August Favourites

Laura Mercier Mineral Pressed Powder in Soft Porcelain
If there's one thing that Laura Mercier does extremely well, it's powders. I've been using her Loose Mineral Powder & Secret Brightening Powder for years as they're so finely milled & make your skin look flawless. After running out of my last pot of Mineral Powder I decided to try the pressed compact version as it's a bit more portable & less messy to use. It doesn't feature the pearl powder found in the loose version so the finish is a little more matte which might be better for those with oily skin. I really like powder foundations like this when I'm running short on time as they're so quick & easy to apply. This powder offers medium buildable coverage that still looks fresh & natural. It buffs into the skin so beautifully that it doesn't actually look like a powder. It can be used as a standalone foundation or as a setting powder for a truly airbrushed finish. However you decide to use it, the Laura Mercier Mineral Powder is such a fantastic base product & has become a staple in my makeup bag.

Pump It Up Cucumber Fresh Dry Body Wash
We've all heard of dry shampoo but now you can get a dry body wash for those times when you just can't manage to get to a shower. Instead of a spray or gel formula this stuff is an antibacterial foam that cleans & eliminates odour without the need for water. It dries really quickly & immediately makes your skin feel fresher. The foam is paraben & alcohol free so it won't dry out your skin. They do several different fragrances but I went for the cucumber one & I really like it. The scent is very subtle & doesn't last long but it doesn't need to as it's not trying to mask any smells. The foam kills the bacteria that causes body odour which is rather clever. Much like dry shampoo, dry body wash will never replace an actual shower but it's really handy to take to the gym, a festival or anywhere else you need to freshen up on the go.

Vitage Age Defence Power Skin Repair*
I've tried out quite a few different products from Vitage lately as I took part in their 30 Day Skincare Challenge. I loved using all of their products so much that I rejigged my entire skincare routine to revolve around them. I couldn't include all of the items here but my favourite product was the Age Defence Power Skin Repair which is a high performance antioxidant moisturiser. This really helps to soothe & calm my skin whilst making it feel super soft, hydrated & firm. It also helps to repair & refine the texture of my skin as it contains retinyl palmitate. I really love using this moisturiser both day & night. It feels very luxurious & works well as a base for makeup so this product is always such a pleasure to apply.

Superfacialist Vitamin C+ Dark Circles Eye Cream
My sleeping pattern has gone completely out of whack recently. Now that Chloe's back at school I have to get up even earlier & whenever I'm feeling tired it really shows on my face. My dark circles always look particularly bad. I'm a huge fan of the Superfacialist By Una Brennan range so I picked up this eye cream which is rich in vitamin C. It's one of the best things for tired skin as it helps to brighten the complexion & fade discolouration. I normally go for eye gels but the consistency of this cream is really light so it absorbs quickly & doesn't interfere with my makeup. It hydrates & smooths the area, plumping up any fine lines so that your eyes look fresher. Over time I would say that this does help to reduce the appearance of dark circles. It hasn't gotten rid of them completely but there is a noticeable enough difference for me to say that this is worth trying out. It's very affordable & would be a good eye product to start using at a younger age.

theBalm Overshadow Mineral Eyeshadow in No Money, No Honey
I never thought that anything could compare to theBalm's Mary-Lou Manizer as it is the most perfect highlighter ever. However there's something even prettier & more pigmented than Mary-Lou and it also comes from theBalm. Now technically this is an eyeshadow but loose pigment products can be used anywhere. Their Overshadow Mineral Eyeshadow in the shade No Money, No Honey has that same gorgeous golden champagne shimmer as Mary-Lou Manizer but the effect is even more extreme. It is highly metallic & looks almost wet on the skin. This is definitely one to save for a night out rather than adding some glow to your everyday makeup. This little pot of magic looks absolutely stunning & I love using it as an eyeshadow too.

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Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF 15

Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF 15 - £31

Way back when I first began wearing foundation on a daily basis I started off with mineral powders. I think they're a great way to get started as they're so easy to apply and don't feel as heavy on the skin as some liquid foundations. You can easily get away with wearing them at school too. The first mineral powder I tried was the Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation. I mainly bought it because it was pretty cheap & I couldn't afford Bare Minerals at the time. Those constant infomercials eventually got the better of me & I splashed out on some Bare Minerals foundation & concealer. Although I did like both the Lily Lolo & Bare Minerals products I just wasn't entirely satisfied with them. Even with copious amounts of buffing they still looked like a powder on my skin & I prefer a bit of a dewy finish. So I moved onto liquid foundations and hadn't really looked back until I heard about the Laura Mercier Mineral Powder. I believe it was Estée who I first saw using this powder & it looked so gorgeous on her skin. A powder that looks as good as a liquid? Yes please!

What I really like about the Laura Mercier Mineral Powder is that it blends in incredibly well & kinda melts into your skin. It feels like a powder to cream formula. It looks so fresh & radiant, nothing at all like a powder. That beautiful luminous finish is due to the inclusion of pure pearl powder. This not only makes your skin look amazing but it helps to promote healthy skin & fight the ageing process as well. I use the shade Soft Porcelain. It's the lightest one available & is fairly yellow toned. I love how pale it is, the colour is a great match for me. The mineral powder is water-resistant, oil-free & features SPF 15. I normally apply it with the Real Techniques Retractable Kabuki Brush as it's really soft & dense, perfect for buffing in powder foundations. The coverage is medium but buildable. You only need a tiny amount, yet it manages to cover up any redness in my face & the majority of my freckles. I find that if I go overboard with the powder it does get a bit cakey around my forehead but otherwise the finish is very natural & skin-like. The staying power is decent although it doesn't really control oil production. It begins to break down on my T-Zone after about six hours but I think that's pretty good going for a powder.

In my opinion this is a great product to touch up with throughout the day. There is a pressed version available which would be better for travelling with but it lacks the pearl powder & therefore that covetable luminous glow. Sure, carrying a pot of foundation & a kabuki brush around with you is a huge faff but hear me out. I suffer from horrendous hayfever which means that I end up blowing my nose about 100 times a day during the Summer. If I wear a liquid foundation all of the makeup on my nose comes off on my tissue. Not only does this look stupid but my nose becomes more vulnerable to the sun as I've rubbed off my foundation & any sun protection. As this powder contains SPF 15 it protects my nose & blends back in seamlessly with the rest of my makeup. It works well as a finishing powder too for touching up your regular makeup before a night out. This has to be the most finely milled mineral powder I've come across. It feels so lightweight on the skin but manages to make everything look flawless. Although it's expensive you definitely get what you pay for, both in terms of quality & quantity. The Laura Mercier Mineral Powder is easily one of my favourite Summer foundations.

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Daily Makeup #1

Today I'm starting up a new feature as I've never really done face of the day type posts before. It always bugs me when people talk about the makeup products they're using and then they don't follow it up with a picture of how it actually looks on their face. So here's a look with a focus on thick black liner & cherry red lips. I started off with my Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in #2 which gives great coverage but also adds a wonderful glow to the skin. I concealed any blemishes & my undereye area with the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair before setting under my eyes with the Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder. I'm always one for a bit of shimmer so I dusted a bit of my Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light all over my face & highlighted my cheekbones with theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer. For blush I went for Illamasqua Naked Rose, it gives such a pretty flush to the cheeks. I then filled in my eyebrows using Anastasia Brow Wiz in Medium Ash & held my brows in place using MAC Clear Brow Set.

The lovely ladies at Baobella Boutique recently sent me a few new products to try out. Baobella Boutique is a free to join, members only online beauty store. They offer some amazing discounts on well known brands such as Clarins, Chanel, Decleor, L'Oreal, Maybelline & Lee Stafford to name just a few. There's a huge range of high end brands, drugstore brands and some that you might not have come across before. Each item is only available for a limited time period so you have to be quick to make sure you don't miss out on a great deal. If you like buying discounted beauty products (who doesn't?!) then it's well worth signing up for. I received an Yves Rocher duo worth over £40 yet you could buy it on Baobella Boutique for just £10.99! Yves Rocher is the number one makeup brand in France. All of their products are natural so if you're into that kind of thing then they're a great brand to check out. Not only that but their products are very high quality too.

I was extremely impressed by the Volume Vertige mascara. I love the curvy wand applicator. It really sculpts the lashes, giving lots of separation & definition without any clumps. One coat is enough for super long & thick lashes but I always like to add another to pump up the volume. It holds a curl so well & makes my lashes generally look amazing. After applying my mascara I lined my eyes with lots of Soap & Glory Supercat & MAC Chromagraphic Pencil in NC15/NW20 on the waterline. I finished off my look with a slick of Yves Rocher Grand Rouge lipstick in the shade Radiant Red. This lipstick feels really comfortable & moisturising on the lips. It features camellia oil, organic sesame oil & vitamin E to keep your lips in tip top condition. The highly pigmented formula simply glides on & it has a nice glossy finish. The staying powder is incredible, it lasts for hours even after eating & drinking. When it does begin to fade, it leaves a pretty red stain rather than a horrible ring around your lips. I love the packaging & it smells really nice too. Yves Rocher get a big thumbs up from me.

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Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder

Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder - £18.50

I always used to have problems with my mascara migrating down my face throughout the day. That was when I discovered that it is really important to set your under eye concealer. It seems like an obvious solution but I never knew anyone who specifically powdered their eye area, everyone just concentrates on their t-zone & oily areas. Anyway that little tip has saved me from a lifetime of having panda eyes. I've tried quite a few setting powders over the years. From things like MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural & Illamasqua Translucent Loose Setting Powder to Rimmel Stay Matte Powder & Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder. But Laura Mercier have something special - a setting powder designed for use on the under eye area only.

Secret Brightening Powder is a fine milled transparent setting powder. It feels silky soft and weightless on the skin. It doesn't settle into fine lines & doesn't look cakey or powdery at all. It really helps to prolong the wear of my concealer & completely stops my mascara migration problems. What really sets it apart from other setting powders is that it contains white pigment to lighten & brighten the under eye area. Therefore it's also helping to increase the coverage of your concealer because it's harder to notice the dark circles underneath. It has a slight sparkly effect, kinda like the illuminating particles in Origins' GinZing Eye Cream. It's not noticeable unless you look in a big magnifying mirror but it definitely helps the overall brightness of that area. Because of the white pigment present you should never set the rest of your face with this powder, otherwise you'll lose the lightened area. Think of Kim Kardashian style contouring. She always puts loads of light yellow concealer under her eyes, not all over her face. Laura Mercier also make a yellow version of this powder so if you think this one will look ashy on your skin, there's a warmer alternative too.

I apply this powder with the Real Techniques Setting Brush. The size & shape of it are absolutely perfect for setting your concealer. Patting the powder onto the area with this brush helps to reduce concealer creasing & dragging. Secret Brightening Powder definitely helps me to look more awake & well rested. You only need to use a teeny tiny amount so I think the price can be justified. I've been using this stuff every day for months now & there's still loads of powder left. It might seem like a bit of a faff having a separate setting powder for your eyes & your face but trust me, it makes all the difference.

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What's In My Makeup Bag?

I store all of my makeup collection in some acrylic drawers from Homebase but I keep the stuff I tend to wear on a daily basis inside my makeup bag. I bought this from MAC a few years ago & it's still going strong. It is the signature medium rectangle bag. It's a good size as it can hold a lot of stuff and has a separate pocket to keep my brushes in. I tend to keep far too many things in here as I like to have a little bit of choice when it comes to what I'm gonna use that day. I would clear some of the products out but I just like too many things! Anyway here's a little peak at some of my most used makeup products.

Dr Jart+ Water Fuse BB Cream / Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation / Laura Mercier Foundation Primer
By Terry Touche Veloutee / Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer / Bobbi Brown Creamy Corrector
Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer

I keep a couple of different base products in my bag to use depending on how my skin is behaving & how much time I have to get ready. If I have time I prefer to use the Laura Mercier Silk Creme applied with a Beautyblender. If I'm running late a blob of the Dr Jart BB cream mixed with a tiny dot of the Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer helps to even out my skin and hide some of my blemishes & scarring. The BB cream alone is far too dark & sheer for me so adding the Sensual Skin Enhancer lightens it up & adds a bit more coverage. I use a few different concealers but tend to just go for some of the Bobbi Brown Creamy Corrector under my eyes most days.

Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch Primer / Illamasqua Naked Rose Blusher / NARS Deep Throat Blusher / theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer / MAC Omega Eyeshadow / Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

As well as the Laura Mercier Foundation Primer I also keep the Clarins Instant Smooth one in my bag. The Clarins primer is better if I want to hide my pores & smooth over my skin so I use this one more often. I love blushers & have tons in my collection but the ones I've been using most are NARS Deep Throat & Illamasqua Naked Rose. They're both nice peachy pinks that add a much needed burst of colour to my complexion. My go-to highlighter is theBalm's Mary-Lou Manizer, I recommend this product for anyone who wants a highly metallic sheen to their skin. It's one of the most pigmented I've tried & really makes my skin glow. I use the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette every day as it's a great selection of neutral colours that are ideal for day or night. If I fancy using a powder to fill in my eyebrows I opt between the shade Naked2 from this palette and MAC's Omega eyeshadow.

Givenchy Noir Couture Mascara* / MAC Clear Brow Set / NUXE Reve De Miel Lip Balm / Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes Mascara / Benefit They're Real Mascara / MAC Fling Eye Brow Pencil / Anastasia Granite Tinted Brow Gel / Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara / Beaute Girlina Weightless Lip Creme / L'Oreal Carbon Gloss Superliner / Revlon Strawberry Shortcake Lip Butter / Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion / MAC NC15/NW20 Pencil
LORAC Front Of The Line Pro Eyeliner / SUQQU Eyebrow Liquid Pen

I have four mascaras in here which is probably overkill! At the minute I like to layer the last dregs of my Lancome Doll Eyes mascara with Benefit They're Real mascara and then use the Clinique mascara on my bottom lashes to stop them smudging. I didn't really like They're Real to begin with but it's starting to get better as it dries out a bit. Still clinging on to the Lancome one though! There's some more eye brow products here depending on how I want them to look. I love brushing on some of the Anastasia Tinted Brow Gel when I don't have time to fill them in properly. I have lip products galore but I tend to go for the Beaute Lip Creme or Revlon Lip Butter as I do love a nice pink lip. I use the L'Oreal Superliner to do my regular cat flick but the LORAC one is amazing for really thin lines. I use this to fill in any tiny gaps, neaten the end of the flick & sometimes I draw on bottom lashes with it a la Twiggy. And I can't go a day without using my MAC NC15/NW20 pencil on my lower lash line to brighten up my eyes.

Real Techniques Buffing Brush / Real Techniques Contour Brush x2 / Real Techniques Setting Brush / Sigma Tapered Highlighter Brush / Real Techniques Brow Brush / Laura Mercier Double Ended Eye Brow Brush / MAC 239 Brush / MAC 222 Brush / MAC 219 Brush / MAC 227 Brush / Tweezerman Tweezers / Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler

I keep a few essential brushes in here but often dip into my brush pots when I'm getting ready. I typically apply foundation with a Beautyblender (but I keep that in a separate jar) or the Real Techniques Buffing Brush. I always keep two of the Contour Brushes in here - one for blending concealer & one for applying blusher. I use the setting brush with some loose powder to set under my eyes and the Sigma brush to apply highlighter. There's two angled brushes in here but they're quite different, the Real Techniques one is better for lining my eyes with black eyeshadow & the Laura Mercier one is my favourite eye brow brush. The bristles are a lot stiffer so it works a lot better. I also keep several eyeshadow brushes in here but I probably use the MAC 219 the most as I like to apply some brown eyeshadow under my eyes with it. Finally I have my tweezers & eyelash curlers, total essentials for me & you can't get better than Tweezerman & Shu Uemura.

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Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation - £33

When Estee Lauder made the oh so silly decision to discontinue the lightest shade of their Double Wear foundation I felt a bit stuck. I've tried lots of foundations and theres still only a few select brands out there that make a shade light enough for me in a formula I like. As much as I sometimes complained about the matte finish & flash photography induced 'ghost face' that Double Wear delivered, it really was my favourite foundation. Nothing could compare to the shade, the coverage and the staying power of Double Wear. That was until I tried Laura Mercier's Silk Creme foundation. I'm a huge Laura Mercier fan and I used to love their Tinted Moisturiser when I was at school. Nowadays I like a bit more coverage due to my horrid freckles (nothing against freckles, I just don't like them on me!) so I was intrigued to try one of their proper foundations. I noticed Kate raving about Silk Creme and it looked lovely on her so I figured I would give it a go. I've been using this for a few months now and it has fast become a brilliant replacement for my beloved Double Wear.

Silk Creme is a medium to full coverage foundation with a luminous finish. As the name suggests it is a cream formula which means it blends out really nicely. It feels so soft and silky on the skin. It contains several silicones which add to that flawless polished look so it would be great for anyone with enlarged pores. Much like with a silicone based primer, it will help to fill in those areas and airbrush over them. It is highly pigmented so a tiny blob will cover your whole face. My favourite thing about this foundation is how radiant it makes my skin look. It boasts light-reflecting properties which add natural glowing highlights to your face without making it look greasy. Perfection.

I use the shade Soft Ivory which is the lightest available & a perfect match for me. First of all I love how well this colour balances out my skintone. My face was looking quite red and spotty before I applied my makeup this morning and now look at it! This is one of the areas in which Silk Creme is superior to Estee Lauder Double Wear as their old lightest shade Shell was fairly pink toned so it didn't completely eliminate my redness despite being a full coverage foundation. Soft Ivory is just as light coloured but its slightly more yellow toned. It matches up just as well but the extra yellowness really helps to even out my skin properly. I'm happy to report that it doesn't oxidise at all either so the colour in the tube will be the colour on your face. I've not concealed any of my blemishes other than with the foundation. I only used concealer & powder under my eyes so you can get a better idea of the glowing finish this gives to your skin.

When I first tried this foundation I used waaaay too much of it and it looked really streaky even after buffing it in for ages. I think the secret to this foundation is to use a really small amount and then build it up as you go. Lots of the reviews I read about this product suggested using the Real Techniques Buffing Brush to apply it. But I actually prefer to apply Silk Creme in the same way I used to apply Double Wear - with a damp Beautyblender sponge. It even suggests applying it with a sponge on the back of the tube. Silk Creme was designed to give a luminous finish but the Beautyblender actually adds to that effect further and really smooths it out to give a truly flawless glowing look to your skin. Another advantage of this foundation is that it doesn't contain any SPF so it photographs beautifully. Then its just up to you whether you apply a moisturiser with SPF or not. As Silk Creme is a medium to full coverage foundation it is possible to build it up or wear it a bit sheerer. I find that it covers my blemishes, redness and scarring perfectly but no matter how much I layer it I can't seem to completely eliminate my freckles which is where Double Wear really excelled.

I'm so pleased with how long this lasts on my skin and I can go a whole day without having to top up at all. Thats pretty much a dealbreaker for me when it comes to foundations, I want to be able to apply something once in the morning & be done with it. This just stays looking really fresh all day long. However its not entirely transfer resistant so for that reason I would suggest you make sure you set it properly, either with powder or something like Urban Decay's All Nighter Setting Spray. I prefer to use a spray as I don't want to lose that lovely luminous quality. I can't recommend trying out this foundation enough. It offers brilliant coverage but with a natural looking flawless finish. Isn't that what most of us want from a foundation? Don't let the price put you off because this really is a wonderful product and as you only need a tiny pea sized blob each time it will last for ages. Its well worth a cheeky trip to Space.NK!

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Favourite Products Of 2012

My monthly favourite posts are probably the ones I enjoy writing the most. Lots of you have told me that they're the ones you enjoy reading the most too. So today I bring you my yearly roundup of the products that I've loved using. It was really difficult to narrow the list down this year. There were so many new things that I tried & that have quickly become an essential part of my beauty regime. I'm surprised to see what things have changed & whats stayed the same from my last yearly favourites post. One thing's for sure, 2012 was a very expensive year in beauty!

Skincare
Emma Hardie Amazing Face Natural Lift & Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm / Alpha-H Liquid Gold
REN Invisible Pores Detox Mask / Hydraluron / Caudalie Beauty Elixir / Bioderma Créaline H2O

I definitely spent the most amount of money on new skincare products. I fell in love with this Emma Hardie cleanser from the moment I tried it. It removes makeup like nothing else & leaves your skin feeling so soft. I'm sure you could tell that Liquid Gold would be on my list. This glycolic acid based chemical exfoliant is something of a miracle potion for me. It resurfaces your skin getting rid of blemishes, fine lines & reducing scarring. Hands down, it is my favourite product of the year. The REN Invisible Pores is such a wonderful clay face mask. It draws out all the impurities in my skin & tightens every pore. Hydraluron is my favourite product for injecting a quick hit of moisture to the skin as its basically a super power up serum for your moisturiser. It rehydrates skin & helps keep spots at bay. I still love the Caudalie Beauty Elixir and spray it on my face twice a day. Its just so refreshing on the skin & I couldn't go without it now. Bioderma is the best thing you can use if you're feeling too lazy to actually wash your face. It just dissolves makeup so well & doesn't irritate my skin or eyes whatsoever.

Haircare
Moroccanoil / Percy & Reed Finishing Polish / Kerastase Ciment Thermique / Redken Real Control Overnight Treat
Bumble & Bumble Texture Hair (Un) Dressing Creme / Denman Dressing Out Hairbrush

I use Moroccanoil every time I wash my hair & it has definitely helped with its overall condition. I really like the Percy & Reed Finishing Polish as it gives my hairstyle great hold & successfully tames my frizz without weighing down my hair. Nothing beats Ciment Thermique when it comes to heat protection. It also makes your hair softer & has a lovely grapefruit scent. The Redken Overnight Treat is my favourite leave in product as you really do wake up with better looking hair. Bumble & Bumble products are amazing, I only wish they weren't quite so expensive. One thing from them that you should definitely splurge on is this Hair (Un) Dressing Creme. A tiny blob of this stuff ran through your roots before blow drying will give you just the right amount of texture & volume. To give my roots even more volume I use this Dressing Out brush. It is the best backcombing brush ever & can even be used to brush through wigs & hair extensions.

Base
Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch Primer / Bobbi Brown Corrector / Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray / theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer / Laura Mercier Mineral Powder
Illamasqua Translucent Loose Setting Powder

Clarins Instant Smooth is my new favourite primer. It gives you such a flawless base & basically airbrushes out your pores. Nothing manages to cover my hideous dark circles quite like my Bobbi Brown Corrector. It really brightens up the under eye area and makes you look a lot more awake. For most of 2012 I stuck with Estee Lauder Double Wear because I do love the coverage & staying power. Then Estee Lauder did something stupid & got rid of their palest shade. Enter Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation. Soft Ivory is such a perfect colour for me. You only need the tiniest blob for flawless skin and I find I don't need to use concealer on my blemishes when I use this foundation. I love the Urban Decay Setting Spray as it keeps your face in place all day & stops powder from looking powdery. I have a ridiculous obsession with highlighters and I couldn't stop myself from buying new ones in my search for the perfect glow. Look no further, theBalm's Mary-Lou Manizer is the ultimate highlighter! I bought this back in May and haven't used or purchased another one since. I use this every single day as nothing else can deliver such a powerful shine. For days when I'm running late I go for a quick bit of concealer under my eyes and a good dusting of this Laura Mercier Mineral Powder. It has great coverage & gives a natural glow. I'd recommend this one over the pressed mineral powder as the pressed ones give a more matte finish. My favourite product for setting my makeup & taking away shine from my t-zone is this Illamasqua powder. I'm paranoid about my mascara running & concealer creasing under my eyes. This powder sets them perfectly & doesn't look cakey at all.

Eyes
Lancome Doll Eyes Mascara / L'Oreal Carbon Gloss Superliner / Anastasia Granite Tinted Brow Gel
Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara / Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette / MAC NC15/NW20 Pencil
Maybelline On And On Bronze Colour Tattoo 24hr Eyeshadow / MAC Omega Eyeshadow

My mascara & eyeliner choices are the same as last year. I just love this combo for long, thick, voluminous lashes & that perfect black flick. Anastasia are a brand I've been excited to try for a while & their Tinted Brow Gel certainly didn't disappoint. This is such a great product for when you need your brows done fast. Something I've used for a long time is the Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara. The tiny brush is fab for getting all those little bottom lashes & as it is a tubing mascara you don't have to worry about it running. The Naked 2 palette really is the best eyeshadow palette I own with shades & textures for all occasions. My eyes don't look right if I forget to use my MAC NC15/NW20 eye pencil. It really opens them up and takes away any redness. I've bought quite a few cream eyeshadows this year but Maybelline's On And On Bronze tops the list. Its such a nice colour & works well on its own as well as under other eye shadows without any creasing. At the beginning of last year I was using the HD Brows palette but I found the shades were just too dark & it was easy to overdo it. Omega is the perfect eyebrow colour. Its dark enough to match my eyebrow hairs & cool enough to look right with my blonde hair.

Blusher
Stila Petunia Convertible Colour / Illamasqua Sophie / NARS Deep Throat

I adore the Stila Convertible Colours! I used to be quite wary of cream blushers but the formula of these is just spot on. All the colours are gorgeous but Petunia is the one I reach for most. Its a bright rosy pink & looks fab on both cheeks & lips. I love love love Illamasqua's blushers & this is one of their newer shimmer blushers. Sophie is such a gorgeous bright golden coral colour and adds a nice bit of warmth to my complexion. NARS Deep Throat is a colour I reach for on an everyday basis. Its just the perfect colour for me & I can't get enough of it. This is actually the only NARS blusher I own, I'd love to get my hands on Douceur next.

Lip Products
NUXE Reve De Miel Lip Balm / Revlon Strawberry Shortcake Lip Butter
Revlon Rendezvous Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain / Look Beauty Citrus Kick Double Hit Lip
MAC Subculture Lip Pencil

The only lip balm capable of saving my lips from death this year has been this lovely NUXE one. I really like the pot & the stick but the pot definitely wins when you need an intense hit of moisture as its a bit thicker. I'd never tried any Revlon products before this year & I truly loved their two very hyped products - the Lip Butters & Balm Stains. Strawberry Shortcake is a lovely everyday pink whereas Rendezvous is sexy orange number. I also really like the Look Beauty Double Hit Lips. One end is a lipstick & the other is a lipgloss. Citrus Kick is another orange but it turns into a very pretty coral when it combines with the natural pink of my lips. The scent is absolutely delicious too. MAC's Subculture lip pencil is great nudey pink shade for emphasising the shape of your lips. It works well under a variety of lip colours & gives you super pouty lips.

Nail Polishes
Essie Cute As A Button / Essie Lilacism / Essie Fiji / Models Own Disco Inferno / Louise Gray For Topshop Junk Yard

I've been loving Essie polishes this year. The new brush makes them so easy to apply & they dry fairly quickly. They don't chip much either with a good coat of Seche Vite on top. Lilacism is probably my favourite one as I just love purple colours! I've also gotten into glitter polishes this year. The whole Models Own Mirrorball collection was amazing but as a gold lover Disco Inferno is the one I reach for most often. This Louise Gray for Topshop glitter nail polish is so stunning & I can't stop staring at my nails whenever I wear it.

Tools
Real Techniques Brushes / Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers / Tweezerman Tweezers

Most of my makeup brush collection has been replaced with Real Techniques brushes since they launched in the UK. I think they're amazing quality with super soft bristles that dry quickly after washing & don't shed at all. My makeup looks so much better since I invested in some of these. I use these three on a daily basis. I apply my foundation using the Buffing Brush, my blusher using the Contour Brush and loose powder with the setting brush. I can't recommend these enough and wish these were around before I wasted loads of money on overhyped MAC brushes which used to just shed all over my face. I use these Shu Uemura eyelash curlers every day without fail. They make my lashes look so much better & open up my eyes. They make such a difference. I've used these tweezers for years as you can pluck out the tiniest hairs with them. They last forever so they're definitely worth the investment.

June Favourites

Carmex Moisture Plus Pink
I do love a bit of Carmex and this month I've been addicted to this sheer lip tint. Like the original Carmex formula its brilliant at keeping my lips hydrated. The lovely hint of pink it imparts on my lips is great for daytime wear and it applies really well. I prefer this stick packaging to the pot or tube because its even easier to use.

Jemma Kidd I-Glamour Volume Mascara
I picked this up as freebie in Red magazine. I wasn't sure what to expect really considering it was free but Jemma Kidd products tend to have a good rep so I figured I'd check it out. It is actually a fantastic mascara. The way it separates your lashes makes them look really pretty and its so good at holding a curl. One coat alone makes my lashes look nicely thick and black without being clumpy. I'm really impressed with this mascara and if you can still track down a copy of last month's Red, you should definitely buy one.

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer
I first tried this about 6 years ago and absolutely loved it. I can't fathom why I haven't bothered to repurchase it until now (umm the price?!) but I'm so glad that I did. Theres loads of different formulas of this primer so theres bound to be one to suit you but I opted for the original again as my skin isn't particularly oily or anything. Its such a nice primer to use, the smell is really lovely and you only need a small blob to do your whole face. I apply this after moisturiser but you can use it right after cleansing. It doesn't make my face feel really soft like Philosophy's The Present or completely hide my pores like Benefit's The Porefessional but it does make my foundation apply super smoothly and gives it the longest staying power out of any other primer.

Lush Ro's Argan Body Conditioner
If I have a shower at night I've been using my gorgeous new pistachio scented Laura Mercier products to moisturise with but if I have one in the morning, I don't really have much time to faff about with moisturising properly. Thats where this body conditioner comes into play. Its like a hair conditioner but for your body in that you use it after washing yourself with shower gel. You just apply it all over your body, wash it off and dry yourself as normal. It eliminates the need to moisturise afterwards, saving time & effort. Its filled with loads of great ingredients such as argan oil, cocoa butter, almond oil & shea butter so you can imagine how moisturising this product is. The best thing about it is the smell. It leaves your body smelling like fresh roses, in a nice non-grannyish way. I've not been excited about anything from Lush in a long time but this product is just awesome.

Illamasqua Translucent Loose Powder
It's happened. I think I've finally fallen out of love with my MAC MSF Natural as a setting powder. Its still great to use dusted over my whole face with some concealer if I'm in a rush but if I want something just to set my makeup with I've been reaching for this wonderful Illamasqua powder. I was tempted to buy the Laura Mercier translucent powder but I saw Tanya Burr using this in one of her videos and figured I'd give it a go. Plus its a good £10 cheaper than the Laura Mercier one for a bit more product. I have never tried a powder as soft and as silky as this one is. It completely disappears into the skin leaving the area matte and set in place all day long. This product is a godsend if you use a thick concealer like the Bobbi Brown ones. I no longer get any under eye creasing or racooning from my mascara. I also run a small amount over my T-zone to keep shine at bay. I'm just so in love with the finish this powder gives. It comes with a large powder puff but I use this with my Real Techniques Setting Brush which is perfect for precision powdering.



Mirai Nikki
When I was about 13 I used to be totally into anime. Infact my first foray into web design was when I used to create Pokemon & Sailor Moon fansites on Geocities. My love for Japanese cartoons has been reignited ever since I found some awesome anime streaming sites. I've watched through several series in just the past few weeks. My favourite new discovery is a show called Mirai Nikki which means Future Diary. Its in the same kinda vein as Death Note but with a hint of Battle Royale/The Hunger Games in that its a fight to the death. There are 12 competitors and the last one left alive will be crowned as the new God. Each person has a mobile phone which has a future diary on it so that they can see whats going to happen to them next & if they will be the next to die. Its up to them to change what is written in their diaries in order to survive. The main character is a middle school student called Yukiteru who soon becomes the favourite to win the game & the main target of the other competitors. The pink haired girl called Yuno is quite possibly the most psychotic anime character ever created. She falls in love with Yukiteru and will do whatever it takes to make sure that he wins. The twists are really unexpected and the OST is fab too. Its definitely a show I'm going to rewatch because the story is brilliant. I totally recommend watching it if you like anime.

Laura Mercier Crème de Pistache Trio

When it comes to body care products the thing I value most is a good scent. I first fell in love with Laura Mercier's offerings about 6 years ago when my mum bought me some of their Crème Brûlée hand cream. The sickly sweet vanilla caramel smell was so divine & that product never strayed from my handbag. Last Christmas I wandered into Space.NK and noticed that they had a special trio of body creams. I decided to try some of the pistachio one on my arm & it was love at first sniff. Sadly I never got round to buying that set because it was way too pricey. Fast forward to a few weeks ago & I noticed that they sell a trio of just the pistachio products. I ordered my set from Space.NK as my local store didn't have any in stock. It cost £35 which I thought was a good deal considering how much these products cost individually.

The set contains a 200ml bottle of Crème Body Wash, a 100g pot of Soufflé Body Crème & a 50g tube of Hand Crème. All of these products have a strong sweet nutty scent. Its quite incredible how good these smell. You might think that actual pistachio nuts don't really smell of much so if anything these products smell more like pistachio ice cream, yummy. The scent is most prominent in the shower cream. It fills the bathroom & lingers in there long after you've finished bathing. Unfortunately it doesn't last on your skin but the other products in the set soon rectify that. The body wash itself is very creamy & indulgent. It foams up nicely so you don't need to use much of it at all. It doesn't leave any residue once washed off & leaves my skin feeling very fresh.

The body cream is very moisturising & sinks into my skin quickly. I normally don't bother with moisturising after showering because I hate having to wait to put my clothes on but this just melts into your skin so easily & you can get dressed right away. This product definitely succeeds where the shower cream failed at leaving my skin smelling like pistachios. The hand cream is probably my favourite product out of the set because the smell is very long lasting & it makes my hands feel like silk. I find that some hand creams can leave your hands feeling slightly tacky or greasy but this formula sinks into the skin so quickly & does a brilliant job of making your hands lovely & soft. I keep finding myself having a quick sniff of my hands which probably sounds mental but I am just obsessed with this scent. The whole Laura Mercier range of bath & body products is so luxurious & all four of the available scents are absolutely gorgeous. I definitely recommend checking out their products if you're after a bit of indulgence.

Five Of The Best Primers & Mini Giveaway

Primers are an often overlooked part of a daily face routine. Some people have never heard of a primer and some people who own them just forget to use them. However most people would probably agree that the state of your skin before you apply makeup is just as important as the foundation you use and the skill with which you apply it. Personally I have found that using a primer after your regular cleanse, tone and moisturise routine is the best way of ensuring that your skin looks flawless and your makeup lasts all day long. A primer is intended to provide a base for your foundation that will improve the lasting power of your makeup as well as smooth your skin and disguise pores & wrinkles. I've tried a few different primers now but I think that I've finally found the one that I'm happiest with. Heres a quick overview of them all.


Smashbox Photo Finish Light Primer
This was the first primer I ever bought. I was in New York so felt the need to buy as many cool things in Sephora as possible. Smashbox do several primers but I got the light one because its oil-free and therefore wouldn't clog up my skin. I love how smooth this made my skin feel and foundation definitely went on a bit easier. Unfortunately that was almost all it did. After about four hours of wear my T-zone would start to look a bit oily again and my pores were still visible from the minute I applied my foundation. Smashbox is now available at Debenhams & online in the UK where I think it retails for about £25. I think thats quite a lot of money to spend on something that doesn't really make much of a difference to your face.


GOSH Foundation Primer Cream
This is the primer I've been using for the last year. I bought it after hearing so many good reviews of the gel one. GOSH do a few primers but I went for the cream because it reminded me of the texture of the Smashbox one. I also thought it seemed less clogging than the gel one. I like this one quite a lot because it did keep my makeup looking fresh for the whole day without any oiliness creeping through. It doesn't hide my pores though and doesn't make my skin feel amazing. I did repurchase this product as it is a pretty decent primer for the price, which is about £14.


MeMeMe Seventh Heaven Moisturising Face Base
I got this in last month's Glossybox and I'm not really a big fan of it. Its both a moisturiser & primer in one so the product is like a thick cream. I really dislike the way it feels on my face. It made my skin feel tacky and wet rather than silky and smooth like most primers. It makes my makeup look smooth and last most of the day but does nothing for my pores. Plus the citrus smell is horrible. A fullsize pot of this costs £15 so its in the same price range as the GOSH one but nowhere near as good.




Benefit The Porefessional
I saw this product in pretty much every '2011 Favourites' post out there so I was really excited to try this one out. When I went to buy this from Boots a couple of weeks ago they had this little gift set including a fullsize tube of The Porefessional for the same price as just the regular tube (£23.50). I'd wanted to try Girl Meets Pearl for ages so snapped it up even though the concealer is too dark for me. This product is really fantastic. Its not like any of the other primers I've tried because the balm is actually flesh coloured. The beige colour really helps to cover up any redness. It's definitely not enough to wear on its own but it does help to even out skintone making my complexion look flawless. I find that it covers my pores really well and makes my skin feel lovely. Really brilliant product.


Philosophy The Present
I absolutely love The Porefessional and didn't think I would ever find anything better until I was browsing the Philosophy counter in Manchester last week. Considering I'd only just bought the Benefit one a week before I wasn't looking for another primer but once I get obsessed with something I'll buy more until I find the perfect one. I remembered reading about The Present on Adrienne's blog and she seemed to think that it was better than The Porefessional. So after having a good natter with the sales assistant, who happened to be a MUA and used this primer on all the models at London Fashion Week, she applied it to my face. 'Wow, that's insane' was pretty much all I could say. I felt my face afterwards and it was just so smooth, I couldn't believe it. My pores were invisible and my bare skin actually looked pretty decent. The sales assistant has also pretty much convinced me that I need Philosophy's Microdelivery Peel in my life. I've been using this under my foundation for the past week and it looks like someone has airbrushed my face. My makeup lasts all day long without a single touch up and even with foundation on you can barely see any pores on my face. Another big advantage of this product over The Porefessional is the value. For £1.50 less you get more than double the amount of product. Pretty much the perfect primer. I can't wait to try even more Philosophy products.

Honorary mention goes to the Laura Mercier primer which I used to own many years ago but sadly never repurchased. That product was the perfect partner for the Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser but I never tried it with a regular foundation so can't really comment on it. I still think I prefer the Philosophy one as it makes my skin feel absolutely incredible. Are there any other primers that you like?

Now for the mini giveaway. As you can see in my Porefessionally Pretty set I got a mini pot of Benefit Erase Paste. The only colour included in these sets is Medium 02 which is way too dark for me. Rather than bin it I figured one of you might like to have it instead. I've not opened it so you'll get a brand new pot. Its the perfect size for if you want to just try it out or to put in your bag for quick touchups on the go. If you want to win it just write a comment saying so below and I'll pick one of you at random. I'll announce the winner this Friday. Easy peasy :)