POWDERS // BATTLE OF THE BANANA POWDERS

10

Favourite Beauty Products Of 2014 Pt 1 || Eyes, Palettes & Face

Although I have loved cosmetics for a while, 2014 seemed to be the year where I REALLY put time and effort into trialing and testing out new products for my makeup regime.

 Last year I published my Favourite Beauty Products of 2013, it'll be interesting to see who made the cut to 2014.

Just a word of warning, this is gonna be a long one (especially when it comes to face/base products) so brace yourself!

Once again I've broken this down into Eyes, Face, Lips with a few new additions to this year which are Palettes, Skin Care and Ones To Watch in 2015.

If you're a makeup lover like myself I'm sure you'll enjoy this post, so without further ado, let's get right to it!

     

0

Contour // My Go To Contour Powders

I use quite a few contour powders and over time I've grown to create a collection that works well for me and my skin tone and by request I'd be happy to share them with you guys!

10

Collective Beauty Haul // YSL, Ben Nye, Coastal Scents, NYX and more!

My long overdue collective haul video! Obviously I had a tonne more products I wanted to add (makeup junkie much?) but I didn't want to bore the life out of you guys! I hope you enjoy and stay tuned to the blog for posts about the items featured in this video! Much love! Natalie x

2

Summer Lush List

6

IMATS London 2014 Haul

6

Everyday Makeup - Natural Glow Tutorial

Hi loves!

I am now back on my YouTube game and I've filmed some videos for my YouTube channel!

The first video is a essentially my everyday make up look with added luminosity and 3 lipstick options, 2 for my loud lipstick lovers and one for my nude lip lovers!

See below for the video and full product list

FACE:

Steam Cream

Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer in SX13

ELF High Definition Powder in Colour Corrective Yellow

BECCA Luminous Skin Colour in Nuba

MAC Studio Fix Powder in NC50

Inglot AMC Pressed Powder in #60

Ben Nye MediaPRO Poudre Refill in Mojave Americano

ELF Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder in Turks and Caicos

Inglot Powder Blush in #41

MAC Mineralise Skin Finish in Gold Deposit

EYES:

Makeup Geek Gel Liner in Immortal

Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara

LIPS:

Option 1

MAC Cosmetics Flat Out Fabulous Lipstick

Option 2

MAC Cosmetics Heroine Lipstick

Option 3

LA Colors Lip Pencil in Dark Brown

KIKO Cosmetics Pencil Lip Gloss in 11

NYX Lipgloss in Miami Babe

8

Camera Ready Cosmetics Haul and Swatches

I've been hauling like a makeup fiend lately, don't ask me why!

I have a few more hauls coming up as well as a video but wanted to share these new buys as I'm really impressed with them.

A lot of these items are new buys; products I have never tried before so wanted to share my initial reviews of some of these hauls.

If you follow me on Instagram you would have already seen this small, relatively modest haul from a company called Camera Ready Cosmetics.

I came across Camera Ready Cosmetics after reading a comment left by a follower of another Instagram user stating that CRC hold samples of the infamous Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer.

I was happy to see that CRC actually sell samples to several different brands so I picked up a few samples as well as two full size products:

Sample of Ben Nye's Matte Foundation in Espresso Bean

Simply picked this up for contouring purposes, Espresso Bean is a very deep matte brown, suitable for very dark skin tones as a foundation and also perfect for contouring. 

If this was to be used as a foundation I imagine it would be amazing!

It's very pigmented and smooth, I really want to pick up some more samples in my skin tone. 

The fantastic thing about these foundations is the colour range, perfect for pale skin tones as well as women of colour. 

Fantastic in my opinion!

Ben Nye MediaPRO Poudre Refill in Mojave - Americano

I really want to pick up the Ben Nye MediaPRO Poudre Palette in Mojave, it looks like a great alternative to the Anastasia Contour Kit but for women of colour but I'm waiting until IMATS to do so, so before then I wanted to test out the palette so I picked up a full size refill of the darkest colour in the palette - Americano.

Americano is perfect for contouring on my skin tone.

It is a cool toned deep matte brown that applies very smoothly, I am in absolute love with this refill. 

The pigmentation is impressive!

I definitely want to get the full Mojave palette now.

La Femme Sparkle Dust in Antique Gold

I've been getting into pigments lately so I decided to pick up this La Femme pigment, mostly because it was so affordable. I picked Antique Gold which is really just a gold with deep brown bronze undertone. Not as finely milled as some of the other pigments I have tried but still a gorgeous colour. 

You can see me wearing this pigment HERE

Samples of Graftobian Hi-Def Glamour Creme Blush in Autumn Breeze and Cherry Glaze

I already own Graftobian's Hi-Def foundation palette which I really love so I decided to try another product from their palettes. 

The odd thing about these blushers is that although they come from the same palette they are both different in texture and appearance.

Autumn Breeze is a matte warm creamy peach blush which gives off a natural flush which isn't too overpowering whilst Cherry Glaze is as stated, a very, very sheer berry colour, slightly disappointing in pigmentation.

L-R Espresso, Americano, Antique Gold, Cherry Glaze, Autumn Breeze

I also picked up 3 samples of the 

Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer.

I decided to purchase SX11, SX12 ans SX13.

The samples are fantastic to use not just to test out the product but also because the Sensual Skin Enhancer is naturally ultra pigmented, these samples will last you a while! 

Each sample costs $4.99 (£2.98) which isn't too unreasonable at all in my opinion.

I've tested out all three and I can see why there is so much hype around this product, the pigmentation is outstanding!

 I've used SX13 on several occasions and I still have a considerable amount left.

The Sensual Skin Enhancer can be used as foundation however I have bought these shades for highlighting purposes only. 

SX11 being for obvious highlighting and SX12 and SX13 being for more subtle highlighting.

I will be working more with these products so that you can see the full effect on my skin tone but for now I've swatched all shades so you can get an idea of consistency and undertone.

L-R: SX11, SX12, SX13

All in all my order came up to $58.68 or £35 and some change, shipping included.

I am really impressed with Camera Ready Cosmetics, I didn't need to pay customs and the package was delivered within 4 working days.

They hold a huge range of PRO make up brands including Kett, MAQ pro and Mehron as well as more commercial brands such as OCC, Stila and Sugarpill.

If you want to try out new make up or even the Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer, I would definitely recommend checking out this site.

Camera Ready Cosmetics

Have you shopped from Camera Ready Cosmetics?

Have your tried the Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer? What do you think of it?

2

Valentines Day Look: Subtle Smoke

I'm back with another "easy to achieve" Valentine's Day look, if you have missed my other two you can find them HERE and HERE.

This time I guess you can say I've combined my previous two looks to get this subtle brown smokey eye with a ruby red lip.

Out of all the looks, I must admit, this may be my favourite, I love the combination of the subtle smokey eye with the bold red lip, but enough of me talking/typing, let's get onto how I created the look below!

Click To Enlarge

Brows

Same as always. 

I filled my brows in with a generic soft brown pencil, I then cleaned up the top of my brow with MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC50 and the bottom with MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC45 (the LA Girl Concealer's are also really great for this and a fraction of the price of the MAC concealers.)

Face

Here I used one of my absolute favourite foundations for natural flawless skin, the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation in 6.5 Warm Almond. I really love this foundation, it is light but it manages to conceal my pores to give the appearance of natural flawless skin (if you have oily skin you may want to avoid this base, it's a dewy finish, or at least prime beforehand.)

I buffed this well into the skin and then moved onto concealer, I didn't want anything too drastic concealer wise but I did want to conceal the dark marks under my eyes that make me look tired so I applied (with my finger) the Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer in SX13, this is more of a nude toned brown which helped to cancel out my discolouration fabulously. 
I also applied SX13 to my usual highlighting areas, this includes the bridge of my nose, philtrum and my chin. To set I used the brown beige eyeshadow from my JC Nadia 28 Neutral Palette. 

Blending is also very important when highlighting, this allows your highlight to look more natural as you are removing any harsh lines of demarkation. I use my Inglot AMC Pressed Powder in 60 to do this. This is a new buy that I am absolutely loving right now!
For blush I used my Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in Glamour, I really love how warming this is as a blush.
For highlight I used my MUA Eyeshadow in 28 which is a cool toned bronze eyeshadow, I applied this to the tops of my cheek bones and bridge of my nose as well as my philtrum. This brings attention of the right parts of your face.
I contoured using my favourite contour powder the Ben Nye MediaPRO Poudre Refill in Mojave Americano, which is an uber dark matte powder, perfect contour colour for ladies similar to my skin tone.
I then bronzed using my Inglot AMC Pressed Powder in 68, another new buy that I am absolutely loving! 

Eyes

Once again super simple.

Firstly I applied a shade similar to my skin tone to my eyelid, I used my Inglot AMC Pressed Powder in 60 to do this. If you have oily lids remember to prime with something like Too Faced Eye Shadow Insurance.

I then added some of my Inglot AMC Pressed Powder in 68 to my crease and the outer corners of my eyes. This powder is a rich reddish brown which is perfect for warming up the crease. I also added this just below my waterline and blended out for further definition.

I wanted more smoke so I went in with my Ben Nye MediaPRO Poudre Refill in Mojave Americano and applied this with a fluffy brush to the outer corners of my eye for more depth. All you need is a deep matte dark brown eyeshadow for this. MAC's Embark or the brown eyeshadow from the Wet N Wild Vanity Palette would work perfectly as well.

I then went in with a clean fluffy brush around the edges of the eyeshadow to get rid of any harsh lines, using some of your face powder will also help with this.

If you need to, at this point, go in a reapply more of your face powder to your lid.

I didn't use any eyeliner with this look but feel free to add some if this is what works for you!

Once I was happy I applied my trusty Maybelline The Falsies mascara to my top and bottom lashes. 

Feel free to add several coatings for amazing lashes or falsies!

Lips

I really wanted a different kind of red for this look, a deeper red so I applied one of my favourite alternative reds, MAC's Diva lipstick.

I love the look and longevity of this lipstick but for this look it was missing a little something, that something turned out to be NYX's Xtreme Lip Cream in Absolute Red, a gorgeous glossy deep red with fabulous colour pay off. 

I applied a thin layer and achieved the most gorgeous ruby red lip!

To finish off the look, I applied my MAC Blot Powder in Dark to take away some of the shine from my base and voila!

I hope you've enjoyed my ever so humble Valentine's Day looks and I hope you all have a fab Valentine's Day, single or not!

MWAH!

8

Valentines Day Look: Bronzed Glow

With Valentine's Day almost upon us I thought it would be good to create a few looks that you could wear on a date or a night out with your girls for all the single ladies up in hurr!

This is the second look I came up with (you can see the first HERE) this is a really subtle but effective look, here, instead of a bold red lip we're making the focus your natural glow.

Now, a natural glow can be hard to create especially if you're not an angel but fear not! 

With the right products it can be achieved!

Click To Enlarge

Brows 

I started off by filling in my brows with a generic soft dark brown pencil, I then set my brows with Maybelline's Brow Drama in Dark Brown. To clean up my brows I applied MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC50 at the top, NC45 at the bottom for a natural highlight.

Face

Start off with your favourite flawless finish foundation, mine is MAC's Studio Fix Fluid in NC50.  
Once buffed into the skin well, start highlighting. 
We want our highlight to be noticeable but in a good way, I would recommend going in with a full coverage concealer no more than 3 shades lighter than your skin tone. Here I am using the Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer in SX11, this concealer is great and really effective in creating a glow/highlight to the desired areas. I applied the SSE to my t-zone including my philtrum and my chin. I blended this in with a fluffly brush and then set it all with a light beige eyeshadow from my JC Paris 28 Neutral Palette.
I've found the key to a natural highlight in blending out harsh lines, I used my 

Inglot AMC Pressed Powder in 60 to blend out concealer as well as to set my face.

I also used my Ben Nye MediaPRO Poudre Refill in Mojave Americano to contour (my new favourite contour powder!)

I then went in with my Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Mood Exposure, this a great neutral plum toned blush with not too much shimmer, really subtle but gorgeous.

Afterwards for warmth and more of a glow I used my Inglot AMC Pressed Powder in 68 for bronzing around the perimeter of my face and my neck. For more highlighting I used Illamasqua's Powdered Metal in Ether along the same areas in which I used SSE.

Eyes

I started with MAC's Studio Finish Concealer in NC45 for a base. I then applied La Femme's Sparkle Dust in Antique Gold all over the lid (applied with a damp brush)

I used fluffy brushes to apply the Dark Brown and Black e/s from the JC Paris 28 Neutral Palette to smoke out the edges.

I always use Inglot 335 e/s  as a transitional shade, it's the perfect warm terracotta colour for my skin tone.

For a bit more shimmer I placed Inglot 406 e/s on the exact center of my eyelid lid using my finger for precision. This gives a 3-Dimensional effect when your eyes close, a little something extra that can help a lot with simple eyeshadow looks.

I wanted to keep this look soft so instead of a black liner I used a soft brown pencil in my waterline, I smudged this out with the brown e/s from the JC Paris 28 Neutral Palette paying more attention to the outer third of my eye for definition.

Next I applied several coats of my favourite mascara Maybelline The Falsies Waterproof Mascara in Black.

Lips

Lips are very simple!

I firstly started out with NYX Lip Pencil in Brown to outline my lips.

I then went in with the beautiful nude Milani Color Statement Lipstick in Dulce Caramelo, however this didn't really provide enough coverage for me so I went in on top of that with my Kiko Lip Gloss Pencil in 11.

I then applied my favourite lipgloss NYX's Miami Babe to warm up my nude lip.

Last but not least, I finished with my setting spray, the NYX Makeup Setting Spray in the matte finish.

And viola!

Done!

A wearable and relatively easy glowing skin look for Val's Day!

Your date is sure to be impressed!

MWAH...don't forget to send me one back, I don't have the lurgies...I promise!

6

Valentines Day Look: Ravishing Red

For my red lip ladies, I've created a simple and easy to wear red lip look for your Valentines date.

This look is perfect if you're not an eyeshadow wearer or a lashes wearer, all you need is your favourite red and a good liner.

For a full product list please look below!!

Click To Enlarge

Face

Start off with your favourite primer for makeup longevity and to banish those pores, I used the Tony Moly Egg Pore Silky Smooth Balm Primer. I then went in with my L'Oreal True Match Foundation in N8 Cappuccino which I buffed in well with a stippling brush, if you have dry skin feel free to use a foundation such as MAC's Face and Body or Make Up For Ever's Face and Body.

For subtle highlighting use a full coverage concealer one to two shades lighter than your skin tone. I firstly went in with my MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC45 to highlight the arch of my brow as well as underneath my eyes, I found that this was still a bit too understated so I then went in with Kevyn Aucoin's Sensual Skin Enhancer in SX12 which is about two shades lighter, just to perk up the colour. I set my concealer with a light beige eyeshadow from my 28 Neutral Eyeshadow palette.

I then buffed out the edges of my concealer to get rid of any harsh lines and went in with my Inglot AMC Pressed Powder in 60 to blend out any further harsh lines, I also used this to set my foundation as I like the matte look.

My contour which you cannot see (sorry guys, I'll work on that for next time) was a mixture of the Ben Nye HD Matte Foundation in Espresso Bean and the Ben Nye MediaPRO Poudre Refill in Mojave Americano to set(both amazing products!)

For my cheeks I didn't want a shimmery blush, just a natural flush so I used a  bit of the Graftobian HD Blush in Autumn Breeze and set that with NYX's Powder Blush in Cocoa.

For bronzer I used the Inglot AMC Pressed Powder in 68 (a fab rich reddish brown, PERFECT for bronzing)

Then to add a lil something extra I went in with my favourite highlighter on all of my key areas. I used MAC Gold Deposit on the area right above my brows, down the bridge of my nose, on my cupids bow, my philtrum and the tops of my cheek bones. 
Feel free to go liberal with this, obviously you don't want to look like a disco ball but a good quality highlighter will stop this from happening anyway.

Eyes

Very simple!

Simply prime your eye, I used a bit of my Inglot Pressed Powder in 60 for this and then go in with your favourite/most pigmented eye liner. Normally I love using my Make Up Geek Gel Liner in Immortal (all time fav) but for this look I wanted to switch it up. 
I used my L'Oreal Superliner Perfect Slim in Black Intense. I first drew my line across my lid, I then tipped my head back to find where I wanted my flick to go (dunno why, but this method just works for me) I drew in my flick and attached it to the line on my lid, if you make any mistakes (which I always do) go in with a cotton bud dipped in make up remover, this will give you the sharp edge you need as well as fix the angle of your flick if you plotted it out wrong.

Next go in with your favourite mascara, I started with Benefit's They're Real for drama and then went in with the Maybelline The Falsies for volume and more drama.

You can add lashes to this look if you wish but this look works well without lashes too boo boo! 

Lips

Then add your favourite red lipstick. 
I decided to change it up and use a lippie I don't wear very often, if at all. 

Here I'm wearing Rimmel's Kate lipstick in 107, however, I swiftly realised why I never reach for this colour, I'm not a big fan of this lipstick on it's own, it's shade isn't dramatic enough for me (I find it quite flat against my skin tone) so I oomphed it up with Illamasqua's Intense Lipgloss in Succubbus you can also use NYX's Xtreme Lip Cream in Absolute Red, a fabulous alternative and deeper in colour...

anddddd we are all done!

A simple statement eye and lip without going OTT for Val's Day, a look perfect for beginners that doesn't break the bank!

10

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

Vamptress

Hi guys!

I wanted to share with you this quick FOTD that I posted on my Instagram the other night.

I love experimenting with make up and this is what I was doing when I came out with this look.

Below is the product list:

Face: 

ELF Eyebrow Lifter and Filler in Ivory/Dark
Maybelline Brow Drama in Dark Brown
MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC50
NYX Concealer Jar in Orange
ELF Mineral Personal Blend Foundation in Dark (mixed with Ben Nye Topaz Powder) 
LA Girl Pro Concealer in Fawn
ELF High Definition in Yellow
MAC Studio Fix Powder in NC50
ELF Mineral Blush in Peachy
MAC Blush in Format
Guerlain Terracotta Bronzer in Ebony 08

Eyes:

MAC Studio Fix Powder in NC50
Makeup Geek Gel Eyeliner in Immortal
Benefit's They're Real Mascara
Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

Lips:

MAC Nightmoth Lip Liner
Coloured Raine Lipstick in Plum Fairy

Contacts:

Freshlook Colourblends in Grey


I really love everything about this look especially the lips, Nightmoth and Plum Fairy are near identical in colour giving you the perfect vampy lip!

I also used a few new products which have swiftly become some of my favouties including the ELF Mineral Personal Blend Foundation which is FANTASTIC and the gorgeous Guerlain bronzer that I have been lusting over for months now!

Reviews will be up shortly for both!

23

Base Face

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 

ELF's Makeup Mist & Set

(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