March favourites

LA GIRL HD LONG WEAR ILLUMINATING FOUNDATION

I bought this foundation out of sheer interest when I was browsing BeautyBay one day. I’m really picky with foundations since I have oily skin and wasn’t sure when I read that it was “illuminating” but I was pleasantly surprised. I didn’t actually find it to be very illuminating, it has a slight dewy look to it but by the time I had used my finishing powder it was pretty much matte.

It claims to have a medium to full coverage finish which I would agree with. The coverage can also be layered up easily to create a very full mannequin like base if that’s what you’re into.

It has a tacky finish which I do like, I feel that gives a foundation better staying power and your powders, blushes etc. stick on better. I will definitely be repurchasing when I run out, it is amazing especially when you look at the price point.

LA GIRL PRO CONCEAL (GREEN)

LA Girl pro concealers are worth a mention in general, they are amazing and so cheap but this past month I’ve been reaching for the green colour corrector every day. The older I get the more I have noticed redness on my face and this completely blocks that out. It is so easy to blend and to apply due to the built in brush. I have no desire to try another green corrector again, this is perfect.

LA Girl concealer swatch in daylight

BH COSMETICS LIQUID EYELINER

Maybe I haven’t been using this long enough to give it a fair review, with pen liners you really do need to consider how long it takes for the product to dry out and I’ve only been using this for about a month but so far I do really like this. It does not bleed, dries down very quickly (like 10 seconds!) and has a slightly glossy finish. The packaging is very basic and plain as you can see but for just £4 I don’t think that matters.

BH Cosmetics liner swatch

MAC CHARGED WATER SKIN HYDRATING MIST

The first of two facial sprays I’ve been obsessed with this month. This isn’t a new product from Mac but I had never really entertained it before always just opting for Fix+ instead.

Its a water based spray infused with caffeine and diamond powder (…supposedly). I use it as a hydrating primer on my skin before makeup and throughout the day to freshen my skin up. Working 12 hour shifts my skin always needs a boost throughout the day and a few sprays of this over my makeup really revitalises my complexion.

At £18 a bottle it’s on the pricey side but I believe it’s worth it and is a definite repurchase for me.

MARIO BADESCU FACIAL SPRAY (ALOE, GREEN TEA AND CUCUMBER)

I cannot stop raving about this facial spray! Mario Badescu is a skincare brand I recently discovered (despite being around since 1967) and I love love love it. This spray is a hydrating and cooling mist that also claims to give you an antioxidant boost from the green tea. The scent is very subtle, a sweet green tea fragrance with a hint of aloe vera which is obviously a very uplifting, clean smell. At £7.50 a bottle the price point isn’t too bad for luxury skincare either.

My Favourite Lipliners

Since I unfortunately wasn't born with lips like Angelina Jolie I rely heavily on lip liner in my everyday make up routine. I love the look of big plump lips and lip liner is definitely the best way to fake it. This is a review of my 6 favorite lip liners of all time.

Mac Stripdown is the first lip liner I ever bought from Mac and it's supposed to be Kim Kardashians favourite. It's a light brown shade and I usually wear it with Mac Velvet Teddy lipstick for a minimum upkeep look.

Mac Stripdown - £12.50

NYX Sand Pink is a gorgeous nude pink that glides on so smoothly. Usually I stay away from lighter colours that don't have browns through them with lip colour but this is my exception. It looks beautiful on especially with a little Mac Snob tapped on the centre of your lips to create a natural ombre look.

NYX Sand Pink £3.50

NYX Coffee is probably my all time favourite lip liner (it used to be Stripdown). For me it's the perfect nude balance of dusty pink and brown and looks so natural on. It's a great shade for over lining too as anything over the lip line appears more as a shadow than too much product. NYX liners can be quite difficult to get in the UK as they are sold out A LOT online but when this is in stock I usually buy a couple and stock up.

 NYX Coffee £3.50

Mac Soar is a complete classic and with it being so close to most people's natural lip colour its a life saver for days when you don't have much time to get ready in the morning. If I'm rushing I'll quickly line my lips with this, smudge it a bit and tap some vaseline on top and not need to worry about upkeep all day.

Mac Soar £12.50

NYX Burgundy is amazing for Autumn time coming up and I can't wait to wear it more. It's a touch of glam that is such a statement you can get away with minimum eye makeup and still look dolled up.

NYX Burgundy  £3.50

NYX Plush Red is my perfect red. It's a warm toned liner that I use when I have a few layers of fake tan on to really make the shade stand out against my complexion. Smudging is minimum too which is essential when using such a bold colour.

NYX Plush Red £3.50

Obviously Mac and NYX are my favourite brands when it comes to lip liner however I know there are loads more out there that do a great job. I'd love to hear what your favourite liners are and if you've tried any of these out before. Thank you for reading dolls x

Makeup Revolution Blush Palettes

Blush is one of my favourite beauty products and in a world where girls have gone contour/highlighting crazy (myself included!) it is often pushed to the side. A quick swipe of blush on the cheek is the easiest way to instantly appear fresh faced, youthful and healthy.

I recently purchased a couple of Blush Palettes from one of my favourite brands 'Makeup Revolution' and have recommended them to just about everyone.

 Sugar and Spice Palette

Superdrug & MakeupRevolution.com for £6.00 

It has a gorgeous mix of matte blushes with hot pink, baby pink, brown and peach tones. It also includes a highlighter (shade 4) and a shimmer hot pink blush (shade 8) so every skin tone and preference is catered for with this Palette. When I first used this I did not expect it to be so pigmented, usually I swirl my brush in the powder and tap the excess off on my wrist, however with these blushes I gently tap my brush onto the product a couple of times then apply. A little really does go a long way! 

Makeup Revolution claim that this Palette can also be used to Contour (shades 1 and 2) but I don't really agree with that. These shades are too pink for contouring and darker shadows on your face never naturally appear with a pink tint, they are better used as natural blush shades on the apples of the cheek for a more casual look.

Golden Sugar Palette

Superdrug & MakeupRevolution.com for £6.00

This Palette is absolutely stunning to look at and I think it's probably one of the prettiest I've seen. I'd probably say this Palette is best suited for darker skin tones or when you're tanned.

It has a mix of brown, orange and shimmery blushes with another highlighting power included (shade 1) and a matte contour powder (shade 8).

Shade 1 and 5 are not as pigmented as the previous palette or the rest of the colours in this once which isn't necessarily a bad thing for such a shimmery colour, they work great for subtle highlights and you can build these up to your desired intensity.

At £6 each these are an absolute steal! The packaging is glossy black with gold lettering on the front. The shades are versatile and can create a huge variety of looks. The Palette is light weight and contains a full size mirror inside. 

My Eyeliner Picks

I feel like I need to take some time to pay homage to my two all time favourite eye liners, Anastasia Beverly Hills 'Waterproof Créme Colour' in shade 'Jet' and 'Magic Ink' by Benefit.

I have been cursed with oily skin and eyelids which no makeup product is ever going to hold up all day against no matter how much Companies insist they will. Certain products can however, at least put up a bit of a fight and put off smudging and fading for a few hours longer. These liners definitely fall into that category.

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Créme Colour (£18.00)

A perfect example of what a gel liner should be. These types of eyeliners are brilliant for building up the thickness and intensity of your liner. They take a bit longer to apply than pencil or liquid but blend beautifully into skin without leaving a harsh edge which is ideal for creating a smokey eye. 

Waterproof Créme Colour is yet another 'little goes a long way' product from Anastasia Beverly Hills as should be expected from all premium brands. The staying power of this liner is amazing it it even remains on my waterline for about 4 hours before I need to touch up. It dries quickly when applied and with a matte finish. 

BENEFIT Magic Ink (£15.50)

I love liquid liners for a quick and easy everyday look. They are the best for winged eyeliner and creating sharp and precise looks. 

I received Magic Ink as a birthday present last year and by the time my birthday came this year I realised it had almost ran out and it was time for a repurchase. Bearing in mind that I used this liner almost everyday for daytime use it lasted a little over a year which really surprised me especially since it was such a small pot! On top of being good value for money, Magic Ink dries quickly once applied and applies with great precision due to its thin brush and extra long lid the brush it attached to. It dries with a slight glossy look to it and is as pigmented as a liner can really get. 

Despite my love for these liners I still adore trying new products from different brands and no doubt will try something new at some point. I'd love to hear other people favourites and what they use!

The perfect red lipstick for you

Is there anything more classic than red lipstick?
According to Colour Psychology (the study of different colours as a determinant of human behaviour) red is the colour of energy, passion and power. Many experiments have concluded that women are seen to be more attractive in red and feel more confidence compaired to any other shade.

I'm wearing 'Orange Too' by Calvin Klein (£10.95)

Being such an influential colour it's important to get the shade right for your skin tone as it will make a considerable difference to your overall look.
First you need to determine your skin tone, there are a few simple ways to do this;
Look at your veins where they are most prominent (wrists or back of hands).
If your veins look blue then you have a cool skin tone. If your veins look green then you have a warm skin tone.
Another way to figure it out is by how your skin reacts in the sun. If you burn easily or turn pink then you have a cool skin tone and if you tan with ease then you're warm toned!

COOL TONED
Women with cool tones tend to have fair skin and their best bet is to find a shade of lipstick with blue undertones (also called a cold red shade) in it to compliment their complexion. Blue reds have the added benefit of contrasting against your teeth to make them look extra white! My favourite example of this shade is 'Russian Red' by Mac (£15.50)

Fair skinned girls like Megan Fox, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani and Dita Von Teese have really made this their signature looks and there's no denying it's a strikingly beautiful combination! 

WARM TONED
If you have a warm toned complexion chances are you have a medium to tanned skin colour and should generally look for warmer red with orange tones to balance out the yellow in your skin and brighten your whole face! The exception to this rule is brown tones, although the brown counts as a warm tone it can really wash you out. One of my all time favourite lipsticks is an orange, red called 'So Chaud' by Mac (£15.50).

Red lipstick with orange undertones looks stunning on when paired with understated eye makeup and a few sweeps of bronzer. Miranda Kerr, Kim Kardashian, Penelopecruz Crux and Jessica Alba give great examples of this look.

All this is a good gereral guide to go by when it comes to picking your perfect shade but don't forget that everybody is different and some girls may suit both or feel these rules don't apply to them at all! Thanks for reading x

"Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin. 

That, or a kick-ass red lipstick."

- Gwyneth Paltrow 

Beauty Uses Of Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil is without question deserving of its title as a "Superfood" and I'm sure most of us have heard the benefits eating it can bring to our health. However, it also has many cosmetic benefits.
A jar of Organic Virgin Coconut Oil (and this is definitely the type you should go for as it has no added chemicals) retails at about £5 a jar in larger Boots stores, Holland & Barrett, Amazon and most Supermarkets. 
In this post I'm going to list some of the cosmetic uses of this versatile product.

Moisturiser 

Coconut Oil is incredibly rich, moisturising on the skin and anti bacterial making it a great natural and safe moisturiser. I love using it after a bath and feel as though my skin is drinking in the goodness. There are also studies that suggest it acts as a mild sunscreen due to its ability to blocks out 20% of the Suns damaging Ultraviolet rays, not that they are ever a danger to me anyway living in Britain... But one of the best things about using this Coconut Oil as a moisturiser for me is the way it leaves your skin smelling like Cookies!

Hair Conditioner

An easy, all natural and effective deep conditioning hair mask. Scoop roughly a tablespoon of Coconut Oil into your hand and work it until it has melted, then apply to freshly washed, damp hair all over. Cover with a shower cap or cling film then wrap a hot towel around your head. The heat from the towel will let the Coconut oil further infiltrate into the hair follicle. Try and leave the treatment over night if you can then wash the Oil out thoroughly the next day and your hair will be super soft and shiny! 

Makeup Remover

This is probably my favourite use for coconut oil, as it works so well. Just take a small blob and smear it onto a cotton pad and gently rub this onto your eye area. Not only will this remove even waterproof mascara but the oil will also nourish and moisturise your lashes and the skin around your eyes. However, this should really only been done at night time as mascara won't sit well on the residue of the oil left behind. I use Olive Oil in this way too as it works to remove makeup but is also supposed to work wonders on lashes.

Shaving Cream
Using Coconut Oil to shave with is a great alternative to all those chemical cocktail shaving creams available on the market AND it moisturises in the process. 

Teeth and gums
You might have seen a bunch of celebs on social media posting about 'CocoWhite', a home teeth whitening kit made from Coconut Oil. This technique of swirling Coconut Oil around in your mouth is called Oil Pulling and it originated in India. The idea is that you swish a tablespoon of oil in your mouth for around 20 minutes each day and it is supposed to draw toxins and bacteria out of you into the oil which you then spit out while whitening your teeth in the process. Some people swear it can even cure a hangover!? This all seemed too good to be true to me when I researched it and decided I had to give it a go. The sad part was I HATED the texture of this so much I couldn't swish it around for more that 2 minutes before feeling like I was going to be sick. I tried it once and won't again that's for sure but I would definitely still encourage anyone reading to give it a try and see if it works for them, after all the health benefits speak for themselves on this one. 

Cuticle conditioner

Nail care is something I wish I took more time with and I only really bother with the whole shape, buff and polish routine every so often but when I do I always rub a little Coconut Oil onto my cuticles. For all the time it takes I do notice a slight difference and if your cuticles are in good condition the nails usually are too which is definitely a good thing.

Flawless Skin Basics

Few things knock a girls confidence quicker than waking up in the morning and being greeted with problem skin. It kills me to see the dreaded, dark under-eye circles or a new spot on my chin and there's only so much foundation can cover without caking it on. That's why a basic understanding of concealer types and what ones suit best can be a girls secret weapon to flawless skin.

When it comes to complexion, the same rules apply as they did when we were in school learning about the colour wheel. Any colour on the wheel will cancel out the colour that is opposite when combined, or compliment each other when next to it. This is important to bear in mind when selecting what concealers to use.

PINK/PEACH CONCEALER 
Pink and peach undertone concealers are ideal for counteracting the purple/blue of under eye circles. As the skin is very delicate around this area I recommend lightly patting the product on with a slightly damp sponge or your ring finger as this has the lightest pressure. 

Anastasia Beverly Hill Cream Contour Kit £39.00 shades 'Banana' & 'Cool Pink'

YELLOW CONCEALER
Yellow concealer is a good all rounder and is the default tone found in most products. Yellow works well for brightening skin tone, concealing purple under-eye circles and darker skin patches.

GREEN CONCEALER
Green is directly across from red on the colour wheel and therefore is perfect for neutralising the red of pimples and discolouration around the nose.

NYX CW Concealer wand in Green & Lavender £6.00

LILAC CONCEALER

If you have any yellow discolouration or are sallow skinned then investing in a purple concealer will help you in contrasting this by brightening and evening out your skin tone.

WHITE CONCEALER
White concealer is not so much for colour correction but more for emphasising the natural highlight points on your face (cheekbones, nose, forehead, cupids bow). Many can find the white a bit harsh so mixing it in with a dot of foundation on your hand before applying tones the contrast down to look a bit more natural.

Illamasqua Skin Base Lift Concealer - 'White lights' £18.00

When it comes to colour correction these steps should be followed after applying your favourite skin primer. You should then carefully blend your foundation over with either a beauty blender/sponge or a stippling brush. I wouldn't advise using a foundation brush to blend your foundation over these concealers as they can move the product around and ruin the finish slightly.

If you want to try any of these methods a good palette to pick up would be the Makeup Revolution Ultra Base Corrector Palette as its a very reasonable price and the cream colours are very pigmented. 

Makeup Revolution Ultra Base Corrector Palette £6.00 

Morphe Corrector Wheel £9.95