GETTING THE GLOW

It's safe to the the glow, THE glow, is something of popular culture nowadays. It seems that throughout an Instagram feed there is always mention of highlight and the absolute beauty of it. I've tried my fair share of highlighters, and I've finally found the glow getters that work for me. 

I've realised, it starts from the base. I use the Collection Reviving and Anti-Fatigue Illuminating Primer; which cost me something short of a fiver. I wasn't expecting much, but this really brightens my complexion and creates the perfect base for my foundation and concealer. This surprised me, and I'll definitely be purchasing again. Another option is to mix an illuminating product into your base, which I find really effective if you want to look naturally glowy. The Rimmel Wake Me Up one in Shimmering Sands, or the Dr Lewinns Skin Perfect Illuminiser both work really well at this instead of pinpoint highlighting because I find them slightly too intense alone, but really nice mixed. 

Sometimes it isn't just the highlight that can be glowing. Although I prefer matte bronzer and of course contour, a sheen for blush is sometimes rather pretty. A cream blush can do this pretty well, or if you want extra glow the Rimmel Wake Me Up Illuminator in Radiant Rose is a good bet. Not too sparkly, but just the right level of glow to add something extra to the cheeks. 

In terms of actual highlighting, I do love the one in the Sleek Contour Kit (not pictured, because I have literally used every single bit of mine), but I've also recently discovered two other options. The Benefit High Beam is a cult classic - and I have definitely understood why this is the case. The other is another recent release from Collection - the Speedy Highlighter. This one requires a little more blending because it is a 'stick' form, but the champagne glow it gives after the effort is completely worth it.

Although it seems my collection is already extensive enough, I desperately want to add more pretty highlight shades to my collection. Any recommendations?

CONCEALING FAVOURITES

Concealers can work wonders for the face, and I tend to rely on them pretty much every day for ensuring a (near) flawless looking complexion. Concealers have the ability to hide the worst of blemishes; if you know how to apply them properly. So, in a collaboration with my friends at Into the Gloss and checking out their Best Concealers post, I am here to share my favourites, tips and tricks.

I know most people seem to prefer high end concealers, but in my opinion if you know where to look you can find some gems among the high street instead (particularly good if you are a student and have a part time wage which is the opposite of generous). Usually, I go for the Collection Lasting Perfection for the skin, and heavy duty concealing. Using your fingers is probably the best option because it can look a bit more caked on with a brush. For quick touching up in the day I wouldn't go for this, I would probably pick the Bourjois Healthy Mix because I don't feel the need to powder this when I reapply.

There's always the old trick of buying a shade lighter for under your eyes, but I don't tend to do this. For me it seems to look a bit odd, but I think nowadays there are far better brightening options. The Rimmel Wake Me Up and the L'Oreal Lumi Magique seem to be pretty luminous and do a better job of brightening than a lighter shade probably will. The best way for me to do this is to apply a triangle sort of shape and use something like the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion makes it smooth to apply and tends to work the product into the skin far better. The key for under the eyes is to set it (very lightly) to avoid creasing, as well as avoiding a whole lot of layers - a  h u g e  mistake I used to make with stick concealers in my early teens and ended up looking like I had reptilian skin under my eyes.

Once you know how to start with concealing, it's pretty self explanatory and you'll find a routine good for you. There's plenty of posts over at Into the Gloss about concealers if you want to broaden your knowledge even further.

POISON IVY FT. GOLD RINGS

Inspired by Megan who has the best style you ever did see and seems to 'wake up, flawless' *sings*. I saw that she was sporting a deep green nail polish with gold rings at school one day, so I went and bought the supplies myself.

The rings are all a mix from H&M and cost me a fiver for the lot (although some are a little big so it's a bit hit and miss but I try), and the polishes are now my new favourite things in my nail collection.

The polish in question is Collection's Lasting Gel Nail Colour in Poison Ivy, a stunning deep black green that looks bloody brilliant on long nails, and only costs a mere £3.19 - I used my Boots Advantage Card to pay so I felt even better about the purchase. The topcoat was a TkMaxx gem in the form of Ciaté Speed Coat, a fast drying formula that leaves the nails shiny as ever. I used to be completely hooked on Essie Good To Go until it became unbearably thick and peeled my manicure off in a day, and this has taken it's spot right away. High shine, fast drying and long lasting finish. Need I say more? This was a tiny £3.99 from £11 so that bargain put a smile on my face.

I think the dark green shade has definitely overstepped my burgundy addiction from last year...

SHOE COLLECTION 2014 - THE BASICS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cfO-Ej9zCk (video widget wasn't working, sorry!)

Everyone loves shoes, so I thought 'why not put them on a strut around in front of a camera in my front garden and make a video?'. I was stumped for posts so I thought rather than forcing something out I'd give you all the chance to check out my new Youtube channel and hopefully gain a few subscribers from it.

By shoe collection is pretty condensed and small with just the staples and basics in there, so the video isn't all that interesting, but in the future I can see multiple minutes being added to the video as time goes on.

PRE-SPENDING BAN BEAUTY HAULING

Yesterday, I went shopping - bad idea, I know. But, in the next couple of weeks I am starting my spending ban in order to save for my trip to America in the next few months so that I can try out some of the beauty items from there, but of course I had to pick up a couple of things I could try out so I wasn't totally beauty purchase deprived up until I step into the airport (read: Duty Free).

I restocked on the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in the shades 1 Fair and 2 Cool Medium as I caught the sun a little recently and so I thought I could mix the two of these together to find a match. I also got a new Batiste for those bad hair days in the Floral & Flirty Blush scent.
Sticking with the hair products, I also thought I would give the VO5 Give Me Texture Dry Texturising Spray a whirl and on first impressions, I'm a little unsure - how do you use this product?

In the trusty Boots clearance I found the Botanics Face Brush which I plan to use occasionally to cleanse, and this was £2 anyway so I thought it'd be a good time to try it out. As well as this, I found the Soap and Glory Archery Brow Tint and Pencil in Brownie Points for £4 (after peeling back the sticker apparently it's expired but if it's unopened I don't see the issue - I'll report back), but this is something I have been wanting to try for a while now so when better than for when its selling for something short of a fiver.

In TkMaxx I found this Orly Nail Polish in Va Va Voom (a vibrant neon pink in which the picture just isn't doing it justice) but this was a bargainous £2.99 so I couldn't pass it up and I thought it'd be a good summer shade. Finally in Topshop I got these simple gold shape earrings in the sale for £2.50 and thought they would be nice to wear everyday.

What have you been buying recently, and what are your tips for saving money?

THE PRIMER COLLECTION

Using a primer is often a step that I miss out in my makeup routine, because I have struggled for a while now trying to find the perfect one, and sometimes I'm just too lazy. I do however have quite the compilation of primers so I thought I would categorize them and ramble.

BRIGHTENING: So, we all have dull skin days at times and on those of mine I quite enjoy the Bourjois Luminous Serum Primer, which doesn't have any shimmer in, but just seems to make the face look radiant. It really is glowy skin in a bottle, and although it doesn't help with longevity it is worth it for the glow.

SMOOTHING: Smoothing primers tend to be quite heavily silicon based at times so I do often experience breakouts after using them. The first is a love hate relationship primer; the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer, which is really smoothing, and keeps makeup on all day (I like to use it just on oily areas when I am using BB Cream or glowier bases), and I have just got back into using it so I will report back if I get any breakouts. I also have the Proactiv Smoothing Primer but I don't use it too often as it smooths but doesn't help with longevity all that much.

BRONZING: In the summer when you want to rack up the tan or in the winter when you are fed up of your pale skin, a bronzing primer is always a good'un to have in your stash. My personal favourite is the Bourjois Bronzing Primer which I also like to use over foundation around the outer areas of the face and on the cheekbones for an extra glow. I also like the Too Faced Primed and Poreless Tinted Primer as it is almost a mix of the Bourjois and Smashbox primers in one.

This post has actually inspired me to use my primers more often, we'll see how it goes tomorrow morning aye?

A PERFECTED COMPLEXION

I talk about my bad skin quite frequently on my blog, but all seems to be getting a little better, and hopefully after a recent prescription of some antibiotic treatments, things are looking good, which I thought was the perfect time to be showing what I use when my skin is looking better and how I achieve the perfect base.

Starting on the skincare front, I have started to branch out to more expensive brands because I feel like if your skin looks good, your makeup is almost guaranteed to look good as well. The Origins Clear Improvement Mask gets a use almost every Sunday, and although some people find it tight and drying, I love the effect it gives the next day when I wake up. The La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo [+] has been getting a lot of use from me as a corrective serum product and I have been seeing improvements.

A new love for me is the Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation, and although the colour is a touch too dark for me, I think with blending it looks pretty good because of its natural finish. Blended with the Real Techniques Buffing Brush, it gives such a lovely finish - somewhat dewy without the shine.

I have indeed rekindled my love with the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. In the winter this is a little drying but now the weather is slightly improving I am in love all over again. I think I could do with repurchasing this again, I'm struggling to get any product out. A slightly less heavy offering (but one that still brings coverage to the table) is the Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer, which has a satin finish and looks really natural on the skin.

For powder, I'm sure most of us hate the stuff because no-one likes a cake face, but I have discovered that using a light dusting of the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder with a the Contour Brush in precise areas just banishes the shine without looking flat.

What are your secrets to the perfect complexion?

2014 BEAUTY BASED RESOLUTIONS

Every blogger and their mothers have most certainly came up with a list of New Year's Resolutions which revolve around beauty related tasks, and the majority of them have posted about theirs. Today is my turn, in which I am discussing the 5 things I plan to do this year, and at the end of December I will be reviewing my progress.

#1: Buy New Storage
I have well and truly outgrown the current storage for my makeup, and I have already planned and started a spending ban which will be taking place in order for me to buy the IKEA Alex 9 Drawer Unit which I will be using to store all things beauty; hair care, skincare, makeup, and even a little body care. We'll see how the saving goes, as I'm sure a post will come shortly after if I manage to buy the cliche blogger chest of drawers.

#2: Buy a Cleansing Balm
Notice that the first 2 resolutions involve me spending money - oops. But, ever since I got into the blogging world, I have been lusting after the glorious invention which is the cleansing balm. And my goal is to jump onto that bandwagon this year, and really give my face some cleansing balm TLC. Whether I go for the Emma Hardie, the Clinique, or another brand offering, I hope to buy one which I will get on with well.

#3: Stay Hydrated
Now, I think this one is one most of the lists I have seen so far, but I think we could all work a little harder on how much we have to drink each day. I have been working on having as many glasses of water that I can during the day, and I definitely feel more hydrated by doing so. Lets see how long I can keep it up.

#4 Wear Lighter Coverage
This is the one that I am worried I won't keep up. I have bad skin, and so I love my Revlon Colorstay but I am trying to branch into lighter coverage, at least once a week. I just bought the Rimmel Match Perfection and at a first glance it is really nice, so we shall see how this goes. Maybe I will go for light coverage base, with a higher coverage concealer.

#5: Keep Up a Body Care Routine
Since all the Soap & Glory goodies arrived under my tree for me this Christmas, and then I somehow bought even more in the sales, I have been really enjoying taking the time to use a scrub a few days a week, and use a body butter/lotion daily. I want to keep this up throughout the year, as my skin is looking and feeling so much nicer after putting the effort in.

What are your beauty resolutions this year?

 

 

BEST 5 OF 2013: FACE

Yep, another set of awards for the top products of 2013. This time, I'm am giving you the low-down on all things face related, so that goes for base, concealer, blush, highlight, etc. etc. And, I will tell you now, base products are my weakness, so are lips, and eyes, and basically makeup in general - oops.

Revlon basically rocks my world when it comes to foundations and bases.The shades match my pale skin perfectly, and the formulas work pretty well where things get quite oily on my face, but don't get cakey on my drier cheeks *claps*. So, for the higher coverage option, Revlon Colorstay in Buff (Oily/Combo) is the bomb dot com, literally. This covers all my blemishes, redness, and scars (with a tiny bit of help from a concealer), but still looks natural, and is pretty flawless. Then, for the lighter offering, Revlon Nearly Naked in Vanilla is perfect. This still covers most things, more so simply blurs the skin, but looks radiant, without being shiny.

Then, onto concealer. Of course, the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair does it for me. Oh, how I wish this was the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer but my purse won't allow it, but for a mere £4.19, this covers everything. Sometimes people complain about it being cakey, and I have had some bad experiences, but on my combination skin, this just does so well at covering, and lasting all day. I have been through a good 3-4 of these in varying colours this year, and after buying the Bourjois offering, I think this one still wins that spot in my heart.

Blush. This was the year that I fell in love with cream blushes, and more so now that I own the Real Techniques Stippling Brush. This Topshop Cream Blush Duo in Up in The Air was purchased in the January sales last year, and I have been loving it all year through. The formula = perfect. The colours = perfect. The lasting power = perfect. What more can I say.

Finally, as you can see by the pan-hitting going on there, the Sleek Face Form in Light was obviously going to gain a spot in this post. The highlight and contour are the best parts of the palette, but the blush is lovey too. The contour is the perfect colour, so I'm getting any orange lines going on all up in my cheekbones, and the highlight adds the nicest pink/champagne glow you ever did see.

What were your favourite products of 2013?

 

PRIMARK'S CHUNKY PATENT BROGUES

Like them or loathe them, I have bought some new shoes. Patent esc. brogues to be precise. From Primark. I have been outfit planning for the Clothes Show Live 2013 (it is still a month until I go..), and I decided I needed a comfortable, chunky soled, closed up, shoe which would match with whatever I decided to pair them with - dresses, jeans, the lot.

I found these chunky looking ones in Primark, no shame - although there may be a little of it, as my entire outfit will probably be from Primark, at a rather big fashion event - wild. But, if I saw someone wearing these, I would most certainly think they were darn expensive, and not from anywhere near Primark - result. The best part? These bad boys were £12. WHAT?!

They don't make my feet look like canal boats, and they look smashing with jeans or dresses, and there was no staggering price. Although I will be sporting Primark based attire for the day, I will feel pretty good about it. I also bought the big, black oversized furry/fluffy/hairy cardigan they have out at the moment, and that will be getting an outing on the day too.

Love them or hate them, these could be up there to be my new favourite pair of shoes, and I haven't even worn them out yet.