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

October Favourites

Bonjour my lovelies, and thank goodness it's Friday! Personally, I get Fridays off work, so that makes them doubly nice, and means that I get to have a good old lie in and then catch up on some blogging over a cuppa. So, with it being November already, that means it's time for me to share my favourite products of the past month! Apologies for one or two of them being foreign versions, but worry not, as you can still pick those up in the UK, and probably the US too.

Suti Peppermint Water Organic Facial Toner

I absolutely adore this facial spritz. It's so refreshing, and the calming peppermint fragrance makes it perfect for use before bed as well as to make me up in the morning. I also like to take this with me in my bag when I go to work, as it's great as a pick-me-up during the afternoon slump! It's fine to spray this on top of your makeup and actually kind of 'wakes it up' a bit, which is an added bonus. And to top it off, this is an organic product, which means you don't have to worry about what nasties are coming into contact with your face! Love. For my full review on this little treat, head over here.

Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask

Absolutely my new favourite mask. It contains charcoal as the active ingredient, which penetrates the pores and draws out any bits of grime. I must say, my skin has been amazing since starting to use this. I did actually buy it with the hope that it would clear the perpetually blocked pores on my nose, and while I was originally a little bit disappointed that they didn't completely disappear, they definitely did make a difference. And since then, my skin in general has been really clear and glowing - not one spot! I am now using this once a week and wouldn't be without it! There is a full review coming up on the blog next week.

L'oreal Elvive Extraordinary

I was really reluctant to try another oil on my hair, as my first experience, with Argan oil, was far from a success. I always found that applying it onto dry hair (as instructed) left it looking greasy after a few hours, so I was intrigued when I read some great reviews of this one, saying that it didn't weigh the hair down. I like to apply this onto wet hair before drying, and I find that it leaves my hair really nice and smooth, and not at all oily. Another winner.

Palmolive Naturals Intense Pomegranate Shower Gel

I love Palmolive shower gels - in fact, they are my favourite. They're affordable and they smell amazing - what's not to love? This is the first time I've tried this particular one, and I am hooked.

Clinique All About Eyes Serum

It's no secret that I've been on the hunt to banish dark circles and puffy eyes, and this is one of the products I have been trying out. I actually haven't used it all that much yet, but I really like the concept of the cooling rollerball applicator, so while I 'll reserve judgement on whether or not it works for now, I will say that I really enjoy using it in the mornings and feel that it really wakes up my eyes. It does seem to reduce puffiness somewhat, but as yet,  it's not a miracle worker. I've been trying out a couple of other eye products as well, so I don't think I've given this one much of a chance until now - I want to try using it on a more consistent basis and see what it can do.

Benefit Gin Zing

Another eye product I've been giving a trial run, this time on a more consistent basis, and while I was a bit disappointed the first time I used it (having heard rave reviews),  a few weeks on I can really see a difference! My eyes are much less puffy, and they actually don't look quite as dark either, although I'm not sure if that's just my imagination/wishful thinking! I'm planning to give this a thorough review once I've been using it a bit longer, so keep your eyes open for that if you are a fellow sufferer!

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer

I'd never heard of this brand before, but having seen it on a list of the top under-eye concealers along with some before and after shots, I was impressed. I actually got this from a trusted seller on Ebay and am really liking it so far. It's really thick, but it doesn't settle into any fine lines. Again, not a miracle product, but as far as concealers go, it's really quite good.

Origins Modern Friction

Touted as 'nature's gentle dermabrasion', this gently exfoliates the face and leaves it smooth and glowing. I've been using it before the Clear improvement mask and find that they work really well together.

Ren Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask

This is a really rejuvenating mask and makes my skin look really radiant the day after I've used it. Full review coming soon.

And that's the lot! I did get a lot of these products towards the second half of the month, and things like face masks, which you can't use daily, do usually take a while to show their true colours, so do feel free to pop back and  read the reviews as and when they go up if you are interested in any of these.

What's were your favourite products in October?

xx