Valentines day essentials

 

 

Its that time of year again to get dolled up for Valentines whether its with your partner, night out with friends or just because you want to feel good and look nice! There are so many products out there to choose from so iv selected a few to get you in the party mood!

First off every girl wants to smell nice! Whether it be with perfumes or a body spray, there is nothing better than smelling great which also gives you a boost of confidence. The products I have chosen are all reasonably priced so there's no need to worry about burning a hole in your pocket. YAY. So lets begin!

Taylor Swift - Enchanted Wonderstruck: This body spray smells absolutely delightful but the best thing about this glorious sent is its only £10! Yes I'm serious, only £10 to smell great and its a large bottle to last a while. It holds 8 FL OZ and is in a sophisticated looking plastic bottle which is handy to carry around as you know there is no risk of it smashing. If you love sweet smelling scents then this is the one for you; smelling of a mixture between flowers and candy. Its one for the sweet hearted and perfect for this valentines season.

 

Soap and Glory - Original Pink: I think this body spray is a must have for every household and not just for valentines, this holds the right to living in your household the whole year...and again...and again...and again! The scent lasts a while whilst also creating a really smooth texture on your body. It holds a 100ml and is in a really cute pink plastic bottle which is the perfect size for your hand bag. It smells so floral and isn't too sweet and overpowering; this is the perfect little combo to wear for valentines or coming up to spring to smell super fresh.

Vera Wang - Princess Power: This bottle could have a blog post on its own describing how beautiful and quirky it is. Its perfect for your dressing side table and brings out the girly princess in you. Its in a decadent heart shaped bottle and with pop-art crowns imprinted on the bottle and to finish this masterpiece of it has a little crown for the lid with beautiful coloured gems in each indentation. The scent is just as glorious as its appearance, smelling like peaches and tangerines, this is a brilliant buy and lasts a while as you only need one spritz for the magnificent scent.

 

 

 

 

 

Anna Sui - Secret wish: Another perfume with a beautifully decorated bottle perfect for your room. This one is a bit more sophisticated with the 'minimalist look is more' which I think is gorgeous! It is a clear glass bottle and has a little fairy as the lid. This smell is very subtle but still gives that lovely floral hint as if your in the meadows. A must but for any floral lover!

 



 

 

 

Another priority for valentines is making your lips look fab (and kissable)!! Two colours I think are a must have are of course RED or PINK!

 

To have the perfect pink look I have selected Ted Baker lip gloss with has a gorgeous vibrant corally pinky tone. It is full of colour and lasts all day and doesn't budge! This lip gloss hardens into a matte finish so looks like you have applied a lip stick.

 

 

The other pink look is from Freedom. This lipstick will make you stand out from the crowd, creating fuller lips that people wont be able to resist! Even Kylie Jenner would be jealous of your pout!

 

 

Lastly we can move on to the most standard look for valentines.... the RED LIP! This look is a classic and no wonder, it stands out and suits all complexions. I wanted to choose products that aren't lipsticks for anyone who wants to create a red lip but avoids lipsticks.

 

Soap and Glory - Sexy mother pucker Gloss Stick: This product is a must have for anyone who wants a subtle red lip that still creates kissable pouty lips! It is buildable colour so for anyone who has never worn a red lip before and is scared of trying one out then this would be a great start.

 

Soap and Glory - Sexy Mother pucker Lip Lacquer in whatchama-coral: This is a similar product however provides much more colour. It is so bright and perfect for pale skin with a lovely coral tone! In fact I think I prefer it to lipstick! This one has no tingling sensation and feels super soft to wear however it can be quite sticky at times so be aware. AND MAKE SURE TO CHECK YOUR TEETH! You do not want to be sitting at your date with you teeth covered in red gloop!

 

One TIP OF THE DAY: If you have a red lipstick, pop in under your eyes and blend in with your foundation. This may sounds mad! And it can take a while HOWEVER it really does get rid of your tired dark circles under your eyes leaving you to look fresh.

 

 

I hope you all have a fantastic valentines day with your loved ones! Let me know what you will be getting up to! 





Queen of makeup essentials

HELLO!! these are the queen of makeups to sculpt your face once you have applied your moisturiser, primer and foundation. Do you ever feel like your face looks like a blank canvas? do you have no shape? ever feel like a 2D image? then this is the blog for you!

The 3 pieces of makeup I have chosen each have a clear defining part in to making your face look shaped and perfected. Lets start with the magnificent -

SOAP AND GLORY - SOLAR POWER: This is such a brilliant bronzer with the slightest shimmer in it to create a healthy summer glow for these cold winter days! there are two sections to this one darker colour and one lighter. The darker section can also be used as a contour which really emphasises the cheek bones, slim down your nose and even create fuller lips. If you prefer a matte bronzer then this is not for you however! I have created a swatch to show the difference in colour and how it appears on my very pale skin! (I look like a vampire)

Next we have my FAVEOURITE lip balm in the world -

BENEFIT BALM: This is another must have for your makeup bag and a travel essential for your daily routine as it keeps your lips feeling soft whilst also adding a subtle colour to your lips when you cant wear lipstick due to them being so chapped. This is a brilliant buy and I wouldn't be able to cope with out it during this winter! keep your lips kissable for upcoming valentines day or just to make brushing your teeth easier whilst they are chapped!

And finally but not least the blush!

Sleek Blush - Rose Gold: This colour is exactly what is says, its a beautiful rose colour with golden shimmer in it which creates the perfect glowey look. When your outside in the cold you may get red cheeks, but with this blush over the top you will feel beautiful and not want to show the world. This blush is not for people who prefer a matte look as it does have a very good shimmer to it with slight glitter. Perfect for everyday wear or on a night out. You will be wanting to blush with this gorgeous blusher!

 

Thank you for reading! please leave comments below or let me know your Queen of makeup!

6 Foundations for combination skin, GOOD vs BAD

 

 

Go to foundations are a must for any lover of makeup. Makeup is not just a cover up, it builds confidence, creates an energy boost and is a high passion of mine. In order to build this confidence, you need to have a foundation that covers imperfections whilst also having your natural beautiful skin showing through. Your face is a canvas needing to be filled, foundation is the start of that new lease of life. I would also like to point out these foundations look very messy as in order to give a proper view I felt like I needed to use them long term to get a good feel of whether they work or not.

I have combination skin, which can be difficult at times when trying to find the right foundation as I have a very dry forehead and nose but can all become very oily throughout the day resulting in my makeup to become patchy, shiny and flaky! Which drives me mad! If you have this problem too then read on as I will give my views on the best foundations to use and which to avoid.

To start off with I want to discuss a foundation that can be found in drug stores such as Boots or Superdrug for a reasonable price. This foundation is a must have for any makeup bag, creating a flawless look without the expensive price. The foundation I am referring to is the Bourjois Paris 123 makeup which claims to do 3 things: Anti-dark circles, anti-dull complexion and anti-redness. This foundation does really work, with high coverage which is buildable and stays perfectly on my face for the rest of the day, it claims to last up to 16 hours, however I have not worn makeup for that long as I take my makeup off in the evening. Some patches do start to appear during the day however this is expected due to my oily areas. In all I feel this is a brilliant foundation for combination skin.

The next foundation I will discuss is my holy grail – for a short period of time –  NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation. The foundation when first applied is absolutely flawless creating an even complexion and feeling just like normal skin. This is normal to full coverage however you wouldn’t believe it was full coverage when pumped out of the bottle as it is very liquid, almost like water, the bottle suggests to shake well before use as this bring more consistency to the product. The only problem with this foundation is it becomes very patchy after only a few hours due to my oily skin so if you have combination skin I would advise usage of only short term and if you have oily skin I would avoid the product all together. I believe this foundation will be perfect for people with dry skin as it is so duey and soft on the skin. It is one of the first foundations that is a complete match for my skin tone as I am very pale, most foundations tend to be too orange for my face of wash me out completely so a big thumbs up for their range of colours. Another bonus of this foundation is the pump comes with it which you don’t get with NARS – Sheer Glow.

The next foundation in the firing line is the Mac Studio Sculpt – this foundation clings to the dry areas of my face and feels very heavy when applied. In some areas the foundation looks flawless and applies quite evenly however it does exaggerate any dry areas I may have. This was advised for combination skin so may work on other peoples as everyone’s skin is completely different so just because it doesn’t work on mine doesn’t mean it won’t be perfect for you. It is medium coverage and has a wide variety of colours to choose from to help you get the right colour. This foundation comes in a plastic bottle which is practical as if you drop it, it won’t smash however I just prefer glass ones as it’s a personal preference.

Maybelline Super Stay is another drug store foundation which is at a very good price. This product does last a long time on my skin and feels lightweight throughout the day. It is quite sticky and duey when applied however when you apply a setting powder to it the texture feels and creates the perfect complexion.  The range of colours however is quite disappointing as they aren’t really suited for people who have light skin; this one tends to be quite orangey when applied which isn’t a good look in winter. However, this may look more suited in the summer when my skin starts to get a bit more colour in it.

Yves Saint Laurent – Le Teint Touche Éclat – This foundation applies beautifully onto the skin and creates a flawless completion when first applied however again due to my combination skin it can create a few patches in my oily or dry areas however regardless this is a beautiful foundation to wear. It is medium to full coverage and still feels lightweight on the skin as well as allowing some of your natural skin to shine through. I wouldn’t say this foundation lasts all day however with a few touch ups it creates a lovey soft glow to the skin all day long.

 

 

Dior – Forever – this foundation is brilliant for all day wear and does not budge. It applies beautifully to the skins using your fingers, brush or beauty blender and creates a matte finish. If your someone who doesn’t like to look too dewy or have oily skin, then this foundation is for you! This foundation claims to be everlasting, pore refining and have shine control which is perfect for when you want to snap a few pictures using flash. This foundation is a must have for all makeup bags as its flawless and lasts all day, the only problem I have is the colour match is slightly different but hey hoe you can’t have it all.

 

These are 6 foundations that all have pros and cons. You just need to find what is right for you! And remember it’s all about the base, make sure you exfoliate, moisturise and use a good primer to keep your skin feeling fresh and healthy whilst wearing a foundation that doesn’t budge. Hope this helps when you’re choosing a foundation! Good Luck!

 

Product Included:

Bourjois – 123 £10.99

NARS – All Day Luminous £32

Mac – Studio Sculpt £25.50

Maybelline Super Stay £6.50

Yves Saint Laurent – Le Teint Touche Éclat £31.50

Dior – Forever £32.50