we all know that January feeling … but the good news is there is a way to overcome it!

Cold, tired, wet and after overindulging way too much at Christmas, January blues can be a real problem for most people were you just do not feel yourself. To cheer yourself up if you are as shallow as me a makeup haul is just what you need! I can honestly say these products I have found are changing my drastic January to a happy resident month.

The game changer:

I have always been very picky about the foundation I will use for a multitude of reasons, firstly, and perhaps most importantly is this is a product going on my face and everyone can see it! secondly, it is not secret that I do not have perfect skin and often foundation can not only trigger my acne but also cause it. I wandered into super drug with my housemates after a day of lectures which felt like it was never going to end, and wanting a lighter more radiant foundation I came across a product which I can now not imagine life without. I am talking about the Loreal true match foundation.

 

This is a foundation that fits my pale skin better than even number 7 itself!! it effortlessly glides on and contains great concealing properties and whilst giving a radiant glow is not too brash or overwhelming. Oh and the best thing? you cant even feel it on you’re face and it lasts through out the whole day, including that run to the school bus, sweating those reports in work or even running around all day after the children. For anyone with slightly pale skin who need pink undertones this really is the foundation for you, trust me.

benefits include of the new formula contains 3 new shade enhancers for shade matching precision. Skin perfecting pigments and the ultra gliding creamy texture give a homogeneous finish. Even better colour matching, and more luminous and radiant skin than before. Even longer wear and better comfort. All you see is your skin at it’s best.

The new formula contains 3 new shade enhancers for shade matching precision. Skin perfecting pigments and the ultra gliding creamy texture give a homogeneous finish. Even better colour matching, and more luminous and radiant skin than before. Even longer wear and better comfort. All you see is your skin at it’s best.

Makeup you should put on your Santa’s list: foundation, for all skin types throughout the year!

Have you been a good girl this year? if you are on the nice list or the naughty list the one thing that is a must to go on your Christmas list is the 2016 make -up must haves! Although we might have to narrow down the list, as 2016 there have been some great makeup surface, which is great for the new year, new you. Some people want to skydive over the Alps, swim with the sharks, or fly a plane. A beauty buff’s or even amateurs bucket list looks a little different (and let’s face it is a lot safer). Here is a list of perfect foundations to take into 2017 with you, for all the different skin types and to suit all months of the year, the only hard decision is how not to go out and purchase them all.

 

No7 Beautifully Matte Light Foundation

Best for: All day velvet matte perfection with a lightweight feel

Achieve a perfect matte complexion with this foundation that feels so light, you’ll forget you’re wearing it. Oil free, this unique foundation, containing fine, oil absorbing powders, minimises the need for touch ups by controlling shine all day long and leaving you with skin that looks perfectly smooth and velvety soft.

Other benefits:

• Best for oily skin
• Flawless matte finish
• Blemishes and pores are concealed
• Non pore blocking
• Medium coverage
• SPF15
• Hypo-allergenic

 

 No7 Airbrush Away Foundation

Best for: Flawless and smooth looking skin in every light

Gliding over the skin like liquid silk, this foundation delivers buildable coverage whilst blurring the appearance of fine lines and pores. The clever optical blurring powders give a velvety yet radiant finish so your skin looks ready for its close up.

Other benefits:

• Light and velvety smooth to touch
• Ultra-comfortable wear
• Non-pore blocking
• With Berry Vita to hydrate and care
• Hypo-allergenic

 

 No7 Beautifully Matte Foundation

Best for: A shine free, matte finish

Achieve the appearance of flawless matte skin with a velvety soft finish and no powdery flatness. Oil free, this unique foundation, containing fine, oil absorbing powders, minimises the need for touch ups by controlling shine all day long and leaving you with skin that looks perfectly smooth and velvety soft.

Other benefits:

• Best for oily skin
• Flawless matte finish
• Blemishes and pores are concealed
• Non pore blocking
• Medium/Full coverage
• SPF15
• Hypo-allergenic

 No7 Instant Radiance Foundation

Best for: Natural radiance

If your tired skin needs a boost of energy and light, look no further. This revitalising formula helps to add luminosity and moisture for a brighter complexion that shines with a healthy glow.

Other benefits:

• Medium coverage
• Natural, illuminating finish
• Reduces the appearance of fatigue
• Contains SPF 15
• Hypo-allergenic

 

 

Bronzers

Because we are coming out of the cold months and entering January some of us need a bit of bronzer not only to hide our pale complexions, but to ensure john at the office thinks we went away on a nice sunny holiday. If done correctly and not smothered on bronzer can give a nice natural glowy finish for anybody. Here are some of the bronzers that I have enjoyed using most in 2016, and this time they are not all number 7 products.

Milani Baked Bronzer £8.00   

I ordered the Soleil bronzer, and it is more red toned than I was expecting. I recommend that you start lightly and build it up, as the first time I went in with a lot of product and it did not look too good! When applied properly, it gives me quite a warm, natural glow. I will be buying glow when I can to see if it is not quite as orangey. This bronzer gives a really nice glow and can be doubled up as a highlighter which is really helpful.

Benefit Hoola bronzer £23.50

Beach in a box! Dust this award-winning bronzing powder over your chin, cheeks and forehead for a healthy, natural-looking “tan” year-round. It’s pure matte colour…no sparkle or shine! it will give you a Sun-kissed glow, is Great for contouring and has a Soft, natural-bristle brush included. (Go for the rose gold to really get those cheekbones to stand out). Benefit hoola a soft bronze matte powder that gives your complexion a healthy, natural looking tan. Dust it lightly across cheeks,                                                                                               chin and forehead to bring the warm tan of                                                                                              the island to your skin and spirits.

 Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow £49.00

This is a secret that silver screen sirens have kept to themselves for years – and once I share it with you – so will you! With FILMSTAR BRONZE & GLOW you can slim, sculpt, shorten, trim and highlight your features. It’s amazing what clever shading and highlighting tricks can do to your facial framework – it’s an illusion that I use all the time, particularly for red carpet scrutiny, and my clients can’t get enough of it. Take what you were born with and maximise your assets with FILMSTAR BRONZE & GLOW!

• The bronzer is the perfect universal blend of pearl and pigment to contour features and mimic a sun-kissed complexion.

• The highlighter is built up from a golden base that flatters any skin tone, and uses Light Flex Technology to capture light and radiate it out for a luminous complexion.

• Colour-rich pigments are rolled into elastomer pearls that smooth & buff the skin for excellent bendability & perfect colour uniformity.

Two faced chocolate Soleil bronzer

Bronzing has never been so delicious. Our chocolate-scented, shimmer-free, matte bronzer is perfect for contouring and creating an all-over deep tan using real antioxidant-rich cocoa powder. It’s all the tan without the twinkle.Infused with antioxidant-rich cocoa powder and signature bronzing pigments to create a unique matte bronzer that neutralizes red and evens skin tone.100% cruelty-free product.Vegan friendly.Paraben-free. Apply using Too Faced Bronzebuki

Christmas Makeup Zoella style

Christmas is one of those important times of the year where it is not just acceptable but expected of you to get dolled up and into the party mood. Whether you want to go for a natural look or the full out red lips, I really love the Christmas make – up look that Zoella does and try to recreate this look on myself which is relatively simple having the same skin tone and hair colour. However, to achieve this look I use different products (sorry about the bad quality of the picture my camera is currently in for repairs).  The look I am going for this Christmas has slight differences than in this photograph because I am looking for that perfect matte red.

 

step one:

The Primer I used is the body shops Insta Blur which is an all in one 5 action perfecter and it comes in one universal shade. Its texture is really soft and it smooths in and fills in any larger pores or unwanted lines in and it comes in a 25ml tube which is a handy travel size product.

The primer I used is the body shops Insta Blur which is an all in one 5 action perfecter and it comes in one universal shade. Its texture is really soft and it smooths in and fills in any larger pores or unwanted lines in and it comes in a 25ml tube which is a handy travel size product.

step two:

The concealer I have been using recently is my favourite high coverage concealer and it is drug store which means the price is so reasonable at approximately £8.00 which for the product is an absolute steal. This concealer is from Rimmel London and is the lasting finish concealer corrector, and I am in the shape 020 Ivory if we are similar skin tones. What is great about this product is that it really does last all day and is good if you have red patches on your skin, because it conceals all imperfections and is great for the undereye circles.

Step three:

Foundation wise, as you will all know by now I am in LOVE with number 7 foundations and the coverage they give. The one I am currently using and wearing is the stay perfect Foundation for non-stop complexion perfections. it is hypo – allergenic., has a SPF of 15 and has an up to 24 hours wear, I am the lightest shade of Calico. 

step four: 

highlighting has to be my all-time favourite about doing my make – up. My least favourite is contouring because I find it really difficult and my hand eye co – ordination issues most defiantly show if you get up to close. The products I use are the Techniques highlight and contour crayons which come in three shades, I blend them into the foundation and then place the technic get gorgeous highlighting illumination powder and the revolution ultra sculpt and contour kit in light C04.

Step five blush:

In my make – up bag I have three favourite blushes that I would happily recommend to people, my everyday one and the one used in this look is the Loreal Paris Le Blush in sandalwood pink, which is glittery and shimmery so goes really well with more dewy foundations (or if like me you just cant stay away from that highlighter. If you are looking for a more stand out and prominent pink then I would suggest the No.7 blush in peach velvet. Again if you want a more lighter blush then the Rimmel lasting finish soft colour blush 020 pink Rose is the colour for you.

Step six:

The brows are very important to certain people especially if you are going for
that instabrow look. My eye product is the Master brow pro palette from Maybelline New York, what I love about this product and why I think it is such a good brow shaper is the gel that comes with this product. Step one is use the gel to shape, step two use the brow powder to fill in and step three it comes with a light powder to place under the eyebrows and act as a highlighter adding increasing definition and shape to your eyebrows.

step seven:

eye colour palette that works best for me is the Revolution redemption iconic two palette, because I have green eyes the warm browns and golds complement them really well, it comes with 12 different colours and an applicator.(as you can see its a cheaper copy of Naked Palette) I take the lightest brown and place it all over my eye lid and then my crease, next I go to the second darkest brown and put it into my crease, at the end of the lid working my way to the centre goes the shimmering brown and the inside of my lid to the centre is the shimmering copper. Then I take a kabuki brush and blend it all out into a smokey eye. Then to finish the eye look I use either the number 7 elongate lashes mascara or if I went extra volume the colossal go extreme in leather black by Maybelline New York.

step eight:

The red lips are perhaps the most important Christmas lip colour which will tie this whole look together the lipsticks I can suggest are mac as these will stay on the best all day and feel amazing on your lips. However, don’t panic if you are looking at more fo a drugstore price range as there are plenty of suitable reds including loreal Paris colour riche in 297 red passion which is the colour I have in the picture above.  to set this all in I use the real techniques buffing brush by sam and Nick coating it in the Rimmel London match perfection loose powder in the shade 001 transparent.

 

Here is how to do it a lot better than I do, I hope you have enjoyed this blog!

 

Skin care for Christmas

When considering how best to look after the condition of your skin in the cold winter months the right products to use is a difficult choice, but during the Christmas season with all that makeup we are putting on, (to impress john at the office party maybe) or for our work does, it can leave the face and skin looking tired, sluggish and grey. Not the winter dewy look most of us are going for. Here is my advice on how to look after your skin in its most delicate time, my skin is combination, as I have a very oily tea zone, yet dry patches and although I no longer suffer from acne, I do get the occasional blemishes. So here is some of my advice on what products are best to use.

First thing every girl needs a good one of …. Moisturiser

I have two suggestions for this, firstly Simple light moisturiser
which has no added perfumes and is not harsh on the skin at all and it never fails to leave your skin smooth as a babies bottom.  My other alternative if you can afford to go high end is Number sevens day and night moisturisers which are brilliant, the day moisturiser is perfect in brightening up your skin illuminating your face in a glow. The night cream is a very intensive and thick consistency to ensure maximum moisture for the face, and leaving it incredibly smooth when you wake up in the morning.

No7 Essential Moisture Day Cream for normal to dry skin cares for supple skin every day. Nourish your skin daily with this gently caring facial moisturiser. No7 Essential Moisture Day Cream is light and easily absorbed leaving skin soft, supple and smooth.No7 Essential Moisture Day Cream is enriched with soothing Elderflower and caring Vitamins E and F.

No7 Essential Moisture Day Cream is:

• Hypo-allergenic
• Dermatologically tested
• Fragrance free

cleansers to use for dry skin

cleansers form another crucial part of my daily skin care routine and is an imperative step to anyone prone to spots (like me), I have several different cleansers to suggest based on what skin type you have, or if your skin gets particularly dry in the winter months, do not worry I have the solution for you!

First is the Lush 9 to 5 cleanser which has previously been mentioned on my b
log, and it is no secret that this is my everyday all time favourite cleanser to use. This is perfect for those of you feeling the cold because it is a cream application it retains a lot of moisture as there is no need to wash away with water.

Another great cleanser for dry skin which is maybe slightly more expensive at about £13 is the Number seven range, they have a cleansing balm which is perfect again for retaining moisture and a cream. However, if you prefer washing the cleanser of your face with water they also have an oil based cleanser which in my opinion works equally as well.

Garnier Micellar cleansing water is good if you have slightly more oily skin as it does not need to retain and lock in as much moisture it works in a scientifically proven way. The water contains micelles which act like magnets, gently lifting away makeup and impurities from the skin, without the need to rub or rinse. The result? Beautifully cleansed and refreshed feeling skin in an instant. The formula is suitable for the face, eye area and lips, has no perfume and comes in a generous 400ml size.

Toners

I did not discover toners until I was age 16 but since using them my skin has been much happier and clearer. My go to toner is the tea tree water by Lush . Tea tree is antibacterial, antifungal and antimicrobial, so can help keep away the bacteria that can cause spots. Grapefruit is rich in vitamins and is also lightly astringent on the skin, whilst juniperberry is antiseptic and helps keep skin clean and clear. Use any time of day to keep skin refreshed, or to remove traces of makeup or cleanser and it only has seven ingredients in. At £8.50 per 250 grams is a steal.

NARSskin Multi-Action Hydrating Toner, £23, fabled.co

Best for: Exfoliating
A classic refining toner – this soft alcohol-free formula gently exfoliates skin while refining the appearance of pores, giving a smoother and more even appearance to your complexion.

Clinique Clarifying Lotion 4 for Very Oily Skin, £16.50, fabled.com

Best for: Very oily skin
You can really feel Clinique’s exfoliating toner clearing away excess dirt and dead skin cells for a deep clean. It instantly brightens the complexion and helps maintain clearer skin.

Balm Balm 100% Organic Witch Hazel Toner, £13.25, fabled.com

Best for: Minimising pores
This 100% organic formula contains witch hazel distillate, vegetable glycerine and cleansing grain alcohol to exfoli
ate skin and refine enlarged pores for a more even skin tone.

Nivea Daily Essentials Refreshing Toner, £2.69, Boots

Best for: Bargain balancer
This
bargain beauty hero gently refines skin and balances moisture levels,
making it a great second skincare step for combination skin types.

 

Other pieces to keep you looking and feeling fresh

 

Face Scrubs

Sloughing off dry patches with a traditional face scrub is a short-term fix that can actually backfire by irritating skin and cause flakes to come back or worsen. Makeup artist Tom Pecheux takes a gentler approach, rubbing facial oil over skin until flakes come off—and since oil doesn’t make skin red the way scrubs can, it helps makeup go on better, too. I like Olay Regenerist Luminous Facial Oil

Lip Balm

For this, my suggestions are body shop lip balms, baby lips, Burts bees and Carmex to really lock that moisture truly in and protect your lips from being chapped, which lets face it is always a bit grim and not what you want under that mistletoe.

Body Moisturizer

Since body moisturiser only works if you use it and is mind-numbingly boring to put on, you might as well find one that smells so good, you’ll actually look forward to applying it. Keep an eye out for body butters, especially ones that are so rich you can turn the tub upside down without any cream falling out—perfect for rehabbing dry patches. For this, there is one clear winner for me which is the coco butter formula by Palmers which is fragrance-free and really does lock moisture in for 24 hours.

Lush yourself a merry christmas

It has been a devastatingly long day, each minute felt like an eternity but what got me through as always was the knowledge that I get to soak away the day in a bath filled with exciting lush products. Lush products such as the 9 to 5 cleanser are simply a great way to start the day and the bath bombs are bathing beauties to leave you feeling soft, clean and smooth all over.

 

Big Bue bath bomb

Float all of your problems away and allow your body to be engulfed in the deep ocean with the Big Blue bath bomb. This calming bath bomb evokes a summer’s day at the seaside: perfect for drifting off and perfect for the evening with a few candles around the bath tub. The colours produced by this bomb are magnificent and you will definitely be taking a picture to later post on Instagram showing people the mermaid life you live. Big Blue’s key ingredient is a type of kelp called arame seaweed, which softens in your hot bath water. Arame is rich in vitamins and minerals including iodine, which helps to regulate the metabolism. Sea salt softens the skin, helping to remove dead skin cells, while lemon oil clears the mind and, like lavender oil, is antiseptic and cleansing, as well as the other 17 products used which are all natural.

 

Hatch Happiness with the Dragon Egg Bath Bomb

This bath bomb will leave you feeling fierce and like a Princess as you soak in your secret pool of liquid shimmering gold. This concoction has 24 different ingredients in it and makes bath time exciting as it fizzes and crackle, with beautiful sounds adding to the relaxing process this has to be another one of my favourite products, the crackling sounds like small fireworks erupting around you. Its scent is reminiscent of lemon sherbet, with a hint of jasmine, leaving you feeling great and ready for a good day. Its citrus scents leave you feeling transformed and invigorated which gives you that all important spring vibe in this chilly winter.

 

What other better way to end the day comforted by the comforter

This berrylicious, reassuring shower cream brings to mind warm, familiar memories and is fantastic if like me you spend a lot of time away from home because of university or work. The blend of sweet cassis absolute, uplifting bergamot and assuring cypress essential oils create a blackcurranty aroma that’s like being wrapped in a warm embrace that only a snug hug from your mum could compare. The smaller containers are perfect for travelling if you are going overseas, or if you want something that’s just petite and cute, this is most definitely the product for you.

 

 

Brought from Heaven by Angels the snow fairy is pure magic

We all have a go-to shower gel and this will always be mine! The Snow Fairy transports you to her sweet sugary kingdom, with cleansing candyfloss clouds, a bubble gum breeze and luxurious lustre-filled lathers to put you at ease. Summon it in the shower, morning, noon or night, and be filled with comfort, joy and delight.With a very sweet smell, it is not sickening or overwhelmingly powerful yet present enough to put that smile on your face throughout the day