My collection- highlighters & illuminators.

Complexion is key, if your base isn't right then the colour you add with eyeshadows and lip products won't look their best. For a polished, healthy complexion I rely on highlighters and illuminators, and due to my magpie like tendencies with said product I have managed to work up quite a collection....

MAC MSF in 'Soft & Gentle' doesn't need much of an introduction, and I choose to use it most days. It's a warm highlighter that can be dusted all over or built up in certain areas to create a glow. As it is mineral, it can be used wet or dry and this also creates different finishes, you get a huge dome of product and is a definite summer must have for me, but be careful not to build it up to a strong metallic finish- unless you want to look like the Tin Man from Oz.

YSL 'The White Tuxedo Palette' or Palette Blanc Terriblement; This was Limited Edition in the YSL Christmas Collection in 2011. It is perfect for the winter because it is cool toned and more suited to pale complexions, in the case it looks like freshly fallen snow and was almost too pretty to use. Overall it creates a pretty pink pearlescent highlight, however less is certainly more with this one. See more here.

TopShop Highlighter in 'Sunbeam'; To be honest I don't know what I was thinking when I bought this product, I can't see this suiting anybody because it is just so gold. I find it hard to apply this subtley and the finish is just all off. I've only used this a coule of times, I think it'll be cleaned and go into a future MUA kit for the more 'out there', imaginative looks. Not one for you natural Nancy's out there.

NARS Illuminator in 'Super Orgasm'; This is a pretty golden peach colour that is creamy in consistency. It's pretty applied onto the cheeks but due to it's glittery shimmer it is more suitable for night time. This isn't a product I use very much, but I am going to try and use it more.

Benefit 'Watt's Up!' this is a fairly new release from Benefit and is a creamy stick of a champagne gold colour. It's a verstaile colour as it can be used as an eyeshadow aswell. It gives a similar finish to Soft and Gentle, but is in cream form so is best suited for girls who don't set their foundation with powder, as it blends better then.

MAC Cream Colour Base in 'Pearl'- Once upon a time, I love love loved this however it began to feel a bit too greasy on my skin and didn't blend as well. The shade is gorgeous as it suits my skin tone yet adds a warm, subtle glow. This is perfect as an all over highlighter, it's delicate finish means it is perfect stroked down the centre of the nose, above the lips, on the brow bone and of course, on the cheek bone. It's best blended when your foundation is still wet!

TopShop 'Skin Glow'- I've had this one a while and am just using it up. It reminds me of Benefit's Moon Beam which has now been discontinued, but is similar in it's pink, gold pearlescent finish. It's lovely mixed into foundation or as a base before foundation but not a product I would buy again.

MAC Strobe Cream- This perks up the skin and illuminates even through thick foundation. It is a popular product and I can see why, but the smell is pretty dire.

L'Oreal Lumi Magique primer- this is marketed as a primer though doesn't particularly prolong the wear of my makeup. I like to mix this in with foundations that are a bit too dark as it pales it down whilst adding an illuminating glow. 

Benefit 'Girl Meets Pearl'- this is similar to Watt's Up in terms of it's champagne gold colour however it is in liquid form, this is beautiful and very subtle, it adds a warmth but isn't a product I'll purchase full size.

Benefit 'High Brow'; I love this because it instantly lifts the brow bone when gently applied and blended beneath the brow. It works best on fair skin tones as it will look most natural, and can also be applied on the water line to brighten up tired eyes, due to it's pinky tones it's a bit more natural than a stark white eyeliner.

Benefit 'High Beam'; This is an oldie but a goodie. Personally, I think this product is too 'high shine' for use on the cheekbones, so is best used to highlight the brow bone. This is the perfect finishing touch to an evening smokey eye, or used in the day to open up the eye area and add a beautiful sheen. The effects are very obvious so isn't one for those who like a tuned down look, and again this is best suited to fairer skins as it will just look streaky and too white/silver on anyone tanned or with deep skin tones.

I think that powder is my favourite medium to use at the moment so I am looking to expand on my powder highlighter collection- do you have any that you can recommend to me??

Midweek post: my makeup rutt: two favourite blushers!

Estee Lauder blusher in 'Peach Nuance', £24 for 7g

Benefit blusher in 'Sugabomb', £23.50 for 12g

Whilst grabbing a familar box o'blush in a rush the other day, and then swirling it on my cheeks I realised that I looked exactly the same as I did the day before, and the day before that, and the day before that...- that I'd used that blusher the day before, as well as that foundation, that eyeshadow and that lipgloss. Urgh, that feeling, that realisation that I have become stuck in one of those 'makeup rutts'. I've heard people talk about them. I never thought one of 'them' would happen to me, after all, I have previously taken pride in the fact that I do rotate my products and do try new things, but it got me panicking...

Whilst I'm stuck in this rutt, I thought I may aswell document it for you all to see and read about. I'll start with the two blushers, the only two blushers I have used for at least the past two months now, it is absolute love I have for both of these shades, but I do understand that I can't neglect the other 1547895 blushes in my possession for much longer. I promise that from now on I will make a conscious effort to mix it up, promise.

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I have mentioned this in a favourites video in the past as it's a shade that I truley love and know I will buy again when it runs out oneday. 'Peach Nuance' is a satin finish, which means there's no shimmer or sparkle which makes it very versatile as it can be worn on it's own subtley or can be paired with a powder highlighter to add a glisten to the cheekbones if so desired.
'Peach Nuance' is no longer available as Estee Lauder recently reformulated their blushers and brought out a new shade range. However the good news for you is, you can still buy it but now it is known as 'Witty Peach' instead and while it is the same shade it now comes in nicer, more golden bling packaging and a larger travel brush beside it for better application on the go.

The colour itself is a peach coral shade, that can be deepened or lightened depending on which end of the pan you swirl your blush brush. I love the gradient between the yellow peach to the coral pink, it's so unique and beautiful to look at. The powder is so smooth to apply, and it's easy to choose whether you want a sheer wash or a flush of colour. Pefect to awaken any tired or dull complexions and one that would also look lush with a tan.

My other favourite blusher at the moment is one that has been in my possession for a long time and was given to me for free when I used to work for Benefit. Sugabomb is such a gorgeous coral for those of us who are pale skinned as it isn't too deep or unnatural. It's one of those shades that freshens up the complexion so well and I love building it up to a brighter pop of colour. Unlike Peach Nuance, Sugabomb does have a subtle shimmer running through it that transfers onto the skin as a highlight. I find this powder works best with a blusher brush that is densely packed with fibres, such as the Illamasqua brushes or even the MAC 116.

As you can see, I'm a girl obsessed with the coral blush. I think peach and coral add a lift and pop that other shades don't do. Hopefully my pink blushes won't go unloved for much longer, I'm hoping I'll transfer back to them when winter rears it's ugly, ugly face. But in the meanwhile, any help or advice to a girl stuck in a coral blush rutt? Or if that fails, any other coral or peach blushers you can recommend to me?!

Midweek post: Candy lips

I've got back into my bold lips and simple eye looks recently. The other day I thought I'd wear bright candy pink lips so thought I may aswell document it as a FOTD! I put ombre lips into practice, a look I'm really loving at the moment as it let's me be (a bit) creative but is also wearable for day to day! I love the depth it adds to lips when you use a darker liner and blend it to a lighter shade, though it's always important to remember, and god knows, AVOID that not so charming look that was so popular in the 90's- sorry Naomi!
It was also the second time I used Illamasqua's Sealing Gel. I'll pop a review up of this in a couple of weeks when it has been tried and tested properly!

Let me know if you use any of the products used and what you think of them.

FOTD:

Estee Lauder DoubleWear foundation in 'Shell' mixed with L'Oreal Lumi Magique primer

Chanel Poudre de Universelle in '20 Clair'

MAC 'Harmony' blush (contour)

MAC MSF in 'Soft and Gentle' (cheekbone highlight)

Benefit 'Sugarbomb' blush

Eyes:

Estee Lauder peach/gold eyeshadow from the 'Topaz Mosaic' palette

Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner (waterline)

Yves Saint Laurent 'Shocking' mascara

MAC 'Showstopper' on brows

Lips:
Rimmel Lasting Finish Lip Liner in '004 Indian Pink'

MAC LE lipstick in 'Naughty Saute'

Thankyou for reading!

My March Favourites!!

Hey all!

I'm here with my favourite and most cherished beauty products from the lovely month of March....

M.A.C 'Watch Me Simmer' Lipstick; This is the lipstick I've been picking up the most this month if I wanted statement lips! I love the shade. It's a super bright, amplified coral shade that develops more pink the longer it's on the lips (on first application it leans more red). The only downsides are that it does stain the lips. I picked this up when the Shop MAC Collection was exclusive to Selfridges, it has since been released in the rest of M.A.C. stockists and appears to have become quite popular! If you missed out the first time, don't fret, it's being repromoted in the 'Reel Sexy' collection being released in April. See full review here.

Laura Mercier lipgloss in 'Nude Lilac'; You may have seen this used in a couple of my FOTD's before but I've never really reviewed it. It isn't a particularly long- lasting gloss as it isn't a very wet formula, but I love the glaze it gives my lips, even if it is just for a temporary basis! The lilac colour in the tube doesn't transfer to the lips but the cool tones of it do, it's the perfect gloss if you're looking to tone down a bright colour underneath, used on it's own it will only add a subtle colourlss shine to the lips. There is some gold glitter running through it that does remain on the lips after it's dried up. Note that it has got a strong, deep vanilla scent. This gloss has been carried around with me in my bag and used on a daily basis...perfect for me trying a bit of a more toned down nude look this springtime! (Post Here.)

Blistex Relief Cream; Not a very exciting product but one I've been using on my lips before bed to restore them back to health! I think I must have gone overboard on lip products the last few months because my lips have been paying for it the last few weeks, they've been dry and flaky but this may also be due to seasonal changes, either way I've been applying this at night and taking it a bit easier on the lip products. It's really worked, especially over a period of time and my lips feel nourished and smooth once again! It's not like a lip balm that you can apply on the go, as it is a milky white texture that does take a while to soak into the lips- definitely a night time treatment particularly with its tingly menthol flavour!

M.A.C. 210 Brush; With this, I've finally found a suitable brush that is thin enough to apply gel eyeliner the way that I want! I've been using the Maybelline Gel Liner which I think is okay but I never got on with the accompanying brush (next on my list is the Clinique one when this runs or dries out) so I took it upon myself to get a brush to make applying gel liner a bit easier and a bit more enjoyable. It does the trick, it's a very thin brush but the hairs are dense enough that you can control application quite well. You can choose the thickness of the line you'd like to apply and it distributes product evenly.

YSL Eye makeup remover; I got this free in a makeup bag a few months ago because I'd bought a few products the counter lady threw this in, it was full of goodies and I was so happy because I really love Yves Saint Laurent! I use it sometimes at night if my eye makeup is being a pain to remove but I mainly use it on a cotton pad to quickly remove any products off makeup brushes. It's great to give the M.A.C. 210 a quick clean after use to avoid any gel liner drying onto it and going clumpy between deep cleans.

Benefit 'High Brow'; I know they've released their 'High Brow Glow' now but I'm still a big fan of the original. I feel naked if I don't wear this. Applied under the eyebrows, onto the brow bone, it adds the illusion of more refined brows, and a higher arch (something me and my brow- waxer have been working towards over the last 6 months!) so this helps give the illusion of that in the meanwhile. It's a 'linen pink' colour so it blends into pale skintones really well, and adds that extra highlight and dimension to perfect any eye look! Would really recommend this.

Sally Hansen Mega Shine Top Coat; This was recommended to me by Cara over at Cara's Beauty Blog and since purchasing it a week ago I've put it on top of every nail look I've painted and it has completely transformed the way my nails look! I have other topcoats, but I was after a really super-glossy supershine topcoat that was fast drying and wouldn't break the bank. It dries within a couple of minutes and leaves the nails looking professionally manicured! Thanks Cara!

There's my March favourites, I don't do these often so I hope you've enjoyed it. What have you been loving lately? Let me know! 

Emily's current skincare routine

Hola!

I know skincare product posts are never as exciting as makeup posts, but unless your skin is in good condition, nothing will look good on top! You need a good base! 

I love skincare, granted I don't know masses about it but I am learning more and more all of the time and feel pretty settled and happy in my current routine, so let me know if you use any of these! For reference, my skin tends to be dry combination, but changes depending on the season. My skin was also a wreck when I moved to Wales last July and so was my hair...I think it took a while to adapt to the different water!

From L to R; Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanse and Polish, Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Cream, Muslin Cloth, Johnsons Facial Cleansing Wipes, Benefit Moisture Prep, Estee Lauder Daywear Advanced Multi- Protection Anti- Oxident Creme SPF15, Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum.

Johnsons Facial Cleansing Wipes (£3.49 for 25); I use these in the evening to remove my makeup. Now I know, I know, these aren't particularly good for the skin, however I've been using these for a few months and they haven't particularly affected my skin whether it be for better or worse. I don't use these wipes as my sole cleanser, I use them to remove the majority of my makeup so that the muslin cloths I use with my Liz Earle cleanser don't end up looking like this after one use....

 

Exactly....who wants this drying in their bathroom everyday?! Better to remove it with a wipe!

Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanse and Polish (£13-14 for 100ml) not much needs to be said about this, to call this a cult product is an understatement. This cleanser has transformed my skin completely, it feels nourished, healthy and thoroughly clean after using this. I use it twice a day and it freshens my face up nicely. It's consistency is a very thick mousse that lathers and you remove it with a damp muslin cloth that has been heated in a hand- hot sink of water. It has that typical Liz Earle smell, it's quite herby, natural and botanical with hints of lemon and tea tree and ingedients such as rosemary and chamomile, not particualrly feminine or sweet but I like it. A 100ml tube seems to last me about 5-6 weeks at a time. It's not cheap, but it's certainly not expensive for what it is considering how long it lasts and that I use it twice daily, I don't think I'll ever use another cleanser now!

 

Benefit Moisture Prep* (£23.50 for 177.4ml) This is part of the b.Right skincare range that was launched about a year ago now. As a range, it seems pretty nice, I used to really like the Total Moisture facial cream and Moisture Prep is my other favourite product from the range. I use it after my cleansers and apply it to a dry face, it is supposed to prepare the skin for your moisturiser and optimise the skins ability to maintain moisture. It's a milky substance, a little goes a long way I've been using this since November and am about halfway through it now. It soaks in fairly quickly and it seems to smoothe the skin over. I'll admit that I am a bit dubious of using Benefit's skincare range solely because they're all for the puns and fun marketing I find the message of what the product actually does can sometimes get lost in translation. I do like this though, the skin does feel firmer after using is and it feels nice and fresh on and it contains good ingredients like Aloe leaf and Vitamin E.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair* (£54 for 50ml) Read About This HERE.

Both of these items were free in the Estee Lauder Gift with Purchase promotion in Debenhams a couple of weeks ago, for those that aren't aware of what that is it's an event that normally scopes about 2 and a half weeks and is an offer that if you buy two Estee Lauder items you get a free gift, the one this month was worth over £60! Their usual full prices are £36 for a full sized pot of the Advanced Night Repair Eye and £37 for 50ml tub of the Daywear moisturiser.

The eye cream* feels like a thicker version of it's partner serum and is the same in colour. It's easy to use, soaks in quickly and doesn't leave any residue. The smallest amount goes a long way, too, so this 5ml tester size should last a while! 

I've just ordered a full sized tub of the Daywear Advanced Multi- Protection Anti- Oxident Creme* (what a mouthful!!!) it's got SPF 15 which is a nice bonus. Texture wise, this moisturiser feels so luxurious and cooling on the skin. It's scent is a fresh cucumber smell which is lovely. It can be slightly greasy on the skin as it takes a while to completely soak in and isn't oil- free, but it leaves my skin feeling hydrated and soft. It's got ingredients that protect and work against premature signs of ageing, and apparently was also voted the best moisturiser with SPF for the In Style Best Beauty Buys 2012! My skin feels a lot more more radiant and ready for makeup after using this and I would recommend it.

And we're done! I hope you enjoyed this post, I like reading about what people think about skincare but it is very objective and such a personal choice to make, but hopefully these reviews will have helped a few of you. 

I know it was pretty Estee Lauder heavy but to justify I met a 48 year old lady the other day who has been using Estee Lauder skincare since she was 23, and she genuinely doesn't look a day over 41! 

Let me know if you've got anything to recommend or if you use any of these products!! Have a lovely Sunday :-)

*I didn't pay full price for this item/I didn't pay for this item at all.

Benefit Hervana Review

Benefit 'Hervana' Blusher, £23.50 for 8g.

A new release and a new addition to the Benefit powder blushes, Hervana is a 'good karma face powder' to suit all!

The packaging is very appealing, with pinks, lilacs and blues with a 'heavenly' theme and is in the standard cardboard box that Benefit blushes are sold in. The title of the blush is supposed to have incorporated 'Her' and 'Nirvana' to produce 'Hervana'. I don't really like all the gimmicks etc behind Benefit products and wish they would just concentrate on the product inside rather than the marketing of it!

I have noticed over time that Benefit have changed the boxes from being a lid you remove to a flip lid, containing a mirror. In the process of doing this they've decreased the amount of product you get for your money- very cheeky! Blushes that used to be 12g are decreasing to 7 or 8g. Hervana is 8g, which is still generous if you were to compare it to a NARS blusher which is £20 for 4.5g.
I also think the brush deserves a quick mention- before now Benefit box brushes have been too square, personally I never use these brushes but a lot of people would, and it's nice that they've moved onto an angled brush for better application.

In the pan the blusher looks like an ice cream swirl of four different shades; an apricot peach, berry pink, a pale rose pink and a pale lemon- cream. There are teeny tiny specks of shimmer that transfer onto my skin a little. The colour it shows on my skin is a strawberry pink colour, very lifing to the complexion.

In the photo above I've placed it next to Sugabomb, another one of Benefit's blushes, for reference so that you can see the colours. Sugabomb shows as a subtle, glowing peach pink with shimmer on my skin, whereas Hervana is showing up deeper and more pink in colour.

This colour is a gorgeous pink that will definitely become a go-to for me. I like the powdery consistency of Benefit blushers, it makes them blendable and the colour buildable. Would recommend!

Will you be buying this? What's your favourite Benefit blusher?