So ladies, NYE has rolled around again, I can't believe it! Is it just me or has this year gone crazily fast?!
So much has changed for me this year, & I have to say (without getting too sentimental & smooshy on you all) this year has definitely been the best of my life. I've never been so happy, & I'm already looking forward to everything 2013 has to bring.

Anyhooo, I thought I'd jump on the beauty blogger bandwagon today and do a little round up of  a couple of my favourite make-up bits from this year. I've used some really lovely products this year, so it was hard to pick, & these are just a handful...

1. Nars Illuminator in Copacabana- I got this beautiful highlighter for Christmas, & I know it's only been a few days but I absolutely love it and wish I'd come across it sooner. The perfect pink shimmery skin brightener, I've been wearing it every day since I got it. Full review here.

2. Nars Eyeshadow in Isolde-  Without a doubt the most pigmented eye-shadow I've ever used, their duos are simply gorgeous. I used this on a model for my make-up artist website, stunning. Full review here.

3. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation- I'm not sure if  I've actually ever reviewed this foundation, I know I've mensioned it in a couple of my Youtube videos before though. This is the foundation that I always go back to after branching out and trying others. I think it will always be my all time favourite, I get so many compliments on my skin when I wear this. It's leightweight but with flawless coverage, and smells nice too.

4. Topshop lipstick in infared- This is just so creamy, long lasting and stunning. What I love about this, is that it's perfect for any occasion, day or night. It doesn't dry my lips out like MAC and some other brands. Full review here.

Have you tried any of my favourites? What have your favourites been this year?
Oh, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Youtube#10 Natural foundation tutorial

Hey there guys, hope you've all had great weekends? 
I can eat properly again now, so I'm very happy about that, I actually have a couple of restaurant reviews prepared for this week, so look out for those :)
I just thought I'd post up my latest video in case you miss it over on my Youtube channel, I hope you like it. I must admit, I did feel like a bit of an idiot filming myself in the mirror! Let me know if it helps any of you.

Bobbi Brown foundation sticks

I've been meaning to review this product for a little while now, I never thought I'd stray from my beloved Chanel foundation, but Bobbi Brown is the brand that have done it for me this time.

Being a huge fan of liquid foundation, I didn't think I would like using a stick based foundation at all, I guess I just thought it would look thick and cakey. Well, I was totally 100% wrong on that one! Meet my new favourite go-to.

It's the kind of foundation that makes your skin look flawless without actually looking like you're wearing it, that's what we're all searching for right? I apply mine with a nice big foundation brush, you hardly need any product to get a good coverage, they are easy to blend and  extremely buildable too. 

Oh, I've also been tripling them up as concealers too (which they are totally amazing for), and mixing them in with a moisturiser to make tinted moisturiser when I'm having a rare good skin day.

Yes, they are rather pricey at £28 each, but these are total gems. I can't recommend them enough!

Have you tried Bobbi Brown foundation sticks? What's your current 'go-to' foundation? 

p.s sorry for the lack of photo of the product on my face, i know it's annoying, but I'm still looking kinda mangey from being ill for so long!

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?

My Makeup: Colour Therapy

During some colour therapy I went a bit mad for the Topshop lipsticks as their formula is one that I favour - really strongly pigmented, long lasting and not too drying on the lips. Think Mac Matte but much more creamy and less clingy on dry patches. 

I picked up the shade Ohh La La which I've been pairing with a clean base, a tiny touch of blush, some eyeliner and mascara. The Orangey peach shade isn't one I would normally go for so being a little out of my comfort zone I kept the rest of my makeup pretty simple. Like all the Topshop Lipsticks, it can be applied quite sheerly all the way up to a pretty opaque colour and I like to land somewhere in the middle. 

Skin

- For a covering yet luminous base I went for YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat foundation (post here) followed by By Terry Touche Veloutee Concealer (post here)
- To add some dimention and colour to my face I dusted a touch of Mac Well Dressed blush on to my cheeks

Eyes

- After dusting the lightest shade from the Make Up Academy Undressed Palette (post here) all over my lid I lined my eyelids with L'Oreal Super Liner (post here) and coated my lashes in Avon SuperShock Max Mascara. 

Topshop Lips in Ohh La La £8 here

Lips

- Topshop Lipstick in Ooh La La 

What are some of your favourite bright lip colours?

Summer Saviour: Dior Airflash Spray Foundation

Dior DiorShow Airflash Foundation £33

There's one item I have been unable to stop singing it's praises during my lazy girl holiday time - Dior DiorShow Airflash Foundation. This is a repurchase of mine, I didn't get along well with it a couple of years ago but after Jamie Coombs, Dior's Top Makeup Artist used it on me here back in March, I had to give it another go as the finish made my skin look absolutely incredible. 

Dior Airflash foundation is something I've been using everyday as being a spray foundation, it allows me to apply base in under 5 seconds - record timing! 

In terms of application, the bottle needs to be given a little shake first, the spray is very simple to use and lightly mists the face. Sprayed around 20cm away from the face. Despite my expectation of thinking it would end up all over my clothes and hair it was an absolute dream to apply. The spray mists the face so evenly proving a light to medium buildable coverage with a semi-matte but glowing finish. I do need to blend in edges like around the nose and edge of my face, which I do with a Real Techniques Buffing Brush. As it does cling to eyebrow and eyelash hairs applying it before eye makeup is necessary.

The coverage I desire on a day to day basis is medium so one spray all over the face and an extra layer on my cheeks provides the perfect finish for me. I absolutely LOVE the look of my skin after using this, so airbrushed and flawless and as it contains no SPF (no flash-back) it's perfect for photos too! 

Without primer Dior Diorshow Airflash Foundation will last around 6 hours on my combination skin before looking in need of a touch up and of course this increased by a couple hours when paired with Estee Lauder Matte Perfecting Primer (post here)

I'm currently using the shade 300 Medium Beige which is perfect for summer where I'm a little more tanned. My previous bottle being a winter shade, 200. The shade range isn't the best as there are only 5 shades to choose from. You get an usual amount of 70ml as opposed to the usual 30ml but I do feel as its a spray I end up going through more. That said at £33 for 70ml, is reasonable for a high end foundation, especially considering YSL's latest release (post here) was £28 for 30ml. 

Overall medium buildable coverage, flawless skin finish, good lasting power - my summer must have! I honestly can't sing it's praises enough! Who knows...It may even replace my all time favourite, Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk....

The Spotlight: Bronze, Silver & Gold

With the Olympics providing us all with an amazing fortnight, I'm going to save my soppy proud to be British thoughts to myself and of course, relate it all back to beauty! All these medals got me thinking and as I took a look at my excessive stash and decided on 3 items that deserve an extra little mention as they've been most reached for recently as they always deliver the results I would like!

Bronze: Real Techniques Buffing Brush (post here)

Something I rarely talk about yet it's such a vital part of my routine! There are rare days when I don't reach for this whether it's for applying foundation, blending concealer or applying bronzer it just leaves me with the most airbrushed finish! I don't know what I would do without it... 

By the way! If you're unable to get hold of Real Techniques Brushes the Sephora Mineral Powder Brush is a very similar alternative      

Silver: Ojon Damage Reverse Restorative Hair Treatment (post here)

How did I finish this little tub so fast? It's next on my 'to purchase' list as it's absolutely amazing at nourishing hair, leaving it so tame, smooth and all round in instantly better condition. As it's a solid formula that melts into an oil I don't feel as though I'm wasting any product too! Love!

Gold: Dior DiorShow Airflash Foundation

For the rare days I've been reaching for foundation this has been my one of choice as it's a spray so my base can be applied in a total of 4 seconds! Apart from being a total time saviour and lazy girl option it leaves a glowing matte finish and lasts well on my skin, especially in the heat! Expect a full review but for now it's getting gold!

What are your Bronze Silver & Gold beauty items?

New In: YSL le Teint Touche Eclat Foundation

Probably one of the most anticipated launches of 2012 is the new foundation from YSL, Le Teint Touche Eclat. Launched 20 years after their infamous Touche Eclat highlighting concealer, which I'm personally not too keen on, but after much excitement surrounding this foundation I decided to give it a go. 

Firstly, the shade range - of which there are 22 shades available, that are split into rose, beige and gold colour groups, so there should be a shade for most. The aim of the foundation is to create the same effects as the Touche Eclat Highlighting Concealer, to brighten, enhance and appear more radiant which I can safely say it does! The texture is unlike any foundation I've tried, being a soft focus gel as opposed to the usual opaque powder, which can cause that 'cakey' look. It blends like an absolute dream, feels totally weightless on the skin.

Being one who's finish of choice is matte this wouldn't be what I normally reach for, as it's definitely a glowy finish. Not nearly as glowy as some tin tined moisturisers I own, Chantecaille Just Skin being one, but just adds a lovely radiance to the skin. I tended to opt for a mattifying primer underneath, such as Estee Lauder Matte Perfecting Primer - post here, to control that extra bit of shine without powdering over the top. The coverage is definitely medium at most and wouldn't be something I described as buildable. 

In terms of application I've been reaching for my Real Techniques Buffing Brush, which is how I apply most of my foundations on a day to day basis as it provides a flawless, even coverage. It does last around five or six hours before needing a touch up around my t-zone, which is a little too short for me, but due to the gel formula doesn't separate on the skin after time which is a big plus. 

One bottle of YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat Foundation will cost £28, which I personally think is totally reasonable for a high end foundation, but also making it cheaper than it's competitors at Dior (£31) and Chanel (£38). I've been reaching for the shade B30 which is a perfect colour match for my current skin tone, however hopefully in summer this will change! Overall a definite thumbs up from me! 

YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat Foundation is available nationwide at all YSL counters and is £28. 

Were you into YSL Touche Eclat Concealer? Will you be picking up a bottle of their latest foundation? 

Mac Face and Body Foundation

Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m a bit of a make-up nerd.

I don’t believe in products that just talk the talk. No matter what the brand, I'm not easily sold, unless it works.
I've  strayed from my comfort zone and give Mac Face and Body foundation a whirl.

I honestly think I'm the only lady in blog-land who isn’t crazy about this?

The first thing is that I noticed is that that it smelt like sweeties, fruit salad to be exact…yum.
The consistency is VERY watery (well, duh, it's a water based foundation).
On application it felt strangely quite sticky on my skin, and I found it hard to blend. Maybe I should have used a brush. I had to apply two layers to get any kind of coverage.
I was a little happier with it once it had settled, and it left a kind of nice dewy luminous finish.
As the day went on I found it settled in my dry patches, and just didn't look great at all, sob. It doesn’t offer any sun protection either, which most foundations tend to do. 


I would say this is low to medium coverage, but buildable.
Personally I like quite a lot of coverage, so this was a little too natural looking for me.
It would be great if you have minimal skin issues and no blemishes, and I certainly felt like my skin could breathe whilst wearing this.  

The packaging is rather big and bluky, which is fine if you're going to leave it at home, but I like to carry my foundation around with me in my handbag, so this isn't the best for me.
I do like the nozzle on the bottle, nice and sanitary so it can't slip back in once you've touched it. The twist on cap is always a trustworthy bet too, no spillages.

Although I would still class MAC as being high-end make up, the price tag of this particular foundation are a little friendlier, £25.50 for 120mls... this helps justify the price.

Overall I would recommend this foundation for those of you who have mostly blemish free skin, are looking for a nice light summer foundation, or if you like tinted moisturizers.

The Flawless Face Brush

Searching for the perfect tool for applying foundation is always something that interests me as perfect skin is something I try to achieve on a daily basis. For a while I really got into my Beauty Blender (post here) but these are so hard to maintain, especially for a germophobe like me. I found myself having to wash them a couple of times a day and ended up not having the time. Needless to say they get saved for special occasions.

After hearing wonderful things about theShu Uemura brushes, especially being a ‘beauty editors favourite’ I indulged in my first, Natural 18 Foundation Brush. Very short and dense but flexible and extreeemely soft! Its one of those brushes that can be used like a foundation brush for actually ‘painting’ the face or like a buffing brush, for working the foundation into the skin in circular motions. Both I find, makes the foundation look like a dream – from full coverage to tinted moisturiser.

Brushes to me are one of those beauty items where there is a difference between more affordable and more luxury brands. In most cases you get what you pay for and with Shu Uemura 18 Goat this is no exception at £42. However, brushes do last a life time if you look after them carefully and wash them well (see how here)

I do love my Shu Uemura brush and it is in first place in my face brush league, along with Real Techniques, which are much more affordable - post here. So there’s a rave about a brush of mine, what do you apply your foundation with?

You can buy Shu Uemura Brushes at Space NK here or at any Shu Uemura counter

Liana Beauty Award: NARS Sheer Glow Foundation

Whenever my friends ask me for foundation recommendations there are two I will always mention, Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk, which I raved about here, and NARS Sheer Glow. It's just one of those foundations everyone loves! First thing, don't be put off by the word 'glow'. For a girl who doesn't love a glowy finish its the perfect combination between matt and glow - doesn't make skin look shiny or greasy but has a lovely natural look about it that acts like a glow. It delivers medium coverage, even though NARS describe it as 'sheer' and can be easily buildable which I really like especially for days where I just need to slap something on! 

In terms of wear on my skin I find its about the four or five hour mark without a primer before I feel the need to slap on some powder, but usually I pair this with a mattifying primer like Givenchy Mister Matt if I'm having a long day. Probably best for combination skins like myself as I did notice it clung to a couple of dry patches on my skin. 

One really annoying thing - there isn't a pump! This means pouring the foundation onto the back of your hand and probably pouring a bit too much! At £29.50 I would expect it to include a pump but these can be bought separately from NARS for £3.00 and are worth investing in. Saying that I do like the selection of shades they carry and have found on my darker skinned friends it didn't make their skin look ashy which some foundations can do. 

Have you tried NARS Sheer Glow? Whats your favourite foundation?

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?

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. 

Foundation Files: Collection Colour Match

Collection (previously Collection 2000) Colour Match Foundation is a buildable light to medium coverage foundation with a demi-dewy finish. A perfect daytime foundation as it contains SPF 20 and an oxygen complex to let your skin breathe. According to Collection, it contains a skin tone technology that adapts to your skin colour. I tested this out comparing the foundation colour when applied to my hand and when applied to my face and the colours were slightly different!



Housed in a glass bottle with a pump dispenser making it very hygienic and easy to control. However my lid cracked within two days! The coverage in the first layer of foundation reminded me of my Chantecaille tinted moisturiser, not heavy at all and a light coverage. For the areas that needed more coverage I would wait a couple of minutes and then apply another layer of foundation to build up the intensity. My preferred method of applying the Collection Colour Match was combined with my Jemma Kidd Flat Top Foundation Brush, as I liked to be able to buff it into my skin making the finish look more natural. In terms of staying power it wasn't anything special, I mainly used this on days where I was going to class & most likely due to my combination skin I would need to touch up a couple of times throughout the day. See this foundation on my skin here in my Beauty On Location feature - University edition!

Overall

- Would not recommend this to people with oily skin, want a full coverage or like a matt finish

- Even though it is a colour match foundation I would obviously still recommend getting the colour closest to your skin tone (there are 6 shades)

- A great daytime foundation for normal skin types

Collection Colour Match Foundation is £5.99 and available in here or in Boots here