#31DaysOfHalloween - Week 1

Hey lovelies! Just a little post about an update on the 31 Days Of Halloween Challenge! For those who don't know, this challenge is popular amongst makeup lovers all over the world! It involves uploading a Halloween inspired makeup look every single day of October, I've been working on my content for this since the start of September and to tell you the truth I've got rid of half of the content I've created because I'm such a perfectionist.

But here's all the content from Week 1! Including a YouTube tutorial on Day 7's look.

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5

DAY 6

DAY 7

There's all the catch up for Week 1! It would mean the world to me if you checked out my first youtube video and if you want to follow my #31DaysOfHalloween challenge this month the link to my Instagram is here. Are you planning on any Halloween inspired looks this year? Have you already done some Let me know in the comments! See you in the next post..

Rebecca x

Holiday Makeup Kit

Hola! Whilst you're reading this I will be more than likely getting ready to get on the plane, but thank goodness for scheduled posting! It's so refreshing knowing I planned my Holiday series earlier so that I can enjoy a week away without any worries, just pure relaxation. Anyway! Here's post number 2 in the holiday series I have going on and this is... my Holiday Makeup Kit! 

To be honest, I wear a lot of makeup. Makeup is my thing and I always pack more than I need because how I do my makeup depends on my mood, I'll never know what I want to do with my makeup until I actually sit down and do it. You never know what inspiration might crop up so it's better to be prepared! Hence why I take a hell of a lot of makeup with me whenever I go away. 

To keep all my makeup safe and sound whilst I travel, I keep it all in this Off Dutee makeup bag! and yes, everything does fit in it! Even my palettes, I've tried it. So if like me, you can't go anywhere without your babies then I'd definitely recommend this makeup bag! So let's crack on with what I actually take with me!

Face.

I'm taking away 2 primers; MAC Strobe Cream and MAC Prep+Prime Skin Base Visage. I use Prep+Prime Skin on a day to day basis but if I want an extra glow underneath my foundation I use MAC Strobe Cream. 

I'm only taking one foundation and that is my NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation in the shade Stromboli. This is my favourite foundation ever. It's thin in consistency, it's full coverage, it glides across my skin and feels so so comfortable. Plus it doesn't contain any SPF so you won't be getting any flash back on your holiday pics! - winner.

I need 3 concealers, MAC Studio Conceal and Correct Palette in Medium, Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer and MAC Prolongwear Concealer in NW15. I use the MAC concealer palette purely for the salmon pink shade in the bottom right corner as I apply this under my eyes to brighten them and correct any dark areas before applying foundation. I use the Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer under my eyes as we all know this is my favourite under eye concealer and finally I use the MAC Prolonger concealer as an eyeshadow primer as it keeps my eyeshadow staying put all day!

I couldn't go anywhere without my Laura Mercier Loose Translucent Setting Powder! Such a staple product for me. Click here for a full post on my under eyes! And of course I'll be taking MAC Mineralise Skinfinish Natural in Medium Dark to set the rest of my face. 

There's only one bronzer I need in my life and that's MAC Mineralise Skinfinish Natural in Give Me Sun. It's a beautiful warm bronzer for my skintone and it's been my favourite ever since I got it.

Do I really need to take 4 highlighters? Of course! I'm taking Benefit Watt's Up highlighter for the daytime. I don't wear a lot of makeup on the beach other than SPF and maybe some foundation at the start of the week when I'm not-so bronzed goddess. However, I thought this highlighter would look good on the cheeks during the day and also to add to my décolletage and just on my shoulders to add a bit of glow to my skin on the beach. 

I use MAC Global Glow on the areas where I have applied bronzer and I also apply this on my legs and arms on a nighttime when I go out to add EVEN MORE glow to my body. 

Then obviously left over are my two favourite highlighters, Laura Geller Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator in Gilded Honey and Mary-Lou Manizer from theBalm.

Eyes.

I'll be taking away with me my Benefit Browzings in Medium. If you read my June Favourites post you'll know why I much prefer this to my Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow now (However, I'm taking it with me incase I need a product with a bit of staying power during the day).

I'll take three mascaras, Benefit Rollerlash which is my favourite mascara and also a miniature of the YSL Faux Cils mascara (I've been trying this out recently and I love it!). Alongside these two is the Benefit They're Real mascara in Beyond Blue, I love this mascara for times when I feel a bit creative and this product is a great way to add a pop of colour to your makeup! For a look I did using this mascara click here.

Of course I'll be needing lash glue, my favourite is the DUO Eyelash Adhesive which has the dark tone. 

2 single Kiko Wet and Dry High Pigment Eyeshadows in 18 and 36. I purchased these last week and I wanted to take them away with me so I can play around with them a bit more. For swatches on both of these shadows, here's a swatch picture I posted on Instagram. 

As far as Eyeliner pencils go I'm taking a white, black, brown and nude. The black and brown ones are MAC and in the shades Coffee and Feline. The nude eyeliner is Rimmel Scandaleyes and the white pencil is NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk.

I'm taking 2 gel/liquid eyeliners, Morphe Gel Liner in Slate and also the NYX Vivid Brights Liner in Vivid Halo. Obviously I need a black gel liner with me and I love this yellow liner for again creative purposes (the creative juices don't stop flowing when you enter a different country people!) to see a look I created using this liner click here. 

Last but not least for the eyes is my Peaches Makeup loose pigments in Kitten and Pearl. As I mentioned in my June Favourites, I use these for highlighters. 

Lips.

The further down I get in this post the more I feel like it's all a bit excessive but trust me when I say I've shrunken this down three times already and this was actually the minimum amount! haha.

I'm taking with me my 6 favourite MAC lipsticks in Myth, Honeylove, Modesty, Shy Girl, Relentlessly Red and Ruby Woo.

I'm also taking this bright orange lipstick from No7 this is the Stay Perfect lipstick in the shade Gay Geranium. 

I'll only be taking 4 lip pencils a brown nude, a pink nude, an orange and a red. MAC prolongwear lip pencil in What a Blast!, MAC Stripdown liner, MAC Cherry liner and NYX Nude Pink lip liner. 

I couldn't bear to be without my NYX holy grail lip products which are NYX soft matte lip creams in London and Abu Dhabi, NYX Butter Gloss in Fortune Cookie and NYX Intense Butter Gloss in Peanut Brittle. 

To stop my lips drying out I'm taking my trusty MAC Lip Conditioner (smells like mini eggs, are you sold yet?) and also Benefit Cha Cha Balm - perfect for the daytime and looks beautiful with tanned skin!

Last but not least is my two favourite glosses Dior Addict Collagen Activ and MAC Lipglass in Oyster Girl. 

Palettes.

I couldn't just take one palette, but I think I've done pretty well in taking my Morphe 35O and I've also managed to fit my favourites from MAC and Makeup Geek into my Z palette too. I've popped my MAC Melba blush into my Z palette, as we all know I'm not a blush person but I love this blusher so much so popping it in my Z palette was handy!

PHEWF! That finally concludes my Holiday Makeup Kit, yeah it's a bit excessive but like I said in the beginning I like to be prepared and you never know when inspiration might hit you like a crashing wave. Let me know what you staple products are for taking on holiday with you in the comments below! See you soon.

Rebecca

June Favourites

This month's favourites is juicy! I've tried so many new products this month so there's some new goodies that I've been loving.

My first favourite of the month is the Peaches Makeup loose pigments in Pearl and Kitten. For swatches and full review click here. I've actually been using both of these not on my eyes, but as highlighters! Kitten is more pink than Pearl but they look beautiful on the skin especially when caught in the sunlight! 

Next up is Laura Geller Baked Gelato Swirl in Gilded Honey. Ahhh..another highlighter! I have been using this everyday non-stop ever since it was delivered, hence why it's not looking as fresh as it did in my Feel Unique Haul post! It is a beautiful golden highlight however, I do feel like I need to do a few layers before I get my desired beam of light reflecting off my cheeks. But then again, maybe that's just me being excessive with my highlight again!

This month something changed within me. Brace yourselves because about 2 weeks ago, I fell out of love with my Dipbrow Pomade. For some reason, my dark, defined brows just weren't working for me anymore. I wanted fluffy brows where my actual brow hairs were more visible, ya feel me? So I've switched back to Benefit Browzings, this is the old packaging so this is the shade medium but I believe for the new packaging the old medium is equivalent to shade number 4. I've been using my Anastasia 12 brush to define underneath my brow and going in with less product at the top (here's a picture from my instagram to show you how they've been looking). 

Earlier this week I picked up a NYX Vivid Brights liner in the shade Vivid Halo from my nearest NYX counter. And it's just gone straight into my June Favourites because I am so impressed, everything from the brush to the pigment was STUNNING and now I am desperate for more colours. To see a look I did with this product, click here. 

Another NYX product I've been obsessed with is the Butter Gloss in the shade Fortune Cookie. I got this towards the beginning of the month in my feel unique haul and I've been wearing it over the top of MAC Shy Girl lipstick for a peachy lip colour and that's been my go to! I love the formula of the butter glosses too, as I've mentioned before they are not sticky which is what I love.

My last but not least favourite of the month is the Tony Moly I'm Real sheet masks. I'll not go into too much detail about these as I'm doing a full review on all the 11 different kinds soon so keep your eyes peeled for that! But all you need to know is that I have definitely fell in love with them.

Thank you for reading my June Favourites, let me know what your favourites are this month in the comments below! See you soon.

Rebecca x

First Impressions: Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado

Ahhh..this eye cream! Every man and his dog seems to have this, so how could I not snap it up? Especially because I was in need of a new eye cream (and I'm a sucker for anything that has avocado in it)

So I headed over to the Kiehl's website and ordered the 14g size first before I splurge and get the big one! What made this more enjoyable is that Kiehl's had a 20% off student discount code for a limited time! I also got to pick 3 free samples with my order which was so nice, we all love samples!

I'd heard that this eye cream was thick but I thought to myself it's probably an exaggeration but hell no! You have to be careful when you apply this because of it's consistency because you don't want to pull on the skin around your eyes and create wrinkles (not today satan!). But a little bit of this product goes a long way so i tend to just pat it in with my ring finger until it's all soaked in. 

This product is super moisturising and would definitely be a good product for those with dry skin because of it's consistency and moisturising ingredients such as avocado. I've been using this product every night and I do love it it's a lovely product and I wake up and my undereyes are hydrated and ready for some makeup! 

Let me know if you've tried this product, or any other Kiehl's products and what you think about them! See you soon!

Rebecca x

Bronze, Bronze, Bronze

The weather this week in the UK made it feel like summer is actually here! (Rather gloomy this weekend but hey ho, let's hope it's on its way back!) and summer makes me think about bronzey, tanned, glowing skin. So here are a few of my favourite products to get that J Lo glow.

NYX Liquid Illuminator in Gleam. This works so beautifully as a primer underneath foundation. It's not as strong as MAC strobe cream but it definitely gives a lit from within look. 

NARS Bronzer in Laguna. Before MAC Give Me Sun, this was my favourite bronzer of all time and I still do use it from time to time. It's quite a warm bronzer but it has little flecks of gold in it. When applied it looks like a matte bronzer but in direct sunlight you can see a bit of radiance on the skin where the bronzer has been applied. A truly beautiful product. 

Laura Geller Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator in Gilded Honey. My new little baby. Ever since I got this I have been using it every single day (it had replaced my Mary-Lou, something which I never thought would happen!) it's a beautiful golden highlight without being too much of a yellow gold. As the shade describes it is a beautiful honey shade, it is truly stunning and I can't wait to take this away with me! 

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Give Me Sun. This particular shade is very popular and if you know me personally, you'll know this has been the love of my life since I got it towards the end of March. It looks very daunting in the pan and I wouldn't recommend it for fair skintones as it could look very orange but my god this is beautiful. I use this as my all over bronzer and it blends out like a dream and I feel like this is my number 1 staple product for that "just stepped off the beach" bronzed glow. 

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Global Glow. Now this is a highlight which used on its own on my particular skintone would look mucky as it darker than my skintone. However, that's not what I use this for. This highlight isn't as potent as highlighters such as Mary-Lou Manizer from theBalm or the Laura Geller Gilded Honey it just adds a very light glow. So what I do with this is after I've applied my MAC Give Me Sun I take this product on a fan brush and lightly (very lightly) dust this all over the areas where I have applied my bronzer just to get super glowy skin (without it being too noticable, I obviously don't want to look like I have highlighter all over my face). I don't really favour a matte finish, although I love a full coveragw, I love to look super bronzey and glowy and for my skin to look radiant and actually like skin through my makeup and this step really helps in acheiving that. 

Those are my favourite products for that beachy, bronzey, glowy skin! Let me know what your favourite bronzers and highlighters are in the comments below! See you soon!

Rebecca x

Get Unready With Me

As much as I love getting glam, I'm a comfort girl at heart. For me one of the best feelings in the world is taking your lashes off, taking your shoes off and relaxing. 

On a typical weekday if I've been at college I usually get home between 4pm and 5pm and if I know I have no plans for the rest of the day then this is when I take my makeup off. I always take my makeup off the earliest I can in a day as I like to give my skin time to breathe. To see what products I use to take my makeup off, take a look at my Skincare Routine (link here). 

Next step in my winding down process is loungewear. Comfies, loungewear, scruffs, cosy clothes whatever you call them they are bomb! My favourite loungewear are tracksuits especially the Roberta ones from Miss Pap (I have the grey and the khaki styles but I am slightly obsessed so I doubt the collection stops there for me!), also Victoria's Secret tracksuits are sooo comfy too! There's something about cosy clothes that make me feel so relaxed and honestly I just live in them!

Once I've changed into some comfy clothes, stripped off my lashes, taken my face off and shoved my hair into an incredibly failed messy bun or clipped the front of my hair back, this is when I really start to relax. I'll grab a cup of tea or some green tea (always the Twinings one with lemon!) and maybe some food and I'll flick through Bloglovin, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest to catch up on what I've missed out on during the day. In the evening when I'm relaxed is when I usually reply to comments and I'll always be watching Coranation Street or Emmerdale (if not, it's Netflix!). 

Downtime is important and it's important to unwind and relax and let ourselves destress after a long day. I always find that if I come home and leave my makeup on as late as possible and don't properly relax before I sleep then I feel like I don't sleep as well if I would when I do go through a routine!

Hope you enjoyed reading this post, something a little different from the usual makeup post! Let me know how you like to unwind in the comments below! See you soon!

Rebecca x

Spring Pink

Thinking back to about a year ago made me realise that I used no colour whatsoever, I was a neutrals girl completely! But times have changed and I think now is definitely the time of year to experiment and incorporate more colour into our makeup. 

After priming my eyelids from brow to lash line with concealer and setting it with a cream coloured eyeshadow I use a MAC 224 brush and the Makeup Geek eyeshadow (of course) in the shade Sorbet. Using backwards and forwards motions to begin with, I focus this directly in the crease and when there is less product on the brush I use circular motions to take it up to the upper crease.

Using a MAC 217 brush and the Makeup Geek eyeshadow in Cupcake I follow the same steps as previously however I don't take this colour up to the upper crease I just focus it directly in the crease itself using backwards and forwards motions.

Next taking my new little baby the Morphe 521 brush I focus the same Cupcake eyeshadow on the outer corner and the inner corner of the eye only leaving the centre of the lid free from any product. 

To give the eyeshadow more dimension I use the same Morphe 521 brush and the Makeup Geek eyeshadow in Bitten and layer this over the Cupcake shade on the outer and inner corner of the eyes.

Next is the star of the show, Makeup Geek eyeshadow in Whimsical. Using a MAC 242 brush I pack this in the centre of the lid going no higher than the crease. Because this eyeshadow is foiled it doesn't need an eyeshadow primer. I also use the same eyeshadow with a MAC 219 pencil brush to create the inner corner highlight too. 

I finish off this eyeshadow look I used the Morphe gel liner in Slate, Benefit Rollerlash mascara and a pair of Ardell Demi Wispie lashes. I didn't want any lashes that were too full as I wanted the eyeshadow to be the main focus.

All Makeup Geek eyeshadows (from left to right) Sorbet, Cupcake, Whimsical and Bitten. 

Brushes (from left to right) MAC 224, Morphe 521, MAC 217 and MAC 242

Let me know if you liked this look in the comments below! See you soon!

Rebecca x

Updated MAC Lipstick Collection With Swatches

Mac lipsticks are like doritos, you can't just have one. Since my first MAC lipstick collection post (link here) my collection has grown a fair amount! As I've said before when it comes to describing colours tI am a hot mess, so I've used the descriptions straight from MAC! (they know best!) So without any more rambling here it is!

(Left to right)

Myth (Satin) Light neutral nude.

Shy Girl (Cremesheen) Creamy neutral coral beige.

Hue (Glaze) Soft pale pink.

Honeylove (Matte) Light beige toned with rose.

Kinda Sexy (Matte) Neutral pinky rose.

Velvet Teddy (Matte) Deep toned beige.

Creme Cup (Cremesheen) Light blue pink.

Modesty (Cremesheen) Muted neutral pink.

Brave (Satin) Pink beige with white pearl.

Creme In Your Coffee (Cremesheen) Creamy mid toned pink brown.

Whirl (Matte) Dirty rose.

Stone (Matte) Muted greyish taupe brown.

Diva (Matte) Intense reddish burgundy.

Media (Satin) Intense reddish purple.

Rebel (Satin) Midtonal cream plum.

Ruby Woo (Matte) Vivid blue red.

Relentlessly Red (Retro Matte) Bright pinkish coral.

There's my updated MAC lipstick collection! Let me know what you're favourite MAC lipstick shades are in the comments! See you soon!

Rebecca x

Skincare Routine: Updated

Since my post last year in July about my skincare routine, things have drastically changed. And by drastically changed I mean that every product I was previously using has been changed for something else. I've found new products that work better for my skin and they have changed my skin for the better!

If you read my post about the Glam Glow Supermud Clearing Treatment (click here if you haven't!) I mentioned that I did have problems with my skin towards the end of last year which was one of the reasons why I changed my skincare routine completely. I didn't know whether it was the skincare I was using or the makeup I was using which is was making my skin so bad, so I changed it all completely and now my skin's in the best condition it's been in for a very long time. 

Around January was when I made the change in my routine after watching Anna-Maria's (xammasi on instagram) video on youtube (click here) of what products she uses on her skin. She said she uses La Roche-Posay skincare and I knew I had to convert because her skin is flawwlesssss. To start off I purchased the kit which has a cleanser, toner and moisturiser. In the morning and at night I wash my face with the La Roche-Posay Effalcar Purifying Foaming Gel. I think this cleanser is the reason why my skin is looking it's best recently it definitely thoroughly cleans my skin and removes any makeup residue. It certainly is purfying as it describes. 

Following this cleanser I use the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Toner on a small cotton pad and sweep it over my skin to close my pores after cleansing. What I love about this is that it doesn't smell of anything as some toners can smell really strong like alcohol whereas this one doesn't really have a fragrance at all!

After cleansing and toning in the morning I use the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo[+] Moisturiser. This moisturiser is for unclogging the skin and anti-imperfections too! I like this moisturiser in the morning because it quickly mattifies but it's still hydrating so it's perfect for underneath makeup. 

At night after cleansing and toning I prefer a moisturiser that is more hydrating than the one I use in the morning so I use Clarins Hydraquench Cream. I've had this cream before and now I'm using it again it really made me realise why I loved it so much! It's so hydrating, sinks into my skin well and leaves my skin feeling amazing! 

If I use a face mask it is definitely the Glam Glow Supermud Clearing Treatment. I won't go into too much detail about this because I did write a full post on this product and how I use it (click here to read).

Last but not least is lipcare. The only lipbalm I use now is the MAC Lip Conditioner. I think I've spoke about this before in a post but this is truly amazing. A tiny little bit of this goes such a long way and it is so hydrating. I apply this last in my skincare routine and leave this on whilst I sleep or whilst I do my makeup and then when it comes to doing my lipstick at the end of my makeup my lips are soft and hydrated (no one wants crusty looking lipstick).

That's my updated skincare routine. What are your favourite skincare products? Let me know in the comments! See you soon!

Rebecca x

The Beauty Lover Tag

Last week I was flicking through Bloglovin and came across Shoes and Glitter's post doing the Beauty Lover Tag (click here to read hers) and I loved it. I've never done anything like this before on my blog so I thought it'd be good to do something different and i'm super excited to be doing it.

If you could have anyone in the world do your makeup, who would it be?

Definitely 100% hands down Karen Gonzalez (iluvsarahii on instagram, click here). I have been following her for a very long time on instagram and I don't think I've ever seen her do a makeup look that wasn't anything less than flawless. She is definitely my biggest makeup inspiration and if I could let anyone beat my face it would be her. 

What is your top makeup tip?

My top makeup tip is to apply a concealer or eyeshadow primer all over the lid and setting it with a cream eyeshadow before you start applying any eyeshadow. This step prevents creasing and also creates a light base which I feel like makes the eyeshadows you use after this step more true to their colour. My favourite eyeshadow primer is the Benefit Stay Don't Stray. 

What one skincare item could you not live without?

The skincare item that I couldn't live without is definitely moisturiser. For me there's nothing more satisfying than applying a rich moisturiser after taking your makeup off, and waking up the next day with plump well moisturised skin. 

What are you worst at when it comes to applying makeup?

Winged eyeliner for sure. I can do it but it either goes fierce or turns into a hot mess. I don't tend to do winged eyeliner that often on a day to day basis because it takes some time to make it right for my eye shape which is probably why I find it difficult sometimes. 

What is your biggest pet peeve when it comes to beauty?

My biggest pet peeve when it comes to beauty as a whole is when people ask why you're wearing so much makeup. If you want to do a full face of makeup just to take a ten minute walk to the shop to buy yourself some chocolate then no one should question it. If you're on holiday and you want to wear makeup on the beach, then you do it! It's all about being comfortable and confident and for me I can go to college in no makeup and I can go in a full face and feel fine both ways. There's nothing okay with questioning someone why or why not they're wearing makeup. 

What is your favourite makeup era?

Being slightly biased I would say that now is my favourite makeup era, I love looking back on the different eras and how they've changed over the years to create what is todays era. In this era we have so many new products readily available to us and different ways of doing makeup. 5 years ago contour kits and highlighters weren't as popular as they are now, I don't even think liquid lipsticks were even heard of! When there is a new trend, brands just jump on the bandwagon so quickly and I think it's a good thing to have different brands creating the same product but in their own way. 

What is your guilty pleasure product?

My guilty pleasure product is my Dior Addict Collagen Activ Lip Maximiser. For a lipgloss £23.50 can be a bit steep, but I'm not even phased because this is my favourite lipgloss ever and I think it's worth every single penny.

What is your underdog product?

My underdog product is the Maybelline Eraser Eye concealer. For a drug store concealer, this one delivers. It's a full coverage concealer but its not sticky, cakey or heavy which can be difficult to find especially when you're using the concealer under your eyes the last thing you want it to look is cakey.

What is your favourite makeup product of 2015?

This question confused me slightly as it's 2016 now and I didn't know whether this question was for 2015 or it hadn't been updated but I'll answer it anyways. My favourite product of 2015 was my Nars Bronzer in the shade Laguna. I purchased this in summer last year and I loved how it was warmer than the bronzer I was using before hand, it's still one of my favourite bronzers today.

Current Favourite Lip Products

We're venturing into spring now and I'm moving from the dark purples to the nudes and the pinks. So I thought I'd share the lip looks I've been wearing recently.

My two holy grail lip liners currently are MAC Stripdown lipliner and MAC Spice lipliner. They are both nude lip liners so they pair well with most nude lipsticks. I've also been loving the NYX soft matte lip creme in Abu Dhabi, 3 MAC lipsticks in the shades Creme In Your Coffee, Honeylove and Myth and of course my holygrail lipgloss the Dior Collagen Activ Lip Maximiser. 

I've been using Stripdown liner with the NYX soft matte lip creme for a neutral matte nude lip and I have also been using it with MAC Myth lipstick with the Dior gloss on top for a super glossy nude. I found that Myth on its own was slightly too light for my taste but with Stripdown liner on underneath it looks amazing.

I have been using the Spice lipliner with MAC Honeylove lipstick and also with the Creme In Your Coffee lipstick too (a new addition to the family). 

From left to right the swatches are NYX soft matte lip creme in the shade Abu Dhabi, MAC Honeylove, MAC Myth and MAC Creme In Your Coffee. 

Those are my current favourite lip products and combinations that I've been wearing recently, what are your favourite lip products? Let me know in the comments. See you soon!

Rebecca x

How To: Flawless Base

I love a flawless, bronzey, full coverage base for any makeup look! I've tried and tested so many products over the years and these are the best that I've tried so far.

So I'll take it step by step and explain the products and how I apply them. So get yourself a cup of tea and some munch because it's going to be a long one!

PRIMER

Most of the time I use a primer just to make my makeup last longer and to make my skin look more awake. After moisturising I mix MAC Prep+Prime Skin Base Visage and a small amount of MAC Strobe Cream between my fingertips, smooth it all over my face and leave it for 5-10 minutes before applying my foundation. The Skin Base has a slight radiance to it which brightens my skin but I add a small amount of Strobe Cream to give my skin that extra glow (definitely something I need on a Monday morning).

FOUNDATION AND CONCEALER

I then apply MAC Studio Fix with a MAC 188 brush in circular motions and then take a damp Beauty Blender to blend all the foundation together and remove any excess to avoid any areas looking cakey. It's important to use the same area of the Beauty Blender so that product is picked up and deposited evenly on the face. I have used so many foundations and I always come back to this one, I find that the coverage is full enough without being too thick. I used to use Estée Lauder Double Wear but it was so full coverage and so thick that it made my skin bad.

I then use Maybelline Instant Age Eraser Eye underneath my eyes and blend it out with the same Beauty Blender. This concealer is truly amazing it's so lightweight with a great coverage. 

POWDER

The first thing I do after blending out my concealer is set my undereyes using the Laura Mercier Loose Translucent Setting Powder with a Real Techniques Setting Brush. This powder is flawless as I've mentioned before, it's so silky and I've never seen a crease under my eye since using this. 

I then set the rest of my face using the MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural with a MAC 129 brush. This powder has a slight radiance to it which makes it look natural on the skin (do not worry this is not like putting a highlighter all over your face!). I always set my foundation with a powder but I still want my skin to look like skin and this powder is perfect for that as it doesn't make me look cakey at all.

BRONZER 

After setting my face I use the NARS Bronzer in the shade Laguna with a MAC 168 brush just under my cheekbones as a contour then up to my temples and blend it into my hairline for bronzed skin. This bronzer is my absolute holy grail, I'm on my second batch already and will definitely repurchase when I've finished this one! It's a beautiful warm brown but it doesn't look orange on my skin which is what I love about it. 

HIGHLIGHT

This is probably my favourite part of my makeup because I love a strong, popping highlight! First I mix MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Global Glow with theBalm Mary-lou Manizer with another MAC 188 brush (not the one used for foundation as this could end in disaster!) on the tops of my cheekbones and just above my eyebrows. Then for a more intense highlight I take a fan brush (the one in the picture is just a cheap one - you can use any fan brush!) and take the Mary-lou Manizer alone and apply it to my cheekbones, tip of the nose and on my cupids bow. 

So that concludes my flawless, bronzey, glowy base routine! Let me know if you enjoyed reading this as I could do more "How To" posts (I have a lot of tips to share!) also let me know what your favourite base products are as I am nosey and I would love to know! See you soon!

Rebecca x