MAKE UP | MeMeMe Cosmetics and discount code

MeMeMe Cosmetics is a brand that despite hearing a lot about, I never delved far into it before. Well I did, when I was younger and still in school, but make up wasn't taken seriously by me then and I really had no idea what I was doing. If you haven't heard of the brand before it's influenced by Ancient Greek Mythology, The Renaissance and The Bohemian free spirit, meaning that the brand has its own unique identity. The packaging of every product is not only stunning, but extremely useful and compact too. I've been trying out a couple of their products for a while now and I've loved using them so much that I thought I'd let you know how I got on.

Eye Inspire Classic Trio Collection in Sultry Eyes* - £5.50

The moment I laid eyes on this trio, I fell in love. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely adore my nude palettes but sometimes they're way too bulky, especially if I'm going to be staying round a friends or at a hotel. This trio allows me to create a beautiful smoky eye with just three shades. The shimmering champagne is a beautiful highlight shade, the shimmering taupe is wonderful all over the lid, and the deep matte brown is perfect in the crease. The eyeshadows themselves are nicely pigmented, easily blendable and last all day long with a primer. If Sultry Eyes isn't your thing, MeMeMe offers four other different colour combinations including pinks, greens, blues and blacks.

Correct & Perfect Concealer Kit* - £6.99

I love concealer, I love how it can change an entire look, and this concealer kit has everything you need in one compact container. The concealer on top is nicely hydrating and perfect for under the eyes. I've tried it on blemishes but the coverage wasn't enough for me. However on the eyes, it brightens, hydrates and conceals beautifully. The lightweight mattifying powder ensures the concealer stays put all day long. It doesn't settle into any fine lines or highlight any dry patches; it simply disappears on the skin. The kit is wonderful for touch ups throughout the day and it always manages to find its way inside my handbag due to the perfect little mirror. The concealer kit comes in two shades.

If you're interested in trying out anything from the MeMeMe Cosmetics brand, then you can browse their website here. They have everything from skin care to brows, from nails to accessories. When you spend £40 you also receive a free Seventh Heaven Moisturising Face Base, worth £15. What's more, if you're a new customer then you can receive 10% off of your order by entering the code "WELCOME10" at the checkout. The code is valid until the 18th May 2014.

Have you tried anything from MeMeMe Cosmetics before? What products would you recommend?
*PR Sample

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SEVENTEEN's Stay Time VS Collection 2000's Lasting Perfection

L-R SEVENTEEN's Stay Time, just Vichy's Idealia BB cream, Collection 2000's Lasting Perfection

Concealer is one of those products that I don't believe you have to spend a lot of money on. There are so many good ones on the high street that it'd be silly to go more high end. One of my all time favourite concealers is Collection 2000's Lasting Perfection. I've been using it for years and I've stayed true to it for so long - I even have it in all four shades it's available in - well, you never know do you? So when I heard about SEVENTEEN's Stay Time concealer, I knew I had to do a comparison post on the two as they claim to do pretty similar things.

SEVENTEEN Stay Time Concealer - £4.49

I bought this on Monday (double discount at work, couldn't say no!) and I'm so glad that I did. I have enough concealers to last me a lifetime and Collection 2000's Lasting Perfection has been a long term favourite of mine now. I didn't know what to expect from this concealer as I hadn't read any reviews on it as it's pretty new but I do adore SEVENTEEN as a brand so I was definitely excited. Although my expectations were mediocre, it has completed exceeded those and I'd go as far as saying it's replaced my beloved Collection 2000 concealer. The coverage on this is as full as full can get and as you can see from the images above, it covered up my nasty scarring much better than Collection 2000's version. It also doesn't budge on the skin once it's been set with powder. I'd say that this is Estee Lauder's Double Wear with more coverage in concealer form. It stays on the skin all day long until you want to remove it. Consistency wise I do like this as it's very creamy and easy to blend. It doesn't settle into any pores but you do have to work quite quickly as it settles fast.

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer - £4.19

I used to think that the coverage of this was as full as full could get but after using SEVENTEEN's version, I'd say this is pretty medium-full as I'm definitely left with some redness peaking through after using. The consistency is basically the same as SEVENTEEN's concealer as it's creamy and easy to blend but I'd say you get a bit more working time with this before it sets. It's also very good at lasting on the skin and I've never noticed any nasty breakdown even though I've been using it for over four years. It is a little bit cheaper than SEVENTEEN's concealer although not by much and it does have an extra "Deep" shade available. 

For me personally, I prefer SEVENTEEN's Stay Time concealer as I do love the extra bit of coverage it gives me over my scarring. My scars are my number one insecurity and the concealer covers them entirely which for me, is a miracle. Both the Collection 2000 and the SEVENTEEN concealers are pretty similar so it's good to have an alternative when the other isn't available - I know I've had trouble tracking down an instock Lasting Perfection over the years.

Have you tried any of these concealers? What are your thoughts on them?

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REVIEW: EX1 Delete Concealer

First of all, I must apologise for these pictures. They were taken on my old background which got a little bit dirty. But don't worry, the other day I took to B&Q and got lots of new wallpaper samples so this is the last dirty background you'll see. Until now, women with Asian and exotic skin tones have had to buy their make up from premium, department store brands however with the launch of EX1, Asian and exotic skinned women can now afford to buy cosmetics that match their skin tone without the expensive price tag. The range consists of five foundations, five mineral powder foundations, three powders, three concealers and four blushers which have been formulated by leading cosmetic scientists to mimic the natural yellow/golden pigments found in exotic skin. I was sent the EX1 Delete Concealer* which is branded as being the "ultimate skin-trick for banishing blemishes and concealing imperfections." It comes with antioxidants which help to fight ageing free radicals and also Vitamin E to help soothe and heal blemishes. Being Caucasian, obviously I can't vouch for the colour range so that's why I've included a swatch above. The formula is fantastic. It's highly pigmented and provides full but lightweight coverage underneath the eyes and on skin blemishes. I haven't had any problems with this breaking me out and I just wish they did this concealer for every skin tone out there - defeats the object, I know but it's so good. You can find out more about the range here and buy the products here. The concealer itself can be bought here and it retails for £6.50.

 xxx
*PR Sample

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The Basics of Make Up

One of my friends said to me the other day; 'How do I apply make up? What do I put on first?' So I thought, why not write a post. I sometimes forget that some people are just starting off in make up and may not know the basics - I just assume that everyone does which is bad considering I had to teach myself from scratch as well. So here we go!

First of all start off with your skin care routine which basically should consist of cleansing, toning and moisturising. A good skin care routine is key to good make up and unless you have the right base, your make up is never going to sit right - think of it like a house! Next up, apply your primer. Don't seriously rub it into your skin like you would do moisturiser; I just gently press/pat mine onto the top of my skin so that it sits there nicely and fills in any pores/fine lines that I might have. After primer, I like to apply my eye make up if it's heavy. If you're going out for the night and wearing pretty heavy eye make up that consists of dark colours then it's best to apply it before your foundation. This is because if you apply it afterwards, you may end up with a lot of fall out that could potentially ruin your foundation and therefore make you start again. It's also good to apply foundation afterwards so that you can clean up any messes that you may have created. After this, apply your foundation unless you're using mineral/loose foundation then you should apply concealer first. Start with just one layer of foundation and then build it up as and where you need it so you don't end up caking your skin in make up. Once your foundation has 'set,' apply your concealer where you need it - under the eyes, on any blemishes and redness. I personally use a foundation brush to blend my concealer into the skin and I always use a light hand so it doesn't blend away to nothing. Now, when you apply your powder depends on what face products you're using. If you're going to use a cream bronzer, highlighter or blush then apply these before you apply your powder. But if you're using powder bronzer, highlighter or blush then apply these after you've applied your powder. This is so that the cream products don't interfere with the powder products as it could end up making your make up look horribly patchy which is never a good look! After this, apply your eye make up if it's light. If the make up that you're using is light then there's going to be no need to clean up afterwards and you won't have to worry about fall out so you can apply it after your base. I find that eye make up always looks better when it's been applied after my base. And finally, finish up with your lip products! Start with a balm, liner, lipstick/stain and then a gloss if you're going to use them all.
I hope that this has helped you and if you have any questions, just leave a comment and I'll get back to you!
xxx

How I Fake (Almost) Perfect Skin with Comparison Photos

My skin is one thing that I hate and really lack confidence in however, I've now found the perfect skin care routine for me and the perfect foundation/base routine to cover up my imperfections. Don't get me wrong, it's taken me about 6 years to find this out through a lot of trial and error but in the end, it's so worth it. So after my skin care routine, I thought it'd be nice to show you how I apply my base/face products to create what I can class as flawless skin.

L-R

Real Techniques Stippling Brush - £11.99

I use all of the following products with this brush as it's so versatile and products full coverage with every single product that I use. I stipple these products onto the skin so that they're really packed on and then I buff them into the skin using a circular motion (except the concealer) to make sure that they look seamless. I absolutely love this brush and cannot recommend it enough. I'm saving up my Boots points for the face set from Real Techniques as I really want the Buffing Brush too!

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer - £4.19

This is my all time favourite concealer and it's so cheap. It's high coverage and lasts throughout the entire day. I use this on my spots, scars and also underneath my eyes and everything is covered. I use this after my MaxFactor Pan Stix has been applied.

Skin79 Super Beblesh Balm BB Cream - £16.00

This is amazing and you can see how well it covers alone here. I use this after moisturiser and primer as a sort of base to my foundation. It provides very good coverage alone but when it comes to night time and going out and I really want flawless skin, I'll just use this as a base. It's also a skincare product so it doesn't irritate the skin which is always a bonus!

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation - £26.50

I always, always try out new foundations and I'll always say 'this is my new favourite!' But I will always end up back at this one. It's full coverage and lasts throughout the day. It literally does not budge until you cleanse it away. It isn't heavy even though it's high coverage and it blends in like a dream with the stippling brush. I use this after my BB cream.

17 Shine Control Loose Powder - £5.49

I'll use this after my concealer as an all over face powder. It doesn't cake on the skin and provides a lasting shine-free finish on the skin. It just literally melts away into the skin and I cannot recommend it enough. I don't think I'll ever use another face powder!

MaxFactor Pan Stix Foundation - £6.99

I use this after my foundation but just on my scarring and the areas that need extra coverage. It can be used as an all over foundation but I do find that it can get heavy and budge if it's used like that. So I just use it sparingly and it provides incredible coverage and when powdered, doesn't move.

 As always, this is a nasty picture of my skin after it's just been moisturised. It isn't a pretty sight and I barely ever go out without make up on as I can't stand the sight of it. It has gotten better recently and it did used to be a lot worse. I found a terrible picture of my skin from 2010 on my Twitter account and I literally burst into tears - it was so bad!

And this is a picture of my skin after all of the products above have been used and applied. The change is incredible and the greatest thing about this is that it will last throughout the day. I won't ever do this during the day time though unless I'm going out all day.. During the day, I'll just wear my BB cream alone. But on nights out, I always go through this routine and it's fail safe and my skin will always look incredible in photos!

What products do you use to create flawless skin?

xxx

Favourite Drug Store Brand.. 17

When I was sorting out my make up collection, I couldn't help but notice that I have quite a lot of 17 make up products. And it got me thinking, I do actually love this brand! Whenever I'm in need of something new, I'll always check out 17 first to see what they have on offer. Also, I must apologise for the first picture, for some reason some 17 products don't like being photographed. And click on the links to see a post that I've wrote about the said product or to find out more information.

17 Va Va Voom Mascara - I'm a big, big fan of this mascara. You can see how volumising it is in my comparison post. It's really lovely and even adds a tiny bit of length. Oh and it doesn't clump up either.

17 Wild Curls Mascara - This mascara is now pretty much gone as I've had it a while but I still keep it because I love the brush for combing through the lashes after I've applied mascara. I remember this mascara being lovely when I used to use it as well, very volumising and curling.

17 Liquid Liner - You only have to see my post and blog posts to know how much I love this eye liner. It's literally changed everything for me and now because of it, I know how to apply eye liner. I cannot recommend it enough. It's easy to work with and lasts throughout the day without the need for a primer.

17 Ultimate Volume Lip Gloss - This is a nice lip gloss that isn't too sticky and lasts pretty well on the lips. It's very glowy and although I'm not a fan of this colour, I definitely want to try some other shades out.

17 Miracle Matte Foundation - My perfect every day foundation. I bought this because I realised that when it comes to every day, I can't keep using expensive high end foundations. And I'm really glad I did. It's medium-buildable coverage that lasts well on the skin and keeps my skin matte all day long.

17 Photo Flawless Skin Primer - The consistency reminds me of GOSH's primer which is lovely and velvety soft. It fills in pores and helps make up to last longer as well. Plus it's one of the cheapest on the market. 

17 Glam Rock Eye Palette - This isn't available any more as it was a limited edition product but it's very nice. The colours work well together and they're easily blendable and pigmented.

17 Pressed Powder - I love this powder! It helps to control shine and it also adds a little bit of extra coverage to the skin. I really want to try out the shine-control one as well but it never seems to be in stock.

17 Falsifeye Gel Eye Liner - This gel eye liner is what I use to fill in any gaps that I may have missed with my liquid liner as it's easy to control and use. The only problem is, the colour is an off-black colour and not very pigmented so you have to go over it a few times.

17 Instant Glow Bronzing Powder - One of the very few matte contour shades on the high street and it works very well. It isn't that pigmented which is great for me as I have light skin so it doesn't apply too much product to the skin. It's also free of any orange tones too.

17 Glitter Eye Shadow & 17 Solo Eye Shadow - Lovely eye shadows that are very pigmented; possibly the most pigmented on the high street. They're also very easy to blend and last well without a primer.

17 Hide Away Concealer - I bought this because Collection 2000 didn't have my shade in their Lasting Perfection concealer. It's not as full coverage as the Collection 2000 one but it is lovely. It's very creamy and doesn't dry up on the skin and it's great for underneath the eyes as well.

17 Hide & Chic Eye Brightening Concealer Pen - This concealer is pinky toned which means it's great for underneath the eyes to brighten the eye area up. I also love using it to counteract the redness around my nose.

17 Lasting Fix Nail Polish - The formula of these isn't that great. You do need about 3-4 coats and sometimes, it can apply streaky but the colours are absolutely beautiful.

I also took to the 17 stand when buying my mum's birthday present! What's your favourite high street make up brand? Do you love 17 as much as me?

xxx

Helping Blemished Skin: Part Four - Covering Up

If you have blemished skin you're going to want to cover your blemishes up. Below, I've explained the three most important products for doing this and also gave mini reviews of my favourites!

Foundation - Foundation is great for evening out your skin tone and making your skin appear flawless. If you have blemished skin you should choose a foundation that has medium/full coverage and one that is buildable and lasts all day. You also want a foundation that doesn't irritate the skin or break the skin out.
Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H
I've only just recently bought this foundation but it's now my all-time favourite foundation. It's medium/full coverage that's easily buildable, blends well, lasts all day and provides hydration to the skin whilst keeping the skin shine-free.
Estee Lauder Double Wear
I've used this pretty much all my blemished skin life. It's full coverage and once it's on the skin and blended, it will not move. The only problem is that it takes a while to get used to and sometimes if applied wrong, can look cakey. But once you've gotten used to it, this foundation will become your best friend.
Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint*
This is actually a tinted moisturiser and not a foundation which may seem strange seeing as this is blemished skin series. But I do recommend this tinted moisturiser for blemished skin because it's very gentle on the skin and won't block your pores up. Wearing make up can sometimes irritate the skin and cause further breakouts but this doesn't. It may not give the best coverage but it gives a decent amount of coverage that can be built up to medium. And if you add concealer, everything will be covered!
Keromask Camouflage Cream*
The fullest coverage you can get. This 'foundation' is for people who have tattoos that they want to cover so it's ideal for people with blemished skin. I have scarring on my face and I can say that this foundation completely covers them and makes them magically disappear. It can be quite heavy and sometimes appear cakey but when used correctly and sparingly, it's a life saver.
MAC Studio Sculpt
I recently bought this on a blog sale and I've fell in love. It's a lovely foundation that's easy to blend and covers really well. I'd say it's medium coverage and definitely has to be used with a concealer. This is because it's hard to build the coverage up without it looking cakey on the skin. But one layer of this foundation is more than enough to cover spots.

Concealer - Concealer is used to add extra coverage to those nasty problem areas. I use concealer on my scars, spots and underneath my eyes. Most concealers are full coverage and ideally, people with blemished skin should be looking for one that lasts all day and doesn't highlight the problem areas.
Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer
You've probably heard a lot about this concealer in the blogosphere; it's very well known and highly commended. And there's a good reason for that. It's cheap, full coverage and doesn't move once blended into the skin. I've tried a lot of concealers but this one is the best that I've used. It covers up everything - scars, spots, under eye circles. You name it, this will cover it.
No7 Quick Cover Concealer
This is a good concealer for those of you with very oily skin. It's a cream formula that dries to a powder and provides very good coverage. Although I do have it, I don't use it very often because I have combination skin and sometimes, it clings to my dry patches. But if you do have oily skin, I'd recommend it.
Sheer Cover Duo Concealer*
A very good mineral concealer that provides flawless coverage, is creamy and easy to blend. It's also from the brand Sheer Cover which is a mineral make up brand so it won't irritate the skin or block the pores and cause further breakouts.

Powder - Powder can be used to add extra coverage to the skin when needed, blot away shine and help make up last.
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder
My favourite powder! I have this in the colour translucent as it adds no extra coverage. It doesn't make the skin look powedery or cakey and it blends into the skin like a dream. A light dusting of this ensures make up lasts all day and keeps shine at bay for around 6 hours. A true life saver that isn't expensive!
Sheer Cover Mineral Foundation*
This is a mineral foundation but I've put it in the powder category as for me, mineral foundation doesn't provide enough coverage. Mineral foundation is generally aimed at blemished skin and the coverage can be built up but for me, it's just not enough. This foundation is very good and I'd say it gives medium coverage once fully built up. It's easy to blend and it's great because it doesn't irritate the skin and it's even good for the skin. So good that you can actually sleep in it. But I personally use it to powder the skin after I've applied my foundation and concealer. I'll use this powder instead of the Rimmel one if I need further coverage as this provides it.

Part One - Introduction
Part Two - Getting into Routine
Part Three - Finding What Works

I hope this helps and if you have any further questions, please just ask me :)
xxx
*PR Sample