Autumnal Make-up

If you read my recent Autumn Wishlist post, you'll know that I am very excited for Autumn this year.. In fact, I'm now so ready for Autumn that I've even found myself a little annoyed by the warmer weather we've been having here in the UK..  *You had your chance Summer.. now it's time for the cold!*. 

So before heading off on a recent shopping trip, I couldn't resist the opportunity to fully indulge in my latest love & go for a full Autumn make-up look (& write a post all about it too.. of course).

Add a floppy hat for extra autumnal feelings

What I'm Wearing: 

Foundation - MAC Studio Sculpt [x]

Under-eye Concealer - Rimmel Wake Me Up [x]

Blemish Concealer - Collection Lasting Perfection [x]

Setting Powder - Rimmel Stay Matte [x]

Bronzer - Rimmel Natural Bronzer [x]

Mascara - Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express  [x]

Eye-Brows - Soap & Glory Archery [x]

Lipstick - Make-up Revolution "Rebel With A Cause" [x]

(I couldn't find the exact shade, so have linked one similar)

In my opinion nothing screams Autumn/Winter make-up more than a dark lip.. whether it be a deep red, purple or brown. One of my current favourites when wearing a dark lip has to be this deep purple shade from Make-up Revolution. Plus  - at the bargain price of £1.00 - they're the perfect product for experimenting with different shades.

I can't wait for the chillier weather to make an appearance again so I can complete this look by teaming it with cosy jumpers & oversized scarves.

If you have any autumn/winter make-up staples, let me know in the comments.
I'm always looking for an excuse to try new products.
xxx

Goodbye Summer - FOTD

Now that we're saying goodbye to summer & heading towards autumn it's the perfect time to start bringing out those darker autumnal shades. 

Don't get me wrong, I think the bright pinks & corals that dominate the summer months are gorgeous.. but there's just something about the wintery dark reds & purples that I love...These shades have definitely started to make an appearance within my make-up routine so whilst I was getting ready a few days back I thought I'd put together a little Face Of The Day showing a slight transition towards an autumn/winter look. 

Products: 
Foundation: Rimmel's Lasting Finish 25 Hour Nude [x]  Concealer: Collection Lasting Perfection [x] Setting Powder: Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder [x] Bronzer: Rimmel's Natural Bronzer [x] Blusher: Sleek's Face Form Palette (shade: Light) [x] Eye-Shadow: Barry M Natural Glow Palette [x]
Mascara: Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express [x] Eye-Brows: MUA Pro-Brow Kit (shade: Fair-Medium) [x] Lipstick: Rimmel & Kate Moss in shade 08 [x]
As you can tell this look is in no way dramatic as instead I've opted for a slightly dark pink lip along with a faint brown eye look... Although it's safe to say that I can't wait to start bringing out my dark lipsticks ready for the cold months ahead! 
What are your current favourite autumn/winter make-up items?

Weekend Getaway: Make-up Essentials

If there's one thing I'm awful at, it's packing lightly. Even if I'm popping away over night, I will always be the one who brings a tonne of items that simply aren't needed *Yes, it's spa break.. but I'd really better pack my trainers.. just to be on the safe side...*. 

Unfortunately I also struggle to pack lightly when it comes to my make-up bag.. How can anyone be expected to decide in advance which lipsticks to wear or which foundation will be best?

However after a few weekend trips visiting family/friends (& finally realising that I just cannot carry the majority of make-up at all times) I've finally managed to narrow down my choices to - what I think - are the essentials for a few days away.

Moisturiser:

Olay Essentials Complete Care Day Fluid [x]
Base:

Rimmel Lasting Perfection 25 Hour Nude Foundation [x]

Real Techniques Stippling Brush [x]

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer [x]

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder [x]

New Look Kabuki Brush [x]

Bronzer: 

Rimmel Natural Bronzer [x]

Front Cover Cheek Brush [x]

(I can't seem to find this brush online so have linked one similar)

Mascara: 

Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express Mascara [x]

Eyebrows: 

Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil [x]

Lips: 

The Body Shop - Born Lippy Lip Balm [x]

Kate Moss for Rimmel Lipstick in shade 08 [x]

Make-up Revolution Lipstick in shade "Rebel With Cause" [x]

As you can see, I've kept the main base of my choices pretty neutral. This way the products - such as foundation, mascara & bronzer - can easily be used for both day & evening looks. I've also included one neutral day-time lipstick (Rimmel & Kate Moss in shade 08) along with Make-up Revolution's "Rebel With Cause - a deep purple shade - to add a little extra something for any evenings out. 

Obviously if I was going away for longer than a few days I'd include more items - a red/pink lipstick & an eye-shadow pallet for example - but I find this to be the perfect combination of products for a few days away.

What are your make-up essentials for a few days away?

Maybelline The Falsies - Review

In my opinion mascara is one the most import parts of a make-up routine. It offers a quick & simple solution for anyone who struggles with early starts by opening up the eye & successfully making me look that little bit more awake.. perfect for a long day in the office.

However mascara really isnt a product I'm ever overly adventurous with The fear of wasting money & being left with a product that can't be used leaves me returning to the same products over & over.

Whilst there's nothing wrong with having a staple product - in fact it's great to have something tried & tested to fall back on - it can become a little boring. So, whilst recently browsing the make-up section I decided to bite the bullet & give a new product a try in the hope of finding a new favourite.. This turned out to be Maybelline's The Falsies - Volum' Express..  (P.s, I know, I'm wild).

A few key points: 

• Packaging: I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but I'd be lying if I said the packaging for this product didn't catch my eye at least a little. I love the bright pink colour & black lace detailing around the lid is - in my opinion - a gorgeous touch. 
• Wand: I'll admit, when I first tried this mascara I couldn't get on with this wand. It caused my eyelashes to clump together & felt like a huge disappointment.. But oh wait.. what's that? I've been using it wrong.. after following the simple instructions on the packaging I realised I'd been holding the wand upside down. As you can see from the photo above the curve in the wand is designed to go with the natural curve of your eyelashes.. Since realising this, I find the wand catches & separates my eyelashes perfectly.. however if you prefer a plastic wand, this may not be for you! 
• Price: At £7.99 there are cheaper mascaras available, but by no means is this an expensive product. Personally I feel this is a very reasonable price for the quality of the product. 
• Eyelash appearance: As someone who doesn't wear false eyelashes I really can't comment on whether this mascara really produces a "false lash" look,but after applying it in the morning I'm always happy with how well it catches even the smallest eyelashes & *after a few coats* adds a the perfect amount of length/colour for me.

As you can probably tell from the points above, It's safe to say that I've been pleasantly surprised by this product. I think for the reasonableness of the price this is a great product that really does offer near everything I've been looking for in a mascara. 

What's your current favourite mascara? 

xxx

A Summer Make-up Look

Over the past few days here in England summer has finally started to make an appearance. We've been treated to some gloriously sunny days & only a few rainy showers.. *anyone living within the UK will know this is pretty much as good as it gets summer-wise for us*.

Now I adore summer so as soon as the sun makes an appearance I can't wait to throw on something a little more revealing *tut tut & get my pale & pasty skin some much needed sunshine! However one thing that can be difficult in the summer is finding the right make-up look. One that offers some sort of "made-up" look but doesn't leave your skin feeling weighed down & even hotter. Plus, who wants to spend all that time applying make-up for it to simply melt off within an hour?!

I'm 100% not "wears make-up to the beach" kind of girl, but if I'm out & about throughout the summer months I do like to add a little something to my skin to cover up and redness and/or blemishes.

Here's an example of one of the looks I'm currently loving whilst the weather is on the warm side...

Products used: 

Foundation: Rimmel's Matte BB Cream [x]

Powder: Rimmel's Stay Matte Pressed Powder [x]

Bronzer: Rimmel's Sun Shimmer Bronzing Powder [x]

Brows: Rimmel's Professional Eye-brow Pencil [x]

Mascara: Maybelline Falsies [x]

Lip balm: The Body Shop's Born Lippy Balm [x]

Lipstick: Tophsop's Lipstick in shade "Falling Fast". 

(I can't find this exact shade on the Topshop website, however

you can find a very similar shade here)

Although a few of the items above I'd use all year round - the mascara & brow-pencil for example - I find that switching out my usual foundation for a BB cream allows for coverage without feeling to heavy on my skin.. which is a huge advantage on a warm day.

I've only applied a very faint layer of lipstick here - just enough to add a tiny pop of colour to my otherwise neutral look... but obviously a full layer can be added for something a little more vibrant.

What are your summer make-up essentials? 

xxx