January Favourites

I thought I would start the New Year by sharing with you some of my favourite makeup products I Loved throughout the month of January.  While everyone has been watching their wallets, I have been trailing the makeup counters on the hunt for some new products and I haven't been disappointed.

My makeup routine doesn't always change from month to month, I have my staple's that I tend to use continuously before switching but I love it when I discover something new and am always on the hunt for exciting new makeup discoveries.  So without further ado here are my January favourites.

Bobbi Brown Tinted Eye Brightener £20

Nars Creamy Concealer £22

This month I have been loving two different types of under eye concealer.  

Bobbi's Eye Brightener is a lightweight formula, great for anyone just looking to brighten their under eye area.  Ive been using this during the day when I don't want as much coverage.

Nars Creamy Concealer is exactly as it states 'creamy'.  I've been wanting to try this for a while as I've heard amazing reviews and it definitely doesn't disappoint. On their website it says the coverage is lightweight to medium to high.  I don't agree with it it being lightweight and would say it is medium to full.  This concealer is great for anyone who needs a little extra converage to hide those dark circles.  

Beauty Blender

I love love love this little sponge! Used damp it helps create a flawless finish when applying foundation.  I doubt i'll change this for a while.

Nars Laguna bronzer £27

This bronzer has long been at the back of my mind.  Ive watched numerous bloggers, youtubers and makeup artists rave about this product, I don't know why it has taken me so long to try it.  The Laguna bronzer can be used to give a healthy glow or even contour the face.  It is described as having a slight gold shimmer but nothing to worry about as it's very subtle.

YSL Luxurious Mascara Waterproof £24.50

This used to be my all time favourite mascara but I stopped using it as it used to dry up really quickly and become extremely clumpy.  However, they have re formulated it in a bid to stop this from happening, so I decided to give it another chance and i'm glad I did.  So far i'm back in love, the new formula seems to prevent clumping while still achieving full on volume.

Nars Illuminator Copacabana £22.50

Nars Blush Highlight Albatross £22.50

I've been loving Nars this month having tried two highlight/illuminators.  

The Illuminator in 'Copacabana' I used for the first time on a model and it looked amazing, her skin was glowing.  This is a great product for achieving luminous radiant skin. It can be used under foundation, mixed with foundation or just on the cheekbones.

My second highlighter 'Albatross' was a complete impulse buy.  I was originally going to get one by Laura Mercier but after my friend recommended it, it was quickly added to my basket.  My picture doesn't do it justice but it creates a beautiful light reflecting glow to the skin.  I apply it to the tops of my cheekbones.

Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks £22

These I got in a set at Christmas and have used them constantly throughout January.  They have a luxurious and creamy texture and blend beautifully.  Perfectly suited to those days when you don't have time to spend blending eye shadow. A little bit smudged over the eyelid with your finger and your are ready to go.

 

Alice xox

Rituals Miracle Hand Scrub

So The new year has finally descended upon us, Horray! 

This year I was extremely busy over the festive period and as a result my beauty regime has been severely neglected. My hands and nails in particular are in need of a little pampering, they are always the last thing I think of.  This in turn leads me on to 'Rituals Miracle hand Scrub'.  I discovered this little gem tucked away in one of my 'Latest in Beauty' Christmas gift boxes and have been obsessed with it every since.   

It is ultra softening and smells absolutely delicious.  I have used it every day for the past week followed by my hand cream and my hands have never felt softer.  

Available in John Lewis, Debenhams, House of Fraser and Marks and Spencer

£11.50 75ml

Alice xox

Christmas Beauty Gift Guide HO! HO! HO!

Christmas has finally descended upon us and I can honestly say It is my favourite time of year.  I love everything about it from the cold frosty weather to the crazy rush to buy and wrap all my presents in time to put under the tree.  It's such a fun and magical time of year.

Todays post is going to be a mini Christmas beauty gift guide.  All the gifts I have picked are things that I personally would love to receive and are great value for money.  Lets face it, it can be quite overwhelming buying gifts with the choice being so vast, so hopefully I can help some of you who up until this point have been avoiding the daunting task of buying for your loved ones.

Fragrance

Jo Malone Cologne Collection Gift Set £68

Jo Malone have really outdone themselves this year.  Their gifts are to die for and their gift wrapping is even more luxurious.  Perfect for those of you who aren't very good at wrapping, Jo Malone does it all for you.  This set contains 5 miniature fragrances perfect for someone who likes to mix and match their scents and ideal for popping in your handbag.

Tom Ford 'Black Orchid' Gift Set  £76

Black Orchid is one of Tom Ford's signature and best selling fragrances.  Rich and spicy this perfume is perfect for someone who likes to stand out from the crowd.  A normal 50ml bottle retails at £72 however in this set you also get a 75ml body emulsion all for only £4 extra.  Buy it in store and benefit from Tom Ford's luxurious gift wrapping.

Body

Laura Mercier 'La Petite Patisserie Souffle Body Creme Collection' £45

I have long been a fan of the Laura Mercier body cremes, they are so creamy and smell amazing.  This set contains all the different scents, all equally as delicious.

Lush 'Your a Star' Pampered and Perfect gift box £42.50

Every year Lush Christmas boxes get better and better.  The products are amazing and the packaging is always really fun.  This little box is indulgent and glamorous.

Makeup

Urban Decay Naked 'On The Run' £37

I spotted this the other day and totally fell in love.  If you know someone who already loves the Naked palettes then this will be perfect for them.  An amazing travel kit for any makeup junkie.

Bobbi Brown Mini 'Lip and Eye Palette'  £25

This little makeup set contains everything needed to create a simple, classic look.  Ideal for putting in your handbag.

Lipstick Queen 'Red Carpet Edit' £45 (available in SPACE NK)

I would recommend this for someone who isn't afraid to make a statement.  Containing 3 gorgeous red lipsticks in differeing textures and shades, this gift will delight any makeup lover.

Benefit 'Easiest Nudes Ever' Eye Set  £23.50

If you are looking to buy for the younger generation, Benefit is a great place to look.  Their brand is vibrant and fun.  I would recommend this gift set for someone just getting into makeup and beauty.

These are only some of the Christmas gifts on offer this season but hopefully it will give a few of you some ideas. :)

Alice xox

The key to longer lasting eyeshadow

An important element in applying your makeup is preparing your skin, i.e cleansing, moisturising and priming.  Primers are often applied under foundation in order to smooth the skin and fill in any fine lines and pores and is also great for adding longevity to your foundation.  The same concept can be applied to your eyeshadow.

There are two key points to long lasting eye shadow-

1. Applying Primer
2. building your eye shadow



Primer

Most cult brands now have their own eye primers so you definitely wont be stuck to find one however here are some that I would recommend. 

Nars Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base £19.50

Urban Decay Primer Potion £16

Rimmel Exaggerate Primer £4.99

Building your Eyeshadow 

If you are creating a 'smokey eye' pack on your eyeshadow.  Building your colour will help achieve depth and intensity as well as longevity throughout the day or night. 

Similarly, cream eyeshadows are also great for creating a base and intensifying your makeup. 

To apply, Sweep the cream shadow all over your lid using your fingers.  The heat from your fingers will help blend the product out.  Once this is done pack on your shadow.

 Cream shadows are a great base for a 'smokey eye' as they help give your shadow something to cling to allowing you to build colour and create an intensity to your look.

My favourite cream products are MAC's Paint Pots and come in a variety of colours. 

I hope this has been of help to some people.

Alice xox

Beauty Blender- For Flawless skin

The beauty industry is saturated with various different makeup tools and brushes.  It can all be a bit confusing knowing which brushes to use and how to use them etc.  I have brushes coming out my ears of which many of them I don't use or suddenly decide I no longer like because I've found something new and exciting to try.  Which leads me on to my latest addiction, the 'Beauty Blender'. 

Beauty Blender £15.99 Amazon

Real Techniques £5.99 Boots

This little beauty is currently what I use to apply my foundation and find that it gives a much more even and flawless finish than I get with my current stippling brush. 

What is the 'Beauty Blender' you ask?  Put simply, it is a sponge, but not just any sponge.  It is rounded and so has no edges. Therefore unlike angular sponges it makes blending your foundation easier and much quicker meaning your base is free of streaks and lines, something that the triangular sponges can leave behind

How do you use the Beauty Blender?

Completely saturated it in water

Squeeze the water out in your hands or in a towel

Use damp

What can it be used with?

Foundation

Concealer

Mineral Makeup

Powder

BB and CC creams

I absolutely love this little tool, at the moment it goes everywhere with me. The 'Beauty Blender' can be bought on amazon however 'Real Techniques' also do one which is pretty much identical and just as good which you can buy in Boots and Superdrug.  What makes it even better is that they are affordable which is a luxury in the beauty world so snap one up and give it a try!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_6?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=beauty+blender&sprefix=beauty%2Caps%2C242  

Alice xox

Tom Ford 'Nude Dip' Eyeshadow Quad

Nude Dip

For Autumn/Winter eyes are the main focal point.  This season shimmery metallic shadows were all over the catwalks.  Metallic lids and luminous eyes are a must have for Autumn/Winter and what better way to wear this look than with the Tom Ford limited addition 'Nude Dip' eyeshadow quad.

As soon as this quad went on sale I snapped it up, it is all you need to create that metallic, sexy sophisticated look.  The quad consists of 4 highly pigmented, shimmery shadows that can be used both wet and dry.  For a bold look use the shadows wet with a synthetic brush and you will get the most gorgeous metallic finish.  For a softer look use the shadows dry and dust over the lid.  This quad is, I admit a luxury item, coming in at £63 however it is totally worth it.  I can't wait to wear this at Christmas with my red dress and sparkly shoes.  Snap it up now before it sells out!

Dry (without flash)

Dry (with flash)

Wet (without flash)

Wet (with flash)

Alice xox

Cleansing water, the new makeup remover

I am a firm believer in removing all traces of makeup before I go to bed, even after a night out, at 3am, I am there in my bathroom looking in the blurred mirror scrubbing my face clean.  If I don't, I pay for it the following day.  That being said, this process can at times be time consuming, with most working women wanting this part of their day to be as quick and painless as possible.

So with that in mind, I would like to introduce you to a product that in my opinion is far better for your skin than face wipes and that actually removes all traces of your makeup.  It is called 'Cleansing Water' and is targeted at people with sensitive skin.  There are many cleansing water's on the market however, I am only going to talk about two that I have tried, tested and love.

Bioderma Sensibio H2O £10.00

Available on Amazon 

This is a cult classic, used by most makeup artists, it is so gentle on skin and therefore perfect to use on models on fashion shoots.  It gently cleanses the face and eyes and removes water resistant makeup.  It is fragrance and alcohol free meaning that your skin will not feel irritated nor tight in the way that some face wipes can leave it.  All you do is soak the formula in a cotton pad and sweep over your face, repeating the process until the cotton pad remains clean. Job done.

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water £4.99
Available in Boots and Superdrug

This does exactly the same thing as Bioderma.  It is great for sensitive skin and does not leave an oily residue.  Again, it contains no perfume and so it fine to use all over the face including eyes.  The same process applies as above in that all you need is a cotton pad.  I have recently switched to this as it is more accessible than Bioderma, being available in most retail stores such as Boots and Superdrug.  It is also half the price.

Garnier Express 2 in 1 £3.49
 Available in Boots and Superdrug

 I also use Garnier 'Express 2 in 1 eye makeup remover' as I feel the cleansing water doesn't quite get all my eye makeup off.  This is ultra gentle on eyes and extremely effective.  The best eye makeup remover I have tired in a while.

These products are great for anyone that is busy, on the go and likes to remove their makeup in one clean sweep.

Alice xox