FOTD - Recreating my wedding makeup look

Doesn't time fly when you're having fun? Today we're celebrating our wedding anniversary and although it feels like we got married only yesterday, it's been 5 years already. Traditionally 5 years is considered the Wooden anniversary - maybe that means that Him Indoors will give me a couple of acres of Amazon forest...  Since it's our anniversary I thought it would be fun to recreate the makeup look I was wearing on my wedding day and even though I won't be using exactly the same products, the colors will be very similar.

At the moment I have much more of a tan than I did at my wedding and for an every day look at this time of year I normally wouldn't even bother with foundation, but since I'm making a bit more of an effort with this look I applied the No 7 Instant Radiance Foundation (£12.50) in Wheat. In my opnion the No 7 foundations don't get nearly enough credit and mention in Blogiverse. Not only are they great value for money, but the matching service means that you will definitely get a shade that is as close to your skin tone as possible for a perfect seamless match. The radiance foundation is a lovely and light medium coverage foundation that adds a nice warm and natural glow to your skin but without that heavy, caked feeling on your skin. It's fairly long lasting so it should stand a fair chance during these hot sweltering days we've been having lately. Now, I know that a lot of wedding looks are quite soft, natural and paired down, but I like a defined eye - always have and always will and it's a look I wear most days of the year. So for my wedding makeup I didn't want the complete opposite or something totally out of character since after all, this is the day of all days to feel comfortable and great about yourself, so my makeup artist and I decided to do a lighter version of a defined eye that was still in keeping with what I would usually emphasize, using slightly softer colors

For the eyes I used Avon's True Colour Eyeshasdow Quad Nudes (£9) in Barely There. All of the shades have surprisingly strong pigmentation and the formula is soft and creamy that allows for gradual building up of the colours, which will last the majority of day before you start seeing them fade. As a base for the entire lid I used shade no 2, which is a beautiful muted, dusky rose colour which blends so well with shade no 4 - an intense sepia brown, and on the middle of the lid I added a light sweep of shade no 3, a chamoisee with a beautiful subtle shimmer. I also used shade no 1 as a highlighter and in the inner corner of my eye, and the pale but warm cream colour is a nice contrast to the other colours. I really like these Barely There shades and even though they definitely are on the nude side they don't disappear into the background and are anything but bland. To add some depth and eye definition I applied Rimmel's Soft Khol Kajal Eye Pencil (£2.99) in Sable Brown on the lower waterline. It has a wonderful soft and water resistant formula that stays in place even on the teariest of days, so if you've got a special occasion coming up - give this one a go!

The only mascara for me at the moment, which you'll probably remember from my July favourites,  is Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara (£9.99). Already from the start it has just the right texture, as if it's been used for a while and the wide, firm brush makes it very easy to apply layers upon layers to quickly volumise and shape the lashes as much as you want in a few seconds and the effect is amazing. It's very long lasting but also easy to remove in the evening. I'm very lucky with my eye lashes and even the bottom ones are fairly long, but these days many mascaras with their wacky and strangely shaped wands make it tricky to get a nice and smudge free application. The solution to that issuette is the famous Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara (£13) which has the tiniest brush I've ever seen, making messy lines under your bottom lashes a thing of the past. I prefer to use the shade brown since I personally am not a fan of the lower lashes being too distinct and spider leggy and I think it works well, even with black mascara on the upper lashes.

For my cheeks I used my beloved Sleek MakeUp Blush (£4.49) in the most stunning shade ever - Rose Gold. I love this romantic coral shade with its golden shimmer, that makes your cheeks look so dewy and glowy making it perfect for a romantic occasion. The consistency is silky smooth and blendable and the blusher is so richly pigmented that you only need to dab your brush in it to get enough product for both cheeks - in the photo I've literally just lightly swept the brush over the apples of my cheeks, and as you can see that's more than enough for a radiant finish. When I tried to recreate my wedding day look I wasn't surprised at all to see that I had almost identical shades for all the products but one - the one item that I had to rummage around for was a lip colour and the closest I could find in my stash was the L'Oréal L'Extraordinaire Liquid Lipstick (£8.99) in Rose Symphony. This is supposedly a dupe for the fantastic YSL Glossy Stains, and there are definitely a lot of similarities. Let's look at the formula; it's soft, moisturising, silky, non sticky, intensely pigmented and with a brilliant glossy shine and it comes with a great flexible doe foot applicator. It's long lasting and when the shine has faded you're left with a noticeable stain that lasts literally ALL day. It's an excellent product and definitely a more affordable option to YSL. Rose Symphony is a warm vermillion pink shade, and although the colour I wore on my wedding day had more coral in it and the finish was not quite as glossy, the overall look is very similar. I had so much fun recreating the look again and now I'm off to pack a bag since apparently I'm going away somewhere, and I mustn't forget to take all these items with me so I can create the same look for this evening.

Face Five Challenge

Last year I did a post that counted how many products I used every day (you can read it here), and at the time 11 out of the products I'd used that day were related to makeup. So when the lovely Lauren at Will Sing for Makeup tagged me to do this challenge which is about creating a full face look using only 5 items (how CRUEL is that) I had to think long and hard about what I was going to use, which wasn't easy since I had to follow these rules:

1. Use only 5 products to create a complete makeup look

2. Each different product counts as 1 product. Multipurpose products count as 1 product, such as Benetint, Bombshell the One Stick, Nars Multipurpose Stick. 
3. No palettes are allowed. No trios, quads or multi-shade palettes.
4. Tag Five others to complete the Face Five Challenge

The key to get through this TAG for me clearly was to find great multi purpose products, so let's have a look at what I came up with. First of all I quickly eliminated primers and makeup setting sprays and for a while I even toyed with the idea of not using a foundation since my skin has been behaving pretty well lately, however since I was asked to create a complete makeup look I guess foundation should be included. To make sure that I didn't need to use a concealer I needed a foundation with medium to full coverage and you probably won't be surprised to hear that I decided to go with my beloved YSL Forever Youth Liberator Foundation (£37). I love so many things about this foundation; that it gives super coverage and still feels so lovely and light on the skin, that it includes skin care elements that drip feed the skin throughout the day, the long wear and the subtle glow that it gives. Deciding on foundation was an easy choice, but after that it got a bit more tricky and I thought of all kinds of product combinations that would do what I needed - could I use mascara on my brows? would it work with using a lip chubby on my eyes?

In the end I thought I would play it more safe and to go for a natural look using browns and corals. On my eyes I went for a Bourjois Little Round Pot Eyeshadow (£6.99) in shade 16 Orange Epicew, which is a lovely golden cinnamon color, and I love how it brings out blue eyes. The Little Round Pots are wonderful eye shadows bases - they are soft and easy to work with and you can be creative with the intensity of color using them wet or dry. I used the Rimmel Soft Khol Kajal Eye Pencil (£2.99) to line both the upper lid and the waterline. I really like using a brighter color on the waterline for a lovely contrast, but if I were to stick with the multi purpose product approach I don't think that my eye brows would look good in green or purple so in stead I went for the shade 011 Sable. It's a lovely soft and blendable texture and it's long lasting, which is always a plus when you wear it on the waterline. Since it's so soft it worked surprisingly well on my eye brows, although the color is a bit darker than I would usually go for. Mascara is a must wear for me if I'm going for a complete makeup look and since this 5 product look would be fairly natural and subtle I applied the YSL Babydoll Mascara (£24.50) in Brown for wonderful long, volumized lashed. I really love this mascara and the brush is great for reaching every single little lash which creates a very full and wide eyed look. 

Now I only had 1 more product left to use, but this was another easy decision for me since the last product I had in mind is a true 2-in-1 product - Benefit's Cha Cha Tint Lip and Cheek Stain (£24.50). When I first got this little product I thought the color was stunning but I was a bit worried about applying it. It's a creamy liquid tint that you blend into your cheeks but if you just take your take time and use tiny amounts to build the color up until it's right for you, it's very easy to use. The shade is a beautiful coral shade that sets into a lovely matte finish and it's very long lasting. I would usually only wear this on my cheeks since I prefer to use a very moisturising lip product, and although the color is very pretty, and if feel light when you apply it the formula isn't hydrating enough for me to wear as a lippy on regular basis. 

This was fun but surprisingly hard to do and I really had to plan which products I would use. The learning point I guess is that you can actually get by with fewer products - but why would you to yourself when there are so many goodies waiting to be tried out! As usual everyone is welcome to join in and I'd also love to see what the following lovelies can come up with using only 5 products:

Anoushka from Anoushka Loves

Catherine from Catherine Loves

Laura from Petit Moi Big World

Sarah from MyBeautySleuth

Shubha from Blue Velvet Addict

Have a wonderful day everyone! Xx

Dior's Trianon Makeup Look with Pastel Fontanges

As you may remember I've had a love affair with the Dior Trianon Spring Collection ever since I first saw the promo pictures at the end of last yea, and at the launch event at Debenhams I treated myself to some of the products in this stunning collection. I've done a separate review of the beautiful Trianon Eyeshadow Palette in Pastel Fontanges (you can read it here) which is pastel heaven in a lovely little Dior box with its sheer, soft shades and today I thought I would try to recreate the look from the promo photos.

Let's start with the complexion - usually I apply concealer over a foundation, but in order to make it look as light and even as possible I actually applied my Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer (£5.49) under the foundation rather than on top. It's a great light and smooth concealer and I have somehow mysteriously managed to match it perfectly with my foundation. The delicate, petal look and feel of the Pastel Fontanges range of colors is matched with a flawless, youthful and dewy looking skin so to achieve something that's at least similar, I brought out my preferred heavy hitter when it comes to preparing your skin, the YSL Forever Youth Liberator Foundation (£37). This foundation gives excellent medium to full coverage for an even and flawless tone without feeling heavy on the skin and it also adds nourishment throughout the day to keep the skin supple and plump. The shade I'm wearing is not as pale and porcelaine as they've used in the promo photos, but it does have that subtle glow which I've then enhanced even further using the amazing budget beauty MUA Undress Your Skin Highlighting Powder (£3). I've completely fallen in love with this highlighter and wearing it on the top of your cheek bones, and maybe even a little above your cupid's bow gives a wonderful light and subtle smoothing shimmer effect. 

For my brows I used the Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil (£2.99) in Hazel 2, which works perfectly for this look since it's not too dark, but it still gives enough definition of the brow arch. For the eyelids I used all of the shades in the Dior 5 Couleurs Trianon Edition Eyeshadow Palette (£41) in Pastel Fontanges 234, starting with a wash of the shimmery ballerina pink all over the lid as a base. It's a gorgeous shade and for me this is the shade that's easiest to wear out of the five since it works so well in combination with both neutrals and purples too. Having done the pink base, we move on to the slightly more intimidating light periwinkle blue - which in itself is beautiful, but in the promo photo there's a lot of it, applied all over the brow bone and under the eye. As you blend it in with the light pink, it creates a lovely contrast although I must admit that wearing a blue shade this shade, definitely pushes me out of my comfort zone. After that I mixed the light silver grey with the lemon chiffon color and added to the inner corner of my eye and slightly below to brighten that area, and to reflect the other shades. Finally I lined the lash line with the darker soft gunmetal grey to add depth and the combination with the ballerina pink is so lovely and I might even try a smokey eye look at some point using these two shades.

Since this is a very bare faced look I didn't want to volumise my lashes, and instead I went for length with the Maybelline Illegal Length Fibre Extensions Mascara (£8.99) which is great for a natural, combed through lash look and I've got a more detailed review of this mascara coming up on Tuesday, so keep an eye out for that. I very lightly blotted the odd area with the Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot (£12) and applied the finishing touch using the Tanya Burr Lipgloss (£6.99) in Afternoon Tea. Like so many others I've been completely bowled over by this gorgeous range of lip glosses. The formula is light, creamy, non sticky and moisturising with excellent pigmentation that seems to set on your lips almost like a glossy stain. You get hours of wear out these and re-applying it is a joy since it has a delicious candy like smell. This shade Afternoon Tea, is a subtle slightly muted rhubarb and cream pink, which is perfect for a "your lip color, but better" look.

 

I really enjoy wearing and experimenting with the gorgeous Pastel Fontanges palette and I had so much fun recreating the Trianon look. Despite being such a soft and delicate colors the look works surprisingly well for evening wear too, since the shimmering colors look gorgeous when the light catches them. It is a complete and probably slightly over the top indulgence in pastel colors and using lots of light blue on your eyelid might seem a bit scary - at least it did to me, but if you keep it well blended you won't be getting flashbacks to something out of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. If you're interested in seeing more Trianon looks, have a look at Dior backstage (the link takes a while to load to be patient with it), where you'll find tutorials for another two lovely looks and you can read more about the whole collection. 

February favorites

February has been a very mixed month for me when it comes to makeup products, and unfortunately I've felt quite underwhelmed by a lot of the new products I have tried. This has meant that I've turned to some old tried, tested and well loved favorites to restore the balance. One of the new products that I've recently tested and really taken to is the Orly Bonder Rubberized Basecoat (£8.70). Let's just  disregard the somewhat strange name right away and go straight to the excellent qualities of this basecoat. The formula contains ingredients that make the basecoat feel ever so slightly sticky, and rubbery which means that nail polishes will get a better grip and last longer on your nails. When I use this basecoat nail polishes will last approximately 2-3 days longer than they normally would so e.g. a Barry M nail polish, usually lasting 3 days now stretches to 5 before the chipping is substantial. It is more expensive than many decent basecoats on the high street, however the bottle is a generous size and considering you don't need to apply nail polish as often any more, it's well worth getting. I'm so excited about this basecoat - yes I know... it is only a basecoat, BUT I'm beginning to hope that this is the solution to my unsatisfactory relationship with Chanel polishes which on my nails always chip already after a few hrs. I'll take it for a Chanel specific test drive and let you know how it went.

The fragrance that I've been wearing the most this month, is the gorgeous DKNY Energizing Fall EdT (£42). I've been feeling a bit cold and miserable after all the rain and the time spent outdoors and this has been perfect to restore my mood. It's an unusual but well balanced EdT with it's warming spicy and fruity scent of mandarin, lemon, jasmine, magnolia, musk, vetiver and cardamom. The blend is so harmonious, calming and beautiful with lots of substance and I'm suprised that I haven't seen it on more perfume shelves of department stores. 

A completely new discovery for me this month, and already a firm favorite is Batiste's Dry Conditioner (£3.99). It's the same concept as with dry shampoo, you basically spray it onto dry hair and then brush and style as usual but instead of cleansing your hair, this conditioning spray adds nourishment which makes the hair smooth shiny and sleek. It's an amazing product that adds a lot of volume, freshness and control without the crispiness of a hair spray. I'm completely addicted to it and start using it already the day after a hair wash and I'm definitely trying the one for strength and shine next.

One of the must have products in any decent makeup collection is a perfect nude lipstick, something which I had been trying to find for aaaages. After much searching and swatching I eventually found one in L'Oréal's Color Riche Collection Privée (£8.19), more specifically in the shade Julianne Moore. It's a gorgeous peach color with just enough pink for a subtle and natural look, and since I've already reviewed it in more detail in my article about natural colors for makeup where you can also see a swatch, I'll only mention here that the formula is moisturising and pleasant to wear, and it fades well throughout the day. I've worn this shade so often since I bought it, not just on a "no makeup" day and although it took me a while to find a pale shade that I'm confident in wearing, I've finally got it now and it was well worth the wait.

Since I've spent so much time outdoors in February I haven't really felt like getting all glammed up in my best YSL Youth Liberator Serum foundation, so after a bit of digging around in my tash I've rediscovered the No 7 Instant Radiance Foundation (£12.50). It's perfect for those days when you're feeling a bit tired and your skin is stressed, and it'll give a light to medium coverage as well as a natural finish. The formula is lovely and silky with light reflecting particles that makes the skin look radiant but without any glitter or shimmer, and it feels great and soothing on tired or dry skin. The foundation is a little bit more expensive than many other great options from e.g. Bourjois or L'Oréal, but the No 7 Match Made Service makes it worth those extra few pounds since you're guaranteed to get as close a match with your natural skin tone as you can get.

I debated with myself if I should include this last beauty product that I've loved this month, but in the end I decided to put it out there. As you may remember I did a review of the Diorblush from the  Trianon collection earlier this month, which was a bit of a let down simply because of the weak pigmentation, which is why I decided to show this bargain blusher, MUA 1D Cheek Tint in Coral Cutie. Expensive doesn't always equal great quality! It's a lovely soft and creamy cheek tint in a stick form, which is easy to apply and blend in and it stays in place all day long. Dab a little of this beautiful sunny coral shade on your cheeks and blend for a fresh and healthy looking glowing skin. This was a limited edition MUA product which I bought in Superdrug last year for no more than a few pounds, but since it's now only available on ebay these days the price is hugely inflated, as so often happens although you should be able to get one for around £5-6, and it's definitely worth it. 

I don't usually include non beauty items among my monthly favourites, but since it was a bit thin on the beauty ground this month for me, I thought I would show you a scarf I've been wearing at least a few times a week since I got it for Christmas. It's a two toned reversible cashmere scarf from LK Bennett - one of the sides and the tassels are in a gorgeous warm cerulean blue, and when you turn it over the other side is in a cool steel blue. It's long enough to double fold it and it's lovely and wide to use as a cashmere throw or stola. I hope you've had more luck than I with new products this monthly, and I'd love to know if you've also got any non beauty products among your February favorites?

Natural edition

As you know I love to experiment with different colors for makeup and nails, but sometimes it's also really nice to strip everything away and go back to basics for a very natural look. But what does natural actually look like? I associate natural with colors that are similar to my skin tone like buff, beige, tan and wheat, but at the same time no one wants to look washed out or anonymous. Isn't it ironic how the "no makeup" makeup look really is quite difficult to do, and how we take great care to apply products and shades, sometimes lots of them that make us look as if we have absolutely nothing on? Regardless, here are some of my favorite products to achieve that deceptively effortless natural look.

A great foundation is the base for all makeup, and it's even more important when you're going for a nude, bare-faced look and for me the YSL Serum Foundation (£37) is perfect for achieving a flawless radiant look. Since I have reviewed this foundation before (see here) I won't go into too much detail, but it's a wonderful product that combines anti-aging and rejuvenating skincare with a medium-full color correcting foundation coverage. The formula has just the right light weight consistency and it's easy to blend into your skin using either fingers or a brush for a subtle and natural radiance. This is a very long lasting product and on me the coverage lasts about 9-10 hrs without any need to correct and it also moisturises the skin throughout the day. There's no denying that this is a luxurious product, but when you barely wear anything on your skin it's even more important to be 100% confident in the product that you do wear, and YSL makes your skin look and feel amazing.

The high street is filled with lots of wonderful eyeshadows, but finding one in a light natural shade with decent pigmentation can be difficult, but one of my favorites is the Bourjois Little Round Pot (£6.99) in 08 Beige Rose. For me this is such a classic and reliable makeup product and I have tried lots of different shades and effects and I've always been happy with the results. The powder is very soft and fine, but it doesn't crumble and it's easy to apply and blend. This shade is a great warm sheer vanilla color with a slight pink undertone and shimmer that looks very light luminous and natural on - perfect for an au naturel look.

Having found a great natural looking eyeshadow, you want to make it stay on as long as possible, and to help with that I use the amazing Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (£15) that helps your makeup last all day. The consistency is wonderfully smooth, creamy and quick drying and with this product a little goes a long way, so you could say that it's long lasting in more than one way e.g. I've had mine for almost a year... It comes in four different versions; the transparent original and three others that all have a very subtle color. I absolutely love the shade Eden, which is a nude matte color that looks so natural that sometimes I have even worn it just on its own on the lid without any eye shadow.

One of the easiest and best tricks to achieve a wide-eyed fresh and natural look is to apply an eye pencil on the lower waterline in a light shade. You can go for white if you wish, but personally I think that a nude shade works even better. Lately I've been using the Isadora Inliner Kajal in Blonde which is a soft and creamy kajal, and although it's not specifically smudge- or waterproof it's very resistant to daily wear and it stays put for hrs before you need to touch it up so it's perfect to use on the upper or lower waterline to add that little extra brightness to the eyes.

From left to right:

L'Oréal Color Riche Collection Privée Lipstick - Julianne Moore

Isadora Inliner Kajal - Blonde

Bourjois Eyeshadow - Rose Beige

For me the tricksiest product to find for a perfect no make up look, is a nude lipstick. I see so many brown and pale shades that look amazing on others, but they rarely work on me and most of the time I look completely washed out. So when the L'Oréal Color Riche Collection Privée (£8.19) was released I thought: finally, I'll be able to find a shade that's wearable. There are six different nude shades intended for different skintones, all embodied by a different celebrity spokesperson and since my colorings are fairly similar to Doutzen Kroes' that was the shade I immediately honed in on. As lovely as it was, it didn't however tick all the boxes for me and in the end I ended up with the Julianne Moore shade which is a very grown up and sophisticated gorgeous delicate peachy pink with a brown undertone. The formula is creamy and moisturising, and it wears really well throughout the day even after eating and drinking. The only thing I don't like about this product is the typical L'Oréal lipstick taste that I find quite plastic, strong and old fashioned, but the shade is absolutely stunning and for me it's also the first nude shade ever that I'm actually comfortable and confident wearing. I like it so much that I've already bought a few spare ones, just in case this limited edition disappears from the shelves any time soon - which would be a real shame.

Last in this row of natural looking products is a nail polish that I picked up fairly recently - it's the  Maybelline Color Show Nude Nail Polish (3.99) in the shade In Your Flesh. It's a wonderful, classic nude shade that creates the illusion of longer fingers and it's a very clean, understated and chic look that would go with most outfits. The formula is a little bit thicker than most nail polishes, but despite this it's actually very easy to apply evenly and even though nude colors are by nature quite sheer, the formula is pigmented enough that you'll get a nice opaque look after two coats. Since I'm going for a paired down finish, I'm not wearing a top coat in the photos and there's enough shine in the polish for a fresh natural sheen. The polish will last for about 3 days before you need to touch it up and it's nice and easy to remove.

It's taken me a while to find products in nude shades that I'm comfortable in wearing and that look just like my natural colors - only better. After many frustrating visits to MAC I have also accepted that more often than not, the most popular nude shades don't work as well on me as they might do on others and I've had to look for other color options. But a natural look doesn't have to be just beige colored and the key to carry it off and to avoid a bland, non descript appearance - is to find products that work with your own skin tone, that blend in seamlessly and that also enhance your colors in a subtle "je ne sais quoi" way. Have you found the colors that work for you? What are your favorite natural shades?

Autumn makeup bag

A couple of months ago I did a post on what was in my Summer's makeup bag and since I've really tried to be more seasonal this year - changing up shades and products much more than I usually do, I thought I would show you the products I've been using the most since the beginning of October and even though there are some new additions, you will probably also recognise a few products that have been reviewed separately.

Let's start with the products I've been using for my foundation and the first one is the YSL Youth Liberator Serum Foundation (£37) in shade B30 Beige. It's a medium to full coverage foundation that has built in anti-aging ingredients to help regeneration of the skin cells. I know I have raved about this in a few other posts and I'm sorry for repeating myself but since it is the foundation I use every day now, it had to be in here. It has a wonderful texture that's easy to blend into your skin, and despite giving fuller coverage it feels light and natural on the skin. The finish has a lovely radiant glow and it's very long lasting without any transfer or smudging. It's a luxury item, but as you know for me it's important to get the foundation right and it's definitely the best foundation I've ever used.

The foundation does give fuller coverage but I still like to use a light concealer as well, and my go-to product is Rimmel's Wake Me Up Concealer(£5.49). The concealer gives great seamless coverage that brightens and illuminates, and it's light enough to work really well under the eyes as well. Just like the foundation it's long lasting and when I use both setting spray and powder I find that I don't need to do any corrections at all until early evening - brilliant for such an affordable product.

Before setting with powder, I'll spray a couple of spritzes of a makeup setting spray and about a month ago I swapped my Urban Decay De-Slick spray for the All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray (£9). The De-slick spray worked well for me, it's just that I don't really have a big issue with oil control and since I'm more into long lasting products, it made sense to try this one too - and I'm so pleased that I did. It's a lovely fine spray without any scent at all that lowers the temperature of the makeup so that it stays in place longer. The spray feels very cooling and refreshing on the skin and even though I still haven't found a setting spray that lasts more than 8 hrs, it does help to keep everything where it should be, minimising any smudging, especially if you also apply a little after you've completely finished your makeup.

I'm a bit late to the party when if comes to Soap & Glory products in general, and it's not until this year that I've tried quite a few from the body care range. Since I was so impressed with the products I've also picked up a few makeup items. The first one is the Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot (£12) which I got after my Rimmel Stay Matte Powder broke when I was traveling. I was a huge fan of the Rimmel powder and never really thought I would change allegiance to another brand, but having tried One Heck of a Blot there's no going back! It's a lovely, super light translucent mattifying powder that controls any excess oil or shininess, and it leaves the skin looking and feeling ultra soft and matte without any build up. I'll dab a little of it over my nose and cheeks after I've used the Urban Day setting spray and I find that my look will last at least 5-6 hrs before first signs of shininess appear.

When it comes to my eye makeup I've still kept it quite straight forward as usual, but I've swapped my golden, peachy shades for a more muted look. A great example of that is the Bourjois Little Round Pot Eyeshadow in 54 Marron Glace(£6.99). It's a lovely chocolate brown with a tiny bit of shimmer that I've really enjoyed wearing during the day, just applying a light wash all across the lid and then eyeliner. I think it's difficult to find an eyeliner with just the right consistency, but I've been happy with the Rimmel Scandaleyes Thick & Thin Liner (£5.49) in black and since it has a slant to the tip it's easy to use to create either a heavy winged liner, or something a little bit more subtle. The eyeliner is waterproof and long lasting and applies easily without any tugging on the lid. Since I have used this for quite a while now, it is unfortunately beginning to get much drier though and it's more difficult to use for precision application, so I'll probably need to pick up a new one in a few weeks.

The other shade I have used non stop is the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Metallic Pomegranate (£4.99). To be honest I picked this up already in August but it was just sitting in my make up bag staring it me saying: "When are you going to use me?", since I wasn't confident in the shade and what it would look like on. As soon as I saw that gorgeous rich, shimmery deep vibrant cranberry red shade I knew I just had to have it, but I was struggling a bit with figuring out what to do with it. The formula is creamy, easy to apply, has great staying power without creasing and the red shade is so much easier to wear than you might think. I use this dabbed very lightly all over the lid, or in combination with a taupe color to add shape and depth to the outer part of the lid. I was worried the shade might make my eyes look sore or smaller, but it's absolutely stunning and it brings out my eyes - a great choice for autumn.

On to my most worn mascara, and it's the lovely butterfly effect False Lash Flutter from L'Oréal (£10.99). The mascara lengthens the lashes, volumises and flares the lashes outward with the help of the double winged butterfly brush. It takes a few attempts to figure out how to best work with the brush, and for me I actually apply the mascara from the outer corner and inwards to get a nice coverage of the outer lashes. The effect is beautiful - you'll have looooong silky lashes with an intense color and a lovely angled effect that opens up the eye.   

Left to right (In natural light):

Bourjois Eyeshadow - 54 Marron Glace

Maybelline 24 Hrs Colour Tattoo - Metallic Pomegranate

Left and top to bottom (In artificial light):

HD Brow Blusher - Shade 2

Bourjois Eyeshadow - 54 Marron Glace

Maybelline 24 Hrs Colour Tattoo - Metallic Pomegranate

Soap & Glory Sexy Motherpucker Lip Gloss - Raplumzel

 

Left and top to bottom (In natural light):

HD Brow Blusher - Shade 2

Bourjois Eyeshadow - 54 Marron Glace

Maybelline 24 Hrs Colour Tattoo - Metallic Pomegranate

Soap & Glory Sexy Motherpucker Lip Gloss - Raplumzel

I've also swapped my Collection eye brow pencil to a Rimmel Professional Eye Brow Pencil (£2.99) in Blonde. It does the trick, but I like my eye brow pencils to be soft and easy to work with, so that it doesn't feel as if you're drawing your eyebrows on, and unfortunately the pencil is quite hard and not waxy enough for me, which makes it more difficult to get two sisters. I won't be buying this pencil again and next time I think I might even brave the world of eye brow kits and use a shadow instead. 

For some color on my cheeks I've also swapped my usual coral shade for a softer, dusty pink (Shade 2) from HD Brow Blusher (£17.95) which I actually got in one of the better Glossyboxes. The blusher has a lovely fine texture and is highly pigmented - you only need to dab your brush in the blusher to get incredible pay off. I learned that the hard way, and clown cheeks are never a good look! The muted shade is perfect for the berry shade of colors I've been using lately together with a fairly pale skin, and it gives just the right amount of everyday glamour.

If you read my Chubbimania post, you'll know that I've been all about the chubby sticks this season and out of the new shades I've bought lately, my most loved one is the Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick (£8) in Raplumzel. It has a lovely subtle vanilla candy scent and it has that wonderful super moisturising formula with quite strong pigmentation that gives such a beautiful creamy finish that lasts a long time and wears well. The gloss stick is enriched with a plumping complex of collagen pre-peptides that gives an instant plumping effect, but without that tingling feeling (they call it the Buzz-free formula, how cute is that...). The shade Raplumzel is a soft wonderful dark raspberry shade, and it's been perfect for me to follow the berry trend but without it being too vampy.

This is the first time I've updated my make up with completely new shades to make it seasonal, and I've actually really enjoyed it. In December I'll make some more smaller changes e.g. I'll be wearing a lot more red lip products - predictable I know, but Christmas is coming after all and I'm already looking forward to introducing new shades again in the Spring time.

Fave 5 YSL products

One of my favourite premium brands is Yves Saint Laurent (YSL). I love it for its sense of style, elegance and effortlessness. Not only is it an iconic brands but YSL has also produced some of the most iconic products since they first started with perfumes in 1964 and then later on skin care and makeup. Just think of Paris EdT - the perfect rose scent, Youth Liberator Serum which is market leading with its technology and Touche Eclat - apparently one is sold every 10 secs worldwide. So today I thought I would show some of my favourite products from this fantastic brand.

The first product of this glamorous fave five is one I did a review of not that long ago - it's the Lacquer Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain (£23.50) the latest of YSLs best selling products. Since I have already done a detailed review of this product I'll keep it short and sweet. This is a wonderful and light, creamy hydrating glossy stain that feels very glamorous to wear. It has a wide heart shaped applicator that easily traces the lip contours and that gives excellent smooth coverage with a stunning high gloss finish. After initial application it'll settle on your lips like a stain and last flawlessly for a good few hrs. The shade in the photo is 12 Corail Fauve which is a soft but energetic warm rose pink coral and I've used it so many times since I first got it - after all there's nothing that will glam up any outfit as sporting a perfect glossy lip.

Next product has also been reviewed in a separate post, and it's the ultimate de luxe of foundations - Youth Liberator Serum Foundation (£37). This foundation is enhanced with the cell renewing Forever Youth Liberator Serum so it reduces skin aging and thinning at the same time as it give your skin a beautiful medium to full coverage. Everything about this foundation feels luxurious, starting with the lovely, heavy glass bottle, to the amazing skin correcting radiance and plumpness it adds to the skin and just like I've come to expect from YSL it sits perfectly on your skin all day without any transfer or smudging. I love makeup products that include high technology skin care and it doesn't get any better than this.

Now on to the Baby Doll Mascara (£24.50) which out of the YSL make up range, is probably THE must try item. As with all YSL products the gold packaging is stylish and sleek and every time I see it in my makeup bag the glitzyness of it always cheers me up. I don't often say this, but the formula has exactly the right consistency for me. Often mascaras are too liquid when you first get them and then they dry into something you work better with or it's too dry and it just gets worse, but the YSL was perfect already from the start. The brush is long and thin and has thick bristles on one side and thinner ones on the other which means that you can use one side to give volume to the lashes and then twist and use the finer bristles to easily coat every single lash, including the smaller ones. The bristles also separate the lashes and create a very defined and extended look with a natural softness.

It comes in four shades - Fetish Black, Wheedler Brown, Audacious Blue and Indiscreet Purple. Since they say that black can look harsh on blondes, I actually got the brown shade to see if would make any difference at all to my look compared to black mascaras. The Wheedler Brown is a very dark, matte brown and it does create a softer look, so I love to wear it when I go for a more natural and neutral eye look. Even though it isn't a water proof formula, the mascara lasts really well, both on the upper and lower lashes and I haven't noticed any smudging or fall out. I hadn't tried the Baby Doll mascara up until a few months ago, and this has quickly gone from a must try to a must have and I will definitely add black to the collection as well.

I make no secret of the fact that when it comes to premium brand nail polishes, YSL is one my absolute favourites and I'm frankly surprised that they are not mentioned more often by bloggers. The YSL Nail Polishes (£18) have so much going for them. Let's start with a great range of shades - admittedly you won't find powder blue or neon yellow in the range, but there are so many other brands that do those. What you can expect from YSL is about 20 different shades that are all sophisticated, stylish and timeless and the 3 that I'm showing are examples of just that; 38 Gris Underground is a paired down, cool, silky, modern camouflage gray, 18 Bleu Majorelle is a stunning and sun kissed blue that just oozes vitality and strength, and the last one 21 Taupe Retro is a classy warm brown with a very faint pink undertone, suitable for any occasion.

Another great quality is the amazing wide brush that will cover almost all of the nail in one clean sweep for a gorgeous streak free finish.The formula is slightly thicker than most but creates the most wonderful opaque brilliant high shine. And last but not least, YSL polishes will last about 5 days before they're chipped which to me is good wear - and about 5 days longer than some other premium brand polishes, and I can't recommend them enough.

If YSL is one of the most iconic brands in fashion and beauty, Opium has got to be one of the most iconic fragrances. It was first launched in 1977 and the marketing ads caused a lot of controversy with claims that it was glorifying drugs use, and the scent is one of the top 10 most popular perfumes of all times. The original Opium is a very heavy oriental and heady scent, typical of the 70s and I've always avoided it since it's far too imposing for me. However all that changed when I came across the new version that was launched in 2012 - Opium Vapeur de Parfum EdT Légère (£37 for 30 ml).

The scent comes in a beautiful bottle of peach colored frosted glass with a slightly retro feel and that also of course nods to the bottle of the original Opium. The newer release of Opium is a compelling blend of Oriental and Mediterranean scents - you'll find sweet fresh orange flowers and mandarin, sensual jasmine, and warm, spicy nutmeg and pink pepper. It's a contradictory scent that's glamorous, alluring and cooly crisp at the same time. This version of Opium smells nothing like the original and for me that's also why it works for me. I love the mix of light spice, subtle florals and citrus that make it a warm and mesmerising but zesty and intriguing scent that really stands out, and it's by far my fragrance of choice for this A/W season.

 

YSL as a brand perfectly captures simplicity, uniqueness and timlessness and there's nothing like a spritz of your favourite YSL scent or a slick of your favourite YSL lippy to add instant luxury to your day. Have you used any of these products or do you have another favourite?

October favourites

It's almost the end of October and even though it's been a beautiful autumn so far and you still don't really need to wear warm jackets and coats, the colder times are definitely here. Just like most people my skin reacts in all sorts of ways to the changes in weather, but this year I'm taking a more pro-active approach. So instead of treating dryness and any sensitive areas when they occur come December time when it's really cold, I've started to plump my skin with as much moisture as possible to prepare, and this is also why all of my favourites this month are related to skin care in one form or another.

Moisture, moisture and moisture is the key to keeping your skin soft and supple. However it's not just a question of adding moisture - drinking water by the buckets, and moisturising your skin properly, your skin also needs to retain it. To help with that I use the Gatineau Aquamemory Moisture Replenish Eye Roll On. This eye cream uses seaweed extract which is well known for its water retaining qualities to not only drip feed the skin with moisture throughout the day, but also to lock it into the sensitive eye area. It's a very light cream which comes with a nifty little roller ball applicator to massage it into the eye area. It feels very soothing on the skin and also helps to get rid of puffiness or dark circles and I actually keep mine in the fridge for an extra cooling sensation in the morning. The packaging is very slim and lightweight so it's easy to take with you in your handbag and you can re-apply it during the day, even on top of your makeup to refresh your skin.

Another product which is perfect to carry with you for a boost to your skin and your mood during the day is the Caudalie Beauty Elixir - Limited Edition. It's exactly the same formula as before, but this one has a pretty design from L'Wren Scott on the bottle. This is an old time favourite of mine since with just  a couple of sprays, a wonderful fine mist adds moisture and radiance to your skin, as well as refreshes you with it's herbal aromatic scent of invigorating mint and warming rosemary. I always have one of these in my handbag, and when you're out and about it's a quick and easy way to maintain moisture levels, and your spirits too - accompanied with a skinny decaffeinated latte of course...

The next product that I have truly loved this month is the YSL Forever Youth Liberator Serum Foundation and it's also perfect for this time of year since not only does it give amazing coverage, it also cares for your skin at the same time, helping the skin cells to renew themselves. I'm not going to go into too much detail on this product since I've recently done a detailed review of it, but having used this product now for more than a month I am - if possible, even more happy with it than I was then. Despite being fairly full coverage it's so light to wear that it's not even noticeable, the longevity of it is great and I no longer worry about having to retouch my foundation throughout the day. I also think that its nourishing qualities are showing on my skin e.g. after removing my make up in the evening, my skin feels just as moisturised and smooth as it did after my morning routine. That is the sign of a quality product!

Since the YSL serum foundation is high coverage already I don't need much concealer, and my Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer is just perfect. I have used it previously to get good coverage on blemishes, but for me the best bit now is the illuminating effect it has. It's brilliant to use under the eyes to make you look wide awake and energised, and perhaps also around the nose to brighten that area a little. The concealer also has moisturising qualities and at least for now it's an excellent and a more budget friendly option to the YSL illuminating concealer which is on my list of things to try.

Since my beloved Rimmel Stay Matte Powder broke during my travels last month, I had a real reason (for once) to go and get a new powder and I already new what I was going to get. I'd read raving reviews of the Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot and am very happy to say that it fully met my expectations. It's an incredibly fine and light mattifying powder that absorbs oil and creates a perfect matte look. Just like my previous Rimmel powder it's transparent so it would work with any skin type or tone. What I particularly like about it is that unlike some powders it doesn't feel like a masque - not even after having re-applied it a few times throughout the day and evening, and it sits lightly and evenly on the skin. I was already a fan of the Soap & Glory body care range but this was the first make up product I'd tried, and now I will definitely try other things from their make up range and fingers crossed those products will be as great as this one.

Since I had to buy a new powder I thought I would also invest in a proper brush for it. I went straight to the isle where my new found love - the Real Techniques is, to find a new member for my brush family. I ended up getting the Powder Brush 1401 and I'm happy to say that the new family member fits right in and gets along really well with the others. The brush is so soft and supple and it's perfect to get a light and smooth coverage with just a simple sweep.

With all this focus on skin care products, I feel quite well prepared to combat the effects of any cold or snowy weather that might eventually hit us and actually I'm kind of looking forward to December - particularly since my Ciaté advent calendar arrived today!

Picture perfect with YSL Serum Foundation

Hasn't this been an amazing autumn with so many exciting new beauty products being released almost every week? There's almost too much to choose from; tempting nail polishes, eye palettes each more beautiful than the other, luscious lipsticks - so a girl simply has to prioritise since I can't have it all... unfortunately... While I am always very happy to get a bargain, there are some things that I'm willing to spend a bit more money on, one of them is skincare and the other one is foundation. Because if you think about it, both these areas are really the basis for everything else and it's important that the canvas that you're going to decorate with lots of pretty color is as well prepared as it can be.

That's why I've prioritised and invested in one of the most anticipated products this season - the YSL Youth Liberator Serum Foundation. It's an anti-aging foundation with the Forever Youth Liberator Serum incorporated. The Youth Liberator Serum contains the patented Glycanactif complex, which is a cocktail of synthetic sugars that helps the cells to renew themselves, to reduce skin aging and thinning. So not only does the serum foundation give your skin coverage, it also smooths and nourishes throughout the day.

 

The serum foundation comes in a beautiful, sleek glass bottle with a pump, and it's available in 7 different shades. After some testing I was matched with B30 Beige and it actually fits me perfectly and as a bonus the lovely assistant in Debenhams gave me a 10 day sample size in a lighter shade, so I can start to blend with it when I lose even more of the little I have left of my tan. I was also told that since my skin tends to get dry or dehydrated, I should wear a really plumping moisturiser to prep the skin, and possibly also a primer which is what I do anyway in the morning, so having ticked all the boxes, off I set to take this for a test drive.

The texture is nice and fluid without being watery, and to get an even application over my nose, chin and cheeks I need about 1 medium pump. I've used my fingers to blend it in, but I'm sure that it'll work just as well with a nice brush - it blends in seamlessly into the skin. The foundation gives medium to full coverage and it evens out your skin tone at the same time as it adds a lovely, natural glow (but in a matte way, there is no shininess to this foundation). For me it's more on the full coverage side, but if like me you're a bit weary of wearing full coverage don't worry - it feels as light as a feather and there is no heaviness at all. Wearing a foundation with more coverage is a big change for me after this summer of wearing very little, but I love how it feels on my skin and the even radiant glow. The finish is incredible - natural, bright and plump and it lasts literally all day without any transfer or smudging. I'm not exaggerating now, but from 9 o'clock in the morning until late in the evening it looks pristine and I haven't had to touch it up at all, in short - it's fantastic!

There is of course the question of the price and let's not be shy about this - it is a pricey product and personally I've never spent this much on a foundation ever. So Ok it is expensive BUT it makes you feel expensive too. The incredible finish that lasts all day without any touching up, the sensation of it just resting on your skin and that natural, even glow is definitely worth it. My skin looks as picture perfect as you can get and I will definitely re-invest in this when it's finished. 

This summer's makeup bag

We're mid-August and the new exciting A/W collections are beginning to appear at beauty counters everywhere. Before I get too wrapped up in all things autumn and lots of new products I thought I would show what I've had in my makeup bag this summer. I don't think it has escaped anyone that we have had an amazing summer in the UK, with temperatures soaring above 25-30 degrees - not bad for a country infamous for it's rainy weather. Since my skin has been very bronzed, I've worn a lot of coral and peach colors to bring out my tan with the occasional pop of color to emphasize my eyes but most of these hot days I've been very bare faced and kept makeup to a minimum and it's not until the evening that I would have done something with a bit more coverage.

When I came back from holiday a few months ago I had to get a new foundation to match my tan, and since I find it a bit tricky to get a shade that works with my skin I took the opportunity to use the No 7 Match Made Service to find the perfect match. I wanted a formula that gives a lot of radiance, but still with a little bit of coverage so after having had my skin color measured I ended up with No 7 Instant Radiance Foundation in Wheat. Since I don't like applying foundation all over my face, unless it's needed to correct uneven skin I usually only apply over my nose, cheeks and chin and blend in. I've been very pleased with the foundation and it's felt light, sheer and pleasant to wear, unlike some foundations where you feel as if you're wearing a mask. It's also blended nicely with my Collection 2000 Concealer Lasting Perfection in Beige. I've mentioned this concealer in my July favourites, and I think it's such a brilliant affordable product that truly is longlasting - it will stay on until the end of the day when it's time for your evening routine, perfect!

I've mentioned before that I love that healthy sun kissed look so there's not been a day where I've been without a bronzer, and my current product is the Bourjois Bronzing Powder - Délice de Poudre in shade 52. I mentioned this bronzer already in the Bronze Age, so I won't talk too much about it except to say that it has a lovely soft texture that makes it easy to work with and it does actually smell a little bit like a powdery chocolate bar. I'll use this as a blush, and also on areas of my face that the sun would naturally hit like my brow, chin etc.

Having done my face, I'll move on to eyes and although I love blending different eye shadows and experimenting - this summer I've really kept it simple by using mainly one shade all over my eye lid - MAC Eyeshadow in Rule. This is a lovely coral shade, with hints of burned orange, that can either be a subtle coppery highlighter or a very vibrant statement, depending on how much you blend. It's very pigmented, so I would recommend starting of with just a tiny bit and then build it up.

To add some depth I've used Avon Glimmersticks Eyeliner in Blackest Black on the outer half of the upper waterline. It won't actually show very much when you've applied your mascara, but it gives a fuller eyelash look and is a nice detail I think. Avon has some great eyeliners in a range of colors, but for some subtle pen work, Blackest Black is perfect. It's a lovely creamy texture that doesn't water your eyes, and since it's waterproof you could easily apply to the lower water line as well if you wish. In addition, the eyeliner wears really well throughout the day with no, or at least very little smudging.

From left to right

MAC Eyeshadow - Rule

L'Oréal Color Riche Le Khol - Breezy Lavender 114

Avon Glimmersticks Eyeliner - Blackest Black

Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayon - Peach On the Beach

Going out, or on days where I've wanted to add a pop of color, I've used L'Oréal Color Riche Le Khol in Breezy Lavender 114  to the lower waterline. It's a lovely intense and slightly shimmery clear lavender shade that I just fell in love with as soon as I saw it in Superdrug. I've used this a lot over the summer and it's buildable as well as long lasting - another great eyeliner!

I don't know if this is just me, but I am the most fickle person in the world when it comes to mascara and have tried almost every brand (and may also have loved the products), but it's still a rare thing for me to re-purchase a mascara. And when I do eventually go back to the brand, I'll find that they've changed the formula ever so slightly, but enough so that it won't work for me anymore. I've got almond shape eyes and like to work that effect as much as possible, so at the moment I'm using the Maybelline Falsies Flared Mascara in Black. I've tried other Maybelline mascaras before and they all seem to be completely different. This formula is fairly dry, but not as dry as the Rocket, so it's still easy to use without having to build lots of layers. It has a wonderful thick and shaped brush that helps to give that flared effect by shaping them up and slightly out. Other selling points are that it doesn't flake or smudge and despite the thick brush you can easily use it both for the upper and lower eyelashes. I really like this mascara, and might even break my own habit and re-purchase it again!

For some reason I always leave my eye brows til after I've done my eyes. In the summer my eye brows go even blonder and seem to disappear completely, which Him indoors always tease me mercilessly for, so I need a little help to bring out the shape. I've tried using powder or eye shadow, but I find it easier to work with a pencil - to each their own right? I've always wanted to try the amazing products from Anastasia, but until my next pay day at least - I'll be using Collection 2000 Eyebrow Definer Pencil in Blonde. I got this mainly because of the color since it's not easy getting a shade for blondes that isn't too harsh, but this has turned out to be another little gem from Collection. It's a slim stick that gives sufficient color without it looking like pencil strokes. It enhances and frames the face really well, and the only minus I can think of is that it tends to fade after a few hrs so you may need to fill in your brows again throughout the day.

 

To set the make up and help prevent any shiny patches, I'll use a tiny touch of  Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Transparent on my T-zone. To be honest I use very little powder, so for me this Rimmel product is great. I bought it about 5 months ago, and there's still so much left of it and what I like the most is that it doesn't feel cakey or heavy on the face.

Since I discovered Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayons I've almost only used these during the summer. I have all the shades now, but as I've mentioned before I love Peach On the Beach. It's an amazing soft salmony coral that looks so fresh and healthy and it gives a glossy sleek finish to any makeup look.

I already know that I'll introduce some new colors in the autumn and I'll probably do an updated post in a few months time, and show you what has changed. What have you got in your makeup bag, and do you think you'll mix it up a little now that A/W is coming?