Minute Make-Up: Bright Lip!

Hey Beauty Lovers! Sometimes a gal only has a minute to go, which makes it a little challenging when it comes to beauty, however a bright lipstick can easily save the day! Make sure you have a good base to start with, use a light to medium coverage foundation and quickly conceal any imperfections - any bright lipstick will pull the red [spots, fresh acne scars] on your skin, making them stand out more. The aim is a flawless dewy/glowy fresh looking skin. 

A little trick when going for a nothing-on-the-eye look + bright lip combo is to inject a touch of a similar lip colour tone on the cheeks. So if your lip colour has a warm-tone go for a warm-tone blush, vice versa if it's a blue-tone pink lip colour go with a cool-tone pink blush. In this case I'm wearing one of my top fave bright Topshop Lipstick shades, which is Infrared [orange red] - combined with bareMinerals Ready Blush in The One [warm peachy pink].

LOVE

New BareMinerals Lasting Line Eyeliner!

 Wearing: BareMinerals Lasting Line  Long-Wearing Eyeliner in Absolute Black.

 Top to Bottom:  

Absolute Black [matte black], Always Charcoal [matte taupe], Forever Brandy [matte aubergine], Lasting Brown [dark warm brown], Infinite Sage [olive gold], Nonstop Navy [metallic dark blue].

Hey Beauty Lovers! These are the new BareMinerals Lasting Line Long-Wearing Eyeliners that I have been enjoying lately. They come in eight shades six of which I have swatched, all the shades from matt to metallic are very pretty. What I love about the BareMinerals Lasting Line Eyeliner is that they are really long lasting and they glide over the lid easily without being too soft, so you are not going to run out of it as quick as it is usually the case. Another bonus point is the double ended sharpener and smudger, so you don't need an extra brush to create a quick smokey eye.

LOVE

Spring Bronze Glow Smokey Eye with BareMinerals!

bareMinerals READY Eyeshadow 4.0 palette in The Rare Find,

bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie lipstick in Be Free,

Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in Bronze

Hey Beauty Lovers! I decided to ditch my beloved black eyeliner and create this warm bronze glow smokey eye! To create this look I used MAC Paint Pot in Bare Study as a base, applying it all over the lid as the shade has such a pretty sheen that it highlights brow-bone beautifully. Then I applied Surreal from the bareMinerals Ready Eyeshadow 4.0 palette in The Rare Find, which is a pretty yellow gold, just in the inner half of the eyelid, followed by Frisson, which is a matte warm brown with red undertone, into the outer half of the lid as well as taking it into the socket and under the lower lash-line. 

Just for a touch of definition I applied Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in Bronze over the top lashes blending it with the eyeshadow, repeating the same under the lower lashes, also applying it onto the waterline. This is a very quick smokey eye, and makes blue eyes pop, but would look equally beautiful on green and brown eyes! For the lip I applied bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie lipstick in Be Free, which is a super pretty nude with a beautifully creamy texture. It's a subtle look that is perfect for a sunny spring day!

LOVE

Top Five Eye Makeup Brushes: MAC, RealTechniques, Sonia Kashuk...

 Top to Bottom:

RealTechniques Detailer Brush

N7 Eye Colour Brush

MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush 

Sonia Kashuk Large Crease Brush 

Bare Escentuals Heavenly Eyeshadow Buffing Brush

Hey Beauts! Having recently written about top five face makeup brushes that I use in my daily makeup routine I decided to also share my top five essential eye makeup brushes! RealTechniques Detailer Brush I use as an under eye concealer brush with Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage, this concealer is thick and has a waxy texture which I find is best picked up by and applied with this brush as the bristles aren't too soft and keep a good shape.  N7 Eye Colour Brush is great for eyeshadows that have cream or mousse textures, the bristles are synthetic and very hard so they are great for layering and building up the product.

MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush is a new addition to my makeup brush collection. I have no idea how I could've possible managed without it before. It lays eyeshadow onto the lid in such a beautiful way, also great for taking it underneath the lower lash line for a smudged look. My Sonia Kashuk Large Crease Brush is pretty old, the packaging has been updated since - the handle looks a little different now but the brush is still the same. It's a great brush for taking the eyeshadow into the socket, perfect density and rounded shape. Bare Escentuals Heavenly Eyeshadow Buffing Brush is amazing for blending the edges, it has a straight cut of the bristles which makes it act as an eraser in a way.

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Favourite Autumnal Lipsticks: Nudes & Reds!

Right column top to bottom: 

bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in Be Free [the creamiest nude lipstick]

Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in 03 [a nude with a bit of colour]

Topshop Lips Lipstick in Rumour Has It [nude with a hint of toffee]

Revlon Super Lustrous Matte Lipstick in Pink Pout [nude cool pink, looks more subtle on the lips]

Left column top to bottom:

MAC Frost Lipstick in New York Apple [shimmery sheer to build-able berry shade]

MAC Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo [best red ever, most long lasting warm toned red]

MAC Matte Lipstick in Russian Red [classic deep red]

MAC Matte Lipstick in Deeply Adored from Marilyn Monroe Collection [deep berry]

Hey Beauts! During the cold months of the year I tend to wear nude, red, and berry lipsticks. Nude lipstick is a classic for me, it goes perfectly with my beloved smokey eye and I tend to wear them all year around. Red lipstick is a timeless classic, and every woman should have at least one red lipstick in her make-up collection. During a/w I find a red lip with smokey eye a rather beautiful combo that can look a little over-done during spring and summer. And of course berry lip looks super cute when you are wrapped up in a thick jumper and scarf with pink cheeks blushing from the cold.

LOVE

bareMinerals The Power Neutrals Collection!

bareMinerals Ready 8.0 Eyeshadow in The Power Neutrals

bareMinerals Round The Clock Waterproof Eyeliner in 8pm [from the permanent line]

bareMinerals Heavenly Eyeshadow Buffing Brush [also from the permanent line]

 bareMinerals Ready 8.0 Eyeshadow in The Power Neutrals

bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in Rule Breaker 

 Swatches top to bottom: Boardroom [eyeshadow], Exec [eyeshadow], Rule Breaker [lipgloss]

 bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in Make Your Move

bareMinerals Ready Blush in The One

Hey Beauties! I am very excited about this new collection - bareMinerals The Power Neutrals Collection has four new products including the beautiful must-have eight eyeshadows palette, the blush, the lipstick and the lipgloss! This collection is inspired by sophisticated, successful and powerful women that rule the world, uhu! The chic and captivating neutrals go from 'boardroom to the bar to the bedroom and beyond'. The palette encapsulates the modern woman, going from day-light sophisticated mattes to night-time seductive shimmers!

I have created a natural looking smokey eye using the Exec and Boardroom eyeshadows from this palette. Firstly I applied Exec [silvery taupe with shimmer] all over the lid, blending Boardroom [matte dark greyish brown] into the outer corner and socket. For this look I really like the bareMinerals Round The Clock Waterproof Eyeliner in 8pm, it's a really chic greyish dark brown, which looks like a soft black. Another discovery I have made and have been literally addicted to it is the amazing bareMinerals Heavenly Eyeshadow Buffing Brush. It just buffs like no other brush, I use it specifically to finish blending the edges of the eyeshadow into the brow bone! 

bareMinerals Ready Blush in The One is a really flattering peachy pink with light satin finish, gorgeous for a flush of subtle colour! To keep the look super natural and make the smokey eye stand out I decided to just use the bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in Rule Breaker, it's a very pretty bronzy shimmer. The only product I haven't used for this look from this collection is the  bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in Make Your Move, it's a vintage rosy nude. I love the packaging of these lipsticks, and the texture is super creamy and moisturising!

LOVE

bareMinerals Faux Tan Body, Sunless Body Tanner Review!

Hey Beauties! We are well into September, which mean by now your summer's tan has subsided... Although I am absolutely terrible at DIY fake-tanning I also don't like looking pale, so I decided to give this bareMinerals Faux Tan Body a try, mainly because I have loved their every single skincare and makeup product I have tried so far. And of course bareMinerals didn't let down this time either! It is literally a-mazing!! 

Firstly you need to make sure your skin is really smooth, fake-tanners tend to stick to dry areas of skin. So you just need to use a body scrub before applying the fake-tanner. The way I prefer doing it is on the night when I am relaxed and have plenty of time I start with a nice bath, then use my Soap & Glory Flake Away body scrub, once my skin is prepped and silky smooth I then move on to the fake-tanner. Probably using a fake-tanning mitt would be a good idea, but I don't have one and just apply the Faux Tan Body with bare hands. It's a nice lotion-like consistency and has a very dark brown tint to it, which means you can see where you already have applied it. Also it gives you that instant bronzed sun-kissed looking skin, and then over night it develops into a gorgeous even natural looking tan. 

You can build it up every night to go darker, for me one application gives me a nice weeks tan [I tan really slow] and two applications a good two weeks tan. It stays nicely after showers, and lasted a whole week. After a week it gently goes away, without any stains or irregularity on the skin. Also it has a pretty golden colour to it, none of that orange-business. After applying the fake-tanner I avoid putting anything on for a couple of minutes, making sure the tan has dried. Tip: make sure to wash your hands a few times immediately after you have finished applying it. I also use a tiny scoop of my body scrub to make sure I get every little bit of the fake-tanner off my hands. Also to keep your tan for longer I would recommend to use a hydrating body lotion every time before going to bed.

LOVE

August Faves: 10 Best Loved Beauty Products!

Hey Beauties! I always feel a little sad at the end of August, because it means that summer is over. It was such a lovely summer during which I devoured a humongous amount of Italian ice-cream! But at the same time you also start looking forward to lots of cosy evenings spent home with a big mug of hot chocolate and melting mini marshmallows. And of course I also get excited about the coming AW13 beauty trends and new shades of the season. 

So it's time to let go of summer and embrace autumn. I decided to share with you the beauty products that I have really enjoyed and used consistently this month, trying to keep them within ten items: 

1. Favourite Eyeshadow: Too Faced Summer Eyes Palette, shades: Cocoa Beach and Toasted Coconut - to see the eyeshadows on click here!

2. Favourite Eyeshadow Highlighter: MAC Eye Shadow in Grain - technically it's three eyeshadows this month that got most love, Grain looks super sexy on the brow-bone.

3. Favourite Mascara: Cosmetics a la Carte Divine Lash in Black, I use it daily, love the brush and the volumising but non clumping consistency. Gives you full but natural looking lashes.

4. Favourite Face Primer: Stila Skincare Light Source, this spot correcting and brightening serum is great as a base, makes foundation go on beautifully, and it has a clean lavender scent. For the full review click here!

5. Favourite Foundation: NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Light6 Ceylan. For a review and to see it on click here!

6. Favourite Lip Base: Cosmetics a la Carte Plump & Prime, makes any lipstick look even more beautiful. For a full review click here!

7. Favourite Lipstick: bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in Be Free, super creamy!

8. Favourite Lipliner: bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipliner in Liberated, just the most perfect nude lipliner, favourite nude lip combo right now is this lipliner as a base and the Be Free lipstick over the top! To see the lip combo on click here!

9. Favourite Nailpolish: BarryM Gelly Hi-Shine in Greenberry, such a pretty teal, perfect summer shade! To see it on click here!

10. Favourite Fragrance: Atelier Cologne Gold Leather, just stunning, incredibly unique, deep sensual scent! For the full fragrance review click here!

LOVE

Smokey Eye with YSL Marrakesh Sunset Palette!

 YSL Marrakesh Sunset Palette from Summer 2013 Collection

bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in Be Free and Lipliner in Liberated

Hey Beauties! I have recently featured the stunning YSL Marrakesh Sunset Palette, if you haven't seen the review yet click here! So as promised here is the look I have created wearing some of the eyeshadows from this palette. Firstly I applied MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork as a base, then I took the brown shade in the palette and applied it all over the lid blending it through into the socket and also taking it under the lower lash line for the smokey effect. Next I applied the middle highlight shade on the brow bone to highlight the area, this helps to visually lift and arch the brow. 

Then I took a black kohl, my favourite still is the Soap & Glory Smoulder Kohl [I think it only comes in black], applying it as a liner with a light flick to elongate the eye, on the waterline, as well as under the lower lash line. I like to take a pencil brush and smudge the kohl before it sets to create extra smokiness, which I then went over with a touch of the brown eyeshadow. The final eyeshadow step was to take the golden shade and apply it just in the middle of the lid, this is something I saw Charlotte Tilbury do in her 10 Iconic Looks to transform a day look to a night look. It just adds extra bit of glamour and sparkle. 

And finally with this look I love a nude lip, my favourite nude lip combo of the moment is the new bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipliner in Liberated as a base [filling in the entire lip] + Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in Be Free over the top, and then blotting it, always makes a better lip!
 

LOVE

Nude Lip with bareMinerals New Marvelous Moxie Lipstick and Lipliner!

Hey Beauties! This is my current favourite nude lip combo, there's just something about the textures and the shades that gives you that perfect luscious sexy nude lip. These are the new bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in Be Free and Marvelous Moxie Lipliner in Liberated. In the first picture you can see me with just the Liberated Lipliner, which I used to fill in the entire lip as a base. And in the next picture I have applied the Be Free Lipstick on top, blotting excess off. As you can see the Be Free Lipstick is a slightly lighter shade than the Liberated Liner, so by applying just the lipstick it maybe too nude but over the Liberated Liner it looks perfect. 

The texture of the Marvelous Moxie Lipstick is very-very creamy so applying it over the lipliner base makes it last a lot longer. Also the packaging is quite fun, you need to push that silver knob down to slide the lipstick out, when pushing it back in make sure it clicks into place. The Liberated lipliner has become my all time favourite nude lipliner, the shade is perfect for my complexion. I find it is very difficult to find the perfect nude lipliner, they end up looking either too brown or too pink on me, but this one is just perfection!!

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Inspired by Lisa Eldridge's Classic Smokey Eye!

 This is my Instagram pic so the colours are a bit different...

You can see the swatches from top left to right:  

Giorgio Armani Sheer Blush in 4, Avon SuperShock Gel Eyeliner in Black,  

MAC Paints in Sublime Nature,and bottom two from L to R  

Bobbi Brown Eye Shadow in Taupe and Hot Stone

I'm a huge fan of Lisa Eldridge's work and so happy to see her doing beauty looks again. Her latest creation is the Classic Smokey Eye, to see her vid click here! I decided to recreate this look especially because I already had Bobbi Brown Eyeshadow in Taupe, which I haven't touched in ages. This Classic Smokey Eye is all about greyish brown shades, shades that naturally don't suit me, I prefer warm browns on me so I was really intrigues how this look would work on me. And I ended up loving it! This is why beauty is all about experimenting and being brave, I highly recommend to try this look, it has honestly become one of my staple looks!! 

I followed the exact techniques that Lisa Eldridge shows in her video, but used all the products I already have in my make-up collection. So do watch the vid of how to do this look, and I will just list the products I used otherwise this blogpost would be insanely long... 

Base [in the order I used the products]: 

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Light 4 Deauville, Liz Earle Light Reflecting Concealer in Medium 02 [just under the eyes], Collection 2000 Concealer in Light 2 [everything is rubbed off of mine, I still got the original one, best cheapest concealer ever - to conceal spots etc, not for under eyes], bareMinerals Matte SPF15 Foundation in Light W15 [all over to set the foundation],  Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer [doesn't seem to have a shade number, might have rubbed off - I always finish off my make-up with this concealer under the eyes], Aerin Illuminating Powder in Pretty Bronze [I love to contour under my cheek-bones with it, I even prefer it to Nars Laguna!], and finally Giorgio Armani Sheer Blush in 4 [I bust this baby out during summer, the prettiest bronzy natural blush I can think off]

Eyes:

Soap&Glory Archery Brow Tint & Precision Shaping Pencil in Love Is Blonde [I love the name as much as the pencil it self, I find the tint end a bit too hard but omg(!) is the precision shaping end amazing!! I will have to do blogpost about it separately it's that good, basically gives you the sexiest blode brow], MAC Paints in Sublime Nature [all over as a base], Bobbi Brown Eye Shadow in Taupe 4 [as the main eyeshadow], Bobbi Brown Eye Shadow in Hot Stone 56 [as the darker shade, very similar to what Lisa Eldridge used, a greyish dark brown], Avon SuperShock Gel Eyeliner in Black [one of my favourite black eyeliners, very intense and creamy so it's great for smudging, once it sets it stays put forever], before I apply mascara I always curl my lashes, it has become a religion - I use Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers, Avon SuperExtend Extreme Mascara in Black has proved to be a great companion [doesn't seem to ever end or dry out, love it!]

Lips:

And lastly for the lips I decided to keep it nice and simple as this looks requires lots and lots of blending, so I went for Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in 03, I was obsessed with it couple of summers ago, and might go back to it this summer, these lipglosses are super simple to use, not sticky which is a major plus point and they just somehow make your lips look very pretty and natural! 

Hope you like this look, I certainly loved wearing it! The cool browns I usually try to avoid wearing changed my mind, thank you Lisa xox

LOVE

bareMinerals Ready Eyeshadow Palette in The Next Big Thing!

Nails: Estee Lauder Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Dilettante [Heavy Petals Spring 2013 Collection]

- for more swatches & info click here!

The Top Left shade Smash Hit doesn't look true to life here, it's more bright and colourful in the real!

The Next Big Thing is a limited edition palette from the bareMinerals Spring 2013 Collection! First things first, I absolutely adore the packaging, if this spring packaging is so pretty what is the summer packaging going to be like, woohoo! But I must admit this mirrored turquoise blue compact screams more of summer than spring, it's the type of make-up packaging that makes you think of bikinis and holidays by the beach, l-o-v-e!

The formula of the bareMinerals Ready eyeshadows is of course undoubtedly perfect as always! Now over to the colours, the four shades in this palette provide you with such a variety of looks, which is also something I adore about bareMinerals quads! I have already created a summery bright look with the Rising Star [Top L] and Smash Hit [Top R] but the lighting wasn't great and so I will have to reshoot it, but basically it's a beautiful lemony metallic gold [Top L] and a matte bright peach [Top R].

The look I am wearing in these pics is however a chic and sophisticated smokey eye perfect for a spring evening, as it isn't too dramatic! I have used Smash Hit [Top R] and Ensemble [Bottom R], which surprisingly looks a lot more interesting on the eyelid than in the pan. Ensemble is a matte dark plum, which when blended out almost becomes a warm toned plummy chocolate shade, hard to describe, but very pretty.

Also although it looks matte in the pan when you swatch it it appears to have almost tiny sparkles, not sure if the Hoopla [Bottom L] got into it, which is a bronzy super metallic shade - but you can see on the pics that Ensemble almost looks like a duo chrome with a beautiful satin sheen. Smash Hit I blended through the edges of Ensemble to soften the look and also to add a touch of warmth, also blending both shades under the lower lash-line.

LOVE

Cara Delevingne Vogue UK March Cover Inspired Look!

1. MAC Eyeshadow in Honesty

2. MAC Eyeshadow in Texture

3. MAC Eyeshadow in Mulch

4. Burberry Complette Eye Palette in No.05 Dark Spice [just the chocolate shade]

5. Rimmel Scandaleyes in 012 Bronze

6. bareMinerals Round The Clock Waterproof Eyeliner in 7pm

7. MAC False Lashes Extreme Black

8. Dior Addict Lipstick in 534 Sly Coral

9. Topshop Lips in Rumour Has It

I adore Cara Delevingne! As I used to collect Vogue issues with Kate Moss on the cover I now do the same with Cara on it... I particularly loved the eye makeup she had on the cover of this month's Vogue... It's the type of eye makeup look I gravitate towards, the bronze and chocolate eyeshadow shades with dark smoked out eyeliner... Although at first it seems Cara is wearing a black eyeliner, I think it's actually a super dark brown, as it has that warm tone to it that black doesn't... This is an inspired look I created, and it's less dramatic and more wearable during day time for those of us who like to rock the smokey-eye during the lighter hours of the day as well...

Firstly I applied the MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork [forgot to include it in the pics], then in the inner corner and lid I applied Honesty to give that highlighted slightly shimmery look... And in the outer V I applied Texture to bring in the warmth, which always looks great in the crease... With Mulch I blended the two together, which took it a step further by creating more dimension and building up the depth of the smokey eyemakeup... Mixing Texture and Mulch together I also applied them with a pencil brush under the lower lashline... For that last bit of dimension I took the chocolate shade from the Burberry eyeshadow palette and blended it just in the crease-line and a touch on the outer corner as it is incredibly pigmented... 

Next for the eyeliner to create the right shade I firstly applied the Rimmel Bronze [a true metallic bronze] on top and lower lashline, and on top of Bronze I applied the bareMinerals eyeliner in 7pm [a very dark brown] blending the two together creating a slightly bronzy dark brown... And for eyelashes I could have used some fake lashes to recreate the big eyelash look that Cara is rocking but it would be a bit much for the day-time, so I just used the MAC False Lashes Extreme Black mascara to give me that extra bit of volume! 

And to finish off Cara's nude lip look has a little warmth in it to tie the whole look together... So I decided to apply Dior Sly Coral as a base blotting off most of it leaving a pretty a light flash of shimmery peachy coral... Sly Coral is a very old lipstick in my collection, if not the oldest, so it might have been discontinued by now... And to nude the lip down over the top I applied Topshop lipstick Rumour Has It also blotting at the end, which takes off the shininess of a creamy lipstick and mattifies it a touch for a more natural look... Et voilà!

LOVE