Showing posts with label MAC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MAC. Show all posts

HAUL // MINI MAC COSMETICS HAUL

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LIPS // MY FAVOURITE NUDE COMBO

makeup monsters cosmetics liquid lipstick nude lips just add marshmallow nc50 natalie kayo discoveriesofself deep skin dark skin woc black beauty blogger
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LIPSTICK // Liquid Lipstick Love!

liquid lipstick beauty blogger review occ anastasia beverly hills discoveriesofself woc
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YouTube // Autumn/Winter Beauty Favourites

My studio lights have finally been delivered which means I can film more videos and what better way to test these lights than with a chatty Favourites video!
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MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Layin' Low

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot Layin' Low DiscoveriesOfSelf Blog NC50 Beauty Bloggers
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MAC Sun Power Mineralize Skin Finish Natural

MAC Sun Power Swatch Discoveries Of Self Blog
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IMATS London 2014 Haul

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Mini MAC Haul

I've been really getting my make up game on point recently and I've been loving discovering and trying out new products too!
I'm not a MAC enthusiast but every now and then I find myself biting the bullet and purchasing one or two items from there.

In this post I wanted to show you some new items I picked up as well as one old faithful that I picked up some time ago.

First up...old faithful!

Nightmoth Lip Pencil MAC Cosmetics NC50 Beauty Blogger DiscoveriesofSelf NatalieKayO
I knew I had to have this after seeing so many people pair it with Ruby Woo (one of my favourite lippies) for a dramatic red lip.
Nightmoth is a very unique colour but I believe it should be a staple make up item for all of those who love a red/deep berry lip!

The colour itself is a deep burgundy wine colour, at first the colour looks daunting but used in the right way, it is ever so wearable.

The consistency of this MAC lip pencil is great, it is super easy to work with, soft to apply but not messy, it is also VERY pigmented.
This makes it great to use as a lip colour on it's own. 

I normally pair this either with Ruby Woo (as a liner), Coloured Raine's Plum Fairy (seen HERE) or  as a liner with any pinks or purple lipsticks that are too light for my complexion.

If you're a fan of Lorde's lip colour I would definitely recommend adding Nightmoth to your lipstick collection.
Nightmoth Lip Pencil MAC Cosmetics NC50 Beauty Blogger DiscoveriesofSelf NatalieKayO
From my latest trip to MAC I picked up two products I have never previously tried before.
Prep + Prime Peach Lustre Naked Dark Pigment MAC Cosmetics NC50 Beauty Blogger DiscoveriesofSelf NatalieKayO

I had heard so many amazing things about Light Boost and Radiant Rose but I had decided that this would be far too light for my skin tone, so when I saw that MAC had bought out a peach toned highlighter I was excited!

If you're not familiar with the Prep + Prime Highlighters, they can be used in a similar way the YSL Touche Eclat highlighters. They are also set up the same way as the YSL highlighers however instead of a button at the base, the MAC highlighters have a twist.

Now, I expected great things from this as a highlighter but I have to say MAC advertising this as a highlighting product is quite misleading.
From my own personal observations I believe Peach Lustre is a creamy peach colour corrector.

I tried to use this as a highlighter and I got NOTHING, absolutely nothing!
BUT after seeing Iris Beilin use this as a corrector I decided to follow her lead and use it the same way. 
This is when I started getting somewhere!

The product itself is pigmented enough to mute out dark spots on my face which is ideal for me as I have quite a lot and being quite fair skinned these are evident on first glance. It is also very easy to apply and quite lightweight considering it's pigmentation, it blends very well (a beauty blender's dream) but my only gripe is it can be quite slippery so make sure you set it with powder, if you're very oily skinned you may want to stay away from this product.

I also picked up my first ever pigment from MAC!
I had planned to pick up a pigment from IMATS last year but mistakenly bought a glitter instead (but I aint mad, I still love it!)
I had always had my mind on Naked pigment as so many Youtuber's had said nothing but good things about it however upon visiting a PRO store I realised that Naked isn't the only Naked pigment around.

PRO stores also hold Naked Dark and Naked Deep Dark.

After swatching Naked Dark I knew I had to have it!

A gorgeous soft shimmery beige that works just right on my skin tone.
At first, the colour can look ashy but once blended in the shimmer really goes to work and replaces the ashy look with a gorgeous glow!
I really am a fan of this pigment!

My favourite way to wear this pigment is to apply a good wash of it over the lid, apply a brown crease colour and black winged liner, paired with red lips, you have a winner my friend!

A great every product for everyday use as well as for that brow- bone highlight too!

As pigments go, you can either use them wet or dry, the following picture gives you an idea of the tone you get when use dry or wet.

Dry Naked Dark is a light beige, unfortunately you cannot see the shimmer (it is so understated) but you can see how the true tone of the pigment.
Naked Dark Pigment MAC Cosmetics NC50 Beauty Blogger DiscoveriesofSelf NatalieKayO
Wet Naked Dark is much warmer beige (FYI as you can see the pigment isn't actually wet but further below you can see the wet swatch which matches up with this photo.)
Naked Dark Pigment MAC Cosmetics NC50 Beauty Blogger DiscoveriesofSelf NatalieKayO
Peach Lustre Prep + Prime Naked Dark Pigment MAC Cosmetics NC50 Beauty Blogger DiscoveriesofSelf NatalieKayO
L-R: Peach Lustre, Naked Dark Wet, Naked Dark Dry
I'm pretty happy with this MAC haul.
If I could I would shop there everyday but alas, my funds!

I don't think there's anything wrong with saving MAC for a treat once in a while!

Do you have any of the Prep + Prime Highlighters or Pigments?
What do you think is a good MAC must have?


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Heroine and Flat Out Fabulous Lipstick

I have never been so patient waiting for a product to return!
NEVER!
Like a fiend I checked the MAC site once a day waiting for Heroine to come back when I heard the news that it was becoming permanent but alas, it never came.
Then last week an email popped into my inbox, eyes half closed I read the words "Heroine is back!" 
I have never jumped out of bed so quickly.
I placed an order for the almighty Heroine and Flat Out Fabulous after recommendations from Twitter.

25

Favourite Beauty Products of 2013

Happy New Year Lovelies!

I can't believe 2013 is over already, it went by in such a flash but I loved every single minute of it!

I'm not going to make a post about new beginnings because I'm pretty sure you're a bit tired of reading those so I'm just going to say thank you so much for sticking with, reading and supporting DOS. It means so much to me and I am so grateful for each and every reader, subscriber and commenter. 
The love is immense!


Back to the main event!
As you guys know, I am all about my beauty and today's post is going to be about my 2013 beauty favs.

Now, I'm gonna warn you before we start, this is gonna be a long one, however I've separated this post into three sections: Eyes, Lips and Face for easy reading, so get your cuppas ready, put your feet up and enjoy! 

Eyes


Inglot Freedom System Eyeshadow Palette - 430, 335, 406, 446 
I had never tried any of Inglot's products prior to IMATS so took a bit of a gamble picking up an entire palette but I have not been disappointed.  Inglot eyeshadows have a creamy texture with fabulous colour pay off, I'm honestly surprised why more people don't rave about this brand, I definitely think they are overlooked and underrated in regards to quality and price. If you're an Inglot virgin I would encourage you to change this as soon as possible!

Makeup Geek Ultimate Eyeshadow Palette
As you can see I went a little bit eyeshadow mad in 2013, mostly because I was determined to improve my makeup skills. I had been lusting over Makeup Geek shadows for a while so I decided to save up and buy the Ultimate Palette as I had heard nothing but good things about these shadows. 
This palette comes with 27 shadows and a Z palette equating to around £97 which isn't too bad however this doesn't include shipping as well as customs charges which bumped my purchase right up...grrr
These eyeshadows are fantastic, amazingly pigmented, soft and easy to blend. Corrupt (the black eyeshadow) is the most pigmented black shadow I have ever come across! This palette is up there with some of my fav purchases of 2013. 
You can see me wearing Envy eye shadow HERE.

MUA Smokin Palette
I still cannot get over the fact that this palette is only £6! A great dupe to the UD Smoked Palette. This lil palette packs an almighty punch with pigmentation (alliteration hi-5!) giving you the options of soft jewelled toned shades as well as mattes! The only thing I would comment on is the creasing but this can be remedied with a good primer. 
You can see my review of the palette HERE.

Makeup Geek Gel Liner in Immortal
Ok...I'm just going to say it...this is my FAVOURITE product...EVER.
Waterproof and heavily pigmented, this liner is a must have for you cat eye lovers. IT DOES NOT BUDGE! This liner is creamy, easy to apply and a little goes a very long way, I always wear this on make up days and I am yet to make a dent in this little pot. Absolutely unbelievable! I think this is true love guys!
You can see me rocking Immortal HERE.

Benefit's They're Real Mascara - Dinky Size
I know, I know...another beauty blogger hype product but I wouldn't add this to my list just for the hype. This is a GREAT product for lengthening and defining lashes but if I am being honest I believe this is more to do with the  spiky wand than the product itself. 
Would I repurchase? I'm not too sure. I may just purchase the bigger size for the wand and use that once the tube is empty.
You can see me applying They're Real HERE.

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara
They're Real is great but it doesn't give you volume so here is where The Falsies come in! This mascara lengthens and provides volume so I find myself using this after They're Real to really give my lashes a boost! 
My only complaint...the amount of product that comes out, bloody nightmare but besides that this may be my new favourite 'drugstore' mascara!

Lips


Lanolips 101 Ointment
This is a fairly new purchase of mine so I'm being a little cheeky adding it but I really do love this! I need moisturised lips, it's essential, so I bought myself the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour lip balm, turns out it should have been called the 2 minute lip balm so I shelved it. 
Then I heard about Lanolips, I picked it up and I've been pleased every since. This should be a staple for every lipstick lover. I place it on my lips before getting ready and wipe it off when I'm done. It moisturises instantly and leaves my lips feeling so soft! This is a multi-faceted product that can be used   for all parts of the body as well! Score!

Hard Candy Plexi Gloss
I was sent this lip gloss by the lovely Jenn when we participated in a beauty swap. At first I didn't use it as I wasn't much of a lip gloss girl but I've started using it on top of my NYX glosses and it seems to give my lips the smoothest appearance, it blurs out the lines giving  a seamless looking glossy lip without any added tint. I like to use this particular gloss on top of my nude lipsticks for a flawless lip, see HERE for an example of when I used it.

Limecrime Velvetines in Red Velvet
My favourite red lipstick spanning 2012 to now!
It's matte, soft and it's red, it was always going to be a winner!
Like Ruby Woo on crack, this liquid lipstick is an absolute best!
Easy to apply, pigmented, kiss proof (wink, wink) and great value (when compared to Ruby Woo.) 
You can see my review of this lippie HERE

MAC Matte Lipsticks - Riri Woo, Smoked Purple, Diva
One of the best things about MAC has to be their matte lipsticks. I know a lot of people find them drying but I really like them, they apply well and last a relatively long time. In 2013 I picked up Riri Woo, Smoked Purple and Diva. Delicious and creamy mattes in amazing shades. 

ELF Mineral Lipstick in Rosy Tan
I finally found my perfect nude lipstick in 2013. 
Funnily enough I had had this lippie sitting in my collection for a while but figured it was too light, then I learnt the secret to nude lips (lip liner) and so decided to give it another chance and I was not disappointed.
A creamy and easy to apply warm toned pink, this works amazingly with NYX's Lipgloss in Miami Babe. 
Want to see how I apply this? Click HERE

MAC Cosmetics Lip Liner in Nightmoth
I had been fiening over this lip liner for a while especially after seeing Riri's MUA pair it with Smoked Purple so when I went to pick up that lippie I had to pick this up too. 
Nightmoth is the perfect lip liner for those of us who love a vampy lip, it's a dark wine purple with red undertones that works beautifully with various other lipsticks. 
You can use this to fill in your lips and go about your day or you can use it underneath another lipstick. I find this works well with Ruby Woo for definition to the corners of the mouth or underneath another shade for depth. 
Click HERE to see how I pair Nightmoth with one of my lipsticks.

Coloured Raine Lipsticks
LOVE! 
Everything from the texture and pigmentation to their colour range.
I picked up several of these lipsticks after seeing them on IG and I have been really impressed! My favourites constantly change but right now I'm favouring Plum Fairy and Boudoir. For swatches of the lipsticks I bought from Coloured Raine, click HERE

Ellis Faas Lip Products - Milky Lips, Creamy Lips, Hot Lips
I'n not going to lie, I was sold on Ellis Faas from the day I saw the packaging, thank God the products lived up to the high standards I expected from them.
These products are so comfortable to wear yet they feel decadent on the lips, creamy and nourishing but lightweight and in an array of textures to suit your needs for that day, fantastic for every lipstick lover.
For an in-depth review of these products, click HERE

NYX Mega Shine Lipgloss in Miami Babe
NYX have changed my mind  on lip glosses! 
I was never a fan then I decided to give NYX's lip glosses a try after seeing so many Youtubers reach for it.
Miami Babe is one of my favourite shades, not only do I use it to make my lips look lush I also have a premeditated use for it. 
Miami Babe is a warm brown toned pink which makes it ideal to use to warm up a nude lip as many nude lip colours are quite cool which can look ashy against my skin tone. 
This product is one of the reasons why I can now wear a nude lip with confidence!

Face


ELF Personal Blend Foundation in Dark
My new HG foundation. 
It only took me 25 years to find! 
This lil tub is my new friend. A mineral foundation that leaves me with flawless looking skin with 0 oiliness! 
Yes, that's right! No need for primer or even constant blotting throughout the day with this foundation, you just blend your shades together, set with a finishing spray and go!
The shade Dark has 4 separate shades of which I use the two lightest, Almond and Dark as the two deepest shades are too grey for my skin tone. I then add a generous amount of Ben Nye's Topaz for the yellow undertone I need and voila! Foundation applied. It is a bit time consuming and it can get a bit messy but I feel that it's worth it for the look it gives. You can see me wearing this amazingly priced product HERE and HERE.

MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC50
Can you believe I only purchased this thing in 2013?! Madness!
This foundation is my go to for nights out or for photos for the blog. A great foundation for flawless looking skin. This shade matches my skin tone to a T and dries to a matte finish which is my favourite type of finish. I also love the coverage this gives, it covers my scars and blemishes so well, I never feel the need for concealer with this. For some, this is their HG foundation, I personally think this is far too heavy for me to wear everyday but for nights out, this is a winner. 
You can see me wearing this foundation HERE and HERE.

Covergirl Queen Collection Bronzer in Q120 Ebony Bronze
I love this bronzer! 
Namely because it was the first bronzer I had ever used that had shown up on my skin tone. This bronzer has saved me many a time on my pale days, (yes WoC have pale days...surprise!) by providing me with a gorgeous red toned burnt sugar shade of bronze for my pale winter skin. I also use this to contour from time to time as well as a transitional shade for eye shadows, an all round winner for me! 
I picked up my bronzer from Amazon.com HERE, shipping was super affordable and you get two in a pack! #Winning!
You can see me apply my bronzer HERE

Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in Dare
Ingenious! 
A silicone based liquid waterproof blush. 
Dare applies seamlessly and gives my skin the most natural flush of colour. Daniel's liquid blushes come in an array of shades to suit every skin tone and the shade line is expanding (hot pink and hot orange anyone?! Yes please!) Some may see these as a lil pricey but I definitely recommend them, Daniel Sandler Cosmetics offer up samples for £2.00 each that you can use to test out, I have two samples and I'm yet to finish them!
You can see Dare in action HERE

Inglot Face Blush in 41
Another Inglot rave! 
I picked this gorgeous blush up at IMATS and I've been in love with it ever since. 
A matte terracotta shade perfect for everyday wear. 
This is my "go to" blush. 
I used to be all about Sahara from Sleek but 41 (such a modest name) has trumped it. Soft, easy to apply and surprisingly pigmented.
 I AM TELLING YOU PEOPLE, DON'T SLEEP ON INGLOT!
You can see me wearing this beaut HERE.

Guerlain Terracotta Moisturizing Bronzing Powder in Ebony 08
Another bronzer but it had to be done people!!!
This differs to the CG bronzer as it isn't so obvious on the skin, instead of bronzing I guess this product provides luminosity, giving the skin a healthy glow. Not on the cheap side but as it is one of the few bronzers for WoC I had to purchase it. 
You can see my review of this baby HERE.


Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Excite
I have a thing for orange blushes. 
They work so well on my skin tone I may never go back to pinks again!
I am especially attracted to matte oranges so I knew I had to have Excite in my life as soon as I saw it. This blush is soft, easy to blend, pigmented and warm on my skin.
One of my latest purchases and fast becoming one of my favourites. I mostly use Excite on the apples of my cheeks to really add a pop of warm to existing blush I've laid down (I like to layer products) but this also works fabulously as an all round blush and a transitional colour for the eyes.
You can see my review of Excite blush HERE.

And that's it!!

Apologies for the read but I wanted to have this all in one post.

Hope you guys enjoyed this and found it useful!


Don't forget to let me know in the comment section below what were your favourite beauty products of 2013 and if you've made a post leave the link below! 
I might add some of them onto my Products To Buy in 2014!





8

Lush List: Christmas Wants

Wishlist

1/2/3/4/
5/6/7/8

Here it is!

My beauty Christmas wish list!

Is is a little bit ambitious? 
Yes! 
But that is the beauty of a wish list.

I've added beauty cult products such as Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder and the Kevin Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer as well as MAC's Heroine lipstick which apparently will be part of their permanent collection very soon!

What is on your beauty wish list for Xmas?
Let me know!



6

MAC Smoked Purple

Guys, guys, guys!
I have been rebelling lately!
I have had NO time for pretty corals, pinks or orange lipsticks this summer.
I've been all about dark vampy lips, don't ask me why...I JUST HAVE ALLLLRIGHT!
8

Summer Beauty Lush List

Untitled #3
1/2/3/4/5/6

Summer means new make up! 
Plain and simple!
I've been looking for new additions for my summer beauty lush list and I think I've done prettttty well!
Check out details below:

1. Guerlain Terracotta Moisturising Bronzing Powder in 08 Ebony - I came across this bronzer whilst window shopping in Beauty Base. The thing I loved about this bronzer was it's shade, suitable for women of colour and just stunning in tone. I've been dreaming about it ever since I swatched it! Pricey at £34.00 but you get what you pay for with luxury make up! LUSH!

2. MAC Prep + Prime BB Beauty Balm SPF 35 in Medium Deep - If you are a regular reader of DOS you would know about my love of BB creams. I love their light weight consistency and the ease in which you can apply them.
I literally received the email regarding the new shades of the MAC BB creams yesterday! I am so happy that they have now released darker shades, it would be silly not to really. I have figured out that I am the shade Medium Deep but will be making my way to MAC just to make sure. Can't wait for this one and with SPF 35 too which is fab for summer! UPDATE: Medium Deep is FAAR too light. Maybe not for this one!

3. Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in Spicy - If you watched my IMATS haul you would have seen that I already own a watercolour blush; in the colour Dare which I love but I originally wanted the colour Spicey.
Spicey is a warm orange that would really compliment my skin tone and would give a gorgeous summer glow! 

4. MAC Smoked Purple Lipstick (Pro) - I first saw this lipstick on Instagram and when I did I instantly fell in love! Granted it isn't a summeriest colour but I've really been reaching for my dark lippies lately.
This is a matte dark purple which is just stunning, if you don't believe me see for yourself. Smoked Purple is from the MAC Me Over collection which was released 2 years ago (late, I know!) however it can be purchased from the MAC US site and I believe this is now a Pro lipstick. Will definitely be seeing if I can pick this stunning lippie up!

5.  Diorskin Nude Tan Natural Radiance Bronzing Powder in 007 Mocha - As you can tell I'm falling in love with bronzers. It is so difficult and almost  impossible to find bronzers for my skin tone so when I do find one I fall for it immediately! I came across this bronzer whilst walking around Boots. It is just urgghhh, BEAUT-TI-FULL! Mocha is a gorgeous burnt brown with slight shimmer that compliments women of colour perfectly! Once again slightly pricey but this is Dior!

6. OCC Lip Tars - I love these things! So much so I can't even choose what colours I want, I just want them all! 
Right now Anime, Pretty Boy, Yaoi and Beta have caught my eye. That's the shortest my list can get! 
I love these lip tars and the great thing is they can be used to create custom colours for your lips. Lip Tars are an absolute winner in my books and a great product for summer!

Do you own any of the products?
Do you have any recommendations? Let me know in the comments section!

4

Grown Woman

Beyonce fever has gripped me!
I like to play like she is just ordinary to me but I always seem to break.
I went to her London concert and had such a good time I'm sure I blacked out for a while.

Her song Grown Woman has had me up and shaking a leg.
The modern Timbaland sound mixed with the essence of an African beat...PERFECT.

Grown Woman has also inspired this look I threw together.
I love the bold lips paired with a smokey eye. 
I used the Wet N Wild Comfort Zone Palette (which I lurrve) for this look which I received from the lovely Jenn from Spiced Beauty in a make up swap!

I know there's the rule of either a bold eye or bold lip not both but you know what?
I'm a grown woman and I can do whatever I want ;)

Face

Hard Candy Sheer Envy Face Primer
Daniel Sandler Perfect Canvas Foundation in Shade 12 and 14
L.A. Girl Pro Concealer in Fawn
Ben Nye Translucent Face Powder in Topaz
Coastal Scents Eclipse Concealer Palette
Hard Candy So Baked Bronzer in Tropics
Covergirl Bronzer in Q120 Ebony Bronze
Wet N Wild Vanity Palette (dark brown used as contour)
W7 Cream De La Creme Blush in Heavenly
Milani Baked Blush in Terra Sole

Eyes

ELF Mineral Eyelid Primer in Sheer
Wet N Wild Comfort Zone Palette (the browns)
Sleek Blush by 3 in Turbinado (transitional colour)
Makeup Geek Eyeshadow in Corrupt (eyeliner)
YSL Babydoll Mascara
Rimmel Scandaleyes Pencil in Nude 

Lips

MAC Nightmoth Lip Liner
Limecrime CandyFuture Lipstick in Poisonberry


What do you think?
Do you think the rule of either bold lip or eye should be revised?



15

Base Face


MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC50 Before and After NYX Lipstick

If you have watched my Great Expectations video you'll see that one of my main goals was to create the perfect 'base face.'

I've been on this mission since seeing how incredible Destiny Godley's foundation routine left her looking! Absolutely flawless but natural looking.

I think this is a very hard thing to accomplish nowadays, especially if you want to cover up blemishes however I set myself the challenge and I think I have finally found a routine that works for me.

I use this look whenever I am going out to a bar, club etc and I find it works great for me!
Obviously this wont work for everyone but I hope you can take bits from it that may help you achieve your perfect 'base face' too.

Firstly I moisturise.
After moisturising I apply a primer. The quality of primer really makes a difference and helps your make up to stay flawless all night. I use Tony Moly's Egg Pore Silky Smooth Balm and I apply this all over my face.

I then move onto my brows, I fill them in with my ELF Studio Eyebrow Kit in Dark and then clean around them using my Coastal Scents Eclipse Palette. For a natural looking highlight, I use a lighter concealer on the bottom outer half of my brow and blend out, I then clean up the rest with a shade that matches my skin tone. 

Now I move onto my favourite part, the foundation. 
I have recently starting using MAC's Studio Fix Fluid in NC50 for my full coverage foundation (no need for me to use concealer to hide blemishes when using this) and I LOVE IT! It's a perfect colour match and very long lasting.
I apply this by tapping out a bit on my hand, (I am sans pump) around a 10p size.
I then apply using my Real Technique's Stippling Brush. I buff the foundation into my skin using circular motions, insuring all product is blended in evenly.

Next step, the one made famous by Kim K. 
Highlighting!
I always opt for subtle highlighting due to flash from cameras.
I find the LA Girl Pro Conceal in Fawn is PERFECT for my skin tone. 
It blends in amazingly, allowing for the most natural highlight. 
I apply the concealer underneath my eyes in a triangular shape, down my nose, cupids bow as well as chin. I then blend it all in with a damp beauty blender until I am happy with the result.
I set with Ben Nye's Banana powder. 
I make sure I blend this in too. 
If I find I still have harsh lines with the concealer I go over lightly with my MSF face powder to blend the concealer even more.

Once this is done, I move onto bronzer.
I use Covergirl Queen Bronzer in Ebony Bronze Q120 in places that I would normally contour.
I would normally then go back in with my Sleek Contour Kit in Dark and apply the matte brown powder to the hollows of my cheeks making sure to blend out all the harsh lines.

Next onto blush!
I use two just because I love the look.
I first start off with NARS Blush in Taj Mahal (LURVVE) which I apply to the apples of my cheeks and with the remainder I apply this to the tops of my temples. I do the same with MAC's Blush in Format for a bit more warmth.

For a bit more glam, I apply a shimmer highlighter to the tops of my cheek bones, underneath my brow, down my nose and cupids bow.
Lately I have been reaching for ELF's Blush in Gotta Glow but from time to time I also use MAC's Cream Colour Base in Improper Copper or Accessorize Baked Bronzer in Bermuda Shade 4.

I skip powdering my entire face as I feel my face is quite matte after all of the above so I set with 
(AMAZING PRODUCT, I love this much more than MAC's Fix +) to get rid of the powdery look and then...viola!
 I'm done!!! 
(wipes brow)

The rest (eyes and lips) are down to how I'm feeling at the time!

In the picture above I kept the eyes simple, just a coat of good ol' Maybelline's Great Lash mascara in Blackest Black.
My lips are lined with a generic brown lip liner, coupled with NYX's Round Lipstick in Minimalism and NYX's Mega Shine Lipgloss in Miami Babe over the top.

This all seems like a lot but it really becomes simple (and fast) after you get it down and the results are pretty thumbs up (if I do say so myself!)
I think it's just a case of working with products that you like and you are familiar with!

Do you have any tips to share that you use for creating a flawless base?


15

February Goodies



So, I'm about to impose a Spending Ban on myself so naturally I am going crazy buying all I need before the 13th.
Here are some beauty goodies that I have picked up lately.
All of these products are new products that I have never tried before (besides the blush which is my go to blush, LAV IT!) so I'm looking forward to seeing how they go!

I will do an in dept review of most of the products here so stay tuned.



15

Shocking Pink


I can't lie!
I have been caught up in the hype over the return of MAC's Candy Yum Yum however I still could not bring myself to drop £14 on a lipstick, so I went on a mission which just consisted of watching Candy Yum Yum dupe videos on Youtube. 
It was a long and exhausting road (exaggerating much?) but at last I found a dupe!

I had previously picked up this shade when I shopped at Beauty Joint as I wanted to broaden my lipstick colour collection, however being such a bold bright pink I was too scared to wear it out...until now.

I also knew I needed a good deep purple/plum liner to make this colour wearable on my skin tone. I had also been craving MAC's Night Moth lip liner but I set myself the task of finding a cheaper alternative.


Combine the two together and viola!
NYX Matte Shocking Pink Lipstick

A gorgeous statement neon pink lip for less than a tenner!!!
Perfect for dress down days to add something special to your outfit!
Hoorah for dupes!!

23

The Festive Look


At Christmas you have to go a lil bit 'all out' and get your 'fabulous' on!
You should also have a make up look to accompany those glad rags and this is mine.
The classic siren look with a twist.

The focus being the eyes and the lips without one overpowering the other.

How To Achieve This Look


For a flawless base make sure you apply primer, as the siren look is more about the eyes and lips we want to keep the face flawless and away from shine! 
 Use a mattifying primer such as Laura Mercier's Oil Free Foundation Primer.

Then move onto foundation, once again we want to reinforce the matte appearance so use a foundation such as MAC Matchmaster which is matte and adapts to the skin's natural tone. In this look I used shade 7.5. Conceal any imperfections with your favourite concealer.
I used MAC Studio Finish Concealer in shade NC50.

Next, I applied a base colour on my lid. 
This colour should be the same colour as your skin tone, we do not want an overpowering colour, just something to create a more flawless base. 
In this case I used my MAC Mineralise Skin Finish in Deep Dark as this is a perfect colour to mimic my skin tone.

To create some definition to the eye and to create an uber subtle smokey eye I applied a dark brown eyeshadow to the outer corner of my crease and blended well.

Once I was happy with that I went in my a black gel eyeliner and lined my top lid. 
You can use Bobbi Brown's Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink. 
A stiff eyeliner brush will aid greatly in creating the PERFECT flick, however if you are not too great at this have some cotton buds and make up remover near by to clear up any mistakes!

Line the outer corner of your bottom lid with a brown eyeliner pencil to enhance the subtle smokey look. MAC Kohl Eyeliner in Teddy is perfect for this! 
Use a pencil brush to smoke it out a little bit. 

Add mascara, my current FAAAVVV is Lancome's Hynose Doll Eyes and then add your favourite flirty lashes and viola! 
Eyes complete! 
Simple right?!?

Now lips! 
You can go with a classic red lip but yawn!! 
Where's the fun in that?!

Let's go ombre!

Take a dark plum lip liner such as MAC's Night Moth or Vino and line your lips, focussing mostly on the outer corners of your mouth.
Then apply your lipstick and blend
I used MAC's Lipstick in Runaway Red but you can use Diva or M.A.C Red.
For an added pop, dab pink lipstick onto the center of your lips!

Once satisfied, tidy up neatly with your concealer and set your make up with your favourite finishing powder.

And there you have it! 
A simple but effective festive look perfect for all skin tones!

What do you think? 
Will you be trying this out for your xmas parties?
What would you substitute?



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