Nude Stix ... first thoughts

I was lucky enough to win a competition on Instagram with Space NK and was sent some Nude Stix, a new range of fuss-free natural makeup in stick form which they are launching this month. I was excited. Damn excited. You all know of my love for anything in crayon form, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on these and to start drawing on my face.

I was a teeny bit disappointed when I opened the package. I don't want to sound ungrateful as i'm lucky to get sent anything, but I had really hoped my booty would include one of the lip crayons and one of the concealer crayons. Sadly this was not the case. Enclosed in a very lovely matte black tin was a golden eye crayon (yay), a pretty average looking black mascara (yawn) and one of their special crayon sharpeners (yay - I think). I'm just wondering why they would choose to send out mascara's to all the prize winners when it's not one of their clever, inventive products?

Anywhoo, disappointment aside it was nice to see some tips and suggestions inside the box. The eye crayon is a beautiful gold shade and lovely and creamy in consistency. It probably is not the correct shade for me to wear as an eye-shadow alone but it would work nicely as a highlight in the inner corner of my eye. The mascara seems fine but nothing amazing and definitely a disappointing inclusion in the prize selection.

The eye pencil in Golden which is £24.00 

Is it enough to entice me to go out and spend money on other products in the range? I am not sure.  They have some fierce competition in the eye crayon stakes with the likes of the Charlotte Tilbury range who's shadow sticks I lovingly caressed last Friday in Selfridges. And let's not forget about Wild About Beauty who have one of the loveliest colour palettes I have seen in a while.

The full range ca be viewed here and is available for pre-order now with dispatch to take place later in the month.

Pencil + Crayon love

Oh how I love a chubby pencil or crayon when it comes to makeup. There is something so effortless in the application! I was so excited a couple of years ago when Clinique re-released their Chubby Sticks, and in my eyes they remain my pick of the crayon lipsticks out there.

As I mentioned earlier this week, I am now working with My Showcase and one of the brands I have been introduced to through them is Wild About Beauty. Everything about this range appeals to me - the colours are so wearable and there really isn't one product they make that i'm not coveting. Two stand-out items for me are the double ended Lip Pencil Duo £14.50, and Eyeshadow Pencil Duo £14.50. I have been 'testing' my testers of these two so much that i'm going to have to invest in another set for personal use!

Wild About Beauty Lip Pencil Duo in Mia and Eyeshadow Pencil Duo in Charlie

If you love a product that you can throw in your handbag with absolutely no mess and fuss, then you should check these out. If you suffer from oily eyelids then I would suggest using an eye-primer underneath the eyeshadow pencil to avoid creasing.

There are more of these products coming with the launch of Nude Stix through Space NK happening later this month. These also look ridiculously wearable and i'm lucky enough to have won a sample through a competition that Space NK were running on Instagram so watch this space for a review to come soon.

Pascale x My Showcase

I have some rather exciting news. I am now working as a Stylist with My Showcase which is a new beauty business that aims to bring the best independent beauty brands to the comfort of your living room, for you to try with your friends while enjoying a glass of wine. The brands are divine and have been curated by Kate Shapland, beauty editor of The Telegraph. On the makeup front there is Wild About Beauty, T. Leclerc, Face Stockholm and New CID. The selection of gorgeous skincare is vast but a few of my favourites include Aurelia Probiotics, S5 Skincare, Antonia Burrell and Mio. There are also some beautiful fragrances and candles which i'm looking forward to discovering along my journey.

I'm really excited about holding my first Showcases. I get such a buzz from talking about makeup and skincare, and if I can do that with a group of friends with a glass of wine or a cup of tea in my hand, then it makes it all the more enjoyable! It will also be really nice to be able to offer my private makeup clients the opportunity to purchase the products that I use on them so they can recreate makeup looks on themselves. Everything can be ordered online and will arrive to your door in a couple of days all nicely packaged and tied in a bow. Perfect.

So how will this affect my blog? Things will remain pretty much the same except that if I write about a product I have discovered that is sold by My Showcase I will let you know. I still pay for products that I obtain through My Showcase however I do receive a discount.

If you live in central London and would love to host an event in your home, please get in touch. Alternatively if you would like a private makeup lesson or makeup and hair done for a special event, you can email me at pascalemaestri@gmail.com xx