REVIEW: Bésame Cake Mascara

I love experimenting with make-up but always seem to return to one look. The cat eye look. I've been wearing black eyeliner as everyday makeup for as long as I can remember and have experimented with different brands and products. I've gone from pencil to liquid to gel and have never been quite happy with the results. Now, I think I've discovered something better... it's called cake mascara!

Bésame Cosmetics have been making beautiful vintage inspired make-up in Southern California since 2004. They now have a new distributor in the UK, Vintage Hair Lounge, making it incredibly easy to get your mitts on their wonderful products and you don't have to pay the hefty shipping cost either!  

End of last year, Bésame, launched a new versatile product that was inspired by the solid cream form that was hugely popular in the 1930s and used by Hollywood actresses like Clara Bow. It has been recreated for the modern age, making it gentler on the eyes and much, much easier to remove! Available in either black or brown, you can use the cake mascara as an eyeliner, mascara or even as an eyebrow enhancer. It comes all packaged in a beautiful compact, with a handy dual sided applicator for mascara and eyeliner use. Making it very reasonable priced at £22.

Clara Bow

To use it as a mascara, dip the mascara-wand end of your applicator into some water and rub into the solid cream until you get the right consistency. Then, simply apply to eye lashes like a normal mascara. You can apply just one layer if all you want is a natural look or you can add layers for a more dramatic effect. To use as an eyeliner, simply do the same but use the brush end of your applicator, again, using layers to get the desired effect.

I quite simply adore this product! It's incredibly light on the eyes and doesn't irritate at all. The mascara doesn't clump together when applied, giving a very natural look. The applicator provided is easy to use and to clean, simply by rinsing in water after use. Making the product incredibly hygienic, as there is no risk of getting build up on your wand, which is common with normal mascaras. 

I was dubious about it being smudge proof as my skin can get quite oily, which usually results in me getting a smudge line in the crease of my eyelid. However, I was very pleasantly surprised and had none of this when I used the cake mascara. Even after a day of running around town picking up clothes for a shoot and collecting my daughter from school, everything was still where I left it! That is a clear winner for me!

Something else you can try, which is particularly effective for photo shoots, is to apply a small amount to your eyebrows. Bold eyebrows are quite on trend at the moment and have been wanting to give it a whirl for some time. You can see the before and after results above. It's going to take some getting used to but I think it's quite effective. Looking at these photos now, I think all I needed to complete this look is a small beauty spot!

Have you ever tried using a cake mascara before?

I WAS PICKED FROM A SELECTION OF BLOGGERS TO REVIEW THIS PRODUCT FOR VHL DISTRIBUTION

ALL WORDS AND IMAGES ARE MY OWN AND NO ONE ELSE'S

ALL IMAGES ARE SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT. 

PLEASE ASK FOR PERMISSION BEFORE USING

THANKS :)

Dressing Kill Moon

Photos above taken by Rosie Staff

I was honored when my friend, Izzy, asked me to make her a dress for her band's recent gig at The Haunt. She'd found a beautiful vintage bra and slip and wanted them tailored together. Having known Izzy for a while, her style, what she likes, I saw her vision straight away. I almost bit her hand off for the chance to make something that she would wear while performing!

I won't bore you too much with how I made the dress. I'm just so pleased with how it came out! Doesn't Izzy look gorgeous? The soft colours of the dress goes perfectly with her baby pink hair. Girly, but with a rock chick edge! It took me 3-4 hours to hand sew the sequins to the bra. But by gosh, it was worth it!

(C) NINI NOEL PHOTOGRAPHY http://nininoel.tumblr.com/

The photos above were taken by Nini Noel, a talented fashion photographer who is definitely one to watch! You can check out more of her work here. And if you haven't already, check out Kill Moon. They're a Brighton band on the up-and-up and most definitely one to keep an eye on. Izzy makes a great front lady and together as a band they're just AWESOME! You can catch them live at The Hope on the 28th Feb 2014.

See you in the mosh pit!

P.S  If you would like me to make you a dress, please email me at jennie@vintageowlboutique.com to arrange a consultation. I'm also available for styling work and you can view my portfolio here

Kill Moon

ALL IMAGES ARE SUBJECT TO COPYWRIGHT

PLEASE ASK FOR PERMISSION BEFORE USING

THANK YOU!

WHAT I WORE: Finding the perfect dress

I had a bit of a shopping haul at Beyond Retro last month. I bought a green maxi dress (which needed some work to it) and a 70s brown velvet jacket. As you can see from my pictures, the length of the dress was quite long and unflattering but there were little design features I just fell in love with when I saw it hanging on the rail.  Especially the über cute velvet peter pan collar! I just knew if it was shorter it would be perfect. So, with a little bit of DIY know how, I set about customising the dress.

It didn't take long to-do once I'd decided how long I wanted it. I carefully removed the excess and then re-hemmed the skirt using a sewing machine. It was done in under an hour and, voila, I had a dress I loved and adored. Don't you think it looks SUPER cute shorter? Plus it now goes perfectly with my new 70s jacket! LOVE IT! 

So, the moral of this post is; don't be too hasty if you find a garment that isn't perfect when your thrifting. With a little thought and skill you can make changes and customisations that will turn it into something you'll love forever. It's certainly a cheap and easy option to keep your wardrobe up to-date. If your not particularly brilliant with a sewing machine, getting alterations done for you are not too expensive these days. I highly recommend Alma's Alterations in Brighton. Only costs from £12-£20 (depends if there is a lining) to shorten a dress and she also offers a dressmaking service if you want something made from scratch.

Do you like to customise garments you've thrifted?

Big love,

P.S I got a curling wand for Christmas (thank you Mr D!) so I've been having fun making my hair curly. You can see the results in my 'after' photos. Best pressie ever! Tutorial coming soon :)

ALL IMAGES ARE SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT

PLEASE DO NOT USE WITHOUT ASKING  PERMISSION

THESE IMAGES WERE TAKEN BY PETE DAVIES