FOTN: Pumped Up Kicks

On Wednesday night I went out and I really liked my make up so I thought I'd show you what I did. I've done this Face of the Night different to what I'd usually do. This is because I haven't just listed the products I've sort of explained where/how I used them and why. So if you like this, let me know! 

SKIN: When I'm going out I do use a lot of products on my skin because I don't like the way it looks. I do have scarring and I do sometimes have active breakouts. Luckily, my skin has improved a lot recently but I still love having flaw-free skin when I go out. I start off by priming my skin and for this look I used the L'Oréal Paris Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer - £14.29 which I've been loving so much recently. I then went on to use my Skin 79 Super BB Cream - £16.00 as an extra layer of 'foundation' really helps to give a flawless look. For foundation I used my Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation - £27.50 as it's one of my favourites and one that I'll always have in my collection. It provides full coverage and it doesn't budge once it's dried onto the skin. For concealer I used my No7 Trio Concealer - £9.50. I'll be doing a review of this product soon but basically I used the pink toned concealer under my eyes and the yellow toned concealer on any redness. I then concealed my scars and blemishes with Collection 2000's Lasting Perfection concealer - £4.19. After this, I powdered my skin with 17's Miracle Matte Pressed Powder - £3.99 and contoured my cheekbones, forehead and nose with Liz Earle's Natural Glow Bronzer* - £19.50. For blusher I used Nars Deepthroat - £21.00 and as it's really glowy I didn't use a highlighter.

EYES: I primed my eyes using Urban Decay's Primer Potion - £14.50 and then used Maybelline's Color 24 HR Tattoo in On and On Bronze - £4.99 as a base to intensify the shadow. I then used Urban Decay's Smog over my lid and Urban Decay's Hustle in the crease. After this I used Urban Decay's Blackout lightly on the outer corners of my eyes to make the eyes a bit darker and smokier. For a highlight I used Urban Decay's Sin. All of these can be found in the Urban Decay Naked palette - £36.00 except for Blackout which is in the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette - £36.00. For eyeliner I used Collection 2000's Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Liner - £2.99 which is my favourite at the moment as it's so easy to use and nicely pigmented. I then used Lancome's Hypnose Drama Mascara - £20.50 on my lashes which is amazing! I need to buy the full sized version of this as I only have a sample. For my eyebrows I lightly used Liz Earle's Eyebrow Pencil in 02* and then made them stronger with my HD Brow Palette* - £19.96. To set my brows I used the my Collection 2000 Clear Mascara - £2.99.

LIPS: I didn't use a lot on my lips but I did scrub them with Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub - £5.25 and I used my EOS Lemon Drop SPF 15 Lip Balm* - £4.95 to make sure they were soft. I then used No7's Lipstick in Starshell - £9.00 which is a lovely nude colour as my eyes were quite intense.
xxx
*PR Sample

ROUTINE: Quick & easy 2 minute flawless make up

For most of the summer, I've been working every day from 8-4:30 at my dad's work to earn a bit of extra money for university next year. Considering my dad works in Nottingham and we live in Mansfield, I have to wake up every morning at 6am. Now, at 6am the last thing I want to do is apply a full face of make up that takes ages to do so by trial and error, I've found a few 'wonder' products that literally take me a couple of minutes to apply.

Collection 2000 Coloured Mascara in Clear
This is what I use to set my brows with and I've mentioned it on my blog many times. It's cheap and it does a great job at not only holding my brows in place but also brushing through them.

Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint
This is a tinted moisturiser and it's the only tinted moisturiser that I own and probably will ever own. I don't have perfect skin and I need quite a lot of coverage so tinted moisturisers normally aren't for me. But this one is lovely. It's not sheer coverage - more like light coverage that can be built up where you need it. It's also quick and easy to apply and blends like a dream. I also love this because it's the only 'foundation' that's light enough for my skin at the moment and I haven't been fake tanning.

No7 Shine Free Make-Up Base
Because the foundation that I use is a tinted moisturiser, it's not that great at keeping shine at bay on my combination skin throughout the day so I do have to use a shine controlling primer. This one by No7 is really nice to use. It's sometimes hard to apply as instead of blending over the skin, it sort of drags in a way but it does control shine throughout the whole day.

Skin79 Super Plus Triple Function (Hot Pink) BB Cream
I love everything about this BB cream! I use this underneath the Liz Earle Skin Tint to provide me with extra coverage and it does just that. In a morning, I don't have time to apply sun protection but this one comes with 25++ SPF in it already. The coverage of this is fantastic - so fantastic that it's on par with foundation. It also lasts throughout the day and well, I just love everything about this. I did a full review of this product with before/after comparison photos here.

No7 Quick Cover Blemish Stick
As the name suggests, this covers imperfections quickly and easily. It's easy to blend and provides full coverage where you need it. I don't use it every day, just when I need a bit more coverage if I breakout.

Natural Collection Corrector Stick
If you have scarring then I highly recommend buying a green toned concealer stick to counteract redness. This one is £1.99 and it's really great. I use it after primer but before my BB cream/foundation and it really helps to cover up my scars.

17 Shine Control Loose Powder
My favourite powder. It controls shine, it's easy to use and it's really cheap.

HD Brow Palette
And finally, I have to fill in my brows using this palette. I never use anything else on my brows because this is just fabulous!
What products do you recommend for a quick and easy make up look? Have you tried any of the above?
xxx

What Is A BB Cream?

Working in Boots means that I get asked the question 'so what exactly is a BB cream' a lot. I answer this question by simply saying; 'it's pretty much a re-formulated tinted moisturiser.' I split up BB cream into two categories - the original ones and the new ones. The new ones are the BB creams from brands like Garnier and Clinique - basically Western BB creams. And the original ones are those that were originally introduced into the Asian market from brands like Skin79 and Missha. 

Western/New BB creams:

To me, these are tinted moisturisers with added skin care benefits. They don't provide any coverage and you're lucky if these cover up redness never mind blemishes. They have a high level of SPF in them and they don't irritate your skin but what is the point in them unless you have perfect skin to begin with? Apparently you don't have to wear moisturiser or primer with these BB creams either but I've seen no end of reviews disagreeing - once again, maybe you don't have to if you already have perfect skin.

Original/Asian BB creams:

These are very lightweight in texture but provide coverage that is on par with foundation. These also have a high level of SPF in them and the skin care benefits are great as they were originally formulated for those who had had skin surgery in Asia. The only problem with these is that they aren't available in a variety of different skin tones so if you're anything darker than light/fair then you'll have a hard time finding one in your shade. I have one of the Skin79 BB creams and you can see how wonderfully is covers here.

So I guess you could say that this is a 'harsh' way to describe what BB creams are. I'd recommend the original BB creams if you require more coverage and are fair-light skinned. But if you just want something to mix with a heavy foundation to make it thinner, go for one of the new BB creams as the skin care benefits are great but the coverage is shocking.

What are your thoughts on BB creams? Are they worth the hype?

xxx

FOTD - Call Me, Maybe

It's been a while since I did a face of the day but the other day I was pretty happy with how I had done my make up so I thought I'd show you. I guess it's not really a face of the day as it was for when I was going out at night. But hey ho, here it is!

Foundation - Skin79 Super Beblesh Balm BB Cream £16.00

Concealer - Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer £4.19

Powder - 17 Shine Control Loose Powder £5.49

Bronzer - Liz Earle Colour Natural Glow Bronzer* - £19.50

Blush - Nars Deepthroat £21.00

Highlight - Avon Colour and Contour in Rose Glow Price Unknown

Eye Shadow - Urban Decay's Side Car and Darkhorse £36.00

Eye Liner - 17's Liquid Liner £3.99

Eye Brows - HD Brow Palette* £24.95 & Collection 2000 Colour Lash in Clear £1.99

Mascara - Revlon Double Twist Mascara £8.99

Lipstick - 17's Mirror Shine Lip Stick in Belle £5.49

Lip Gloss - Liz Earle Colour Sheer Lip Gloss in Quince* - £13.50

You can see my review and before/after comparison images of the BB Cream here. You can see how much I love the 17 Liquid Liner and a swatch of it here. You can see a swatch of my 17 Mirror Shine Lip Stick collection here. You can see a swatch of Nars Deepthroat blush here. You can see a swatch of the Avon Colour and Contour palette in Rose Glow here. You can see swatches and a review of the Liz Earle bronzer and lip gloss here. You can see a swatch of the HD Brow Palette here. 

xxx

*PR Sample

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

Monthly Favourites: April

I don't normally do monthly favourite posts but this month I've discovered (and rediscovered) some really lovely products so I thought I'd show you all.

Xen-Tan Perfect Blend Custom Self-Tan* - £34.99

My and fake tan don't usually get on but this month I've been loving this fake tan. Before this, I'd never tried Xen-Tan before but it's really amazing and fool proof. You can see my full review of this product and find my fake tanning routine here.

AEOS Refreshing Hydrating Mist* - $89.00

This is becoming my favourite toner and I'm so sad that this is only a small sample as I'm unsure as to whether or not I'll be able to repurchase it as it is expensive (it converts to around £55). You can see my full review of this product here.

Skin79 Supper Beblesh Balm BB Triple Function - £16.00

I absolutely love this and it's become my favourite foundation recently. It's provides perfect coverage and leaves a lovely finish on the skin. You can see my full review of this BB cream and see how it applies here.

Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover* - £4.99

I've been seeing this making its rounds on the blogosphere and I didn't quite believe how good it was until I tried it myself. It really is so quick and easy and it also smells quite nice compared to the usual nail polish remover smell.

17 Shine Control Loose Powder - £5.49

I bought this for just £2 thanks to the Advantage Card machines in Boots and I love it so much. I've used it every day but it just doesn't seem to go down as there's so much product inside it. It doesn't cake the skin and melts away to keep shine at bay throughout the day. My favourite powder ever.

Britney Spears Cosmic Radiance - £29.00

I have all of the Britney perfumes and I always change which one I use on a day-to-day basis. But this month, I can't stop wearing the Cosmic Radiance perfume. It reminds me of freshers week as it's all I wore throughout it which of course, is a happy smell! You can see my full Britney perfume collection here.

Renouve Anti-Aging Every Day Defense* - £22.00

I think I've become addicted to this product. It's a hand cream/anti-ager/sanitiser in one and I just can't stop using it. I have two of them (a gold and a pink one) and one sits on my desk and the other goes everywhere with me. Perfection in a bottle. You can see my full review of this product here.

17 Mirror Shine Lipstick in Belle - £4.59

I've been wearing this lipstick every single day without fail. It's the perfect nude colour that makes lips look super glossy! You can see my full review of this lipstick and a swatch here.

Collection 2000 All Day Colour Mascara in clear - £2.99

I use this as a brow set and I can't believe I've gone my entire life without them. It keeps my eyebrows in place all day long and it's super cheap. I'm a convert!
What products have you been loving this month?

xxx
*PR Sample

Skin79 Super Plus Triple Function (Hot Pink) BB Cream Review & Comparison Photos & Giveaway

As you all probably know right now. BB creams are massive in the make up industry. I've seen no end of blog posts about ones that have been popping up lately but to be honest, none of them have taken my fancy. Most reviews claim that they're just tinted moisturisers and if you read my blog then you'll know that I like my coverage. I love medium coverage and I love full coverage even more so for me, BB creams never caught my eye. That was until I was offered one of the original BB creams that I first saw back in 2011 on Ingrid's channel. After seeing Ingrid rave about it, I couldn't say no.

Although Ingrid raved about this BB cream, I wasn't expecting much. I wasn't expecting a lot of coverage and I was expecting it to be super shiny and make me look greasy just like tinted moisturisers. So you can imagine my shock when I first applied this and got this result..

So this is my bare skin. I must apologise for how disgusting it is and yes, I have enlarged pores, spots, acne scarring and redness. It's awful and this is the reason why I love my coverage.

And this is my skin after I had applied just one coat of the BB cream. I was in complete and utter shock. It's very blendable, suits my skin tone lovely, it's definitely full coverage yet it's extremely lightweight and I can't feel that it's on. Not a lot covers my scarring but this does. It even makes my pores look smaller which foundations don't tend to do. I don't know how it's done it but it has. I've also wore it all day for work and it's lasted without budging at all and also stayed matte. I actually shed a few tears when I first saw the finished result - my skin quite frankly looked as perfect as it could get. As soon as I get my student loan, I'm buying this in full sized. I have so many foundations but I have to say, I think this is better than them all!

So a bit more information on this product; it's a triple function blemish balm cream that helps shield the skin from premature ageing as it contains SPF 25. It whitens the skin and reduces any existing lines and wrinkles. The formula is very creamy and covers up skin imperfections so that a perfect base can be created for make up. The finish is matte and it stays matte all day long without even needing powder.

I also have four £5 off vouchers to give away to you guys that you can spend on the BB Cosmetics website until the 31st of May. Please do not enter though unless you 100% plan on spending the £5 vouchers as it means someone could miss out. All you have to do is be a follower of my blog and leave a comment on this blog post and also leave your email address so that I can contact you. I'll be picking a winner before the 22nd of April (next Sunday) so make sure you get your entries in!

Have you tried this BB cream before? What do you think? Make sure you enter my giveaway!

xxx

*PR Sample