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Bargain Buying, Makeup, Product Comparison

Mac Teddy Eye Kohl Dupe?

I do not use the word dupe lightly, in fact I rarely use it! ‘Tis a big statement. And I’m still dubious in my use of it here, but sure didn’t I have to get you to click, and I promise this Mac Teddy Eye Kohl ‘dupe’ is bloody good 🙂

I actually own the alternative much longer than I own Mac Teddy Eye Kohl. But I know how much it is beloved in the makeup world.

It’s a medium, warm bronzed brown eye kohl with flecks of shimmer going through it.

You can really build up the colour across the lash line, or it is really nice smudged out on the lid for a more bronzed effect. It’s available from all Mac Cosmetics retailers and from the Brown Thomas website here. It will set you back €18.00.

So onto my alternative! You’ve actually probably heard me talk about this before. I actually used it in my Urban Decay Heat video here.

It’s the H&M Colour Essence Eye Pencil in Raw Umber.

I got this after I saw Anna from The Anna Edit chatting about it. Like Teddy it’s a medium brown kohl with flecks of gold shimmer running through it. You can buy it in store or on the H&M website here. It’s actually on sale at the moment for £1.99. They’re usually €4.99 in store I believe.

I was just playing with my makeup randomly. Yes, I do this, no it’s not weird. It’s a past time and I enjoy it 🙂 I happened to swatch all the pencils I had in my reach for a closer look, still not weird! Mac Teddy Eye Kohl and H&M Raw Umber happened to end up side by side on my hand and I noticed that that they are super similar.

Now, the reason I don’t use the word dupe willy nilly is because it’s rare that products are exactly the same and that’s what I feel that word is reserved for. Teddy is drier in formula and has less sparkle to it. As a result it is more precise. Raw Umber is much creamier in texture and has more sparkle running through it. It also sets better and on me lasts longer on the skin. They’re both really similar in tone though and give a very similar look applied on the eyes.

You can see here the two swatches side by side after I let them set and then swiped across them with my finger. Teddy definitely did the worst out of the two.

For me I prefer a softer texture when it comes to eye kohls as I don’t like to tug on the skin. So if I had to choose between them, I think Raw Umber would be for me. Complete personal preference though, they are both lovely.

Have you tried either of them?

xxx

August 23, 2017/1 Comment/by Gem

Archives, Bargain Buying, Makeup

Essence Make Me Brow Eyebrow Gel

Ok, I’ll hold my hands up I’ve never actually used the Benefit Gimme Brow so I can’t really compare. But seeing it in action online and on other people I reckon the Essence Make Me Brow Eyebrow Gel is a really good…alternative to it 🙂 And the best part is, it will only set you back 3 quid!!

I picked mine up in Penneys/Primark but I am sure you can get this in any place that stocks Essence. I got the darker shade but there is a light one, which I might get aswell, to have, just in case 🙂

The packaging itself is tiny and so is the brush which is awesome because you can really use it to catch onto every eyebrow hair. The gel itself is coloured and has tiny fibres on it to help bulk up the brows you already have. So you can use it on it’s own for a naturally enhanced look. Great for days when you just don’t feel like doing much but you want to look somewhat put together.

It doesn’t go hard or flakey which is a really important element. That is one of my pet peeves with brow gel. Your caterpillars still feel soft and…hair like when the gel has dried.

I personally have a hate relationship with my damn brows so I would usually use the Make Me Brow over powder or pencil or even both depending on my brow mood. But I have used it below on a clean brow to show you the subtle but definite difference it gives.

Before Make Me Brow Application

After Make Me Brow Application

Can you see it? Don’t judge my brow it’s the best one I have 🙂

Honestly, I cannot say anything bad about the Essence Make Me Brow. Its such a great little product with a great little price to boot. If you’ve been toying with getting the Benefit Gimme Brow, give the Make Me Brow a go first, you’ve nothing to loose sure 🙂

xxx

June 25, 2015/2 Comments/by Gem

Makeup, Product Comparison

Bourjois Bronzing Primer V Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel

The bit of sunshine in Ireland is making me slightly obsessed with bronzer and bronzing at the minute, I haven’t really shut up about them in the last while so apologies if you’re not a fan 🙂

I’ve owned both the Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel and the Bourjois Bronzing Primer for a long time now and they always tend to get pulled out more around this time of year. What are they you might ask? They are bronzing bases, that you can use to warm up your face under foundation, or just on their own if you are lucky and have lovely skin.

I personally use them as you would a cream bronzer. I to use them after I have applied my foundation and hit the parts of my face I would normally contour. I use them on their own if I am just going for a more subtle look or I apply powder on top for more definition, really depends on the day or the situation.

They are both two very different price points. Do they do the same thing?

The Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel.

The Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel is a cream product with a dense formula, that in my opinion is best applied with a dense synthetic brush.

As you would expect from Chanel, it is really pigmented and easy to blend into the skin.You can build it up quite quickly. It does have a slightly orange undertone so a light hand and alot of buffing is needed if you are lighter skinned like myself. It has a lovely light florally scent that is familiar to Chanel.

Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel Swatched

The Bourjois Bronzing Primer.

The Bourjois Bronzing Primer has a whipped, creamy formula. It is mousse like to the touch.

It applies much more liberally that the Soleil Tan De Chanel as it is more of a wet consistency. I prefer to apply this with a small synthetic duo fibre brush as you can control your application that way. This is a pigmented product, so apply a little at a time, but it does blend out quite sheer. You need to build it up if you want a more intense bronzing effect. It smells like coconut and chocolate, nice if you like a sweet holiday scent.

Bourjois Bronzing Primer Swatched

These products compare pretty closely. In the pan they look different, obviously the packaging is a bit more swish and fancy on the Chanel offering. They both have the same amount of product in the tub. They both bronze your face and do it nicely. They are both a matte finish. The Soleil Tan De Chanel does pack more of a punch in the pigment stakes and you don’t need as much of it as you do the Bourjois one, and it sets quicker on the skin, it’s also €38.50 though! The bronzing primer from Bourjois is not as elegant but it is a hell of alot cheaper at €12.99!!

I love having the Chanel one, it was a treat from the bf and owning anything Chanel makes me feel ladylike. I think when I run out of both and decide I still want a cream bronzer I would be more inclined to pick up the Bourjois Bronzing Primer, it just makes better mathematical sense (you won’t hear me say that very often).

Do you have either of them? What’s you take on it? I would love to know?

xxx

May 1, 2015/by Gem

Posts

I do not use the word dupe lightly, in fact I rarely use it! ‘Tis a big statement. And I’m still dubious in my use of it here, but sure didn’t I have to get you to click, and I promise this Mac Teddy Eye Kohl ‘dupe’ is bloody good 🙂

So onto my alternative! You’ve actually probably heard me talk about this before. I actually used it in my Urban Decay Heat video here.

Have you tried either of them?

The bit of sunshine in Ireland is making me slightly obsessed with bronzer and bronzing at the minute, I haven’t really shut up about them in the last while so apologies if you’re not a fan 🙂