August Favourites

The Summer months are coming to a close and I am super excited to get my fall makeup sorted but for the time being I am going to enjoy the last of the sunshine and glowy light makeup. For the past while, my favourites haven’t been too exciting as I have been using the same products again and again, sadly again this is the quite the same for this month. However there is a couple of newbies and things I’ve been trying out that I have really liked! Hopefully though for next month, I will have a selection of interesting products!

Starting with skincare, when my Oskia cleanser ran out, I started to try out this travel size Aurelia Miracle Cleanser. This is a cream based cleanser with Chamomile, Eucalptus, Rosemary and Bergamot. It feels incredibly silky and gentle on the skin and makes such a nice second cleanser for the evening. It is quite pricey particularly when the Liz Earle one is very similar however it really feels like a dream to use.

I am always on the lookout for skincare products that can help with my breakouts so I was excited to try out this Super Spot Remover from Origins. I am a huge Origins fan but spot removers never tend to go down well with me. However I have really enjoyed using this one. It isn’t a miracle worker but it helps repair skin by healing blemishes. I use a drop at night over any blemishes and by morning it dries up the area which makes it fade much faster! The tube is very small but it will last a long time!

On to makeup picks, a product I’ve had in my stash for a while is the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Spotlight in Opal. This is essentially a liquid highlighter and this mini comes with a little doe foot applicator easy to swipe on for a gorgeous glow. Opal is a gorgeous pearl-y golden shade which looks natural and soft on the cheeks. Becca really are queens at highlighter!

The last two favourites are newer in my collection. Firstly the Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise in Bette which I mentioned in this post here. I love a good cream eyeshadow and this ticks all the boxes. It is beautifully creamy, pigmented and the colour is stunning! Lastly, is the Benefit Goof Proof Brow Pencil again which I mentioned here. This is such an easy and simple brow pencil which looks super natural but builds up really well on my brows. It is also super convenient when I am rushing to get out the door!

What have you been loving recently?

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The Benefit Brow Collection

Guess who’s back… back again! Oh yeah, I am finally back after what turned out to be a two week absence but I’m back to start blogging again with no technical issues *fingers crossed* Anyway I am here to discuss a new beauty launch that I am sure many of you will have seen in the last month or two now from Benefit. Benefit have always been the queen brand for brows and now they have went and topped it all off with a whole new brow collection set with some old favourites and new launches altogether in a new silver futuristic style packaging. Having got a few samples from the collection, I thought I would share my thoughts on some of the products on offer!

I’ve always loved a simple wind-up brow pencil as they are super easy so I was excited to see the new Goof Proof Brow Pencil. If you are familiar with the likes of the Soap and Glory Archery and the Anastasia Brow Wiz then this is basically a very similar idea. The great thing about this pencil is that it is slanted so is a perfect and convenient shape to work through brows. It really is fool proof, or should I say goof proof… It comes in 6 shades which is pretty decent and a lot better than the selection Benefit used to have.

Having spent ages doing your brows, the last thing you want is them to fly out of place. A clear brow gel works well to set brows in place and Benefit have released their own entitled Ready, Set, Brow! I’ve never used a clear setting gel before so I can’t really compare it to anything else. It is nice enough however I haven’t really experienced the need to have my brows being set as the products I use are always long-wearing. The gel doesn’t feel uncomfortable or sticky which is good although all I would say is that I do feel like the applicator would be better like a round spoolie rather than being flat.

To finish on a high, Benefit have also included one of my favourites, Gimme Brow. If you have been reading this blog for a while you may be familiar with my feelings on this one. It is basically a tinted eyebrow gel with micro fibres which work to help thicken your brows and make them appear fuller. It really is a great and super easy product and definitely worth the money as it lasts so long. The addition of extra shades is also very welcomed considering there only was two! Definitely one I recommend!

What do you think of this new collection? 

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The Best Holiday Beauty Buys

We are well and truly in the swing of all things Christmas now! With the countdown fully on (3 weeks to go!!!) its time to get that party outfit sorted and of course make sure all the Christmas shopping is done. I truly love this time of year when it comes to beauty products as there is so many great deals but also those lust worthy limited edition gift sets that obviously make a great gift but are also a pretty good gift to yourself too! I couldn’t hold myself back this year and picked up a few Christmas beauty products that are a great way of trying products out without the commitment of a full size. There is a million gift guides out there but I thought I would share some of the best beauty holiday sets that would make the perfect gift for a beauty lover or maybe just yourself!

MAC never fail to disappoint at this time of year with their Festive collections. With brush kits, lip-gloss sets and mini palettes there is so much to choose from. Although something I’ve always wanted to try from Mac is their pigments and I am still kicking myself for not picking up the set last year although I made up for it this year. With three pigment sets available from a blue toned set, a purple and a bronze, I went for the more wearable bronze collection that contains 3 pigments and a 1 glitter. Shimmer and sparkle is perfect for this time of year so these pigments are great for the party season. I know loose pigments are a bit intimidating but after trying one of them out I have to say there is nothing to be worried about. I didn’t find them overly messy at all, simply spraying a flat shader brush with face mist, it picks up the product so well without any fall out. I really cannot wait to get these out for Christmas and New Year although any recommendations on using the glitter as it isn’t eye safe? Anyway at £26 its a pretty good deal and a great way to try your hand at pigments!

You can also always count on Benefit to have a fab selection of gift sets at this time of year to suit every budget. I am a huge fan of Benefit and if you haven’t tried a lot of their products then their gift sets are a great way to as they contain some of the Benefit classics that everyone loves. Again I am pretty annoyed at myself for not picking up the blush set from last year but a very similar product was released this year. The Real Cheeky Party set contains 5 of their Box O’ Powders; Dandelion, Rockateur, Sugarbomb, Hoola and Coralista which is one less than last year but also has the addition of a mini Watt’s up highlighter, They’re Real eyeliner and my favourite They’re Real mascara. In terms of the powders, I have only used Hoola before hand so the set is a great way to try out some of their popular blushes as well as their gorgeous highlighter. At £29.50 with a value of over £100 it is a complete steal.

For a budget friendly stocking filler, Too Faced have released a mini version of their Better Than Sex mascara for a more affordable £10. I spoke about my thoughts on this one here but this cute little mini is a great way to try it out if like me you have desperate to see what all the hype is about.

For skincare lovers, Emma Hardie also have the perfect stocking filler, a mini of their classic moringa cleansing balm with a cleansing cloth. I have heard so much about this cleanser and have been wanting to try it out for so long but with a high price tag it hadn’t been scored off the wishlist although this is a great way to try it out especially at a very decent £10! Skincare can be pretty tricky to buy as gifts if you don’t know about how someone else’s skin is although as this is suited to all skin types it will make a perfect gift!

Apologies for mentioning this for the billionth time but I couldn’t miss another opportunity to talk about the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit. A totally gorgeous palette set with six different powders including bronzer, blush and setting powder. It is the perfect palette with everything you need in it making it great for traveling and all the powders are great quality. At £65 the value for money is pretty awful but it looks super gorgeous! Check my full review here.

Lastly, one of my favourite little holiday sets comes from Becca. Their highlighters are super popular and I’ve been longing to try them for so long so the Glow on the Go set is the perfect gift for those trying to get their highlight on ‘fleek’. The set contains a mini of their Skin Perfector Pressed in the shade Opal and their Shimmering Skin Perfector Opal in a spotlight wand. The powder is super pigmented and creamy and the liquid perfector is super dewy on the skin. At £20 it is a fab buy and great to try the Becca range out!

Have you bought any beauty Christmas gift sets this year?

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Benefit They’re Real Tinted Primer

Benefit are without a doubt the queen of mascara. I am a fan of each one of their mascaras but particularly the cult favourite They’re Real. It gives me the most perfect eyelashes and I really couldn’t ask for much more. As a huge fan, you can probably imagine my excitement and curiosity at seeing a new product as part of the They’re Real range. As part of this months December issue of Elle they are giving away a free mini They’re Real Tinted Primer. Yes you heard me right, a tinted primer! Similarly to the beginning of the year when Elle gave away a free sample of Benefit Roller Lash, they are now giving you another exclusive look at a future new Benefit product! So with They’re Real being a coveted item in my collection, does the primer match up?

The idea of a lash primer is a pretty new concept and one I haven’t really tried out. You may be familiar with the Estee Lauder Little Black Primer which offers a very similar concept. Basically you use this on bare lashes and then top your favourite mascara on top. The primer is said to boost the length and separation of the lashes to add a little more ‘oomph’ to your normal mascara. For me, I don’t really find this makes an incredible difference. The primer has a really nice long and thin wand that makes it easy to cover the lashes and it does separate the lashes well too. Although honestly I don’t see much of a boost in length or volume, it just seems like an unnecessary extra step in my routine.

Although not all is bad. Worn alone, this primer makes a really nice everyday minimal makeup mascara. If you are someone who doesn’t tend to like very dramatic eyelashes this is a mascara for you. It defines the lashes beautifully and creates a lovely fluttery natural look. The primer also comes in a mink brown shade (the magazine sample anyway) which makes a nice difference to black and is a lot more softer for everyday wear. So whilst I am not digging the whole lash primer thing, I still think it works super well as a daily wear natural looking mascara.

What are your thoughts on the lash primer?

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The Going Out Makeup Look

Despite still being in my teen years I have a rather poor social life. I rarely venture out for nights out on the town instead favoring staying in to watch a load of crap weekend TV. Since it’s such a rare occasion I do step out I do like to up my makeup game and put in the effort. All my favourite and top makeup picks come out to play in being those trustworthy products that I know will stick around for a long night. There is no surprise really that it’s all high end products that made the cut as I do like to make good use of my investment pieces that I know work well for me. I did surprisingly head out last weekend although for a very special occasion as I headed to see One Direction in concert so obviously I wanted to look my best. There is a mix of newbies and old favourites that I have put together to form a killer night out look.

Starting with base, this is really were I put a lot of trust in my products to be long lasting and work for my skin. As always I start with primer and of course my holy grail Smashbox Photo Finish Primer excels in helping makeup last longer and still looks fresh throughout the night. I’ve never found as good a foundation as Nars Sheer Glow. It provides a buildable satin finish and blends beautifully into the skin. Another favourite from Nars is their Creamy Radiant Concealer which does the best job at concealing blemishes and redness. Mine is currently running low which does make me panic cause pricey repurchase may be necessary! In terms of concealing eyes, I start with my Bobbi Brown corrector to cancel out any discoloration under the eyes then use my Clarins Instant Concealer over the top.

On to the more exciting products to give my complexion a little bit of life. I am so excited to say that I finally own the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow Palette. This palette is what dreams are made of. It is so gorgeous. I firstly use the sculpt shade to warm up my complexion and give my cheekbones a little definition. Then I like to go a little crazy with highlighter by patting it on to the tops of my cheekbones for that intense glow. To perk up the cheeks you can never go wrong with the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes in particular the shade Diffused Heat. With highlighting properties these blushes really light up the skin and don’t appear flat.

Onto the eyes. As usual my Benefit Gimme Brow for a little sweep through the brows to make them a little fuller. In terms of eyeshadow, I have been going a little palette crazy recently. I finally picked up the Urban Decay Smoky palette cause obviously I had to, right? With deep intense shades it works perfectly at creating more full on night out looks. The shimmer shades in particular in this palette are truly stunning and the shade Radar is one I am forever reaching for. For the full on dramatic eye look I like to finish by curling my eyelashes with the Shu Uemera eyelash curlers and many coats of the Benefit They’re Real mascara.

To finish off, I like to add something a little bold to the lips. I find going out gives me the perfect opportunity to crack out the bold dark shades. One shade I have been reaching for recently has been Mac D For Danger, a bold berry red shade in a matte finish that sticks around from dinner to drinks to home time.

What products do you reach for on a night out?

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The Minimal Makeup Look

We all have those days were we want a fuss free makeup menu that will take a limited amount of time. I certainly have those days and since starting work this Summer I have nailed down a quick makeup routine that is easy and appropriate for a day at work. I am thinking those easy and convenient products but also ones that I can trust to create a good base. There are quite a few products in my stash that serve this purpose pretty well.

First up, when it comes to base I want something simple, lightweight but also creates radiant and flawless skin. Sounds like a lot but BareMinerals Complexion Rescue fits the bill. The light coverage base blends in like a dream and creates such gorgeous glowy fresh skin. Teamed with the Nars Creamy Concealer which gives the coverage it serves up a flawless base. Still sticking with the base, to warm things up a bit my new trusty Body Shop Honey Bronzer is a match made in heaven for my pale skin. For quick and easy application, the Rimmel Stay Blushed cheek tint works perfectly at adding a little flushed look to the cheeks. To keep on top of the glow the Topshop Glow Pot is the perfect product for adding a sheen to the tops of the cheekbones.

Moving on to eyes. there is nothing quite as easy and simple as a good eyeshadow stick. The By Terry Ombre Blackstars are as good as the hype suggests. The shade Misty Rock is simply beautiful and the formula is incredible gliding over the lids smoothly with a gorgeous finish. To finish the look, a quick swipe of the Benefit Bad Gal mascara for that natural fluttery style which is perfect for an everyday basis. For brows, the Soap and Glory Archery works wonders and is perfect for those minimal makeup days when you need something natural but still tidied up.  To finish the look, a simple sweep of the Clarins Lip Balm Perfector is a great choice, super moisturising and buttery smooth on the lips whilst still giving them a little colour.

What do you wear on Minimal Makeup days?

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August Favourites

Like every monthly favourites post it is pretty much a necessity to start with the how is it *enter month* already! Really though, how scary is it that we are now reaching Autumn! I remember last Autumn like it was yesterday, it feels like we haven’t even had Summer yet! Anyway scary thoughts aside, it’s time to roundup some of my favourite products from the month. I had quite a few favourites this month since I stuck to a pretty similar routine everyday during the month. Not out of habit or laziness but I found and rediscovered some favourites that I will cherish for a long time to come.

First up was a rediscovery for me after being left abandoned in my makeup collection. The Urban Decay Naked 2 palette is a classic well-loved product and it’s only took me like 8 months to properly get into it! I received this palette at Christmas and of course being one of the Naked palettes I knew it was a winner already. However since I had so many makeup free days and quick 5 minute makeup routines, I never really had any time to start lugging out any eyeshadow palettes so sadly this got quite neglected. Over the month though I have started to fall in love with this palette. As you would expect from Urban Decay the quality is amazing. The shadows are super pigmented, buttery and easy to work with. You can create so many gorgeous looks with this either for daytime or for a night out. I am super glad I started using this again as I love it! If you want to recall my full review and swatches, see my post here.

There is no surprise really that the BareMinerals Complexion Rescue would get a mention. This was such a raved about base product I had to pick it up and I am so glad I did. It’s the most perfect Summer base or for those minimal makeup days. It basically gives you a better version of your skin, think dewy and fresh. It blends in like a dream and has a pretty good lasting power too! A product I know I can rely on for years to come! Check my full review here.

If you remember earlier this month I posted about my love for Mac Brave lipstick. Obviously after it being my go-to choice for lipstick over the month it is well worth a favourites mention. This is such a perfect everyday lipstick, I am obsessed. It is like the more muted version of my favourite lipstick, Mac Twig. It’s a pretty dusky mauve pink that gives a little twist on a simple everyday nude lip. It totally lives up to the whole ‘my lips but better’. The satin finish is also super creamy and comfortable on the lips and is pretty decent in longevity too!

This month, I also discovered a killer eyelash combo. Benefit’s They’re Real mascara was always a favourite of mine but it got pushed aside lately to welcome the arrival of Benefit Rollerlash. To prevent any mascara wastage going on I picked it back up this month and realised what I was missing out on. Teamed with my Shu Uemura eyelash curlers it creates to die for eyelashes. They’re Real really lengthens your lashes although the curl was something that it struggled with. With a pair of amazing eyelash curlers it really opens the eyelashes and creates such a nice curl. The two together just looks hella fierce (I did just say that yes) and I love it. You can check my Benefit mascara trio review here.

Lastly was another newbie in my collection that I really couldn’t wait to get my hands on. The Body Shop Honey Bronzer is talked about a lot and for good reason.  I picked up Shade 2 which is still pretty light but a perfect shade. It really is a perfect bronzer for anyone with fair skin. It’s such a fine powder that blends in beautifully and being a matte formula it is super good for warming up the skin or giving a slight contour. It is also pretty affordable especially with all the amazing Body Shop offers so definitely one to add to the shopping basket.

P.S This post marks one year of monthly favourites posts! Yay! *celebration dance*

What have you been loving this month?

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What’s in My Travel Makeup Bag?

So I mentioned briefly in my June Monthly Roundup that I am going away on holiday this month. So I thought I would share with you all some of the makeup pieces that have made the cut in my makeup bag. I am going with a streamlined approach, as I like to think anyway by only taking essentials and pretty much one of each beauty product except for lips (obviously, gal needs choices!). So here is what is in my travel makeup bag…

Starting with the makeup bag itself. It deserves its own mention alone because of course its from Charlotte Tilbury. I did a little CT splurge last month and since I never had a decent makeup bag and I was going away I thought I needed this beauty in my life. I love it but I will talk about it all in a little more detail another time…

Onto the makeup. Firstly, base. I have packed my trusty Laura Mercier foundation primer to help pro-long the wear of my makeup in the heat. Not as good as the Smashbox primer in my opinion but it’s still one of the best ones I’ve tried. I also picked up a new base in the form of the Topshop BB cream. I wanted something lightweight for Summer and so far so good with this one, the coverage is actually pretty decent! On top of that of course my favourite Nars Creamy concealer (review here) and the Maybelline Eraser Eye concealer for under the eyes which truthfully I am still a bit iffy about.

Then to give my complexion a bit of a boost. I have also added in my Rimmel Stay Blushed liquid blush in Sunkissed Cherry which is super lightweight but offers such a nice colour to the cheeks. For a little added warmth and glow the Soap and Glory Wonderbronze is a fab bronzer for the Summer months. Also, the Topshop Glow stick highlighter in Play Up makes an addition for an easy swipe of glow and radiance.

Then, in terms of eyes I’ve stuck with two reliable Benefit products. Firstly, the Rollerlash mascara (review here) which lengthens and curls the lashes super well and the Benefit Gimme Brow (review here) to give my eyebrows a little colour and definition. Of course I’ve also got the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze which is one of my favourites, great formula and perfect bronze-y gold colour.

Then I have all the choices when it comes to lips! As I am out and about for once I’ve added in some bright bold shades that deserve a little loving. I love the Nars Lip Pencils, super long lasting formula and super creamy and smooth to apply. I have Yu which I mentioned in my June Favourites, a bold fuschia pink and Iberico (LE) a stunning orange-y red that I am so excited to wear (swatches for both here). I’ve also got my two new Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks in Sexy Sienna and Lost Cherry, both perfect for Summer! Lastly, I also had to get one of the Clinique Lip Pop lipsticks and chose Melon Pop, a beautiful coral-y peach perfect for everyday wear and a little lower key than my other choices.

If you have succeeded to this line then well done, sorry for the uber long post!

What makeup will you be wearing this Summer?

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The Spring Blush Edit

If there is one thing I am loving at the moment, its a bit of blush. Just a touch of pink on the cheeks is enough to add a little life and energy to a rather dull complexion. With Spring here (or not considering the weather lately) I’ve been stashing away my darker berry blushes in favour of light pinks and corals and I am loving it. In fact I am getting pretty blush obsessed recently and I could totally do some damage in the beauty aisles searching for some newbies for my collection… *hides bank card* Anyway here are some of my picks for Spring.

MAC Ripe Peach – Its pretty damn dreamy, am I right!? Now if you seen my full review on this one here, you may recall I was slightly disappointed with the formula of this pretty blush. The pigmentation isn’t great and it does take a bit of building to get any colour pay off but for this time of year the subtle peachy tones just add a little warmth to the complexion. It has a slight shimmer to it but not too much, this is a blush I can see myself reaching for during summer for just a little boost of colour.

Rimmel Stay Blushed Sunkissed Cherry – A cheap and cheerful choice from Rimmel. I love this liquid blush. When I say liquid, its more of a creamier thicker consistency but not too thick. The great thing about this blush is you only need the tiniest amount and it creates such a beautiful flush of pink on the cheeks. Due to the liquid/cream formula it also appears super natural on the cheeks, perfect for Spring.

Nars Orgasm – Lets try get over the weird name. I have spoken about this one briefly here. Its a classic. When I bought this I wore it religiously and then as Winter approached I turned to darker shades but now its back out. Its a beautiful shimmery pink without being overly shimmery. The pigmentation and quality of this blush is fantastic and I really am lusting over a couple more from Nars. Again you only need a light-handed sweep of this to achieve a pretty and natural flush of colour.

Benefit Majorette – Of course if I had the chance I would mention this one again and again. This really does have Spring written all over it. A beautiful coral peach shade and in a great workable cream formula. You can use this as a blush booster (under another blush) or by itself (which is the option I do). Alone it creates such a beautiful pop of colour on the cheeks. I love it, you can see my full review here.

What blushes are you reaching for this Spring? 

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