REVIEW: Champagne Pop BECCA X Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector.

Light Up Your Life with Becca Cosmetics X Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pop Highlight!

The power house of highlight, Australian cosmetics giant BECCA Cosmetics and the Queen of Highlight Jaclyn Hill, have joined forces and produced a stellar, must have product for any self respecting highlight lover!

The Introductions:

Becca Cosmetics are renowned for their highlighters in particular, in the make-up realm – Opal and Moonstone Shimmering Skin Perfectors and the much hyped Backlight Priming Filter. Their eye-shadow palettes are also exquisite…the list of must-haves/lust haves goes on and on.

If you don’t know who Jaclyn Hill is (have you been living under a rock?) allow me to introduce you! Jaclyn Hill is one of the biggest make-up artists and personalities in the beauty game on YouTube. Uber talented, funny, articulate, pretty and not afraid to take the mick out of herself, she has certainly earned her place at the top of her game. In fact, having watched Jaclyn the last two years, I think if we ever met, we’d be instant friends – we could bond over our love of highlighters and dance parties for starters!

The Packaging:

Champagne Pop comes in an eye-catching rose gold, box complete with plastic protective strip across the product sporting the Jaclyn Hill name – the original Becca packaging encases the actual product.

Tried and Tested: The Results.

With the Queen of Contour Kim Kardashian having declared contouring as dead (well at least heavy contouring) strobing is fast becoming the “illuminating contour” method of choice for the masses and this new highlight from Becca and Jaclyn Hill collab is perfect for strobing or adding just a touch of highlight on the daily. Originally brought out as a limited edition powder highlight, Champagne Pop is now thankfully a permanent fixture and should win awards! I bought into the hype surrounding this highlight collab when it was a Limited Edition and it’s safe to say, it’s everything I expected and bought into as a consumer and more. In fact, for me it’s a dual usage product and well worth the investment –  as detailed below.

The Highlights: (pun totally intended.)

From texture, longevity to overall performance.

● Finely milled, buttery formula that is long-lasting on wearing and in sheer volume of product within the compact.
●Sheer, yet highly build-able highlight. A little goes a long way!
●Skin glows and glistens – no chunky glitter particles.
●Natural champagne shade to suit most skin tones.
● Ideal for minimal daily use on cheekbones, for strobing, dusting all over face and décolleté and inner corner highlight of the eye…
● I even like it as an eye shadow or dusted on my pins to highlight the shin bone with a tan!

*Top Tip: remember to blend out to avoid looking like you’re sweaty mess/ disco ball effect.

● Travel friendly the compact is lightweight, with durable packaging, complete with an internal, good sized mirror.

Cons:

Not a massive deal but, the powder can become somewhat messy and have fall-out within the compact, something to be aware of, in case it gets on clothes during application  – this definitely would not put me off investing in it.

Seal of Approval?

One hundred percent yes. A touch of Champagne Pop makes every day an occasion for me, bringing a sparkle to my eyes (as well as my face), such is my delight in this product. This gem of a product is a permanent fixture in my make-up arsenal and I can’t be without…a back-up is definitely in order! This marketing opportunity is hands down one of the best collaborative projects between brand and influencer in recent times in the beauty industry, in my opinion! This offering is simply stellar.

Any other Highlight Lovers out there? What’s your favourite highlighter? Have any of you tried Champagne Pop?
I’d love to know!

Tweet me: @DublinGail/Tag me on Instagram: @littlegforce or leave your faves in the comments section below!

I hope you enjoyed this Review and Beauty Chat guys!

As usual, thanks for stopping by and here’s to a fab new week.

P.S. Remember: Champagne Pop is now a permanent fixture in the BECCA Cosmetics line (thanks to the powers that be!)and is available on spackenk.com or sephora.com 

Gail. Xx
Photography: © Gail O’Connor.

TREND ALERT: Strobing – the new Contouring? The NEWEST Face Sculpting Make-up Technique!

Highlighting has got a NEW name!

Strobing (as in basically amplifying particular areas of your visage instead of just highlighting) is the latest beauty trend for S/S15, and is throwing shade actually make that, casting light upon the time consuming efforts of the masses – contouring.
Yes, folks that daily contouring ritual might just be replaced with a facial structure so bright it could be solar powered, thanks to this new face-sculpting technique!

I’m a long time fan of dewy, radiant glowing skin and highlighters, so when I heard the word “strobing” I have to admit I knew right away I’d love this trend.

Strobing will create a “spotlight” effect to the high points of the face, illuminating and freshening up the complexion. It is a more forgiving form of makeup application to define the features of the face than contouring, as it can be dubious work selecting and blending out contour shades from ashy grey to overly orange. Depending on the level of “strobe” you go for this trend could be a tad time consuming, so work out how much emphasis you’re going for and “do you boo“.

As with all makeup application, I highly recommend a consistent, dedicated skincare routine which aids in that radiant skin look we already talked about. Get yourself an awesome skin care routine and your skin will thank you for it, allowing “your best skin” to shine through, whilst allowing minimal makeup application – for a more natural approach to a “made up look”.

Get the Look:

I can’t but think of cult classic, MAC Strobe Cream. I mean MAC’s Strobe Cream was made for this beauty “trend” am I right? Any other fellow Strobe Cream fanatics out there? Oh and by the way, MAC also have a lotion formula in the “Strobe family” if the cream formula isn’t for you. Cutesy travel-sized bottles are also available. Perfect for holiers!

Becca Highlighters:

The status placed on Becca’s Highlighters is astounding with makeup artist and YouTube favourite Jaclyn Hill fangirling over these highlighters.

Finely milled, beautifully blendable, super pigmented these highlighters are legendary.

A budget friendly glow enhancer comes in the form of L’Oréal Lumi Magique a drugstore winner and favourite of this blogger on a budget!

All set?

Setting powder can still be applied with this look to make sure everything stays in place, in everyday situations, especially if you’ve oily skin.

Light reflective, finely milled powders with blurring technology such as Nars Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder, are usually the powder of choice to use with this type of makeup technique, as the powder doesn’t dull the “strobe” effect too much, yet gives setting power without adding colour to the strobed areas.

P.S. “Listen” to your skin, when you know what skin type you are and what your skin can tolerate, you’ll know whether you need to powder or not!

Tip!

If the thoughts of a contour-free face frightens the “be-jaysus” out of you, then Cream Contour could be your friend to compliment the whole Strobing look! Just remember to blend, blend, blend!

Some suggestions:

Chanel – Soleil Tan de Chanel.
Clinique Contouring Stick.

What do you think of this new trend and will you give it a go? Let me know in the comments if you care to share!

As usual thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the Internet world guys, (bit of a Gilmore Girls quote there, any fans?!) I really appreciate it.

Gail. Xx

UPDATE: Since posting this blog post last week I’m delighted to say that this blog post (my Instagram referring to this post – @littlegforce), was featured on both The Irish Examiner website on 16/06/15 as an example of the latest trend that “beauty addicts” are talking about and on the The Huffington Post Canada on 18/06/15. It’s always lovely to get some recognition for the hard work I put into the blog! Thank you SO much to the Irish Examiner and the Huffington Post Canada for the inclusion in each of their articles, alerting their readers to this new trend which has always been a favourite amongst some, and now that as it has been labelled a “trend“, is really starting to bloom in popularity!

Image: Issey Miyake – via getthegloss.com
Makeup: Alex Box for Issey Miyake.