New In: Giorgio Armani Maestro Fusion Make-up

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk has been my favourite foundation for years, it's one product I can not fault that delivers every time. The foundation I always find myself reaching for on special occasions that never fails me. That mini-rave over, (full rave here), I was really excited to try out their latest release, Maestro Fusion and see if it would be as fantastic as Luminous Silk.

As far as claims go I have to completely agree, no make-up feel, looks invisible and makes skin appear luminous. Labelled as a 'complexion perfector', which describes it perfectly. Unlike other foundations Mastro Fusion is powder-free and uses 5 different types of oils instead, which evaporate gradually on the skin as it's applied and leave a film of pigment.

The texture is what makes the foundation jaw dropping, it's the most unbelievably light weight formula around that practically feels like water. As opposed to some other foundations that feel as though they are sitting on top of my skin, this feels almost bonding as if it's meshing with my skin.

On my combination skin it lasts around 7 or 8 hours before needing a touch up and this increases with primer. The one problem I found was over time the foundation ended up highlighting any dry or dehydrated patches as it would seep into them, so if you're someone with dry skin I would stay well clear.

The coverage it gives is light and extremely natural and it's available in 12 different shades, mine 5.5 is perfect for my skin tone.

Are you interested in trying Giorgio Armani Maestro Fusion?

The Back Ups

There are a few products that I adore so much I wouldn't even have to think about if I would repurchase them. In fact I love them that much I end up hoarding doubles, just incase that lipgloss or concealer comes to an end and I'm left running to find a replacement. 

Currently only two haircare products are worthy of the back up plan, Oribe Dry Texturising Spray, of which I have a large bottle for my dressing table and a smaller handbag sized. Whenever I opt out of using this in my hair the difference in volume is phenomenal. It provides lift in my hair like no other as well as adding texture. Not only is Ojon Rare Blend Oil the most beautiful hair oil around it's also nourishing, tames frizz and leaves hair smelling amazing. 

Three mascaras I couldn't see myself living without...

1. Dior DiorShow Lash Serum & Primer - I apply before mascara to lengthen, thicken and give the appearance of longer lashes

2. MaxFactor False Lash Effect Mascara - is an absolute drugstore gem, that manages to take my lashes from short stumpy lashes to long and fluttery. 

3. L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Carbon Black - I normally add as a boost after any mascara as it adds the most incredible volume and seems to work well with any formula

For my chapped lips Dr Lipp Original Nipple Balm For Lips does the trick for bringing cracked lips back to plumpy, it's a bit of a sticky ointment so reserves a place on the bedside table for overnight use. Chantecaille Brilliant Gloss in Lucky is one I had to search Space NK stores desperate to get my hands on some back ups. It's the most beautiful peachy pink with a golden shimmer running through it that illuminates the lips making them appear fuller. 

Avon SuperShock Gel Liner is the most incredible gel eyeliner around, it lasts the better part of 8 hours on my waterline and has an unbelievably creamy formula that's easy to blend out but once set it won't budge. 

For concealer my two couldn't-live-without favourites are, By Terry Touche Veloutee and Collection Lasting Perfection, nothing beats these. Touche Veloutee gets swept under my eyes for concealing bags as it has the most lightweight formula and invisible texture. Lasting Perfection anywhere else like covering redness as it's pretty full coverage and blendable. 

So there you have it, my backups. Favourite products, these truly ones I could not even dream of being without. 

Do you own any backups? What would yours be?

My Makeup: Issa SS13 Inspired

After being backstage at Issa last week (post here) and drooling over Val Garland working her makeup magic, my front row seat enabled me to analyse her feather light hand movements, swift brush strokes and precise cat flick up close. To say I was totally mesmerised would be an understatement! After noting down all her tips and techniques I got a little inspired to try and recreate the look myself, however, something a little more suitable for my everyday life.
Now I'm an eyes girl, it's the feature I always play up - there's rarely a red lip or just some skin action going on with me, but the makeup at Issa had it all, which on myself I wouldn't be too fond of, so I adapted it by toning down the lip from a bright opaque colour to a sheer wash, a less defined eye and a smaller cat flick.

Skin

- Val Garland used the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Pure Light Primer as a base to ensure glowy skin, which I personally haven't tried, so instead I applied Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone all over my skin, followed by YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat.
- Under my eyes I used what Val used as a highlighter, L'Oreal Lumi Magique Concealer, which wasn't high enough in coverage to conceal my dark circles so I mixed in some By Terry Touche Veloutee.
- To contour I used the dark shade in Sleek Contour Kit and to add a highlight to the high points of my cheek bones I used L'Oreal Lumi Magique Concealer.

Eyes

- Sweeping the lightest shade from the L'Oreal Trio Pro in 403 Golden Fidelity and defining my crease using a mix of the two darker shades in the palette. The look at Issa was much more defined but I opted for a more subtle, wearable look.
- To line my eyes I used L'Oreal Super Liner. Like Val suggested, I started at the middle of my eyelid and drew outwards, filling in the gaps after I had defined the shape of the flick. Val then followed with a L'Oreal mascara that has yet to be released, so I opted for L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic instead.

Lips

- I used a sheer wash of bright colour with Giorgio Armani Rouge D'Armani Sheer in 502

Do you think I made the look Val created at Issa more wearable?

My Makeup: Party Face

Just the word party ensures some sort of smokey eye is involved, which no doubt it was, and little more intense than I usually go. I opted for black as opposed to brown, to add some drama to my eyes. Using L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows, which are truly incredible. Unbeliveably pigmented, so rich, creamy and blendable - I just wish they were available in a wider range of shades. Back in May at the Cannes Film Festival Cheryl Cole wore a beautiful nude lip that complimented her smokey eye perfectly - L'Oreal Rouge Caresse in Nude Ingenue and  L'Oreal Glam Shine Fresh in Aqua Grapefruit was the combination she used so I jumped on that bandwagon too, joining in on the amazing nude lip pair!

Skin

- For party ready skin I always opt for a primer, ensuring that my makeup lasts all evening. Here I reached for Estee Lauder Matte Perfecting Primer (post here) which was followed by my foundation of choice, Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk as it's perfect for photos and lasts amazingly throughout an evening

- Sleek Contour Kit was brushes through my cheekbones for added definition while a touch of Mac Blush in Well Dressed was added for some colour

Eyes

- I primed my eyelids with Mac Painterly Paint Pot to help eyeshadows adhere to my skin and help their pigments appear more vibrant

- I used L'Oreal Colour Infallible Eyeshadow (post here) in 12 Endless Chocolate all over the lid and intensified the look with the shade 14 Eternal Black, followed by lashings of Max Factor False Lash Effect. 

Lips

- The Cheryl Cannes nude lip combination of L'Oreal Rouge Caresse in Nude Ingenue and  L'Oreal Glam Shine Fresh in Aqua Grapefruit 

Are you a smokey eye girl or do you prefer keeping it simple?

The Glowing Lip Shines: Holiday Edition

Seeing as on holiday the majority of my face is hidden behind sunglasses the majority of the time the beauty addict in me feels the need to compensate by overly applying lip products, as those are the only bits on show! Nothing new here, all you ladies know how addict to lip products I am. Balms, gloss, stick, you name it, if it goes on my lips I have it and love it. There are three little products I've been reaching for to add some glow to my lips as well as adding a little bit of 'something' to my non-made up face.

Firstly, something you may have seen here before, L'Oreal Glam Shine Fresh in 186 Aqua Grapefruit, which doesn't add any colour just a lovely glow to the lips. It's not sticky, lasts a good while and smells of grapefruit!

If I'm feeling a little adventurous I'll reach for a colourful stick, like Giorgio Armani Rouge D'Armani Sheer in 502, a bright coraly pink. The perfect shade for summer! It's very moisturising and doesn't require attention when applying so no mirror is needed - perfect for the beach (especially as it hasn't seemed to melt in the heat!)

Lastly my favourite of them all, one I'm actually almost out of (which I don't think has EVER happened with me and a lip gloss) Chantecaille Brilliant Gloss in Lucky (post here). This has the most gorgeous flecks of gold running through it, which reflect light on the lips and make them appear fuller. Definitely my favourite lip gloss of them all! 

Now share your favourite lip products with your fellow addict!

Evening Makeup: Handbag Essentials

It's very common that I go all out with a makeup look that includes the whole lot, eyeshadow foundation etc, especially at night. On a day to day basis I like to keep it pretty simple, don't have the time to be faffing about with gel eyeliner or fake lashes but for those occasions where there's a long evening party I like to slap on some extra bits (which you've probably guessed judging from my recent beauty on location posts - link)

Whenever I find myself going on a long night out I like to keep a clutch size appropriate makeup collection with me, should the situation happen that I'm reapplying in the bathroom. I like small dinky  things that are neatly compact and will be able to fit in a small clutch. Here's what I've recently been carrying around...

An SPF free powder - Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk

A small brush (this one was from the last Dior holiday collection set) and an SPF free powder, my one of choice being Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Powder to go along with my favourite foundation too!

NARS Bronzer Blusher Trio - link

I do like to carry around some bronzer and blush for topping up should I need to and this recent set I've discovered contains them all! Its from NARS and its their Bronzer Blusher Trio Set and is exclusive to John Lewis Oxford Street. 

Hourglass Natural Hidden Concealer

Incase a blemish magically appears throughout the evening (who knows, but I've gotta be prepared) I like to carry around a stick concealer, as it's more hygienic than a pot. A very soft and creamy one I love is by Hourglass which is a brand that have recently popped themselves into Space NK as well as being available in Libertys.

Perfume - Marc Jacobs Rain - link

I'll decant a bit of my favourite perfume Marc Jacobs Rain into a smaller bottle, this one is from Sephora but Muji do some too, for some extra spritzes throughout the night.

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine - link

Lip products... sometimes I just find myself carrying around 6 or 7 lip products, unnecessary I know but I just love them!  Recently I've been trying to narrow it down and my one of choice are the Chanel Rouge Coco Shines which I raved about here, for being the perfect combination of a balm, gloss and stick. Really moisturising and giving a lovely glow to the lips.

Ardell Demi Wispies Fake Lashes - link

Apart from that I rarely pop on a pair of fake lashes, my favourites being Ardell Demi Wispies (link to post here) as they are really natural and enhancing. I don't carry these around in my handbag but seeing as they feature occasionally I thought I'de pop them in this post too ;) 

What do you carry around in your handbag on a night out?

Beauty On Location: Horse Riding In The Hail!

These 'On Location' posts are all about beauty looks for different occasions and what products I wear for depending on the events. This week's post I've gone a little different and decided to address something I haven't before in these posts... a sport. Horse Riding to be precise and purely because it's all very well for me to mention how much makeup I slap on for nights out but what about those times where makeup isn't really a necessity but more of a habit, wanting to put something on but without going overboard.

Meet Sam, a beautiful horse who kindly took me on a ride in Scotland when it was absolutely pouring with rain as well a little hail and shock horror my minimal makeup remained in tact! Only a couple of products here but great ones for staying on in those conditions. One terrific hair product, especially if you're prone to getting frizzy hair when it comes in contact with the rain - Fekkai Silky Straight Ironless Serum, which Mr Frederik Fekkai described as 'a raincoat for your hair'. A special serum that 1. smells divine 2. feels really weightless and watery as opposed to weighing the hair down 3. tames and prevents all frizz

Skin

- Dior DiorSkin Nude Foundation which is my favourite light option for day time as it contains SPF 20 and is a mineral foundation so isn't heavy at all

- Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer, apart from the weird smell it's a lovely weightless concealer that covers under eye circles well. Definitely one for the daytime though as gives that flashback when interacting with a camera!

Eyes

- Giorgio Armani Waterproof Mascara but looking back on it now if I had Anastasia Lash Genius (link here) then I would've used it instead!

- Lancome Le Stylo Waterproof Khol in Brown just for some subtle definition

Lips

- Carmex Moisture Plus for a moisturising Lip Balm with a hint of tint

Hair

- Fekkai Silky Straight Ironless Serum

What products do you rely on for the rain?

My Makeup: Going Lighter For Summer

Being June and technically Summer that means it's a time where I go a little lighter with my hair colour! Nothing too drastic just a few extra highlights here and there       

As well as going lighter with my hair I also go lighter with my makeup! The tinted moisturisers have come out and I've been giving them all a throughout test. My favourite so far has been the Becca Luminous Skin Colour Ultra-Sheer Foundation SPF 25, expect a review soon but for now it's very light in coverage and does need a little sweep of powder over the top. Being such light coverage does mean I'm cracking out a bit more concealer than usual too. Apart from that I'm still madly in love with the Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel 917 Sable Rose from their summer collection (link to post here) that I think I may need to go into crazy backup buying mode and stock up as they are limited edition!

Skin

- As a bronzing base I've been using This Works Perfect Look Skin Miracle which is basically the face version of what I wrote about here minus a bit of shimmer. Just takes the skin a shade darker without needing to apply a darker foundation

- Like I mentioned the Becca Luminous Skin Colour has been my tinted moisturiser of choice recently, very watery in texture and providing minimal coverage but feeling very weightless on the skin. I think it will be a great one when the sun comes out! For extra staying power I do sweep over a layer of translucent powder with a big fluffy brush. I do have to slap on an extra bit of By Terry Touche Veloutee Concealer (review here) for some extra coverage

- Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel in 917 Sable Rose has been my latest product love, I think I could rave about this forever! A little item from their Summer collection, Summertime De Chanel (post here) and is the perfect combination of bronzer, blusher and highlighter that you can just slap on the cheeks with a fluffy brush and looks perfect - no effort required

Eyes
- Applying two matt shades, Burberry Sheer Eyeshadow in Porcelain No.03 over the lid with Almond No.06 in the crease for a bit of definition. Burberry eyeshadows are definitely ones that I would repurchase as they come close to the top of my favourite eyeshadows as well as having the more gorgeous neutral colours. Full post about them here
- A fine line of Hourglass Script Eyeliner which possibly has the finest nib ever making eyeliner application so easy! Review here
- I've been dotting Pixi Glow Tinker Bell Fairy Dust in my tearduct just to open up the eyes and have a pop of shimmer and for mascara just the usual combination of Dior Lash Primer & Serum (post here) and  Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill (post here)

Do you apply lighter foundation in Summer too?

Beauty On Location: A Wedding

Wedding season. Makeup things to consider before slapping on some products...

1. Makeup must last from when the ceremony starts (in this case 5pm) to the early hours of the morning

2. Must be photo ready hence contain no SPF or light reflective particles

3. The ultimate challenge of staying shine-free while popping to the bathroom to blot & powder as little as possible 

4. Lastly, combining makeup with the outfit (aka what these 'Beauty On Location' posts are all about!) for example, with my bold red dress I personally would not pair that with a bold red lip.... Just the (yes, you guessed it) usual smokey eye and a nudey pink lip!

In this case, being a special occasion, I do tend to prolong the getting ready process by slapping on a few extra products than usual. This look contains my favourite pieces, the ones I know will deliver & can rely on, mostly 'luxurious' little goodies I don't tend to use on a daily basis.

Eyes

Seeing as smokey eyes get a bit messy I like to do them first as to not ruin the foundation. 

- Starting with applying Mac Painterly Paint Pot all over the lid as a skin tone evener/eyeshadow primer to ensure eyeshadow lasts all night

- I used a combination of two Dior 5 Colour Eyeshadow Palettes, Grege 734 and Royal Khaki 454. If I was ever stuck on a desert island and had to choose two eyeshadow palettes to bring with me, these would be it. They cover every shade I would need as well as being amazing quality

- As well as the two Dior Eyeshadow Pallettes I used L'Oreal Colour Infallible Eyeshadow in 012 Endless Chocolate, stay tuned for more on this - it's a goodie!

- For eyeliner I used Maybeline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner and blended that out with a matt black eyeshadow and a Louise Young LY13 brush

- I coated my lashes in Dior Lash Primer & Serum (link to post here) followed by my holy grail mascara, Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill (link to post here)

Skin

- Outcome the trusty primer, the perfect one for me to keep me shine-free! Givenchy Mister Matt, aka my over 6 hour makeup saviour

- For foundation I used my trusty Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk (link to post here) for a photo ready base applied with what I call the 'Flawless Face Brush', Shu Uemura Goat 18 (link to post here)

- To conceal my horrendous dark circles I used Giorgio Armani High Precision Retouch (post here) and blended that into the foundation using my Beauty Blender (link to post here)

- Down the centre of my face I set my foundation using my damp Beauty Blender and Chanel Natural Finish Loose Powder (and kept the compact in my handbag for touchups!)

- To bronze up my skin and add some colour I used a matt bronzer, Guerlain Four Seasons in 01 Blondes just below my cheekbone and on my temples

- I mixed two blushers, Mac Well Dressed and Laura Mercier Lush Nectarine for some subtle colour and a girly glow

Lips

- I used a combination of L'Oreal Rouge Caresse in 501 Nude Ingenue followed by L'Oreal Glam Shine Fresh in 186 Aqua Grapefruit on top

Hair

- Done by the amazing Bruno Lotufo at Rosanno Feretti Salon, review & more information here

What products do you rely on for a party?

How To: Tired/Pick-Me-Up Beauty

There are often those nights where time in bed is very limited and I wake up feeling and looking very drained. I'm sure you've all been there too! Whenever I need a pick-me-up, makeup is definitely the thing thats gonna do it by helping me look a lot better!

Firstly I start with applying a primer, in this situation I would choose a really moisturising one like Laura Mercier Oil-Free Primer (link to review here) then onto foundation, which I choose depending on what time of day it is and how long I'll be going out for. In this situation probably a medium-full coverage like my lovely Dior Nude NudeSkin Foundation. To make myself look a lot more glowing and a lot less bla I mix my foundation with an liquid illuminator, my favourite has got to be Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer Skin Illuminator as its very thin and subtle. Mixing the one pump illuminator two pumps foundation on the back of my hand and slapping that on with a foundation brush for maximum coverage.

Next up, the concealer - it's got to be the big guns for these tired eye bags! Just as I like to mix my foundation with an illuminator I do the same with concealer, using Dior Skinflash in 02 followed by Hourglass Hidden Corrective Concealer which I love as it's super creamy but very full coverage. Onto the cheeks, there's really only one colour I'll use on a day like this and that's pink, it just has the effect of lifting the skin helping me look less tired! My pink of choice is very appropriately named Dior Rosy Glow Awakening Blush. 

For the eyes I'll even out my eyelid colour with Mac Painterly Paint Pot (link to review here) followed by mascara but only applied to top lashes to give the effect of lifted eyes. To brighten and widen my eyes I'll apply Pixi Eye Bright Liner along my waterline. I'll finish with a really moisturising non sticky gloss, like the By Terry Laque De Rose SPF 15. 

What are the products you rely on to help you look more awake?

My Holy Grail Mascara...

My Mom always tells me I discover the best products, but really its her that discovers the stuff that sticks around. One of her discoveries a couple of years ago was the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Mascara and it has definitely stuck around in mine, my sister and my moms makeup bag for well over a year! The reason we all love this is it lengthens lashes, thickens lashes as well as creates volume, which is very important as none of us use an eyelash curler on a daily basis. 

The brush is unlike any I've used as it has two sides to it. One with really short gapped bristles and one with medium packed long bristles. I tend to use the shorter side first to create some volume as I press my lashes upwards followed by the longer bristles side to lengthen and thicken. As you can see in the picture above I've been through quite a few of these mascaras! I absolutely love it combined with my Dior Diorshow Lash Serum and Primer which you can read more about here, for much thicker lashes and I do find they last longer then any I buy in the drugstore.

Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Wand 

For summer I use the Eyes To Kill Waterproof which is housed in the light silver tubes but I do find it clumps a little and isn't as great as the original. Theres also an Eyes To Kill Excess which I'm not so keen on when I use it alone as my lashes tend to go clumpy but applied after Eyes To Kill adds a bit of length and volume.

Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Mascara (on uncurled lashes) 

Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill is £24 and available at Giorgio Armani counters. 

Beauty On Location: Engagement Brunch Party

Aloha Wedding Season! Summer is (hopefully!) here and there have been quite a few wedding invitations popping through my door recently which is all very exciting. Before the weddings come the engagement parties, most likely Sunday brunches. I think getting the balance for brunch makeup right is quite important, especially in the summer. Being a brunch in the sun makes wearing makeup quite a task as the sunlight instantly picks up on whatever makeup on your face. For example, you don't want any shimmery highlighter as the sun will immediately make it very visible on the skin, as well as making foundation very obvious. This also means making sure everything is well blended as you don't want any harsh bronzer lines. Another thing that I thought of and actually noticed at the party was the hangover puffy eyes. A couple of people actually wore  their sunglasses indoors to hide them. On top of thinking about all of this is the photo proof makeup aspect, as there will definitely be some photos so makeup has to be photo appropriate (aka no SPF in foundation or light reflective particles in concealer) This long ramble here is all that occurred to me at around 3am the night before. So heres what I decided to apply the next day...

As soon as I woke up I doused two cotton Pads in Liz Earle Eye Bright Soothing Eye Bright Lotion and placed them on my closed eye lids to help decrease any puffiness for about 10 minutes 

Skin

- I prepped my skin with Givenchy Mister Matt for a smooth poreless base whilst making sure I stayed matt throughout the day

- My Photoproof foundation of choice is the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk which I absolutely adore. I raved about it fully here if you fancy a meaty foundation post** wink with my Hourglass Hidden  Concealer

- For my cheeks I applied a matt bronzer from the Sleek Contour Kit, post here, followed by my Burberry Light Glow Blossom Blush in Number 5, post here

- I pressed some of Chanel Natural Finish Loose Powder on to my t-zone with my Real Techniques Multitask brush to set my foundation

Eyes

- As always I started off with my Mac Painterly Paint Pot to help increase the staying power of eyeshadows and even out my lid colour, review here

One word for the eyeshadows- Burberry!

- I used three different Burberry Eyeshadows, first I applied Porcelain No.03 all over the lid, continued to apply Pale Barley No. 22 to the outer half of my lid, swatches and review here

- I then lined my upper lash line using Chanel Automatic Liquid Liner in brown and blended out the line with a Louise Young Ly13 brush and Burberry Midnight Brown Eyeshadow No. 21 and took whatever was left on the brush along my bottom lash line, swatches and review here

- As it was a very special occasion I curled my lashes with the Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers (I don't like doing this on a daily basis as I don't want to ruin my lashes!)

- For Mascara I used a combination of the Dior DiorShow Lash Serum and Primer which I raved about here followed by the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill

- To brighten and generally help my eyes look more awake I used the Pixi Eye Bright Liner along the lower water line. This is a total life saviour as the flesh toned colour will counteract the redness in eyes and looks much more natural than a white liner

Lips 

- Chantecaille Brilliant Gloss in Lucky... My favourite lipgloss ever!

So there you have it, my rambly thoughts about makeup the evening before and what I actually applied the next day! What would you use? 

Liana Beauty Award: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation

Sometimes I think my life will be a constant quest for the perfect foundation. Seeing as perfecting skin is such a dominant factor in my makeup routine I'm always searching for the easiest foundation, the most long wearing, the best coverage without looking cakey, one that doesn't separate after time on the skin and the list goes on and on! One that I always go back to that has never failed is the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. So far in my foundation quest this one has been the best - the perfect coverage, perfect lasting power and a huge range of colours (I purchased my first bottle around 3 years ago.)

One of the main things I search for in a foundation is one that I can not feel on my skin, we've all tried those foundations that throughout the day you can just feel sitting on top of your skin and all you can think about is going home and scrubbing your face. Well with Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk that is not the case! Its one of those awesome products that meshes with skin instead of layering on top of it. I would describe the finish as a heathy-matt and by that I mean not one of those matt foundations that looks like you've been hibernating indoors forever. 

The main reason I tried this foundation in the first place is being someone who has major take-photos-of-everything syndrome I try and avoid foundations with SPF as they reflect the flash of the camera and give you a ghostly white appearance. Luminous Silk does not contain SPF or light reflecting particles so your makeup is safe for photographs! 

So there it is, all the reasons why this foundation that has remained at the top of my foundation chart for over three years. It's also a bit of a celebrity favourite as people like Kim Kardashian and Megan Fox claim Luminous Silk is one of their favourites too       ! To see this foundation on my skin it's here and here.

Giorgio Armani Lumious Silk is £32 pounds and available from Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and other Giorgio Armani counters. 

Beauty On Location: The Rain

Hopefully these lovely April showers we're having are almost over now! For the time being when the weather seems a bit of a question mark and I don't know if the morning makeup application should consist of heat-proof or rain-proof makeup, if I should be taking sunglasses or an umbrella, this is what I've chosen to apply...A little bit of a mix of both really       

Skin
- I've always been a fan of my Dior DiorSkin Nude Foundation but after recently horse riding in Scotland through the hail and rain expecting to return with foundation everywhere this little liquid managed to power through and somehow stay on perfectly well! Who knows how that happened but I'm not complaining       

- To add a little colour to my cheeks I applied Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Fresh Melon with my Real Techniques Stippling brush (link to post about it here) and made sure it was blended well

- For some bronzer I used my Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel, this doesn't last all day but will not go blotchy if it comes into contact with rain. Full post about it here

Eyes
- Rain, sun, hail I rely on these two little Long-Wear Cream Eyeshadow pots by Bobbi Brown to just last on my eyelids forever (and not crease! Bonus!) With a mac 217 I applied Sandy Gold 4 all over the lid with a touch of Beach Bronze 16 in the crease
- For eyeliner I just used Avon Glimmerstick in Cosmic Brown followed by some waterproof mascara by Giorgio Armani

Hopefully this little combination of products should ensure that my makeup lasts through rain, hail and sun!

Beauty On Location: Vogue Festival Vertu After Party

Last Friday night I went over to the Royal Geographical Society in Kensington for the Vogue Festival Vertu After Party. Makeup wise I wanted to use my foolproof products that I knew were going to last without touch ups! The actual event was tons of fun, there was a talk during the evening with a panel that included Net a Porter's Natalie Massenet, David Downton, Erdem Moralioglu, Alexandra Shulman and Vertu president, Perry Oosting. The party was full of celebrities like Rachel Zoe and Cara Delevigne & you can see the pictures on the vogue website here

Products Used:

Skin 

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk *link* to post applied with a Real Techniques Buffing Brush, *link* to post

By Terry Touche Veloutee Concealer *link* to post applied with the brush and blended in with fingers

Sleek Coutour Kit in Light, used the dark shade to add some colour to my cheekbones, applied with a Mac 103 brush

Laura Mercier Blush in Lush Nectarine applied with a Real Techniques Mulitask Brush, *link* to post

Eyes

Dior 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in 454 Royal Kaki, followed by Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Mascara and L'Oreal Voluminous in Carbon Black, which by the way is the best mix of mascara ever!

Lips

Burberry Lip Cover in Nude Rose No.25