The Daily Face

L'oreal Nude Magique CC Cream (Anti-Fatigue)  //  Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup  //  Mac Pro Longwear Concealer NC30  //  Topshop Brighten in Moonlight  //  MUA Pro Brow Kit  //  Topshop Cream Blush in Flush  //  Mac Paintpot in Groundwork  //  L'oreal Volume Million Excess Mascara  //  Mac  Lipstick in Impassioned

Hello, hope everyone is well and that you've all been enjoying the bank holiday!

Today I thought I'd share what I've been wearing on my face with you, as I've been finding myself reaching for lots of new products as well as some old trusties.

Now, I understand that these sorts of posts would probably benefit from a picture of me wearing this little lot so that you could see it in action, but unfortunately I'm feeling quite unhappy with my skin at the moment thanks to persistent hormonal breakouts and am avoiding selfies like the plague. I will, however, be sure to pop up some photos when I've got things under control again, which I hope will be soon.

Returning products in this little line-up are, of course, the MUA Pro Brow Kit and L'oreal Volume Million Excess Mascara, both absolute staples in my daily routine, and the Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup, which I currently find myself selecting over anything else I've got in my arsenal. The reason I like it is because it feels really light, and looks really natural on the skin, and to me it seems like some sort of mid-ground between a tinted moisturiser and a foundation. It doesn't clog my pores at all, nor does in contain SPF - which can be both a good and bad thing, depending on how you look at it.

Underneath that, I've been trying out the L'oreal CC Cream (anti-fatigue), a review of which will be up tomorrow, so I won't go into that to much in this post to avoid repetition!

Concealer-wise, I'm still suitably impressed with the Mac Pro-Longwear concealer, which is an absolute gem for under the eyes. It hides dark circles really well and doesn't look cakey at all when applied with the Real Techniques Setting Brush, which is a huge bonus. On top of that, I've also been giving my Topshop Brighten in the shade Moonlight a whirl. This is really more of a brightening concealer, and is not dissimilar to the cult YSL Touche Eclat. I've only used it once so far though, so the jury is still out -watch this space for a review coming soon.

I've been really loving cream blushes of late, and the newest addition to my collection is Topshop Flush, which is a gorgeous bright coral pink. I like to apply it with my Real Techniques Stippling Brush, as it blends it down perfectly to a really pretty healthy flush of colour. It may look bright in the pan, but it's really down to you how intense you want the colour, as it's very buildable.

Topshop Cream Blush in Flush

On my eyes, I've been keeping it simple with my Mac Paintpot in Groundwork, which is a gorgeous creamy pigment with an almost glossy finish, which can be used as an eyeshadow base or worn on it's own, which is what I've been doing on a day-to-day basis. In fact, since I bought this, my previous staple, which was the MUA Undressed palette has been pretty much sidelined, as I just find that the Paintpot is so quick, easy and effective. I just apply it all over the lid with a fluffy concealer brush, and I find that it actually creates a lovely, polished look with minimal effort. Lashings of mascara is all that's needed to finish the look, and then with a slick of Mac Coral Bliss on my lips, I'm good to go. This is such a pretty, pinky-peach shade, which along with corals is what I'm all about at this time of year. It's really moisturising too, which is always a bonus.

So there you have it - that's pretty much all that has been gracing my face of late.

What are your favourite make-up picks for Spring?

xx

The Evening Face: Birthday Makeup

Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup

Mac Pro-Longwear Concealer in NC30

MUA Bronzed Perfection Bronzer

Mac Sheertone Blush in Peachykeen

Mac Paint Pot in Groundwork

MUA Undressed Palette (Shades 6 and 7)

L'oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara

MUA Pro Brow Kit

Mac Amplified Creme Lipstick in Impassioned

Excuse the bad photo!

It was my birthday on Thursday, but as I had to work that evening we saved the going out for dinner and drinks for the Friday night, and this is the look I chose to go for.

I had been shopping in Mac that day and picked up the Groundwork Paint Pot and Sheertone blush in Peachykeen, so I was 'keen' (if you'll excuse the pun!) to put them to the test for my special night.

I first applied my Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup, which is a great base for nights out as it doesn't contain any SPF, meaning no ghostly white face in photos. It's pretty light coverage, which is fine for me, but might not be your cup of tea if you prefer something a bit fuller.

Next, I used my Mac Pro-Longwear concealer in NC30 to cover dark circles and blemishes. Although this shade is a little bit dark, it blends like a dream, and is fantastic at covering up anything you don't want to be noticed.

Next up, a bit of contouring with the MUA Bronzed Perfection bronzer, as well as a light dusting over the forehead and down my nose for a bit of an extra glow, and a fairly generous wash of the Mac Peachykeen blush on my cheeks. I opted not to use a highlighter on this occasion, as the blush I was going for gave me all the healthy glowiness I needed.

For my eyes, I popped on a layer of the Mac Groundwork Paint Pot, all over the lids, before adding a wash of gold (MUA Undressed Palette Shade 6) and then a pop of bronze on the outer corners. I blended everything out to create a bit of smokiness, and added lashings of L'oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara, which I find really defines and lengthens my lashes, as well as pumping up the volume.

I of course couldn't leave without filling in and defining my brows without my trusty MUA Pro Brow Kit, which I'm always grateful for, as I find that neat brows really frame the face, and make  a huge difference to the overall look.

Last but not least, I went for a Mac lipstick in Impassioned, which is a gorgeous bright fuchsia pink, and I was good to go!

You may have also noticed that I now have a full fringe as opposed to a side one, which I decided to cut in myself on a whim on Saturday morning! I really quite like it and am enjoying the change.

So that was my birthday makeup look - keep an eye out for tomorrow's post, where I'll be sharing with you the outfit I chose for the night.

Hope everyone has a great week!

xx

The Daily Face

Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup

Mac Pro-Longwear Concealer in NC30

MUA Bronzed Perfection Bronzer

Mac Mineralize Skinfinish in Light Year
Maybelline Dream Matte Powder

MUA Undressed Palette (shades)

L'oreal Volume Million Excess Mascara

Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Peach Play

MUA Pro Brow Kit

This has been a favourite look of mine over the past week or so, which came about when I realised that I was a little bit bored of sporting the same neutral eye on a daily basis (from the same palette - shades 3 and 5 - numbers go from left to right).

I decided on doing a subtle gold and bronze smokey eye using shades 6 and 7, and when paired with a peachy-coral lip (my favourite) I found that it really perked up my face and gave me a bit more of a healthy glow.

I really like using the Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup as a base, as while it gives a bit more coverage than a tinted moisturiser, it still looks really natural, and blends in seamlessly, eliminating any concerns about lines or tide-marks. It matches my skin perfectly, and with MUA Bronzed Perfection as a contour and dusted lightly across my forehead and nose and blended well, it provides a nice, healthy base.

As I was going for a peach-coral lip, I chose the Mac Mineralize Skinfinish in Light Year for my cheeks. What I love about this is that with it's peachy-gold hue, it doubles up as both a blush and highlighter, so a small amount dusted across my cheek bones is all that's required.

As I've mentioned before, the MUA Pro Brow Kit is now an every-day staple in my routine, and something I can't live without. It's got everything I need to shape my brows and keep them looking neat and tidy all day (review here).

Mascara-wise, I'm still staying loyal to the L'oreal Volume Million Lashes, although I have now branched out slightly and am giving the Excess Mascara a go. I'm still undecided on which of the two I prefer, so keep an eye out for a comparison post, which will be coming up soon.

You may have noticed that the concealer seems to be a little darker than you'd expect. Well, all will be explained very soon, as I'm also getting ready to write a review on that and will tell you the whole story in that post!

So that's what's on my face today. What's on yours?

Have a lovely day everyone.

xx

Week in Pictures

1. Sushi for lunch with the hubby at the new shopping mall that opened this week

2. Having a sneaky Friday lunchtime pamper session with the L'oreal Mythic Oil hair mask and Elemis Tri-Enzyme Gel Mask

3. One of the week's healthy breakfasts - homemade orange, carrot, beetroot, spinach, acerola cherry and ginger juice, and greek yoghurt with banana and almonds.

4. Bit of a Saturday selfie - first time I've been able to curl my hair in ages as it's been so dry and damaged.

5. Simple Saturday makeup

6. A naughty McFlurry following the sushi lunch at the mall...not one for McDonalds but these are the very occasional exception.

7. Snuggled up in bed with tea, biscuits and my blog reading list on Friday evening.

8. Relaxing in the garden hammock at sunset.

9. Feeling ill on Monday so catching up with my Bloglovin' feed while the hubby watched sport on TV.

Hope everyone's had a lovely weekend.

xx

What I Wore: Outfit and Nails

                    Denim and Lace Short, Ebay  -  Leather Look Shorts, River Island  -  Studded Sandals, bought in Brazil  -  Spike Necklace, Ebay  -  Ring, Primark

Since I very first began blogging, I've wanted to make outfit posts a part of it, but when you don't have a tripod or a willing photographer, it can prove a little bit difficult. However, now that we've got a better camera, the hubby is suddenly much more willing to get snap happy, so I'm 100% making the most of it and will hopefully now be doing these sorts of posts quite regularly! 

Now, I understand that the majority of you will think me insane for getting my pins out, but if you read regularly then you'll know that I'm abroad, hence this outfit, and the next few, being quite Summery. I'm hoping that with the warmer months on the way, this is ok with you - I definitely didn't feel like posting such outfits during the darkest depths of the British Winter, but as we're pushing March now, I think it's alright.

Yesterday was a pretty chilled out day. We went out for lunch, and I had grilled salmon and roasted veggies, which was delish, but later on in the day I started feeling a bit ropey, so we just came home and read our books, accompanied by copious amounts of tea and get-better smoothies. Our air conditioning is broken at the moment, which means we've been having to make do with the ceiling fan for the past couple of days. Luckily it hasn't been all that hot, but fans always seem to make me ill, and I wake up feeling all fluey and horrible.

I'm really glad I took photos of my nails with Model's Own Freak Out on them, as after just one use I knocked the bottle on the floor today and it smashed everywhere! I'm pretty gutted, as I was really loving this combo. Here, it's layered over a dusky indigo nail polish I picked up here in Brazil.

Hope everyone has had a lovely weekend and is making the most of the last of it.

xx

Day to Day Makeup

There are two reasons I usually avoid doing FOTDs. One is because I'm really not very photogenic, and so usually end up frustrated with the results, and the other is my horrific editing skills. You can absolutely guarantee that, if I do manage to get an ok photo, it's going to have a highly unsuitable background that I just can't bear to put on my blog. End result? This.

Can we just ignore the wonky edges and talk about what I've got on my face today?

IT Cosmetics Concealer in Shade 02 Neutral

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser in Sand

MUA Bronzed Perfection  Bronzer

MUA Cream Blush in Dolly

Mac MSF in Soft and Gentle

Vevo Colour Block Eye Palette (shades Flutter, Today and Divine)

L'oreal Volume Million Express Mascara

MUA Pro Brow Kit

HD Brows Brow Beater (eyebrow gel)

Revlon Lip Butter in Cherry Tart

Very much leaning towards the budget side of makeup looks, this is unusual for me, as I'm usually more of a high-end girl when it comes to bronzers and blushers. I'm happy to stick to high-street when it comes to mascaras and lippies, but having received a generous stack of parcels yesterday, courtesy of Mr Postman (all left over from Christmas, as I had to have them sent to me abroad), I was eager to crack open some of the goodies inside. This is my first foray into the world of Vevo, and I must say, so far I'm impressed. The palette contains a fantastic selection of neutrals, including several matte shades, and is right up my street now that I have got back into eyeshadow. As for the MUA Pro Brow kit and HD Brows Brow Beater - well, what life-savers. Though I usually fill in my brows with a powder, I had never really seen the point in an eyebrow gel, but as of today I am well and truly converted! I had no idea my brows could look so well-groomed.

On a slightly unrelated note, I would like to ask you all a little question. Now, this might just be me, but ever since I hit the wrong side of twenty-five, I have suddenly found myself plagued with the dreaded fine lines beneath the eyes. Yes, I know I always harp on about circles, bags and whatnot, but this time we are on relatively new ground. So, what I would like to know is whether any of you have tried any eye products that you feel have really made a difference to fine lines? If so, what was it?

Hope everyone is having a great week.

xx

What's In My Makeup Bag? (Every-Day Makeup)

Today I thought I'd share the current contents of my makeup bag with you. When I say makeup bag, I mean the bits from it that I am finding myself reaching for the most - if I showed you the entire contents then a) it'd take an absolute age, as it's huge, and b) goodness knows what we'd find in there!

So, without further ado, here they are.

IT Cosmetics Concealer (shade Neutral Medium)

I had never heard of this concealer before, but whilst on the hunt for something industrial strength to cover my dark circles and replace my Benefit Erase Paste. I actually found this on Ebay, and while I would never usually buy makeup on there, this was from a trusted seller from whom I have bought other types of products in the past. Anyway, I thought I'd give it a try. This is a thick, pale concealer with a dewy finish, and it does leave my under-ee area looking quite refreshed and bright. But it's not a miracle worker. Nothing is.

Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup

I got this one back in the summer, and during the warmer months I found myself wanting to reach for tinted moisturisers more and more. This has actually continued on into the winter, bucking the usual trend, as I just haven't wanted to go back to the feeling of something heavy on my skin. It helps that my skin is in pretty good condition at the moment thanks to a good skincare routine, so I don't find that I need too much coverage. This Invisible Fluid Makeup literally blends straight in with my skin. It's so light, and matches my skin-tone perfectly, evening it out and giving me a healthy-looking complexion. I actually haven't done a full review of this one yet so watch this space as I'm planning on writing one soon.

Caudalie Teint Divin Tinted Moisturiser

This is another light skin product I've been reaching for, and whilst this looks scarily orange when you first squeeze it out, it does blend nicely into the skin and leave you with a nice glowy complexion. To be honest, I've only been using this one for a coupleof weeks, but so far I'm quite liking it.

Benefit The Porefessional

I got this little tube of goodness free with Glamour magazine about six months ago, and it's still going strong despite it's tiny size. I do only use this on my t-zone, but I really like it for mattifying the area and creating a silky-smooth base for my tinted moisturiser to glide onto. I really like the fact that it keeps oil at bay and have already got my hands on a stand-by tube for when this one runs out.

Benefit Hoola Blush

Please excuse the scruffy packaging. For a start, this is only a sample size, and secondly I did try and give it a good scrub so that it would look it's best for the cameras, but it just wasn't cooperating.

Actually, this is not my favourite bronzer ever, and whilst I do find it ok, I was a little bit disappointed with it considering how hyped up it's been. I much prefer the L'oreal Glam Bronze Blonde Harmony, which is the perfect shade for me despite being a brunetter, and leaves my skin looking really healthy. Like Hoola, it's a matte blush, so no disco-ball effect to worry about.

I'm using Hoola at the moment because I haven't got anything else.

Nars Blush in Deep Throat

This is a really pretty light peachy-pink shade, which I have been really enjoying using since I got it a couple of weeks ago. I had run out of my all-time favourite blush (Benefit Coralista, if you're interested), so I thought it was time I finally took the pricey plunge and tried out some Nars. This has fast become a favourite of mine, although it still hasn't knocked Coralista off the top spot.

Mac Mineralise Skinfinish in Light Year

I actually posted a full review of this beaut last week. Being a huge fan of the MSF in shade  Soft and Gentle I was keen to get my paws on another one, and this one was so beautiful it just jumped out of me. This is a peachy-pink with gold shimmer, and looks really pretty worn both as a highlighter and as a blush.

Mac Amplified Lipstick in Craving

This is a gorgeous dusky berry pink shade, and is actually darker than it appears in the photos. I am really loving this lipstick at the moment and find it the perfect colour for the winter months. The staying power is actually pretty good too, and that's saying something if you're me, as nothing lasts two seconds on my lips.

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie

I got his one back in the summer, but have resurrected it for A/W. It's a highly pigmented berry-pink shade which applies easily and moisturises the lips. Win.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey

This has become my go-to on those days where I feel like going for more of a natural look, or I can't be doing with the maintenance of a bold lip. This really is a classic 'your lips but better' shade and so I always carry it with me in my handbag. Being a balm stain, this is also quite moisturising, which - let's be honest - we could all do with a bit of help with in the colder months.

L'oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara

This is my all-time favourite mascara and I'll repurchase it again and again. It leaves my lashes looking really long and voluminous, but they also look nice and natural - none of this clumping or spider-leg effect. Love.

Topshop Eyes Kohl Liner

This is a deep, dark navy blue, the name of which I unfortunately have been unable to find out. To be honest, I haven't been using much eyeliner of late, but if I do fancy something to define the lower outer corners of my eyes then this is it.

You might have noticed that I haven't included and eyeshadows in here, and that's because I rarely wear them nowadays. However, in the last week or so I have found myself getting really into Tanya Burr's makeup tutorial videos over on Youtube, which has resulted in some experimentation of my own. So watch this space - we may make an eyeshadow wearer out of me yet.

Well, that's it for my current makeup-bag favourites, hope you enjoyed having a little rummage and a nose around!

What are your makeup staples this season?

xx

Every Day Makeup

Recently, I've found that I've changed up my daily beauty routine a little bit. I've been experimenting more with primers and serums, which if I'm honest, were products I didn't really see the point in before, being a skeptic and not really believing they'd make much of a difference. However, as it turns out, I was wrong, and as a result, have been able to change some of the other products I was using too. I've found myself wanting to go for a really basic, natural look for the warmer months, and I like that this gives me more scope for creating a more dramatic look for a night out, rather than just feeling that I look the same all the time.

 Read on for details of my current face of the moment.

L'oreal Youth Code Luminise Super Serum

Now, I don't often say this about a product, and I certainly didn't think I'd be saying this about a serum. But this stuff is absolutely amazing! I was sent several samples in the post, and wasn't particularly excited about trying them, but one morning, when I had woken up looking particularly tired and...well...rough, I decided to slap some on to give my skin a little boost. The serum claims to 'even and illuminate',  and it really does do just that. I was amazed to see how well it had evened out my skin tone and even almost felt that I could go makeup free (I say almost because my puffy, dark-circled eyes would not allow for it). Seriously, really impressed, and no, no one has paid me to say this. I have been using it on a daily basis ever since (each sample allows for about four or five applications) and am eager to get my hands on a full-size version of the product before I run out.

Benefit The Porefessional

I don't really suffer from enlarged pores just yet (thank goodness), but recently I have found that my T-zone has suddenly become oily, causing my makeup to slide off my face. As you can imagine, this did not make for a very good look come the end of the day, and, tired of glancing in the mirror and wanting to cry (I've always had good skin!) I decided to give this stuff a go and see if it would help with that. I really think that it does, as it mattifies the area, provides a good base for my makeup and seems to keep things as they should be for that bit longer. Hurrah.

Benefit Erase Paste in Shade No.2

I somehow forgot to include this in the collective photo, but make no mistake, I can't live without this thanks to my dark circles and puffy morning eyes. It's the best concealer I've tried, and I've been using it daily for about a year now. It doesn't work miracles though, so I'm still on the lookout for something that does!

Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup in 2WN1

I had tried a couple of samples of this about six months ago and really liked it, so recently I caved and bought it. I was gutted when I first applied it only to find that my skin just didn't look how I had remembered with it on, and I actually took it off and put on my usual Revlon Photoready instead, and this product was left sitting on my shelf for a couple of weeks. But then, after trying out the L'oreal Youth Code Super Serum for the first time, I felt confident enough to try popping on my Invisible Fluid again, and I wasn't disappointed. The two of them have been my favourite combo ever since. Invisible Fluid is pretty sheer, so I would only recommend wearing it either in the summer or if you are blessed with an even skin tone, but if you can relate to neither of these then the serum is your friend and you can pretty much wear it any time :)

L'oreal Glam Bronze Duo in Blonde

I love this bronzer. You can see in the picture that I've got mere crumbs left, but I'm making the most of them! This is a lovely matte bronzer (no shimmer) made up of two different shades (one light, one dark) and together they combine to make the perfect shade for contouring and adding a bit of colour for my skin tone. As you know, I'm not actually blonde, but I do have quite naturally pale skin - not milky white, but very light - so this is just right for me. I actually much prefer this to Benefit Hoola and will definitely be re-stocking soon.

Benefit Posie Tint

I have been pretty much obsessed with the Benefit Coralista blush since I got it, and had therefore neglected this little Posie Tint sample size, which I got my hands on at the same time. But over the past couple of weeks I have been really enjoying using this on my cheeks for a really pretty, dewy, rosie glow.

Mac Mineralise Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle

This is one of those products that everyone raves about, and yet it has always been 'just ok' for me.   I quite liked it, but then it was nothing special. But somehow, now that I'm using it along with Posie Tint, it has really grown on me, and the 'healthy glow' effect it gives seems to be far greater, so I am finally finding that I really want to put this on each day rather than having to remind myself to use some just because I've got it and I don't want it to have been a waste of money. I'm really happy that I've now found a way to make it work for me.

Topshop Eyes Kohl Liner 

I've been enjoying using this liner in place of my usual black or brown. It's a really deep, dark blue and I usually use it just on the outer corners of my lower lash line, or sometimes along my top lash line too if I fancy something different - it really depends on my mood.

L'oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara in Brown

My all-time favourite mascara, and still going strong. Read my review  here.

Revlon Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie

Resurrecting the Lip Butters! This is a gorgeous berry shade and is perfect for the coming Autumn/Winter season. It's really rather pigmented compared to most of the other Lip Butter shades, and after over-dosing on corals and pinks for summer, this is a welcome addition to my daily routine. Although saying that, I don't use it every day - I still switch up my lip colours a bit, but I wanted to include a lip product and this is my current favourite.

What are your current beauty favourites?

xx

Day to Day Makeup: New Favourites

Makeup:

Benefit Erase Paste Concealer in Shade 02

Revlon Photoready Makeup in Shade 008 Golden Beige

Benefit Dallas (contour)

Benefit Coralista Blush

L'oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara

Random brown eyeliner I picked up in Brazil (sorry, I'm not sure of the brand as the writing has rubbed off!)

Mac Amplified Creme Lipstick in Vegas Volt

Hi lovelies, sorry about the lack of post yesterday. My internet, surprise surprise, has been misbehaving again!

I thought I'd share a little 'Face of the Day' post with you today, as I have got my hands on some new make-up goodies in the past week or so, and am pleased to bits with the results!

Now, let me just say first that for some reason, I am really unphotogenic. I don't know why, but it is just near on impossible to get a good, natural looking shot of me! I always either end up looking drunk or drained, no matter how much make-up I've got on! 

So that brings me onto my first product success, which is Revlon Photoready Liquid Foundation. Now, I know this has been around for a while, but I hadn't tried it before as I usually tend to stick to my higher-end foundations, having had little success with pharmacy/drugstore offerings in the past. But I was running a little bit low on funds, and had heard good things about it, so I decided to give it a whirl. Well, as you can see, it doesn't exactly remedy the drunk-eye effect in the photo, but it DOES make my skin look a zillion times better and much more glowy than if I was wearing something different! I'm actually going to do a full review on this later in the week, so I won't harp on about it too much now, but I thought it deserved a mention as I really am rather pleased with it!

I also got my paws on Benefit face powders Coralista, Dallas and Hoola this week, in sample sizes, which I'm really excited about as I have wanted them for ages. Well, so far, they certainly haven't disappointed, and I've been really enjoying using Dallas and Coralista together. Again, they have given me a really healthy glow, and I think Coralista might turn out to be my new favourite blush!

This is just a simple make-up look, as you can see. No eyeshadow or elaborate eye makeup. I like to wear this look on a day to day basis, and save more dramatic looks for night time.

Excuse my slight frizz-head and disobedient fringe in the pic!

Anyway, hope everyone is really well and having a lovely week!

xx