The Christmas Party Makeup

It’s the season of red lips and glitter, my favourite! I had a Christmas party last weekend so thought I was the perfect excuse to show some of my top picks for the party season. Expect the standard cliché red lips, glitter and lots of highlighter!

In terms of base, I like to go for something I can trust to be long wearing and provide the coverage! Of course I opted for my trusty Nars Sheer Glow along with my usual concealer combo of the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer and Mac Prep + Prime highlighter in Light Boost. To top it off, I applied a light layer of the Chanel Les Beiges powder to keep things in place!

To add more warmth to my skin, I bronzed up with the Too Faced Sweethearts bronzer which I love! I then added more definition with the Kevin Aucoin sculpting powder and topped it off with a lot of the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed highlighter in Pearl because if you can’t have go overboard with highlighter at Christmas, when can you!?

For eyes, the Mac pigments came out to play! I picked up the Bronze set from holiday collection, using the a combination of both Stardream and Handsome Prince. Of course I added some liner using my favourite Kat Von D Tattoo Liner. I finished my eyes with the Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant mascara.

Finally, I obviously finished with some red lips for the ultimate Christmas party look using Mac Russian Red.

What are your party picks?

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Things To Do This Christmas

This time of year is my favourite, not just because of the big day itself on the 25th but also the excitement of the run up til Christmas when there is just so much going on! Whilst I may not be concerned on all things festive just yet with exams on the horizon (just a few more days to go til its all over!!), I do love spending time doing Christmas-y things. So I have made a list of some of my favourite things to do around this time of year, both big and small to help get you in the festive spirit!

• Make a Christmas play-list with all your favourite Christmas songs (I personally cannot wait to do this!)
• Do some Christmas baking, mince pies or maybe some gingerbread men?
• Try out a Christmas drink from a coffee shop, I personally love the Starbucks Gingerbread Latte and Frappuccino!
• Tackle the Christmas shopping!
• Visit a Christmas market!
• Treat yourself to a limited edition holiday beauty product! (I love the Nars products!)
• Burn your favourite Christmas candle, I love The White Company Winter candle!
• Decorate your home!
• Stock up on Christmas Lush goodies (see my picks here!)
• Have a Christmas movie night!
• Get all the glitter out cause… IT’S CHRISTMAS!

What do you like to do at this time of year?

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Nars Sarah Moon Holiday 2016 Collection

Nars is without a doubt one of, if not, my favourite makeup brand. Everything I try from the brand excels in quality with a great shade range and selection to chose from as well as the uber sleek packaging. When it comes round to Christmas, Nars are always on top form with their amazing holiday collections and this year was no exception. This year’s collection was based around Sarah Moon, a French photographer with packaging inspired by her work. Instead of the usual gift sets that I am always going for, this year the colour collection appealed to me again.

I picked up two products from the colour collection, an eyeshadow duo and a lipstick. Starting with the eyeshadow pick, I have always had my eye on some of the Nars eyeshadow duos but never picked one up. When I caught my eye on Quai Des Brumes, I just had to pick it up, isn’t limited edition products such a great marketing trick! The duo features two grey toned shades, one a silvery mauve lilac shimmer shade and the other a charcoal grey with specks of gold shimmer. The shades are super unique, particularly the shimmer shade and they both work so beautifully together. They are both amazingly pigmented too however one problem I have with the duo is the longevity. These shadows seem to disappear in no time on my lids! I may have to try out a few different primers because the shades are too beautiful to not use!

The other product I picked up was a lipstick (of course!). The collection features a selection of the slim Nars lipsticks which I had not previously tried. Named the Moon Matte lipsticks, I picked up the nude shade Indecent Proposal. The colour is my perfect shade, a gorgeous warm rosy nude brown which a matte finish. What I love the most about this lipstick however is the incredible formula. For being a matte lipstick, it is incredibly creamy and comfortable. Probably one of the best matte formulas I’ve came across!

Are you a fan of this collection?

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The Holiday Beauty Wishlist

Whilst this time of year is super exciting for buying gifts for your close ones and all the festive treats, it is also nice to give yourself a little treat! Being a beauty lover, I get so hyped for the holiday season as all the holiday Christmas collections and gift sets are released! That means little sets which can help save extra pennies in your pocket and also new limited edition collections. Of course you can’t beat festive beauty with sparkly gold eye-shadows and red lip products! With loads of new releases and gift sets available, I thought I would share what is on my list to pick up this year which may also give you a little hint for yourself or if you are picking up a gift for a makeup enthusiast!

Last year, I picked up a mini set from Becca containing two of their popular highlighters in the Opal shade. This year they have brought it back in the same format with a mini liquid highlighter and mini powder version however this time around it is in the Moonstone shade which I have never tried. As you may know I am a huge fan of the Becca highlighters so this little set retailing for £20 is such a steal and I can’t wait to try out this beautiful shade!

I’ve always wanted to try the cult By Terry Baume De Rose lip balm but it is a pricey purchase! However luckily they have released a special festive edition in a lip gloss form. Retailing at £20 it is pricey but still a fraction of the original price and gives you a little trial of the ever so popular balm!

Moving on to Nars, one of my favourite beauty brands who always deliver such a great range over the festive period. This year was no different! The collection this year focuses around Sarah Moon and her photography work which features on the packaging. Whilst there is a great set of gift sets available, I am all about the colour collection. I have two products on my list, the first being this gorgeous matte nude lipstick which looks like my perfect shade! The other is an eyeshadow duo in the shade Quai Des Brumes which features two gorgeous shades with a shimmery lavender-grey and a charcoal grey with specks of shimmer. The two duos available are both gorgeous although I do prefer this one for its smoky look!

Lastly, Jouer have released a trio of their popular liquid lipsticks in three winter appropriate shades! Retailing at £31.50, this trio is near enough buy one get one free and offers three beautiful colours! There is a gorgeous cranberry red, a pink-y nude and an intense shimmery burgundy which I would love to try out! This set will have your winter lip wardrobe sorted and for that reason I may just have to pick this up!

What’s on your holiday beauty wishlist?

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Products On The Repurchase List

You can always tell how good a beauty product is if it’s worth a repurchase! After trial and error, I have found some great products that I would no doubt be repurchasing in the future. There is countless products in my stash that I adore however I selected a small variety of products that I have either already repurchased or know that a repurchase will happen!

SKINCARE

Skincare products are tricky and definitely the sign of a good product if you know it is worth a repurchase! Whilst I will probably have more makeup options overall, there is some skincare products I know I couldn’t be without!

Clarins are one of my favourite brands and definitely a brand I need to try more from. One of my favourite products is their One Step Facial Cleanser. I am now on my third bottle of this stuff, it is so good! It is a quick and easy water based cleanser that is perfect for mornings to swipe over the face for a gentle and awakening cleanse. I’ve tried both the mint and orange variety and love both, this orange one however does leave a beautiful glow to the skin!

A bit of a skincare-makeup hybrid, the Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfecting Base, in short a lip balm. This is seriously underrated! I recently finished up a tube of this and had to repurchase asap as I just couldn’t do without this! It is the perfect lip balm for under lipstick, super moisturising and a great base. So worth the splurge!

After suffering from rough skin under my eyes, I opted for the Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado and since haven’t looked back! This is seriously moisutrising stuff, it is thick and super nourishing so great if like me you suffer from dryness or rough skin under your eyes. It may seem expensive for a tiny pot but oh my this has lasted me so long, in fact over a year (which I shouldn’t be admitting to!) and is still going strong!

The last skincare product on my list is from another brand favourite of mine, Origins. I’ve tried quite a lot from Origins but one of my favourite products from them right now is their Ginzing Energy Boosting Moisturiser. With the wintery weather making an appearance, my skin is feeling rather lacklustre and in need of hydration and this moisturiser is the perfect option. It is seriously moisturising and as it suggests a boost of energy! I need a full sized tub asap!

MAKEUP

First on the makeup list is an already repurchased item in the form of Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer, my favourite ever concealer. I am not going to go on too much about this as regular readers will know the drill, this stuff is just seriously good. Thick and creamy with high coverage, perfect for blemishes!

Sticking to base related items, BareMinerals Complexion Rescue has became a favourite of mine over the last year. The perfect lightweight and low coverage base that offers the most gorgeous dewiness to the skin. It is essentially like your skin but better! A product I highly recommend trying if you are into glowy skin!

Another favourite of mine that many will be aware of, since I’ve mentioned it so many times is the Body Shop Honey Bronzer. This bronzer was basically made for my skin, coming in a range of light tones, it is the perfect shading for fair skinned gals (and guys) like me! It isn’t too muddy or orange in any way so creates a gorgeous warmth and sculpted look to the skin! My shade 02 doesn’t seem to be available and I have heard terms of it being discontinued(!) but there is other shades available!

Last but not least on this extra long post (sorry!) is a newbie to my stash yet one I already am obsessed with. It is the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper. I went off eyeliner for a long time and once I got this and I can’t stop wearing it! I seriously wonder how I coped without wearing eyeliner since it makes such a difference! For an eyeliner noob like me however this is an absolute dream of a product. The brush tip makes it easy to glide over the eye without tugging and it is super pigmented and seriously long lasting! So good!

What is on your repurchase list?

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Nars Lip Pencil Collection

The Nars Lip Pencils are without a doubt one of the best lip products I’ve ever tried yet they appear to be rather underrated too! I have gathered quite the collection now both from the matte range and satin range and I thought I would share all the shades in my stash and why these are worthy of a splurge!

In order of colour from lightest:

Descanso (Satin) (LE) : This is the lightest in the bunch being a gorgeous peachy rosy nude. It comes in a satin finish so is beautifully creamy and has a nice sheen to it. It’s one of my least worn shades from the bunch but I definitely need to reach for it more as it is so pretty! Sadly, this shade was limited edition from the Holiday 2014 range.

Torres Del Paine (Satin) (LE): An exotic sounding name with an equally exotic colour. This colour is similar to Descanso but leans more peachy and coral-y. It is a bit more bright too so works lovely as a go-to Summer shade. Again annoyingly this was always limited edition from Christmas, sorry!

Iberico (Matte) (LE) : One of my favourites, think Mac Lady Danger, a gorgeous vivid orange-y red. Again this is such a lovely colour for Summer as it is super striking and bold. This one is in the Velvet Matte formula which is definitely my favourite of the two, whilst it’s matte, it is still comfortable yet long wearing. Again this was also from the Holiday 2014 collection so sadly no longer available but as I mentioned Mac Lady Danger appears very similar!

Yu (Satin): Yu is a gorgeous bright bold fushcia pink and is totally unique to my collection. This kind of bright pink was my go-to back in my younger teen days yet now I tend to lean towards mauve-y plum shades of pink. However I still love having this option in my stash and when I did finally try this I was incredibly blown away. The lasting power on this is incredible, I literally couldn’t get it off my lips it was that long wearing! The pigmentation is also amazing as well as having a lovely creamy formula!

Bahama (Matte): One of the newer shades in my collection yet one that is probably the most ‘me’. This is a gorgeous rosy mauve brown shade, which appears much darker in the swatches! This is a great everyday shade with a really nice matte formula.

Walkyrie (Matte): This is another newbie for me, similar to Bahama but more reddy brown instead of pink-ish. It is also a bit more bold but still a great everyday shade and a great pick for those who love their brown-y nude colours.

Cruella (Matte): Everyone needs a staple red lipstick in their collection and this is mine. I absolutely love this shade, it is a deep red that looks so beautiful at this time of year! The formula is one I can always rely on too for being long wearing and comfortable to wear, great for an evening out! Definitely one I would recommend to try!

Mandore (Satin) (LE): This is the perfect Autumn shade (although the next shade is that too!) Mandore is a gorgeous deep oxblood red so the perfect Fall/Winter shade. This one is in the satin formula with a creamy comfortable finish that has a slight sheen but it still remains pretty long wearing. This was limited edition again from the Holiday 2014 collection but still seems available from the Nars website!

Damned (Matte): Lastly another new addition to my collection is this gorgeous deep berry magenta shade which again is perfect for this time of year. I’ve only worn this once but I’m impressed so far, I just need more courage to rock a bolder lip more often!

Have you tried the Nars lip pencils?

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My Current Makeup Menu

It’s been a while since I last shared my current makeup routine so it makes sense to post a little update. Having got back into wearing makeup again on a daily basis, I have been sticking pretty much to a solid consistent routine using the same products again and again and rarely changing it up. For someone who adores Autumn and particularly the makeup trends at this time of year, surprisingly I haven’t turned to dark lips and eyes, instead I’ve been loving a more Summer appropriate look with dewy skin, a peachy eye look and nude lips.

My base is the one area I’ve been sticking to a constant routine and hardly changing up. I start by priming with the Jouer Anti-Blemish Matte Primer which feels nice and calming on the skin but I can’t say it’s helped improve my skin long term. I then go in with my trusty Nars Sheer Glow foundation and top it off with the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer on any blemishes, again another favourite of mine! I then conceal under the eyes with the Mac Prep and Prime Highlighter in Light Boost with the yellow toned liquid working to highlight under my eyes and discard any darkness.

Before setting my base with the Chanel Les Beiges Powder, I use the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid Highlighter in Opal across my cheekbones and blend it out with my Beauty Blender. Before finishing off my face with a bit of bronzer to warm up my skin a little. Of course I am still obsessed with my favourite Honey Bronzer from The Body Shop.

Moving onto eyes, I start with my eyebrows and keep it fairly simple by running the Benefit Goof Proof Brow Pencil through them to add a little more definition. I then move onto eyeshadow using the beautiful Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette which is full of gorgeous peachy and brown warm tones. I like to create a simple shimmery golden-y peachy look using mainly Nectar, Luscious, Cobbler and Caramelized which creates a gorgeous ‘golden goddess’ look that gives off extreme VS Angel vibes! Damn yeah! To finish off my eyes I coat on my favourite Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant mascara which leaves my lashes looking thick and full.

To finish off my look, I like to dabble in a few different lip shades since lipstick is my thing, if you haven’t noticed all ready! Currently though, I am loving one of the new Urban Decay Vice lipsticks in the shade Backtalk. A gorgeous cool toned pink with a comfortable matte finish. LOVE!

 What makeup have you been reaching for lately?

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September Favourites

It’s hard to believe that the countdown to Christmas is now on. Three months people, three months. Summer is over and Autumn is beginning (finally!). Festive season excitement behind, September is now over and it’s time to round up my beauty favourites from the month. This month, I didn’t try many new things or change up my makeup that frequently but there is still a few items that I am desperate to have a little rave about!

A product that I’ve had in my stash for so long and for so long has received the silent treatment is the beauty that is the Too Faced Sweet Peach palette. I was so excited when this palette was released that I refreshed the Debenhams website basically every minute for hours waiting for it to be in stock. Obviously as you can see I was in luck but I did buy it at an inconvenient time as Summer came and I hardly wore makeup so this palette didn’t get much use! However I have pulled this out again to start getting use out of it especially since I need to review this beauty asap which I will do! The palette has some gorgeous golden-y peachy tones that make for a great everyday look and the shadow quality is impressive!

The next product I’ve been loving is an old favourite that many of you will be sick of hearing me rave about! I finally repurchased the Nars Creamy Radiant Concealer (full review here) which I just adore. I had been dabbling in a few different concealers recently and none of them offered the coverage and longevity that the Nars one delivers. I basically couldn’t wait any longer and had to get this wonder product back in my life. You either love it or you hate it but for me as a concealer for blemishes, it works incredibly well. Full coverage that lasts all day without being cakey! Perfect!

A couple of new products in my stash. Firstly, the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lovesick which is finally now stocked in the UK *happy dance*. I had been desperate to try these lipsticks for ages and I am so glad to have tried them now as they are so worth the hype! I love a good liquid lipstick and this is definitely one of my favourites. The shade Lovesick is a great cool toned pink shade that makes a great everyday shade. The formula is also comfortable and basically so far so good!

Lastly, a makeup brush that just blew me away from the first use, the Sephora #55 brush which I mentioned in this haul. I had heard so many great things about this brush so couldn’t wait to finally get my hands on it. I am also glad to say it lives well and truly up to all the hype. It is the perfect size for foundation and is beautifully soft. It is also not overly fluffy but also not too dense either which makes it just perfect! The handle on the brush is also a lot longer than most other makeup brushes I own which I really like. Most importantly though, it blends in foundation beautifully and with a natural finish!

 

What have you been loving recently?

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Summer Beauty Essentials

When a sight of sun is in the sky, my beauty priorities take a change from fuller coverage bases and sculpted, neutral looks to embrace the Summer vibes with bronzed skin and bright shades. As well as my makeup choices, my skincare also changes up slightly. With Summer in full swing, I thought I would share my top beauty essentials for dealing with the summer heat.

MAKEUP/NAILS

In terms of base, I love a lightweight glowy base for Summer. When the sun is shining, the last thing I want is a fuller coverage thick foundation so instead I love a light and comfortable tinted moisturiser/bb cream. My favourite is the BareMinerals Complexion Rescue which gives enough coverage for a light base and also provides a fresh glowy look to the skin all whilst remaining comfortable and moisturising on the skin. To add some extra glow to my skin, I love the look of liquid highlighters. They look soft and natural on the skin and can be worked in with foundation too. I am currently loving the Nars illuminator in Copacabana which blends into the skin beautifully.

To amp up the warmth in my skin, bronzer is such a must in Summer. It helps add a little definition to my face whilst giving me a little colour too. I am currently all for shimmery bronzers to add even more glow in my skin such as the Soap and Glory Wonderbronze which I have been loving. To add even more colour, I love bright lip shades at this time of year. There is nothing better than a bright coral or orange-y red to brighten things up. I will share some of my favourites later but I am loving Mac Relentlessly Red.

I also love bright nails as well, something I will also cover in another post. They look summery and great for enhancing a tan. I have so many Essie shades that I am loving but I am currently all for their new Summer shade Sunshine State of Mind.

SKINCARE

Obviously when the sun is out in full force, it is important to protect your skin. Having light skin, I need high protection for my skin in the sun so SPF is so important. I am currently using the Clarins Sun Cream for Very High Protection which offers UVB/UVA 50+ to help my skin stay safe in the sun. So having light skin means that tanning just doesn’t happen for me and I have to turn to self-tanning products. I am not much a tanning person anyway so a gradual tanner is all I need for a subtle bronzed glow. I am currently using the Clarins Golden Glow Booster to add in to my moisturiser for an extra glow.

Lastly, to keep hydrated I love hydrating mists. In the heat there is nothing better than a boost of hydration to stay refreshed and cool in the heat. I am all for the Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist which is a bargain and super hydrating on the skin.

What are your Summer beauty essentials?

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