BLUSH // Everyday WoC Friendly Blushes

Blush is by far one of my favourite parts of makeup. 

The way it brings warmth to the face has always astounded me, I don't know what is it about them but I do love me some blush!

8

Fresh Faced

 

12

ELF Blogger Festival Makeup Challenge

I love ELF!

I think for everyday products and inexpensive brushes ELF is the place to go!

Some of my favourite products (Personal Blend foundation and the Contouring Blush and Bronzing powder) come from ELF, so when I was asked to participate in the ELF Blogger Festival Makeup Challenge I was genuinely excited!

The brief was to come up with a Festival Makeup Look using ELF products only.

I was sent the following to use for this challenge:

HD Mattifying Cream Foundation in Almond*

Tone Correcting Concealer in Toffee*

ELF Essential Little Black Beauty Book Eye Edition - Cool Edition*

Liquid Eyeliner in Black*

Regular & Waterproof Mascara Duo*

Baked Blush in Rich Rose*

All Over Colour Stick in Persimmon* 

ELF Jumbo Lip Gloss Stick in Tiki Torches*

Natural Lash Kit*

Nail Polish in Party Peach*

On top of these I used some ELF products I already owned, these were:

Studio Eyebrow Kit in Dark

High Definition Powder in Corrective Yellow

Wet Gloss Lash and Brow Clear Mascara

Maximum Coverage Concealer in Tan

Mineral Blush in Peachy

Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder in Turks and Caicos

Conditioning Lip Balm in Bombshell Brown

Mineral Eyeshadow in Natural

Shimmering Facial Whip in Golden Peach

Mist & Set Spray

I decided to go for more of the Bohemian look for my Festival Challenge.

So how do you go about getting this look?

Well, I'll tell ya!

Brows

Firstly, I started off eyebrows as I always start with brows.

I applied the wax from the brow kit and set with the brow section of the Wet Gloss Lash and Brow Clear mascara. Then went ahead and cleaned up as well as highlighted with my Full Coverage Concealer. I then applied the All Over Colour Stick onto my brow bone as a brow bone highlight.

Face

Next - the face. 

I applied the HD Mattifying Foundation with a damp beauty blender as well as the Tone Correcting Concealer under my eyes.

I then set my face as well as under my eyes with my High Definition Corrective Yellow Powder. 

I think glow when I think Festival (at least when you first arrive!) so to bring out a glow on my cheeks I went in with the All Over Colour Stick in Persimmon and topped this off with a bit of my Shimmering Facial Whip in Golden Peach.

I must bronze with EVERY look I do, I have to! For this look I used my favourite bronzer from the Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder duo. I use bronzer like a contour powder so I applied this to the hollows of my cheeks, temples and around the sides of my face. I also applied this down the sides of my nose as contour.

For blusher I didn't want to go too OTT as the eyes were very colourful so I used my Mineral Blush in Peachy lightly over the cheeks. I added more of the bronzer for warmth.

Eyes

I primed my eye with the Tone Correcting Concealer as well as my Full Coverage Concealer as they act as a good lightly coloured base to apply shadows onto.

I took the matte yellow from the ELF Little Black Beauty Book in Cool Edition and packed this onto my entire lid. To enhance the yellow, I packed on the golden yellow shade on top of the matte yellow shade previously applied.

I then took a fluffy brush (the ELF flawless concealer brush is perfect for this) and a bit of the orange matte shade in the book and placed this in my crease to act as a transitional colour as well as to blend out the harsh lines from the yellow shades.

After this I applied the moss green matte shade to my lower lash line and gently blended out.

I also took my Mineral Eyeshadow in Natural and applied this to my inner tear duct for brightness.

Next, eyeliner! 

I always seem to mess up liquid eyeliner so for precision I took the Liquid Eyeliner and applied this with an eyeliner brush instead of the brush provided as I am more used to applying eyeliner with a brush.

Afterwards tight line, this brings the look together, make sure to use waterproof cream/gel liner for this for staying powder. 

Lashes will accentuate this look perfectly, and the ELF Natural lashes would actually look fantastic with this look but alas, I cannot apply lashes to save my life so instead I went in with two coats of the waterproof side of the Mascara Duo and one coat on my bottom lashes. And with that eyes are festival ready!

Lips

Last but not least, lips.

I applied a good coating of the Tiki Torches Jumbo Lip Gloss, I then went over this with a bit of my Conditioning Lip Balm in Bombshell Brown and voila!

To make sure your makeup stays all day, don't forget to set with ELF's Mist & Set Spray.

Add some fun embellishments, paint your nails with Party Peach nail varnish, add a head chain and rings and you're ready to go!

To recreate this look visit ELF Cosmetics UK

Sending positive vibes and festival love to you all!

:)

11

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

My Bronzer Collection

The search for bronzers for Women of Colour can be a REAL LIFE STRUGGLE.

Bronzers were practically non existent to us (must be that WoC are so dark they must not need it...KMT) a few years ago. 

Ridiculous I know!

Thankfully with time and more awareness, a few brands (very few) have really stepped up and are starting to realise that even WoC need bronzer from time to time.

I've been on a search for bronzers suitable for WoC like myself for a long time, I've purchased more than a few duds (NYX, Seventeen, B. is for Beautiful) which are now collecting dust but I've also come across a few gems which I'm going to share with you today.

6

ELF Cosmetics Haul

It's no surprise that I love make up but what I love more than make up itself is good quality, inexpensive make up.
This can almost be a mythical notion; good quality make up at low prices, but I feel ELF always hold some hidden gems that many over look.

Last week ELF held one of their ever famous 50% off everything promos. This is normally when I log in and shop off ELF, not because I'm super cheap but because most of the products I choose, I'm trying for the first time.

I received my package yesterday and tried out all the products as soon as and I can safely say I am in LOVE with this ELF haul!

I'm seriously patting myself on the back as I type!

I picked up the following:

Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara
I picked this up as I really wanted something clear to help set my brows. I haven't used the mascara end but the brow end felt great. The gel felt sturdy enough (not too wet) and glided through my brows without fault, the brush also worked great on my brow shape.

Studio Makeup Mist & Set
This was a repurchase. 
Out of all the setting sprays I have used, this is by far my favourite. I would recommend it to all (except those of you with sensitive skin) great bottle for a bargain price!

 Daily Brush Cleaner
I had no interest in brush cleaners until I heard Shirley (Shirley's Wardrobe) talk about spot cleaning, on further investigation I realised this was what I was missing for so long, washing brushes is a hassle especially when using different shadows with one look. 
The Daily Brush Cleaner allows you to express wash as you go.
I was SUPER impressed with this, I sprayed it on my brush, gave it a wipe down and within a few minutes the brush was dry and free to use again!
I will definitely be repurchasing this beauty! 

Contouring Blush and Bronzer Powder in Turks and Caicos
I think I have found my new love!
If you're a regular reader of DOS you already know about my struggle to find bronzers suitable for WoC so I am forever weary of buying bronzers online.
I had previously bought the cream bronzer and blush from ELF and I was super disappointed however I gave them another go with the powder bronzer after seeing YouTubers use this and I'm glad I did!
I love this set! 
The bronzer is SOOO PIGMENTED and soft, it shows up so well on my skin tone, I can't describe how chuffed I am! I even swatched this next to my CoverGirl bronzer and found that the ELF bronzer was slightly softer and easier to apply as well as being super similar in colour! SCORE!
The blush is gorgeous! In the pan it looks like an icy shimmery pink but when applied to the skin it gives a gorgeous understated flush of colour to the cheeks! All this for £3.95 without a discount! Will definitely be repurchasing a-thank-you!

 Flawless Concealer Brush and Complexion Brush
I needed a good brush to blend out my concealer and this one proved perfect, it is fluffy and soft with spaced out bristles, from what I've seen this brush reminds me of the MAC 224 with just a little more surface area. I also used this to blend out my eye shadow and it did a great job. I don't have a brush like this so I'm very happy with it!
The complexion brush is soft and comfortable on the face, it is also slightly tapered which allows precision when applying things like bronzer or contour.
You can really get a lot of use out of this brush, I used this to apply my bronzer, blush and finishing powder too. 
Another fab brush added to my collection!

Mineral Foundation in Almond and Dark
I fell in love with the Personal Blend foundation but I found I was wasting the other two shades in the tub, I figured it would be more resourceful of me to buy the shades that I do use individually. This makes life easier for me as the tubs can be very tricky. This will allow me to custom blend my shade more effectively. I really love this foundation, it's light but great for every day wear!

Mineral Eye Shadow in Natural and Wild
I've already purchased one mineral eye shadow which was stunning, so I wanted to pick up a few more.
Natural is a iridescent light gold, gorgeous for highlighting the inner tear ducts, whilst Wild is a dark greyish brown with golden specks, perfect for a smoking out the eye lid but I did get a lot of fall out with Wild, I felt like fairy dust was being blown in my face!

Baked Eye Shadow in Dusk and Burnt Plum
The baked eye shadows were the only product I was slightly disappointed with.
I expected A LOT more pigmentation from them but managed only to get sheer coverage, however I did use them dry, ELF indicate on their site that colours appear more vibrant applied wet.
Dusk is a dark grey, as it was very sheer, I wouldn't really say it's a shimmer, more of a satin finish, Dusk would look good used to help blend out black eye shadows for a smokey look.
Burnt Plum is a gorgeous dark cranberry colour, I'm so gutted this wasn't more pigmented as I think it would look stunning on all skin tones. I will aim to see if the pay off gets better used with a damp brush, but once again, used dry, this gives off a sheen finish.

Maximum Coverage Concealer in Tan
For highlighting purposes only, unfortunately this is far too light for me to use as an under eye highlight (not yellow toned enough) however I can use this as an eye brow highlight.
The texture is creamy and actually quite light, in terms of maximum coverage, I'm not too sure as I mostly used this under my brows but will get a darker shade and let you guys know!

Lipstick in Fearless
Surprisingly a very moisturising red lipstick. 
This is more of a blue toned red so something that works well on my skin tone. It has great pigmentation especially since it's original price is £1.95 however it is not super pigmented. This is probably what I would call a 'work red' a suitable red to wear to work. 
For the price, I have no complaints at all!

All in all this haul cost me £26.70.
This was with the 50% discount and free shipping.
Without the above this haul would have cost £56.35 with shipping.

Below you can see me wearing the following from above:
Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara
Contouring Blush and Bronzer Powder in Turks and Caicos (I went heavy on the blush to show it's pigmentation, bronzer applied around the perimeter of my face as well as down the bridge of my nose to contour)
Mineral Eye Shadow in Natural (inner eye)
Baked Eye Shadow in Burnt Plum (over the lid and blended upwards)
Maximum Coverage Concealer in Tan (under the brow)

I am definitely a happy bunny!

What do you guys think of ELF Cosmetics?
What is your favourite ELF product?

14

Recommended Blushers For Dark Skin Tones

Hey gorgeous readers!

I'm very excited about this post!

I want DOS to be the place where WoC can go to get an insight into beauty products that they may want to add to their collection.

So I've decided to make a post for my blusher recommendations of WoC or women of deep skin tones. Now this may not appeal to all and these recommendations are certainly not the be all end all of blushers, but they are blushers that I own and love to wear regularly.

I'll be separating this collection of blushers into manageable sections by colour so feel free to scroll to the colour you are most attracted to!

Deep Purples

Inglot Freedom System Face Blush in 63

This blush is so hard to describe colour wise but if I had to put it into words I would say its a rich matte deep magenta with pink undertones.

It is super (and I mean SUPER) pigmented and ultra soft. 63 is particularly amazing for deep, rich chocolate tones to bring a flush of magenta to the cheeks.

A little really does go a long way with this blush but it is definitely a winner.

ELF HD Blush in  Showstopper 

ELF's HD blush in Showstopper is a deep matte aubergine purple once again fabulous for rich, deep skin tones.

This blush is perhaps the most pigmented blush I own, it took me a good few tries to work out how to use this successfully.

A pinpoint amount of product is all you need for both cheeks. 

Amazing value and long lasting, this is a great blush all round!

Bronze

Sleek Blush By 3 Palette -  Muscovado (middle blush)
A deep bronze blush with gold shimmer, this is the perfect blush for a night out, it brings warmth to the cheeks as well as a glow without overpowering with pigment. 
This is also a similar dupe to MAC's Format blush.

MAC Powder Blush in Format
One of the WoC go to MAC blushes, Format is my favourite blush to use on a night out, it has a dark rose undertone bringing warmth to the cheeks without making you look like a clown. 
The bronzey tones really help to give a sun kissed glow to the skin. Format really does compliment deeper skin tones, it's also beautifully pigmented and easy to apply and blend!

Sleek Blush in Honour (LE) Similar to Muscovado and/or Sunrise

Honour is a LE blush from the Sleek 2012 Collection (sorry guys) but wanted to show you guys how it looks, if you do not have Honour, you can find a similar dupe with Sleek's Sunrise and/or Muscovado.
Honour is a deep bronze/rose gold blush which goes on sooo smoothly to create a natural glow for the cheeks. Many say Sunrise is an exact dupe but I find Sunrise slightly more on the pinkish side. 
If this blush is a bit too dark for your skin tone you can use it as a mild bronzer instead.

Oranges

NYX Powder Blush in Cinnamon

One of my most affordable orange blushes. NYX Cinnamon is a matte bright orange blush, perfect for everyday wear.

Some may be afraid when I say orange on the cheeks but this is the PERFECT colour for creating a really subtle, healthy pop of colour to the cheeks for deeper skin tones.

I tend to wear Cinnamon in the day, I layer it over a slightly warmer blush, this way Cinnamon acts like a pop of colour to the center of my cheeks. The instant warmth it brings is fab!

NARS Blush Taj Mahal 

Probably one of my favourite blushes of all time!

Taj Mahal is an investment blush for me. NARS blushes do not come cheap but I knew I had to get Taj Mahal the first day I saw it swatched! 

Taj Mahal is a warm toned shimmery orange which works ever so amazingly well on deep and deep dark skin tones.

I normally use Taj Mahal when I'm going out due to the shimmer, my favourite way to apply it is over MAC's Format to give that pop of colour I was telling you about above, however this is also a fantastic blush to wear on it's own, perfect for that summer glow look!

Taj Mahal is amazingly pigmented and a little goes a long way, I absolutely love it, you can see me wearing Taj Mahal HERE.  

I cannot wait to add more NARS blushes to my collection...I'm already eyeing up Exhibit A

Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Excite

Another matte orange blush, Excite is more cooled toned compared to Taj Mahal but it has red undertones. This adds to it's pigmentation making it super bright which can be a bit frightening in the pan but fear not! Once applied to deeper skin tones, this blush blends out to the warmest of oranges, giving the skin a healthy flush of colour. Excite is soft and buttery on the skin and a little goes a long way, the picture above unfortunately does not do it justice, however for swatches you can see my review HERE.

Pinks, Peaches & Terracotta's

Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blushers in Dare and Glamour
Two very different pink based blushes but both easy to apply and amazingly long lasting. 
Dare is warm and deep on the skin, perfect for deeper skin tones as it eliminates any ashy-ness that cooler toned pink blushes can bring to deeper skin tones. The tiny flecks of shimmer make this a perfect blush to wear everyday for that subtle healthy glow.
If you would like to see how this looks on my skin tone click HERE

Glamour on the other hand looks like a WoC's nightmare and if I'm being honest I was gutted when I saw how pale it was in the bottle but this lil blush deceived me! Glamour is a matte warm terracotta pink (almost apricot) liquid blush perfect for everyday wear. As this is warm, it blends out to lend the perfect flush of pink to the cheeks on deep skin tones, however, if you are of a dark deep skin tone you may want to reach of Dare instead.

Milani Baked Blush in Terra Sole
I'm not sure whether this blush is discontinued, I hope not! I picked Terra Sole up from Beauty Joint last year and have not looked back since then. Not only are Milani blushes fantastic in price they are also really pigmented. Terra Sole is my "bronzing blush" and the blush I reserve for summer.
This matte terracotta blush has a slightly peachy undertone which is great for adding warmth without overdoing colour.
This is another great blush to use as a bronzer if you are of a lighter complexion. If you are a dark deep complexion you may want to avoid this blush, as it is matte, it may not provide any obvious pigmentation to the skin.
You can see how Terra Sole looks on my skin tone HERE

Inglot Face Blush in 41

My favourite everyday blush, this matte warm terracotta blush is perfect for WoC. It gives me a healthy natural looking flush of colour which sits well with my NC50 skin. This blush is very pigmented and soft and easy to blend. I find I do not need a lot of product on the brush when using this.

Sleek Blush in Sahara
The blush that all WoC need in their life! Affordable and super pigmented!
Now, I think the shade of Sahara may have changed over time and unfortunately it's not as orange as it used to be, it's now more of an orange terracotta but nevertheless I still love it!
Perfect for all WoC from olive skinned beauties to the richest cocoa of beauties, Sahara is essentially about layering until you get the effect you desire.
Applied lightly and you get the warmth you're looking for, for deeper skin tones feel free to go in with a heavy hand for a pop of colour on the cheeks, this is demonstrated fantastically by the ever so stunning Erica of Glamorous Gleam HERE.

ELF Mineral Blush in Peachy
One of my more affordable blushes.
When I first viewed it I was scared that it might be too ashy but blushes can be deceiving especially pink blushes. On applying this blush I was very impressed.
This is a warm peach toned pink blush with shimmer, perfect for the healthy glow look. This blush is super easy to blend and goes on smoothly, not as pigmented as some of the other blushes in this post but for £5.00 you can't really complain! 
This would be a fabulous blush for my olive skinned beauties!

NYX HD Studio Photogenic Grinding Blusher in Apricot
Last but not least the NYX HD Studio Blusher in Apricot.
I was initially sent this blush to review by the loves at NYX, this was a new product so I wasn't too sure of what to expect but when I did apply it I fell in love.
Apricot is a heavily pigmented matte peachy pink that creates that signature pink cheek that lighter skin tones ladies may achieve with other pink blushes on the market.
Apricot is also a warm pink meaning it works well as an everyday blush eliminating the frosty cheek look.
You can read my review of the Apricot HERE you can also see it in action via my YouTube tutorial HERE

Further blusher recommendations for deep skin tones:
NYX Cocoa Powder Blush
NYX Copper Powder Blush
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Mood Exposure
Sleek Flushed Blush
Sleek Blush by 3 in Pumpkin
MAC's Sweet As Cocoa Blush
MAC's Raizin Blush
Graftobian HD Blush in Autumn Breeze
Graftobian HD Blush in Cherry Glaze
La Femme Blushes
NARS Exhibit A Blush
NARS Dolce Vita Blush
Jordana Cinnamon Spice Powder Blush
Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blushers in Trip & Acid

30

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!

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