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: 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?

Beauty On Location: Sunday Brunch

As I'm sure you can imagine, after previously having one too many glasses of wine the night before, tearing myself away from my duvet for an early brunch was quite the task. Let alone appearing semi -presentable when last nights mascara was still remnant on my eyelashes. Enter the reason why I love Micellar Waters - just a couple of sweeps with a cotton pad and all is gone (post here).

Lifeless sunday morning skin calls for the big guns - glowy foundation, glowy concealer, glowy you-name-it. All the early morning saviours (post here) were used in full glory for some extra luminosity and faking that extra couple of hours sleep. In terms of clothing jumpsuits are a life saviour, something great to just throw on without having to think through an outfit.

Skin

- My current foundation of choice, YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat (post here) mixed in with some Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector (post here) is one amazingly glowy skin combination!

- To conceal the tremendous bag the previous late night had given me I relied on By Terry Touche Veloutee Concealer (post here) followed by a touch of Mac Style blush which does a great job at awakening skin

Eyes

- I swept some of Stila Eyeshadow in Kitten all over my lid, applied some Pixi Lash Line Ink and Maxfactor False Lash Effect Mascara.

Lips

- A coating of my latest lip love, Clinique Chubby Stick in Mighty Mimosa (post here)

It was an extremely sunny day - hence the closed eyes!

My Makeup: Back To Basics

The point of beauty products is something I often forget - how they are made purely to enhance natural assets.  Lets face it, there's nothing natural about my often intense smokey eye makeup or an orange lip.  In all honesty, I feel weird without looking like I've got some sort of makeup on, heavy mascara, lipgloss or some peachy pink blush. During my lazy days I tend to take it all back to basics, no blush, no fancy pants eyelashes just me and a couple other products.

Skin

Using the Dior Airflash Foundation (post here) followed by By Terry Touche Veloutee with Une Healthy Glow Mineral Powder (post here) as a bronzer to add a little dimention to my face

Eyes

For my eyes I simply used a matte black eyeshadow to line the outer corners. I wanted to make my eyes appear less round so brought the line quite far out - helping to elongate my eyes. I then went on to apply mascara - Max Factor False Lash Effect

Lips

Sticking with the natural theme I used a matte nude coloured lip liner all over my lips which was a recent purchase, L'Oreal Infallible Lip Liner in 708 Always Toasted

It's not often my lips aren't coated with lipgloss or my eyes with eyeshadow, but here's the rare occasion that it did - don't expect to see this happening anytime again soon      

Beauty On Location: Water Skiing

Those fellow water skiers amongst you will know that the optimum water ski is when the water is completely flat, usually early in the morning, which means it's hello to the early starts. Getting out of bed that early is such a task that I rarely do anything makeup wise. For the sake of this post I decided to slap on a few more products than usual, but let me assure you, this won't happen again - that extra five minutes of sleep is far too important for me      

Some of Chantecaille Ultra Sun Protection SPF 50 was applied with some Make Up For Ever Waterproof Concealer under my eyes and over any redness. Fekkai Silky Straight Ironless Serum was run thoughout my hair to avoid any frizz with a couple of spritz's of L'Oreal Matt & Messy Spray for some beachy texture. For sun protection Instiut Estederm was applied on my body. Lastly, to add some definition to my eyes I ran my lashes over with Max Factor False Lash Effect Waterproof.

Not too much here, but that's what these posts are all about and on this occasion it was very little!

My Makeup: Waterproof Face

Makeup in the heat is not something that goes down well with me, it almost always ends up slipping and sliding around which as you can imagine, is not the look I'm going for. This summer I've really been on the hunt for sweat and waterproof products that I don't need to constantly be checking up if they are still on my face or not! My Top 10 products that survive the heat are all here, some of which feature on my face above. Of course during my holiday I'm much too relaxed to apply this all everyday, but should I need to I know these products don't fail me!

Skin

- Just a bit of skin tone evening with a mixture of Estee Lauder Long Wear Concealer under my eyes and Make Up For Ever Waterproof Concealer on any blemishes

- Hourglass Waterproof Bronzer to bronze up my face a little and along my cheeks

Eyes

- Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Eyeshadow in 4 Sandy Gold all over my lid with Make Up For Ever Aqua Shadow in 2L patted into my crease with MaxFactor False Lash Effect Waterproof Mascara

Do you still apply some makeup on holiday or are you brave enough to go bare faced?

Top 10: Products That Survive The Heat

I'm definitely not alone when it comes to the quest for makeup that survives the heat, it's something I always struggle with and only really learn from trial and error. This summer I've managed to find some excellent products I'll be using throughout that actually don't slip and slide in the heat, last with some sweat (loverly!), and some of them are even waterproof!

1) Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Eyeshadow (post here)

Not the most pigmented of formulas but lovely none the less. Very creamy but dry as a powder and last all day without creasing or sliding! My favourite shade is 4 Sandy Gold

2) Perricone MD No Concealer Concealer (post here)

As far as I'm aware this isn't waterproof but it actually could be! I've already raved about how much I liked it here, but it wasn't until I went for a walk along the coast at about midday (when the sun was at its strongest) and the concealer under my eyes didn't budge. No creasing, no smudging! Needless to say I was very impressed - it also contains SPF 35, perfect for sunny days!

3) Maxfactor False Lash Effect Waterproof Mascara

My favourite low end Mascaras have got to be Maxfactor (post here) every single one I've tried is amazing, lengthening, thickening and volumizing. The waterproof version is no exception as well as being very black!

4. Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner

To add some definition to my eyes I've been reaching for this waterproof eyeliner pencil by Make Up For Ever. It's easily blendable, doesn't smudge and has a gorgeous creamy texture that doesn't tug against my eyes

5. Make Up For Ever Cream Blush

For adding some colour to my cheeks, I've been opting for a cream formula as it looks more natural in daylight as opposed to powder. 7 from Make Up For Ever is a lovely shade that looks like the colour is coming from within. Being a cream formula a little goes a long way and I don't find it going patchy throughout the day

6. Hourglass Superficial Waterproof Bronzer

This has been a summer saviour for me! Feels weightless on the skin, doesn't go blotchy or clump in the heat, and gives the skin a lovely glow.

7. Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place Concealer

HOW have I only discovered this recently?! Very high coverage, doesn't even alter the slightest in the heat and isn't cakey! Massive thumbs up from me!

8. Make Up For Ever Aqua Shadow (post here)

A more pigmented alternative to Bobbi Brown Cream Eyeshadow, which are waterproof too! My favourite shade is 2L, a warm brown with a touch of shimmer

9. Make Up For Ever Waterproof Concealer

If I have a blemish I've been dabbing a bit of Make Up For Ever Waterproof Concealer over the top with a fluffy brush to hide the redness and ensure the concealer lasts all day without needing to powder over the top. In terms of actually swimming with it I wouldn't advise it as it did separate on me but never the less - a saviour in the sun! 

10. Estee Lauder Matte Perfecting Primer (post here)

If I do opt for foundation I'll be sure to pair it with a mattifying primer to ensure increased longevity and making sure I stay shine-free. Matte Perfecting Primer acts as a great base for makeup ensuring everything blends easily over the top!

What are your summer staples?

Beauty On Location: Seeing Swedish House Mafia in Ibiza

Last night we all ventured out of our villa to see Swedish House Mafia at an open air party in Ushuaia, Ibiza and I am feeling slightly delicate this morning but it was well worth it & was absolutely incredible!

Like I mentioned it was an open air party that we attended after lunch at around 8 and went on till the early hours of the morning. Luckily we were on a secluded table so avoided the sweaty mosh pits but nevertheless my makeup ended being sweated off anyway -lurverly! I did have my trusty fan which I purchased two hours previously to save me from the heat which came in very handy.

Having all these late nights means there are no heels involved (yes!) and as the clubs are very hot so clothing is as minimal as is acceptable      
Here I chose to wear my one piece swimming costume with some plain black shorts and keep my makeup pretty simple as being in a house with 15 people means minimal time to get ready!

This was the only shot I was able to get so apologies for that but here's what I slapped on in tiny mirror previous to last nights shenanigans... 

Skin

- As my body tends to tan a lot faster than my face I firstly slapped on my bronzing makeup base by Chantecaille. The Radiance Gel Bronzer to make sure my skin tone on my face and body matched

- I then slapped on some Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturiser with some Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place Concealer which never moves!

- For blush and bronzer I grabbed Burberry Sheer Summer Glow as a natural yet effective highlighter - link to post here with a little of Hourglass Waterproof Bronzer that doesn't come off in the heat...or sweat. 

Eyes

- With minimal time to get read it's goodbye brushes and hello fingers so I've been reaching for some cream eyeshadows. Firstly I applied Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Shadow in 4 Sandy Gold all over my lid with Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in 2L in my crease
- To line my top and bottom lash lines I grabbed my Sue Devitt Eye Intensifier Pencil in Pointe-Noir and blended it with my fingers
- As I expected it to be pretty hot I slapped on some waterproof mascara by MaxFactor

Lips

- Just a quick layer of Topshop Lipstick in Pillow Talk as I was leaving!

What do you use when you have to get ready in a rush? Do you like Swedish House Mafia?

Beauty On Location: The Office

Most offices have different dress codes but where I'm working at the moment it's pretty formal. Most days I either find myself wearing dresses or skirts, which is great as tight jeans can be so uncomfortable after a long day! 

I've got a bit of a Kooples ensemble going on here, both the skirt and the top are something I picked up a couple of weeks ago in the sale - which I do recommend checking out if you're interested in some formal work wear with a neutral colour theme.

Makeup gets applied half asleep at around 7am and gets touched up with the contents from my 'at work' makeup bag (link to post here) throughout the day. I've been switching it up a little bit and been wearing two new purchases, the Estee Lauder Matt Perfecting Primer and the YSL Touche Eclat foundation. Both of which seem to be doing pretty well so far! I'll definitely be reviewing them after a more thorough test drive. 

Skin

- Estee Lauder Matt Perfecting Primer - that has taken over from my beloved Givenchy Mister Matt for the past couple of weeks, I don't want to speak too son but I think I may just prefer it!

- I'm not one for a dewy finish but the YSL Touche Eclat Foundation, is really making me change my mind! Lasts well throughout the day, doesn't separate or clump!

- Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel in 917 Sable Rose on my cheeks (as always)

Eyes

- Mac Painterly Paint Pot all over the lids (link to post) followed by the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette shade Half Baked all over the lid

- I went on to apply my Avon SuperShock Gel Liner in Blackberry and blended the line out with a fluffy brush dipped in the shade Snakebite, also from the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette. 

Lips

- One of Benefits new Ultra Plush Lip Gloss in Dandelion - review here

What's your work attire? Do you keep a makeup bag at work?

Budget Buy MaxFactor Mascara

I can't believe I haven't included this before seeing as MaxFactor mascara is probably the only drugstore mascara I repurchase and regard it just as highly as high end mascaras. There are three in the range that I adore, Masterpiece Max, False Lash Effect Fusion and False Lash Effect. Out of all three Masterpiece Max is probably my favourite as it's easily buildable from subtle lashes to big full on fluttery ones. The wands are one of those spiky plastic kind which I find the easiest to use out of the bunch. Only problem is they do tend to dry up pretty quickly.

 

MaxFactor Mascara is around £10 each and available from Boots and Superdrug

Beauty On Location: The Plane

Seeing as it's bank holiday weekend and a lot of us will be travelling my current 'Beauty On Location' post is about plane beauty & what to consider when travelling! I'll never be able to understand women that go on planes in heels because for me, it's all about comfort - typically be wearing a loose baggy jumper and some jeggings, maybe with a bit of jewlery and flats. Same thing applies to my face - I don't like feeling like I'm wearing any products when I travel, especially as the plane is so dehydrating I like to know my skin isn't going to do anything weird after flying by keeping my makeup light in combination with using hydrating products.

Products Used:

Skin

- Lancome Hydra Zen Tente Tinted Moisturiser as a base to even out my skin tone and keep everything hydrated, it's not full coverage at all but it gives a lovely glow.

- By Terry Touchee Veloutee Concealer - I have spoken about this before - link, as it has become one of my staples, very thin but full coverage and feels so luxurious on the skin as it's so creamy!

- Stila Custom Colour Blush - Since my recent purchase of Dior Rosy Glow Awakening Blush - link, I've really gotten into custom colour products! This is my latest find, quite chalky but very natural looking for a powder blush!

- Bourjois Delice De Poudre Bronzer - Just in the hollows of my cheekbones for some added glow - link

Eyes

- Laura Mercier Metallic Cream Eyeshadows in Platinum and Cocoa Velour, sometimes when I'm wearing these I even forget I have products on my eyes! They are so lightweight and last a while on my eyelids (probably not for you if you have oily eyelids though!)

- Maxfactor Masterpiece Max Mascara in Brown - Occasionally I'll use brown mascara in the daytime for some subtle lashes

Lips

- Collection Cream Puff in Cotton Candy - A really nice matt moisturising lip colour with a bit of my trusty Dr Lipp Original Nipple Balm For Lips - post link here - to make sure my lips stay fully clear of being chapped!