What's On My Face #3

Okay. I'll be the first to admit. I am a sucker for getting stuck in a rut. However, this is like the fail-safe. The I-Honestly-Won't-Be-Longer-Than-Five Face. Gotta go to appointments and look half-way respectable face. You get it. We've all got one.

What's On My Face #2

For the most part, I either work one or three ways with my make up for during the day - barely anything, a subtle smokey eye or barely anything with a bold lip. Pretty much. This post is the subtle smokey eye which I wear more often than not...

What's On My Face...

More of a currently loving/look I'm loving right now - but sure, what's on my face, we'll go with that...

Top Three for Brows

I want to know when I became so brow obsessed. I can't even blame the beloved Cara Delevingne because this love affair happened before she hit the scene. That being said - I have three of my favourite products - all a little different, that keep my brows under control but still pretty damn awesome.

Beauty Bag | October

I've mentioned it before and I'll mention it again; Devon can be a hellish humid place in autumn on occasion. It's not altogether very warm but it's a claustrophobic, stuffy sort of feeling and usually comes waltzing in with fine rain too. I'm grateful for the cooler weather but sometimes the humidity is worse than the potential threat of sunburn...

In any case, foundation still needs to be on the lighter side whilst still providing a nice amount of coverage. For this I am (continually) turning towards the No7 Essentially Natural foundation. I really can't harp on about this enough, I love it.

For cheeks I'll be keeping it simple - a small dot of Soap and Glory's Cheekmate rubbed into the apples give a healthy glow without fuss. This also doubles up and a lip stain but if that just won't cut it then I'll be pulling out the Rimmel Colour Rush Balm in 'The Redder The Better' to amp up the colour.

Concealing will be satisfied with the Maybelline Fit Me concealer, a mildly recent acquisition but an excellent one at that; it doesn't dry or cake on me at all which is probably my biggest annoyance when it comes to concealer. A 'velvet' skin is apparently what's hot for autumn - so in attempts to not look cakey and gross I'll be using the Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot powder.

Last but not least brows will be getting some attention with the Maybelline Brow Drama - a perfect cool toned dark brown that matches my (natural) hair colour, provides a tint and keeps any rogue hairs in place too.

So what will be in your beauty bag this October?

Peace!

Brow Drama

I love my brows. A bit of a weird admission, I know - but they are full (read; big) and have a good shape to them and whilst the hair there seems to grow at a ridiculous pace, they aren't bad as far as brows go. Along with making sure my base, lashes and lips are sorted when I get ready to go out, my brows are equally important.

I've used pencils for filling in major gaps before (over plucking in early teens, hello!) and occasionally powders - but my top picks are brow gels. I've been using clear brow gels for an age - Collection and MUA do nice and cheap clear gels - but until recently I couldn't find any tinted brow gels in the drug store /high street(apart from online from E.L.F - but my shade was always sold out,) until now anyway - a recent release from Maybelline has answered my brow related prayers...

The Maybelline Brow Drama (sculpting brow mascara - mouthful right?) aims to act like a gel to hold rogue brow hairs in place and tint so brows look fuller in sparser areas negating the need for a powder or pencil. 

For me, it works beautifully and holds all day - but I don't have any large sparse areas, say if you had a scar and hairs don't grow in that particular area - so you'd still probably need a pencil for that - but the dark brown shade is nice and cool toned so doesn't come off reddy or orange (I may dye my hair copper/red but my eyebrows are black/brown,) - and I think the colour would work for black haired ladies too. They have two other colours in the range - a deep blonde and a medium brown. It would obviously pay to swatch in store on your hand. Of course the medium brown may work red haired ladies, so it's worth taking a look. 

All in all - I'm pleased with this purchase. It costs £4.99 at Boots - but it seems to be selling pretty quickly and going out of stock, so it may be worth popping in store to buy. 

Have you tried the Maybelline Brow Drama Mascara? Do you have any brow gel recommendations?

Peace!

Lilac Charm

I only had one lilac shade - a quite pretty shade from the Essie Summer 2013 collection called 'Full Steam Ahead' and it's pretty similar to this shade that I picked up from Fragrance Direct recently; the Maybelline Forever Strong Pro in Lilac Charm. 

There is a subtle difference however; which has me rocking this shade as a nice season transition colour - it has a grey-ish undertone that makes it just off-pastel, so a pretty September shade for when it's starting to come in cooler - but the sun can crop out and surprise you with a random heatwave. 

The wear time on this polish is awesome; no chips for six days and counting and the only issue I've encountered is when my nails are growing and my half-moons start cheekily peeking through. 

For 99p this was a pretty lush bargain - and one I'll be wearing throughout the tricky transition from summer to autumn.

Have you tried this nail colour? 

Peace!

Maybelline Colour Show Nail Polish - Cool Blue

My favourite colour is what I call 'Happy Blue' - it has a hint of Tiffany blue about it (typical for a woman, right?) and it's usually got a holiday, fresh kind of vibe about it too. My previous 'happy blue' polish was Barry M's Blueberry Ice Cream. I used it A LOT - so when it ran out and the remaining dregs were gloopy anyway, into the bin it went. Onto the new, am I right?

On walks the Maybelline Colour Show in Cool Blue - it now has me itching to buy more because oh good lord - it is opaque in one coat! Seriously, it applies like a dream with it's medium sized brush and I was just a little mystified about as to why it went on so opaque - but when I read up about it, it is a gel based formula - which solved my incredulous reaction. I actually love this a lot more than the Barry M Gelly's... I just got on better with this formula.

I think the next one to be added to my basket will be 'Ocean Blue' - a bright cobalt number, don't mind if I do!

Have you tried the Colour Show polishes yet? Like 'em or hate 'em?

Peace!

Maybelline Colour Tattoo - Eternal Gold & Pink Gold

When the Maybelline Colour Tattoo range first came about I immediately took stock of the colours and swiftly decided the first one to be purchased would be On and On Bronze - and now it's on every bloggers budget 'essentials' list and with good reason. The fact that you can either add just a sweep of colour, or pack it on for some serious smokey punch is the clincher. I moved on recently to Permanent Taupe, to me it contains a little less shimmer than the Bronze - but works in the same manner, do a sweep or pack it on or use it as a base; the choice is never ending and everyone has their preference.

What made me cave buy Eternal Gold and Pink Gold? I wanted to be able to mix and match the four (not all at the same time, just switch it up and blend two - although you could easily use a little of each and blend blend blend,) to create some serious punch either with a subtle but pretty champagne (using Eternal Gold lightly and blended with Pink Gold,) or just for an alternative smokey eye that you know will stay put whether you're out all day or partying all night.

I think these two colours are also perfect used as a base - they just add that extra little somethin' somethin' to your regular neutrals. 

Maybelline Colour Tattoo retail for roughly £4.99 and come in over 10 different colours to choose from. 

So, what's your favourite cream/gel eye shadow? More of a Stila fan or is it M.A.C paint pots that steal your heart?

Peace!

Mini-Haul | Superdrug

I think it's safe to bet that if I have to pick up anything from Boots or Superdrug (Hot cloth cleansers, usually,) that if there is an offer on cosmetics, I will pick something up. This time, I picked up three little somethings...

First up was the Rimmel Salon Pro nail varnish in Peppermint. Oh, it had me at first glance - a perfect green-blue for Summer - plus the finish and longevity of the product is brilliant especially for the price point. 

Second, another polish. This time by Barry M - my Superdrug can sometimes fall behind on ranges when it comes to make up but recently they have undergone some changes to their stands (YAY!) and with it comes better stock lines for me to peruse. I picked up the Sequin Nail Paint in shade 1 (really, not a delightful name for this pretty product?) and it seriously reminds me of those penny sweets, my favourites, sometimes called white rainbow drops. I trust in Barry M polishes ever since my early teen years, and this doesn't disappoint. 

Last of all was Permanent Taupe - from the Maybelline Colour Tattoo range. I've had On and On Bronze and love it dearly so picked up this shade. I love it, of course. I usually use my fingers to apply these or the Detailer brush from Real Techniques (it's stiff enough to apply these kinds of products perfectly! A match made in heaven...) and the opportunity to build up in light layers is incredible. You can go subtle to smokey very easily. 

So that was my little pick me up, what was your recent treat to yourself, beauty or otherwise?

Peace!

shopping the stash #2

 Caudalie Day Perfecting Fluid - I got this trial size with my Beauty Elixir, along with a serum trial too (both of which are astounding.) I've tried this once so far and adored it, so I'll be using it all this week to see how it goes.

No7 Fanomenal Lashes - This is brown/black and I've used it once or twice, but loved it. So, once again, using it up this week to show it some love.

Rimmel Kohl Liner - Just purchased my first white liner to make my eyes look wide-eyed and what not. :) Showing some liner love...

 Natural Collection Blush in Melba, Natural Collection eye duo, Maybelline Colour Tattoo - Bronze.

I used these alot. But after a break, it's time to use 'em all together once again. :)

 No7 Highlighter. I mean why would I not? Look how gorgeous it is below...

Will you be shopping your stash this week?

Peace!