Daily Makeup #2

I really liked how my makeup turned out the other night. The style & colours I used complemented my 60s inspired Urban Outfitters dress beautifully. As I was going to a concert I needed to make sure that my foundation would stick around all night long. I can't get enough of the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation at the minute. I sandwiched it between a bit of Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer and Illamasqua Translucent Loose Powder. Even after hours of jumping about & dancing my base still looked perfectly matte & in place so I'd recommend getting both of those if your foundation is prone to melting. For concealer I used NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer underneath my eyes & on any blemishes. As always I went for theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer as my highlighter and then applied my favourite ever blusher - NARS Deep Throat - to add a peachy pink glow to my cheeks. Nude lips were all the rage during the 60s but I find it really hard to pull that look off. Pale skin & pale lips just makes you look ill. Instead I went for a lovely peach in the form of MAC Ever Hip Lipstick. I slicked on a bit of Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Aid* beforehand to soften my lips & add a glossy finish. It also helps to sheer out the lipstick & make it look even prettier.

Moving onto my eye makeup I didn't want to do a full on 60s eye look so I went for smokey grey eyeshadow instead. To make my eyeshadow last all night long without creasing I primed my eyelids using MAC Painterly Paint Pot. I used a couple of shades from the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette - Verve all over my eyelid & then Pistol on the outer corners, blended into the crease & under my bottom lashes. I still really like the Yves Rocher Volume Vertige Mascara* so I layered it up for thick, voluminous lashes. I wanted to do a fairly thin line of liquid eyeliner so I used L'Oreal Superliner Perfect Slim & added a little flick at the ends. My eyes are pretty tiny so I always use a nude eyeliner on my waterline to make them look a bit bigger. MAC Chromagraphic Pencil in NC15/NW20 is the ultimate. Finally I filled in my eyebrows using Anastasia DipBrow Pomade. This stuff doesn't budge whatsoever & delivers intense definition to your brows. To make them look a bit more natural I used a combo of Anastasia Tinted Brow Gel & MAC Clear Brow Set. These helped to bring out the individual hairs so my brows didn't look completely drawn on. Let me know what you think!

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The Lush Lip Lineup

Me? A lip balm hoarder? Guilty as charged. I can totally justify it though! Lip balms are easy to scatter everywhere so it's always good to keep a few around. Some of these stay in my handbag & some live on my dressing table. I like to be able to top up my lips with a balm no matter where I am at that point in time. I think my obsession started when I was at school & everyone had those horrific little tins of Vaseline. I cringed every time I saw people whip them out & practically told them off if they dared to offer me some. It just coats the lips leaving them even drier in the long run. If you use Vaseline on your lips stop it now or... I'm not sure we can be friends anymore ;) From that point on I made it a personal mission to find a better lip balm & convert my friends. Carmex is still an old favourite of mine because it saved me from the hell of Vaseline. I've gone through countless pots of the stuff but the tube packaging is lot more convenient. It has a lovely texture & that menthol tingle sure is addictive. My mint flavoured Balmi is quite similar but with the added bonus of SPF 15. The little keychain makes this a great one for handbags as you can just hook it onto your keys or a bag strap.

Much like the rest of your face or body, your lips need a little exfoliation before treating them to some moisture. I normally go over them with my toothbrush or a flannel but if they're still a bit flaky then there's no better treatment than one of Lush's lip scrubs. I adore the sugary sweetness of Bubblegum but my favourite has to be the Popcorn one. It tastes like salted caramel & will smooth over even the roughest of pouts. If you're a bit lazy then Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Aid* will naturally exfoliate & hydrate your lips all at the same time. The combination of creamy whipped lanolin & organic lemon oil is hard to beat. It makes your lips feel absolutely amazing & the fresh lemon scent is truly delicious. Another incredibly yummy product is the Super By Dr. Nicholas Perricone Lush Lips conditioning balm. I think the Super range has been discontinued as you can only find the products in TK Maxx or online now. This uses coconut oil which is renowned for it's hydrating properties. It has a nice buttery texture & over time it definitely makes your lips softer in general. I can't get enough of it's subtle coconut taste & scent. I only hope I can find another pot when mine runs out.

If you've never tried the NUXE Reve de Miel lip balm, what are you doing?! Go buy some pronto. This balm is a staple product for me. Whenever my lips get cracked & start bleeding due to the weather or illness then I can always rely on this stuff to sort them out. I normally reach for the stick during the day, it's a good one to take out with you & it is my go-to base for lipsticks. Unlike most lip balms it has a matte finish so it won't affect whatever you put on top. The pot stays on my nightstand as the texture is a little thicker. I always pop some of this on before bed to keep my lips moisturised overnight. Philosophy's Kiss Me Tonight is another brilliant overnight lip treatment. It makes my lips feel really soft & is very comfortable to wear. This stuff lasts for hours & I rarely have to reapply it. Whenever I use Kiss Me Tonight, it's always still on my lips when I wake up. It works just as well during the day for kissably soft lips 24/7. What's your favourite lip balm?

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November Favourites

Essie Bahama Mama
I've fallen hard for Essie's nail polishes. The formula is brilliant & the applicator brush is just so perfectly shaped. I want them all! I've been rocking Bahama Mama all month long. When it started to look a bit tatty, I removed the chipped polish & applied it again. I get bored really easily so this literally never happens but I adore this plummy Autumnal shade. Chloe's been begging me to paint her nails ever since she first spotted me doing mine so I finally christened her tips with a matching Bahama Mama manicure. We're a cool pair ;)

Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Aid
This is such a lovely lip balm. It is made from pure whipped lanolin & features organic lemon oil. The result is a super slick, creamy, non-sticky balm that deeply moisturises & exfoliates your lips all at the same time. It works really well and leaves my lips feeling incredibly soft & smooth. It stays put for hours even after eating & drinking. Plus the lemon scent & taste is absolutely gorgeous! Full review here.

Organic Surge First Class Face Mask
I've been reaching for this face mask a lot lately. This mask works to clear up blemishes & hydrate the skin at the same time. It's perfect for when I have some congested areas that need a bit of a detox. I love the rosemary & lemon scent of this mask, it turns a weekly skincare treat into an indulgent aromatherapeutic experience. It makes my skin feel so soft & fresh. Detox masks can suck all the moisture out of your skin so this is a much better choice if your skin is too dehydrated or sensitive for other products. Full review here.

HealGel Face
I really love this moisturiser. It's such a joy to use because I can notice my skin improving every time I apply it. This creamy white gel is quickly absorbed & it uses hyaluronic acid to rehydrate the skin. It makes my skin feel really soft & it also plumps it up by boosting collagen production. It has helped to fade some of my scarring, heals blemishes faster & it soothes any irritation. It's easily one of the best moisturisers I've tried. Full review here.

Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil
I've wanted to try this brow pencil for so long & I finally treated myself when Space NK had their amazing gift with purchase offer a couple of weeks ago. I've been using this every day since I got it & it was instant love. This product combines a powder & wax in the form of an eyebrow pencil. One end has a spoolie to brush through your brows with & the other has the pencil. What really makes this special is the shape of the pencil. It has a thin slanted triangular shape so you can get really defined edges. You can use the tip to draw in thin lines or you can use the side to create thicker shapes for fast filling in. It's a very versatile product & using this always results in a pair of beautifully groomed brows. I have the shade Soft Brunette which would suit anyone with ashy brown or silver hair. No warm tones in sight! Hourglass are just one of those brands where I want to try everything. Their products are amazing & well worth the hefty price tag.

PS. Apologies for the late monthly favourites! My Macbook Pro needed a new logic board so I've been without a computer for the past few weeks. Hopefully everything has been sorted now though!

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Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Aid

Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Aid* - £9.18

If you've been reading my blog for a while you will know that I am fanatical about acid exfoliants. Imagine my joy when I discovered that Lanolips make a natural acid exfoliating lip balm! I just had to give it a go. When the colder weather rears it's ugly head the first thing I do is start reaching for the heavy duty lip balms. I get horrendously bad chapped lips so I need something soothing, hydrating & long lasting to sort them out. This stuff fits the bill perfectly. I'd shied away from trying Lanolips products in the past because they always seemed like they would be too thick & sticky but I couldn't have been more wrong. It can take a bit of effort to squeeze the product out but the tube features a new slanted nib so it's really easy to apply. The formula of this lip balm is incredibly slippy & it simply glides onto your lips leaving them feeling buttery soft. There's no stickiness involved whatsoever - something that's always a priority for me when looking for new lip products.

Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Aid combines the super moisturising properties of Lanolips' exclusive Ultra Pure Medical Grade Lanolin with the citric acid found in organic lemon oil. This acid acts as a natural exfoliator on the lips to gently buff away any dry skin present. It works really well & makes my lips feel wonderfully smooth. Lanolips say that you might notice a slight tingling on the lips as it works but it's not something I've experienced. The lemon oil also gives this lip balm the most delicious citrus scent & taste. It's so lovely & fresh! The balm has a slight shimmer to it which is barely noticeable on the lips but definitely adds to the overall glossy appearance. The lanolin in this product is whipped which produces a richer & creamier balm. It feels thick yet light at the same time & absorbs quickly. It's very comfortable to wear and it lasts for hours, even after eating & drinking. I'm guilty of hoarding lip balms in my handbag but this is the one I've been reaching for most often. It's absolutely perfect for this time of year & the tube is totally cute. Plus it contains 97% natural ingredients which is something to consider when you're putting something on your lips. I adore this product and it's actually knocked down NUXE Reve de Miel from the top spot to become my favourite lip balm.

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