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?

THE RED-CORAL NAILS

When I don't know what to paint on my nails, there are three colour groups I will go for - either nude, mint green, or corals. As I was hunting through my (ridiculously large) stash, I found out that I actually have four corals that are pretty darn similar, some more affordable than others, and so I thought this would be a good post for those who want to get into the reddish-corals.

The first one you see is Ciaté Playdate which is more of a pink toned coral rather than the red-orange. The formula of Ciaté polishes is one of the best that I've tried as they last really well on me considering nail polish generally chips on me in about a day or two *cries*.

For more of an orange-toned take on the corals, we have Revlon Craving Coral, which is one of my favourites for my toes, and  can imagine I will be getting mucho use out of this one when the summer comes along and the sandals make an appearance.

Two that are very similar (almost identical on the nails - I've tried wearing both at the same time and there isn't any difference), are OPI Red Lights Ahead...Where? and GOSH Crispy Coral, which both sort of sit somewhere in the middle between the pink-toned ones and the orange-toned offerings. Fun Fact - the OPI one was actually my first ever OPI Nail Polish!

Something tells me that my nails will be seeing a lot of these shades in the warmer months... What are your favourite summer polishes?

THE AUTUMNAL NAIL POLISH PICKS

Autumn has officially arrived, and it is about time to pull out the nail colours. I have realised that it isn't all about the deep plums, and that I can mix it up a bit, but still keep the Autumnal theme running - although there is no doubt that I will probably start painting on a neon pink at some pont... Aside for that, I thought I should share what will be on my digits in the upcoming months.

The leader of the pack (my current most loved), is Color Club's Bright Night, a stunning cobalt blue with a slight hint of purple, and I just love it. I have no words as to how gorgeous this is... I applied this the day I bought it, and I can tell I will be painting it again soon... maybe tomorrow...?

Secondly, there is Eye Candy London's Reddy and Willing - first of all, I like the punny name, but the colour inside is so lovely too. A deep vampy red/ox blood is always a staple for autumn in my eyes, and this one ticks all the boxes - a creme/jelly finish hybrid, and the perfect colour and formula - just great. It even lasts well on me, and my nails don't tend to allow a polish stay put for 2+ days - can anyone explain?

Another well loved staple of mine is the Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine in Lychee, the perfect nude in my collection, and a lovely glossy finish. I also have a GOSH nude, which is a close dupe, but I can't think of the name off the top of my head - both are lovely, and I think these ones are always an option when you want something sophisticated, but without the 'mannequin hands' approach.

Next, is the least Autumnal of the bunch, a NO7 one in Milan  something I got about 6 months ago with my Boots voucher. This is a heavily packed shimmer polish, of pink and silver, which looks kind of like a foil at times, and then sometimes a shimmer... it is mesmerising and I simply love it.

Finally, is this polish from Avon Nailwear Pro called Noir Emerald. A purple/green duochrome polish is all you need to complete the autumn nail colour pack, and I freaking love it. It dries semi-matte, not my perferred formula, but with a coat of Essie Good to Go, the glossiness is back.

My love for nail polish is scarily coming back again, and I definitely do not need to buy any more (though my collection is forever growing), and  am going shopping tomorrow too - not the best of ideas....