I have never really written a make up review before. I've a friend who's a Younique presenter part time and to be supportive, (and cause I am sold on it) I bought the Younique 3D+ Mascara. I loved it.
Nicky has since had a make up party, where there was the good old sales pitch and lots of tester products so that we could see the other things on offer. Buying mascara online is pretty easy - if someone's wearing it and you can see how it works, then fine. I'm a lot more skeptical about lipstick, eyeshadows, BB creams and all the other products that depends entirely on your own skin tone and colouring, so I went to the party for the laughs and to try out what they have.
Not disappointed. I'm writing this in part to advertise for Nicky (I'll be adding a link to her Virtual Party or explaining how you could help out should you wish to purchase a product) and in part because I genuinely am THAT impressed by Younique.
My own make up background
Until about 2013, the majority of what I wore was mascara and eyeshadow. Occasionally a bit of gloss or tinted lip balm.
I was on the pill, my complexion was, now that I'm off and know the difference, amazing. I mean really. My skin was smooth, rarely needed moisturising, and the only blemishes I got were when I was off the pill, so that was only really a week every 3 months. COULD NOT COMPLAIN.
The mascara I used was typically cheap - Boots Natural lengthening mascara (£7, not bad and did what I wanted at the time), and then later, Him Indoors's sister bought me
They're Real! mascara by Benefit (whom I've just found out still test on animals, so I won't be buying from them again)
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CC Cream, Urban Decay purple eyeliner pencil, NAKED
pallet 3 and a-near-the-end bottle of 3D+ Mascara
AND PURE LUCK ON THE SPOT FRONT. |
Around 2013, my best friend let me try some of her CC cream (Colour Correct) which she'd got from Tonymoly's ebay shop. They're a Korean company and as far as translations of their info goes, they do not appear to include that skin whitening treatment stuff. It simply was the perfect shade for us. We both have tricky skin to buy for in the UK and since the East are very good at make up, that's where we turned. I still have about a third of my current bottle left and on my "less is more" days, I'll still be using it.
Here is a Youtube review of the CC cream if you're curious. The woman giving it is much darker skinned than I am! So bear that in mind, also I didn't have the flakey skin issues she was talking about. It worked fine for me. What she doesn't say is that a pea-sized amount is typically all you need for CC cream. If you are looking for full coverage in a foundation-sort of way, go with BB or Foundation, not CC.
I also sometimes use some natural/nude powder for my shinier days and I use Benefit's Sugarbomb blush (though I'll soon have an alternative to that when it's run out)
Eyeshadow is mostly using Urban Decay's NAKED pallets - I have 1 and 3. Three is the absolute best one, in my opinion, but number 1 comes second as it has some really nice shades that I can use for going out. It's a lot darker than the third one, so I can't use all of them. I have a couple of eyeliner pencils by them as well.
I also use Barry M blue eyeliners because their pencils are a nice gel pencils that are easy for me to a apply.
On my not-so-everyday days, when dressing up as Maleficent or Cruella for school, I wear lots of cheap make up coupled with a couple of more expensive products that I bought because they were ideal for that character. Not for me, the character. I like to think I do a fairly good job for a primary school teacher.
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Rimmel Ivory Foundation, Bodyshop palest powder, MAC Hollywood lipstick, 3D+ Lash mascara
MAC Maleficent eyeshadow pallet, Sugarbomb blush, UD Metal pencil liner and a cheap black smoky eye pencil for the eyebrows
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So that's my make up background.
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YOUNIQUE COMPANY BACKGROUND
Younique was started by a pair of siblings who wanted to run their own company but didn't know what to sell. For reasons only known by them and speculated on by others, they wanted to start a business that would in some way empower women.
So they went for an online Avon sort of model. Women could earn money from the comfort of their own homes, selling a product that they'd be interested in themselves.
A portion of the money that Younique makes goes into the funding of Women's Shelters in the US, something which I think is blinkin' awesome.
Also the products are all as naturally based as they can be, cruelty free and quite a lot of their lines are mineral-based.
YOUNIQUE PRODUCTS
Mascara
I now use their Moodstruct 3D+ Fiber Lashes mascara. It comes with two bottles/tubes.
In one bottle is the application gel, which is black tinted, so it is intially like applying a very cheap mascara. In the second bottle is a dry, fuzzy wand with fibers on. You apply that to your wet lashes and then you put a second coat of gel on top to keep them there.
In theory, if you wanted to have eyelashes that hit your eyebrows, you just keep reapply coats on top and the fibers will build in length.
A common problem I've seen others online having is that they get thick, clumpy spider leg lashes. This is the same with any mascara product.
It takes practice: use less of the gel and if you don't like having too thick lashes and are aiming for length, just add the fibers to the ends of your lashes, rather than sweeping from the bottom.
There's also no need to apply on the "top" of your lashes, as I see some people do with normal mascara, you know, where you apply with your eyes closed so they're black from the roots where your eyeliner would go? Does that make sense?
Here are the results I get, used a fresh box for this:
One with, one without.
I've actually used more than I would normally for the purpose of this picture, so they come out a bit thicker, but you get the idea. You can have thick and dark or long and skinnier, depending on the technique you use and how many coats.
I have longish lashes, just they're very blond. If I still had a bottle of normal mascara, I'd show you the effect that Younique had in comparison. This is the best mascara I've ever had and is wonderful for cosplaying when you can't be bothered with false lashes.
BB Cream
At the party, I tried out their BB Cream. I've never found a BB Cream that is 1) the right shade and 2) feels as though I'm not wearing anything.
I wasn't too sure initially, and the price was off-putting (did I mention I'm a cheapskate?) but I took the plunge and bought it.
Now. First thing. You know I'm pretty pale and I've never found anything in my shade? The woman who applied it on my face used the SECOND SHADE UP.
Seriously. I was using the same shade as a woman who tans all year round.
And it looks great. It IS tinted, so perhaps my face is a bit darker than if I were using my CC cream or just going make-up-less but it isn't to the point that you can tell when you compare it to my hairline, ears or neck.
The shade I use is Bique and it really is lovely. Again, not a lot is needed. I use fingers because I hate brushes, but it applies just as well with brush.
It gives me the coverage that CC cream simply never did (not its job anyway) and it looks and feels smooth when finished.
I've been using it for a week and I am quite honestly amazed. My skin looks better than it has been for ages. And I'm not talking about when I wear it! It really does moisturise and look after my skin as well as sort out any problem areas I'm having.
This is one of their mineral-based products. It's not too oily, though it does contain "seed oil". It applies really well and it looks fantastic. I still have that nice glow to my skin that the CC cream gave me, so I feel great wearing it.
Bronzer
Until the party, I'd never used bronzer. I had the lightest shade and while I still need to practice a bit more in application it's great. Also I can totally use it for contouring when in my Maleficent get up. (She has ivory skin so I don't need that dark a contour colour)
Anyhoo, it really is a lovely bronzer. I don't need a lot and I just apply it to where I imagine I would catch the sun if there was a sun to be caught. And it looks lovely. I've even applied it to my breast bone a bit as well to convince myself that I can indeed look as tanned as I once did in my pre-teens.
It has the sliiiiiightest of shimmers - it's a nice way and it compliments the Bisque shades really well.
It claims on the box that it is made with Safflower, Ginseng, Aloe and Ginkgo.
Lipstick
I have a weariness around lipstick. It dries my lips out. The wrong shade makes me look as though I've been playing in mummy's make up box. Those are the hazzards of being blessed with full lips and a big mouth!
I only wear the Hollywood shade of red when I'm dressed as Maleficent or Cruella, because the other make up balances out the clown mouth! On a normal day with my real skin tones and my real eyebrows and my real style of eye make up, it just looks weird.
I've occasionally worn pinker shades and it is ok but as they were presents and donations, they at best tinted and at worst came off quickly, so it wasn't as big a deal as the needs-sandpaper-and-turpentine-to-remove abilities of my cosplay MAC lipstick.
There are soooooo many colours! I did not like the nude shades but they suited one particular friend. I was rather taken by the gorgeousness of the Pretentious (love the name) shade. It's a sparkly pink and it's GORGEOUS. AND IT SUITS ME.
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| Moodstruck Opulence: Pretentious |
*Ahem*. It is also creamy and after 8 hours I did not feel as though my lips, though coloured, were like sandpaper (take note, MAC).
And if lipstick isn't your thing, they usually have corresponding shades in their Lip Gloss! Oh yes!
I went for Luxe lipgloss, even though I'm normally not a fan (too sticky and wet) because no matter what your colouring, it works. It works with your natural lip colour. For reals, my friend Paula wore it at the same time as me and it was a different shade to how it looked on me. It works really well for an every day kinda thing or if you like gloss for going out. (Deter men from trying to snog you on the dance floor)
Luxe is the shade on the far right, if you're curious. I'd say the pretentious shade is the second one from the left.
TOO LONG; DIDN'T READ
I am fussy about make up. This company has awesome ethics. It is affordable. It lasts all day. It looks fantastic. It actually helps cure your skin (counter productive? maybe).
Here's a picture I posted to Nicky's virtual party page as a favour, wearing the Bisque BB Cream, Sunset Bronzer, 3D+ Lashes (again, I need to use my new bottle as the gel is running out so the effectiveness is less), Pretentious lipstick and other non-Younique unique products mentioned above before anyway.
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| Awkward selfie face |
I'd just like to point out that the Cruella photo was taken a few days before this one. I had spots in both, particularly on my chin and one annoying one near my nose and temple. (Actually on the side shown in this photo) I used a rather thick, pale-blank-canvas foundation for that dress up and it covered everything. This BB Cream required less and provided the same level of coverage and it looked good. Like, I could actually use it on its own and still look "natural", the way all those whiny boys on the internet seem to like.
If you do buy, I'd like to sell out by endorsing Nicky! At the checkout, which Younique presenter or
virtual party you are buying through, type in Nicky Ralph (a picture of a very cute small dog should be her avatar) and she will earn points which go towards getting a full sales tester kit and she earns a small commission on the side.
And money you spend at Younique goes towards Womens Shelters in the US, a very very worthy cause!
