Unnecessary intro: It's July 29th 2013 (I usually hand-write my notes well before publishing my reviews
online), and I'm sat in my 347 year old house with no lightening conductor, anxiously waiting for today's summer storm to pass (we've had three today already). There's rain water pissing through the old windows and the conservatory is shaking as if an earthquake's on the way, but that's life when you live in a house that was built in 1666 - the same year as The Great Fire of London!
Anyway, writing the notes for this blog entry is basically my shot at taking my mind off the storm (unsuccessfully).
Necessary intro: So there's a lot of hype in the Avon world about their new make up, which features "
True Colour Technology". According to Avon, this means that the colour you see is what you will get when applied. They also say their make up contains "
self-renewing pigments for long-lasting colour". They've released loads of new shades, and they've updated their packaging; it's Avon's usual sleek and simple design with added practicality, i.e. the lipstick bullets have a "window" in the lid so you can see the shade easily.
I'm going to review 4 lipsticks, 3 lip glosses, one eyeshadow quad, and one Perfect Eyebrow Kit.
Image, above-right: A photo of myself! The cosmetics I'm wearing include Avon True Colour Eyeshadow Quad in "Stone Taupes", Avon Perfect Eyebrow Kit in "Blonde", and Avon Ultraglaze Lip Gloss in "Apple Cinnamon", all of which I am reviewing in this blog entry.
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Let's begin with
Avon Ultra Colour Lipstick. It's available in 30 shades with 3 finishes - 12 satin finish, 11 shimmer finish, 7 soft matte finish - all of which have what Avon call a "clear view window" in the lid, as I mentioned earlier. The moisturising formula leaves lips feeling soft, and looking healthy, conditioned and smooth. Avon say "
purse lips to reactivate self-renewing pigments for ongoing colour". I'm putting 4 shades to the test... (I apologise in advance for the awkward layout.)
Knockout Pink: This shade is one of the 12 with a smooth "satin" finish. This sexy and sophisticated pink is a great all-round colour. It's actually my favorite of the four shades I've chosen - this is unusual for me as I'm not a huge fan of pink lipsticks, but I love this one!
Oxford Wine: Again, this lipstick has a satin finish. I like this deep, rich, plum shade, but it doesn't suit me at all! The creamy consistency of these lipsticks means applying the dark shades can get messy - I highly advise using a lip liner to make application easier.
Avon Glimmerstick Lip Liner is fabulous stuff, but it only comes in four shades and I can't see one online to suit this particular lipstick - maybe it's time they released more shades!
Hibiscus: This lipstick has a soft matte finish. It's a vibrant, fun and flirty shade of "almost-neon" pink. This super-girly shades is perfect for statement summer lips! Pair it with simple eye make up and a flawless but natural complexion to really make the lips stand out.
Scarlet Siren: Soft matte finish. A deep and seductive classic red. I really love how this shade stands out
against my pale skin - it creates a really striking contrast that would look perfect for Autumn / Winter! Again, the moisturising consistency combined with such a dark shade create potential application problems - use a liner to minimise the chance of making mistakes.
Avon Glimmerstick Lip Liner in "Red Brick" is a great match for many red shades - trust me, I use it all the time!
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Let's move on to the new
Ultra Glazewear Lip Gloss. It comes in 19 high-shine, non-sticky shades that make "lips glisten in every light". These glosses care for your pout, too - the formula is enriched with shea butter for deep moisturisation. Lips look and feel plumper, smoother, hydrated, and youthful. Avon say the new gloss is "
infused with colour-awakening pigments that saturate lips in rich, vibrant colour"...
Apple Cinnamon: Sugar, spice, and all things nice! This super-shimmering high-shine gloss is perfect for
Autumn. It's subtle enough for the office, and glittery enough for the dance floor. If you're a lover of nude lipstick, give this shade a try for a more glamorous option.
Strawberry Shine: As I said when commenting on the "Knockout
Pink" lipstick, I'm not usually one for pinks, but this beauty has pleasantly surprised me! It's a summery, sparkly, ultra-feminine pink. The shade is bright and fun, yet still sophisticated and not too "over the top". I love it!
Fiery Red: This bright red shade has a "glass-like shine" finish. If you love the red lip and want to keep it all year round, you'll want a brighter shade for the summer, and this one is perfect. Keep the eye make up simple and the complexion natural yet flawless, this way you can stay true to the classic look yet make it more summer-practical.
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It's time to talk eyes! First we have the new and improved
True Colour Eyeshadow Quad. There are 9 shades available, all of which come as a compact containing a mirror, a double-ended sponge eye shadow applicator, and four beautifully matched shades. The shades are actually numbered and arranged in the compact in such a way to help you apply your eye shadow "like a professional". Of course, you don't have to follow the step-by-step guide; get creative and mix up the order, or use less shades for a subtle daytime look. Avon say that their True Colour Technology means the rich colour you see in the palette is the same colour you'll see when applied. Avon also say the "
crease-proof colour stays true without fading", so this stuff is great for us busy bees as it banishes the need for touch-ups. Statistics show that one of the original
Avon quads was sold every 2 seconds*, so these are bound to be a hit!
*
Based on actual UK sales, 08/03/12 - 06/03/13.
Stone Taupes: I chose this one as I love neutral eye make up - the earthy browns and taupes suit me down to the ground. If you're not sure what shades of shadow to wear, remember that you can't go wrong with neutral tones as they suit all hair, eye, and skin shades. I love all four of these shades. The colours work together really well and they blend effortlessly. And they're build-able, so you can add more colour for extra drama. Personally, I would have liked shade number 3 to be more metallic to match the shimmer of shade number 2, but other than that I can't fault it!
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Finally, let's discuss the
Perfect Eyebrow Kit. We all know how the eyebrows can change the overall look of the face. Not only do they play a vital role in our facial expressions which help with communication of emotions, but they also frame our features. Avon have created this new eyebrow compact which contains wax, colour, a mirror, and a double-ended application brush. There are two smudge-proof shades available, "Soft Brown" and "Blonde" - I opted for "
Blonde", of course, which is a perfect match for my brows! There are two steps to the application process: First, smooth the wax over your brows to set them, then you fill in and define your brows with the colour. The result is a natural yet defined look, but you can build the powder for a stronger brow. Avon say this stuff provides better coverage than a pencil, but I prefer their
Glimmerstick Brow Definer. The brush included in the compact is okay, but I'd advise you to invest in professional tools. Avon did sell an angled eyeliner brush which would do the job well, but it's recently been discontinued according to the website. I use Mac and Bobbi Brown brushes, and for my brows I'd choose the
Mac 266 brush.
All Avon products mentioned in this blog entry are available online from http://avonshop.co.uk/ or from your Independent Avon Representative.
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