Look fabulous forever? Of course, darling.

This is a sponsored post - don't faint! But believe me, the opinions expressed, as you'll see, are 100% Mel.

My lipstick is getting down to the nub, one of only two lipsticks in my life to do so - so when I got the offer to test-drive some cosmetics from Look Fabulous Forever (LFF), based in England, I thought, what the heck? The products are cruelty-free and the company was launched by Tricia Cusden when she was 65. Right on!


I've been dabbling in these products since they arrived in mid-September. I had two big do's on my calendar, one a cocktail party, Silver Foxes and Vixens, for Fluevog shoes' new season reveal, and one, front row at a day of Vancouver Fashion Week, both of which would require heaps and heaps of cosmetics.


First up, the lip and eye primers. I decided to try them with my existing makeup as a control group; I already know how well/hard they are to apply/remove.

I love the shiny foil bubble pack for shipping

LIP PRIMER
Existing problem: Migrating & hard-to-remove lip liner


I wear lip liner and lipstick almost daily and I can't stand it when my liner migrates. It's like my lips are the Amazon and the wrinkles around them the tributaries where many a British explorer has gone missing. It makes me think of the movie African Queen too. Yes. So my goal was to erect a little dam around my lips with LFF lip primer.


I admit, I didn't have high hopes - I know too well the supernatural attraction of lipstick to wrinkles, like red wine to shag carpet. I opened the package and traced the outline of my lips with the slender spongy wand, like the kind that comes with lip gloss.

These are all the products I received. This photo was taken after I had tested everything.

Test 1: Application

The primer is clear like gloss but slightly more viscous, which worried me. 

I always use matte lipsticks and liners because they tend to be dry - you almost have to scrape them off - meaning staying power in my mind. 

But this primer felt wet. 

I actually dabbed it with a tissue to make it hurry up and dry. 

And then I put on my regular lip liner.

Alarm! My matte liner glided waaay too smoothly over the primer. I thought, no way will my liner stay put on that. Already I was frantically wondering how I could write a review that LFF wouldn't despise. Too late now. I applied my lipstick and went out. Silver Foxes and Vixens, look out!

Photo courtesy of Judith of  blog/IG fancified.ca - Silver Foxes & Vixens party hosted by Fluevog.
Left to right: Judith, Judith's Handsome, moi, Su, Vancouver Barbara

That's what I wore to the cocktail party. The shoes are Fluevogs from the late '80s.

Well, I had far too much fun at the party to stay neat and tidy, so when I got home I expected a mess of clogged tributaries. And guess what? The dam held! No tributaries! No more lost explorers! I love you Mr. Allnut! (referencing the movie African Queen) Hurray!

Of course I didn't believe it - so I tried it again the next day.

Again, all explorers accounted for. Winner!


Test 2: Removal

Often the lip liner gets buried in the surrounding terrain and I have to stretch my face to get in there with olive oil for removal. The primer created a barrier that prevented my lipstick from leaching into those ditches in the first place. Removal was far easier. Brilliant.


EYE PRIMER
Existing Problem: Stubborn-to-apply shadow that fades, then won't come off


With one success I was nervous to push my luck, but Vancouver Fashion Week was calling and my eyes needed major cosmetic doing.


You may know how I loathe removing eye makeup. For days after I wear it, I must go spelunking to dig out the runaway bits. So the eye primer would be another real test.

Test 1: Application

I dabbed some spots on each lid, again with a spongy wand applicator, and smeared it around with my finger. It's flesh-toned in colour, much like foundation. Then I applied glittery fuchsia eye shadow from my old stash, very stubborn stuff, which, !!!, went on smoothly and evenly. It was noticably rougher to apply in an area I had missed with the primer. Check. A+.

Off to the fashion show I traipsed in my sky-high black glitter platform booties.

Photo courtesy of Stella of IG @stellarpanagiotidis - Vancouver Fashion Week (she invited me)
L to R: Designer Giovanna Ricci, Model/Art Enthusiast Stella, moi, Ms. Canada Universal Tetyana Golota 

What I wore to VFW. I upcycled an oversized vintage tartan jacket into this little bolero.

Test 2: Staying Power 

Much eye candy ensued over the next four hours, but would there be eye candy all over my face or completely gone when I got home? I approached the bathroom mirror with trepidation. Gaaa! Everything stayed bright and right where I put it. Success!

Test 3: Removal

I pulled out my spelunking gear: olive oil, cleansing pads, and soap. I shut my eyes and hoped for the best. When I opened them again, my shadow had come right off. The primer sealed my skin to prevent deep-penetration of the shadow. Clearly this product is an absolute gem!

LIPSTICK

Problem: None - except for stubborn removal (now eased with primer). Playtime!

I received Sweet Pea, which is a frosty pink/violet, and Cherry Red. After applying lip primer, I did an ombre lip, with the outline and sides in Cherry and the centre part in the lighter Sweet Pea. Neither of these colours was matte finish so their creamy smoothness felt pleasant but unfamiliar. They also smelled like the lipsticks of my childhood. 

The frostiness of the Sweet Pea was unexpected; the online colour swatch looked matte, but when you click it, the pop-up photo clearly shows the sheen. Note to self: click the photo! But I was pleased with the soft, feminine look it gave me. Definitely, I can incorporate Sweet Pea into my outfit repertoire.

Both the Sweet Pea and Cherry Red also have a shine uncharacteristic of the mattes I'm used to wearing, but I enjoyed the change.

I used the lip/eye brush from LFF to apply the lipstick as a liner. 

It will take me a while to get the hang of, not because it's hard, but because I am not very patient. It may be worth the effort because the results are cleaner and more precise than my pencil.

EYE SHADOW
Problem: None, except for stubborn removal (now eased with primer). Playtime!

I received Aubergine, Charcoal, and Cream powder shadows. Using my fingers, I applied the Aubergine to my lids and along the outer bottom lash line.

Then I applied Charcoal to the crease and bottom lash line, blending with the Aubergine. Using the cleaned lip brush, I lined my upper lids with Charcoal too.

Finally, the Cream I applied just under my brows and inside corners of my eye.

I am definitely not a great makeup artist, fearless maybe, but not pro.

And this is what the makeup looks like applied in my usual slap-dash manner. 

I took these photos in natural light with a black velvet backdrop. 

I'm not wearing foundation or face powder.

Pay no attention to the scraggy brows - I like them like that. And I added bloodshot to the eyes for extra drama. Heh. The mascara and brow eyeliner are both from my existing tool box, although LFF sells these products too.

And there you have it!

I'm wearing LFF makeup in the photo below when I went with my friend Vancouver Barbara to an exhibit of photo/conceptual artist Ian Wallace's work. She took this photo. She told me to look sad. Heh. Maybe it's the frosty lipstick that made me reach for these beige Missoni pants at the last minute, to complete this bad-ass-ish lady/man vibe going on. I like it! You may have seen this photo before.

Photo courtesy of @vancouverbarbara - taken at Rennie Collection

By chance, I went back to the gallery days later for an evening talk by the artist, and Barbara took this next shot while we were standing in line. I'm wearing all LFF eye makeup and Sweet Pea lipstick with red liner. 

The lipstick may be sweet/feminine, but it definitely works with a misbehavin' tower hair outfit as well. 

Photo courtesy of @vancouverbarbara - taken near Rennie Collection

My verdict

• The lip primer and eye primer are absolute winners! ➧Must-haves that solved many of my makeup issues.
• The lipsticks are creamy and the colours are gorgeous. I shall definitely use them when I want to add softness to a look. ➧I'll also wear them on top of my matte lipsticks for extra depth and shine.
• The shadows are more powdery than the ones I am used to, the colours are beautiful, soft yet dramatic, and they have staying power. ➧The Aubergine is a particular favourite and works well as a smudgy bottom lash liner. ➧I would wear Cream on my lid with a primer base if I want bright eyes. 
• The brush is a great tool for detail work, although I would want more than one so no cleaning is necessary when switching eye to lip. LFF has a range of brushes. This one was hardy.

My lunch-bag hand bag with the Cherry Red lipstick and charcoal eyeshadow

I felt like a scientist trying out these products, which was fun. When I was testing the lip primer, I kept asking my friends, how are my lips? how are my lips? are they leaking? Heh. If you decide to buy anything from LOOK FABULOUS FOREVER, I hope you like them too. 

And if you're struggling about how to apply your makeup, Tricia Cusden has a series of easy-to-follow makeup videos and other materials that should help. Me? Well, I'm always flying by the seat of my pants, BEIGE in this case! Or madly patterned too for that matter.

The line between the real and unreal

Keepin' it real. But when the real is unreal, how can you tell where one stops and other begins?

Not much to say this week. Thought this would be better than nothing.

Edit: I linked up to Patti's Visible Monday/Not Dead Yet Style with this photo from my Instagram.

Naked people everywhere and men carrying trees

Remember how I said in the last post that amazing things happen when you wear amazing clothes? This is what I saw today...

This is what I was wearing...

This is what I saw yesterday...

This is what I was wearing... 

Ah, it's a mad, mad, mad, mad world. I'm almost afraid to get dressed tomorrow. Maybe I'd better not put on anything and hop on my bicycle. 

You might recall the kimono robe from our manhole-cover party. Or not -  things got slightly out of control. (Don't worry, Judith, I won't post those photos.) I'm using the brilliant Calvin and Hobbes kid suspenders from Bella of The Citizen Rosebud to hoist my skirt. Except for the shoes/socks and magic loupe O made me, everything is thrifted. Those shoes clop like horse hooves. Very satisfying.

The other outfit features my DIY rock star pants, in which, during their inaugural outing, I almost chatted with Paul Stanley, the KISS rock star, not the same-named New York designer of the fabulous vintage gown from Pao and her mum I wore in the previous post. Same names - spooky. And my DIY jacket.

My eyes are becoming more sensitive to eye shadow as the years go by, so instead of putting the colour directly on my lids, I have begun using it above the crease. The blue-green mini-brows were made with "Make Up For Ever" cream shadow from Sephora. The lipstick is MAC's Candy Yum Yum, a daily staple. The colours here are accurate, at least on this monitor. For the kimono manhole outfit, I painted a dime-sized dot of hot pink under my brows. Of course you can't see them - I have to stand under the fluorescent light for anything to show. Expect to see more eye colour experimentation.

According to Wikipedia, the World Naked Bike Ride is for a "cleaner, safer, body-positive" world. And those men are moving a styrofoam prop for a multi-million-dollar Jeep commercial in which a downtown block was transformed into a wild canyon with trees, boulders, gushing water, mist, and snowfall. Considering a majority of surveyed Canadians (not me) have identified Jeep as their "dream car," I can almost understand the expense. (No, I can't understand ever. This is madness.) 

Because I missed Patti's Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style last time, I'm making up for it by joining twice this time, with this post and the previous one. Bwa-ha-ha. See you there.

Edit: I'm linking this to Sacramento's Share-in-Style: Gold at Mis Papelicos as well. Gold spangles, can't live without them.

Does your town have any wacky celebrations? Naked people on bikes? I have always thought that a town in a slump would do well by becoming the Knitting Capital of the World. It could erect a tacky sculpture of the The World's Biggest Knitting Needles at the town limits and host an Annual International Knit-Off with prizes for skill, speed, etc. The resultant products could be raffled or donated. Just an idea. Have you got any ideas? 

*The days in this post refer to Friday and Saturday.