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Thursday, 15 September 2016

Smile Confidence

Smile Confidence 

Body confidence is an emotive state of mind which lifestyle articles will attribute towards embracing one's own body rather than chase what the media has created as 'the perfect body.' Many times, the focus is on facial features and body parts, but what about smile confidence? In a bid to instil smile confidence into others, I should really start with myself. Above is an image of my real smile compared to how I would normally portray it on social media platforms. 

Admittedly, I have had professional laser whitening done once. I felt the need to have the perfect smile for my wedding day and as I was leaving the salon I was advised to eat white foods for the next 48 hours, as to not disrupt whatever was happening to my teeth. Did I listen? Nope! I was straight on to the Pepsi Max and sweet chilli salmon a few hours later as the thought of denying myself anything but plain potatoes and Basmati rice for an entire two days was unfathomable. I feel pressure to lighten my teeth in an image editor just so that my thumbnails and pictures look more appealing. It really is just a lie though isn't it? And who am I trying to appeal to? It must be myself because deep down, I don't actually care enough about the thoughts of strangers and acquaintances, especially those thoughts which pertain to my image, including my smile. 

The societal reflection of beauty is distorted and constructed by trends, peers and the cult religion that is celebrity. People are increasingly 'fixing' their teeth in a bid to achieve the allusive emotion that is confidence. Whether this is through braces, whitening treatments or veneers; it is a trend that is no longer exclusively associated with celebrities. It is trickling down to social media influencers and even to your best friend or next door neighbour - the everyday average person. 

Pressure is mounting for regular people to look picture perfect for even the most seemingly candid photos and videos. Instagram, the formerly candid image sharing platform is now a place for staged beauty and lifestyle pictures rather than a series of sincere and objective events. It is platform which regularly disheartens and disenchants me as I frequently see posts on how to be perfect for society rather than just being real. I have grown to love my smile - the ochre coloured stains and numerous amalgams reflect my enjoyment and overindulgence of food since childhood. The gap between my top incisors emulate my Gran's naturally beautiful smile. I even like the little snaggletooth that is my lower right canine. 

A veneered smile may look beautiful on the outside but what is it hiding? No amount of bleaching or straightening our dental imperfections can veil an abject heart, a broken spirit or an unhappy mind. Despite this, just like I say with make-up, do what makes you happy. Of course orthodontia can mend dental issues that do not pertain to vanity, and if the perfect smile gives you true contentment, then I absolutely encourage you to do it. However happiness, just like confidence comes from your demeanour, your outlook and ultimately your objective feelings about yourself. 

There is an overwhelming hesitancy to accept the teeth we were born with. Your authentic teeth give you a unique appearance and add character to your face. The various shapes, sizes and imperfect colours are the elements which make your smile beautiful. Many of those who undergo cosmetic dental treatment often look like carbon copies of each other, almost as if a set of Ridley's chattering teeth have been placed inside their mouths. You'll be whistling your words through your veneered teeth as these intrusive surgeries can often change your speech and pronunciation of words. Embrace your original teeth - stains, gaps and snagglers included and feel better in the knowledge that many people, including some celebrities, are reluctant to be a reproduction of the public's collective standard of beauty.  Here are my top sixteen admirable celebrities who refused to change their naturally flawed signature smiles.

Fairuza Balk
The Craft star has the widest and most provocative smile I have ever seen. 
Smile Confidence 


Avril Lavigne
Baby fangs adorn this Complicated singer's smile.
Smile Confidence 

Anna Paquin 
Unlike her True Blood co-stars, this gapped-tooth beauty does not posses any blood-sucking teeth.
Smile Confidence 
Kirsten Dunst
Another snaggle-fanged smile, a flaw which gives the beautiful Fargo star even more character.
Smile Confidence 
Woody Harrelson 
The True Detective star does not feel the pressure fix his gap in order to conform with all the typical Hollywood smiles. 
Smile Confidence 
Steve Buschemi
The yellowing imperfect teeth is a signature look for The Big Lebowski actor.
Smile Confidence 
Will Ferrell 
The star of Step-Brothers is comfortable with his slightly flawed smile. 
Smile Confidence 
Keira Knightley 
Who needs straight teeth when you can become the face of Chanel without dental surgery? 
Smile Confidence 
Ricky Gervais
Talent and humour are what makes the creator of tragic characters so appealing, not just his snaggled smile. 
Smile Confidence 
Madonna 
The Material Girl refuses to go overboard with bleaching agents on her gapped teeth. 
Smile Confidence 
Shane MacGowan
The lead singer for The Pogues has faced criticism for his rotting teeth and for years he let nature take it's course on the smile synonymous with the Irish punk scene... until last year that is. Great to see his veneers reflect the lifestyle he has. 
Smile Confidence 

Kate Moss
Her crooked smile is an attribute that makes this supermodel relatable in comparison to the other models from and beyond her era. 
Smile Confidence 
Pete Doherty 
The Libertines and Babyshambles singer has working class charisma and charm and a smile to match. 
Smile Confidence 

Sinead O'Connor
Absolutely one of the most striking faces, beautiful voices and equally naturally stunning smiles in history, the Mandinka singer is the definition of confidence and non-conforming. 
Smile Confidence 

Linda Perry
Songwriter to the stars and lead singer of 4 Non Blondes, her smile is imperfectly perfect.

Smile Confidence 

Johnny Depp
The actor who is identifiable by his quirky roles certainly kept most of his teeth natural as well as having a few gold teeth added in here and there. 
Smile Confidence 
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Tuesday, 30 August 2016

Make-Up & Beauty Dupes

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and I personally prefer a good dupe or alternative to the original (Urban Decay and Too Faced palettes are the exception to this rule). I especially like dupes for products and brands that are not readily available in the UK and Ireland. In November 2014 I made a video talking about a variety of cheaper make-up dupes and alternatives I have found for higher end cosmetics. Since then I made a playlist which incorporates the videos I have created where I discuss dupes, either in dedicated single product reviews or showing a variety of products which I consider to be dupes. This post is extremely long, however I have included photos of each product so that it is easier for you to scroll through, should something capture your attention. As I make find more dupes and make corresponding videos, this post will be altered and added to.  

The basis for me making these videos is that I question everything when it comes to who owns what in the cosmetics industry. I believe many brands use the same factories, or at least share patents on their designs but are doing a great job of keeping it all a superbrand secret. Some dupes which I have included in this post, I do not own the original products. I based my opinions on what I have and by reading reviews. You may also notice an improvement in the quality of the pictures and videos as I have upgraded my equipment since my first dupes video. Prices have increased as time goes on, so what I have stated as the price in any videos, will be corrected here. I will also include new dupes which I have found per item as time goes on. As I have touched on the same products in a few different videos, I will divide this post into two parts; videos and individual products, which will include the corresponding review videos where available. Part 2 will then be sub-divided per category pertaining to the type of cosmetic. 

Part 1: Dupes Videos
Make-Up Dupes - Urban Decay, Too Faced, Make-Up Revolution, Lime Crime, MAC and More! 

Make-Up Dupes 2 - Lorac, NARS, MAC, Chanel, Benefit, Nyx, Make-Up Forever + More! 

Make-Up Dupes 3 - Too Faced, MAC, Charlotte Tilbury, Stila & More!

Make-Up Dupes 4 - Morphe, Too Faced, MAC, Lorac, Chanel + More! 

Luxury vs. Drugstore Make-Up | Half Face High End, Half Face High Street | Dupes  

Part 2: Individual Products
Base & Multi-Use
MAC Face & Body Foundation £22/£29.50 
One of the best foundations I have ever used. It is water-based foundation, lightweight, long-wearing and sheer. It is buildable and the shade range is great. The dupe I have finishes a little bit more matte but overall they are pretty similar. 

Dupe: 
Make-Up Dupes: MAC face & body foundation
NARS Creamy Concealer £22.50 
I have the dupe and it is not my favourite concealer but it's not too bad. It is pigmented and covers very well but it can be a little tricky to blend out evenly which seems to be what the NARS one is like too. 

Dupe:
Make-Up Dupes: NARS creamy concealer
Make-Up Forever Flash Colour Case £75.50
I talked about this in my first dupes video, however, I did not have the dupe at hand until the second one. This is essentially a palette filled with grease paints. Highly sought after by professional make-up artists, it is a versatile palette which can be used for beauty make-up and special effects. Can be used for the eyes, lips, cheeks etc. It is such a such a versatile palette that you can literally create anything with it including foundation. 

Dupe: 
Make-Up Dupes - Make-Up Forever flash palette

Cheeks (Blusher)
Illamasqua 'Rude' Cream Blush £22 
Oh. My. God. Best. Blusher. Ever. The is the perfect peaches and cream color and because it is a cream formula, it looks more natural on the skin than a powder. This is my ultimate, all time, favorite blusher.

Dupes:
  • Sleek 'Californ.I.A' Blush By 3 Palette £10 as seen in Make-Up Dupes
  • Make-Up Revolution 'All About Cream' Blush Palette £6 (pictured here but only discovered this one after I made the video)
    Make-Up Dupes - Illamasqua cream blush in Rude
MAC 'Ripe Peach' Blush Ombre £16
Currently re-promoted through the Isabel & Ruben Toledo collection, this blush is a light coral whereas the dupe is more of an alternative as it a little bit deeper. But if used with a light hand in application, you could achieve the same results as ripe Peach without the pricetag. 

Dupe:
Make-Up Dupes: MAC Ripe Peach blush ombre
NARS 'Orgasm' Blush £23 
Mine is in the NARS Guy Bourdin palette but it is sold for this price as a single. This blusher is peachy pink with a beautiful golden iridescence. Another cult make-up product as it is very hyped about. The dupe is actually a more intense version. 

Dupes:
Make-Up Dupes: NARS Orgasm blush
NARS 'Exhibit A' Blush £23
This blush is a fire-engine red and is the perfect accompaniment to bronzer for cool skin tones like me. Having a blusher like Exhibit A gives a natural tan appearance and looks great hen layered on top or under bronzer for a sun-kissed look. The dupes I have are an exact match to Exhibit A. 

Dupes:
Benefit 'BeneTint' and 'PosieTint' Cheek & Lip Tints  £24.50 each 
Two of Benefit's beloved cheek and lip tints and some of the most imitated products I have ever seen. BeneTint is a sheer liquid formula which gives a rosy tint to cheeks and lips - think cold winter weather cheeks and just bitten lips. PosieTint is the poppy pink sister of BeneTint and is my favourite of the two. This is more of a gel texture and gives a brighter, healthier look to the cheeks and lips. The dupes I have are exact replicas of each the originals. 

Dupes:

Make-Up Dupes: Benefit BeneTint and PosieTint cheek and lip tints

Cheeks (Bronzer/Contour)
Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel Bronze Universel £32 
Luxury in a tub, this cream bronzer is a beautiful addition to any vanity table. It may be beautiful to look at but is it worth the huge price-tag? - which has actually increased in price since I reviewed it last year. The dupes I have are great alternatives to the Chanel bronzer. The W7 bronzer is a replica of the Chanel one. 

Dupes:
Make-Up Dupes: Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel 
Read here for a full comparison of the two. 

Benefit 'Hoola' Bronzer £23.50 
Matte, finely milled and silky soft to touch, Hoola bronzer is a cult product in the make-up world. The dupe I have feels exactly the same, and just like the original, is great for warming up sallow skin-tones.

Dupe:
Make-Up Dupes: Benefit Hoola bronzer

Cheeks (Highlighter)
Benefit 'Highbeam' and 'Sunbeam' Highlighters £19.50 each
Two of the most sought after highlighters circa 2006 and still as popular as ever. Highbeam is better suited to cool skin tones as it has a cool pink base. Sunbeam works best on warm skin tones as it has a yellow undertone and looks beautiful with bronzer and /or a tan. The dupes I have are identical to these. 

Dupes: 
Make-Up Dupes: Benefit Highbeam and Sunbeam highlighters
Hourglass 'Ambient Lighting' Highlight Palette £59
Featuring three shades of highlighter to create a sift focus finish on the skin, this palette has three variations of light-reflecting powders which can be used finish the base and highlight the skin. It gives such beautiful luminosity to the skin, as does the dupe.

 Dupe:
  • Make-Up Revolution 'Radiance Radiant Light' Highlight Palette £8 as seen in Make-Up Dupes 2
    Make-Up Dupe: Hourglass Ambient Lighting palette 

The Balm 'Mary Lou-Maninzer' Highlighter £16
A beautiful champagne shimmering highlighter that catches the light when applied strategically to the high points of the face such as centre of the lids, inner corners, Cupid's Bow and the tops of the cheeks. I forgot to include the dupe in the video but thought I would include the pictures here. I learned about this dupe from Dupe That. 

Dupe:
  • Elf 'Moonlights' Studio Baked Highlighter £4.50 as seen in Make-Up Dupes 2
    Make-Up Dupe: The Balm Mary Lou-Manizer highlighter 
Eyebrows
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz £15.50
A brow cult classic as are all of the ABH eyebrow products. Created by Anastasia Soare in order to enable everyone to create beautiful brows. I first saw Samantha Reilly talk about the dupe for it, it is just unfortunate that I bought the wrong color for myself. I will wait until I can swatch them before I re-purchase the correct shade. The duype has a brush on the end whereas the original has a spoolie wand to comb the product through the brows. 

Dupe:
Make-Up Dupe: Anastasia Beverly Hills brow wiz
Eyes (Single Eyeshadows & Bases)
MAC 'Painterly' Paint Pot £16
A matte nude beige cream eyeshadow and the dupe even stole the name of MAC's description of Painterly. Evens out the skin tone, prepping the eyes for eyeshadow. 

Dupe:
MAC 'Blackground' Paint Pot £16
A greyish black with a soft sparkle. This is a cream eyeshadow perfect for use as a base for smokey eyes. The dupe does not have as much as a sheen and is more black than Blackground. 

Dupe:
MAC 'Soft Ochre' Paint Pot £16
A matte yellow beige cream eyeshadow that is a popular base for creating neutral eyes. Evens out the skin tone, prepping the eyes for eyeshadow and counteracts redness on the eyelids.

Dupe:

MAC 'Moss Scape' Paint Pot -  £16
This does not seem to be available anymore but it is a stunning golden green and the dupe is an exact replica. 

Dupe:

MAC 'Rollickin' Paint Pot £16
Another discontinued one and another product I forgot to feature in my video but this is a great base for blue and green eyeshadows. The dupe is slightly lighter but worth picking up if you love ultra bright eye make-up. 

 Dupe:
MAC 'Club' eyeshadow £13/£10
Dupe:
Make-Up Dupes - MAC eyeshadow in Club
For more dupes for Club eyeshadow, read this.


Eyes (Eyeshadow Palettes)
Urban Decay 'Naked' Palette £38.50 
Urban Decay released their first instalment of their Naked eyeshadow range back in 2010. Five years later it is still as popular as ever and has expanded it's range beyond just it's second and third palette successors. With it's mostly warm undertones, original Naked suits a variety of eye colors and yellow based skin-tones. Worth the hype. Cue a whole army of copycats. 

Dupes include: 
Make-Up Dupes - Urban Decay naked palette
Make-Up Dupes - Urban Decay naked palette
Urban Decay 'Naked 2' Palette £38.50
The second palette was created for cooler skin-tones in mind as it is filled with cool neutral shades. 

Dupes include: 
Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette £38.50 
The third palette was the Naked 3 and my absolute favourite of the collection. Filled with rosy toned eyeshadows, it suits paler skinned girls who have a cool undertone like myself. 

 Dupes include: 
For more alternatives, read this.


Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette £23 as seen in Make-Up Dupes
When Naked and naked 2 was released, everyone complained that there was a real lack of mattes. Urban Decay plugged the gap in their Naked market with Naked Basics and Naked basics 2. I don't have dupes for the second matte palette but I do for the original. Naked Basics has six beautiful neutrals that can be used alone or in conjunction with the other Naked palettes to help shape and contour the eyes without any shimmer. 

Dupe: 
  • Make-Up Revolution 'Essential Matte' Palette £4
    Make-Up Dupes - Urban Decay naked basics palette
Urban Decay Smoked Palette £36 
This is a palette which I don't own but I have two dupes for. The original is 10 shadow palette that enables you to create a variety of smokey eyes. It is not a boring palette as it has some beautiful jewel tones as well as a few neutrals.  
Urban Decay 'Electric' Palette £38
Just what every make-up junkie needs is a palette filled with electric bright pressed pigments and that is what Urban Decay did when they created released the Electric palette. This is so sickeningly acidic and I love it. 

Dupe:
  • Make-Up Revolution Salvation 'Ultimate Colour Chaos' Palette £6 as seen in Make-Up Dupes
    Make-Up Dupes - Urban Decay electric palette
For more alternatives to the Electric palette, read this.

 Too Faced 'Chocolate Bar' Palette £39 
Oh mama I love this palette (and her new sister, Semi-Sweet) the most out of everything I own. Chocolate addicts cannot resist the sweet scent of the cocoa infused eyeshadows and make-up junkies will love the kitsch quality to the packaging. This is a fabulous palette of neutrals with pops of colour. No girl should be without this one. The dupe is the same only without the sweet smell. 

Dupe:
  • I Heart Make-Up 'I Heart Chocolate' Palette £7.99 as seen in Make-Up Dupes
    Make-Up Dupes - Too Faced chocolate bar palette
Lorac 'Pro' Palette £28
A 16 shade palette filled with half matte and half shimmer shades. Designed by celebrity make-up artist Carol Shaw, this is the perfect palette for creating red carpet glamour. They are velvety smooth and easy to blend. A must have palette for any neutral lover. 

Dupe:

Lorac 'Pro 2' Palette £28
The sequel to the original pro palette is the pro 2. It has the same half matte, half shimmer shades but with more colour in mind. My favourite of the Lorac pro palettes is this one especially for the jewel tone shades it has to offer. 

Dupe:

Eyes (Eyeliners)
Urban Decay 'Stash' 24/7 Glide-On Pencil £15.50
One of my favourite ever colours as it such a gorgeous shade of green. It is a khaki with a hint of gold and perfect fr blue and brown eyes. Ridiculously overpriced and the dupe is just as good. 

Dupe:
  • Avon 'Khaki' Supershock Gel Eyeliner Pencil £3 as seen in Make-Up Dupes 2
    Make-Up Dupe: Urban Decay Stash 24/7 glide-on pencil
Lips (Pencils)
MAC 'Cherry' Lip Pencil £12.50
A vivid-bright blue toned red lip pencil from MAC - and the dupe is an exact match!

Dupe:
MAC 'Stone' Lip Pencil £12.50
A muted taupe shade with a neutral undertone. The dupe is the same only a fraction lighter. 

Dupe:

MAC 'Spice' Lip Pencil £12.50
A brown pink cinnamon lip pencil which is the perfect 90s overlined lip look. The dupe is a shade deeper with a little bit less pink than Spice. 

Dupe:
Nyx Earth Tone Lip Pencil £3.50
A mauve brown lip pencil and an alternative to MAC's Spice. The dupe I have found is an exact match. 
Dupe:
Lips (Lipsticks & Glosses)
Lime Crime 'Salem' Velevtine Liquid Lipstick £14.95 
In recent years two make-up trends have commanded the attention of brands and consumers - one is liquid lipsticks and the other is 90s brown tones. Salem combines both as it applies like a liquid but sets to a matte brown. I personally prefer the dupe as it reapplies much more smoothly than Salem and it also feels way more comfortable on the lips. Dupe: 
Make-Up Dupes - Lime Crime velvetine in Salem
MAC 'Velvet Teddy' Lipstick £15.50 
This a medium beige shade and is another 90s color that has seen a big resurgence and it is all thanks to Kylie Jenner. 

Dupe:
Make-Up Dupes - MAC lipstick in Velvet Teddy

Make-Up Dupes - MAC lipstick in Velvet Teddy

Too Faced Melted Liquid Lipsticks £19 each
A liquid lipstick that does not feel sticky - somewhere between a gloss and a lipstick and leaves a nice stain after it has worn off. 

Dupes:
Make-Up Dupe: Too Faced Melted liquid lipsticks
MAC 'Twig' Lipstick £15.50
A soft muted brownish pink is another 90s shade that has been popular recently.

Dupes:
MAC 'Lovelorn' Lipstick £15.50
A beautiful blue toned pink and perfect for brides. 

Dupe:
MAC 'Lady Danger' Lipstick £15.50
A vivid bright orange red colour with a matte finish. The dupes are not matte but they are from the same colour family and can always be mattified with a translucent powder. 

Dupes:

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