5 Beauty Things I Learnt This Week | A bit of a ramble

1. I do need the Naked One Palette. And I did buy it. OOPs.

I love my Naked 2 palette, but I do tend to lean to warm tones a lot of the time, and the Naked 2 just wasn't doing it for me in the Summer sun, ya know? So I was morally obligated to buy it.

2. Tan is the new Tan.

I have spent so long (my whole life, lol), telling myself it's okay to be pale, and to embrace the natural colour of my skin. Well, I've decided that the natural colour of my skin is pretty sucky. I've always struggled with skin issues on my face, and skinniness issues on my body, despite the hefty pasta portions and chocolate bars I'm constantly shoving down my throat (nice), and I feel like being the colour of paper makes everything look worse than it is. comment on my sticky out collar bones, because they see that my skin isn't ghostly white and so they think, hey, she must be healthy, she's been running around in the sun. Or something. (I don't know?)

3. Something is breaking me the fuck out.

I had perfect skin for about 3 to 4 weeks, which hasn't happened since I was 15. I'm serious, it was a glorious time for me. I'd awaken every morning, and poke my face, stunned at my good luck. Unfortunately, now the spots are back, I'm even more sour about them than I was before. Fuck off, I'm 21 already, aren't I done with the wacky hormones?

4. I bought MAC Creme Cup

...and it's completely identical to Clinique Beige Pop. Well, about 95% identical,  which is defintiely too similar to justify owing both. I'm annoyed because I spent ages researching a nice pinky nude from MAC, settled on Creme Cup, and when it arrived, realised that I pretty much don't need it. Bummer.

5. I'm so not about that full coverage life.

Despite the skin problems, I can't seem to find a foundation which doesn't make my skin look like cake face at the moment. Everytime I commit to a 'foundation day' I instantly regret it, and spend the day wishing I had stuck to my BareMinerals Complexion Rescue (the love of my life). Everything makes me look the wrong colour, the wrong texture, and the wrong amount of wrinkly. Which is very wrinkly. Come on, wrinkles and spots? Why.


Hope you enjoyed this rambly post, thanks for reading!
Lou x

First Impressions | L'Oreal Nude Magique BB Cream

A while ago, when I purchased the L'Oreal Infallible Foundation and Brow Plumper, it was 3 for 2- so I picked up this- the L'Oreal Nude Magique BB Cream in 'Light Skin Tone'.
It's been sitting in my drawer for a while, because...well mainly because I was a little bit scared of it.
The squeezy tube is very handy and sleek looking, but the product comes out a strange shade of grey/white. The idea is that it blends to match your skin tone once you rub it into your skin.

I tried the concept on my hand first...and I'm not sure about matching my skin tone, but at least it didn't stay white.

Here's my face with nothing but the BB cream on. First of all- application = Nightmare. Because it's white/clear until its spread onto your skin, you really can't see where you've been and where you haven't. Very annoying. I applied it with a buffing brush, and added more to my chin area to build up coverage- which it actually did pretty well.
The finish is so strange, and completely not what I expected. I would say it is a fairly natural finish, much more matte than I expected- but if it had actually been the right colour for me, it would just look like I had fairly even skin. So- obviously- the main problem is the colour. I'm going to have to bronze the heck out of my neck to make it match, because at the moment, my face is tangoed.

Overall- my first impression is that the application is easy and blendable, but flawed because of the nature of the product which doesn't allow you to see what you're doing. This colour, which was the lightest, is definitely too dark for me, and probably a lot of fairer skinned people. The coverage is a pretty solid medium- which is surprising for a 'nude bb cream'.
I'm not sure about this product, because of the colour, I don't think I'll be reaching for it that often- unless it wears amazingly. I'll keep you updated!

Thanks for reading!
Lou x

Travel Make - Up

When I visited Morocco recently, my make- up selection  proved surprisingly successful while I was away- so, I thought I would share it with you in a video! 

Go check it out on:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCECys22qgk3G01ozysH6rcA

I hope you enjoy it, please subscribe!

Thanks for reading

Lou x

This Thing Though...

Just a quick one today, to tell you that this thing is Great. Really really great.

I have been thinking about making the leap from brushes to a sponge for so long, and I finally took it, and bought the Real Techniques sponge for a fiver from Amazon. (There was NO way I was buying the real Beauty Blender...£20 for a sponge? Err no.) 

£5 seems a lot more reasonable, I would pay that for a good brush so I hoped that this would live up to the sponge hype.

Anyway, long story short, it's amazing. So quick to blend everything in, and makes your  foundation sit so so nicely on the skin. I haven't got any photos yet, because my skin is  having a mare at the moment, but when I've had a play around a few more times I will take some snaps and put them up on tha blog.

I really want to try some heavier and dryer foundations like the Double Wear light which I have but never wear because its cakes like a biatch.

So yeah, if you're hesitating, stop. Go for it. Take the plunge. Walk the walk my friends.

Got way too excited about this.

Thanks for reading!

Lou x

Drugstore Haul Video

My first video is live on youtube at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVKUbBg8eJ0

Take a watch and please be kind, I'm new at this!

Lou x

First Impressions & Review ~ L'Oreal True Match Foundation & Touche Magique Concealer

I am still on the search for the perfect foundation, as most of my collection are not quite the ghostly- white colour which is the reality of my skin.
The only one I am wearing at the moment is the Rimmel Lasting Nude in Porcelain which is quite sheer, and is really boring to wear every day. So, the hoarder in me went wild on my lunchbreak at work yesterday and purchased the much-talked about L'Oreal True Match Foundation in R1 C1 Rose Ivory. I also bought the Touche Magique concealer pen in Ivory Beige. 
First of all, I was really really impressed with the range of colours for the true match foundation. There was a Warm, Neutral and Yellow toned foundation for each shade, which is so good ; if you're struggling to find a foundation which matches your skin, I would check out L'Oreal. I picked out the 'Rose' Ivory shade which I think is the cool shade? Judging from the C which surely means cool? However- 'Rose' suggests warm, and it does look quite warm so...who knows. Basically, I swatched all three ivories, and this was the palest. (#ghostlife) 
The concealer is full-on yellow, and supposedly illuminating, so that bodes well. Who doesn't love illumination ey? I'm after a lightweight under-eye concealer because I always find that concealer settles into my fine lines, so I thought this would be a good one to try.

Ok so, onto the first impressions. I will be checking in throughout the day to share how well it is wearing on my skin.



11am- 

When I applied this, I was pleasantly surprised at how well it blended into my skin. It is quite a pink ivory (hence the name, duh), and I was panicking when I was putting it on because the rest of my skin looked quite yellow. BUT, I persevered, and it seemed to blend to my face colour. Which is amazing. The colour looks really natural, and definitely is pale enough, so, ten points so far.
I was really surprised about the finish of this. I kind of expected an illuminating but fairly- full coverage finish. However, the fluid (ew) itself is thinner than I thought it would be, and the finish is pretty matte. I am not really a fan of a full- on matte finish so I was a bit disappointed about that. 
The coverage, however, is really good. I didn't put any concealer on apart from the illuminating under eye concealer (more on that in a minute), and the scar- zone - which is located on my chin- was fairly concealed. Obviously, still visible, but not too much. I decided to not apply any concealer to this area so I could really see how it wore. I also did not apply primer.
I striped the concealer under my eyes in a scary triangle shape, and was horrified at the bright yellow colour. Yikes.
However, I went ahead and blended it, and it really sunk into my skin and blended nicely. I'm not super blown away with this concealer yet...I don't know if it's because it's pale enough to be my skin colour, so it doesn't create the dimension it would on other people...or just because it's not as illuminate-y as I thought it would be.

12 noon-
After an hour or so I am noticing that the matte- finish is settling into a more natural satin. I am so pleased. My forehead, nose, chin and cheeks are actually reflecting light rather than lying completely matte and flat, so I am much more enthusiastic at this point. I can't believe how good the coverage is- the pores on my nose and cheeks are completely camouflaged, and I'm not super bothered about not having any concealer on my chin.
The concealer under my eyes has settled a little into lines, but this always happens. I've sort- of  blended it with my fingers to make it settle, so hopefully it will last a bit better. I have to say, the coverage on this is really good for an 'illuminating' product. I'm not itching to wack some more concealer on my under eyes which is promising.


4pm-

The foundation is lasting well, the natural oils on my skin (ew) have made it a lot less matte on my forehead and chin, making it look more dewy, which I like. It was really hard to  get a photo with the right light so you can see, but I hope you get some idea. Normally I would love a bit of concealer over that chin area, so apologies for my skin, which is (never) in the best shape.
The concealer seems to be holding up well too, I would prefer to have a little more coverage, but hey, it's doing well to be honest, medium coverage, and I suppose a bit brightening? Not as intense as I imagined.

6pm-

My facial expressions are just getting more and more awkward as the day goes on.
Anyway, nothing new to report since 4; shinyness around the chin and forehead, which I would normally have the option of powdering, but I probably wouldn't -I don't like my face to look flat. So far I am loving this foundation.
Under-eye area is holding up really well, no more fine lines visible than normal which is always a plus.

8pm-

This is my I've-been-doing-coursework-all-day-and-I'm-really-fed-up face. Can you tell?
So last check in, my make up has been on for about nine hours. The foundation lasted really really well, my chin and forehead are quite shiny by now, but that always happens because those are my oily areas. The concealer lasted really well too, I would normally touch up my concealer throughout the day and I didn't today which is good.

Overall I really like this foundation and concealer.The foundation has an amazing colour range, amazing blendability and a lovely finish. Ditto for the concealer. 
I would recommend them both!
Thank you for reading, if you enjoyed this post make sure you +1 this post and follow my blog for more reviews :)
Lou x

The Pale Skin Problem

Hello!

If, like me, you suffer from having  incredibly pale skin, you will know my pain. This is my foundation collection, and not one among them- even the high end 'colour matched' ones are okay on my skin. Until very very recently (details later on), I have not been able to find a foundation on the highstreet which is the right colour for my fair skin. Let's face, when it says 'Ivory' it's nearly always lying. 

So- here is a full review of ALL of my foundations, with swatches, starting from left to right.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light, 0.5

I did SO much research on this foundation, which is something like £26, and which I bought with birthday money. To be fair, the lady who served me on the counter clearly did NOT know what she was doing, and I probably should have hesitated before I splurged on this. However, I really wanted a fairly full coverage foundation with good staying power, but nothing as heavy as the original Double Wear. I thought, for my skin, which is combination/ oily, something like this would stick to my skin and work amazingly. Unfortunately, I really don't think it has better staying power than my highstreet foundations, and the colour is slightly too dark for me. So disappointing. However, as it was so expensive, I WILL use it in the Summer when -hopefully- my face will be marginally darker. I am quite dry around my eye area, and this foundation tended to cling to those dry patches. Yum. I found that this did  work wonders when mixed with my Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum- it was less cakey and a much more satin finish, but still too dark. This shade, 0.5 is the lightest, and still not light enough

Clinique Anti Blemish Solutions, 01 Alabaster

This is probably the second best match out of any of these foundations for my skin. Slightly lighter than the Estee Lauder, and I can just about get away with it. However, because it was expensive- for me- I only use it when I need the anti- blemish properties, i.e when I have bad skin. It is definitely matte, quite long-wearing, and does seem to be kind to my skin when it's playing up. However- still not pale enough. 

Maybelline Better Skin, Light Beige

When I bought this foundation, I was so excited that it wasn't called Ivory. Finally I had upgraded to beige, it was such an exciting day for me. This actually did work well for me in the Summer when I had been abroad a lot. It is quite pink- toned, but it really does stay very well. Lovely even finish which is between matte and brightening - probably Satin. I love this foundation, and I can't wait until my face is the right colour again. I've had a look at the lighter shades of this, and the lightest- which I think was called Ivory- was still too dark.

Rimmel Match Perfection, 101 Classic Ivory

Classic Ivory, what a joke. This is one of the two darkest of my foundations, and I'm actually not even sure what I think of it. Some days I would put it on and love it, some I would hate it. On me, it applied really dewy, but then throughout the day, I would find that it has faded to a matte- so strange. Really good staying power though, and does not cake at all on me. I'm not sure if I will be loving this in the summer as it feels quite heavy, and looks almost sweaty on my face just after it's gone on, which always puts me off

Rimmel Wake me Up, 100 Ivory

I love this foundation. It is so brightening, so longlasting and so...beautiful. However, when I wear this shade, I look like a sparkly orange. Lovely foundation, horrible colour. 

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum

I bought this foundation after hearing Fleur de Force (youtube) rave about it on her channel. I really do actually love it. The texture is unlike any other of my foundations, it goes on so smoothly, and really does make your skin look healthy. Unfortunately, 51 is the lightest colour, and this is too dark for me, and I think slightly too yellow- toned. This is the foundation I am most disappointed about, if Bourjois released a lighter shade (PLEASE) I would be on that straight away. 

Miss Sporty So Matte, 001 Ivory

This is actually the best match, and the cheapest, of my foundations. It has amazing staying power, honestly for £3.50 you can't go wrong with this, and it really IS Ivory, would you believe. However, even though the texture is fairly light, and it doesn't cake, I do not want to have matte skin. Even over an illuminating primer, this is too matte for me. Unfortunate, but true. Or maybe I'm just being fussy...

So, after despairing over the number of non- match foundations I own, especially the two expensive ones- cry- I found out that Rimmel have actually released, typically, a lighter shade in their Wake me Up and Match Perfection ranges. BRILLIANT. After spending a couple of weeks sulking, and trying to wear my current foundations, I caved and bought the new Rimmel Lasting Finish Nude in 010 Light Porcelain, which I will be reviewing in a future post.

Thank you for reading!

Lou x 

Face of the Day ~ 15 minute make- up

Everyone has those mornings when you have to get up and out really quickly, but you don't want to scare the world with your naked stressed face (I don't have the best skin, especially at the moment), so you need a make- up routine which is quick and failsafe, and this is mine. Enjoy :)

So that's my face up above- (I'm really not the best at selfies), and here is everything which is AWN MA FACE. It looks complicated, but it's really not. You might wonder why I have three concealers, but all will be explained...

Face

(Top to bottom: Rimmel Foundation, Collection concealer, Maybelline Concealer, Collection cover stick- see below for more details)

So, I think it's really important for bad- skin days or mornings when you don't have much time, to take more time over skin care than make up. I started my morning with an ex-foliating pad from Nip and Fab, then the Effaclar Duo from Roche Posay to try and calm my skin down, and then some moisturiser. I used Olay's Anti Wrinkle 2 in 1 Instant Hydration and Radiant Glow which is lovely and fresh.

Once your skin is looking a bit more perky and nourished, I would normally go ahead and apply primer. I really recommend the Rimmel Lasting Perfection Primer if you need your make up to last the day. I didn't have time this morning (/ I forgot), so I just went right ahead with my foundation, which I applied with my fingers because I didn't have time to buff it in with a brush. I used Rimmel's Lasting Finish Nude in Porcelain, and just applied a thin layer all over. Ma face. This is a really nice foundation in general- very light and fresh looking- and I think it's best to go for a lighter coverage foundation if you don't have much time in the morning. I then went in with my Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair over my blemishes and around my nose. I did use a brush for this, and buffed it in to make sure it was nice and even across my skin. I used the Maybelline Fit Me concealer in 15 on my eyelids and under my eyes to prime for eye make up and to conceal my under eye circles. (This is where I needed a third concealer because my under eye circles were serious- I went over with the Collection Cover Stick in 01 and pressed that in).

Boring bit over. 

Now, colour in your cheeks is something you need if you are in a rush, or you need to look more awake. I used my Make Up Revolution Blushing Heart in Peachy Pink Kisses which is so shimmery and illuminating that you don't need to faff around with a highlighter.

Eyes 

I kept the eyes super easy and super neutral.

First, I filled in my eyebrows with my Kiko eyeshadows, in 237 and 239 mixed together to get a good shade. It would definitely be better to use an eyebrow pencil because it is quicker, but I'm currently between eyebrow pencils because I can't find a good blonde one. I then brushed my brows through with the Natural Collection Clear Mascara which is such a cheap version of a brow gel, and it's really good. Brows done and onto eyes.

The star of the show has to be the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Creamy Beige.I applied this allover the lid with my finger tip, just smudging it in to make sure it's even. It literally takes 10 seconds to get a layer of colour. This isn't what I would call beige, it's definitely slightly darker, but it's a great base colour. 

At this point, you have two options. Go darker, and find a dark shade to quickly smudge through the crease. OR (as i did), find a lighter shade to press over the centre of the lid to brighten the eye up. I used a Kiko eyeshadow in 236 which is a shimmery peachy/brown/nude. 

Liquid eyeliner is something you shouldn't attempt if you are in a rush, unless you can do it quickly, in which case, I bow down to your superiority. I just smudged a thin line of dark eyeshadow- I used Undone from the Naked 2 Basics palette, but you can use any dark brown or black colour- along the lash line to make the whole look more defined. 

Mascara is also hard to do quickly. I will normally do at least two coats of mascara because my lashes just don't hold up with just one coat, as you can see here. I used the 17 Va Va Voom Mascara in Black, which is the BEST mascara. You need to try it.

Lips

Having lipstick on immediately makes you look more put-together and a little fresher. Wack on some lipbalm if you really have no time, but if you have 5 seconds, go for a sheer wash of colour which is easy to apply and isn't too bold. I went for  a sheer peach lipstick from the Body Shop- Colour Crush in 315. Really easy and fresh looking, perfect for spring.

Powder is optional at  this point. I'm not a huge powder fan, I find it always makes me look cakey - and believe me I've tried applying it in every single way- but i actually did put a little bit of the Rimmel Stay Matte in Transparent on my under-eye concealer to make it stay- put.

So, I hope you enjoyed this fifteen minute make up for a really natural easy look.

Thanks for reading!

Lou x

Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 hr Nude | Review & Swatch

 I dedicated an earlier post to the lack of pale foundations on the highstreet. I mentioned in the post that Rimmel had added a 'Porcelain' shade to their Lasting Perfection and Wake me Up lines, and I have purchased one recently (mostly because it was on offer and only £4) hoping it was finally the right colour.

Firstly, this is the 25 hr Nude foundation, and I have to say I prefer this formula to the original Lasting Perfection foundation. They are both really dewy and fresh looking, but this Nude version is a lot lighter and... just thinner and more natural looking. Really really nice, but definitely not a full coverage foundation, so if you want something with a bit more coverage, go for the original Lasting Perfection.

The colour is really really good. It's very pale, as you can see here it's a pretty good match to my skin tone, and blends in so easily. 

Compared to my other foundations, I feel like it is very pink toned (weirdly, it looks very yellow toned in this swatch) , and I've been mixing it with a slightly more yellow- toned base, such as the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 51 (Light Vanilla) or the Clinique Anti Blemish in 01 on bad skin days. 

This is the Bourjois healthy mix serum on the left and  the Rimmel Nude on the right- you can see here how pink toned it is compared to Bourjous. I definitely think I have more neutral undertones so I need to mix them both to get a better colour. 

It's a really nice foundation in general, and I would recommend it for any skin tones because its so light and blendable, and SO long lasting. I don't know about 25 hour, but definitely all day. Also, it almost looks better the longer you wear it which is weird.

The porcelain shade is really nice, if you're pale I would recommend picking it up, or having a look to see if it matches your skin colour.

Lou x