Crownbrush - 'Smoke It Out' Palette Review

Hi beauties,

Happy Friday!!

So there's a recent purchase that has been getting a lot of love in my professional kit, and for those who enjoy reading about eyeshadow - I just had to share my thoughts!

Crownbrush's 'Smoke It Out' palette is a gorgeous mix of 36 shimmery and matte shades in an amazing range of shades. They're the kind that just makes me want to get creative and try new things - the combinations are endless!

At £19.99 the value is so good and the pigmentation is fantastic - really rich, bold and daring.

To give you an idea on a look you could recreate, I recently used it on a recent Festival inspired phootshoot. I used the vibrant orange with the more coppery tones to 'smoke it out' - I really love how they came out on camera.

Crownbrush have definitely got me a little addicted - I've got my eye on quite a few other palette's in their range. 

Let me know if you've tried any other Crownbrush products.

Samantha xo

New Loves - Laura Mercier Haul

Hi beauties,

I hope you're all well! I've got that excited feeling today - and I think it was the thought of writing a blog post. It's been a while since I wrote a proper blog post, and I've really missed it. So I'm cuddled up on the sofa, movie on in the background and I'm tapping away... I love these kinds of evenings, they are the best!

So today I wanted to talk about some lovely products I recently purchased from Laura Mercier. I've always been the type to thoroughly research products before I buy them, that way I don't have too many disappointments... and these all come highly recommended.

Translucent setting powder (RRP £29) - this stuff is lovely! A finely milled setting powder, which doesn't cake on the skin, doesn't set in fine lines, feels super silky and leaves you knowing you're going to get longevity from your make up! I'll probably stick to my Rimmel Stay Matte powder for every day wear, but this bad boy is definitely coming out for nights out and special occasions. 

Now I didn't necessary need another lipstick... but I fell in love with this when I saw the gorgeous beauty blogger and make up artist Zoe Newlove use it on one of the models she was doing the make up for. I thought this would be a beautiful shade to add to my kit! I would describe Roman Moon as an organgy-red (wow, that was imaginative!). There's something I really love about it as if you're not feeling like a bold red lip day but still want to make a statement - this is the lippy for you! It has a really vintage vibe!

Now, the only other primer I've previously used on myself is the Revlon Photoready primer. As I have quite dry skin I just tend to use Embroylisse to moisturise and act as a base for my foundation, but I've really wanted to try Laura Mercier's Foundation Primer and I'm so glad I did. It's very light feeling, and so far I haven't any breakouts - the formula just glides on your skin. At £28, I would also be saving this for special occasions, but it is definitely a welcome addition to my make up bag!

Would love to hear if any one has tried these products or recommendations of any other good 'uns!

Lots of love,

Samantha xo

I'm back! New website and more...

Hi beauties,

Ahh it's been so long! I hope you're all doing well!

I'm very excited to back in the blogging world with some exciting updates and lots of lovely new posts coming your way.

First bit of news - my shiney new make up website is up - www.samanthadavismakeup.co.uk. This has long been a dream of mine, and I was so happy to see it come to reality. Here you'll find pics from portfolio and general updates on what I've been up to. This blog is also going to get some fab updates too, so watch this space.

I'm wanting to keep this blog exactly as I started it. A place to share new products with you all - so more of that coming soon.

I'd also love to connect more with you guys so if you're on Twitter you can find me @samanthadmua and on Facebook - Samantha Davis Make Up. I'm hoping to have a fun make up giveaway once I reach 300 likes which I can't wait to do! I'd also love to hear if you have any particular posts you want to see. 

Stay smiling!

Samantha xo

Too Faced - Boudoir Eyes Palette Review

Hi beauties!

Happy Friday!!

Today's post is about a lovely little eyeshadow palette I've been getting a lot of use out of recently - Too Faced's Boudoir Eyes. Think sultry, beautiful eyes, perfect for both day and night!

At £29 it's a little on the pricey side, but if you think about it you are getting 9 shadows with plenty of eye look combinations possible. That's how I justify these kind of purchases :)

What I really like is how these are set out: Day, Classic and Fashion - with your base, mid-tone and outer corner shade all in one neat little row. It also comes with a handy guide to creating three looks!

I really like the quality of these shadows; soft and buildable colours. Satin Sheets is definitely my favourite, it's such a beautiful colour (a pink frost with gold undertones - love it!)

Has anyone else tried this palette? I'm thinking of trying some more Too Faced products, let me know what you think!

Samantha x

Portfolio Update

Hi beauties,

I hope you're all enjoying the lovely weather we're finally having - sunshine makes such a difference, everything seems so much better!

So I just wanted to update you on my make up artist journey. I've been really fortunate to help on some fantastic shoots recently - these were styled shoots, so basically all involved are there to give their time, skills and expertise for free - in return we all get some fab photos to use in our portfolio. I loved every minute, it's so nice meeting local suppliers and networking. Definitely the best way to get great experience if you're looking to work in this industry. 

Hope you like the pics!

Copyright Shelley Morecroft

Copyright Shelley Morecroft

Copyright Kelly Weech

Copyright Kelly Weech

Copyright Shelley Morecroft

Copyright Kelly Weech

Thanks for stopping by!

Samantha xo

MUA Kit: MAC Face and Body Foundation Review

Hi beauties!

I hope you're all well!! So I'm finally back after a busy, but exciting past month and I've got a lovely long list of fab products I want to review - so here it goes with the first one.

Now any aspiring make up artists know that building your kit is a little daunting. Having to whittle down your products to ensure you have something for everyone is no easy task, and I wanted to be able to turn up to shoots knowing I have the right products to do the job.

I spent so many hours researching, reading reviews on foundations as I felt this was the most important staple in my kit that I didn't want to make the wrong decision on. Now as I've mentioned before I want to work on mostly bridal and photoshoot work, so for me the foundation I use needs to work hard. It needs to last, not look cakey or too heavy on camera but also give that glow and not look flat - I want my clients to look like them but at their very best!

So the best place I found for these kinds of discussions was ModelMayhem - I just love seeing what other artists have in their kit! This is where I came across MAC Face and Body (I know, I know - it's nothing new), but I was drawn to it by the fact that it was water-resistant and long wearing.

Now I'd say this foundation really is reserved for those good-skin days. It's a buildable low to medium coverage, and gives a really natural finish. If it's full coverage your after, this simply wouldn't cut it; I did read about one artist who'd taken this on a job and the model needed a little more coverage than she'd anticipated and it just didn't look good on camera - the last thing you want is the photographer needing to go to great lengths to touch up the photos.

They come in a huge 100ml bottle which is amazing value, but for the purpose of building my kit and space-wise I opted for the 50ml at £20.50 - even though I know it's not as much of a good deal. But I thought it's always good to give something a try before you invest too much. 

The shade range is quite good, and I think MAC Pro do a white shade so you can further custom mix, as for my fair, fair skin even the lightest shade is a tad too dark. For my kit I got shade C1, C3, C5, N1, N3 and N5 as this was a recommendation for a starter kit. Having used it on a recent shoot, I also suggest going slightly lighter than you think you are as it does tend to oxidise after you've put it on.

A few tips with this foundation: give it a good shake before you use it and I also read to keep it in the fridge as it the formula stays good for longer that way.

I'd love to hear if any one has any recommendations for a more full coverage foundation - needs to be long lasting and good on camera?

I'm working hard on building up my portfolio and have had some great opportunities come up - ladies, I can only stress that if you have a passion for something, go out and get it!! I've just had my logo designed - let me know what you think!

Thanks lovelies!

Samantha 

xo

Everyday Make Up - Naked 2 Palette

Hi beauties,

I hope you're all doing well and staying warm and safe in the snowy weather!

So today I wanted to do a wearable everyday look for you - and as I've been using my Urban Decay Naked 2 palette on a daily basis I thought it deserved a feature! I remember when I bought this palette a while back, I just loved all the neutral shades, but, to be honest I was a little unsure of how best to use the shades (they'll all so pretty, but I learnt quickly that I can't use them all at once - shimmer overload!!)

To prep my eyes I used my e.l.f. Eyelid primer. I then used the shade Foxy all over the lid before placing suspect over it, no higher than the crease. To define my crease I used a bit of tease, which is a lovely matte colour. To darken the outer corner I used snakebite which is a pretty shimmery warm brown. To highlight my brow bone and inner corner I used bootycall (possibly my favourite shade as it's really versatile)! And finally I used a tiny bit of blackout along the lashline for more definition and to add some more intensity to this look.

        This look could easily be worn in the evening by adding some lashes and black liner!

Have a lovely weekend lovelies! I'm off shopping to by some items for my professional kit - eee! I'll be back soon with a post on my make-up course experience.

Lots of love x