Copacabana

I realize I haven't actually done much 'beauty blogging' recently, I suppose it's because I hadn't come across anything that I really liked all that much, and I wasn't very inspired by anything I tried. 

That is, until now...
Meet my new love, Coapacabana illuminator by NARS.
I've had my eye on this for a while now, I had an inkling it would be a gem.

This highlighter, or illuminator (whatever you wanna’ call it) has a lovely light consistency, and light reflecting shimmery particles. It’s such a lovely pink tone. You only need a small amount, and I just dab this onto my skin with my fingertips, applying on my cheekbones, down the centre of my nose, and a teeny bit on top of my upper lip. It’s so creamy, it blends beautifully.
  
Shall I let you in on a little trick I’ve been using? Oh, go on then!
I’ve been mixing a tiny bit of illuminator in with my tinted moisturizer (you can mix it in with foundation too) and applying as normal all over my face. This helps achieve a very gentle, healthy glow, which we all strive towards.
I feel like it makes my skin look really refreshed and healthy, and helps me out when I’m looking dull & tired.

I don't know why I thought this was around the £30 mark, so I was very pleasantly surprised when it was actually only £22. That's a reasonable price to pay in my opinion, I love it so much already it's been totally justified.

I have to say, NARS is fast becoming my new favourite beauty brand.

Anyway, I hope you all had a lovely Christmas?
I was spoiled rotten by Stef, he surprised me a with macbook air, wowee. It's going to be great for blogging, no excuses for not posting everyday now hey :)

Have you tried Nars illuminators before?

Kim Kardashian's Custom Made Glow - Giella Eye M Glam

Giella Eye M Glam available here

I've been following Kim Kardashian's makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic for as long as I can remember. Thoughts about Kim aside, her makeup is always impeccable which makes her girl crush worthy. Smokey eyes paired with nude lips could not be more right up my street if it tried! When Mario came out with Giella Eye M Glam, his custom made highlighter and labelled it as Kim's glowing skin secret I had to get my mitts on it. 

Now this isn't anything new, in fact it's been sitting unloved in my stash for a while but this past weekend I dusted off the lid and swept my cheekbones in some custom KK glow and after receiving multiple compliments this has now secured a place in my 'most used' makeup drawers.

It's a loose powder highlighter, which makes it a bit of a pain to apply but the warm flakes give the most beautiful peachy bronze glow that we've come to expect from Kim. It's nothing natural but perfect for a night out. 

Wearing Giella Eye M Glam

One pot of this will set you back $35, but I don't see myself running out of this...ever. It's glowy cheek perfection that I can not fault!

Budget Buy: Sleek Glo

Sleek aren't a budget brand to me, everything I've tried from them is really amazing for the price. Their eyeshadows are the most pigmented drugstore eyeshadows around, likewise with their lipsticks and I've now fallen in love with Glo. 

The shade peach shimmer is a combination of 5 shades made for illuminating the complexion. It's the perfect combination between a bronzer and highlighter, one of those no-fuss slap on and go products, that I swirl a big brush and apply on my cheeks. 

Wearing Sleek Glo in Peach Shimmer

On first glance it reminds me of the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks but after giving this a fair road test I actually prefer it for being much less shimmery and much more glowy. The Bobbi Brown shimmer particles are actually larger and more noticeable on the skin whereas this provides a lovely subtle glow. 

 Sleek Glo is £6.49 and available here

Budget Buy: Rimmel Wake Me Up Instant Radiant Shimmer Touch

Rimmel Wake Me Up Instant Radiance Shimmer Touch £3.99 Boots

The quest for winter appropriate sun-kissed skin begins...the subtly of Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector isn't enough as it works best when there's rays of sun for the particles to catch the light on so I've been reaching for something with a tad more noticeable shimmer.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Instant Radiance Shimmer Touch comes in two shades, 002 Radiant Rose , a baby pink, and 004 Shimmering Sand a champagne peach. Used as a highlighter or blush but mixed together provide lovely winter appropriate sun-kissed skin.

The formula would be comparable to one of a cream blush so in terms of application I'll mix a little of each shade on the back of my hand and use the Real Techniques Stippling Brush to apply it by dotting the product into my cheeks and bringing it up onto my temples. 

A fantastic highlighter, blush or in general multipurpose cream! I especially like the small packaging, great for packing on-the-go... 

Budget Buy: MeMeMe Beat The Blues

MeMeMe Beat The Blues in Sunbeam £5.25

MeMeMe Beat The Blues is a natural golden liquid highlighter that has been gracing the high points of my cheek bones and even my eyelids recently. The shade Sunbeam gives a golden glow without looking overly shimmery or highlighting pores. Compared to the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector (post here) it's much thicker in consistency and more subtle. Similar to Benefits Moon Beam and practically a dupe that's perfect in achieving that 'I'm naturally this radiant' skin.

In terms of application I just pat the liquid into my skin with my fingertips for a really subtle glow, its consistency is a little creamy so little goes a long way and it does need require extra blending. Applied on the tops of cheekbones, cupids bow and brow bone is where it looks best. Unlike the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector I wouldn't mix this is with foundation as it's just a little too creamy. 

MeMeMe Beat The Blues is available from Superdrug here for £5.25

Currently Loving: Smashbox Soft Lights

Smashbox Baked Fusion Soft Lights in Starburst £23 Boots

There's always that quest for me to achieve some glow. The perfect amount, without looking like a disco ball/grease ball/shimmer brick or all the above. There have been times I've left the house thinking I look fresh and glowing only to return home to highlighted pores and a shimmery face. One of my more recent purchases, Smashbox Fusion Soft Lights ensures a subtle glow, without looking oily, greasy or overly made up.

The shade I own is Baked Starburst, which is the perfect shade when I have a tan and am looking a little more bronze than usual. It's a mix of bronzer, blusher and highlighter all in one with such fine particles of shimmer that are so subtle on the skin.

Dust it over the top of my cheeks for a heavier application with my Hakuhodo Brush or if I want a little more subtly my Real Techniques Blush Brush. It reminds me of a more bronzy Burberry Sheer Summer Glow (post here) but with more pigment. Something I can just slap on the cheeks alone and looks great!

Wearing Smashbox Baked Fusion Soft Lights in Starburst

Have you ever tried anything from Smashbox?

New In: Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector £33

I've always had my eye on Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector thanks to makeup artist Lisa Eldridge using them in her videos (see here), but after multiple tests of the shades Pearl and Opal  I decided neither was right for me. They've recently introduced a new shade, Moonstone, which was much warmer and right up my street!

The Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector is water-based so extremely light in texture, feeling almost moisturiser like, with light-diffusing particles of shimmer that help give skin an added bit of glow and radiance. Similar to a diluted version of Benefit Sunbeam with much smaller particles. Something that always pleases me in items I apply on my face - skincare benefits. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector contains SPF 25 as well as anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidants and a whole host of vitamins included. 

I've found multiple ways to apply this, my favourite being just on the high points of my cheekbones for some light reflecting and highlighting. Other uses are to mix it in with foundation or moisturiser for an all over luminous complexion. In terms of applying, of course it's paired with my favourite Real Techniques Buffing Brush patted into the skin as to not affect my foundation and blended well to avoid having a 'snail trail' across my cheekbones. 

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone (left) & Pearl (right)

Highlighters are something I shyed away from for some time, as I do have combination skin, for fear of looking too shiny, but when applied in places I welcome some shine, down the centre of my nose, middle of my forehead and highest points of my cheekbones it does the trick of adding some super natural glow without looking or feeling greasy.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector is £33 for 50ml, and using not even half a pump at a time I don't think I'll be running out anytime soon!

Have you tried the infamous Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector?

An Amazing Beauty Find!

I've raved about Nars Blusher before, my favourite being Orgasm and there's also another Nars staple that I haven't mentioned purely because it comes out in the summer months when I'm look a bit more tanned -  Laguna bronzer. I'm constantly looking for the smallest compacts to fit in my clutch or handbag when I'm on the go and I've chased the duo Nars Laguna Orgasm limited edition sets before and somehow missed them all apart from one! When I was recently browsing through the new John lewis beauty hall on Oxford Street (definitely worth a trip by the way!) I came across this old set, Nars Orgasm Laguna and a highlighter too, Albatross which John Lewis has brought out exclusively.

I've written a more in-depth post about Nars Orgasm Blush as well as included a drugstore alternative here, but it's a lovely pink peach blush with a slight golden shimmer running through it that would definitely suit all skin tones. Nars Laguna Bronzer that's more on the brown that orange side of the colour scale, not so brown that it can make you look dirty like I feel Benefit Hoola Bronzer can do. Albatross is a white highlighter with a slight golden shimmer that gives a lovely glow and doesn't look ashy on the skin.

If you're aware of Nars powders you'll know that they are infamous for breaking, especially Laguna (3 of mine have broken!). What I loved about this is the metal case packaging is so sturdy hopefully it won't break!

Nars Blush Bronzer Trio set is exclusive to John lewis Oxford Street and is £39

Have you ever tried Nars powders?

My Makeup: Mac Mineralise Skin Finish in Soft & Gentle

I will hands down admit there is something about that glow people like Miranda Kerr and Millie Mackintosh have that I just really want! Recently I've been putting my powder to one side and embracing the glow, not as much as my inspirations, but just enough for a matt finish lover like me. Normally for a natural glow I would go to my Jemma Kidd Dewy Glow All Over Radiance Cream but I've fallen in love with a product from a brand I don't normally run to, my Mac Mineralise Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle. Why? Because it gives the same effect as a cream product but it's a powder, and by that I mean that natural 'glowing from within' look. It's not as finely milled as some of my other powder highlighters but the frosty colour it gives is just gorgeous! I dust the edges of my fan brush in the powder and apply to the highest points of my cheekbones, bring a small amount onto my temples, down the bridge of my nose and on my cupids bow. For the rest of my glowy look the other products I run to are...

Mac Mineralise Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle - Swatched & Blended

Skin

- Dior DiorSkin Nude Fluid Foundation, being a mineral foundation it gives a really natural coverage and a natural glow

- DiorSkin Nude Concealer in 002 under my eyes

- For blusher I applied Maybelline Dream Touch Blush in 02, a gorgeous light peach just above the apples of my cheeks and along my cheekbone followed by No7 Natural Blush Cheek Colour in 20 Honey on my cheekbone, below where I applied the Dream Touch Blush

Eyes

- Starting with applying my Mac Painterly Paint Pot-link to post, as a primer. I dusted the lightest shades of my Avon Mocha Latte palette over my eyelid, the second lightest applied in my crease> followed by the darkest shade along my upper and lower lash lines

- For mascara I paired Collection Multiplier Mascara with Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill and then a very light layer of Natural Collection Eye Lines in Soft Brown in my waterline

Lips

- Chantecaille Brilliant Gloss in Lucky, the perfect shade! Read my post about it here :)

Liana Beauty Award: Benefit High Brow Glow

Everyone has their what I wouldn't leave home without it list, mascara, lippy or concealer. One that is slowly creeping up to the top of my list recently is highlighter. Something so subtle yet makes such a difference. Benefit have recently released High Brow Glow, for those benefit fans that used the original High Brow (aka me) that was matt, but really felt it was time for something with a bit of shimmer this is for you! Benefit High Brow Glow is a pencil that is made to give the illusion of a higher eyebrow arch but can be applied anywhere to get a bit of a glow, I've also been using it in my cupids bow and on the inner corner of my eye - great for faking a couple hours sleep and giving a more awake appearance!

Benefit High Brow Glow blends really easily with fingertips & is perfect for travelling around on the go - a really quick step that makes a large difference!

Benefit High Brow Glow Left- Swatched Right - Blended

Benefit High Brow Glow is £14.00 available here.