rinsing off my dye I don’t want to have to hunt out scissors. I’m wet, I‘m dripping red like Janet Leigh in Psycho, I’m already panicking because I’ve managed to turn my ear an unnatural colour and know my other half is going to shout at me because I’ve dripped dye onto the bathroom floor again… I DON’T WANT TO HAVE TO HUNT OUT SCISSORS! It’s not hard to put a tearable notch in the sachet. It’s not hard to put it in a nice little bottle. Putting my conditioner in a sachet that I can’t even open with my teeth is almost criminal.

WORST OFFENDERS- Nice and Easy and Boots.

2) Foundation colour ranges

I know this is a common peeve but I have to add my tuppence to it as well. I am in Britain. We have a great share of pasty pale people, made even more so because of our lack of sunshine. We are a multi-cultural nation, with a spectrum of gorgeous skin shades. So why, I ask myself, are most high street foundations designed to suit the oompa loompa skin of the perma-fake tanned? Darker skins are ignored, yellow toned skins are ignored, and your palest shades will make me look like a woman-gerine. Not all of us fall into the Katie Price school of beauty, ok?

WORST OFFENDERS- Rimmel, Boots brands, Collection 2000, Max Factor

3) High street pricing as High-end

I’ve noticed this particularly with mascaras and foundations. I am not going to pay nearly £20 for something that is regularly available in every single Boots and Superdrug and I’m sure isn’t worth the money. I can pay just over £20 and get something from a high-end brand that is more likely to be fabulous and gives me that added bit of warmth when I take it out of my makeup bag. You’re pricing yourself out of the market. So stop the silly prices. If brands like Maybelline can keep their fantastic mascaras below the £10 mark, I’m sure you can too.

WORST OFFENDERS- Max Factor, No7,

4) Relaunching an old colour in new packaging every few months

Just because you’ve put a flower on the tube and given it a lovely thematic name, don’t expect me to buy it. I didn’t like it the first time- you can tell because I didn’t buy it. I’m not going to buy the same lipstick twice just to make sure I have the full collection. I’m not going to like your glitter bomb eyeshadow, no matter how many palettes you put it in. I’m not going to believe your foundation works any better because you’ve changed the name to something more scientific- I read your ingredients and I’m not stupid.

WORST OFFENDERS- MAC, Urban Decay, Revlon

5) Palettes with cream and powder products in the same case

Who told you this was a good idea, beauty companies? You see, powder sheds and it goes into the gloss/cream shadow and that makes it unusable and messy. I know it seems like a good idea; you get an all-round product. Sadly, it’s not practical. Do what companies like NYX do and have a little pull out drawer so they are kept separate. Cos you are losing money from people like me who refuse to buy something they know will turn into an ugly waste of money.

WORST OFFENDERS- Too Faced, No7, The Balm, Stila, Dior

I’ve stuck with only five to rant about because they are the things that make me violent. However, dishonourable mentions must go to sunscreen sprays that you can’t push down when you have greasy hands, ‘styled with lash inserts and enhanced in post-production’ adverts, product displays without testers and celebrity endorsed products that cost more even though the formulation in the same as the regular range (Kate Moss for Rimmel being a prime example).

I’m sure there are more but I’m all ranted out now. Anything you hate? Do you agree with me or am I raving away like a lunatic for no reason?

Never Too Much Sparkle Challenge- using Sleek palettes

I’ve been in a neutral eyeshadow rut for months. Everything I’ve bought has been neutral, I’ve worn nothing but neutrals and my Project 10Pan is nearly all neutrals. Boring and lazy!

I recently joined the Never Too Much Sparkle Facebook group  and this week’s challenge is the Blix Remix- to recreate one of the amazing looks done on Glitter is My Crack. This was the perfect excuse to get my barely used Sleek Circus and Curacao palettes out so I chose one of Blix’s brightest looks. 

Excuse my fringe- no idea what to do with it in FOTD pics

No Blix look is complete with false lashes so I used the ELF dramatic lash kit. I’m so out of practise with lashes, not helped by the fact that these things are awful. Lashes splayed everywhere and so blunt. Won’t be buying those again! They were so uncomfortable that I removed them within minutes.

Products Used

Collection 2000 Perfecting Minerals in Ivory

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection concealer in Fair

W7 The Cheek of It Blush in Pink Champagne

Benefit Creaseless Cream in Sippin’ n Dippin’

Sleek Circus Palette (Orange and fuschia shades)

Sleek Curacao Palette (Tequila Sunrise, Martini, Singapore Sling, Blue Hawaiian, Purple Haze)

Collection 2000 Glam Crystals in Le Freak (5)

17 Liquid Liner

L’Oreal Lash Architect Mascara

MUA Eyeliner in Snow White

Barry M Eyeliner Pen in Aqua Green

MUA Eyeshadow in shade 19

Natural Collection Moisture Shine Lipstick in Raspberry

Ciate Lipgloss in Ibiza

I loved trying this look. I’m not convinced it suits me but it was fun seeing how I look with my most feared colours- orange and pink. The pictures were taken with flash so the colour has washed out a bit unfortunately- it was much brighter in person. I'd have to having a very brave day to go out with this on.

Hope you liked my recreation of this intense FOTD. Let me know in the comments if you’ve taken part as I’d love to see your looks.

Ruby Hammer Recommends- Not sure if I do.

I bought the Ruby Hammer Recommend Lip Gloss Collection in the Debenhams sale. It was reduced from £7 to £3.50, a good price for 5 lipglosses. I liked some of the Ruby and Millie range so I had high hopes for the lipglosses.

The outer packaging is fairly rubbish and disposable. I certainly wouldn’t put it on display. The writing states that you can be your own makeup artist with these products and that they represent Ruby’s own pro kit. Oooooooooooooh! Ruby Hammer- you big liar! Ok, you might carry a selection of glosses but I’m pretty damn sure you don’t use these on your clients. Tell the truth; you put your name to it for a big fat pay check (Allegedly).

The glosses also have fairly dismal packaging. The plastic tubes feel very cheap and flimsy- much more £1 MUA than £15 Lancôme. The only decoration is a simple ‘R’ and they haven’t even been given names. Annoyingly, the some of the applicators  have a small ridge of plastic just above the hole which feels rough on the lips on application. However, at least the hole is the right size so the product can be nicely distributed on the lips.

Each lipgloss varies in quality and consistency. I wouldn’t call them moisturising but at least they don’t dry my lips out. They are all fairly smooth without any stickiness. Some are too runny for my taste but YMMV. They last about 1-2 hours on my lips without having to be reapplied, so fairly average in terms of wear on me. There is a very mild fruity taste and scent but it’s hardly detectable and inoffensive to the senses.

Lto R- Pink, Coral, Fuchsia, Baby Pink, Berry