I read and follow hundreds and hundreds of blogs, but here are the ones I go back to every day!
I read and follow hundreds and hundreds of blogs, but here are the ones I go back to every day!
And another month is gone just like that. Not really sure where my life is disappearing off to, time really needs to slow down!
May has been a bittersweet month, one that I'm pretty pleased to be leaving behind to be honest. Do you ever just feel like there's a little black cloud following you around? I've felt a bit like that this month. Sometimes you just have to take a moment to remember that it's not all bad, and that the little black cloud will eventually pass. Said little black cloud is being banished for June.
Moving swiftly on, I have had nothing short of MAKEUP MAYHEM this month. I've been testing out products left right and center (all in the name of blogging, of course) and I've discovered some truly amazing products, that I'm so excited to tell you guys about!
The first thing, and probably my favourite product from the month is the Jouer Matte Moisture Tint. This got a lot of hype quite a while back but since until recently there hasn't been a physical store where you can buy Jouer products in England, I never paid it much attention. Fast forward to last month when I met up with my friend Daphne, whose skin was looking bloody fantastic, and she accredited it to this. One Cult Beauty order later and I think I might have found my favourite base product ever. Lightweight but covers all redness, with buildable coverage, matte but not powdery or cakey, natural looking and long lasting, this might just be my perfect base.
Also from Cult Beauty, the Anastasia DipBrow Pomade FINALLY came back in stock. I borrowed Daphne's back in March and fell in love, and have been waiting for it to be in stock again ever since. This stuff is basically just gel liner for your eyebrows, but somehow it gives perfectly defined, but still natural looking brows. I have the shade Dark Brown and it's perfect.
An oldie but goodie, I've fallen back in love with my MAC Studio Finish Concealer and I've been using the Eco Tools Buffing Concealer Brush to apply it. These two are like a match made in airbrushing heaven, covering every little blemish and red patch perfectly, seamlessly disguising it with the rest of my skin. This stuff really lasts all day too, much longer than any other concealer I've tried. I literally just poke the brush in the pot and buff it into my skin using a patting motion.
No blush this month because I've basically just been playing Blush Roulette all month, but I have found my perfect highlighter, and it is of course TheBalm Mary Lou Manizer. This just gives such a gorgeous glow to my skin, I almost want to cover myself in it. It's super finely milled so it doesn't look heavy on the skin. Also, it doubles as an excellent shimmery eyeshadow.
Two eye things that made the cut, I'll keep it brief on the Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer, and just say it's the best eyeshadow primer I've ever used. I've also been loving the Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara, a dual wand mascara that I didn't love when I first got, but paired with a pump on the lash curlers, gives gorgeous, fluttery, volumised lashes. I use the big wand first, and then the little one to really coat the lashes in the inner and outer corners.
I couldn't pick between these two lipsticks so they both get a mention. First off the Dior Lip Glow, which is basically a glorified lip balm that reacts to the PH of your lips, and just leaves my lips looking a little darker, fuller and glossier. If I haven't been wearing that, I've been sporting the Estée Lauder Pure Colour Lip Shine in Plexi Pink, a gorgeous bright blue toned pink that wears sheer, and just adds a pretty pop of colour to the lips. Perfect if, like me, bold lip colours intimidate you a little.
And lastly, one skincare favourite, The Body Shop's Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter, a gorgeous balm cleanser that really gets everything off your skin, leaving it feeling clean, soft and hydrated. I'm so impressed with this and can't see myself being without it any time soon.
What have been your favourites this month?!
I have a confession. I'm addicted to lip balm. If there was a Lip Balm Addicts Anonymous, I'd be first in there. I can't go to a supermarket, a Boots, or even the corner shop without coming out with another lip balm, I'm on a constant quest for the perfect lip-nourisher.
Because of this, I've amassed quite the collection, and I'm pretty well versed in what works and what doesn't, so I'm rounding them all up for you. Because you obviously need more than one...
The One to Apply Before Your Makeup: The requirements for this are pretty straightforward, a lightweight but moisturising lip balm that sinks in during the 10 minutes it takes to apply my face, and doesn't require me sticking my finger in a pot, it's too early for that. Insert stage left, the Maybelline Baby Lips Intense Care, a straightforward stick balm that's a little more hydrating than the standard Baby Lips, but absorbs quickly so that by the time you want to apply lipstick, it's all soaked up.
The One For Your Handbag: This one was easy, The Body Shop Aloe Lip Care. It's in a squeezy tube, so no sticking your finger in a pot along with all the germs from everything you've been touching, but it's incredibly hydrating and repairing on the lips, it fixes things fast, so you don't have to keep reaching for the balm while you're out.
The One With Colour: I've waxed lyrical on the Kiko Kiss Balms before, so I'll keep it brief, gorgeously hydrating lip balms with a wash of sheer colour, that smell incredible. Pictured above is the shade Tutti Frutti, but I have a few of these now and I love them all!
The Boyfriend Friendly One: Does anyone else's boyfriend always steal their lip balm? I try not to complain too much because otherwise he will just chew his lips and that drives me up the wall. I like to keep a good industrial strength one on hand just in case, and the Blistex Moisture Max* does the job nicely. The boyfriend likes this because it's got an unoffensive smell, it absorbs in nice and quick and it doesn't leave his lips looking shiny or sticky. This is the lip balm I reach for if I'm spending a lot of time outside in the cold. It's industrial.
The One For Your Desk: I am the Queen of Procrastination, so I quite often have a strong hold of beauty treatments on hand to fill time when I'm putting something off. This is where The Body Shop's Honeymania Lip Balm comes in, a gorgeously hydrating lip balm that literally smells INCREDIBLE. This stuff is so good, I half want to eat it when I apply it.
The One For When Your Lips Are Sore: Sometimes, chapped lips go to the extreme where they are painfully dry, and that's when I whip out the Blistex Soothing Splash, which has a cool metal rollerball that really helps to soothe sore lips, whilst the lightweight balm inside helps repair them. This stuff has saved me more times than I can count.
The One For The Bedside Table: Would it be anything other than the one and only Nuxe Reve De Miel?! This stuff is like the Holy Grail, thick and creamy, it hydrates like a dream, and helps totally repair your lips overnight.
What's your favourite lip balm?
Sometimes, I just feel the need to indulge in something a little more luxurious. It's no secret that I love my high end products, so today I'm gonna chat about some of the high end products I'm loving right now.
Ohhhh, be still my beating heart, have you ever seen anything this beautiful? I can't get over the quality of these eyeshadows, they're so soft and buttery, they apply like a dream, and stay on all day. Three matte shades, three shimmer shades and a glittery shade. The shimmer shades all look great across the lid alone, and the glittery shade can transform any look. The three matte shades are great useful shades, a highlight, a crease shade, and a dark shade for deepening the look or using as a liner. I just particularly love the two shimmery shades at the end. Also, the packaging. My heart, oh my heart.
Lipstick Queen Lipstick in Pink Sinner
I have become completely obsessed with Lipstick Queen lipsticks recently but this is my favourite. The Sinner lipsticks have an incredibly high pigmentation to them, they're creamy and they stay put throughout the day so easily. This shade is my perfect pinky nude, it's got enough colour to it that it doesn't wash me out, but it's still a nude so it kind of goes with everything!
I found this at the back of my stash a few weeks ago and fell in love with it all over again. It's not in the slightest bit sticky, it feels like a lip balm, but it looks like a gloss. This is a pretty sheer pinky gloss that looks great layered over most lipsticks. This is a travel size so it's perfect for chucking in the handbag for on the go!
Jouer Matte Moisture Tint
The new base love of my life. I genuinely feel like I could throw out every single base and just keep this, and I'd be totally satisfied. Good buildable coverage, smooth matte finish but not too matte, and it wears incredibly well throughout the day. I have the shade Porcelain, there aren't many shades so I was a little worried it wouldn't work, but it's actually perfect. If you haven't tried it, go get it.
What luxury products are you loving right now?
During Spring and the beginning of Summer I tend to favour a dewier makeup look, a base that looks glowy and natural for the warmer months. That being said, there is a very fine line between dewy and oily, so here's my pick of the best glow-givers.
The L'Oreal Lumi Magique Foundation is one I've had in my arsenal for a while. This is a great medium coverage foundation with reflective particles that really add a luminosity to the skin. This still looks really natural on the skin and is really buildable. A good all rounder.
You guys know by now that the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua is a favourite of mine, and whilst I wouldn't say this necessarily has a 'dewy' finish, it definitely gives a gorgeous glow to the skin, and makes you look naturally healthy. The downside of this one is that it doesn't have the best lasting power, but with a good primer underneath, it'll be your best friend!
An oldie but goodie, I recently pulled the Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation out of my stash and started giving it a bit of love again. It's a smidge dark for me right now but after tonights fake tanning sesh we should be good to go again. This looks shimmery in the bottle but that doesn't translate to the face, it just looks incredibly glowy and light reflecting. Like the L'Oreal offering, this has a good buildable coverage, and is one I reach for if I'm having a dodgy skin day, since it seems to hide a multitude of sins (read: pizza induced breakouts).
The reliable one of the bunch is of course the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum. I wasn't completely taken by this foundation when we first met, but it's grown on me, and it's one I reach for regularly throughout the year. This has a great coverage, it really covers redness and under eye darkness well, but the gel/serum texture means that it stays natural looking on the skin. This has an 'anti fatigue' formula, and whilst I'm not entirely sure what that means, I'd agree, since this just makes my skin look so alive and healthy!
And lastly, my long-term love, the YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat Foundation, a beautiful glowy, gorgeous foundation that I just can't fault. This contains gold particles which is what gives your skin a fantastic glow. I used to work for YSL and applied this to so many people, and never once found someone whose skin didn't just glow after!
What are your favourite glow-giving bases?
Whilst I am a firm believer that skincare is something worth investing in, that's not to say there aren't a few gems that are a bit kinder on the bank account out there. The drugstore is really impressing me right now, there have been some really great products in the last six months or so.
First up, I'll keep my musings on the Nivea Daily Essentials Refreshing Cleansing Mousse brief, since I've mentioned it before, but this is a great gentle face wash for cleaning your skin in the morning. I've been following it up with the Boots Botanics Purifying Face Scrub All Bright, a gentle, cream with tiny plant seeds in that gently exfoliate the skin. This definitely makes a massive difference in the softness of my skin, and how bright it looks!
Pre-makeup I've been applying a thin layer of the Boots Botanics Hydrating Day Cream with SPF15 All Bright, which just adds a burst of moisture, without making the skin feel oily or greasy. These are the first products I've tried from Boots Botanics but I'm really impressed, especially considering they were both so affordable!
In the evenings I've been loving The Body Shop's Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter for removing all my makeup. This is so soft and hydrating, it really gets every last scrap of makeup off and it doesn't leave an oily residue like some of the balm cleansers I've tried previously. I'm honestly so pleased with this, it makes my skin feel fantastic!
And lastly I wanted to mention the Witch Blemish Stick which is one of the handiest skincare items in my arsenal. I've been keeping this to hand on my desk, in my handbag and on my bedside table and applying it to blemishes throughout the day, and it's really helped get them gone faster.
What are your favourite budget skincare items?
I have been reunited with my favourite polish. I bought Essie Splash of Grenadine a while back, used it once and fell in love. Unfortunately, it took an ill fated turn off the balcony (long story) and met it's end on the pavement. It's taken me so long to track it down since it was always out of stock, but now it's back in my possession and I love it.
I should point out this photo was taken four days after I first applied it, and there's only one chip. One. After four days.
This stuff applies like a dream, it's thick enough that one coat is opaque, and it's glossy enough that you don't need to apply a topcoat (although I usually do).
The colour looks different depending on the light, it's basically a lilac with a shot of blue toned fuchsia running through it. It's a colour that I would hate on anything else but I just LOVE as a nail polish!
I love the polishes in the Essie diffusion line, they aren't too pricey and the brush is just the best!
What's your favourite polish right now?
So my second year of University is finally over, and I couldn't be more glad. I'm thinking about doing a post on my Lifestyle Blog, about my University experience so far, just in case any of you guys who may be heading off to Uni in September are interested! Two down, one to go!
I've basically been wearing the exact same makeup look all week, just alternating lip products. I've been favouring a really simple look, and trying a couple of bits out!
First up the Max Factor Face Finity All Day Primer, which I was obviously excited to try since the Face Finity Foundation is one of my favourites. So far I'm really impressed with this, one pump does the whole face easily, it's pretty light on the skin and it sinks in quickly so you can apply your foundation straight away after. It's almost a little tacky on the skin, which makes the foundation really adhere to it. So far, I'm impressed!
For concealing my ghastly under eye circles I've been testing out the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Stylo Touche de Lumiere (read, knock off of the YSL Touche Eclat) and I absolutely freaking love it. I use the Touche Eclat in the shade One, which is a salmon/pink highlighter, whereas this is more of a light highlighting/concealing shade (I have the shade one in this too). I just apply this in a triangle shape under my eye from inner corner to outer corner, and it really adds a luminosity to your face, without looking heavy.
I've been keeping my eye makeup really simple, just using the Wet and Wild Colour Icon Eyeshadow in Brulee across the lid right up to my brow bone to even out the colour of my lids, and then just adding a little liner along the outer corner of my lashes. I'm so impressed with this eyeshadow, incredibly affordable and it's super pigmented and long lasting. I've then been using the Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express Mascara to add a little lift and length to my lashes (oddly, I find that this gives very little volume). This isn't the best mascara in the world, but it's nice for everyday, and I like that the wand is curled!
And lastly, I've been using some of my drugstore blushes again, in preparation for a drugstore blush post, and I've fallen back in love with the Revlon Powder Blush in Mauvelous. This is just a really pretty matte dusky pink blush, very natural looking! I'm quite impressed with the quality of this, it's not the cheapest blush in the drugstore, but it lasts on the skin a good seven hours and it's pretty pigmented too!
What have you been loving this week?
The Boy and I are MASSIVE fans of Mexican food. Unfortunately, in London, Mexican food is pretty expensive, so it's not always practical for our bank balances. Last week, I had a mexican craving, but since it was deadline week I didn't have the time to be heading into central for a burrito, so I decided to rustle up my own version with what I had in the cupboards.
I usually go for a steak burrito, but all I had in was mince, so I literally just cooked this up, and then simmered it for fifteen minutes in a hosh posh sauce made literally from a mix of barbecue sauce and Smokey Chipotle sauce. It was freaking delicious, smokey and spicy, but super tasty!
We had wraps, so that was easy, and also some salted tortilla chips, so those went on the table. I cooked up some white rice (I was all out of wholegrain) and just added a little pepper, and we also had Pinto beans. I really fancied wedges, so I baked some white flesh sweet potatoes, and covered them in sweet chilli sauce, not mexican but damn delicious. I normally make my own salsa, but I just didn't have the time, so I sent The Boy to Tesco Express in our building for salsa and sour cream. I grated a load of cheese, made a salad, and shredded some lettuce too for in the burritos.
This basically took me like twenty minutes to rustle up, and it was awesome, super tasty, super filling and not too unhealthy either!
Whilst I love my high end products, there are a fair few drugstore products stealing my heart right now, and you guys definitely need to know about them!
Number one, a setting powder that I'd been meaning to try for forever but I never got round to until the recent Boots 3for2. The Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot is a completely translucent, really lightweight setting powder. I definitely understand why there is a lot of hype around this powder, it sets my makeup without making it look powdery or cakey, and is great for touchups throughout the day. Really really good stuff.
I'd heard a mixed bag of reviews when it came to the Revlon Colourstay Shadowlinks but I'm actually fairly impressed with them. Sure, they aren't the best shadows I've ever used, but considering the price point, they're pretty good. I've got the shades Sand, Taupe and Cocoa, a shimmery champagne, a griege taupe with a hint of shimmer, and a dark matte brown. As far as pigmentation goes, they aren't top notch, but definitely buildable, Taupe is definitely the most pigmented of the lot. They are all great considering the price though, and very pretty on the lids!
I wasn't sure about the Maybelline Big Eyes Volum' Express Mascara to start with, but I've found that providing I curl my lashes first, I love this mascara. It's got two wands, 'The Push Up Brush' and 'The Mini Brush', The Push Up Brush is a twisted wand with natural bristles that gives loads of volume and length to the lashes, and The Mini Brush has lots of tiny, closely packed bristles, perfect for the lower lashes or getting into the inner corners of the eyes. I'm really impressed with this, it makes my lashes look big and full, and lasts really well throughout the day.
For lips, I've been obsessed with the L'Oreal Extraordinaire Colour Riche in Rose Melody, a gorgeous glossy lip product, that's super moisturising and pigmented, and long lasting. It even makes my lips look fuller. HOW DOES IT DO IT ALL. If anyone knows, please tell me, so I can adopt the same approach to my life.
And lastly, a gorgeous summery polish, Essie Tart Deco, a super pretty pastel peach shade. Incredibly glossy, only one coat necessary, and it lasts really well.
What are you loving from the drugstore right now?
Since I used to work for one of the brands under the L'Oreal umbrella, it's a brand I'm pretty damn familiar with. It's always been one of my favourite drugstore brands, I feel like there is very little that I've tried that didn't impress me. It's definitely one of the pricier brands available in the drugstores, but as far as I'm concerned, it's totally worth it! Also, you can usually find them on offer, so it's easy to snap up a bargain!
THE GOOD
L'Oreal Skin Perfection Blur: A very peculiar primer that just sort of works. It's pretty thick, but it's undetectable once worked into the skin. It does a very good job at evening out lumps and bumps, pores and scars.
L'Oreal Lumi Magique Pure Light Primer: My favourite primer from the drugstore. This is almost undetectable on the skin, it doesn't feel like you've applied anything! This does however, give a beautiful, healthy glow to the skin, without it looking shimmery, and it helps your makeup stay intact. You can even mix this into your foundation, or apply it over the top as a highlighter. A good investment.
L'Oreal Nude Magique Eau De Teint: One of the more peculiar foundations I've used. This is a particularly runny liquid foundation that dries matte on the skin, with a powdered finish. It's got good medium coverage and feels incredibly light on the skin. Lovely for no-makeup makeup days, especially when you still want a little coverage.
L'Oreal True Match Foundation: Being pretty familiar with L'Oreal brands, I can tell you that this is basically identical to the YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat foundation. Medium but buildable coverage, glowy and natural on the skin, and just an all round gorgeous foundation.
L'Oreal Lumi Magique Foundation: Pretty similar to the aforementioned True Match, but with a bit more coverage, and a bit glowy-er. I like this, but I wouldn't reach for it if my skin was the slightest bit oily.
L'Oreal Nude BB Powder: A super lightweight, finely milled powder, perfect for setting foundation in place. I like to take this out for touch-ups because it's so light it's almost undetectable on the skin.
L'Oreal Colour Appeal Solo Eyeshadow: I only discovered these recently, but I'm already in love. I don't have a ton of individual shadows, I tend to use palettes, but these are amazing one wash wonder eyeshadows! Perfect for travelling, or makeup on the go, since they look great on their own! They're almost more like pressed pigments than eyeshadows, they're super pigmented and soft.
L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic Mascara: My favourite drugstore mascara, hands down. This is a little pricey for a drugstore mascara but I definitely think it's worth it. It's got a plastic wand with a lot of tiny teeth, that just really grip every individual lash and coats them. Length, volume and lift. Perfection.
L'Oreal Volume Million Lash Excess Mascara: A new-ish mascara to my rotation, this one isn't quite as in your face as the previous, but the curved wand makes it super easy to get all your lashes in one swipe, handy if you're in a rush! This is pretty volumising (as the name would suggest) but it doesn't give massive length, so this is more of an everyday mascara!
L'Oreal Glamshine Splash Stains: I have three of these now and I'm just obsessed. Lipglosses that last really well but fade to leave a stain to the lips, perfect for long days! They've got a great colour range too, gorgeous nudes through to striking bold colours.
L'Oreal L'Extraordinaire Colour Riche: A new addition to the L'Oreal line (and my stash), I love these! I have the shade 101 Rose Melody, a beautiful pink nude. These are like a combination of gloss, balm and lipstick, the finish of a gloss, the hydration of a balm and the colour payoff of a lipstick. If you haven't tried these yet, you should have!
L'Oreal Rouge Caresse Lipsticks: These aren't particularly pigmented or hydrating but I love how they look on, the colour pictured above is Dating Coral, and it just gives a hint of coral colour to the lips. Super pretty and spring like.
L'Oreal Collection Privée Lipsticks: Not only do I like the idea of this lipstick line (find the perfect nude for you), but the actual lipsticks are fantastic. Creamy and pigmented, and the shade Cheryl's Nude is so flattering on me.
L'Oreal Confetti Top Coat: It's no secret that I'm not great at nail art, in fact, this is my idea of nail art. A topcoat with black and white confetti in. Very pretty.
L'Oreal Matt and Messy Spray: A really good, affordable, salt spray for your hair, that doesn't leave it crunchy or sticky. I use this when I can't be bothered to do my hair, just blow dry my hair and spritz this in, and I'm done! Messy, textured hair that looks great.
L'Oreal Micellar Water: I find this a little drying compared to Bioderma, but it gets the job done and is super cheap.
L'Oreal Skin Perfecting Cleanser & Toner: These get the seal of approval from me and The Boy. Super gentle cleanser and toner, affordable and they get the job done.
THE NOT SO GOOD
L'Oreal False Lash Effect Telescopic Waterproof: I honestly thought I'd love this, since I love the non-waterproof counterpart, but this I can't stand. This doesn't grip all the lashes as well, it looks clumpy, and it just feels really heavy on the lashes.
L'Oreal Super Liner: I've actually chucked this out now, so it's not pictured above, but this dried out less than a week after me getting it. Very disappointing.
L'Oreal Nude Magique BB Blush: A good concept, but this liquid blush doesn't blend well and just immediately stains wherever you apply it, leaving your cheeks looking patchy and strange.
What are your favourite L'Oreal products?
Cast your minds back to my beauty haul just over a week ago, where I mentioned the Josie Maran Argan Infinity Creamy Lip and Cheek Oil from Sephora. Today, we are talking about that.
Aside from having the longest name ever, this is one of the easiest, handy products I've found! It comes in a plastic tube and it kinda looks like a hand cream but it's pretty sturdy which is surprising. It comes out of the tube quite thick, but it's definitely liquid, and once you touch it it turns into a liquid/oil hybrid that is super easy to blend.
I've tried applying this a few ways but by far the best is to just apply and blend with your fingers. Because of the texture of it I find that brushes just eat it up, so I just take a tiny amount on my fingers and tap it into the skin. In terms of wear, this isn't the longest wearing cream blush I have, but it's not half bad either, with a good primer underneath it'll last a good 10 hours!
You can also use it on the lips, which just gives a super natural tint, I think because this shade is pretty similar to my natural lip colour it doesn't make a massive difference, but that might differ shade to shade!
I went for the shade Limitless Pink which is your standard rosy pink, it kinda just goes with everything and looks incredibly natural on the skin.
I really wish I'd ordered more than one of these, I'm so impressed with it! Definitely going to be great for summer, and a nice option for travel too!
If you want to see what it looks like on, I'm wearing it on my cheeks in This Video, I couldn't get a good photo!
Have you tried anything from Josie Maran?
I truely believe that one of the hardest thing any makeup lover will ever have to do is pack their beauty essentials for just one evening. I always either end up dramatically over packing, or underpacking. A couple of weeks back I was really missing home, so I went back for just one night, and snapped a few pictures of what I took. The makeup bag is just a cheap one from Primark, that fits everything in easily.
THE MAKEUP BITS
Makeup-wise, I just took the bits and pieces I knew I'd need to create one everyday makeup look. No options, just one of everything. Unless I'm ill, I tend to always apply a full face of makeup, just because I enjoy doing it, I look forward to spending twenty minutes playing with my makeup in the morning, which means that maybe a normal human wouldn't take this much makeup, but for me, I like wearing this much makeup!
I took two primers, the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Pure Light Primer to add brightness to my skin, and then the Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer to actually extend the life of my makeup. I managed to justify taking both since the Hourglass offering is so tiny, and I just love the combo of both. For foundation, I took the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, because the packaging is small and compact, it's plastic so it's light and won't (hopefully) break, and it's just a really reliable base product. Concealerwise, of course it was the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer, which you guys know I'm obsessed with right now. I also took my Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder, just because it was quite a warm weekend and at any sight of the sun my skin turns into an oil slick.
I go nowhere without The Body Shop Honey Bronzer anymore, it makes my skin look a little warmer and less vampirish. For cheeks I took the No7 Cheek Pop and Glow in Classic Rose, so that I wouldn't have to take a cheek brush, this is best applied with fingers for a natural rosy glow!
I took quite a bit for my eyes! The Smashbox Photo Finish Eye Primer is a perfect eye primer and it also evens out the skin tone on your eyelids too. I also packed the Wet and Wild Silent Treatment Eye Palette since it's super compact and the highlight colour in there doubled as a cheek highlight. I also took the Soap and Glory Supercat Liner and the Max Factor Kohl Liner to smoke things up a little. I have a ton of miniature mascaras hanging around my beauty stash, so it made sense to take one of those. I ended up going for the Dior Iconic Overcurl Mascara, which gives a nice curl and lift to the lashes, bit didn't fare well when I had a little nap (see twitter pic for reference). And of course, for brows, the Soap and Glory Archery Brow Tint and Pencil. What else?
And for lips, my new favourite nude lipstick, the Lipstick Queen Sinner 90 Percent Pigment Lipstick in Pink Sinner*. This is an incredibly pigmented, creamy opaque lipstick with incredible staying power, I'm so impressed by this! Also, I'm in a bit of a gloss phase, so I also took my travel size of the Clinique Superbalm Moisturising Gloss in Grapefruit. It's not sticky, it's super moisturising and it looks gorgeous. This is my favourite lip combo right now!
Brush wise, I kept stuff really simple and just took the Blank Canvas Cosmetics F22 brush which is my current favourite for applying foundation, and then my Space N.K. Travel Brush roll which has one fluffy brush which is great for powder and bronzer, and four little eye brushes. It's super compact and takes up barely any room in your makeup bag.
THE BEAUTY BITS
Since I took so much makeup, this is what I tried to keep to a minimum! For getting off my eye makeup, I took a sample of the NARS Gentle Oil Free Makeup Remover and a couple of cotton pads. I was actually quite impressed by this, I only needed a tiny bit and it totally obliterated my smokey eye and mascara. I then just took a travel size of The Body Shop Nutriganics Foaming Face Wash which I just used twice, once to take my makeup off and once to really cleanse. I took one of the Liz Earle Muslin Cloths to use with it, just because these take up less space than a flannel! I then took a sample of a Molton Brown Moisturiser and the YSL Eye Serum, and there was enough in the sachets for morning and night! I also packed The Body Shop's Aloe Lip Care, it's perfect for before bed and you can apply it lightly before you do your makeup and it'll absorb and soften your lips by the time you get to lipstick!
Scent-wise, I took the Soft and Gentle 48h Jasmine and Coco Milk Antiperspirant* which lasts really well throughout the day, and smells really comforting. Is that a weird thing to say about a deodorant? I also packed a perfume sample of the DKNY Women Eau de Parfum, which is just a super fresh scent.
And lastly, a few hair bits, I took a miniature of the Batiste Cherry Dry Shampoo since my fringe always needs it the day after washing, a tiny little hairbrush that was 99p in Boots, and a little Muji case with grips and hair bands in! The Muji case is so handy for keeping them all together, I'm sure leprechauns steal my hair grips, I buy tons and can never find them!
Wow okay so when you right it all out it looks like a lot! What do you pack for a night away?
I did a post just like this back in August last year, but my desktop essentials have changed quite dramatically since then. Some days I can spend upward of fifteen hours in a day at my desk (Hi, my name is Jaye, and I'm a workaholic. It's my Dad's fault), so I like to have a fully equipped arsenal of beauty bumf on hand. I've whittled it down in previous months to the stuff I know that I use on a regular basis, and that actually comes in handy. I used to keep makeup bits on hand but realistically, I never use them, so they got the boot.
I keep most of the beauty bits in a little wooden box that my parents bought for me from Dubai a few years back, it's a gorgeous hand carved box with gold detailing and velvet lining, and I absolutely adore it. With the exception of my hand cream, everything fits! The hand cream in question is the & Other Stories Ginger Wishes Hand Cream, which is perfect for my desk since it has a pump, and smells deliciously of ginger and lime.
Onto what's in the box! A lip balm I'm loving at the moment, The Body Shop Honeymania Lip Balm which smells utterly delicious but not at all like honey, and is super thick and hydrating. Then there is a small can of the Avéne Eau Thermale Spring Water for refreshing my face when my skin when it's dry and tired. My eyes tend to get tired quickly while I'm sat at the computer, so I always have the Garnier Skin Naturals Light Eye Roll On, which is hydrating, but most of all soothes the skin around my eyes. One that you guys might not be familiar with is Biofreeze, which is a cooling pain relief gel for muscles. This is amazing stuff, if you get an ache (which is pretty common for me) you just apply a little of this and almost instantly it eases the tension. Handy stuff, and it doesn't stink like Deep Heat. I also keep a little 4Head Stick which is super handy for tension headaches.
I have a little Muji pot that's filled with a super intensive moisturiser, handy for dry elbows, dry faces, anything like that. If I have the opposite problem and my skin is a little on the oily side, I have the The Body Shop Tea Tree Blotting Tissues.
I keep a couple of nail bits on hand, The Body Shop Almond Nail and Cuticle Oil, which if I get bored I slather all over my cuticles. I also have a glass nail file for bored phone calls and chipped nails.
And lastly, I have a mini sample size of the Diesel Loverdose Eau De Parfum, for freshening up (i.e. when The Boy walks through the door in the evening and I realize that I've been sat at my desk since 8am and have yet to shower. Sexy), and a handful of hairbands, because my hair likes to not fit in one hairband.
What do you keep at your desk?
Essie polishes are my weakness. Perfect glossy formulas, wide brushes that make application a dream, and a gorgeous colour selection. Who could resist that? I've built up quite the collection since discovering them a few years back, many a Boots 3 for 2 has resulted in an Essie based haul, and man am I hooked. If you haven't already, you need to check out Essie polishes, and if you have, maybe there will be a few suggestions for your next splurge!
Essie Grow Stronger Base Coat
I picked this up recently because my nails are pretty brittle right now. They're splitting and snapping really easily and they don't grow AT all. I've been using this for two weeks now and I actually noticed a difference from the first time I applied this. Not only is this a fab base coat, my polishes last longer and don't stain my nails, but my nails already feel stronger.
Essie Polish in Fiji
The first Essie Polish to grace my life. This one seems to be a topic of contention, some people find this streaky but mine isn't at all. I do find the pastel shades tend to need an extra coat, but that's pretty standard with any pastel polishes. It's a gorgeous milky pink shade, that can be worn sheer or as a solid colour. Very pretty and sophisticated.
Essie Polish in Mint Candy Apple
I picked this up at the same time as Fiji, and if I had to pick a favourite mint polish, this would be it. It definitely sits on the green side of mint, and it's just so so pretty.
Essie Polish in Chinchilly
This is one of those not brown, not grey, sort of greige shades. Very strange but I always get compliments on this polish! It's a really easy to wear polish, despite looking odd in the bottle, and you only need one coat!
Essie Polish in Bikini So Teeny
I feel like this polish looks different on everyone, but when I wear it it's definitely a cornflower blue with a hint of lilac to it. In the bottle it looks like it has a subtle shimmer but I don't find this transfers on the nails. It's a super pretty spring summer shade!
Essie Polish in Orange It's Obvious
I never thought I'd be able to pull off a bright orange polish, but hey, I can! This is one of my favourite summer polishes, it's really bright and cheerful, and I find it generally only needs one coat so it's great for if you need to paint your paws in a rush! Also, this looks GREAT with light wash jeans!
Essie Polish in Watermelon
Another Summer favourite, but realistically I wear this all year round, it's probably my favourite of the bunch! It's a gorgeous punchy bold pink. It's almost red. Almost, not quite. It's just freaking beautiful. Go buy it, go on.
Essie Polish in Sexy Divide
For darker, vampy days, and nights out in the depths of Winter. A deep, dark purple with a strong shimmer. I got pretty hooked on this over Christmas.
Essie Christmas 2013 Minis
These are actually still available in some Boots stores and definitely worth picking up. First off, the mini bottles are adorable, and so handy for travel! Plus I've used these a ton and haven't put a dent in them! There's a gorgeous deep burgandy, a burgandy glitter and a kinda dirty powder blue shade. They're all gorgeous.
Essie Polish in After School Boy Blazer
Another one that's seriously had a blogger hype around it. As far as I'm concerned it was totally worth it! It's a gorgeous almost black navy, that just looks so sleek. It's a one coat wonder polish that's just so easy to wear.
Essie Polish in Stroke of Brilliance
Ahhhhh glitter. I'm obsessed with this polish, it's got big chunky blue glitter and some little pieces too, and you can wear it as a topcoat or build it up and have it as a full on glitter nail. So pretty.
Essie Polish in Tarte Deco
This was all Courtney's fault. This is a gorgeous pastel peach shade that just looks adorable. I can't wait to wear this with a tan!
Essie Polish in Splash of Grenadine
I bought this polish a while back, fell in love and then accidentally smashed it. Disastrous. It's taken me forever to find another one since Essie Button then mentioned it as her favourite current polish, causing mass hysteria over the shade and not one single one left in London. I finally managed to track it down in a dodgy looking Boots in Middlesex and I'm so glad. It's a bright purpley shade with a punch of pink to it, and it's so Spring/Summer appropriate.
What are your favourite Essie Polishes?
Can you guys believe how warm it is today?! I genuinely feel like I'm on holiday, if holidays involve Uni work, cleaning the flat and replying to emails.
This morning we decided that since we have a lot of work to do today we would just pop out for an hour to grab a Starbucks and have a stroll in the sun.
The big news here is that STARBUCKS HAS REFRESHERS AGAIN. I was obsessed with these last Summer, and whilst I'm pretty gutted that they haven't bought back the Berry Hibiscus one, the orange ones will do. This deserves a blogpost because it's practically a Public Service Announcement.
We actually wondered around Wembley Stadium, and we found this cute little garden in the Civic Center nearby, and the ground was covered in confetti from a wedding earlier in the day. Cute.
Also this is the first time this year I've been able to wear sandals. Three cheers for no more sweaty feet.
I can't wait for my deadline Friday, when I can finally get out a bit more again!
Have an awesome Sunday guys!
One more week til freedom guys. One more. Some people begin to neglect their makeup routine when it gets closer to deadlines, but not me. If anything, I spend more time on my makeup, procrastination is a favourite activity of mine.
I've been reaching for the Seventeen Phwoarr Paint a lot this week. I originally liked this for blemishes and redness, but I'm starting to fall in love with it for under eyes. A little of this on my ring finger, pressed into the dark skin under my eyes makes a massive difference, this is slightly peachy toned so it really counteracts the blue. On top of that I've been applying a little of the YSL Touche Eclat* to brighten the area further. This too is really pink toned, so it really fights those dark areas.
For lids I've been reaching for the Revlon Colourstay Shadowlinks in Taupe and Cocoa. Not the best quality shadows, but I love the fact they link (novelty things really excite me) and with a good primer they last well. I just smudge Taupe across the lid using a fluffy brush, and then take a tiny amount of Cocoa through the crease, just to add a little dimension. Super easy.
One more makeup item, I am so obsessed with TheBalm Mary Lou Manizer right now. I've been using this to glow up my cheekbones, browbone and the inner corner of my eyes since I got it, and I just love it. I've had so many compliments on how healthy and radiant my skin looks! This even doubles as a great eyeshadow, so a good all rounder.
I won the Nanshy Eye Brush Set* in a giveaway hosted by the lovely Danniella in association with Nanshy, and have been massively impressed with it so far (full review in the works so stay tuned!), but this week I've been loving the Angled Detailer Brush in particular. I've been using it with the Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade to fill in my brows, and this is just the perfect little brush, the perfect size for filling in brows, but not going too heavy handed. This set is my first forray into the world of Nanshy brushes, but I'm seriously impressed.
I've wanted to try some of these strange elasticky hairband things that supposedly don't leave any dents in you hair for the longest time. Last week, my lovely friend Elysia offered to send me a few from her shop No Bump Bobble and I jumped at the chance. They arrived the next day and I love them, particularly the Lavender one pictured above! They don't leave annoying dents in your hair and they are much more comfortable than your standard hair band, especially for sleeping in! I think I might be converted! If you're interested in trying some of these, definitely check out Elysia's Shop, they are super affordable & fab quality, with super fast delivery and they even come in a cute drawstring bag.
And lastly, the thing that's been keeping me organised, my new To Do List notebook from Anthropologie, with it's little tick boxes and tear out pages. Too cute.
What have you been loving this week?
Items marked with * have been gifted to me for review purposes or won in a giveaway! For full disclaimer policy please click here.
I've had acrylic Muji storage on my dresser for quite some time now, but I really struggled to find a good way to store my lipsticks. I stumbled across this unit on eBay for a bargain £2.98 a couple of weeks ago and it seemed like the answer to all my lipstick-organisation prayers. It came from Hong Kong, so I expected it to take a while, but it actually arrived after less than 10 days, so not too bad!
So I figured, what better time to show you my current go to lip products! Along the back row I have six of my favourite lipglosses, and lipsticks take up the rest. There's no real sense of organisation, but I have grouped my them by brand!
In the first row, I have all Urban Decay Products. At the back, the Urban Decay Naked Gloss in Streak, a gorgeous non-sticky gloss in a beautiful bright coral. It's not sticky on the lips but it lasts really well throughout the day. Then I have the corresponding lipstick, the Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Streak, a slightly sheer peachy coral which is surprisingly wearable. I was obsessed with this at the beginning of the year, and it's still my go to lipstick when I want something spring-y. Then in front I have the Urban Decay Revolution Lipsticks in Turn On and Fiend, which are incredibly pigmented and long lasting. I love all of these so much!
Second row! At the back, the No7 BB Lips in Belle Pink, a gorgeous sheer berry lip balm and gloss hybrid. This looks really dark but on the lips it sheers out and looks super natural on the lips. In front of that I have my favourite Bobbi Brown Sheer Lip Colours, Rosy, Tutu and Pink Flush. Rosy is a gorgeous pink with a coral edge, Tutu a brown-y nude with a peach tint and Pink Flush is just a pretty pink. I love that these are sheer, they just give a wash of colour to the lips and they last really well throughout the day.
In the next row I keep my favourite sheer nudey lipsticks. At the back is the Maybelline Colour Sensational Shine Gloss in Cashmere Rose, a super pretty peach gloss with a tiny hint of shimmer. It smells amazing too. Then it's the MAC Lipstick in Peach Blossom, one of my favourite peachy nudes, and really, my go to nude right now. I have MAC Syrup Lipstick next, a sheer berry pink that just goes with everything. And then in front, the Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Boy, my perfect nude lipstick. 'Nuff said.
Next up, the Tanya Burr Lipgloss in Picnic in the Park a bright pretty pink gloss with a tiny hint of shimmer. I love these because they almost set down and stay put all day. Then the MAC Lipstick in Coral Bliss a pretty but subtle coral lipgloss, and the MAC Lipstick in Lustering a gorgeous sheer, blue toned pink lipstick. And then right at the front, I have the Dior Lip Glow Colour Reviving Balm which I am currently obsessed with. It reacts to the PH of your lips and gets darker the longer you wear it. It's pretty moisturising too.
I have another one of the Tanya Burr Lipgloss in Aurora, this one's a more subtle pink, it's darker but no where near as bright as the previous one. Then I have the Estée Lauder Pure Colour Sheer Shine Lipstick in Plexi Pink, a pretty blue toned sheer pink lipstick that is just gorgeous for spring and summer. I then have the two Lipstick Queen Lipsticks I'm loving right now. First off, the Lipstick Queen Butterfly Ball Lipstick in Trance a sheer pink which looks really bold and glittery in the bullet, but wears as a sheer neutral pink. I also have the Lipstick Queen Pink Sinner Lipstick, an incredibly pigmented pinky nude that is so incredibly long wearing.
In the last row I have some of my favourite drugstore lip products. At the back, the L'Oreal L'Extraordinaire Colour Riche in Rose Melody, a liquid lipstick that is incredibly moisturising and long lasting. Then, the L'Oreal Collection Privee Cheryl's Nude Lipstick, a really pretty brown toned nude lipstick. I didn't think this would suit me, but it's gorgeous and it doesn't wash me out at all. Continuing the L'Oreal theme, I have the L'Oreal Rouge Caresse Lipstick in Dating Coral, a pretty sheer coral. And lastly, right at the front, my favourite peachy nude, the Rimmel Moisture Renew lipstick in Let's Get Naked.
How do you store your favourite lipsticks?
Prepare yourself, this is gonna be a long one. There have been lots of fab new products in the drugstore recently, but also I've made some awesome rediscoveries, products that have been in my stash for a long time, but never received the love they deserve.
First up, I'll keep today's thoughts on the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Pure Light Primer brief, cause I've chatted about it a lot recently. If you haven't tried this yet, GO GET IT. It gives my skin so much glow, and I wouldn't be without it now. Similarly I've mentioned my Maybelline Fit Me Concealer a lot too, it's a great medium coverage, long wearing concealer that works well on blemishes, redness and dark circles. A total winner.
There's been quite a few winning drugstore blushes recently, I wanted to mention two from this side of the pond and two from the other. First up, the No 7 Pop and Glow Cream Blush in Classic Rose, a gorgeous bright pink cream blush in stick form. It blends out and looks incredibly natural, but it's also quite buildable if you're after a bolder look. It has almost a velvet finish as opposed to the standard cream formula, which means it lasts on the skin a little longer. A good multipurpose product to have in the ranks. A similar shade, if a little more muted, is the Bourjous Powder Blush in 48, Ashes of Roses. I'm not sure if Bourjois have reformulated their blushes, previously all the ones I've tried have been really chalky, but this one is great, and definitely worth a look. The lovely Vanessa sent me some blushes from Canada last month, and I've fallen in love with all of them. The Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso is incredible, one of the longest lasting blushes I have ever tried, in a gorgeous glowy peach shade. The other was the Wet and Wild Colour Icon Blush in Pearlescent Pink, a shimmering pink with a hint of peach, a great every day shade.
Also from across the pond is the Wet and Wild Silent Treatment Palette. Vanessa was kind enough to send me three of these palettes and I love them all, but this one is my favourite! The quality of these shadows is incredible, so soft and buttery, with outstanding pigmentation. Worth every penny! A little more easily accessible, the L'Oreal Paris Colour Appeal Mono Eyeshadows, pictured above are the shades Metal Plum and Brown Lamé. These are super pigmented, almost more like pressed pigments than eyeshadows! These are great as a one wash wonder, swipe these across the lid and they just look so done. As far as mascaras go, I'm loving the L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes Excess Mascara right now, it really grips every lash and coats it, lifts it and just generally makes them look pretty damn awesome.
I've also been loving the Collection Work The Colour Eyebrow Kit, it's got three eyeshadows and a brow gel, and comes with a handy little mirror and brush. For £3.99 you can't go wrong with this, the shadows are a tiny bit chalky which actually makes them more natural looking on the brows! Seriously impressed with this little kit!
I've been loving the Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayons in Peach on the Beach and Orange Punch, gorgeous slightly sheer lip crayons, that are just perfect spring shades. For a nude option, I've been obsessed with the L'Oreal Collection Privee By Cheryl Nude, which is basically the perfect nude lipstick for me. Also the formula is just amazing, it's creamy but lasts so well. I've mentioned before that I'm not a massive fan of the Revlon Lip Butters, I think they're overhyped and a bit too...squishy, but I've been reaching for the shade Berry Smoothie a lot recently and I quite like it, a good everyday colour.
The Revlon Nail Art Sun Candy in Lava Flame is an amazing nail polish duo, awesome for travel! On one end is a gorgeous deep coral shade, and the other is a sheer coral topcoat with chunks of golden glitter. This would be great for taking on holiday! Also, I love the Essie Polish in Tart Deco, a pretty peach shade that just screams spring time.
Two skincare bits from the drugstore have massively impressed me recently, first up, the Nivea Daily Essentials Foaming Cleansing Mousse, a super gentle cleansing wash perfect for the mornings. I've also been loving the Boots Botanics Purifying Face Scrub, which is a nice creamy, not too scrubby exfoliant, that really brightens the complexion, and comes in at under £5.
There have been a lot of products from the Dove haircare range in my daily routine, and I've kinda fallen in love with them all. First up the Dove Style and Care Heat Protect Spray, which you spray in wet hair before styling. It smells really good, helps detangle and protects my hair against styling damage. I actually bought that because I didn't read the bottle properly and thought it was the Dove Refresh and Care Dry Shampoo, which is my absolute favourite dry shampoo. Lastly, the Dove Style and Care Nourishing Dry Ends Serum, which you can add to the ends of your hair throughout the day to stop them looking dry. For styling, I've also been loving the Charles Worthington Texturising Spray, which just adds a little grit, volume and well, texture to my hair.
And lastly, I'm not one for fake tan usually, but at this time of year I like to add a little colour to my legs, and my product of choice is the No7 Perfectly Bronzed Quick Dry Tinted Lotion in Medium/Dark. This is so easy to apply, I just take a few pumps on a mitt and massage it into my skin. I go with medium/dark because the lighter bottle did nothing, but this gives just enough colour without ever looking orange or streaky. Perfect.
Hopefully this will give you guys a little inspiration for your next drugstore shopping trip! What are your favourite drugstore products right now?
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