Category Archives: make up

Getting Festival Ready with Essence

30th July 2016
I might not be heading off to any festivals this year, but having been to a few in the past alongside several camping trips I felt quite equipped to take on the challenge of creating a long lasting festival makeup look with the help of Essence. The folks at Essence kindly sent over a bundle of their products, asking bloggers to use them to create a water and smudge proof look to take you from dawn to dusk…
I personally don’t like to wear heavy makeup at a festival- I’m not one for glitter and face paint because after a long day I can never be bothered to remove it and my tent ends up looking like a fairy exploded the next morning. With this in mind I opted for a fairly low maintenance, speedy look which still had some bright and fun elements to it.
I used the eye crayon as an eye makeup base negating a need for primer too- it’s such a pretty peachy/gold colour and unlike some crayons I’ve used in the past doesn’t crease or wear off over the course of the day. I added some silver eyeshadow on top of this for a subtle bit of sparkle and used the dark brown eyeshadow to fill in my brows before adding in turquoise liner to my top eyelids and silver in the corner of my eyes to brighten them up. All of these lasted the duration of the day without any smudges or streaks! The eyeshadows are £1, the crayon £2.80 and the eyeliners are £1.50 so not going to break the bank if you want to experiment with bright and bold colours.I was actually really impressed with the mascara. I’m not a fan of waterproof mascaras in general as I find they can be drying on my lashes. This one by essence isn’t like that at all and I loved it’s petite size and the effect it had on my mink lashes after just two coats. A complete bargain at only £2!

Skin wise I didn’t actually test the foundation as the shade was far too dark for me (being the English Rose that I am) but if it’s anything like previous essence foundations I’ve tried then it will live up to it’s long lasting hype. The lipliner and lipstick lasted a full six hours on me which is pretty good given that I’m constantly drinking a cup of something and had lunch and snacks in that time as well. The lipsticks are very reasonable at £2.30 each…I have several from essence and they’ve all impressed me.

Whilst I’m here I thought I’d throw in a bonus couple of tips if you are heading to a festival for the first time this year…

1. Don’t forget a mirror! I did this the first time I ever went and ended up begging a compact off of a friend which was interesting to do a full face in! Even if there are mirrors in the toilets you really don’t want to be hanging round in those longer than necessary!

2. Face wipes are you friend. A quick and easy way to freshen up during the day and to take makeup off a night. Not ideal as a long term solution but perfect for a weekend in a field!

3. Pack hard workers. Unless you’re taking a gazebo to sleep in space will be limited. 2 in 1 products and travel sizes are your best friends, as are products that don’t require an army of brushes to apply.

4. Relax. Festivals are all about having fun, you really don’t need to pack your full contour kit and high end foundation…no one will be looking at your face and by the time it’s rained for six hours straight and you’re covered in mud no one will see your makeup anyway!

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Products in this post gifted to me by essence.

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Current Beauty Loves

27th November 2015
I’m going through a phase of picking up new makeup at the moment, it goes like that…I’ll go months without getting tempted and sticking determinedly to using up my rather vast collection and then BAM, I’ll buy one item that I actually need and it triggers off a chain reaction of picking out new products. Luckily (and rarely) I’ve been happy with everything I’ve bought lately, there’s nothing worse than wasting money on a disappointing product, right?
Coming soon from the team at I Love…* are these gorgeous tinted moisture balms which have the most adorable packaging ever! I believe these are being launched any time now these are an absolute bargain at £2.99 and come in three fantastic flavours- cherry, grape and strawberry. Not unlike the Clinique Chubby Sticks and giving the colour of a lipstick with the feel of a balm these are a must have for any lip product lover and cost less than a festive latte.
Another lip product I’ve been loving is the new lip paints from Barry M. I already had a nude and berry shade of these in my collection but couldn’t resist adding shade “167” in to the mix- a super moisturising matte finish pink. These go on like a dream and aren’t at all drying on the lips, perfect against the Winter elements.
The one product I actually NEEDED to buy was a new brow kit, I don’t get on with gels for some reason and always lose pencils so a palette is my best option. I’d so far been loyal to my Oriflame set but after it’s demise I decided to branch out and try something new and opted for the MUA Eye Brow Kit for the bargain price of £3.50. So far I’m really impressed with this, the darker and lighter shades blend together to create something just right for my colouring and the highlighter and wax are lovely finishing touches. You really can’t go wrong at this price and I think this has just become my new go-to for groomed brows.
I was delighted to see that my local Superdrug has FINALLY started to stock Makeup Revolution…only a year or so late to the game eh? I’ve tried quite a few products from the brand since they launched and have been really very impressed. As there was a 3 for 2 offer on all cosmetics I felt I could justify picking up the Pro Looks Big Love palette for £6 (meaning the brow kit was free) and in the two weeks since I bought it there hasn’t been a day where I haven’t used at least one of the shadows. I love how the palette is divided in to three seperate looks, although of course you can mix it up a bit too! The colours are all really wearable and perfect for day to night beauty or for a break away from home.
Are there any products you’ve recently discovered? Feel free to leave some recommendations below…

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Five Minute Summer Makeup with Essence

01st June 2015
As soon as the weather warms up I get very lazy with my makeup, eyeliner gets ditched and I prefer to wear as little on my face as possible. Essence recently asked me to create a Summer makeup look using some of their latest range and I jumped at the chance. I’ve raved about the brand before, having picked up some bits and pieces when they first arrived in Wilko- it’s so affordable but really and truly doesn’t compromise on quality.
This look really couldn’t be any easier, it literally took me five minutes to apply! I used the soft touch mousse makeup as my base which has become my go-to foundation at the moment. I’ve bad experiences in the past with mousse type products but this one isn’t drying and gives a lovely, matte and even coverage that feels really light on my skin. I’ve mentioned before that I’m a bit wary of bronzing products but the sun club 2in1 bronzing powder in sunshine works perfectly even on my super pale skin. It gives me a healthy, subtle glow without leaving me looking dirty or orange.

On my eyes I wore the metal glam eyeshadow in golden up which provides a really pretty sparkly colour without being over bearing or over the top for day time. The Essence eyeshadows are one of my favourite products for their rich pigment and longevity, not to mention the bargain price. I could have sworn I had a photo of the mascara I was sent but it appears not. Anyway, it was the plump no clump! volume mascara and I was really impressed at the natural looking lashes it left me with. I admit I wasn’t expecting much from a cheap and cheerful mascara but this will become a staple in my summer makeup bag.

On my lips I wore the long lasting lipstick nude in porcelain doll which is the perfect “your lips but better” shade for pale girls. The colour lasts for ages and doesn’t leave my lips feeling dry- although I could have done with a slick of lip balm pre-application.

I was also sent some gel nail products, the top and base coat plus a polish in the most gorgeous pale peach-pink shade. I haven’t had a chance to use these yet as I can’t regularly paint my nails but from previous experience of essence products they won’t dissapoint.

What does your summer makeup look like? Have you tried these products or any others from essence?

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Mineral Makeup with Pur Minerals

27th March 2015
I’ve dabbled with mineral makeup in the past but have found it pretty hit and miss to be honest. From foundations that have turned orange the second they hit my skin to poor lasting power in products such as eye shadows I found myself sticking more to conventional products and brands I knew. I was recently introduced to Pur Minerals who are launching on Look Fantastic this month. It’s a brand I’d read a lot about via various beauty blogs that I read regularly and was pretty excited to see what they could offer where other brands had fallen short.
I was sent enough products to makeup a pretty complete natural face of makeup which tends to be what I favour these days (gone are the days of rainbow eye makeup looks and mad glitter everywhere). The eyeshadow palette was a real winner for me, made up of pinky, plummy matte nude tones that applied beautifully and lasted all day. The mascara was another star product, one coat gave me longer, natural looking lashes; it’s become my go-to mascara for work days, although I do tend to go a bit lash mad at the weekends.

Face product wise I was similarly impressed. I was sent a spray on foundation which I have never tried before- I’ve seen similar products on the market but failed to see how they could possibly work, all I could think of was potential mess! Despite being a touch too dark for my skin tone this applied beautifully, a fine mist was all I needed for a light coverage that blended well and lasted all day long. The compact can also double up as a foundation, worn on it’s own for a light coverage or as a setting powder which is how I used it here, buffed in with a big fluffy brush.

The stand out product from the range I was sent however was the concealer. I’ve had more than my fair share of sleepless nights recently and my under-eye dark circles were out of control. My trusty Collection concealer had run out and I was just contemplating what to replace it with when this Pur Minerals one arrived. It looks a little dark in the tube but goes on beautifully and blends well. This hands down beats any concealer I’ve ever used to cover up dark circles and it also hides blemishes and redness perfectly. This has instantly made it’s way on to my top products list and will be a re-purchase time and time again!

I’m so happy to have finally found a range of mineral makeup that can compete with more traditional products. I feel happier knowing what I’m using is being kinder to my skin and I’m pretty sure my complexion is in pretty good knick thanks to daily usage of these products.

Have you used Pur Minerals before? I can’t recommend them enough but I would love to know what other products of theirs I need in my life!

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Current Beauty Favourites

04th March 2015
Despite my best intentions beauty posts are few and far between on the blog. I’m fairly minimal when it comes to skin care and even makeup these days and I don’t tend to buy a lot of new products or discover new favourites. Since Christmas I have managed to collect a few new lotions and potions which have impressed me and rapidly become a part of my regular (sort of) skin care regime.
First things first, a product I’m loving from Lush. I was allergic to Lush products when I was younger and avoided them for many years, but after a little bit of trial and error I’ve found some that I can use. Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner is one of these products, it was included in a blog club goodie bag back at the start of December and I’ve been loving it ever since. I think this is one of the nicest smelling products I’ve ever used and it leaves my skin super soft and smooth feeling- quite some feat for me, the winter months are not my skin’s friend.
At around £55 a bottle Clarins Double Serum isn’t something you’d usually find in my collection as it’s just too far out of my price range. I was lucky enough to win this bottle in the New Year and I have to say I can see why people do splurge on skin care as this just makes my face feel amazing. I wouldn’t say I suddenly look ten years younger, but my skin is brighter and my pores less noticeable- it also has a real luxe feel when you put it on so is perfect for some end of the day pampering (and is a great incentive to take makeup off before bed!)
Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Dry Oil golden shimmer is another of those products I probably wouldn’t buy for myself on an ordinary shopping trip. This bottle was part of a goodie bag from an M&S event before Christmas and I’ve been loving it ever since, even if I was a little baffled by it to start with. This adds a wonderful subtle shimmer to skin which warms up my pasty skin tone a treat. I’ve also been using it on the ends of my hair which has stopped them looking quite so dry and frazzled. At £21 per bottle I can see myself buying this again when it runs out as a little goes a very long way and it’s a real multi-tasker.
Makeup wise I’ve been trying to use up my stash rather than buying new products. Typically both my foundation and primer ran out at the same time and at a time where I had little spare cash to replace them. I took advantage of a 2 for £10 offer in Boots (which worked out as 2 for £9 thanks to an NHS employee discount) and picked up the Rimmel Lasting Finish Nude Foundation (in medium coverage, although the heavy coverage did tempt me I decided I preferred a slightly more natural look) as well as the Lasting Finish Primer which works alongside the foundation to provide all day coverage. Both of these products have really impressed me with their staying power and natural look they give my skin. I was using a Bourjois foundation before this which I thought was my Holy Grail of foundations but this budget beauty might have knocked it off of the top spot.
Last but my no means least I was far too excited to find the Shupette Collection from Shu Uemura in the Harvey Nichols sale and couldn’t resist picking up this peachy blusher. I’d lusted after this collection since it was first announced and whilst I didn’t exactly need yet another blusher I was swayed by the amazing texture (I generally hate cream blushers but this one swayed me) and natural peachy finish that compliments my pale skin perfectly. The packaging is just so cute, I’m often a bit wary of buying collaborative products like this in case quality is compromised but I can happily say this isn’t the case, and at £12 it wasn’t any more than the products I usually buy.
What beauty products are you loving lately? I love picking up new suggestions from people’s blogs…I need to make these posts a more regular thing!

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