New & Old

Hey guys,

So I thought I would share with you the new products I have been loving, but also the old products I have fallen back in love with. I went through my makeup collection and bought out a few products that I haven't used for ages but still love!

Old Faves-

Nars LoveJoy Bronzer- This bronzer  is quite different from any other bronzers I have, firstly its very shimmery and I normally wear matte and secondly its very dark and mine are normally slightly lighter. But I love this bronzer, its amazing at contouring and looks great. Its a staple product in my makeup bag for the winer.

Rimmel Match Perfection loose powder- I have been using set powder for a while now but recently my skin has been feeling slightly more oily and I felt like I needed something slightly heavier. So I re discovered my love for this translucent loose powder from Rimmel that I used  for years. It sets my foundation so well and really leaves the skin feeling smooth and matte!

New Loves-

L'Oreal nude lipstick- L'Oreal has recently launched a new range of nude lipsticks inspired by celberites such as Eva Longoria (which is the colour I bought), I love it!! I'm a big fan of nude lipstick for the day time and this one lasts on the lips for ages! I would defently recommend any of these shades (I think there is 4) as your autumn go to lipstick.

L'Oreal Skin perfection serum- This product was on my wish list last week, and I was so excited to try it and . . .  I love it. I use it under my moisturiser in the evening and on its own in the morning before I apply my makeup. My skin has felt smoother and i have to say its appearance has improved. I'm really impressed with this product and will continue to use it.

My style diaries starts on Monday evening- so keep an eye out! 

xxxx

Beauty on a Budget

 

For some time now I have heard nothing but rave reviews for the cosmetic range MUA that can be found in Superdrug, not only is the make-up said to be high quality the price is amazing! Some items are only £1!!! So I thought I would give it a go myself, I knew I wanted to try both a blusher and the primer because these are the products I have heard so much about. I have also wanted to try the Barry M Gel like nail varnish for a while, so I thought I would try this too.


I'm firstly going to talk about the shimmer express blusher, I was initially attracted to this colour because I loved the soft pinks and I like how the shimmer acts like a highlighter.

The pinks look really lovely, and I have been super impressed with this product! Its very similar to my Clinique Iced Lotus blusher. The best part of all is that this blusher cost my £3 I think! which is amazing, the only cristicism I would have is that it smells slightly like plastic, but you can't complain at that price!

Second is the MUA 'undress your skin' primer, I have been wanting to try this product for ages as i think a primer is essential for both the longevity and look of your foundation.

It leaves the skin feeling velvety smooth and you can certainly feel a difference when you apply foundation, I have also found it keeps my face make-up on for longer but I wouldn't say it lasted all day. Definitely longer then it would without it on though! As well as this I think this primer was £3.50, another bargain!!!















Last on my list in the Barry M Gelly high shine nail paint in the colour Pomegranate 316, the colour is lovely! and looks really summery and pretty on the nails, but it's also quite dark which I like in a nail polish. It also lives up to its word and is high shine, so much so I didn't wear a top coat which I normally do! My only slight observation is that its not as thick or as 'gel like' as I thought but never the less its brilliant varnish! I will definitely be buying more colours in the collection! I can't remember exactly how much it was, but It's a standard Barry M bargain price!

I would recommend any of these products! Especially if your on a tight budget, make-up doesn't have to break the bank to look flawless! A mixture of cheaper and expensive items is the key.

Fashion First Hand

So today I'm doing a slightly different blog . . . . I thought I would let you guys know about a really exciting new company that my friend has recently set up. Its called Fashion First Hand and its an interactive insight into the fashion industry in which online seminars are streamed live. You can watch them from any location and ask any questions you may have relevant to the seminar LIVE!! Its really exciting and I hope you guys are eager to learn and share new ideas.

On May 10th their first web speaker Antonia O'Brien will be presenting her 'Advice on being a Fashion Presenter', being a regular presenter on 'This Morning' and doing her weekly fashion feature of 'Style Dilemma' on Lorraine's morning show. Her films and interviews have been published in both stylist.co.uk and graziadaily.co.uk.

Antonia will be discussing a number of fashion related items, from how her career began to how this led onto her career in fashion and presenting.

http://fashionfirsthand.co.uk/upcoming-webinar-sessions-2013/- So guys, here is the link, this is amazing opportunity to gain information first hand information, once you visit the website you can sign up for FREE to watch the session live. You will then receive a confirmation email and information about how to tune in LIVE and ask your questions directly!

Don't miss out! this is an easy and accessible way to get fashion at your finger tips! 

What is in my Make-up Bag this week?

 Many of you will be able to relate to me when I say my make up bag needs a bit of rejuvenating, my products aren't working as well as they used to & everything needs a bit of mixing up . . . . . . .  this is where I have found myself over the last couple of weeks. My make-up was feeling tired & warn, I knew I needed to change something up. So I'm going to go through a few products that I have recently bought (being a cosmetic junkie, I am constantly trying new products!)

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So first on my list if my Mac SPF 15 foundation, this product has recently crept it's way back into my make-up bag. As I have always been blessed with blemish free skin, I found I only needed to apply foundation when I was going out in the evening. However, recently I have been looking for a more dewy look, so I have replaced my beloved Maxfactor fix powder for a light weight foundation to give an all over coverage. Applied with a small Mac 130 brush in round circles I love the look it gives to my skin, followed by a dusting of powder.

Second on my list is the Maxfactor Falsies mascara, being a complete mascara addict I am always reluctant to try new mascaras when I find one I love. However having heard rave reviews and being a lot cheaper than my normal mascara I had to try it . . . .  and it did not let me down. I love the slightly curved brush, perfect for adding curl to lashes, it does take a few more strokes then I am used to to build up the lashes, however after that it looks amazing! I have started to apply a second coat after the first is slightly tacky as I find this works best! I would definitely recommend this product to you!










Next is my make-up bag in this lipstick by Rimmel in 006, Pink Blush, I love wearing lipstick in the day but find bright colours to much for everyday wear as I like to keep my makeup quite simple. This colour is a perfect pink and adds a natural look to lips without being to noticeable. I love the texture and consistency of Rimmel lipsticks and I really do find they last forever. This colour is very similar to the MAC Lady Gaga limited edition lipstick that was released a couple of years ago, which I had always loved.










Lastly you can see from the top picture the Maxfactor cream blush and Maybeline brown gel eyeliner. I love this gel eyeliner as its easy to apply using a small slanted brush (mines a benefit one), I find brown a liner is much more complimentary for my face shape and blue eye colour,  but the black is also just a nice. The cream blush is also a lovely colour and adds the dewy look I was after, it is easy to apply with a round foundation brush applied to the apple of the cheeks after applying bronzer.

If your make-up is feeling run down or tired, its probably time for a change! So try something new . . . 

My Survival Kit

Every girl has their necessities that they feel lost without, so I thought I would share my cosmetic 'must have's' with you. I have always been a great believer in taking my make-up off before bed, for me sleeping with make-up on is the worst crime and can really effect your skin.

So my first product in my survival kit is my Simple make-up wipes, having spent years in my teens trying and testing different make-up wipes, there is no doubt about it that these are by far the best. I know every female member of my family uses them now! This is because they managed to incorporate all the essential jobs in one- they are wet enough to only need one for the whole face including removing water proof mascara, they are soft and gentle and NEVER sting the eyes or face, the cleanse the face properly and remove any impurities from the day and lastly they smell lovely, but not too heavily perfumed.

The second product in my survival kit is my Kiehl's Ultra Facial cream which since I have discovered I  can't stop using. It is the face cream I have always dreamed of, although slightly more pricey than some brands its well worth the splurge and in the largest size lasts ad least 3-5 months. It's light and non greasy but deeply moisturises the skin so it feels hydrated all day.  It's perfect for make up application straight after use and sinks in almost instantly. Although I have been a lover of Kiehl's products for quite a while, this is a product I know will be in my survival kit for a very long time! I cant recommend it enough for all skin types.

These items are on my survival kit, not because I use them everyday, but are for occasions when my skin and hair feels like it needs reviving. The Rare Earth lotion is fantastic if my skin has slight blemishes or if i'm feeling slightly run down, it instantly makes my skin feel hydrated and refreshed, I would recommend using it once a week or when skin is feeling particularly bad. The V05 miracle oil, is brilliant for split ends or for adding extra moisture to ends and it lasts forever!!! you only need 3 drops per application. These products are brilliant for preparations for a night out or a pampering day in.


The last 2 products are the most essential part of my makeup bag, Laura Mercier secret camouflage is probably one of my favourite products ever, because I don't wear foundation this gives me a slightly thicker coverage without looking 'cakey' at all, its also brilliant for using under the eyes. The best part of the product is that is has 2 shades inside, meaning that if you have been on holiday or need a slightly darker (or lighter) tone then you can mix the 2 colours together to get a perfect match.
And lastly my Maxfactor face compact- I have been using this product for 5 years easily and still haven't found any powder compact that matches up to it yet. It gives amazing coverage without looking powdery, giving the face a porcelain finish that stays on all day. Im sure this will be in my make up bag for many years to come!

Guilty Pleasure

Tanya Burr is one of the biggest make-up trends on youtube at them moment, I was introduced to her tutorials through twitter in which she does a lot of work alongside Millie Mackintosh. Having followed many of her make up tutorials on you tube for a long time now, I particularly like her style and her simplicity towards make-up. She understands how to create both a simple and dramatic look without going over the top. This You Tube clip was taken from a series of clips called 'Celeb Style', in which she takes the make-up style of a celebrity in this case Mila Kunis and provides step by step tutorials on how to effectively create each look.
I find her tutorials easy to follow whilst ensuring the audience has a real understanding of how to create each style. She also makes it particularly clear that she has picked products for the individual skin type and face shape, this is a critical part of makeup application. I think its great to learn from others, especially some one so talented and professional.

I would advise you all to take a look on your next night out . . . . .  Get experimenting!