Category Archives: product reviews

My favourite kind of packaging for any makeup product is a pencil. Whether it looks like your standard lead pencil, thick like a chunky pencil crayon, or feels more like a Sharpie in your hand, I find stick makeup portable, user friendly, and the ultimate choice for easy touch-ups. And with all this hype about Adult Colouring books and colouring for relaxation … what better canvas to colour with than your beautiful face??

Here’s a list of my current obsessions …

Bobbi Brown Retouching Face Pencil in Illuminate : Bobbi Brown is all about easy, natural makeup, so it’s no real surprise that she has introduced a great pencil foundation/concealer for on-the-go touch-ups.  In addition to a variety of shades, she also has one for illuminating the skin … I think this is a great choice for those who want to jump on the strobing trend but require the most fool-proof way to do it. The Illuminate colour isn’t your typical pearly, super shimmery white hue, but rather has a slight soft golden tone to it, which I find the most flattering for a spectrum of skintones. The product is creamy enough to blend but still firm enough to lay down a nice layer of coverage. They also come with a sharpener making your life that.much.easier.

Clinique Chubby In the Nude Foundation Stick : Again, I’m not very secretive about how much I love Clinique’s Chubby Stick Highlight and Contour products; so when they introduced the new Chubby Stick foundations, I was in line already to be on board that train. With 8 shades, the formulation is sheer to moderate coverage, so you can layer it on when you need a little more help in the “looking well-rested and healthy” department or spot treat on the days you’re near flawless! I find the creamiest of most pencil or stick foundations. It’s also a twist up which means you never have to sharpen!

Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon in Amber Haze : Even your smokey eyeshadows can be applied in pencils. Charlotte Tilbury’s pencils are rich in colour with just the right amount of shimmer. Plus, she has done all the guess work for you, offering colours based on your eye colour AND providing a shade made for day and another for night.  It’s enough to wear each colour on their own thanks to the quality of pigment, but don’t be afraid to mix and match either. I adore Amber Haze, but I also have Golden Quartz and Dark Pearl!

NudeStix Cheek/Lip Pencil Duals : The reason these are a no brainer is the fact that you can cover both lips and cheeks, but also, you can get two colours in one pencil. This is the perfect example of staying on top of touch-ups without the fuss. Nudestix also come in a handy tin with a mirrored lid and a sharpener made for the size of their pencils. The colours layer on sheer, so you can build to your desired intensity – going light during the day and then adding more colour and layers when the clock hits 5.

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils : This is a love affair that has gone on and on for years. When any client asks me for a statement red or bold lip I choose from three of NARS finest Velvet Matte Lip Pencils : Cruella, Red Square, or Pop Life. And then there is Damned … Never Say Never … and Sex Machine … I find these give the right amount of slip over the lips but no budge. A staple in my bridal makeup kit … but also my personal one too!

Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil : Lately I’ve been Instagramming their Amuse Bouche line because it just came out, but I became a fan of Bite when I started dating their High Pigment Lip Pencil line. I love this brand when I wear brighter or softer shades. It’s creamy colour that isn’t matte, but isn’t super glossy either – just a layer of spot on lush lip colour. Madeira, Violet, Velvet and Tulip are my favourites. This pencils are also twist-up which for me means less mess, more product!

There are several other pencil products I enjoy using however the above products are currently in rotation and heavy play!

I hope you get a chance to check them out.

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