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?

TODAY'S FACE #2 - ALL MATTE

Rimmel Match Perfection / Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer / ELF Pebble Shadow / MUA Brow Pencil (Blonde) / NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil (Milk) / MAC Malt Shadow / Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Colour Shadow (Truffle) / Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Gel Liner Trio for Brown Eyes (Brown Shade) / Avon Glimmerstick (Blackest Black) / Benefit They're Real / Proactiv Pressed Powder / Sleek Blush (Crochet) / NYC Sunny Bronzer / Soap and Glory Eyeshadow in Vanilla ( - highlight) / Too Faced Perfect Lips Perfect Nude Lip Liner

The other day, I was feeling a simple, matte almost Kylie Jenner inspired face, and so I got to work and had a root around my stash and I was really happy with the finished look, and it's a little odd but I think the blue shirt (post here) and the lightly curled hair really complemented the look too. I liked the brown gel liner as it made things seem less harsh, and surprisingly it actually turned out decent looking, and being someone who swears by a felt tip application that is an achievement.

I don't usually go for a full out matte look because I think it looks rather flat on my face but I really liked the lip colour against the bronzed skin, and it has almost a grey tone to it which I really like. This lip liner really is perfect as the name suggests and is a daily go to. I would have paired it with MAC Faux Lipstick but I've lost it somewhere *sobs*. I really like the simple eyes and I really recommend MAC Malt for either a transition colour or a natural all over the lid shade.

What look have you been wearing this week?

BROW PRODUCT ADDITIONS

Slowly but surely, I am coming to terms with achieving my desired brow. In the past, I've had brows that were non existent from the halfway point, and since the likes of Cara, the whole 'strong brow game' thing has been getting me a little jealous. Although my brows are now a nice thicker shape, I do like to recruit a few products to help me out along the way.

A couple of weeks ago, I picked up the Soap & Glory Archery Brow Tint and Precision Shaping Pencil in the shade Brownie Points. I have unusually coloured brows, and everything out there seems to be too dark or too light, and so although this may be a touch too dark, with the right combing and balancing, it looks pretty good. The pencil is a nice waxy consistency, and the fine pen allows you to mimic the effect of real hairs where you need extra oomph.

The new kid on the block is the Rimmel Brow This Way Brow Styling Gel. Now, it does a great job at tinting and setting, but I would say the brush on this is a little to big for my liking. I was expecting something more in the style of the Benefit Gimmie Brow, so you just have to be extra careful with your application. I bought the shade Medium Brown as blond was way too fair for me, but this is quite warm toned and so when I put this on the first time I was pretty shocked. I would suggest scraping a lot of product off the brush, then going in lightly, and if you are looking for an ashy gel, you might want to find something else.

A SUMMER FAUX GLOW

As much as I would love naturally radiant skin, it is often pretty dull and the only sheen I get is when I haven't powdered my face for hours and things are getting a little oily. That's why I seek the companionship of many products in order to amp up the glow in the summer.

Upon purchase, I was never really a fan of the Rimmel Wake Me Up Instant Shimmer Touches, but occasionally I like Radiant Rose on the cheeks as a pink hint of shimmery tint, or Shimmering Sand mixed in with foundation for some serious glow. These don't get used often, but they definitely don't go unnoticed.

A luminous primer was lacking in my makeup collection until I got the Bourjois Luminous Serum Primer a while back. There is no shimmer in this, but it just seems to add a glow without it, and I had a patch of forgetting about this guy but every time I reach for it again I start to use it again and realise why I loved it to begin with.

It's not just makeup that can help your glow out, it all starts with the skincare you use. I have managed to find a duo that gives me the glow without endless steps and more of an overnight glow-giver. The Balance Me Radiance Face Oil* is one I like to slap on in the evening, leave to soak in and  wake up in the morning with a complexion that looks radiant and blurred in tow and literally took me a minute to achieve.
In the same way the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask is another one step overnight fix that leaves you with plumped, glowing skin and the peach/apricot scent makes me literally want to eat it (Don't worry, I won't).

I look forward to finding more radiance enhancing gems in the drugstore in the upcoming months, and leave you recommendations in the comments too...

THE MINT GREEN LOVE

I think the first time I ever fell in love with a nail polish was when GOSH Miss Minty* dropped through my letter box back in the days when I had my nail blog. I wore it almost every time I painted my nails, and due to that I needed a replacement as this one was getting a little gloopy.

The one I love the most, and is a new love is the Barry M Gelly Hi Shine in Sugar Apple, one from their latest pastel collection for Spring. It's the perfect mint, not too blue, not too green, and the glossy finish wins it for me. Definitely one to add to your shopping list.

One which I forgot about until having a hunt through my (overflowing) nail polish drawer was the Rimmel Salon Pro Lycra in Peppermint. This one is a little darker than the rest, but nothing to stop it fitting in the mint category. Also, the brush on this one is great, just a swipe over each nail is all you need, and only a couple of coats.

Last but not least is Ciaté Pepperminty, which is slightly more green than the rest, but nothing dramatic. I quite like the finish of this one too, as it doesn't seem to chip. My one peeve with this one is that it's pretty sheer and you have to build up the coats to get that perfect mint colour.

I think it is very 'blogger' of me to do a post entirely dedicated to mint green paints, and perhaps this has made me realise that I don't really need any more...

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?

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...

LIP COLOURS FOR SPRING

When Spring comes around, I gain a little more confidence in the lip product department, and go for things that aren't nudes and neutrals. I don't go full out with the bold brights by any means (they are saved for summer), but the more balmy, hint-of-tint offerings are well used in my stash at this time of year.

The Revlon Lip Butter in Sweet Tart is one of my favourites of the bunch, as not only do I love the stunning medium pink colour, but the texture of this is amazing, its a thick, balmy, nourishing consistency which makes application a dream, and so a purchase of a few more in the range is on the cards.
One that is more of a lipstick than a balmy product is the Rimmel Kate Lipstick in 16 which is a peachy coral colour, with a finish that is nor glossy or matte, which makes it a little more suitable for the season.

The L'Oréal Rouge Caresse Lipstick in Aphrodite Scarlet is another favourite, which is a no-frills pink that finishes off a look in a swipe. Think, the Revlon Lip Butter, but with a slightly less pigmented look on the lips.
Another balm is the NYC Apple-licious Lip Balm in Apple Blueberry Pie, which is slightly more purple than the other bright pinks I go for but I have really been enjoying it recently - and I must add the apple taste and scent makes it even better.

Finally, one that I hated for such a long time but recently got into using is the GOSH Soft n' Shine Lip Balm in Irony, which is a slightly peachy orange. I normally have issues with oranges suiting me, but if I apply this one by tapping it on with fingers (the actual product is rather smooshed anyway), it doesn't look all that bad.

Writing this is making me want to scour the aisles of Boots to find some more brights in preparation for the warmer weather that everyone is hoping we'll be getting this year...

THE NATURAL SPRING FACE

To me, Spring means natural, dewy and fresh-faced makeup looks, and with the first day of Spring having just passed, it was the perfect opportunity to share what I reach for when I am looking for something more natural, perhaps a look for on the weekends.

For a base, of course it would have to be the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum - a cult classic in the blogging world. This offers natural coverage which looks glowy and dewy on the skin, but by no means shiny. I am almost out of this bottle, so I think either a repurchase or a trial of the Happy Light offering is on the cards.
The Rimmel Lasting Finish Blush in Santa Rose is one of those products which you can apply in a sweep, and not have to bother with contour or highlight when you are going natural. It is just the perfect muted colour for daily wear.

On the eyes, the term 'one sweep wonders'; may be something you like to hear. I have 2 bronze, shimmery colours which with a wash over the lid and a slick of mascara are the definition of natural. MAC Woodwinked is the slightly more coppery option out of the two, and for something a little more shimmery, the Rimmel Mono Shadow in Backstage is a good option. The mascara in question is the Soap & Glory Thick and Fast which adds length and volume in seconds. A no-frills step of MUA Clear Mascara over the brows comes next, and just keeps them in place when filling in isn't on the cards.

For lips, as I have been getting into glosses, I have been reaching for the GOSH Volume Lip Shine in 04* which adds a tint of pinky-red to the lips but without any sticky feeling, and is quickly becoming a daily essential for me.

What are your essentials for a Spring-centric face?

POST-SPENDING BAN BUYS

As my spending ban came to a close, I was browsing the aisles like no other. Luckily my ban ended just before the Boots 3 for 2 came to an end so I managed to get in on the deals, which I can't complain about. I definitely enjoyed spending some money on what I love after having such a break.

In the clearance of my local Boots, I spotted the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Timeless Black for £2 and I thought it would be a good choice for a gel liner-esque product. For another small £2 I found the Revlon Colorburst Lip Gloss in Bellini which is a milky peach-nude. The other 2 items on the makeup front were a repurchase of the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder, and a Rimmel Lasting Finish Blush in Santa Rose as a lot of people rave about this guy, and the colour is stunning and natural, perhaps a new everyday favourite?

Onto skincare, I got another Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser as it was on offer for £2.98 and I love this as my go-to cleanser. To prove my love for it, how about I tell you that this is my third bottle of the stuff. On the radiance path, I got 2 items from the Boots Botanics All Bright range. The first was the Cleansing Toner, as the whole 'chemical exfoliant' thang interested me and I thought I would start at the budget side of things. As well as this I got the Night Cream, and on first impressions this looks to me really hydrating as it is so thick, so I cannot wait to incorporate this into my routine properly.

Finally, I got the L'Oréal Studio Line #TXT Volume Supersizing Spray, as I am practically begging for some texture and volume in my hair, and from the first use I really like this, and for a budget price of £3.79 I don't think I could choose any better way to start getting into these products.

It's typical for me to have only just gotten off my spending ban and have a nice shop/splurge in Boots. Well... there isn't much that can separate a blogger from buying products...