What's In My Makeup Bag #3

 Hola! Getting ready this morning I was digging through my make up bag and was thinking there's a lot of stuff in here I'm not using, this isn't practical - I need to sort this out! 

So I reorganised the contents of my make up bag and decided I'd show you what products I'm currently using the most because I haven't done it in a while! It's always interesting while I'm doing these posts to look back on my last one and see what products have made their way in - or out of my make up bag.

Base Products

This may be the only part of my make up bag that never changes! I've been finding that my beloved Bourjois healthy mix serum is a tad too yellow for me lately for some reason, so I have started to use my other favourite foundation Revlon Colourstay more, I'd be using this over the healthy mix serum at the moment anyway on account of my skin being awful. Then I have my 2 trusty concealers - Collection's Lasting Perfection and Maybelline's The Eraser.

Blushes, bronzers and powders

This hasn't changed too much either - Benefit's Rockateur is still my blush of choice, I usually pair this with MAC's MSF in Adored used with a light hand as a highlighter and I get a really lovely glowy effect that makes me look really fresh and awake. I contour everyday now, which is unusual for me! But I use Dainty Doll's Money Talks Blusher as a contour and it's just perfect for the job when you have Casper's complexion! My powder of choice these days is Maybelline's Super stay 24 hour powder. I just really like the coverage this gives without looking cakey and it doesn't cling to dry patches or break down when your skin is oily - my ideal powder!

Eyeshadow

The only eye shadows I have been using are from MUA's Undress Me Too palette that i received in a swap from Georgie, you can see the swap here if you'd like! I absolutely adore this palette and have actually mostly been using the darker shades which again, like contouring is somewhat of a big change for me make up wise!

Mascaras, Eyeliner, brows, etc

I have been using 2 mascaras. Seventeen's superlash and my favourite Lancome's Hypnose Doll Eyes. My Doll eyes has nearly run out and I'm trying to scrape every last bit out of the tube and I'm also trying to get to grips with the Super lash - I'm still not sure that i like it. My brow products haven't changed, I'm still using MAC's Fling brow pencil and a clear brow gel the one in the photo is Catrice's, which I really like as the brush has a traditional mascara wand like side to it and the other side has more of a comb type of thing going on. The eyeliners I've been sporting lately are Stila's Smudgestick in Damsel and Rimmel's Scandal eyes in nude. And lastly -  I couldn't be without my Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion!

So that's everything I've been using. Not a ton of stuff compared to the amount that was in the bag before I re organised it! It's going to be much easier to not have to root through piles of stuff that I'm not even using! 

What's in your make up bag at the moment?

FOTD #5: Under The Weather

I've been taking a break from wearing any make up the last week or two on account of my skin being awful and being ill and just not wanting to put any on - I think we all feel like this when we're ill! 

Today I got up, had a shower got dressed and decided that I was going to make an effort today, even if I wasn't going to leave the house, I thought putting something on my face may lift my spirits a little! Also I've bought a few things lately that I really want to try out and a few more products that haven't been getting enough love!

Eeek! Eyebags!

I saw Nivea's Express Hydration Primer on sale for a little over €4 instead of near €8 so I picked it up! I usually skip primer but my skin is like an oil producing machine lately so I used this before my foundation. I used my Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge to stipple on my foundation, (Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum) I applied my two favourite concealers Maybelline The Eraser for under eye area (though it's helping very little on my really pronounced eye bags these days!) and Collection's lasting Perfection for redness/blemishes in the same way with the RT sponge. I dusted a little of MAC's MSF Natural all over my face with a large powder brush and finished off with Sleek's Blush in Antiqued.

I then moved onto my eyes. I primed my lids with Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer potion, then taking My Naked Basics palette (which I posted about here!) I applied the shade Faint on the outer half of my lid and into my crease, and blended the edges with Naked 2. I then dusted W.O.S from my crease to my brow bone and then placed Venus in my inner corner and on the inner half of my eyelid to brighten things and make me look more awake. I then lined my lower lash line with Faint and then applied L'ancome's Hypnose Doll Eyes mascara, I also used Rimmel's Scandaleyes eyeliner pencil in Nude on my waterline to make my eyes look less red - it works a treat!

Sorry for the not great photos guys, I can't find my camera and took these on my phone. The new design/layout of my blog makes the photos massive so the bad quality is super obvious! It also makes my large eye bags at the moment very obvious - so unflattering! Ha ha!

It's amazing how much more human making an effort when you're not well can make you feel! Not a complicated FOTD by any means, if you've seen any of my previous FOTD's you'll know I favour easy no fuss make up, though my choice in shadows is still on the neutral side of things I'm finding myself picking out the darker shades in palettes over the lighter ones these days - which is a massive change for me!

What kind of look do you go for when you're feeling under the weather?

Best Of 2013: Ultimate Make Up Picks Of The Year

For me personally, I think 2013 has been a really great year for finding new products that I love! I discovered a ton of things this year that I can't live without. Some of my choices may not be new to the beauty world, just new to me but they have none the less become firm favourites in my beauty stash this year!

Like every beauty blogger I have so many favourite make up, skincare and hair care items. So the way I'm approaching this to avoid a post as long as my arm is to break the list down into individual categories. For example there'll be categories for favourite foundation, favourite palette and so on, and I'm going to pick one stand out favourite for each category, so this will be sort of an ultimate favourites list for the whole year! Which is pretty tough to put together when you have so many things you enjoy using so much!

I'll also be doing other individual posts for other favourites, including hair, skincare and just other general favourites. I'm trying to break the different categories down as much as possible so you'll only see the things that you're interested in. So if you like the sound of any of the other posts I'll be doing keep an eye out for those in the next week!

Best Foundation

If you've seen any of my FOTD posts, it'll be obvious that the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum is my favourite foundation.I can't say enough good things about it. It evens, it covers, it brightens and feels and looks like your own skin. What's not to love?

Best BB Cream



I don't claim to be an expert on BB creams, having only tried 2 or 3. I did however fall in love with Vichy's Idealia BB Cream. It covers fairly well without feeling heavy, and it leaves your skin looking radiant and all done in a natural way that makes it look like you have nothing on your skin.

Best Concealer (Under eye)

Maybelline's The Eraser concealer is a godsend. It doesn't completely get rid of the look of my under eye bags, but it does a great job of hiding the blue discolouration I get in my under eye area. Really easy to use, only takes a small amount to cover an area well, if I could only use this concealer for my under eye area for the rest of my life, I'd be happy to do so.

Best Concealer (Redness/Blemishes)

No brainer here! Collection Lasting Perfection concealer. Amazing, holy grail concealer. I know all bloggers sing this concealers praises and I'm going to be no different. It really deserves all the praise it gets. Works on everything, under eye area, blemishes, scars, redness. I don't know what I'd do if they ever stopped making this stuff!

Best Powder

Powder is a weird thing for me, I choose it based on how my skin is behaving. However looking through the ones I have the best all rounder and the one i reach for the most (as you can see from how little is left!)is MAC's MSF Natural in Light. It keeps oil at bay, provided you're not really oily, and just leaves a nice matte, soft focus look to the skin.

 Best Bronzer

My choice for bronzer isn't actually a bronzer - it's a blush!
 I use Dainty Doll's Money Talks blush as a bronzer, it's ideal for contouring and just as a general bronzer for us pale faced girls. It's not muddy or orange and is just perfect in my opinion!

Best Highlight (Cream)

Benefit's high beam is such a gorgeous highlighter, and I don't use it as much as my powder highlighters but it is hands down the best and most beautiful cream/liquid highlight ever!

Best Highlight (Powder)

MAC's Soft and Gentle wins it for me in the powder highlighter category. It looks scary but is actually really subtle and flattering when applied. You can see swatches here.

Best Blush (Powder)

You're all probably sick of hearing me mention Benefit's Rockateur by now, I pretty much mention it in every post! Its beautiful and I posted about it here if you would like to see it!

Best Blush (Cream)

This one was difficult to pick because I prefer powder blushes over cream formulas but Dainty Doll's cream blush Orange County Girl is a stand out one here for me. It's absolutely stunning! It's coming off as being pink in the photo above, but it's actually pretty orange toned in real life. Sounds scary right? It isn't, its beautiful and actually really wearable.

Best Eyeshadow Primer

Urban Decay Eye shadow Primer Potion is the only eye shadow primer I use, and I love it! I can't see myself ever using anything else as this works so well for me, also I have a full size tube of this along with about 3 of the smaller tubes that come with palettes so thankfully I'm set up with primer for a while! 

Best Eye shadow Palette

This is the category I struggled the most with. I have a lot of palettes, and I love them all! I ultimately had to go with my Naked palette. I have Naked 2 also, and if I had Naked 3 that may have surpassed it but for now, the original Naked palette is still my favourite of all the palettes I own.

Best Eye shadow (Cream)

Maybelline's 24 Hour Colour Tattoo in Pink Gold is a clear winner here. I like all the colour Tattoos that I own, but this is just beautiful. You can see swatches here if you'd like to.

Best Mascara

Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes is my holy grail mascara. It's one of those mascaras that gets better with age too, so I'm still loving it more each time I use it! I just wish this mascara wasn't so expensive as it leaves me with serious buyers remorse after purchasing it!

Best Eyeliner 

I have pretty much strayed away from liquid and gel liners this year, and I now reach for my Stila Smudgestick in Damsel whenever I want an eyeliner. It's easy to use, and doesn't budge from the upper lash line or the water line, and I now swear by it.

Best Brow Product

I've recently become obsessed with filling in my brows, and I'm loving MAC's fling brow pencil, it's just perfect!

Best Lipstick

MAC's Plumful is still my favourite lipstick of all time. Though it was hard to choose between this and Rimmel's Moisture Renew Lipstick in Vintage Pink. To see the post I did with swatches of Plumful, click here.

Best Lip Crayon

Catrice do really great Lip Crayons. Cheap, easy to use and the most moisturising formula of any I've tried yet. My favourite shade is this red that doesn't appear to have a name, but was part of a limited edition collection they had out this summer.

Best Lip Gloss

No7 High Shine gloss in Smile has been a great grab and go lip gloss for me. It's pretty on its own or over any lipstick, especially MAC's Plumful, winning lip combo for me this year!

Best Lip Balm

Nuxe's Reve De Miel is another holy grail product for me that I discovered this year. It's thick, hydrating and smells like Terry's Chocolate Oranges, why wouldn't this be a favourite? I apply this whenever needed and also a thick layer each night before I go to bed and I wake up with really soft, smooth lips!

Best Tool

The Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge has drastically changed not only how long my foundation application takes, but has also blown me away with how good it makes the finish of any foundation or concealer. It seamlessly blends base products with your skin leaving your skin looking perfectly flawless - even if it isn't!

BBest Over all Brand of 2013

I think that most brands have outdone themselves this year, but for me there's one that stands out the most and I believe they deserve a pat on the back and an honourable mention and that brand is Bourjois. 
Bourjois released so many new products this year and there wasn't one item they released that didn't have me curious and dying to run to the nearest stand to swatch and try things out. There's not one item this year from Bourjois that I purchased and didn't like, which says a lot for me as Bourjois products have always been hit and miss for me in the past. So there you have it! It was tough to narrow it down to just one item per category, but if I hadn't done that this post would turn into a novel! 

What are your stand out Make up favourites of 2013? Are any of yours the same as mine?

FOTD #3: Fresh Faced

Quick FOTD for you all today! 

This has been my go to daily make up look lately, it's really easy to do and perfect if like me, you're rushing around doing last minute things in preparation for Christmas!
You'll have to forgive me for the not so great photos they were taken in a rush before I headed out the door this morning!

As usual my base consists of Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation, Maybelline the eraser concealer for my undereye area, Collection Lasting perfection concealer for redness/blemishes, topped off by a light dusting of MAC MSF Natural in Light. And Benefit's Rockateur on my cheeks. 

At this point I brushed my brows into place with Catrice's brow gel, then filled them in slightly with MAC's Fling brow pencil.

On busy days where I haven't much time to get ready, I tend to skip eyeshadow, but lately I've been obsessed with one shadow eye looks. Basically where you only use one shadow on your lid and pulled up into your crease. 

I'd usually use a taupe shade for this, but instead I have been reaching for a blush to do this!  Enter Benefit's Rockateur!

A closer look at eyeshadow

 My now all time favourite blush has become a staple for one shadow looks. I don't know what it is, but it just works - it shouldn't but it just does. 

So I've been sweeping Rockateur all over my lid then blending it into my crease. It takes seconds and I think the result is really pretty.

Top that with my Lancome Hynose Doll Eyes mascara and if I have time Stila's Smudgestick in Damsel, and I'm good to go!

I wore this look to a family Christmas party last week as I didn't have much time to get ready and I got tons of compliments on my make up and have pretty much been wearing it this way since, I think it just makes you look really fresh faced and like you've just come in from the cold - but in a good way! 

So what do you think of using Rockateur as an eyeshadow? Do you think it works or is it just me? 
Do you use other products for things they're not intended for? 

What's In My Make Up Bag #2

It's been a while since I wrote a "What's in my make up bag?" post - so I thought I'd get myself to the laptop and knock up a quick post for you all on what I'm currently using everyday.

If you want to see what was in my first Make up bag post you can do that here.

 From looking at that last post, the contents of my day to day make up bag have changed completely since my last post, except for one item I believe.

Make up bag contents - alot more in here than I originally thought!



Face/Base Products

Left - Right: Real Techniques Complexion Sponge, Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in fair for blemishes and redness (HATE that the writing on the tube rubs off!) Maybelline The Eraser Concealer in Light for under eye area, Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation in 51 Vanille clair.

L-R: Benefit Rockateur blush, which I reviewed here. Sleek blush in Antiqued, MAC Soft and Gentle - click here for swatches, MAC Mineralise Skinfinish Natural in Light, for days where my skin is good, Maybelline Superstay 24hr powder in Ivory for when I need more coverage and when my skin is extra oily which is pretty much all the time now - stupid winter!

Eye shadow

Sleek Vintage Romance Palette

Lately I've been using Benefit's Rockateur on my lids, a light sweep of it looks so pretty don't over do it though or you can look like you've been punched in the face! 

I always like to have a palette in my make up bag though, and at the moment it's Sleek's Vintage Romance Palette - so pretty and has shades perfect for Christmas! So it's in here so that I'll use it more over the festive season!

Eyeliner/Brows/Mascara/Lips

L-R: Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes Mascara, this mascara is now holy grail status for me guys! No7 High Shine gloss in Smile, great for looking pulled together quickly! Catrice brow gel, Rimmel Scandaleyes pencil in Nude for my waterline, I'm looking tired lately and this really brightens my eyes up. Stila smudgestick in Damsel, again holy grail peeps, seriously amazing! MAC fling brow pencil, really into filling in my brows lately and this is so easy to use it's fool proof! Lastly, there's my trusty Urban Decay Primer Potion.

Brushes

I have really only been using these 4 brushes lately, mainly because using the Real Techniques sponge has drastically cut down the amount of brushes I have to use daily. So L-R: Sigma F30 for powder, Sigma F40 for blush, Real Techniques setting brush for highlighting, Sigma E25 for eyeshadow application and blending - best eye brush in the world, really recommend it!

So I really am using a lot more products than I thought I was using, and I really do use everything every day - bar the palette! 

I was thinking of making these posts a more regular feature, let me know what you think! 

What's in your make up bag right now?

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Soft And Gentle Review And Swatches

After not being able to walk away from MAC's Skinfinishes a few weeks ago without picking up Adored, (see it here) I've become obsessed with Mineralize skinfinishes, really, I am OBSESSED!

I know this is the MSF the whole blogging world raves about, and Ive looked at swatches loads of times and thought yeah it's pretty but I dont need it. That was when my thoughts were rational, now they've gone the other way and after purchasing Adored, I knew I just had to have Soft and gentle too, I needed it!

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish In Soft And Gentle

In the pan, soft and gentle looks a bit meh, it just looks like a shimmery brown shade, not unlike a bronzer, when you get into the product and swirl your finger or brush over the pan a magical thing happens!

You get the most perfect champagne shade, amazing for higlighting the cheekbones or for an all over glow. 

My favourite use is for highlighting though as i'm so pale I think using this all over my face looking odd, I think it'd be beautiful all over the face this way on tanned skin.

L-R: Heavy Swatch, Blended

Though all my rational thinking went completely out of the window on this one, i'm so happy to own this skinfinish and it really is as beautiful as people say it is. It's steep price wise at €29.50 (in Ireland) but with the tiny amount you need each time you apply it will last forever so if youre trying to justify the price, use that as an excuse! ;)
What's your favourite MSF? I'm now so in love with the two I own that I want more! I've gone bananas over these babies! 
Also if you've not seen my giveaway yet and would like to enter you can do so here.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish In Adored Review And Swatches

 Whenever I visit a MAC store, for some reason I always seem to skip the section with all the skinfinishes, blushers and powders and head straight to the lipsticks and eyeshadows. The other day though I was walking by said section with all the Mineralized Skinfinishes and something grabbed my eye.

MAC's MSF in Adored is a peachy/coral shade with golden shimmer running throughout and it just grabbed my attention and I had to have it.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Adored

 It's absolutley beautiful. When you swirl your brush over the powder you get a light peachy pink shade that works as a nice blush shade and also as a great highlighter if you use a lighter hand. It can come off pretty frosty if you use too much so use carefully!

Left: Heavy Swatch, Right: Blended

Adored is limited edition as part of the Tropical Taboo collection along with a few other MSF's, but to me this one is the stand out of the ones available in the collection.

Have you picked up any of the other MSF's from this collection yet? If you have let me know what you think or even link to a post of if you have one as I can't make my mind up if I want the others!

Wish List #1

Just like every other beauty obsessed blogger I always have a list as long as my arm of new products that I want to buy. It seems that when I eventually do mark something off my wish list two other things that I'm lusting after take it's place!

1. Too Faced Boudoir Eyes Palette

I've wanted this since the moment I clapped eyes on it! It's part of Too Faced's Spring collection this year which was pretty nice actually but for me this is the stand out product in the collection. It's a fairly neutral palette which is great as I'm a neutrals girl, but it's more purple based neutrals as opposed to browns so it'll shake my make up a little without being too crazy for me. 

2. The Balm Nude Tude Palette

Like I just said - I love neutrals! Still on the fence as to weather or not this palette is different enough to the ones I have to warrant getting it, I think I might hold off on this one for now seeing as I have Urban Decay's Naked, Naked 2 and Naked Basics palettes already.

3.OPI Couture De Minnie Collection

This collection is so cute! I didn't get any of the shades in the previous Minnie mouse OPI collection except the glitter shade, but I really love every colour in the collection this time around.

4. Sleek Blush By 3 in Sweet Cheeks

I'm hoping that Cloud 10 beauty get hold of Sleek's newest Blush by 3, I think it's limited edition, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can get my mitts on it at some stage.

5.Mac Matte Lipstick in Please Me

I love Mac lipsticks. I only own two which are Plumful and Angel. I really want to expand my collection and this is going to be the next one I pick up for certain.

6.Sigma Dry'n'Shape

Since we moved into our new place, Ive hated washing brushes because I have to leave them out to dry and Ive amassed a huge collection of brushes so the place just looks messy and takes up nearly our whole dining table so this will save space when I'm drying brushes and will also help get them back to their original shape.

I did have pictures for this post but for some reason blogger wont let me put them in my post, I'm not sure if its blogger or my laptop acting up, so sorry for the lack of photos! 

I'm sure by the time this post has gone up ill think of lots of other things that I want to add to the list! If any of you have anything on my wish list let me know your thoughts on it, id love to hear them!

Where Have I Been? And My Summer Essentials

To say that I have had a busy few months since I posted last is an understatement! I actually didn't even realise I last posted in April, I thought it had only been a few weeks since I posted I've just been so flat out! 

Basically I've been so busy because my boyfriend and I have moved in together! We spent a few weeks looking at places online, and didn't like the look of any of them, but we eventually saw an apartment we liked the look of, arranged a viewing and we liked it so much when we went to view it that we decided that though its the only place we looked at we didn't want to look at anymore and we wanted this one, and I'm glad to say that I am now sat in that apartment typing this post :-)

As well as all the excitement of moving, we have actually been having somewhat of a summer here in Ireland for the past few weeks, the weather has been so hot here that I feel sorry for those who have booked holidays abroad, as they're seriously missing out on a miracle here weather wise! 

So with the temperature rising, my make up choices have swayed even more so to the natural side of things (I am a neutrals kind of girl) I have swapped heavy duty foundations and lipstick for BB cream and lip gloss, and in doing so I've discovered a few products that I don't think I'll be able to live without.

Maybelline Dream Pure BB cream

I hadn't fallen for the hype of BB creams, my skin has always been pretty bad and I thought there's no way that they'd cover up blemishes etc, but my skin has calmed down a ton lately and a few weeks back they had an offer on in boots cant remember exactly what the offer was but I ended up being able to grab Maybelline's Dream Pure BB cream for a fiver instead of nearly €12. I didn't expect much from this, but I fell in love with it. It gives a decent amount of coverage while still looking natural and looking and feeling like you have nothing on your skin. I even walked into the sitting room a few times after putting make up on and the boyfriend actually complimented me on my skin saying it looked really clear and I looked really nice, which is a huge deal as Noel doesn't ever notice anything that I put on my face! 

MAC In Extra Dimension Blush At Dusk

I went to Mac a while back and picked up a few things, this blush being one of them. Its a dusky pink shade that has the slightest hint of golden shimmer to it. I was worried it was going to make me look like a disco ball when applied, but I was pleasantly surprised. The shimmer doesn't seem to transfer at all and you're just left with a lovely soft and natural peachy pink flush to your cheeks. It's also nice built up for a more dramatic look.

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

Ive only had the Naked Basics Palette for a week or so, so I wont go in to too much detail as I want to do a separate post on it but - I 'effing adore the thing! A lot more than I actually thought I would in fact.

The Body Shop Strawberry Body Mist

Again, this is another one that got me compliments from the boyfriend! I was in the body shop messing around with some stuff, this being one of them but decided I wasn't going to get anything, went out of the shop to meet himself who didn't even say hello he said "did you spray something new on yourself? I really like it" so I turned on my heels and went and bought it! 

It's the perfect summer scent, and I'm so annoyed I hadn't found it sooner because I love it so much. It really does smell like strawberries too!

Soap and Glory Heel Genius Amazing Foot Cream

My feet are so neglected! I wanted to show them some TLC, so i picked this up from boots. Ive never tried any soap and glory stuff before and have always been curious about it. I'm so glad I got this, it's made my feet super soft and sandal ready, so if you have trouble with dry skin on your feet, get this put a good layer on your feet and pop some socks over it and it'll leave your feet super smooth!

Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm

I seriously cant praise this enough! Its a thick, heavenly smelling heavy duty lip balm that leaves lips feeling so hydrated and soft. I also love using it as a base under lipsticks to help them glide on and to stop them drying out my lips. Its tricky to get hold of some chemists have it but if you cant find one that stocks Nuxe products, you can get it from Cloud 10 Beauty here.

So these are my recent discoveries that are now firm favourites, I can see myself using all of these products all year round but the majority of them are perfect for summer use, especially with this crazy heatwave we've been having.

So, what are your summer essentials? Leave a comment telling me below!