Review: NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation

So the NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation (£32.00/30ml) was an accidental purchase, in that I didn't actually expect to leave with a foundation when I made my way into Selfridges a week ago. But lets rewind a bit, I have stayed loyal to my Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation for an entire year and although I still do love it I wanted something a bit lighter for the coming summer.

Cue my adventure into Selfridges, I had heard about the NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation   from the day it came out, other bloggers proclaiming that it's catered towards oiler skin types. So naturally I was intrigued, when the sales assistant smoothed this product over my face in Selfridges with her fingertips me and my sister were both in awe, my blemishes were covered up in two seconds of her applying it. You can see why I took this baby to the counter a few minutes later. I bought this foundation in the shade Tahoe.

So the last few days I have been trying it out at home to find out what it does best and how it applies the best. So this is a medium to full coverage foundation but feels very very light, it has an almost watery consistency, but the pigmentation is crazily amazing, it sinks into the skin super fast, perfecting the base without caking it up. You can use your hands to apply this, I think it actually works better with fingers as it warms the product up, however I still prefer to use a brush, so I use the Sculpting brush by Real Techniques (See review here). You are left with a semi-matte luminous finish.

Now, I have to use a powder with this because my face will become oily every four hours when I use this product, so I don't actually think it's the best for oily skin at all, if you have oily skin and you don't mind powdering then go for this product because it is amazing, but if you don't like to powder then I would go with Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation. I think this is better for normal to combination skin types, as it does make the skin nice and glowing but it doesn't control excess oil all that great. But add a bit of powder and voila this foundation is true to it's name, so I am actually really satisfied with this product. Price wise, it may seem extreme if you don't purchase high end foundations however I have to say that I don't use a full pump of this foundation to achieve a full coverage look, a little goes a heck of a long way due to it's water-like consistency so I know that this will last me more than 6 months which justifies the price for me. 

This is my first ever NARS product and I am so impressed, I fall in love with this product more and more every day, it's very easy to control the amount of coverage that you want with the pump. Only bad thing I have against it is that the packing gets grubby really fast which sucks because the packaging is beautiful!
So I would recommend this to everyone who wants a weightless medium to full coverage foundation. The NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation is true to its name and an excellent choice for all year round. For more information click here!
What's your favourite foundation? Let me know in the comments! :)

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Budget Eyebrows and Routine

So I know I talk a lot about beauty and skin-care but despite this I am actually a low maintenance girl. I like to spend around 10 minutes doing my make-up, you know making some effort but I don't exactly want to spend an hour perfecting my make-up. 

My eyebrows are not really something that I care about too much, I get them threaded once or twice a month and usually just fill them in with a pencil, however I have recently changed my 'routine', making them look more natural but still not spending any more than a minute on them.

I have sparse brows and although I loved using a pencil to fill them in, it's very easy to overdo your brows, or make them uneven especially if you don't have all the time in the world. I really wanted to try and use a powder to fill in my eyebrows instead since make-up artists think powder is better for longevity and I thought that using a powder might work for me too. This is usually the bit where I would head to Superdrug or Boots to buy the powder that would be exactly what I was looking for however I decided to 'shop my own stash' to see if I actually owned an eyeshadow colour that would work for my eyebrows; Surprisingly enough I own the Revlon ColourStay ShadowLinks (£2.99/1.4g) a single eyeshadow which is a matte, cool toned, dark brown colour called Coca. 

This is actually perfect for eyebrows, it's not crazily pigmented meaning that you can't apply too much and the formula is more powdery than buttery. I love the fact it's so small too, making it easy to travel with and also since it's a single eyeshadow there are no unnecessary colours that I will never use. It lasts the entire day, I'm so happy I actually found this rather than buying something that may not have worked as well for me. For the price, I think this is amazing, I know Revlon does quite a few shades in these ShadowLinks so hopefully they have some that suit other hair types! 

My Routine

Like I said earlier, my routine is really fast and more like a quick fix than an actual routine. I start by brushing my brows with a spooly, which is a mascara like brush, and then I start filling in my brows from the tail first using the Revlon Colourstay ShadowLink, this way the end of my brows will be the darkest and starts to fade out at the beginning, making it look more natural.

I use an angled brush to fill in my brows but one which is quite flexible, a stiff brush means that it will pack colour on more heavily and I prefer the opposite. You can use any angled brush and spooly you want, I've had my brushes for years and perhaps they need replacing, but for now I am happy with this routine. At the end I just brush my brows again and that's it! Just one product and two brushes.

Before

After

My brows are far from perfect, but I'm happy with them and that's all that really matters, I know they won't ever look like Cara Delevingne but you gotta play with the cards you've been dealt right? I think I should purchase a brow gel, to tame my brows some more so recommendations are welcome! :) Check out the Revlon ColourStay ShadowLinks here!

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What products do you use for your brows?? I would love to know :)

Makeup Revolution: Amazing Curve Mascara

If you haven't heard of the brand Makeup Revolution yet, I have no idea where you have been. Makeup Revolution is a fairly new brand which is available in most Superdrug stores now, it is primarily known for their budget prices.

Mascara is always the thing I am always in need of, so I thought I would grab the Makeup Revolution Amazing Curve (£2.00/5ml) in the shade black, I actually had no idea what to expect.

So I actually kinda like this mascara, it reminds me of Benefits Roller Lash in that it attempts to try and curl your lashes. Now this doesn't exactly hold a curl for me, but it's half way there, so for me it's perfect on those days where I don't want to put too much effort in, like when you are running errands.

I think the formula is spot on, it's not too dry nor too wet and coats the lashes evenly, making them lengthier and also curling them a bit. This holds a the tiniest bit of a curl for me, which is the same result that Benefits Roller Lash had on me too, so if you have pretty thick curled lashes, I actually think you would get along with this mascara quite nicely. I absolutely love the brush on this mascara, it curves to the shape of your eyelashes, and so gets the tiny hairs at the inner parts of your eye.

I honestly think this mascara is worth a shot if you are looking for a new one, although this isn't my daily mascara, you have to remember that my eyelashes are short, grey and flat and so they really are the worst combination a girl could have. Also for the price, what do you have to lose? For more information click here.

Have you tried anything from Makeup Revolution? If so, how did you find it? I would love to know :)

Saviour Skincare: La Roche-Posay

When I started blogging about make-up and skincare, my skin wasn't happy with the constant use of new products. As my skin got worse I was actively trying to solve the problem by buying more and more skin-care, I literally would spend loads, because if it was expensive it was bound to work right? Wrong. Switching and changing my skin-care was the worst thing I could do in that situation, but recently I've discovered a brand that actually does live up to their claims and I cannot even express how glad I am to have finally tried this brand out. La Roche-Posay is a Godsend to me and I intend to tell you why.

I bought a cleanser, a moisturiser and also a zinc sulphate spray when La Roche-Posay was on offer in Boots (3 for 2 is hard to resist). I wanted to pick and choose what I think would have suited my skin, but I know they do a three step kit for problematic skin (see here) which is good for people who are indecisive. 

The La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel for Oily Sensitive Skin (£11.00/200ml) is a cleanser that smells so clean and fresh, I was in love at first sniff. This product cleans your face without being overly stripping, so it's really good for oily skin. I use this after I have taken my make-up off so it can remove any excesses of dirt and make-up and just cleanse my face. You only need a pea sized amount, a little goes such a long way and it lathers up nicely too. It's a fuss free, one minute cleanse, what is not to like? See here for more information.

After I have cleansed my skin I then reach for the La Roche-Posay Serozinc (£8.50/150ml), this spray contains zinc sulphate in and so is designed to reduce shine and excess oil while helping problematic skin become calmer. I spray this on a cotton round pad, because I feel like the product will last longer that way and I'm useless at spraying my face evenly. It's so soothing and cool on the skin, it feels amazing morning and night and leaves your skin feeling even more clean in a breathable way. Usually I'm against toners since I don't use cream cleansers, but this one actually does calm my skin. I need to bulk order this spray because I love it. More information here.

The La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo + anti blemish cream (£15.50/40ml) is widely spoken about along with Serozinc, claiming to get rid of imperfections, and by jove it really does. I used to have a lot of 'under the surface spots' and bumps and they are almost all gone, thanks to this and Serozinc. This product is really lightweight and so is perfect for the oiliest of skins, but is still nourishing for drier skin types. It's actually a really nice primer to use underneath make-up, smoothing out the canvas and making the skin look more plump and hydrated. This doesn't contain SPF which is a negative and a positive, negative because I'm lazy and having a do-all product saves time and money, but it is a positive because this is a moisteriser in its simplest form, they haven't added anything unnecessary and that makes me love this product even more. For more information click here.

If you suffer from problematic skin, seriously give La Roche-Posay a try because it's worth it and I just really feel like it impacts the root of the problem. As a girl who suffers from bad skin too, I know I would have paid a lot more money for these products because when you are in that situation you just want something that works. La Roche-Posay worked for me, and I'm going to keep buying these products because why change something good? I swear there is something in the France water...
Have you tried La Roche-Posay? If so what did you try??

Summer Nail Polishes: Collaboration with Becki!

So Summer is finally here! For me that means popping out the bright and bold nail colours that have been hiding away for the past few months. Since I have tanned skin I thought I would share with you my favourite summer nails colours that I think suit my skin colour perfectly! This post is a collaboration with Becki from Beauty and the Brunette, who is doing this post also but for fairer skinned girls, so between the two of us, we have your nails covered for before you head out into the sun and after! Becki is super nice and always has good recommendations so go check her out!

The first polish I want to speak is the  Lola Barcelona (€10/8ml) nail polish in the shade Rambla which is a bright orangey coral colour and it is beautiful. I was really sceptic about it first, having received it in the April Birchbox but once I had applied it I fell in love. This is one of those colours that really emphasises a tan and so is perfect for this summer. It has a gel like formula and lasts a fair few days, the drying time is fairly standard but I think this one is a must have this summer for your nails and toenails! You can purchase this here. 

If you prefer quicker drying times then the BarryM Speedy Quick Dry Nail Paint (£3.99/10ml), may be more to your liking, I have the shade Get Set Go which is a bright, slightly neon pink  colour and is suitable for any occasion. This stuff seriously dries so fast, you can finish your manicure in under 15 minutes. What I love about this is that it has a gel like finish even though it's quick drying. Also I actually really like this for my toenails. I have done a full review on this, which you can read about here! 

I love nude nail polishes in summer because it means that you can wear any colour and your nails will complement your outfit rather than clashing. The Sephora Formula X New Neutrals Nail colour (€12.90/12ml)  in the shade Brain Power is the one I currently have. It's a lovely sandy brown shade which complements my skin-tone and I just love that this is an easy to colour to wear. It's just something that you can throw on and not worry about. This doesn't stay on super long for me, it lasts around 3- 4 days before it begins to chip, it dries quite quickly though, it reminds me of the Essie nail polishes. I think investing in a neutral colour is something that will benefit you all year round. I've done a full review of this product here.

If you like long lasting nails then maybe the Maybelline Forever Strong Super Stay Gel Nail Colour (£4.49/10ml) may be more to your liking. I have the shade Surreal which is a quasi-neon purple and it's so pretty. If you want something that's bold without being too loud then this is the colour I would recommend. It's just the perfect colour that will compliment tanned skin without being too overpowering or ostentatious. It lasts more than 5 days on my nails and that's really quite the feat because my nails chip like no tomorrow. This also has a gel like finish which is super nice and glossy, however the wait time is slightly longer, however if you can bear with it your nails will last so I think it's a good compromise. I also have a full review of this product here if you would like more information on the product. I wear this polish all the time because I just think it suits me, especially if I do feel like wearing some colour! 

I just realised that all these polishes offer something different, from the shade,  the longevity and the drying time. These are honestly the colours I am going to be wearing throughout summer and I hope you check them out because they are all great :) Remember to check out Becki's post!
Have you tried any of these? What are your Summer nail recommendations?

Review: BarryM Speedy Quick Dry Nail Paint

So I love nail polish but it sucks when you have to wait for it to dry. So when BarryM launched their quick dry formula I jumped at the chance to buy it...for, you know, the blog...(and my ever growing collection).

So I got the BarryM Speedy Quick Dry Nail Paint (£3.99/10ml) in the shade Get Set Go . I was instantly attracted to this colour, it's neon pink and a great choice for summer for both your nails and toenails. What I love about this is that it was true to it's word, my nails were dry in 10 minutes and that's including two coats. It blew my mind. Also. like all BarryM nail polishes it had the same gel like finish and also the same low price. I like that the brush is rounded too, so it fits the curve of your nail nicely and it isn't too big either, so it works nicely for your pinky finger too!

When it came to longevity, I actually paired this polish with the BarryM Basecoat, Topcoat & Nail Hardener (£2.99/10ml). My nails lasted a full five days and for me that is actually an amazing feat. My nails chip like no tomorrow and it usually happens in a domino effect, once one nail chips...the rest go tumbling sooner rather than later. But with this top coat, I did get a chip but that chip didn't get bigger, nor did any of my other nails chip. I'm so glad I bought this polish! If it makes my other polish's last I will be super super happy. Also when you remove this polish it doesn't stain your nails or fingers. That's my top tip for summer, since we start to wear brighter nails, it's important to wear a base coat so that your nails don't get stained. 

Have you tried the quick dry formula? What did you make of it? :) Be sure to follow my blog on bloglovin'!

Reusing your Birchbox!

So receiving a Birchbox for my birthday was amazing, and I love the contents to pieces but I had no idea what to do with the packaging! They have some beautiful boxes and I just don't want to throw them away...So here is what I did with it!

As a make-up and skin-care addict, I love to display my stuff but my problem was that it used to get really messy really fast, because in the morning you rush a lot and in the evening you just don't feel like cleaning up.

I have no idea when I decided to stick my freestanding make-up and skin-care into a Birchbox but I am really glad I did. It conserves a lot more space, and it's easier to clean up because there is an actual space where each product belongs. It's harder to knock things over and nothing can really get that lost.  The pictures shown are actually where I keep my stuff, I actually like the fact that the bottom and top of the boxes are different!

Everyday Skin-care

As a university student, space is definitely needed and also having these boxes around mean that when it comes to packing up I have extra storage space, that can transport my make-up and skin-care for when it's time to go home. 

Honestly, if you have a one of these boxes, try this out; it doesn't even have to be on your desk, it can be in a drawer or even in your bathroom. It makes a really great organiser. 

A few make-up pieces (the rest is in my make-up bag!)

Reuse your Birchbox by using it for:

- Chargers/ adaptors 

- Hair-care (a place where your hairbands and bobby pins will not go missing)

- Stationary 

- Desk tray - always lose your keys? or need a pen? 

- Important documents

I kind of want another one so I can use it for keeping my chargers because mine are all in different places! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this post - especially if you are a loyal subscriber of Birchbox you now have a few idea's on what to do with all those boxes!

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Real Techniques: Sculpting set

Around two weeks ago I got my hands on the Real Techniques Collectors Edition Sculpting Set (£20.99/3 brushes) and I swear it was not planned. I was in Superdrug almost about to be called to the cashier in the 'isle of doom' where I saw one of the packs left, and I swear time stopped for a second. Obviously, it being the last one available I had to get it because...yeah I just had to. Here is what I was rewarded with!

Sculpting Brush

Sculpting Brush

So the whole set is supposed to be getting a better sculpted face and this sculpting brush is designed for contouring and I have to say it does fit nicely into my cheekbones. The thing is I don't use this for contour at all, I actually use this as a foundation brush and it is phenomenal at that! Prior to using this brush I was using the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush (which I love) because it gives me a lot of coverage. This one however I love for sheering out my foundation as the brush is dense but it can move around a bit more than the Expert Face Brush. I use Estee Lauder's Double Wear foundation which is a medium to full coverage and somehow the sculpting brush manages to make it look and feel like more of a light-medium coverage which I think is definitely needed for summer. Another thing I love about this brush is the shape, for foundation it fits nicely on the contours of my face, making it easy to blend in at the jaw line and all those pesky to reach area's!

Fan Brush

Fan Brush

So I was actually in need of a thinner fan brush and this is the perfect brush! It works nicely if you wanted to add some highlighter on the high points of your cheek, it can also sweep away any eyeshadow fallout if you add some powder onto the brush. I actually think this is a really nice setting brush too if you didn't want too much powder on your face. I'm all about using brushes for different things as you can tell. The best thing about all of these brushes is that they are all super super soft, I can't get over how soft it is - it actually just makes you want to apply make-up just so you can feel the brush on your face!

Setting Brush

Setting Brush

So if you are a blogger, I think you may know of this brush already, it's being hyped a lot because they say it is the perfect setting brush and I actually do agree. I think this is great for setting your make-up in those hard to reach area's like around your nose or under the eyes, and unlike the fan brush adds a bit more coverage to those area's. If you are in need of a setting brush if you conceal certain area's then this is the one for you. I think for more oily skins a more bigger brush would be needed though. I think this would be great for applying highlighter on too though! 

Overall I am happy that I purchased these brushes, because I did end up getting two brushes that I didn't already own and I got a new foundation brush too! The quality is fantastic too, I'm not kidding about how soft these brushes are and the packaging, with it's metallic pink is something that I really like! It makes it easier to wipe away any product that may make it's way onto the handle and it's very easy to pin point where  it is in my brush holder. So if you were on the fence about purchasing these, I would say go for it!
What do you think of these brushes?