FOTD: A Very Natural Make Up Look

This is just a really natural make up which I wear most days during the week if I'm not doing anything special.

FACE - I used my Lily Lolo mineral foundation and concealer as usual, applied their mineral blush in Clementine. Then under my eyes I applied my Clinique Airbrush Concealer. To finish off the skin I used Estee Lauder Lucidity Loose Powder which I love.

EYES - I used Painterly Paintpot from MAC on my lid, lined my upper lash line with Brown Down Eyeshadow from MAC on an angled brush. Then I applied what was left on the brush to my lower lashes and blended for some natural definition. I lined my upper waterline with Collection 2000 Lasting Finish brown eyeliner and applied Volume Million Lashes from L'oreal. 

I also curled my lashes before my mascara which I think makes a real difference to your eyes and highly recommend!

BROWS & LIPS - On my brows I used MAC Brow Set in Beguile. And on my lips I put a bit of tinted lipbalm on.

FOTD Life's a Beach

Last night I played around with a bit of make up and here's what I ended up with...

I hardly ever go out wearing bright colours on my eyes but I'm starting to get into wearing blues and purples.

Eyes -

• MAC Paintpot in Painterly
• MAC Amber Lights Eyeshadow in socket
• NYX blue eyeshadow
• MAC Vanilla Eyeshadow on browbone and inner eye 
• MAC Brow Set in Beguile
• L'oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara in Brown
• Collection 2000 brown eyeliner on waterline

Face - 

• Clinique Airbrush Concealer
• Lily Lolo Mineral foundation and concealer in Blondie
• Estee Lauder Lucidity Loose Powder
• Lily Lolo mineral bronzer in South Beach
• Revlon blusher in Tawny Peach
• MAC Hush Cream Colour Base on cheekbones

Lips - 

• MAC Honeylove lipstick
• Revlon Peach Petal gloss

Products I'm Loving Right Now!

I did a bit of shopping the other day and bought a couple of items which have turned out to be really good products, so I thought I'd show you the products I'm loving right now and am wearing pretty much every day!

YSL Elle Perfume -

This winter I've not really been wearing perfume but I'm starting to get back into wearing it. I got this for my birthday last year and I wore it pretty much everyday. That was during the summer so every time I wear this now it reminds me of summer days. It's quite a heavy perfume but I find that after a few minutes of wearing this, it settles down into a nice sexy, slightly sweet floral smell. I also like the bottle, nice and classy, very YSL! It's a nice size as well so you can throw it in your bag easily if you want to.

L'oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara -

 I love this mascara. I am now wearing it everyday and I like it more and more each time I wear it! The brush is surprisingly good at getting right to the roots of my lashes, and I wore my Estee Lauder Projectionist the other day which I was in love with but it's crap compared to this mascara. Very surprised at how much I like this!

17 Lasting Fix Lipstick in Hot Chilli -

I have been after and orange-y red lipstick for a while. Collection 2000 had what looked like the perfect colour but when I got to the shops I couldn't find it at all! I saw Hot Chilli by 17 though, which looked similar so I opted for that. It's a nice colour, maybe not orange toned enough for what I'm after but I still think it's a nice bright coral-y red. Good Lady Danger dupe!

Clinique Instant Lift For Brows -

I bought this on a whim but am in love with this product. I use it along with my MAC brow gel to do my brows. The pencil is a perfect colour for my very fair brows and it's so easy to use. I love the texture of it as it's a lot softer than the usual eyebrow pencils out there and it almost has a waxy like feel to it, which I find is good for keeping the hairs staying in the right direction and it coats the hairs better, giving better definition.

On the other end it has a highlighter colour which you are meant to put on your brow bone, but I use this on my eyelids as a cream eyeshadow and find it gives a really nice sheen to them, and it stays put all day. The colour is very similar to Hush Cream Colour Base from MAC.

Swatches -

Top to Bottom - Clinique Highlight Colour, Clinique Brow Pencil in Soft Blonde, 17 Hot Chilli Lipstick.

 Estee Lauder AeroMatte Pressed Powder -

I have been after a pressed powder which I can take around with me in my make up bag. All the other powders I own are loose powders, so they aren't very practical for taking around. I researched into many different brands, as I was wanting a mattifying powder which doesn't give any coverage or look cakey. I bought this AeroMatte compact from Estee Lauder, which is pricey at £24 but I know Estee Lauder's products are always going to work, and I'm going to get a great product.

They had discontinued this product but have recently starting selling it again, which I am so glad about because it is fantastic. It gives a gorgeous finish to the skin, mattifies but does it in a way that doesn't make me look dull or dead. It doesn't change the coverage or colour of my make up either.

So those are my favourite products at the moment...what are yours?

NOTD Nude Sparkle

The other day I was reading Paintmebeautiful's blog post where she had done a nude NOTD with a clear sparkly polish over the top. You can read her post and very lovely blog  here :)

I thought it was really pretty and decided to do it on my nails for a change from reds that I've been wearing a lot. I think it's a really nice twist on nude nails which can sometimes look a bit boring and tired.

Here's what I used and how I did it....

Firstly I applied Rimmel's Pro Super Wear Ultra Shine Top Coat and left to dry.

Then I applied two coats of Estee Lauder's Frozen Fantasy which is a really nice pinky champagne nude colour. (I got this in a gift pack so I think it's a sample size bottle). I love the quality of this polish!

Once that was dry I applied a coat of clear sparkly polish from Opia at Primark, and then to seal everything together I applied a final coat of the Rimmel Top Coat.

What do you think of this look? 

L'oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara Review

I bought this mascara about a week ago because I was running out of my Estee Lauder Projectionist, which I love but it's too expensive to keep re-purchasing.

 I find most drugstore mascaras I've tried are too dry and clumpy looking and always flake off by the end of the day but L'oreal have fairly decent ones, they are at the higher end of the drugstore mascaras. So I thought I'd give them a go and got Volume Million Lashes because I liked the look of the brush. It cost me around £11 in Boots.

The brush is a good size, and very lightweight. It's quite big but not overly so. I really don't like huge mascara wands. I once bought Max Factor's False Lash Effect and couldn't use it at all because the brush was so huge! 

Volume Million Lashes has also a no-clumps brush and as you take the wand out of the tube it takes off the excess product so you don't end up with clumpy lashes, which is what attracted me to it.

This mascara separates my lashes nicely, I don't get any clumps at all and it makes my lashes look pretty long. I wouldn't say it's amazingly volumising, you'd have to put a few coats on to get really big lashes. I like the ammount of volume it gives though, for me it's just enough without looking over the top. You can build up to bigger lashes and it still won't clump.

The mascara doesn't flake off either and another problem I have had with mascaras is that they can irritate my eyes. This doesn't do that at all.

I also really like the black and gold packaging, it's nice and classy.

All in all I like this mascara, it's a good replacement for my Projectionist :)

FOTD- Natural Everyday Make Up

Today I decided to do a natural everyday look combining the spring trends into it.

I used Painterly Paintpot from MAC all over my lids, then Jaan eyeshadow from my Athma palette over that.

I then used Vanilla from MAC under my brows to highlight and a small ammount in the inner corners of my eyes.

I put a little bit of Arena eyeshadow from MAC on my lower lashes, lined my upper waterline with Collection 2000 brown eyeliner, smudging a tiny bit on the corner of my lower lashes with an angled brush.

I then curled my lashes with my Tweezerman curlers, and applied one coat top & bottom of Estee Lauder Projectionist mascara.

For my brows I used MAC Brow Set in Beguile and Omega shadow on an angled brush to define the ends of my brows a bit more.

On the cheeks I used Barry M blusher in number 5 and Lily Lolo mineral bronzer in South Beach to contour slightly.

Clinique Airbrush concealer is under my eyes and as always I'm using a very sheer layer of Lily Lolo mineral foundation and the mineral concealer where needed. Then finally Lily Lolo mineral matte finishing powder which I recently bought.

On my lips I have Vaseline Lip Therapy tinted lip balm.

Hope you like it! It's such a gorgeous day today, when the sun is shining I always feel really good :)

2010 Favourites!

Hello everyone, this will be my final post of 2010, and what better way to do it than share with you my favourite products of the year!

 

St. Ives Invigorating Scrub- I use this every morning to exfoliate my face and my skin is always soft!

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel- I love this product, the best moisturiser I have ever used! You can read my review of it here.

 

Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation, Concealer & Bronzer- This year I started to use mineral make up, and what a difference it has made! It looks so natural and lasts all day, is really quick to use but you don't feel like you have anything on! Most importantly though, it's good for your skin and it's cleared up my acne!

MAC Prep+Prime Finishing Powder- This is so finely milled, it keeps my shine away and makes my pores smaller.

Tweezerman Eyelash Curlers- they make my eyelashes look amazing!

 

MAC Brow Set in Biguile- I have fair brows and this really helps to define them. (sorry for the blurry pic!)

Clinique Airbrush Concealer- The best under eye concealer I've used, it doesn't cake or fall into fine lines like most concealers I've tried!

MAC Pro Palette- I love all these shadows, such high quality and I use all of the colours

 Soap & Glory Flake Away body scrub- My best friend got me this for Christmas. It makes my skin so soft and smooth, and smells divine! 

Umberto Giannini Sex Bomb Mousse- I really like this mousse, it makes my hair huge! But doesn't weigh it down or make it feel greasy and horrible like other mousses I've tried. I also love the packaging!

 Estee Lauder Projectionist Mascara & Clinique High Impact Mascara- These are my favourite mascaras of the year, and I'd buy both of them again

Nail polishes- (from left to right) Rimmel Chip Resistant Top Coat, Rimmel 60 Seconds Rapid Ruby, Barry M Grey (don't know the proper name or number!) Revlon Lilac Pastielle, Revlon Vixen.

 

MAC Powder Blush in Harmony- This is matte and brilliant for contouring on most skin tones!

 Rimmel Shake Up Pink Lipstick- I really love this colour and wear it most days, you can sheer it down or build it up for full on pink!

MAC Cream Colour Base in Hush- this is really nice highlight colour and also really nice on the eyelid.

Barry M Blusher in No.5- This is a really nice peach blush but comes up very orange on camera! It lasts all day on my skin

MAC Honeylove Lipstick- This is a nice matte nude, but make sure your lips are moisturised and aren't chapped otherwise it looks awful!

So they are my 2010 Favourites. Happy New Year everyone! 

xxx 

Make Up I'm Taking On Holiday!

I am going to Lanzarote tomorrow for a couple of weeks! I have never been there before but have been researching it a lot and am really excited... The beaches look amazing and I'm happy to be getting some sun as the weather here has been pretty miserable!

So right now I am in the middle of packing, and decided to do a post on the make up I am taking with me.

I've tried to take as little as possible....

But here goes!

Face:

• MAC Prep+Prime Finishing Powder

• Lily Lolo Mineral bronzer in South Beach

• Mineral Foundation in Porcelain & sample of Blondie foundation

• Mineral blusher in Clementine

• Mineral highlighter in Star Dust

• Mineral concealer in Blondie, Blush Away (green concealer for redness) & sample of Nude

I love Lily Lolo minerals & the link to their website is here

Eyes:

• My MAC Neutrals Pro Palette

• MAC Painterly Paint pot 

• Natural Collection Waterguard Mascara in Brown/Black

• Barbara Daly Eyebrow Pencil in Fair

• Tweezerman Eyelash Curlers

• Estee Lauder Projectionist Mascara in Brown

• Clinique Airbrush Concealer in Light

• Tweezers from Superdrug!

Lips:

• Carmex Cherry Lip Balm SPF 15

• Rimmel Shake Up Pink lipstick

• Maybelline Cream Gloss in Exquisite Pink

Nails:

• Barry M Nail Paint in Coral

• Collection 2000 Clear Top Coat

So that's the make up I'm taking with me... I probably won't use half of it but you never know! 

Have any of you lovelies ever been to Lanzarote? Or are you going anywhere exotic anytime soon? 

I'll be back blogging in 2 weeks time... take care girlies! 

xxx

Products I'm Loving Right Now

This is my first ever favourites post!

But let's get right down to it...

Products I'm loving right now are....

MAC Eyeshadows- Vanilla, Era, Arena & Brown Down

• Vanilla really brightens my eyes up when used all over the lid & in the inner corners
• Era is a nice taupe lid colour with a nice sheen to it without being shimmery
• Arena brings out the blue of my eyes
• Brown Down is a great warm, matte brown good for socket work & adding definition. I use this along the lashline most days.

St Ives Body Scrub

As you can see I have practically finished it!

• Smells divine and leaves my skin so smooth...

Hush Cream Colour Base from MAC

•  I love this product, I use it on the top of my cheekbones as a highlight but also all over my eye lid, gives a nice peachy shiny eyelid. Doesn't stay on the lid for long though & creases. May try setting it with a powder to see if that works!

Estee Lauder Projectionist Mascara

• I have been using this for about 2 weeks and really like it. It gives natural looking lashes but lengthens and defines them beautifully. Doesn't smudge or flake off- love it.

Barry M Blusher in No.5

•  This coral blush really warms up my skin, you can vary the depth of colour building it up to a bright coral. It doesn't cake at all, blends in so easily that it could be mistaken for a cream blush! It lasts all day on my skin & think it's fantastic value as I bought it for around £3 or £4.

Natural Collection Lipstick in Sand Castle

•  I bought this over a year ago, so it could be out of date, who knows! It's a really nice sheer, natural pink which is pretty much the same colour as my lips. It peps up my complexion and is a nice creamy formulation. Not bad for £1.99... You can buy Natural Collection at Boots in the UK, and all of their products are under £1.99 (I think). They are also fragrance free & not tested on animals, hence the name Natural Collection!

Tweezerman Eyelash Curlers

•  They curl like no other! That's all I can say... and the curl lasts all day!

MAC Prep+Prime Finishing Powder

•  This is a white powder which when applied to the skin becomes translucent, no trace of white at all. It's so finely milled you don't look like you have anything on your face, yet it smooths out my face making my pores dissappear and controlling my shine! Love it. 

Bach Rescue Remedy

•  I sometimes can get stressed and anxious... as I'm sure we all do... this chills me out nicely!

Barabra Daly Eyebrow Pencil

•  You can get Barbara Daly at Tesco, this is the first of her products I've tried and so far like the brow pencil. It's a good colour for my very fair brows. 

MAC Harmony Blush

•  I use Harmony to contour everyday, it's a matte powder blush and a nice warm brown colour which suits my skintone nicely. I bought this after Tanya Burr  reccomended it for contouring. I also use this as a bronzer sometimes and bring it onto my cheeks and forehead to warm my skin up!

Blistex Relief Cream (sorry it's blurry!)

•  I pop this on at night time to moisturise my lips as they get quite dry sometimes. It helps with cold sores & chapped lips...does what it says!

 

 

What products are you liking at the moment?