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I'm SO sorry I've been MIA for so long...!!
I've just started my new job at a solicitors and have upcoming interviews for a training contract too so it's finally looking up on the careers-side!!
Now I have started work, my quest is on for a everyday routine that stays the distance and doesn't look too made up. It's 2 weeks so far and I've been trying out a few things so I'll let you know how I get on shortly!!
In the mean time, I'll do a quick list of things I'm loving at the moment and things I'm not liking so much!!
LOVING...
- Dior Forever and Nude Foundation - I love BOTH of them!!!
- Clarins Instant Light Lipbalm
- Smart Work-Wear + Dress-Down Fridays = Best of BOTH Worlds
- Clarks Sale - Don't turn your noses up at this, I've found some serious bargins there
- The Home Show - It's become a bit of a regular watch in our household
NOT LOVING...- Unsettled weather - a girl needs to KNOW what to wear
- Not enough sleep - there's just too much to do
- Long commutes - driving up and down the motorway isn't how I'd like to spend 4 hours of my day
- Friends being away - I can't WAIT to have them home NEXT WEEK!!
- Not enough holidays - since I started halfway through the year, I only have 8 days till 2010!!!
Enough of that...I really need to get some shut-eye before work tomorrow. Will hopefully see you all soon.
J xx
For the first time in ages...I'm looking forward to doing something other than studying. And it's very exciting!! I finish exams in 5 days...which means my Summer officially begins. It also means the prospect of being unemployed!!
So the things I'm looking forward to this Summer:
- my Birthday
- a trip to Alton Towers
- starting a new job SOMEWHERE in the UK
- potentially going to Arizona for a week to see friends
- Barn Dance with my Uni friends
- Garden Parties and various BBQs throughout the Summer
- my friends being home
My biggest dilemmas will be what to wear for said parties. It needs to be practical, girlie, sexy and comfortable at the same. Here are just some ideas...let me know what you think!
xxxx
If you've been following my Twitter...you'll know that I splurged on Dior Forever Liquid Foundation yesterday after reading Holly's blog yesterday. What do I think?
Well as I've only worn it for a day, I can't really give a full review BUT so far so good. I thought I might have got the wrong colour but I think I may just need to apply less possibly. For reference I bought Shade 031.
I had an exam today and even though I felt oily, when I checked in the mirror after a gruelling 2 and a half hours, my T-zone wasn't an oil-slick as I thought it would be.
I nearly went and bought the Clinique Blendable Face Powder but reasoned that I have the Bobbi Brown Loose Powder which works JUST as well!
For an even lighter look, I might work the Tinted Moisturiser again with my Dior Forever Powder Foundation which I bought last year. I'll let you know how it goes.
Might catch a nap before continuing on this revision malarky!!! Ta-ra xxxx
So I've been thinking recently whether there's really any need to splash out so much money on High-End skin care when Drugstore (and Purse-friendly) brands have been so good to my clear-complexioned friends. And I've decided to try the theory out...
So this month, I've stopped using all my Clinique stuff and am sticking to Neutrogena and I'll let you know how I've been getting on later this month.
It's exam-time which means crazy-skin anyways so it's OBVIOUSLY the perfect time to try something like this out. Haha.
For your reference I'll be using the Visibly Clear Spot Stress Control and Oil-Free range. There are so many nice products in this line. Including a Gel-like Moisturiser and a Non-oily Make-up remover which are 2 of my favourite skincare products!!
What are your favourite Drugstore Branded Skincare Products?
Take Care xx
I think the title explains it all really......Against all reason, I went shopping today at the CCO and New Look so you can imagine the damage. I get the first half of my year's results tomorrow so will be celebrating / commiserating on Friday...any ideas for outfits??SALSA dancing tomorrow...watch Twitter for updates! XD
Shamelessly stolen from MagpieSparkles ;)
Mood: Hmmm...restless! I'm trying to finish my work as soon as possible so I can job-search and catch-up with friends (and shop if my credit card allows...XD)
First words out of my mouth this morning: "Leave me alone" A friend of mine woke me up just because he had to be back at work this morning and I didn't have Uni...great fun!!
What I’m looking forward to this week: Salsa time...some of my friends recommended going at the weekend so I'll be putting my heels on and maybe I might even find a nice boy to partner-up with!!
One thing I’d like to improve about myself: My body-image and my lack of self-control when it comes to shopping
On my makeup lust list: Revlon Matte Lipstick in Pink Pout. I need to curb my spending on make-up habit!!
Last dream I can remember: Hmm...the last one I remember was a very strange one where me and a good friend of mine ended up going out...VERY strange!!
Cheeks and lips: Surprisingly, Rimmel in Misty Rose. It's a perfect balance between pink / peach and my HG everyday blush...FOR NOW. On my lips, it has to be the Yes Yes Yes Lipbutter with Clear Lipglass!
Outfit: Today it's been all about PJ's coz I've been at home doing work but I wore a pretty outfit for a friend's 21st
You can't really see the outfit properly but it consists of the following...
- Topshop Skirt
- Plain Black Top
- Black Cardigan from New Look
- Brown Waist-Belt from New Look
- Tan Brown Sling-Back Heels from River Island
Fragrance: Body Shop's Cassis Rose...it's my ultimate go-to fragrance. It's very light and non-offensive!
Weekly goals: Hmmm...not to spend any money? It's going to be so hard..especially as I wanted to pick up some summer staples tomorrow! DILEMMA! But I am meeting with my best friend next week for dinner so that should spur me on! XD
Have a good week girlies xxx
OK..I just conducted an experiment with my blusher collection. And do you know what I found...? That a lot of the blushers I do have are quite similar in colour!! >.< Oops.
So maybe I shouldn't get the Well-Dressed Blusher?? Though I do seem to be missing a mid-pink..I have baby-pink (MAC Pink Swoon), 'IN YOUR FACE' pink (Bobbi Brown Apricot), a dirty pink (Bobbi Brown Desert Pink) and various nudes / corals / peaches (WAAY to many to mention!). Maybe that's a hole I should fill?! hehe.
What's a girl to do, eh? If you wanna see any of the blushers, please let me know!! xx
If there was ONE product you could recommend for me this month, what would it be??
My bank balance has JUST about recovered, as I got an injection of money today. But it still won't with-stand any big hauls in the near future. I've been thinking about this potential haul for some time now. What would you recommend me getting?? Here's my wish-list of potentials and justifications...
- MAC Well-Dressed Blush - A HG everyday pink??
- MAC Select Cover Up / Prescriptives Camoflauge - I have SCU in NW25 at the moment and it's not a perfect match so I'm considering a replacement. My skin is horrendous at the moment!! And I've heard good things from Hele about Prescriptives...
- Prescriptives Mineral Powder Make-up - again..a recommendation from Hele
That's all I can think of off the top of my head...but I would love to hear your comments!! xx
I'm incredibly behind on these posts..and posting in general. The last month has been hectic work-wise, but it hasn't meant that I've neglected my makeup..rather the opposite!! I'm particularly skint at the moment so I'm joining lollipop26 in her Project 10 Pan and re-discovering some old favourites and also experimenting with my new loves.
IN
Bobbi Brown - my biggest expenditure the last couple of months, especially loving the TM and concealer
MAC Margin Blusher - it's a great everyday blusher
Sunny weather - I'm loving the early summer / late spring we're finally having
Memory Lane - having been to Leicester this weekend, it's made me appreciate friends I've made along the way
Long Cardigans - I seem to wearing these with every outfit but they're so comfortable and so versatile!!
OUT
Lack of Money - I'm beginning to resent my student-status and looking forward to a steady income
Distance - I miss the closeness of everything in Hong Kong, you wouldn't have 2 + hours trips
Search for the perfect lip product - still haven't found it yet (see next post =D)
Bad skin - my skin still won't stabilise and I'm starting to get impatient >.<
Missing my friends - they're too spread out all over the country / world for me to see them regularly
xx
Sorry I've been missing for a little while...just getting started on the new modules now. And I'm desperately trying to save money to move out later this year!
Anyways, I got some samples from Estee Lauder the other day for their Double Wear foundation. I initially wanted the Light formulation but there isn't as much choice in relation to shade. I got matched at 2 different stands and got 2 different shades...mmm! Interesting. So tell me guys, have you had bad experiences getting matched at stands?
I have oriental skin which isn't well catered for in the drugstore foundation ranges - the tones are too rosy or golden whilst my skin has a yellow undertone. I thought I had hit jackpot last summer with prescriptives but it's too dark for these spring months, maybe when it gets a bit warmer!!
What's YOUR experience with counter-top foundations v drugstore foundation? Would love to hear from you xxx
I'm always like 3 weeks behind but I blame those exams for sucking my life away!!
Shampoo - Tresemme Deep Cleansing Shampoo
Conditioner - Andrew Collinge Leave-In Conditioning Spray
Hair Mask - None
Styling Products - Andrew Collinge Volume Hairspray / Fudge Pump Up / Lee Stafford Spray Wax / Garnier Beach Look Spray
Body Wash - Body Shop Coconut Shower Cream...mmmm
Body Moisturiser - Body Shop Coconut Moisturising Spray
Anti Perspirent - Nivea Energy Fresh
Fake Tan - L'Oreal Nutrisummer
Makeup Remover - Lancome Galateis Douceur and Eau Micellaire Douceur
Cleanser - Neutrogena Acne Daily Scrub / Clinique Anti-Blemish Cleansing Foam
Exfoliator - No 7 Total Renewal
Primer - Clinique City Block SPF 25
Foundation - MAC's Studio Scuplt in NC20 applied with fingers or MAC Studio Tech NC27
Concealer - Clinique Airbrush Concealer under the eyes, Mac's Studio Sculpt in NC20 and
Estee Lauder Double Wear stick.
Powder - Mac's MSF Natural/ Blot powder using Body Shop Kabuki
Blush - Bobbi Brown in Apricot or MAC Springsheen
Bronzer - Dior Bronzer or MAC Bronzer
Highlighter - Redhead MSF MAC
Eyebase - Clinique's in Canvas
Eyeshadow - MAC Femme Fi with Magnetic Fields or Maybelline Definer in Spiced Chocolate
Eyeliner - PURE Kajal Liner / Revlon Colorstay in Brown
Curler - None
Mascara - if any, Maybelline Define-a-lash
Lipstick - Creme d'Nude / GOSH Darling
Gloss - with Lipstick MAC Lipgelee in Lu-be-lu, without Lipgelee in Slicked Pink / MAC TLC in Petting Pink
Nail Varnish - Barry M in Red Black..very wearable everyday colour but really hard to get right!!
The last 3 posts were a bit product heavy so I thought I would just update you on my recent activities!! As you know I had my compulsory exams all week last week...it was the most stressful week ever. Who thought it would've been a good idea to cram 5 exams into 5 days! My last exam was over 3 hours long! CRAZINESS!
After the exam we headed to the pub and sat in there for a good 2 - 3 hours before heading home. Some of the boys from Leicester were up in Liverpool that night so I went round to theirs for a couple of drinks before calling it a night.
Leeds this weekend was *ahem* interesting. As I said on twitter, it was like having a front row seat and knowing what guys get up to on a lads' night out. I can't bear to divulge what went on but it was partly horrifying but mostly entertaining. We stayed in Leeds overnight and headed straight to Wetherspoons in the morning...for 6 HOURS!! Me and Sarah felt disgusting but appreciated the banter!! haha.
This weekend I'm off to Sheffield to see my lovely ex-housemates. One of them has just got engaged so I can't wait to see the ring, another is off travelling very soon so it'll be sad to say goodbye for a while!!! I've missed these girls a lot so this weekend will be fun...and a lot more civilised without the boys!! haha.
xx
After my FIRST exam last week I had already had enough so I popped into the big Boots on the way home and picked up some more goodies. As well as stopping off at the Cosmetics Company store and checking out what lovely items they had!!
I got a Too-Faced Eyeshadow in Vixen which is a Dark Purpley-Blue with Shimmer. It's an OK shadow...find the Bobbi-Brown and MAC shadows easier to work with despite them both being about the same price!! On the Too-Faced theme, I finally got the Retractable Kabuki which i LOVE!! It was perfect for my weekend away. I also got the Pink Leopard Bronzer...lovely pinky-bronze!! Though I'm not very fond of the packaging...would have rather had the plastic casing!! The brush it comes with is HORRIBLE!! Never using that!!
Also picked up the 24-7 Concealer Stick...really really creamy but not sure whether I got the right colour!!
OOohh..I spotted PURE Cosmetics and came away with a Kajal liner in Black. Its very handy to have in my bag during the day. I love the lipstick-like packaging! Not great staying power but still very nice.
Talking of staying power, I spotted the Coco Bar Liquidlast in Cosmetics Company Store and bought that. On a daily basis, my eyeliner slips half-way down my cheek so having this on was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! I also picked up a Lustreglass in Ensign which will be a present for my bessie friend when I see her this weekend. It's a gorgeous girlie pink which will suit her mightily!!
A couple of other things I picked up that I have to rave about:
(a) STUDIO TECH in NC27....my HG foundation. I was a bit unsure about this when I went into MAC but OMD it's amazing match and also so simple to apply. It was in my purse constantly this weekend so I didn't need to lug so much stuff around with me!
(b) Bobbi Brown Blush in APRICOT....this is my go-to blusher for the day at the moment. It's shockingly pink in the pan but because of the peachy undertones, it really brightens up the look!
(c) Estee Lauder Double-Wear Concealer in LIGHT 02...I had this in Light Medium over the summer but it's too dark. My concealer of choice this weekend. I really like the consistency of it and it's really easy to work with.
(d) MAC Lipgelee in SLICKED PINK...this was a lot more peachy than it looked on swatches. But really glad I got this as it's a gorgeous everyday colour!
(e) MAC Eyeshadow in MAGNETIC FIELDS...when I got home I realised this is very similar to Black Plum from Bobbi Brown but it's still a really nice smokey-eye colour to have in your palette!!
I think that's it...phew!! xx
Me and mum had a very girlie day where we went shopping and had a lovely lunch at Harbour City in town. Gotta love Dim-Sum =) Anyways, she was very generous and treated me to some much needed skincare products!!
From L - R: Sudocrem, Clinique Turnaround Serum, DDMG, Clinique City-Block SPF 25, Bio-Oil, Clinique Anti-Blemish Foaming Wash and Clarifying Lotion.
SUDOCREM is like a miracle worker!! I smeared it on my red spots and in the morning they'd calmed down already!! Just place a towel over your pillow to minimise any stains!! haha.
But I haven't really tried out the Turnaround Serum or City Block enough yet to comment but I'll let you know.
For my skin-care routine, I'll alternate between the Anti-Blemish range and the normal range. I am finding that the Anti-Blemish range moisturisers aren't really good enough for the winter months and I'm having to lather on moisturisers daily and nightly!!
Again, not really tried Bio-Oil yet. I was hoping to try this on my spot-scars. Can you do that or too risky??
I know I've been MIA for a couple of weeks but there's so much I wanna share with you guys!! So I'll start with my hauls. I've had quite a few so bear with me!!
I splurged at the Cosmetics Company A LOT! I got a couple of Bobbi Brown Shimmer Wash Eyeshadows in Pink Gold (soft pinky colour perfect for the lid) and Black Plum (perfect for a smokey eye - a dark dark brown with gold shimmer).
There were also some MAC Mineralize Trios which I got in Heat Element (Bronze / Gold) and Bright Side Gallery Gal (Neutral Shimmer and Dark Duck Green). I also got Femme-Fi from the Neo Sci-Fi collection - I've been using this pretty much everyday. It's a great base colour!!
I got 2 x Ms Makeup Foundation and Concealer brushes. They're OK but not as soft as MAC obviously. It does the job though. Having said that I like using fingers for the Studio Sculpt Foundation at least.
Last couple of items I got the Carex Hand Sanitiser and the Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara. I haven't really used the Mascara enough to make a judgement - I'd heard so much I had to give it a go!!
There's my first haul post...I do love these eyeshadows. Particularly Femme-Fi...it's much less shimmery than Retrospeck so it's a close HG product for me!!
Look out for the next one!! xxx
I've finally finished exams and the obligatory celebrations so over the next few days I'll update you on my recent hauls (shopping de-stresses me!!) and new finds!!
Hope you've all been keeping well!
xx
Yeh I WISH I WAS GOING ON HOLIDAY!! It actually means that I'll be away from Blogspot and Twitter for the next week or so whilst I get these compulsory exams out of the way. Apparently life gets easier after this...I HOPE SO!!
I have some major hauls to share with you. But thought I'd let you know this first.
I bought the new MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation and Concealer in NC30 tried it once or twice and thought it was just too dark. Went back the other day just asking to be properly matched up again...the result?? I get to take mine back and have it swapped?? Never thought that it would have been possible!! YEAY!!
Also got a sample of Estee Lauder Double Wear Light to try over the weekend so we'll see how that works.
The YG I work with is holding a 1920's stylee murder mystery night this sunday so make-up looks / ideas will be gratefully received. I have a new dress that me and mum made today and hopefully some accessories to go with it!!! yeay.
OK...so I''m signing for a while. I'll see you all soon!! Leave me a comment about what you'd like to see when I get back!! xxx
OK after my initial fear of Creme d'Nude....I now LOVE it!! But it has to be used with another product...and as suggested I paired it up with slightly darker glosses. Namely my Lipgelees...I know I posted them on Swapsies but I may rescind the offer if that's OK?!?! SORRY!! They go perfectly with my Creme d'Nude! New Love!!
I also went back to MAC today to pick up 3 more items...namely -
- Eyeshadow in Mulch which is an intense golden reddish brown flecked with golden bronze shimmer (Velvet)
- Lipgelee in Slicked Pink
- Powerpoint Pencil in Stubborn Brown
I've still got another haul or two to share with you so I'll do that on my revision break tomorrow!! In the meantime, I have a couple of questions...
- What's the best DEEP BROWN shadow shade? I've looked on MAC and I want them all!!
- What's the best eyeliner for waterline? I'm trying everything and I still look like a panda by the afternoon!! This is like my life-long mission...SOMEONE HELP!!
Till then lovelies...xx
I went to MAC today to get the new Foundation and Concealer. Not had a chance to try it out yet so that'll have to wait for another day. But I also got
I wanted to get my YT video up but it just wouldn't work so I guess I'm just gonna have to play around with it for a while longer. Plan B is just to show you in pictures what my storage looks like...so bear with me!!
So this is my make-up corner. I LOVE IT so much. The only complaint I have is the lighting. I get so frustrated because I keep having to run to the window or the bathroom to check how orange I am in the morning. And then to find when I get in the car that I look like a ghost, etc. So any ideas / tips on lighting would be fab!!
This is most of MAC stuff plus my everyday things...I will move my MAC stuff eventually but it looks so pretty so the shelf. hehe. It has my Fix +, Oil Control Lotion, Prep + Prime and my Face & Body. At the back we have Studio Fix Powder Foundation, Bronzer and MSF Natural. My cheek products at the front - Pink Swoon, Blossomin and Virgin Isle
The box on the left has my 2 Lancome cleansers, Body Shop Vitamin C Facial Spray, Boots Cucumber Cleanser (which I use to clean my hands after foundation) and MAC Brush Cleanser.
On my first shelf I have most of my eye products and everyday hair stuff. The blue boxes hold (top L - clockwise) my unwanted products (LOOK OUT FOR SWAPS!!), eyeliners and pen shadows, single and double eyeshadows and finally my pigments / cream eyeshadows (including paintpots) and gel-liners.
In the top container bit (which is just a old box lid) I have my eyeshadow pallets - I have various ones including Revlon Quads, Body Shop limited editions, POP smokey eyes and H&M smokey eyes. The bottom box has my everyday hair stuff - including hairspray, wax, brush, volumising mousse, dry shampoo and blow-dry spray. Not very exciting really.
Mmm...my face drawer. Far left (just out of shot) I have my foundation samples (Lancome Adaptive and Maybelline Mineral Power Liquid) and pre-mixed Revlon Colorstay. Pink box at the front has my concealers, Lip & Cheek Tints (I LOVE THIS STUFF...great to pack in your bag!). Behind this are my mascaras...I don't use these too much. I should really since my lashes are non-existent but I find that it ends up down my face by mid-day most of the time!
Middle row. At the back we have my liquid foundations (including 3 x shades of Revlon Colorstay!! oops). At the front I keep my powder / mineral / mousse foundations and also my powders keeping my T-shine shine free.
Far right at the back I keep my bronzers and highlighters. Whilst at the front we have my blushers - creams, gels and powders. I have too many!!
Mmmm...MY FAVOURITE NEW ADDITION TO MY STORAGE. I love these drawers. By the way, the main storage units are all from Ikea.
Top shelf: Cotton wool pads and buds, Eye make-up removers, Neutrogena Oil-Free Make-up Remover and a Simple Toner.
Middle shelf: ALL MY BRUSHES!! I did use to keep them on top of my unit but too much dust!
Bottom shelf: My skincare - mostly Clinique and Body Shop stuff.
I actually have another shelf but it's currently empty!!
Phew! Got to the end eventually. Let me know what you think and if you want to see anything in detail let me know!! xx
I've just done a brief video of my make up collection and storage. But I haven't really gone into depth with any particular item. If there's anything you want to know more about, let me know!
I'll post the link when it's uploaded. Very nervous about this but hey-ho!
Let me know what you think. For now I'll leave you with a picture of my make-up corner!
Enjoy!! xx
I was mega-hungover yesterday and had a few hours to kill so I wandered over to the MAC store at the Met Quarter.
A hungover Joei + Cashcard + MAC = HAUL!
I went in with a bit of an agenda...namely a bronzer and possibly an eye-shadow, maybe Naked Lunch. Hmmmm...I achieved ONE of my objectives!!!
Changed my mind so many times about the choice between a MSF Soft and Gentle and MSF Natural in Medium Deep. I asked the MA who said that the MSF would just give a gentle shimmer and the colour given by the MSF Natural might be a bit too obvious.
She recommended the Bronzing Powder in Golden which I had never considered before. I thought it looked a bit too dark in the pan but its not too bad so far.
What else did I get? I got the Oil-Control Moisture Lotion and also the Matte gel. Not really tried either yet so I'll do another post soon.
I also popped into Boots to get the Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse in Fawn. I have the Mineral Power Liquid Foundation already in the same shade which matches perfectly. I've got it on today. It's nice but definitely moisturise and stick a little bit of moisturiser on the sponge before applying.
I NEED TO STOP SPENDING although I still have a couple of things on my wishlist ------->
Going to start my revision...February will be a BUSY month!! xx
So you may have heard of MakeUp Alley and swapping. It's really US-orientated and there's now a pilot UK-based version. Have a look at http://swapsiesuk.blogspot.com/
I bought this a while back as I'd heard that it was comparable to the Revlon Colorstay Foundation. It's OK....it stays on and has a slightly more runny consistency than the Revlon.
But there's ONE big downside to this foundation. It oxidises like mad...so the colour you put ON is NOT the colour you end up with by lunchtime! Grrr.
I would take some pics of my FOTD...very natural look but lighting + camera atm is a big no-no!!
But here is what I did use.
FACE
- No 7 Shine Free Make Up Bases (as recommended by Lizz1901)
- Maybelline Mineral Power Liquid Foundation (in Fawn)
- Concealer Routine (consisting of MAC Select Cover up, Studio Finish and Clinique Airbrush for under the eye)
- Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge (Blushed Rose 04)
- Body Shop Shimmer Waves (02 - the pale pink)
- Lancome Oily T-Zone control
EYES- MAC Bare Study as a base
- MAC Retro-speck all over the lip
- Revlon Cream Eyeshadow Quad in Not Just Nudes - the darkest shade at the lashline
- Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner in Brown
LIPS
Friends are on their way round for dinner...yumyum!! xxx
HAPPY NEW YEAR!! I love this time of year...it's the time when the festive spirit has truly disappeared and then this little gem pops up! Also a time when funds are sufficiently low and you get a little cash injection via Red Pockets!! Just wish I was round more of my relatives at this time of year!! hehe.
College has been hectic and it probably will be until 20th Feb when my exams all finish. I'm planning lots of visits to friends after this so it's something to look forward to. And me being a hermit for the next few weeks might save me some pennies as well!
Laura blogged a while back about swaps...and I have a few items which is being relegated and would love a new home :D !!
All the products are Clinique - it's not that these products aren't good but I've found better ones suited to my skin! So if you like the look of them, let me know and we'll see if we can arrange a swap of some kind. I'm particularly looking for BB creams, MAC eyeshadows (paintpots, shadesticks, powder...I'm not fussy!) and MAC MSF!! That's my wishlist!!
- Clinique Take the Day Cleansing Milk - it's just too creamy for my oily / combo skin!
- Clinique Stay True Make-Up in Stay Nude - medium coverage foundation
- Clinique Superfit Foundation in Honey - this used to be my HG foundation but the tone's a little too pink and dark for me
- Clinique Moisture Sher Tint in Beige - I know I was talking about this a couple of posts ago but I've decided that the coverage just isn't enough for my flawed skin and someone else will probably benefit from this a lot more than me!
There's probably more in my drawer if I look hard enough!! But we'll start with these for now and see if there's any interest! Let me know via the comments!!
xx
Last post tonight I promise...I have college tomorrow!!
I was visiting my friend in Lancaster this weekend and I found a Sally's!! Didn't get to spend much time in there but I spied lots of OPI and China Glaze polishes which I'm desperate to get my hands on but didn't see the Nail Art brush lollipop26 was talking about!! DOH!
Does anybody know of Sally's anywhere other than London and Lancaster (random!)?
I didn't quite get to go and see Take That but I did stop by Cheshire Oaks on Tuesday night on the way home and had a bit of a surprise.
On the shelves at the Cosmetics Company I saw the MAC 2008 Christmas Collection. After I had just spend near enough £100 of my Xmas money on the full-price collection. BOO!!! They had the brush sets, palettes (minus the smokey eye one), lipglass sets, lipglosses, eyeliners...I could go on but I'd get upset!! The brush sets full price were about £40 - now £29-ish. The palettes were £17!!!!
I can't believe that after only 6 weeks they were discounted already. Serves me right for having no patience at all. NOTE TO SELF - wait for things to get in at Cheshire Oaks before spending £XXX!!
I nearly bought the Beauty Powder from the Ungaro collection but decided against it. I swatched it and saw nearly NO difference. Someone enlighten me as to the difference of the Beauty Powder and the blushes??
I did hop over to the Revlon store and got a couple of eyeshadows and eyeliners though! Made me slightly less irritated!
Do you know of any good hunting grounds for ex-MAC products?? Let me know!
I mentioned in my last post about me using the foundation and concealer in this range. I quite like it actually. I'd spied the liquid foundation for a while now and because of mineral powder's light coverage I was hoping to try it out!!
My lovely friend managed to nab me some Maybelline / Rimmel goodies so I got to try the liquid foundation finally!! YEAY. Plus I'd recently picked up the concealer in a bargain store in town so wanted to try both out!
I LOVE the consistency - it's not overly creamy so doesn't feel thick and cloggy on my skin. Once applied, it gives a really nice glow and not shimmer which I liked. AND I found my perfect shade - in FAWN. In MAC terms - I'm about NC25-30ish during winter and a bit higher in the summer. But right now this shade is PURRFECT for me.
If you have oily skin, make sure you prime and set with powder (mineral or otherwise). It's not a great foundation for oil-control for sure.
Concealer wise...I do use this as an under-eye concealer just because the bargain store only had one shade and it's slightly too light for me! It works well for this purpose if you find the likes of Clinique Airbrush / YSL Touche Eclat a bit too light. But I think it might be a bit too runny for blemish coverage - I'm sticking to MAC Select Cover-up / Studio Finish for this! Well worth investing in!
Overall verdict? It's being phased into my make-up routine. I like the fact that it feels lighter on my skin. That was my one bug-bear about Revlon Colorstay. It felt like it was weighing a ton on my skin! I'll let you know how I get on and when I change my mind again!!
OK so I finally jumped on the bandwagon for mineral foundation. I've always been worried that the coverage would be enough for me and nor would the oil-control.
And I was proved right.
I opted for the Body Shop Natural Mineral Foundation. The coverage isn't great on this and used on its own my face is like an oil-rig by the time I arrive at college - 9.45am!!
But all is NOT lost! I found a different use for it...instead of using my MAC MSF Natural as the setting powder, I've been using this as the finishing touch over the top of my sample of Maybelline Mineral Power Foundation and it works a treat!
[Side note - anybody else tried the Maybelline? The concealer works well for under-eye but not really for blemishes. And I quite like the foundation although coverage isn't as good as I would want. Damn my horrible skin!]
I think the secret is the brush.
I've had the foundation kabuki brush for a while now and I LOVE IT!! It's so soft and perfect for this purpose!! I love Body Shop brushes in general...I pretty much have the whole set before I got into MAC. Special mention should go to the Lip / Concealer brush which I actually favour over the MAC ones! It applies straight onto the blemish and works really well with the Studio Finish concealer!!
What are YOUR views on mineral foundation - yay or nay??
I know I owe you all an update...and I did go shopping on Monday and today actually so lots of things to share!! But I'm going away this weekend so work needs to be done!! BOO!
But I thought I'd ask you guys - anyone heard of BB Cream. Been reading loads of reviews on the 'net about its benefits (e.g. reducing redness and improving complexion) but mostly from Asia. So wondered whether anybody's heard about it in the UK or US for that matter??
Desperately trying to find a sample from somewhere!!
xx
P.S. Laura - I WILL do the "What's in your bag?" post again soon - I'm just too indecisive and I've lost my camera lead!! lol.
I've promised this post for SOOOO long now and I'm happy to say that the last 6 weeks' endurance and patience have paid off somewhat! :D Me and my skin have never been the best of friends to be honest but I don't think I helped matters but being indecisive about the products I use. For the last 6 weeks I've stuck to 1 / 2 ranges and kept to a routine and it's cleared my blemishes a bit so I'll share what I've learnt with you. This is what's worked for my skin (Combination / Oily)...
Morning Routine
I'm fairly lazy when it comes to anytime before 10am so bare minimum here. Whilst in the shower I'll use Neutrogena Spot Stress Control Daily Scrub every other day, on other days I'll use Clinique Facial Soap for Oily Skin. It's not good to scrub everyday - it'll just spread your spots round around your face!! (Learnt that from a Clinique consultant!!)
I'll follow it up with Clinique Clarifying Lotion 3 and a pea-size amount of Clinique Dramatically Different Gel. Skin feels lovely and fresh and ready for make up.
I take out with me Neutrogena Visbly Clear Hydrating Spot Treatment which is a light moisturiser - it's more gel-like in consistency than other light moisturiser. I've found that walking around in the British weather dries out the skin really quicker and I'm re-applying this pretty much as soon as I get to college!! But it's good to have.
Evening Routine
As soon as I get in and am staying in, I'll take off my makeup. A tip I've learnt from my mother dearest, why clogg up your pores unnecessarily!! I'm using Neutrogena Visbly Clear Face and Eye Makeup Remover - it's not like any other Makeup Remover I've used. Very light and no oiliness whatsoever. My parents bought me the Lancome Galetis Douceur from HK by mistake...it's good but I hate the smell. It's just too much...so I'll use this first as it is better at taking off my foundation - especially Revlon Colorstay!! If there's any residue left, I'll use a quick swipe of Lancome Eau Micellaire Douceur (which is what they were MEANT to get!!) which is a water-based cleanser and is safe is use round the eyes. It's so quick and easy to use. I transfer it to a little bottle when I'm away!
To get stubborn eye make up off, I'll use my little bottle of Clinique Take the Day Off Eye Make up Remover or Johnson's Baby Oil which does the job just as well.
[Just a note about TTDO - I have the Cream Cleanser which I don't really like. It's still about 2/3 full so if people want to swap..let me know!]
Before bed, I'll use Clinique Liquid Soap, Clarifying Lotion 3 and DD Gel as in the morning. 2-3 times a week I'll use Clinique Superdefense Triple Action Moisturiser for extra kick of moisture.
For my blemishes I use 2 products...one from the pharmacy and the other from HK.
For red throbbing blemishes, I'll use Benzoyl Peroxide which is available from Chemists in differing concentrations. I used 6.67% because my skin was really bad but I'll be using 2.5% from now on.
Once the blemishes die down and it's left to scarring, I use Sewame Spots-removing and trace-free essence. It has a gel-like consistency and fragrance free. Scars are still around at the moment but my spots only stopped being disguisting a couple of days ago!! I also have Clinique Even Better Tone Skin Corrector which I will try in February and stick with it for 6 weeks!! But wanna get it completely under control first!!
So there you have it..my routine!! It's not as stripped down as I thought actually!! Ah well, it's better than it was before though!! Go figure....
I still love my Revlon Colorstay because of its staying power and everything but have found in the last week that it can feel a bit heavy so as I'm trying to let my skin breathe a little more, I wanted to try something new. I went to Boots on Monday after my exam and had a look round.
I've bought the Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation which I haven't tried yet but I like the fact that it's quite compact so it's in my bag most days for touch-ups (which I haven't had to resort to yet!). I also went to the Lancome counter...I always associated Lancome with Mum's makeup etc but I've had a few surprises there recently (see Skincare post - I promise to do that in a minute!!). The lady recommended the Adaptive foundation - the texture feels really nice but I wasn't sure so I've taken away a sample to try out. I tried it earlier this week and the staying power wasn't as good (obviously) but no major complaints. I rooted out my mum's makeup bag and found a slightly bigger sample so I'll finish those before making a decision. Maybe even use up some of my other stuff.
I read on MUA about Revlon Colorstay Light which sounded fantastic but it's not on sale in the UK which absolutely SUCKS as that would have been perfect!! On my scout around another beauty blogger mentioned using a Tinted Moisturiser under a light powder foundation...which is exactly what I tried today!! So here's what I used:
- Clinique Moisture Sheer Tint
- MAC MSF Natural - applied with sponge (Thanks lollipop26!)
- Normal Concealer routine!
And the results?? Pretty good...the majority of my makeup stayed in place save for a few powder moments here and there. So I like it...I need to pop out tmrw night for a church thing so may try it again!!
So what about you lot?? Any current routines you're loving and feel like sharing??
Sorry I've been MIA over the last couple of weeks...it's been quite hectic at home. A lot of my friends have come home from University so we've been catching up!! Another reason for my absence, I'm in dire straights financially so my makeup habit had to be curbed a little over the festive period!! But luckily, I'm a resourceful girl and I've been playing around with my existing collection and found little gems that had been forgotten!!
I will do my promised Skin Care post soon...I don't know whether I'm kidding myself or not but my skin is getting better and the routine seems to be working. Though I have been a little lazy the last couple of nights.
I will share a lovely present I received from a friend over Christmas...
It's the Body Shop's "Creamy Coconut Bathing Bliss" which has the soap bar, body butter, body scrub, shower gel and a shower thingy-bob. I LOVE the Coconut Milk Body Spray which I have already and the smell is so yummy! I can't wait to use it all! :D Thanks Vicky-babes!!
Once this nightmare week of work is complete I will update...I PROMISE!!
XXX
