e.l.f Mineral Foundation

If you have been round these parts before you will probably know by now I am a firm lover of full coverage foundations; namely Estée Lauder's Double Wear Stay-In-Place foundation (review). Having said that, my love for all things matte and my combination skin sometimes begs for a less heavy foundation and more heavy duty powder. 

I'm going to be honest, the main reason I turned to e.l.f for a mineral foundation is because it costs just £5.95 and I wasn't sure I was going to like how it sat over liquid foundation. Turns out I love the finish and coverage this provides.

I use this over MAC Face and Body (review) granted this has a decent light coverage, but if your skin is remotely oily this does not wear amazingly well throughout the day. To be honest I only use this as a body foundation normally, but with a small layer of this powder it becomes the perfect base with medium coverage and great staying power. 

The finish looks better when the product is shaken and excess is removed from your brush before application. It can look blotchy and cakey if too much is applied on top of the liquid foundation. I use the Real Techniques buffing brush to create a nicely blended, even finish. 

Like I said, I only tend to use this duo when my combination skin is more on the oily side, I just think the finish and coverage are perfect and it looks just as good in the evening as when applied.

If you would like to try this mineral foundation you can purchase it here, and I would love to know your thoughts if you try these two products together.

Ciao

  xxx

Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Shadow Base

I have been wanting to try an eyeshadow base for well over a year but have been so confused as to which one to buy. There were a couple of MAC ones I had my eye on that people have raved about but as a firm lover of the Double Wear range I thought I would give this one a go.

As expected I am not disappointed at all. As with the Double Wear Stay-In-Place foundation this lasts all day and looks just as good at the end of the day as when you applied it. And most importantly it does not crease at all.

With other eye primers I have found that ones that don't crease are very drying on the skin, and ones that don't cause dryness either crease or make my lids look a little oily. The only other shadow primer I have used that actually covers pigmentation enough to wear without shadow on top is the Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer. Although the Photo Finish does not crease or cause dryness immediately, I found if I wore it everyday my skin did become very dry and so I can only use this every now and then. 

This shadow base I have worn everyday now for a while, with and without shadow and my sensitive skin still remains without irritation. As you can see it is creamy when you apply it and then sets creating the perfect base. 

This costs £16 for 5ml which can be purchased here. This is rather expensive but all the good lid primers tend to be around the £15-£20 mark. If you are looking for a good all over drugstore primer, I suggest trying the Nivia Express Hydration Primer which costs just £4.99; this will not cover any pigmentation but it will prevent creasing and keep things put all day (review).

Ciao

  xxx

Everyday Make Up Look

I would love to have something really creative to show you but as a student with a part time job I basically have no life and no where to dress up for so for now my lovelies its just an everyday look I can do in 15mins that makes me look a little more alive. 

The Base

Nivia Express Hydration Primer all over my face including eye lids.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place with a little Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer in areas I wanted highlight, blended together. 

Chanel Soleil Tan to contour my cheek bones and jaw line. 

Soap & Glory Kick Ass Powder all over to set the make up.

MAC Blusher in Immortal Flower (a pale peachy pink now discontinued).

Eyes:

Urban Decay Naked Palette; Shades Naked and Virgin all over the lid, Buck on the crease with a large fluffy brush, and then a little of Smog with a detailer brush right in the the outer corner of the crease blended out with a fluffy brush.

One coat of L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara on to curled lashes.

Maybeline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner winged out; I used a post-it note to keep the liner and shadows neat at the edge. 

Brows:

Shades Taupe and Dark Chocolate from the Jouer Bare Beauty Collection set with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel.

Lips:

Estee Lauder Pure Color Creme in shade Rose tea to keep my lips moisturised then MAC Matte lipstick in Honey Love on top to make it a little more nude.

If you would like to see my last everyday look click here, and I'd love you to share your recent looks with me; send me you links in the comments or join the BuyMeBeautiful community and share with everyone.

Ciao
  xxx

Winter Favourites

As a creature of habit I find it really difficult to find a different bundle of products for monthly favourites so today I have another seasonal favourites for you. I have previously written Summer and Autumn faves posts, but when it comes to winter it is clear I am all about the hydrating, perfecting products that somehow manage to keep me looking normal while the weather tries everything to make me look disheveled.

First up is the Nivea Express Hydration Primer I cannot put into words how much I have been loving this. I have always had dry skin in the winter months but this primer is like a second moisturiser. Foundation sits perfectly on this, it stays put all day and prevents it from dehydrating you skin. If you are not a massive fan of silicone based primers, this is the one for you. Review

Soap & Glory Kick Ass Instant Retouch pressed powder This is a rekindles love; because I have been using more dewy foundations this just makes everything look a little more matte. I only apply this in the morning and my face is shine free for the rest of the day. It's just the best powder for setting your make up in place. Review

Soap & Glory Mini Hand Food Who hasn't had dry hands this season? I normally never carry around a hand cream but this one smells so nice I actually enjoy applying this. 

The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil Admittedly I was a little skeptical of this but after seeing various you-tubers rave after this I thought it was well worth a go, and I actually rather like it. I normally hate applying oil anywhere on my skin, and although I do have to use a cream cleanser to get rid of the oil texture on my skin, this is sooo good at taking eye make up off. 

Maybeline Forever Strong Professional Nail Varnish in shade Rose Podure. After wearing Essie's Bahama Mama throughout Autumn I was well and truly ready for some neutral shades and this is the perfect natural pink. The formula of these polishes is amazing! I can wear this all weak without a single chip. 

A new find last month CoLab Dry Shampoo Extreme Volume is now the only product I use in my hair. It makes 2nd day hair possible and gives a shed load of volume. Winter is just not about having limp looking hair.

I feel I needn't explain why I have been loving the NARS Virtual Domination Cheek Palette, I have not heard one negative review of this, all I will say is the NARSissist Blush Contour And Lip Palette Looks amazing and perhaps if they had come out at the same time I would have gone for that one. I have been using the Laguna bronzer and Sex Fantacy blush nearly everyday since I got this. Review

Lastly, Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer has replaced Kevyn Aucoin's Sensual Skin Enhancer for my go to concealer. I used to use this everyday about 2years ago and I totally forgot about it until the Skin Enhancer was just feeling a little drying on my skin. The Match Perfection is so creamy but it doesnt crease and it gives a really decent coverage.

I would love to know what you have been loving, let me know in the comments and leave me some links of your recent favourites post. 

Ciao
  xxx

Soap & Glory: The Breakfast Scrub

Presuming/ hoping that I am not the only one left with reptilian like skin towards the end of winter, may I please introduce you to the best body scrub in the world; The Breakfast Scrub.

First of all I have to address the scent, if you love the smell of baking then you will love this beauty. The blend of almond and sugar gives the most intense dessert smell it makes me crave cookies every time I use this. 

Secondly, this works as good as it smells. My arms and legs feel so smooth after using this. Unlike other scrubs your skin is not left feeling dry, it actually makes u feel primed if that makes sense. Your skin feels and looks smother, almost like using a body polish. 

Lastly, due to the scrub being made with sugar as apposed to micro-beads it is really gentle on the skin whilst still removing all dead skin particles. This makes it perfect for using on your face as well as your body. Simply rub in to your fingertips with a bit of warm water and gently scrub and it is much gentler than other facial exfoliators. If you have sensitive skin like myself then I highly recommend trying this.  

At £8 for 300ml this is an absolute bargain. I can finally wave goodbye to my scaly lizard legs :) bring on the summer!

Ciao

  xxx

Estée Lauder Day Wear Advanced Multi-Protection Anti-Oxident Creme

Hello Beauties,

If you read my last post you will know that I recently made a cheeky purchase from Estée Lauder and got some great samples including this pot of loveliness and a great cleanser which I will be reviewing shortly. 

Unfortunately I was not a massive fan of the Revitalizing Supreme Global Anti-Aging Creme for reasons you can read here, this cream on the other hand I may just replace my current daily moisturiser with. 

I have been using Lancome's Rénergie Multi-Lift Cream for well over a year and have been more than happy with it. I was not looking for a change, it has SPF 15, a pleasant smell and a lovely soft jelly like consistency that sinks in to the skin immediately without making my combination skin flare up with excess oil. 

To be honest, although the creams appear to be completely different in colour, smell and consistency, they both do exactly the same job with exactly the same results. Neither of them have caused any irritation to my very sensitive skin and both of them leave your skin feeling nourished throughout the day.

The reasons I will be replacing my Lancome cream are A) because it is a whopping £4 cheaper at £60 per 50ml (I cry every time I finish a pot!) and B) because I am super lazy and I can get away with using this as an eye cream also, where as the Lancome cream does irritate my eyes if apply it all over my lids. 

I would love to know what creams you love to use, particularly if you have any drugstore suggestions that are light weight and suitable for sensitive skin, let me know in the comments. 

Ciao

  xxx

Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme Global Anti-Aging Creme

Hello Lovelies,

With highly sensitive combination skin moisturisers are actually the thing I find hardest to love. I find so many companies spend so long trying to make their creams smell beautiful that they end up irritating my sensitivities.

Unfortunately this cream did just that. Around my eye area I found this instantly started to sting the skin, I had to remove it from the area to prevent any damage being done. Fortunately, I found that on my cheeks and forehead, where my skin is much tougher, this actually turned out to be a lovely moisturiser.

The cream itself has a thick non-greasy formula, it instantly soaks up into the skin leaving it feeling nourished and smooth. It smells perfectly pleasant but I think this may be the cause of irritation. I chose this as one of my samples when making an online purchase, so if you too have sensitivities I suggest you too trial this before investing your pennies.

There are three size pots you can choose from; a 30ml for £45, 50ml for £60 and 75ml for £70 buy here. As you can see this is not the cheapest cream on the market, and as the first signs of aging tend to be around your eyes I would not consider this worth the price tag. Of course my sensitivities will not be the same as everyone elses. Like I said I did find this to be a nice cream everywhere aside from my sensitive eye area.

Estée Lauder claim that their IntuiGen Technology gives the cream the 'power to respond to skin's changing needs' and will assist in reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and dullness, whilst hydrating the skin and improving firmness. This cream is highly nourishing and therefore does make skin appear less dull, however, I saw no anti-aging firming qualities from using this. 

Please let me know if you have tried this product and loved it, it is always useful to know how others have got on with products, and this does seam to have some positive reviews on the website. I think perhaps they should just alter the 'all skintypes' to normal/dry skin. 

For those of you looking for something that actually does help firm the skin keeping fine lines at bay, check out my recent Lancôme Advanced Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate review.

Ciao

  xxx

14 Favourites of 2014

Hello beauties,

Can you believe how fast this year has gone by, the last few months I have been so busy with university the months just rolled into one and now its nearly 2015! Unsurprisingly when it came to picking my most loved products of the year I did not find it so difficult, whittling it down to 14 though was not so simple. With that said here is a look at my final picks....

Face:

Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Plance Makeup This little bottle of perfect skin shows that foundation does not have to look cakey to be full coverage; love this! Review

Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer This product has given me so much confidence, I have always hated blemishes and they have prevented me from feeling great so many times, but this is coverage to the max. I feel this is the only concealer I have used that actually conceals and stays put forever. My sister has now purchased this for her wedding day as she is so happy with it's results. Review

NARS Blush in Sex Appeal The blush itself is great at keeping things a little more matte, and the shade is perfectly subtle and natural looking; a beautiful peachy pink. Review

Yves Saint Laurent Souffle D'Eclat Loose Powder I love how light this feels on my skin and how smoth it makes it feel. Longevity is my top priority with my base and this makes all my foundations stay put. Review

Topshop Bronzer in Mohawk: So I can't find this online anymore but I have seen it in store. at £9 from a reatail store I wasnt expecting much, but I have used this everyday over my Benefit Hoola bronzer. Review

Eyes:

Urban Decay Naked Palette I flit between all of my other palettes but my single most used palette has to be the original Naked. Buck is the perfect crease colour. 

BareMinerals Lash Domination Any long  term readers will know this has been my favourite mascara since I fist saw the wand. It's unique design sets this aside from all other mascaras on the market. Review

Maybeline Eye Studio Gel Liner This is actually the only Maybeline product I use but I use it everyday. I cat eye is impossible without this beauty. it is smudge-able for the first 20mins or so them is untouchable without remover. it never feels drying and applies perfectly smoothly. I use the Lancôme 24 double ended liner smudge brush to apply with effortless precision.

Lips:

Soap & Glory Fabu-Lipstick in Super Nude Put simply this is the perfect nude, its matte looking but still moisturising on the lips. Love!
or
M.A.C Matte Lipstick in Honey Love Perfectly matte, and a beautiful everyday nude but slightly more drying on the lips. 

So this is my little cheat on the 14 favourites, the Soap & Glory is my actual fave, The M.A.C is my alternative for overseas readers that cannot get hold of Soap & Glory. These lipsticks are so similar in shade finish and quality. Originally I slightly preferred the M.A.C but Soap & Glory is more hydrating and lasts that bit longer and is my everyday University/Work lipstick. Check out my comparative review of the two here.

Perfume:

Miss Dior Eau De Parfum This was so hard for me to decide but the the subtle sweet floral scent of Miss Dior makes you feel so feminine and guarantees you compliments. It is very long-lasting and even the packaging is beautiful. 

Hair:

Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray Honestly my hair is so naturally oily any product that is not dry shampoo I usually hate, but a touch of sea salt seams to do wonders to my locks I can now get away with decent second day hair. Review

Skin Care:

Lancôme Gel Eclat Clarifying Cleanser I will be reviewing this soon but put shortly the tube will last you the year, it is gentle to the skin and eyes and removes everything. 

Malin + Goetz Sulfur Paste This is my top recommendation to anyone who sufferers with blemishes. This not only dries them out but rids the skin of bacteria allowing you to wave goodbye to those unsightly spots and blackheads. Review

Lancôme Advanced Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate  My little pot of awesome; the only thing that has made skin feel smoother and appear firmer. Review

That concludes this post and 2014, thank you all so much for reading my blog, I hope you all have an amazing new year.

Feliz año nuevo!

Ciao

  xxx

NARS Virtual Domination Palette

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Lancôme Advanced Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate

Hello Beauties,

T'is the season for photographs and I don't know about you but where there are cameras in the plenty I like to up the ante with my skincare routine. While primers are great for evening out the appearance of pores, I have also found they clog my pores, and unless I want a face full of blackheads, I cannot wear a primer everyday. Let me introduce you to this skin perfecting serum. 

The serum was designed to reduce the appearance of fine lines, increase your skins firmness and improve the clarity of your skin, making it appear more radiant with an evenness of skin tone and texture.

In honesty I have not noticed this have an effect on the evenness of my skin tone, I still have some red pigmentation on my cheeks. The rest of the above however cannot be more true.

Just three drops of this massaged on to face each morning has not only made my skin more firm, it increases the longevity of my foundation, and creates a more even feel to my skin without blocking any of my pores or allowing my make up to crease into my fine lines. 

At £59 for 30ml the primer does not look like a bad alternative, but Lancôme always have free sample gifts when you purchase their products on their website and there are so many gift sets with these little pots in that I have been using this for the past year without ever purchasing it. 

I swear by this product, it has made such a big difference to firmness of my skin and I highly recommend it. If you are looking to achieve the results of a primer with skincare then this is the product for you.  buy here

Ciao

  xxx