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?

SOAP AND GLORY GLOSS STICKS

Recently in Boots I was browsing the Soap and Glory stand and noticed that there were no longer the full size Sexy Mother Pucker balms and in their place were these Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Sticks in mini sizes and new shades and of course I couldn't resist, especially on a buy one get one half price I'm surprised I'm not writing about the whole collection. I don't know whether it was just my particular store that didn't hold both the full and mini sizes or whether the bigger ones are gone for good, but I thought I'd draw up a comparison post nonetheless.

I picked up Nudist and Pinkaboo, and I already have Nudist from the original formula, however this one is definitely a different shade entirely and does stick to a more brown/neutral nude rather than the peachy hue the original has. Pinkaboo is a medium pink and although nothing stand out, something I thought would become a staple in my collection.

I think what I've noticed with these in comparison to the original formula is that they are a little less thick. I often found the original to be quite heavy feeling and although it still stands as one of my favourite lip products, I do like that these are slightly more lightweight, and a little bit closer to a 'gloss' formula. These are now £3.50, and although you don't get quite as much product, I'm near enough yet to finish any of the lip products I own, so not only is this perfect for handbag size it also helps me get through it a little better than other ones I'd pay more for.

Generally, although there isn't too much difference to the original, I really like the concept of these and I'll be taking them on holiday with me in my carry on as they are just the best size. I especially love wearing these with a matte strong lip liner just to give more of a youthful appearance to my look, and I kind of want to pick up the rest of the range, in particular Purple Rain as it draws closer to dark lip season.

FOUR DIFFERENT NUDE LIPS

What? Surely a nude is just, well -  a nude? Apparently not, as I reel off the 4 different types of nudes that rule my collection.

The Brown Nude - Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick in Coffee Craze. I hadn't tried out the brown-nude trend until very recently, because it did quite scare me. This Maybelline offering is a nice introductory option as it isn't super dark, and it is quite cool toned too. I have to be slightly more careful with this when pairing it will a full makeup look as I can sometimes tend to look washed out but it's pretty manageable.

The Orange Nude - Kiko Smart Lipstick in 901. This was my go-to nude for a good few months at the start of the year and a recent rediscovery for me too. It is basically a nude with a slighty peachy/orange tinge to it so nothing too dramatic, but I really love this one with my skin tone. This might be my favourite formula of the bunch too.

The Pale Nude - Natural Collection Sheer Natural Lipstick in Autumn Sunset. This was actually one of the first products I can actually remember buying for myself, and it's gone through multiple melt repairs, but it is a sheer, balmy, slightly paler peachy pink nude which is super pretty and subtle for those only just starting out with lipsticks - hence why it was one of my first buys.

The Purple Nude - Essence Long Lasting Lipstick in Cool Nude. This one is another more recent addition, and is quite the Kylie Jenner shade in my opinion. It is quite dark and intense, and also has a cool pink/tint of purple tone to it, which I really quite enjoy, and it works really well with a very simple matte eye and a slick of liner.

4 nudes, 4 different ways to wear them. Who wants to bet on how many more I'll be adding to the collection?

KIKO SMART LIPSTICKS

KIKO is a brand I don't own very much from, as I don't live in London, and I often don't want to make a full on order online, so KIKO products are very few and far between my ever growing makeup collection. I do own three of the Smart Lipsticks though, and I do love them.

The formula is quite creamy, and by no means matte on the lips, so not majorly long lasting, although for a slightly sheen-y product they do have pretty good staying power. I seem to have accumulated colours across the spectrum, and I'm fairly sure they are cheap (I'm talking around the £3 mark from what I remember).

908 is the true red, and surprisingly one of the only reds I have ever found to suit me. It's so so pigmented, and one coat has the lips ready to go almost, and I think the fact that it's slightly more glossy than a matte means I find it a little less 'bold' if you will.

912 is a medium pink, that has a slight red tone to it, so it isn't anything fuchsia here, and is one of the first bold lip colours I actually felt comfortable wearing. I'll also add, these smell pretty good, as I find a lot of lipsticks to smell too plasticy, whereas these are slightly sweet.

Finally 901, that I'd describe as a brown nude that is slightly peachy (quite a throwback shade I guess) and I really enjoy wearing this one on a daily basis, as the consistency and the colour is so wearable.

I hope to grow my collection of the KIKO Smart Lipsticks, but I don't know where to start! Do you have any colours from the collection?

KYLIE JENNER ESQUE LIPS #2

Whether Kylie's lips are a thing of the past or a still circulating in the media, the Jenner sister's lips are a long lasting favourite to me. I did one post a while back on my recreation of the overdrawn, brown-pink nude lip and it still stands as my post popular post, and you can view that here. It focused on high end products, and the lip liner is now a stub and I've lost the lipstick, so I've been searching for a drugstore alternative for quite some time now, and I think I've got it.

While at the Essence counter I was overwhelmed by the cheap pricing, as well as the range of products, and began to hunt through the lip products immediately (I also got a rather good liner pen). The first is the Lipliner in 11 In The Nude, a creamy yet matte liner that is not drying but long lasting. The best part? It cost £1.00 and is pretty much the Kylie Jenner lip shade, I recon you could rock this alone and have the look nailed for a quid.

For a lipstick, this isn't as matte as I wanted but it isn't glossy by any means, and is the shade 05 Cool Nude - rather self explanatory in colour. I think alone is is slightly too pink for the Kylie look, but because the lip liner is quite brown it seems to level out and give a pretty good colour.

I can tell this is going to be my new lip combination for everyday wear, and it's such a universal look it goes with pretty much any look.

TODAY'S FACE #3 - A SWITCH UP

Dr Lewinns Anti Ageing Primer / Dr Lewinns Illuminator / Rimmel Matte BB Cream / Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer / Rimmel Stay Matte Powder / ELF Pebble Eyeshadow / Soap and Glory Archery / Avon Eye Primer / Nars Laguna Bronzer (all over lids) / Milani Glimmer Stripes Honey Shimmer (inner lid) / Urban Decay Half Baked (lower lashline) / Stila Smudge Stick in Moray / Benefit They're Real / Sleek Face Form / Gosh Soft n Shine Lip Balm in Barbie

Last weekend I was certainly feeling experimental in the makeup department as I found myself applying a look I'd never tried nor considered in the past, after a root around in my Ikea Alex drawers and discovered a couple of disregarded products.

I actually really liked the khaki liner alongside the strong gold on the lower lashline. The skin was left pretty natural and I tried the Rimmel Matte BB Cream as I had a mini from somewhere lying around but it was actually rather nice, and wasn't what I would call 'matte' just less dewy than other BB Creams that tend to slide off my face anyway.

I'm rather glad I've been a bit more inventive with my makeup recently and I definitely will be trialling a few more looks that if they fit the standard will probably be making an appearance in this 'today's face' series.

ORLY VA VA VOOM

I think it's safe to say that in the summer, a lot of us enjoy a neon nail colour, whether just on the toes or the fingers as well, for that poolside looking pop of colour. When in TkMaxx recently I stumbled across the Orly Nail Lacquer in Va Va Voom for £2.99 and didn't even have to question whether or not to buy it.

It is a neon medium pink, as the picture would suggest, but isn't the most strikingly neon polish I have ever seen, so good for those who are undecided on the neon trend, but beware, it still it pretty bright. It has a semi matte finish as do the majority of neons do but with a topcoat you can't tell any difference (I find the slightly blue toned Ciaté Black Light Top Coat does the best job as it adds an intense glossy shine and the hint of blueness makes things look even more neon).

I can tell in Summers to come this will be a much loved polish in my collection, and will help me step away from the greige and pastel offerings I had been opting for beforehand...

EXPERIMENTAL EYES #2 - PINK AND GOLD

You might remember my first installment of 'experimental eyes' and today I'm here with part two, which is a bit more wearable and is a soft, almost quite romantic pink and gold look. I will add that my brows were not looking on point on the day and I can't help but gawp at them instead of focusing on the shadow, so apologies.

I started by using the Avon Eye Primer as per usual, and then took Shade 2 from the MUA Undressed Palette (a budget friendly look today) on the inner half of the lid to create a slightly pink sheen. Shade 4 (a pale brown/taupe shimmer) went over the rest of the lid with Shade 6 (quite comparable to Half Baked by Urban Decay) in the centre of the lid to add that golden sheen.

For the pink crease I began with Shade 5 as a warm matte brown base, and then took Crochet from the Sleek Lace Blush By Three, along with the pink from the H&M Spring Flowers Blush to transition it as it was a bit lighter in colour. I don't own any pink shadows so it's all about working with the products you own whether that be blushes, bronzers or something else. As usual I blended the outer edge with a touch of the Sleek Contour colour to give it a warm, seamless look and is pretty much foolproof.

I used the Barry M Blink Pen Liner to create a wing slightly less dramatic than shown in the previous look, but still fairly noticeable. I also used the same array of mascaras as the previous look, Soap and Glory Thick & Fast, followed by Sheercover Lash Fibres, then Too Faced Lashgasm - a bit of a creature of habit it seems (or maybe not considering I just put pink on my eyes). 

MINIMALIST BLUSH PART 2

You may remember a while back I did a post on 'Minimalist Blush', where I featured two of my natural blush picks that I can sweep on, on a daily basis. Today it's time for part two, focusing on the extremely natural, almost nude shades which are both relatively new to my routine (well, the L'Oreal offering actually belongs to my mum, but I'll be borrowing it rather frequently).

Both blushes are actually designed for pale skin which is a huge plus for me as it doesn't seem I will be tanning all that much this year. The same as last time, there is a cream, and a powder offering to suit either end of the spectrum blush-wise.

For a cream, it's Billion Dollar Babies by Dainty Doll, a heavily brown toned pink which I can almost get away with as a blush/contour in one by applying it a little lower than usual and blending a little, which makes it even more minimalist for the rushed mornings I generally face.

For powder, the offering is in the form of the L'Oreal Le Blush in 125 Rose Nude/Nude Pink and although the texture isn't the best I've tried of cream blushes it is a stunning natural nude pink colour that stays put for hours - I went out in the morning and when I came home early afternoon my foundation was starting to fade and go patchy around the nose etc., but this blush was still standing strong on my cheeks, making it an instant winner.

I think I will be making this 'Minimalist Blush' thing more regular if I manage to seek out some more offerings from the high street, as everyone loves budget - leave suggestions below if you have any...

MINIMALIST BLUSH

When it comes to the spring, I either go to the bright blushes (which I already posted about here), or the natural looking, barely there shades that I can sweep on in a matter of seconds, and those are what I'll be sharing today, featuring an old favourite and a new addition.

The golden oldie is the Dainty Doll Cream Blush in Paper Roses, a pale pink with a hint of silver shimmer, and whenever I slap this one on my cheeks (read: gently tap on and blend with a brush), I always seem to get compliments and questions on my cheek colour, which makes this one an instant winner.

The new love is the Rimmel Mono Blush in Santa Rose, which is slightly more peachy so is less noticeable on the cheeks. This is a firm blogger favourite, and I can tell why. Its slightly shimmery, natural toned, and adds a light flush to the cheeks, and using the contour brush to just focus is on certain areas of the cheeks is my way to go about using this one.

2 blushes, 2 brushes, and the perfect no frills cheeks...

ON WEDNESDAYS WE WEAR PINK

Catch the Mean Girls reference there? 10 points to you. Recently I have been standing at my Muji drawers (soon to be an Ikea Alex - I am very excited) and staring at all things pink; perfumes, lips, nails, and even a brush. Am I going a little cray? I think so. But today I shall be sharing the love for the pretty shade and going through my picks from the categories.

Lips: The newest addition is the Kiko Smart Lipstick in 912. As soon as I set eyes on this I instantly thought that it was a possible dupe of MAC Impassioned and if so, that is another to add to my MAC Lipstick wishlist. For something a little more balmy, I always opt for the Revlon Lip Butter in Sweet Tart which is the colour that really got me into wearing pinks. Another offering is the Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Oxford Street Fuchsia which doesn't suit me all that well but the formula is amazing.

Cheeks: For a powder offering, the Stila Positively Pink Cheek Palette has recently made its way into my collection, at from a first impressions point of view, it is gorgeous, and I can't wait to use this more often. For a cream blush, the MUA Blush Perfection Cream Blusher in Bittersweet is a great one for a budget offering, coming in at only £2 a pop, so I assume more of these will soon enter my collection.

Nails: I rarely sport a pink polish because not many suit me, but these 3 are some of my favourites. Ciaté Candy Floss is a gorgeous bubblegum pink colour, and after I went through a similar Gosh one entirely, this is the next best thing, and I own 2 of them. On the theme of Gosh, we have Flamingo, a bright medium pink colour, which I adore as it reminds me of summer. Finally, we have Rimmel Strawberry Fizz which is another medium pink colour which looks pretty good on toes as well as fingers.

Miscellaneous: So, I couldn't write a post about pink products without including the Real Techniques Stippling Brush which is the perfect blush-buffer, foundation's best friend, and an all round multitasker and my face appreciates it greatly. Then for fragrance I have this mini of the Ted Baker Woman Pink scent, and I love this at the moment, as it smells exactly like the general Soap and Glory scent, and I adore that.

So, I have been thinking pink recently, and it probably won't be stopping for a while.
What colour is on your mind beauty-wise?

RIMMEL WAKE ME UP INSTANT RADIANCE SHIMMER TOUCHES

Since the whole 'radiant glow' thing has become really popular this past year or two, I have been subtly been jumping on the bandwagon, what with my combination skin in tow. 

I have been seeing these Rimmel Wake Me Up Instant Radiance Shimmer Touch products for a while, and after the rest of the Wake Me Up range has been getting some serious hype, I thought it would be a good idea to give these a go. I wasn't too sure about getting these, so when I spotted them each in a Poundland, it is the perfect time to trial them. 

The 2 shades available are Shimmering Sand and Radiant Rose, none of which I use as a highlight, as they are just far too dark. I use Radiant Rose as a glowy, pale blush colour when I am feeling adventurous, and some people think it's crazy, but I love the way it looks on my skin tone. 

Shimmering Sand is the anomaly of them, as I don't really know what to do with it. If you have darker skin, this would look stunning on the cheekbones as a highlight, but unfortunately for me it's just too dark. The main way I get use out of this is to either blend it in with some foundation, to create a really glowy base, or sometimes I apply it very, very lightly over the whole area of my cheeks and blend it well with a brush I used for foundation (the Real Techniques Buffing Brush that would be), and it adds a pretty subtle golden glow. 

A nice way of adding glow, without the disco-ball aftermath. If you see these in a Pound Store, throw them onto the till and give them a go yourself...