Smashbox Hot Picks!

I'm a big fan of Smashbox products, they're cutting edge, stylish and look amazing. Here are some of my favourites...

Smashbox Brow Tech To Go in Taupe, £19

This clever retractable brow pen is really precise due to the angled tip. The formula lasts all day long and the colour can be intensified to your desired brow shade. It's great to pop in your handbag too.

Brow Tech To Go in Taupe swatch

Smashbox Photo Op Eye Brightening Mascara, £18

A great mascara for lush, full lashes. It really opens up smaller eyes (like mine!) I love it.

Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Oil-Free Primer, £28

A good, oil-free primer that provides the perfect base for foundation. Leaves skin feeling great!

Smashbox Halo Long Wear Blush in Bloom, £23  (swatch below)

This mineral blush is gorgeous. You only need the tiniest of dustings on the blush brush to add a beautiful, illuminating warmth. Sweep over the apples of the cheeks for a dewy, rosy glow. 

Smashbox Waterproof Shadow Liner, £17

This waterproof liner is amazing for creating beautiful smouldering eyes. One of my favourite liners EVER, as you can create dramatic eyes in an instant. Simply line the eyes and smudge outwards, using the opposite end of the pen to help you along your way. Seductive come-to-bed eyes in approx. two minutes!

What are your favourite Smashbox products? Let me know by tweeting @PoutOutProud xxx

Glam Glow Super Mud Clearing Treatment: Review

The ultimate swoony-crooner, Mr Bublé, shared his metrosexual side with the world earlier this month (via twitter, naturally) as he donned a face full of mud. Show me a guy who doesn't love a face mask, and I'll show you a fibber.

The legendary Bublé was in fact lathered in GlamGlow Super Mud Clearing Treatment, £44.99 for 30ml, which claims to detoxify, de-clog, smooth, plump and fight breakouts, discolouration, black and white heads, razor bumps and in-grown hairs... A miracle worker, no less? So I ordered a few samples - try before you buy is quite handy when you're shelling out to the tune of 45 pounds - to see if the product matched the hype. 

The mask is really runny in consistency, more of a watery than a traditional clay mask. and contains the odd little bit of sediment. It dries really fast on the skin, approx 5 mins, and as it dries it pulls out 'congestion' (read: hideous blackheads) from pores. As you can see in the below image, the dark little circles which are populated across the bridge of my nose are where the mask worked its magic on my problem zone. 

After removing the mask, my skin did feel amazing and the dreaded blackheads looked less noticeable than before. Overall my skin felt nourished and soft, with a glowing finish as claimed. I've only used two samples, so I can't say how this product works over long term, but the instant results were really good. A hefty price tag, but a great treatment for troubled skin. 

What's your favourite skin care treatment? Let me know by commenting below, tweeting @PoutOutProud or commenting on the Pout Out Proud Facebook page. xx

Like this? Read this:

• Clarins Complete Age Control Double Serum: Review
• Skin Saviours: Australian Bodycare Face Cream and Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips

ArtDeco High Precision Liquid Liner: The Best for Super Defined Eyes

ArtDeco High Precision Liquid Liner, £21.00

When all you're friends follow suit and purchase a product after sampling, you know it's cutting the proverbial mustard. This eyeliner by ArtDeco has taken my social circle by storm - getting a perfectly framed wink by all. Here's why:

The fine tip of the application pen is brilliant for creating a super precise line, great for sensual feline eyes.  It passes the party-hard test too (5am and still smudge proof), and is gloriously rapid to apply. Whip off the pen lid, frame those peepers and you're ready to go.    

I love the soft finish of creamy gel-based liners, but this pen is a must-have for all make-up bags because it is so easy and compact. There's no need for extra make-up brushes, so I pop this little number in my clutch in case of the dreaded make-up emergency. If tequila is involved, these precautions are nearly always necessary. 

Before and after:

Left: ArtDeco High Precision Liquid Liner on eyes, HD Brows Palette in Bombshell on brows.

Related Posts

• Gorgeous False Lashes
• Get Perfect Brows with HD Brows Palette in Bombshell
• Creme Eye Liners - Get Creative and Beautiful

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Cheeky Preview: Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless, coming soon!

Hot new product! Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless, £7.99, will be available in stores nationwide at the end of February

Here's a sneak peek at what to expect from Rimmel's next mascara to hit the shelves... I do love a new product release! As I've mentioned before, my natural lashes are a frankly pitiful offering (see below 'before' pic) so I'm always on the lookout for a product to make them more sensational.

First impressions count. And, to be honest, I'm not a huge fan of the yellow/black packaging. It's all a bit sci-fi for me, like a wasp dipped in uranium. However, the packaging isn't the bit that really counts. Let's get down to the lashes... 

The brush is really good, firm rubber spikes which do a great job of coating each lash, even the pesky ones in the corners. There is minor clumping on application, but for £7.99 I think the overall result is really good. My lashes looked a lot longer and thicker after a few swipes.

The mascara lasted all day without annoying smudges or flakes, and didn't result in hideous panda eyes when I took my make-up off. Here are some pictures from before and after application:

Before: Model wears no make-up

After: Model wears Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara, Barry M Precision Blink Eyeliner, HD Brows Palette in Bombshell, Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow in Champagne

Related Posts: 

• REVIEW - Barry M Lash Modelling Mascara
• REVIEW - Benefit They're Real Mascara

Get Flawless: MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation SPF15

I've made that ever-so dangerous move. I visited the MAC counter in Selfridges and asked for their recommendations. And now I want EVERYTHING. I'm not entirely sure just how this happens, but when you sit in that mildly uncomfortable chair, close your eyes and allow the MAC make-up artist work their wonderful magic, you may as well give them all of your savings, right there and then. 

'But it really is worth it', you will utter as you hand over your weekly food allowance in lieu of some Mineralize Skinfinish Natural (which is, coincidentally, one of the best products for enhancing facial contours whilst still looking natural)

So yes, I made the leap. And yes, I am now a MAC foundation convert. I purchased the Studio Sculpt SPF 15, £24, available from MAC cosmetics, as I wanted a medium coverage which still has a luminous, glowy appearance as opposed to matte.

Studio Sculpt has a really thick liquid consistency, it's a gel based foundation which is fantastic for dry skin, which is best applied with a foundation brush. It's also buildable, so you can layer the application to create a high coverage. Here's a before and after picture, featuring my dear friend Anna...

I would recommend leaving the foundation for a couple of minutes before applying any powder to the skin surface, as it does set after you apply it. I'd recommend buying the complimenting Mineralise Skinfinish Natural powder, £21, to apply over the Studio Sculpt for an utterly flawless finish.

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Product Pick: Benefit 'They're Real' Mascara

Benefit's 'They're Real' mascara, £18.50, available from FeelUnique.com (delivery included!)

If you're looking for a new mascara, I would definitely recommend the latest offering by Benefit... Just a few strokes creates instant lash wonderment. Thicker, fuller and longer lashes, hooray! 

The best thing about this lash wear, in my opinion, is how it stays put all through the day. No smudges and no flakes. I just HATE it when you go for an afternoon mirror-check to see a smattering of black specks have set up shop across your cheeks! 

Benefit's They're Real, before and after:

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