Holy Grail Beauty

It's not often that I will go so far as to declare a beauty product a 'Holy Grail' item, and in oder for me to do so it really does have to be something special. There are so many fantastic products out there, but often I am left with the feeling that there must be something better out there, even when it comes to the products that I love. Let's face it, there's not really such a thing as a miracle product. But upon thinking about my own beauty collection and which products I really, truly couldn't live without, I came up with these six little gems. If I love them that much, then it's only right that I should share them with you, so here goes.

Topping the list, it has to be the Elemental Herbology Eye Elixir Reparative Serum. Of all the products I own, this one has made the single most dramatic difference to both my appearance and to the way I feel about myself, and a good eye cream is most certainly not easy to find. Generally, they tend to be over-priced and promise the world, but when it comes to delivery there is usually a lot to be desired. This little beaut, however, does exactly what it claims to on the tin, reducing the appearance of dark circles and taking down puffiness like no other. The only area in which I haven't noticed as vast a difference is in the reduction of fine lines, but in my eyes (excuse the pun) there really isn't much that can be physically done about those once you've got them. I'd highly recommend this eye cream to anyone who struggles with any under-eye issues, and will continue to buy this again and again. Unfortunately it is rather pricey, but it lasts for months on end, and I'd rather pay out for one cream that actually works than five cheaper ones that don't change a jot. Full review here.

Next up is the MUA Pro Brow Kit, which at just £3.50 is an absolute bargain. Now, I know you're going to be annoyed with me for not showing you the inside, but trust me, you really wouldn't want to with the current state it's in. Let's just call it well-loved, and I'll refer you back to my full review here if you want to see it in all it's brand-new glory. The kit contains two brow shades (one lighter, one darker) and a contour which can be used beneath the browbone. There is also a rather handy pair of mini tweezers, as well as a flimsy slanted brush which I must admit, I never use. What I love about this product is that the darker brow shade is an exact match for my own, and once applied it stays put all day. I love how sculpted and groomed it leaves my brows looking, and how natural the finish is. I suppose the fact that I literally just use the one colour and the pair of tweezers is a bit of a shame, and perhaps doesn't say a lot for the product as a whole. But at a bargainous price, it gives me exactly what I want as does the job to perfection. It's rare that I will pick up the same product, day in, day out, but that's exactly what I do with this little kit, so for me it deserves HG status.

Two blushes I can always rely on to perk up my complexion no matter what are Nars Deep Throat (review here) and Mac Sheertone Shimmer Blush in Peachykeen. Deep Throat is a soft peachy pink which would flatter any skin tone, and Peachykeen (review here) is more of a dusky burnt peach. Both add a subtle, glowing sheen to the cheeks without making you look like a glitterball, and when I am feeling really tired and run down, or just generally having a bad face day, one of these two can always manage to sort things out and get me looking alive and awake again.

Last up, two skincare products. I reach for the Ren Clearcalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser every single morning, and it works wonders at keeping any excess oil at bay. Even better, it leaves kin feeling soft, smooth and comfortable - not dry or tight as you might expect. If you've got an oily t-zone or blemish-prone skin then this one is a must-have (full review here).  The Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner is another daily necessity for me, as containing AHAs, it gently exfoliates the skin, removing any pore-blocking debris which as a result, keeps blemishes and breakouts to a minimum. It's not a miracle worker, but then I don't think there is a product in this world that can curb hormonal breakouts completely (if there is then please do let me know!). It has, however, made a noticeable difference since I first began using it, and it leaves my skin feeling smooth and soft to boot.

Which products would you be willing to give the coveted Holy Grail Status?

xx

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 Daily Face: Changing it Up

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February Favourites

When I posted my February Favourites Video on Saturday, I did promise that, as usual, I would write up a post on my monthly favourites too. So, without further ado, here it is!

Throughout February, I was loving.....

1. Tropic Hot Bamboo Organic Smoothing Cleanser

Cream hot cloth cleansers are my favourite way to remove all the day's grime and debris from my skin, and this one is no exception. In fact, with it being organic, vegan and cruelty free, it's shot straight to the top of my most-used cleansers list.

Review here

2. Elemis Nourishing Milk Bath

I haven't got a bath in my house at present, but as I won this in a competition, I wanted to try and make use of it somehow. Luckily, when scanning the back of the bottle I noticed that it could also be used as an intense body lotion, so I've been applying it straight onto my skin when I get out of the shower. The results have been quite fantastic - full review coming up very soon.

3. Essie Smoothies Coconut & Pineapple Hand &Body Lotion

I'm not hugely fussy when it comes to hand creams, but having now discovered one that smells like Pina Coladas, this little beaut is here to stay. I love slinging it in my handbag and whipping it out when my hands are in need, as it instantly whisks me away on holiday for a second with it's tropical scent.

4. HD Brows Brow Beater Gel

I reviewed this one last week, and if you saw that then you'll know that this has fast become a staple in my daily make-up routine. Groomed brows make all the difference.

Review here

5. MUA Pro Brow Kit

For the same reasons as above, this one is also a must-have of mine, and is a snip at just £3.50. It contains three shades, which can be mixed to find the perfect match for your brows, and the lightest can also be used to highlight under the brow. It does contain a wax too, but I pass that up in favour of Brow Beater.

Review here

6. Topshop Lips in Infrared

An oldie but goodie, I've had this one since last summer, and while I've always loved it, I do remember often wondering back then if it really suited me or not. So, when I stumbled upon it at the beginning of February and quickly whipped some on, I was pleasantly surprised and have been happily sporting it ever since. It's such a bright and zingy shade, perfect for the warmer months.

7. MUA Bronzed Perfection Bronzer

This really warms up my face, and is good for contouring too. Again, it's also a huge bargain, and will last ages because the compact is just huge.

Review here

8. Mac Mineralize Skinfinish in Light Year

Last but not least, this little beaut first joined my make-up collection back in December, but it's only now that I've begun to team it with my MUA bronzer for more of a sun-kissed look that it's really come into its own. It serves as both a peachy blusher and a subtle peachy-gold highlighter at the same time, so a dusting of this on top of my cheeks and a bit of really light contouring with my bronzer and I'm sorted. I'm usually more of a  coral blush kind of girl, so this has been making a welcome change.

I hope you enjoyed having a nose into my favourites this month. What were your favourite February products?

xx

Christmas Beauty Wishlist

Real Techniques Core Collection  -  Models Own Mirrorball Glitter Polishes  -  The Bodyshop Shea Gift Set  -  Origins 'A PerfectWorld' Skincare Gift Set  -  L'oreal Volume Million Lashes Extreme Mascara  -  MUA Bronzed Perfection  -  MUA Cream Blush in Blossom  - Liz Earle Line Smoothing Serum  -  Diptyque Philosykos Perfume  -  Models Own Ibiza Mix  -  Mac MSF in 'Whisper of Gilt'  -  MUA Pro Brow kit  -  MUA Undressed Palette  -  Nars 'Make-Up Your Mind' Gift Set  -  Real Techniques Starter Kit  -  Organic Surge Face Wash  -  Mac Face Kit

This time around, I've decided to compile a beauty wishlist solely for beauty, because having been asked what  would like for Christmas once or twice, I am really struggling to narrow it down! So, I have put together all the things I would have liked to receive in an ideal world, though some of these things- like the Diptyque Philosykos perfume, £80 - I would never dream of asking for, and I certainly wouldn't fancy paying that price myself, either!

A lot of these items are things I have been meaning to pick up for ages, but just haven't got round to it - such as the MUA Undressed Palette and the Real Techniques brush sets - quite frankly, beauty essentials no girl should be without.

There are some lovely gift sets knocking around at the moment, but that said, I have found the selection quite frustrating when trying to select one I would like. There is always something missing from the set, or something in it that I wouldn't really use - wouldn't it be great if we could choose what went into them for a set price, sort of bespoke Christmas gifts? The Origins 'A Perfect World' set, for example, doesn't contain a night cream, and the Nars sets I looked at that were of  a reasonable price all had lipglosses in them, which are not really my thing (I'm a lipstick girl). The 'Make-Up Your Mind' set was by far the best, containing an Orgasm/Angelika blush duo, Copacabana Multiple and Laguna Bronzing Powder. However, at £55 I do think this is a little steep, and when there are so many other things I've got my eye on, or that could be got with the money, I'm unsure whether or not it's really worth it. Yes, I know these are cult products, but the reason I have never purchased any of the full-size versions until now is because I find Nars really over-priced. £30 for the Laguna/Orgasm bronze/blush duo is just too much.

I hope you've seen something you like on my little list, or that it's perhaps given you a gift idea or two!

Enjoy your weekend lovelies.

xx

MUA Pearl Eyeshadow in Shade 24: Reviewed

This was my first eyeshadow from MUA. I have been meaning to get my hands on a couple of their palettes for an age now, not to mention their new Nail Constellations. Before I got involved in blogging, I suppose I had always assumed that such a reasonably priced brand (read:cheap) couldn't be of particularly good quality, this having been the case with a couple of other low-end brands I'd tried.

I was lucky enough to win this little beauty in a giveaway a couple of months ago, and for some reason i've only recently got around to trying it - probably because I'm not really an eyeshadow person in the summer, as I like to keep my makeup fresh and natural.

Anyway, onto the product itself.

.

Shade 24, in Pearl finish, is a really pretty metallic dusky pink/mauve shade, with a hint of plum. 

Having read on numerous blogs in the past that the pigmentation of MUA eyeshadows was something to shout about, I was expecting to be impressed, and it did not disappoint. You need only lightly brush your fingertip over the surface and you will gather plenty of product, and though it is buildable it doesn't take much to achieve an opaque layer of colour. It's really easy to blend, and even more intriguing is the lack of fallout after applying the product - generally, I find this to be a problem with cheaper brands, and even with some of my favourite higher end ones like Urban Decay to some degree, so this was a nice surprise - although I can't vouch for other MUA eyeshadows just yet.

The wear is pretty good and it doesn't seem to crease much during the day. I won't go as far as saying it stays put for the duration, as I am someone who really struggles to get my makeup to stick throughout the day - whether we are taking foundation, lipstick or anything else. I don't personally use an eyeshadow primer, as I usually save eyeshadows for nights out these days.

This is a lovely shade worn on it's own for a simple daytime look, or combined with other shadows as a crease colour for a more dramatic evening look.

A word of warning, though - if you have woken up looking extremely tired, with dark circles or puffy/red eyes, then this is probably not the shade for you. Save it for when you are looking at your bright-eyed and bushy-tailed best.

This product is just fantastic value for money, retailing at just £1 for 2g. If you would like to get your hands on this or any other MUA products then you can do so online here.

xx

Beauty SOS! (August)

- Just a random Instagram of me from last week - I feel like I haven't shown my face on here for a while and I think it's sometimes nice to put a face to the name behind the blog! - 

Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the Olympics! I know I am, which is saying a lot considering my lack of enthusiasm in the lead up to the games. I think it had just been so long since the last one that I had forgotten about the adrenaline of it all, and it's actually proved to be a source of much 'friendly banter' between the hubby and I, who, if you didn't know, is Brazilian. When I say friendly banter, I mean we have been winding each other up something rotten. I got a bit too big for my boots and came over all smug during the GB/Brazil basketball game on Tuesday as it genuinely seemed like we were going to win, and he is always going on about how much better Brazil are at all sports than we are. Imagine my surprise, then, when Brazil made a comeback and managed to pip us to the post in the last quarter. Cue much word-eating for me. However, this was soon rectified when our women's football team panned theirs, although hubby naturally had to put a dampener on it by saying that it 'didn't count because no one cares about women's football', or something equally helpful. Just to clarify though, he is not a horrible person - he just knows exactly what to say to get a reaction out of me, and I always fall for it! Haha.

ANYWAY.

Today is the second instalment of 'Beauty SOS'. If you missed last month's then it's basically a series of posts I am running, where at the beginning of each month, I ask you lovely people for a spot of advice on whatever is troubling me beauty-wise that month., in that I ask for your recommendations of products and tips. I will then share the solutions and tips I have been helpfully given (or have since discovered myself) the following month so that we can all feel smug that we know the answer. For more info, feel free to pop over and have a look at the first Beauty SOS post here.

So, a quick recap of last month's 'issues'. I asked for your wisdom on:

1. Dark circles under the eyes

The lovely Alex over at The Wallflower suggested I try ginseng, although she didn't specify how to use it. Well, I have been taking a multi-vitamin with Panax and Ginseng, and using eye cream religiously, morning and evening, and I have noticed some small improvements. I'm still on the lookout for something else to help with this problem though, so do let me know if you've got any secrets!

2. A good matte bronzer

Lots of you recommended Benefit Hoola and Bourjois Delice de Poudre, so I decided to get myself a Hoola sample in order to try before I buy. Surpisingly, I didn't find this powder to be particularly flattering on my skin tone, which is odd given what a cult product it has become. Weirder still is that Dallas, an unusual sort of plummy-brown shade of powder (also Benefit) which I had previously seen and said I would never buy, has turned out to be a huge winner for me! As I mentioned in my July Favourites post, it's perfect for contouring and looks great alongside the Coralista blush. Some other suggestions were Bare Minerals the Warmth, Bobbi Brown and Nars Laguna, which has LONG been on my wishlist. I WILL get it, eventually!

3. Neutral matte eyeshadows

I have received suggestions of Too Faced Matte Colours Collection and Stila Into the Light for this one, but due to the expensive car troubles I've had this month (which I've already mentioned a million times!) eyeshadows haven't really been my priority when it comes to money. Both have been popped on my shopping list though, so again, I will let you know when I have had a chance to check them out, along with Natural Collection eyeshadows and the MUA Heaven and Earth palette.

4. Blocked pores on my nose.

Alice, one of my lovely readers, suggested that I try Montagne Jeunesse Charcoal Pore Strips, but unfortunately I haven't been able to find them anywhere near me. Alex recommended that I try a homemade baking soda and orange juice scrub, which I had completely forgotten about until now, so I will endeavour to try that out and let you know my thoughts. What I have been doing at home though, is  paying more attention to the area when exfoliating, and use my Caudalie Beauty Elixir after cleansing, and this does seem to have helped a bit. Benefit's The Porefessional also goes onto the area before my foundation, and while it doesn't solve the root of the problem, it does help with the appearance.

Please do head over to the first Beauty SOS post (linked above) and have a read through all the helpful comments my wonderful readers have left. If you are troubled with any of the above then you may well find yourself a solution, although I have tried to summarise all that was mentioned here.

So, onto this month's beauty emergencies!

1. A good clay face mask.

I've noticed that my T-zone has started to become a little oily of late, particularly my forehead, and I seem to have been getting a few more blemishes too :( So I would like a good clay-based face mask that is worth the money it costs.

2. A moisturising face mask.

I'm after a really luxurious one that doesn't cost the earth and will really quench my skin's thirst.

3. Something to banish dry lips once and for all!

Self explanatory really. If you know of any innovative new products then please do let me know in the comments below.

4. An amazing deep conditionng hair mask.

One that truly does the job and doesn't just 'coat' the hair to create the illusion.

That's it for this month, please share your wisdom if you feel that you have some on any of these topics, and if there is anything I could help you with in return then please feel free to ask!

Our car is finally, FINALLY fixed, so we are going on a little impromptu day out today, although we are not sure where yet. It's lovely and sunny, so I'll be sure to take lots of photos to share with you later.
Glad to see that we have won a couple of gold Olympic medals since I first wrote this post! Let's hope there are more to come today.

Hope you're having a lovely day!

xx

Little Catch-Up

I'm officially back and ready to blog!

Those of you who have read my previous post will know what happened, so I won't bore you with the details again! Although I will say that, despite all the time my laptop spent in 'hospital', it is still not fixed properly, and I am not impressed! My wireless is also still being a royal pain. It says I am connected and have perfect signal, but it also says that I have no internet access...!? I do not understand. So anyway, those two things put together mean that whilst I do indeed have internet access again, I am only able to use it if I plug in the ethernet cable and constantly wiggle it around in its socket in order to maintain the connection. Ideal.

While we're on the subject of technical troubles, can I also just have a quick rage about the fact that a) I couldn't use my new tablet thanks to lack of WiFi, so I returned it in favour of getting b) a new phone, which will neither connect to WiFi nor access the normal type of internet you get on your phone from your provider (I'm so tech savvy, can you tell by my description!?)

Anyway, that's it as far as ranting goes, just had to get that off my chest!

On a more positive note, the highlight of my week has been winning my first giveaway! Thanks to the lovely Natasha at Clouds and Cuticle Oil, (go and have a read when you've finished here!) I am soon to be the lucky recipient of an amazing sample set of The Hollywood Collection (skincare) by  Erno Laszlo, an MUA eyeshadow in shade 24, and a Stila Lip Glaze in Kitten! These are all new products for me, so I'm really looking forward to trying them out and writing some reviews for you. Thanks, Natasha! 

So that was a nice way to start my week, and here's hoping my lucky streak (let's pretend the technology probs don't exist!) continues and I end it with a lottery win! Ha, well we can all dream, can't we?

In beauty news, I have just ordered myself some samples of some gorgeous Benefit bronzers and blushers, and I can't wait for them to arrive! I have basically been wanting pretty much all of them for a while now, so as I was struggling to choose, I thought this might be the best way to go about it. Sadly, I wasn't able to get my hands on the Hervana blush, but I did get Coralista and Posie Tint, as well as the Hoola and Dallas bronzers.

I have also successfully managed to ombre my nails this week, NOTD post up about that tomorrow :-)

Hope everyone is having as pleasant a work week as possible so far! If you are off on holiday or just have some free time to relax then lucky you! I am so looking forward to making myself a cuppa now and settling down to catch up on all the blog posts of yours that I have missed!

xx