What's in my Make-up bag Weekend Away Edit

Monthly Favourites - August

What's in my Make-up Bag - Holiday Edit

This is my first holiday since becoming a beauty blogger.  I have always loved make-up but over the past few months, my collection has really expanded and at the moment, I find choosing my daily make-up so exciting and I can never wait to select and apply each day's look.  All of this has meant that narrowing down my choice of what to take away is so much harder this year!  I have aimed to make selections based on products that work well in the heat and are longer lasting or waterproof where possible.  Limited space means limited colour options but I have tried to go for those which go better with a tan and nothing too heavy or OTT; more appropriate for a beach holiday than a clubbing holiday! 


FACE
Primer

Benefit 15 hour Primer
Garnier 5 second Perfect Blur
This combo should erase any traces of fine lines from my 30 year old forehead and ensures my make-up stays put in the 40 degree + heat!



Foundation

Bare Minerals in Medium
By Terry Or de Rose Teint Supreme (from Space.NK sale)
I wanted a light option for a cream foundation and a powder which I think works well in the heat.


Concealer

YSL Touche Eclat in II
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Medium
Lancome Waterproof Under Eye Concealer
The ever-popular Collection concealer covers blemishes perfectly, while the waterproof Lancome and Touche Eclat will work together to banish under-eye dark circles.



Bronzer

Laura Mercier Bonne Mine Trio
MAC Bronzer 
I chose the Laura Mercier as I love using a cream bronzer for a natural contour, whereas the powder is essential to help tone down my oiliness.


Blush

MAC Gingerly
NARS Cactus Flower
Soap & Glory Cheekmate
This was tough to narrow down - I love blusher!  I have gone for a couple of cream options as they give a lovely glow, and again, the powder option is to help when it gets too hot!


Highlighter

YSL Dare to Glow Fatal Red
Estee Lauder Powder Gelee in Topaz Chameleon
I love this cream highlighter for a gorgeous sheen on the cheekbones; it is a lovely flattering colour and works well with a tan.  The Estee Lauder gelee is one of my all time favourite products, soo beautiful!



Powder

By Terry Powder
Make Up Store HD Powder
I bought the By Terry from the Space.NK sale for an absolute steal.  My favourite thing about it is the microfibre puff - the softest I've ever used.



EYES

Primer
Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer
Part of my fab gift from my Aunt who works for Smashbox in New Zealand.  Keeps shadows put.

Shadows
MAC 4 palette in Brulee, All That Glitters, Bronze and Espresso 
A good range of neutral, buildable colours that will look good with a tan.

Mascara
L'oreal False Lash Telescopic Waterproof
Of course it has to be this - makes my lashes as long as They're Real but has amazing waterproofness as an added bonus.

Brow Kit
GOSH Brow Kit
This bargain from GOSH does the job, no frills.  I have tinted my eyebrows so this is just a back up really.

Liner
L'Oreal Luminizer for Brown Eyes
This is new, so I hope I will like it! 
Nude Eyeliner from Illamasqua
To give a wide, fresh-eyed look



LIPS

Lip pencils/crayons
Bourjois Paris Colour Boost Lip Crayon in Orange Punch
Rimmel Exaggerate in Eastend Snob
NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella
A nude liner, a chunky bright coral and a deep red.

Lipstick
YSL Rouge per Couture (don't know the colour)
MAC Patisserie 
My favourite lip colour this summer - hot pinky, corally colours and a neutral option too.

Lipgloss
Bourjois Effet 3D in Coral Artistic
Just to emphasise the corally-orange.

Lip balm
Korres Jasmine
An absolute must-have, the Korres lip butter in Jasmine.  I am going to try and find an SPF balm too, I'm sure I have one somewhere!

Primer
Urban Decay Lip Primer Potion
I love this as much as the eye primer.



TOOLS

Eyelash curlers
Boots No. 7 
I have used these for years.  Fab.  I heat them with my hair dryer to set the curl.

Brushes
Real Techniques - Expert Face Brush, Stippling Brush, Eye Brushes
Eco-Tools Bamboo - fan, eye brushes
Lancome - angled powder brush
MAC - blush brush and eye blending brush
A good selection from my favourite brush brands, though I left my Body Shop ones out this time, I need to replace my Face and Body Brush.

ALL PACKED UP IN MY BEAUTIFUL LAURA MERCIER CUSTOM ARTIST PORTFOLIO!

(Check out the full review of this here)

 

Are you going away this Summer?

What products are you taking with you?

May Favourites

I have been so excited to write my first monthly favourites post, so here goes!


May has been so up and down in weather terms, I can't believe it is so nice today but only last week it felt like Winter - well that's England for you I guess.  My big car disaster happened earlier this month - I broke down whilst driving on a busy road and the AA told me to call 999 to close the road - very dramatic!  As of Friday I am the proud owner of a nearly-new Fiat Punto and I can't wait for it to be ready so I can have a car again.  Because of that though, I have decided to join some of you and start a spending ban :(  Let's see how long I can resist!


So, onto my beauty favourites:

Skincare

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo
I have been using this twice a day for a couple of months and my skin has never been clearer or had less blemishes (it's still not perfect but one step at a time!).  I love the smell too - although it is fragrance free, it has a light scent that I can't quite put my finger on it but it reminds me of fresh roses or newly cut grass.







Origins Oil Free Night-a-Mins
My skin is oily and I would like it to be brighter with a more even skin-tone.  I am also hitting the first signs of ageing with a few fine lines.  Based on these concerns, this night cream was suggested to me by a lady at the Origins counter in House of Fraser.  It was a good recommendation and has really helped to nourish and improve my skin.  It love the smell too - very fresh and orangey.





NSpa Skin Renewal Gel
The discovery of NSpa has been a bit of a revelation for me.  The range is stocked at Asda and is currently on offer at 2 products for £8.  Everything in the range is paraben free and packed full of great ingredients such as Neroli Essential Oil, Vitamin E, Ginseng and Algae Extract. 




This gel is an exfoliator that uses fruit acids to gently but effectively get rid of dead skin cells.  You massage in the gel for 2 minutes, leave it on for a minute then massage again.  On the final massage, the gel melts into an oil, then you wash it off.  This is such a different and effective product - I can't believe it is only £4!





Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine
I have reviewed this here: http://cloudnineindulgence.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/review-korres-lip-butters.html and it remains my favourite lip product of the moment.  It feels luxuriously soft and creamy and it smells divine (but not of jasmine bizarrely).  I also use it to correct lipstick colours - the Jasmine is slightly pink so can brighten up nudes whereas the pale Guava tones down a bright lip.

Brushes

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush
This is the best brush I have used for applying liquid, cream and powder foundation as it buffs into the skin beautifully.  It feels really soft but strong and dense enough to buff well. 

Real Techniques Stippling Brush
I love this for applying cream blush and highlighter as it helps blend the product seamlessly onto the skin whilst maintaining a light touch.

Body Shop Mineral Foundation Brush
I love the Body Shop brushes; they are the softest I have ever used and the large face brush is a staple in my collection.  I recently bought this in the 50% off flash sale and it is perfect for using with my new Bare Minerals foundation.  I can't stop running my fingers over it either - it is just so soft!

Make Up

All of the make up in this month's favourites are from blog sales!


NARS cream blush in Cactus Flower

This a beautiful pink/red gold colour that gives a gorgeous subtle highlight to the cheeks.  I tried to swatch it but the camera just didn't do it justice! Both my friend Lyndsey and I wore it in the pic below though.








Estee Lauder Illuninating Powder Gelee in Topaz Chameleon (limited edition)

Again, I found this so hard to capture on camera but I used it on me and Lyndsey in the pic below.
This has to be used sparingly but is such a beautiful gold highlighter - perfect with a tan.  I love how gorgeous the compact is too - the striking gold lid and reptilian embossed effect of the gelee itself.  Stunning!





Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette

I had been eyeing up this palette for ages and was planning on buying it with my Boots points so I was ecstatic when I saw it in a blog sale for £5 - I repeat £5!  It didn't disappoint either  - a great selection of neutral/nude/pink/brown colours ranging from matte to super sparkly via light shimmer.  This can be used to create a natural day time look or a full-on evening face.  A fantastic set of colours that I am so pleased to own.

Soleil Tan de Chanel

Lyndsey also features this month because she bought me this AMAZING birthday present for my 30th last month.  I have used it just about everyday since then and have barely made a dint in the tub.  I use the Real Techniques Contour Brush to use this to contour my cheekbones and temples, or to lightly sweep across my skin to add some all-over colour.  I have also been dabbing my Expert Face Brush into this before applying my foundation on days when I have a tan but my foundation doesn't!

Lyndsey (far left) and me (2nd left) wearing all 4 of the make up faves:

So there you have it, my first monthly favourites!

As a celebration of  reaching 1,000 Twitter followers, I am running a giveaway of a few of my favourite things.  You can win: a MAC lipstick of your choice, an ESSSIE nail polish of your choice, a pot of KORRES lip butter in Jasmine, a tube of NSPA skin renewal gel and a gorgeous 'live, love, sing, dance' bangle from Adorn Accessories in Stamford, where I got my DogEared necklace from.  They have amazing jewellery and a great range of bags too - mine has been mistaken for a Mulberry several times!

ENTER HERE - good luck!

What have you been loving this month? 

Please leave me a link to your monthly favourites if you have made one.