What's in my daily make-up bag?

Hi all! So today I thought I'd show you the essential products I like to use on a day to day basis. Most people could agree with me that its completely normal to buy more make-up than you need, hence having products grouped into day and occasion wear. I like to think of these as my staple products that I get along with the best and are reliable. 

Complexion and face products:

Smashbox Photo Finish (sample)

I really like this primer, and I tend to absolutely hate wearing a primer under my foundation normally! I like how it doesn't feel heavy or weird and silicone-y (I'm looking at you Pore-fessional!). I pretty much gave up on primers ever since buying Benefit's Pore-Fessional, I really ought to have tried a sample before going ahead and impulse buying the tube (sigh). I reckon the full size Photo Finish will be one of my near future purchases.

L'oreal Paris Nude Magique CC Cream Anti-Redness £9.99

I picked this up in Superdrug last week, taking advantage of the 3 for 2 deal (does it ever end?). I suffer from bad red patches on my face during the colder/pale months, which is thankfully not as bad as bas as an acne problem, but nevertheless inconvenient... So I decided to give this a go. I honestly like this product, despite everyone claiming it turns them orange and doesn't work. I think it works well with my colouring since it does not look orange at all, but dramatically neutralises my face by counter-acting the redness with green tones. I like to use this as an everyday/light make-up look when I have 9am lectures or seminars. It's very moisturising and lightweight, I would recommend this for light coverage.

L'oreal Paris True Match Foundation in C2 £9.99

Okay, my female family members back at home have not stopped raving about L'oreal True Match foundation. I recently got fed up and bored of my old faithful Revlon Colourstay and had initially planned to get PhotoReady... However, I decided to make the most of the L'oreal deal and purchase 2 different shades of this foundation (C2 and C3), the colours really work well with my skin and don't go patchy after a few hours (unlike Colourstay).  I really enjoy trying different foundations without breaking the bank and buying higher end ones; my skin colour changes too much from winter to summer. I like to use a flat top kabuki brush to apply it, giving a good finish and blend.

MAC Mineralise Skin Finish in Medium Tan £23

  

I'm not too sure about the new packaging! I hadn't bought a MSF for a while now, mainly using MAC's Studio Sculpt Defining Powder instead. I figured I'd give the funky reformulated and packaged MSF another go... (BTW, the huge magnet on the clunky lid of the compact is so strong and annoying). 

Powder is vital for my foundation to last long, especially around my T-zone which can get quite oily if I'm out all day. Putting powder on my face makes my foundation feel less dewy and more refined and matte, which I prefer (I hate dewy!). I apply this with my kabuki brush, making sure I can get it worked well into the corners of my nose an near my eye bridge.

Benefit Fake Up in Medium (sample)

I've recently started using this as my go-to concealer, turning a cold shoulder to all my other concealers. I love how it seamlessly blends into my face, covering any redness around my nose and the odd spot very well. I wouldn't use it under my eyes due to the hydrating balm around the concealer centre. I never really got along with it before, so it is surprising that I've been shunning all my other concealers over it.

Benefit Puff Off £22.50

After receiving this today I am hooked! I love the cooling metal iron along with the soothing cream. The packaging is even cuter in front of me than online! I reckon this will become a sure staple in my bag, pairing it with my CC cream to give me a slightly less zombie appearance at 9am lectures. 

Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel £32

Everyone needs this in their life! I've tried dupes and nothing comes near to this baby! It's an amazing product, and very long lasting (I've had this for quite a while now). I gives a subtle but healthy looking glow without coming off tacky and orange. I use this on my cheeks and forehead to prep my face before my bronzer, ensuring flawless blending ;)

MAC Bronzing Powder in Matte Bronze £21

I know I say 'You need this!', but seriously.., YOU NEED THIS. I have repurchased this bronzer time after time after time. It's such an underrated product, the highly pigmentted matte bronzer is a must! I love the glow and definition it gives me face, meaning it comes everywhere with me! An angled brush like MAC's 168 is great for apply this.

MAC Powder Blush in Fleur Power £18

Opting for bronzer over blush means I don't normally like a too powerful bold cheek. This is perfect for everyday/subtle wear which gives some colour but not a definite give away that you're wearing blusher at all. I reserve blushes like Benefit's Bella Bamba and Coralista for holidays and the summer months normally. I like to apply a light brushing of this on the apples of my cheeks by using MAC's 187 brush.

Benefit Watt's Up! £24.50

 I wasn't sure what to expect when I ordered my first Watt's Up (that's a sign of how many of these I've got through!). The champagne coloured highlighter is very effective I find, the creamy-ness meaning the product blends well into the face. I love using this around my brow bone and above my cheek bones. The packaging is funny and gorgeous, however I do dislike the blending sponge tip built on the bottom. I do not use the sponge tip due not only hygiene reasons, but also I prefer to use my finger tips to really blend the highlighter into my skin well (avoiding that Edward Cullen glow!).

Eye products:

- For my eyebrows I use MAC's angled 263 brush with MUA's single eye shadow in Chestnut (£1). I fill in my eyebrows with the shadow, and then define and elongate them using Rimmel's Eyebrow Pencil in Black Brown (£2.99).

MAC Pro Longwear in Soft Ochre £15.50

This nude coloured Paint Pot is ideal for under eye shadow. The flesh colour does not interfere with any eye shadow's colouring, whilst priming and prolonging the wear of shadow. I started using these when I was about 14, so 6 years later (and many empty pots of Soft Ochre) I still maintain this is the best primer over any other out there. I use a small concealer brush to apply it on my lid, blending it in with a tapered eye shadow blending brush.

MAC Pigment in Vanilla £17

I did a review on this pigment a month or so ago, but this is a fab product! I use it over the whole lid and up to under the eyebrow after using the paint pot. I then apply a white/light shadow in the corner of the eye, the pigment helps to seamlessly blend all the colours together.

MAC Cool Neutral Palette £65

Nudes and browns are the way to go! This palette is very pigmented and I love the browns included. I tend to stick to a boring/basic/easy brown smoky eye, how boring/safe am I!? I use this alot due to the sturdiness of the palette mainly, I find the Naked or the Too Faced Palettes too clunky and risky to take out and about. This palette feels secure and is lightweight.

Benefit They're Real mascara £19.50

I believe this is either my 3rd or 4th tube of They're Real. I tended to stick to Clinique's High Impact mascara before, but this really helps my naturally short and stubborn eyelashes. I do not believe Roller Lash will ever hold such a place in my heart, the length and curl of my lashes are lost after hours. I never find this to be the case with They're Real, holding the length and curl all day, making it a staple and vital product for my day to day look.

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink £18

It always looks better when the eye is lined to finish the smoky eye look in my opinion. I pair a nice bit of liner on my lid with mascara to create the illusion of a longer eyelash. I apply this with Real Technique's fine liner brush (not that awful silicone RT one they do...yuck!).

Lip products:

MAC Dazzle Glass in Coral (part of 2014 Holiday collection set)

Pretty basic when it comes to my everyday lip, I tend to save lipstick for the summer or occasional wear. Wearing a light layer of gloss is ideal for me, not to OTT for my seminars! I love MAC's Dazzle Glass in Coral from the 2014 Holiday collection sets. It's not too sticky in regards to hair getting stuck, but Manchester's wind means everything is 10x worse than most places!

Carmex Lip Balm in Jasmine Green Tea (£2.69)

Carmex is my life! I religiously apply the cherry scented one normally, but after spotting this on offer for £1.79 in Superdrug I jumped! I adore green tea, and it smells like green tea smells like very subtly. Carmex mends my chewed up lips which I cannot stop biting (someone help me!).

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What are your essential go-to products? Let me know by writing a comment below!

Spring Wishlist!!

Nars Bronzing Powder in Casino £27.50 
I love my Nars Laguna bronzer, however Casino is so versatile in that its not too matte nor shimmery. I think this darker bronzer will be more useful to me in the summer when I wish to brush a bit of colour and definition to my face.

China Glaze in Pack Lightly £3.95
China Glaze is my favourite brand of nail varnish due to their affordability and quality nail polishes. This light spring pink is perfect to paint on and show off your nails with a nice dress. I think it would also look cool when paired with a matte top coat like OPI's.

Tom Ford lip colour in Coco Ravish £37 
So expensive but classic and classy looking! I wish I could justify spending £37 on one single lipstick! I adore this colour as it compliments my olive-y skin tone whilst looking super sophisticated (plus the packaging is glam!).

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer £22 
Everyone I know is forever raving about this concealer, and I do trust Nars with their quality products. However I have just recently bought another MAC Studio Finish concealer so I do not NEED this product (would be nice though).

Benefit Puff Off! £22.50
Okay, I actually finally bought this last night online from Debenhams due to the 10% off beauty promotion. I have wanted this since the images were first released, I am in awe of the cutesy packaging more than the contents of the tube!

China Glaze in Queen B £3.95
The polish is darker in real light, a navy but not too dark/dull shade. I love a blue-ish nail, however I refuse to wear tacky bright blues so this is a compromise! 

Sleek Blush By 3 Lace £9.99
Such lovely colours! Sleek blushes always remind me of Nars (not sure why!), I am so curious to try the orange blush as I have a feeling it would work really well with my skin. Super affordable being just under a tenner, I have no excuses to say no to buying myself this!

MAC Face and Body foundation £28.50
120ml is an awful lot for a foundation bottle to typically hold, but as a face and body foundation it makes more sense. The light to medium build-able coverage is an advantage as its perfect for the warming months as it isn't too heavy or cakey. With it being a thinner consistency it allows for a better polished and refined blending between the neck and face. 

YSL Tuxedo palette £49
I am an eye shadow palette hoarder! I would love more neutral browns to add to my collection like usual, despite having so many already! The packaging is so sleek and glamorous, coming with a nice double sided brush!

China Glaze in Sunset Sail £3.95
Brown nude polishes are so underrated! I love a subtle colour to compliment super long nails, the colour being so versatile with whatever I wear. The shade is not too in your face or bold whilst still giving off an elegant look.

Revlon Photo Ready foundation £12.99
I normally opt for Revlon's Colourstay foundation, I have tried Photo Ready once but immediately went back to my old faithful Colourstay. I really want to switch to this foundation in the spring/summer (especially with all the sunny out n' about photos that will be taken).

..... so what's on your spring wish list?

Mahogany lips! MAC Paramount lipstick and Mahogany liner!

Today I'm looking at the mahogany, reddish/orange/brown lip trend. Being somewhat olive toned I adore rocking a reddy brown lip, finding such bright reds like MAC's Ruby Woo too much for my skin. So a little trip to my local MAC counter solved my dilemma... a wine (ish?) red lip colour that suits me far better...

 Tadaaaa I present you Paramount!

I love the satin lipsticks, as they are less drying than the matte finishes. I cannot stand the flaky old man lips matte gives me within an hour or two! Paramount is a gorgeous, sophisticated shade that could compliment most skin tones. It's sexy colouring would mean it would look absolutely fabulous with a tan in the summer.

I find when used with a liner it lasts most of the day without needing much of a touch up, the liner stopping it from bleeding from the lips. The MAC counter assistant recommended I pick Mahogany to compliment Paramount... she was not wrong at all! 

 A beautiful match!!

The liner perfectly compliments the lipstick, giving me the opportunity to fill in my whole lips before applying the lipstick so there is even colour throughout. Although the lipstick is not as drying as some it is recommended that you prime your lips prior to application, I personally would use MAC Prep+Prime lip base or the conditioning tube they sell (which has been out of stock for what seems like months!!! AH MAC!!! :( )

So... What do I think? If you are unsure of rocking the classic red lip but still want the seductive reddish lips, try the alternate... Paramount. The shade is perfect for casual and formal, play it down or dress up the eyes to complete the look! One thing for certain, I would only recommend this lip look if you buy the liner, without it I do not feel like the lip would look polished or neat enough (majorly important with a stand out colour like this).

MAC Paramount lipstick and Mahogany lip liner retail at MAC, House of Fraser, Selfridges, Debenhams (etc etc) for £15.50 and £12.50.

MAC Viva Glam Miley Cyrus Collection & Prep+Prime Lip Base thoughts!

Today my MAC order finally arrived! I had been waiting for this collection for a long time and it was finally released in the UK on the 12th of February! I'm a big fan of Miley Cyrus and I love that whilst buying Viva Glam products you are also helping towards the MAC Aids Fund. I knew that I just had to buy both the lipglass and lipstick, and WOW they really are fantastic colours. 

 Absolutely stunning packaging and colour co-ordination!

The lipstick is a gorgeous cool toned hot pink, which is very vibrant on. I found when applied over the MAC Prep+Prime lip base it is not drying at all. The worst thing about lipstick is the drying or flaking of the lips! I was not sure initially if the lipstick shade would suit my skin tone, however I just had to buy it! I do not regret my impulsive buy though, it is a surprisingly flattering shade which goes on very well. 

Next up is the MAC Viva Glam lipglass in the collection, a shimmery pink. Miley reportedly designed this lipglass so younger teens could wear something from the collection without looking OTT. The lipglass is sheer but the pink glitter within it gives the lips a light shimmer, perfect for everyday events. When paired with the lipstick it looks divine, creating a heavily pigmented shimmery hot pink lipglossy look, a more fun but sexy image. I can imagine I shall be pairing the two alot in the coming summer!

Left-Lipglass, Middle-Lipstick & Lipglass, Right-Lipstick

So along with this little purchase I also decided to buy the Prep+Prime Lip Base. I had waited for ages for the conditioning lip tube to come back in stock on the MAC website, so instead I took a chance on this! 

 

It goes on clear, and smells like the usual vanilla-y scent all MAC lip products seem to carry. Within 30 seconds or so it becomes tacky, which is the ideal moment to apply your lipstick. I suffer with badly dry lips normally, so it makes wearing matte or any lipsticks for that matter very hard! But with this tube I can really notice a difference in how my lips feel, that usual crusty and flaky feeling is absent for a few hours longer. Many blogs described this product as an over-priced glorified stick of lip balm, I do not agree with this as I normally use lip balm under my lipsticks and they're still dry as!

I am very happy with my recent purchases, my next plan of action being to hunt down an affordable bargain lip liner to match this new lipstick! All to be revealed in my next post... 

MAC Miley Cyrus Viva Glam lipstick currently retails for £15.50, MAC Miley Cyrus Viva Glam lipglass at £14.50 and MAC Prep+Prime lip base at £13

Available from MAC and Debenhams.

MAC Pigment in Vanilla

 

A dreamy pot of heaven

 

Here I will be reviewing the well known MAC Pigment in Vanilla. I cannot be more impressed with this product! I have been hearing about MAC pigments for a whilst now, and despite the reduction in quantity from the previous pots I still decided to give it a try. So I instinctively purchased the versatile shade of Vanilla, and it is worth every penny!

 Apologies for my chipped nails!!

So pretty!

As you can see it has a very white, frosty but pearly shimmer to it. This makes it perfect for multi-use, as it can be applied to the face as a highlighter or to the lid and under the arches of the brow bone. I like to use my MAC paint-pot as a primer under this, just to make the colour really pop. I love how it creates a perfect white shimmer base for my lid, whilst making it very easy to blend other eye-shadow shades in the lid crease. When wet, the colour glides on the skin, giving you a beautiful smooth pearly white colour.

As you can see here, today I went for a very simple 3 minute look. I quickly primed my eyes and put a light dusting of the pigment over my entire lid then just added a little brown to the corner. To finish it off, I quickly lined my eyes with Bobbi Brown's gel liner in Black Ink and brushed some They're Real mascara from Benefit on my lashes.

The Verdict? I am completely head over heels for this pigment. I cannot recommend it enough, it has changed my make-up regime forever, becoming a staple in my everyday make-up bag!

I give it a thumbs up!

It currently retails for £17 for 4.5g. Available from MAC and Debenhams.