SLEEK DEL MAR VOL II PALETTE

I've been a big fan of Sleek palettes for a good few years now. I used to use the Ultra Mattes V2 palette all of the time and was perfectly happy with it, until I became greedy and discovered MAC, Make up Geek, Urban Decay etc etc... which led to me having to share my time with them all so it didn't get used quite as much as it wasn't my only baby anymore. 

I bought the original Del Mar palette last year and used it so much over the summer months, especially when I went on holiday as these palettes are so pretty for the summer, when you want to be a little more colourful with your make up. The outer box sunset packaging immediately drew me in and when I saw the colours I knew that I would need to buy this palette. I had been wanting to get a yellow eye shadow for the last couple of summers, so when I say that this palette had a yellow, that was enough of a reason for me to buy it alone. Surprisingly, I think the shades are very wearable and are a good mix of easy to use shades and pops of colour. You could easily create an everyday natural shade with the two matte brown shades and maybe the gold or the beige shimmer shade. The shades blend well and lasted on me for the whole day, without fading at all. The majority of the shades are matte, with exception to the light peach shade which has a soft shimmer to it, also like the gold shade and the light beige shade. The second shade in the palette, the orange has a fine glitter in it which is also the case for the dark grey shade. My only gripe with this palette is that the shades aren't as pigmented as I would like. On the one hand, this isn't a bad thing as it makes the shades more wearable, as they're not crazy bright but at the same time when you're using colour you want it to be seen. 

When I was looking online at other peoples looks that they had created from this palette I saw a lot of blue heavy looks, so I wanted to ignore the blues in this palette and focus on some of the other shades. Obviously I had to use the yellow as it was my first love of the palette. I like the look I came up with as it reminds me of a sunset. It's very warm and bright, but still fairly wearable - I didn't feel silly leaving the house like it. When I first used the palette the shades weren't as bright as I wanted them so for this look I used a white MUA eye liner over my lid first and applied the shades on top, which really helped make the colour more vibrant. I used the yellow shade on the inner lid area and blended that into the orange shimmery shade in the centre of my lid. I used the light matte brown shade through my crease and darkened the crease and outer corner with the dark matte brown shade.  I used the light mauve shade under my lower lash line, with the dark green shade in my outer lower lash line. I finally used the light shimmer shade as a brow bone highlight and a little bit in the inner corner of my eye. I wanted to make sure that I only used the shades in this palette and it was very easy to create a look with only these shades as there is such a variety. I initially thought I would pair this eye look with a nude lip but I got carried away with the colourful shades and decided on a red/coral shade on the lips. I used Bare Minerals Energized lip liner with the lipstick in shade Go the Distance over the top, also from Bare Minerals. 

I'm excited to use this palette more over the summer months and try out more ways to use it and maybe incorporating some other shades too. I would always recommend Sleek palettes as they have so much to choose from and they only cost £7.99! 

THE MORNING SKINCARE ROUTINE

There isn't anything overly fancy here as when I'm needing to rush off to work, I don't leave much time for a luxurious skin care regime, so the quicker the better! I have quite combination/slightly oil skin and I know I will be applying make up nearly immediately after so I want products that do the job but are also quite lightweight. Depending on how quick I'm needing to be, in other words how many times I snoozed the alarm, I'll either use the Garnier Micellar Cleansing water or the Bare Minerals Mineralixirs cleansing oil. I love the Micellar water as it does the job quickly and is really refreshing on the skin but the cleansing oil does do a better job at cleaning the skin and it does leave my skin feeling more nourished. I like to use the Lush Eau Roma Toner Water after cleansing as it's so hydrating and is a quick skin fix as it calms and soothes the skin. It's also nice to use in the mornings when you need some extra waking up, or cooling down after a hot shower I always have to have! I then like to use Clinique's Superdefence Eye Cream. I like to use a more nourishing eye cream at night but a lightweight formula during the day, so not to disrupt my make up. The Clinique eye cream is really light weight, yet still moisturising. It also has a brightening tint to it so it helps make your eye area look more awake and refreshed. The last skincare item I use is the Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief. I like it because it's a gel formula that hydrates the skin but absorbs nearly instantly. It also seems to smooth out the complexion, so it also helps to prime the face before foundation. 

What are your favourite products to use in the mornings? 

SAMPLING MY SAMPLES

While perusing my make up and skincare collection I noticed that I have accumulated quite a few product samples, either from purchases I've made or as part of sets, where you just get a little sample of a few products. I thought that these little jems seem to go un noticed so I wanted to write a post giving my first impressions of some of these samples that I have tried as I think samples are a great way of trying the product and finding out if it will work for you before buying the real deal. 

 The sample that most stood out to me is actually missing from this post, as I used it up and now can't find it - so maybe I was actually a normal person and chucked the empty product away, instead of hoarding it up! It was the Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel with Marula Oil, which left my skin feeling so soft and nourished that I bought the full size after only using the sample a few times. Likewise, with the REN Vita Mineral Daily Supplement Moisturising Cream. I had only tried one thing from REN but I needed a new moisturiser and after trying this sample it seemed to work really well, so I bought the full size product. It's really hydrating and a great consistency, without being too heavy. Even though I don't have dry skin, I do sometimes find some moisturisers aren't hydrating enough but I have never had any issues with this one. I also liked REN's EverCalm Cleansing Milk, I have the Evercalm Clay Cleanser and really like it so I was excited to try the milk. It's a good cleanser and I probably would purchase the full size when I've used up the many I already have, as I do like milk cleansers and really like REN as a brand. 

I know I'm going to have to buy the full size of the Urban Decay Eye Primer Potion as it keeps my eye make up on all day. I tried doing my eye make up without but regardless of what eye shadow I was wearing, it would crease throughout the day, which doesn't happen with this. You also only need the tiniest amount, so I'm happy to purchase the full size as I'm sure it'll last ages. 

I found myself with what once seemed an endless supply of Benefit's Porefessional samples as they seemed to come with every Benefit set. There is so much product in them that they last for ages. We all know it's a good primer, but I haven't actually had to buy it due to still surviving on the samples! 

I've been enjoying using the Clarins Eye Contour Gel, as it's really hydrating and refreshing, perfect to use in the morning or to add some hydration throughout the day. I'm not sure if I would buy the full size, as I've got my eye on the Clarins Eye Contour Balm, which seems more suited for night time use. I think I've got morning eye creams sorted but maybe in the future. 

I really liked using the Clarins Water Comfort One Step Cleanser, for quick make up removal, it felt really refreshing and smelt amazing but I don't feel like I need to spend a lot of money on a product like this, when I've got the Garnier Micellar water which is a similar concept. Similarly, the Lancome Bi-facil Eye Make up Remover was a good product but it's not a product I'd want to splurge on.

 I've got the full size versions of the Clarins Facial Treatment Oils for oily/combo skin and dehydrated skin and I don't often have dry skin, so I wont be purchasing the full size of the Santal version but it has been handy to have as a sample for occasions when my skin is playing up and feeling particularly in need of moisture and as you only need a tiny amount it's lasting very well. 

I've heard good things about the Urban Decay Beauty Balm and similar products but I just can't get into the such low coverage products. I don't feel like I need a huge amount of coverage normally nor do I like a really heavy base, but these bb cream/tinted moisturiser type products just don't do anything for me, so I definitely wont be repurchasing. It has got good ingredients and an spf so I may just use this as a primer or a on holiday type of product when you don't really want make up but just the tiniest amount of coverage. The Bare Minereals 5-in-1 BB Advanced Cream Eyeshadow is another product that's one of those that I wouldn't get much use out of as it's just not something I would use. I think to make use of the sample I will use it likewise to the Urban Beauty Balm, as this too has spf so it would be good to just even out the eye lid for a no make up day when you're out in the sun. 

THE QUICK WEEKEND MAKEUP

I used to happily spend hours getting ready when I had the time to on days off; applying every product I could and trying out eye looks better suited for a night out than a chilled weekend. Lately, I've been embracing the much quicker routine and even skipping make up all together quite often on Sundays, if I'm just staying at home. I don't think I'll ever be the type of girl to go out happily without make up, not because I can't stand myself completely naked faced, but I just like to make an effort. These products are my go to items for achieving a very quick, fresh, pretty make up look, that still looks like you've made an effort but doesn't waste any valuable weekend time! 

First I apply the MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter in Radiant Rose under my eyes. I don't bother with an actual concealer as this product counteracts the darkness and brightens up the under eye well enough. I then go in with the Bare Minerals Original Foundation as you can just buff it onto the skin really quickly, without any careful blending, like liquid foundations. It evens out the complexion and adds a really radiant, fresh glow to the skin. If I feel like I need more coverage I can also buff a little more on. I love using the Bare Minerals Warmth to obviously warm up the complexion; it's the most gorgeous shade and makes such a difference to your base. You could just use the Warmth as a blush too but I'm a sucker for a pink blush, so I love using the Benefit Hervana Blush. It's a really pretty shade, that would probably suit a lot of skin tones. For my eyes, I blend a little of the two brown shades from the Naked Basics palette by Urban Decay through the crease, the outer corner and the lower lash line. I then take the black shade form the palette and just blend it along my upper lash line, so it looks like a blended out liner. I also take a little under the eye to add some definition . I then use the highlight shade from the palette to highlight under the brow, the inner corner of my eye and as a cheek highlight. I also use this palette for my brows all of the time. (I LOVE this palette)! I then apply mascara to my lashes, Lash Domination by Bare minerals is a favourite of mine. I finish by putting on a little lipstick, as I think lipstick is so easy to chuck on, yet makes your look so much more complete and like you've spent a lot more time on it, when really you were spending time still in bed or making time for a proper weekend breakfast! I love the Revlon Lip Butters as they're pigmented enough to give a good colour pay off but not as dramatic as a bright lipstick if you want something a little more subtle. This shade is Sweet Tart. 

I hope you all have an amazing weekend! 

APRIL FAVOURITES

April was a pretty good month; I experienced my first ever bank holiday, where I had four whole days off work, which was absolutely amazing when you've been used to working all of them and getting a whole two days off together was rare, and so a treat in itself. On the subject of weekends, I've had a really lovely month just spending my weekends seeing family, it's surprising how the simplest things can be so special. Now onto the favourites; I haven't got too many this month as I haven't used a great deal of products or explored too many new ones, but the ones I will be talking about have really stood out to me. 

I feel the need to first talk about the L'oreal Infallible 24H Matte foundation,as it was only last month that a different L'oreal foundation made it into my March Favourites post. I think I may be a foundation junkie, but I do feel that it is one of those items that really make or break your whole make up look and especially the longevity, which is important to me. I love this foundation for my normal - shiny t zone complexion. It looks quite matte but not flat when you first apply it but throughout the day I do notice that my t zone does still look a little shiny, so I wouldn't say it stays completely matte all day but unless you have seriously oily skin, I don't necessarily see that as a problem. It's more of a natural glow that it lets through with my skin type, which I'm happy with as it keeps the skin looking fresh and radiant. If you have oily skin I think this would still work for you, but you may just have to powder through out the day. I find that this foundation has really good staying power and my make up still looks good and in place at the end of the day 

I had been wanting to get a black liquid liner for a while as I only had a gel Make up Geek one, which I do love but I wanted something that was quicker and not so hard to repurchase, for everyday wear. I wanted to get a L'oreal one but Boots were rubbish and didn't seem to have any in stock or any testers for the one they did, so I picked up the Soap & Glory SuperCat black liquid liner pen. I love how quick and easy this is to use, it's also very black and lasts really well all day. The only thing I don't like is that as it is a pen form, so slightly thicker, I haven't quite mastered a neat flick/wing just yet, as I normally use a fine brush. 

Lush's Eau Roma Toning Water, has definitely made my skin feel so much more hydrated and soft. It's the most refreshing spray to use after cleansing my skin, as it's quite a 'wet' spray, in the sense that a lot more product sprays out than for example how a setting spray dispenses. This is great for a skincare product, as you're not worried about your skin getting too drenched. It does adsorb into the skin quickly, leaving such a hydrated feel to the skin. 

I have had the Bare Minerals Flawless Radiance Brush since least year, when as soon as I saw it and felt it, I loved it! Shortly after using it, I had a weird skin reaction, where my skin went very sensitive in certain areas and quite red and dry. I knew sometimes natural hair brushes can have this affect, so I stopped using it. Recently I found it again and thought I would give it another go and so far so good! It must have been something else. I love this brush for blending out the final stages of my make up or applying a light covering of powder. It's long bristles make it perfect for applying a light amount of product or just simply buffing over the face to make sure every thing is seamless. 

A negative of no longer working in a beauty department is that I can't lather luxurious creams all over my hands, arms, neck... all day everyday. I now carry with me the Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream and it really helps instantly soften and smooth my hands. It's one of my favourite hand creams and I've been very grateful to have it around when my hands have felt or looked less than perfect this month. 

Finally, I've really liked wearing Roberto Cavalli's fragrance, Roberto Cavalli. It is described as a 'vibrant and sensual,' 'exuberant and sunny' frangrance belonging to the 'ambery floral family.' It contains orange blossom, which I always find myself being drawn to.  I think the description is quite accurate and find that I get a lot of compliments when wearing this fragrance, from both men and women.

BARE MINERALS MINERALIXIRS FACIAL OIL & EYE BALM REVIEW

I'm a huge fan of Bare Minerals make up and I've also really liked a lot of the skincare from the range, so  I was really excited when I heard that Bare Minerals were releasing a cleansing oil, as I have been using an oil in my routine for about 2 years now and I like how they work with my skin. 

Considering how excited I was, I still waited until there was a discount on before I bought the products - like the money savvy shopper I am.If you've seen my High End Beauty Haul or Clarins Haul, you'll know that I recently - well over a month ago now, left my retail, make up counter job *jumps up and down with joy* which obviously meant that I had to say goodbye to discount, so I decided to stock up.

"At the heart of ever bareMinerals Mineralixirs botanical oil and mineral blend you'll find rosehip seed oil. This deeply nourishing oil is rich in Omega 3 and 6, known to soothe skin, target signs of aging, replenish the skin's natural moisture barrier and recapture skin's youthful radiance."

Facial Cleansing Oil

I really love using this oil to remove my make up as it's so quick and easy to use; it also doesn't irritate my eyes when I use it to remove eye make up. It's a lightweight oil, that feels so gentle on the skin. I use a flannel to wash off the cleanser and it leaves my skin feeling so nourished and fresh. I always know when I like a cleanser as it leaves my skin feeling really soft and comfortable, instead of slightly dry and tight feeling, like others have done. The cleanser is infused with  a blend of plant-derived oils and a skin-enhancing mineral complex, which just sounds so lovely to me. I always feel like my skin looks really clear after using this, especially on my nose where I have black heads,  it seems like it actually helps to clear them.   I think the cleanser would be great for all skin types as it's light weight and doesn't leave any oily feel to the skin, so it would suit oily complexions, yet it's so nourishing and hydrating that it would work really well for drier skins too. 

Eye Nourishing Oil Balm

At first I wasn't too sure about the whole oil balm for an eye cream idea and it also got a lot of negative reactions from some of the other girls that I worked with. I was so intrigued at the end of one day that I decided to try a little over my make up. Later that evening, my eye area did feel really smooth so I decided it was probably worth giving it a full chance. I only ever use this product at night as I've heard others say it will just completely break up your make up if worn during the day. When I first used it properly I think I applied a little too much and it didn't seem to absorb into the skin very well .The next day I used a lot less and found that this worked a lot better, as it's an oil it blends over the skin so easily, so you only need a small amount.  The balm is formulated with restorative oils and skin-enhancing minerals, which just draws me into Bare Minerals every time. It feels very nourishing on the skin, like a good night time treat for the eye area. I feel like my eye area looks and feels hydrated and really smooth.

Overall I love both of these products and I don't have any complaints. Have you tried these products or anything else from the Bare Minerals skincare range?

EMPTIES: MAKE UP ITEMS I'VE USED UP

 As you can see, I nearly had a concealer crisis as I managed to use up every concealer that I owned, not too far from each other. I now feel that buying in excess is completely justified as that was a scary time, when I didn't know if I'd be able to cover those dreaded dark circles and blemishes. Luckily, we can all sleep easy again as I am now back to being well stocked and ready for anything - phew!

While on the topic of concealer, I ran out of an old favourite - MAC Pro Longwear. A really great concealer for under the eyes and other imperfections that lasted for ages! I did repurchase this concealer and it's one that I like to have in my collection, although the Urban Decay Concealer (review here), has now taken the favourite spot. Another good concealer was the Maybelline Eraser concealer in shade light; it's a really good product for brightening under the eyes as it's quite yellow toned. My issues with this concealer are that it didn't seem to last long at all and I am now left with what appears to be a lot of product in the tube that I cannot get out. One that I wasn't so keen on was the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer; I bought the lightest shade but it still wasn't very light at all and quite orange toned. It was disappointing as others seem to love this concealer. The MAC Prep & Prime brightener in Radiant Rose and Bare Minerals Stroke of light 1 products are both very similar. They are light pink in colour and are great for counteracting darkness and brightening the under eye area. I have repurchased the MAC one over the Bare Minerals, as it lasted so long with me using it every day. The Bare Minerals product seemed to run out a lot quicker. It must be something to do with the packaging as the MAC one only has 3ml of product, while Bare Minerals is 5.5ml. I trust the ingredients of Bare Minerals more but for how much longer the MAC one seemed to last, I have to favour it.

On to foundations both by Bourjois. I managed to use both of these foundations up as it was when I first started abandoning fake tan and gradually getting lighter and these two were the lightest ones I owned at that time. I think they are fairly similar in terms of coverage and longevity. I would say they are a light-medium coverage that evens out the skin tone completely, yet you would still need more coverage for bigger imperfections if you wanted it. They both feel and look very light on the skin. The only different that I can really think of is that the Happy Light foundation is obviously a lot more dewy and radiant looking than the Healthy Mix Serum. 

The L'oreal Volume Million mascara was a repurchase as I used to love it but this time round it didn't impress me as much. The formula wasn't 'wet' enough for me to build the lashes well and get a lot of volume from it. I want to try other L'oreal mascara's as I have liked some of them but this one I wont be repurchasing. I now only use powder products for my eye brows as I don't actually own any pencils now that I have used up the Bare Minerals Frame & Define brow pencil. It's a very thin, twist up product so you only need to twist the tiniest amount up, otherwise the product snaps off pretty easily. It is a good product; great colour and really good at adding definition but it just seemed to run out too quickly for my liking. As I'm pretty happy with just powder products I don't feel that I need to repurchase this product but I'm definitely not ruling out brow pencils in the future! 

On the other hand, a product that lasted for so long was the MAC Prep & Prime Skin Base Visage. It's a cream formula face priming product, with little shimmer particles to make your skin look more radiant. I found it really great for when my skin felt a little drier as it is so hydrating, yet very light weight so works great as a base for foundation. I've got a full review of the product 'here.' At the moment I don't actually use any face primers any more so I don't need to repurchase this product but I would still recommend it. 

The final product is MAC's Give Me Sun, which I repurchased even before I had run out of this one. It's an amazing bronzer, with so much pigmentation. It's a lovely warm tone so really works for making your skin  look more healthy and warm very quickly. It works on my now very fair skin really well and also when I have a dark tan so I think it's a good all rounder - as long as a lighter hand is used in times of the fairer skin! The bronzer lasted so long, even though I used it every day that I actually started to wonder why it wasn't hitting pan and wishing it would, in a strange kind of way. 

A HIGH END WISHLIST

I thought that I was completely shopped out after my recent High End Haul but clearly I was wrong and now I just can't shift the spendy feeling. There were a few products that I knew I had been lusting after so I decided that I would compile together this post partly so I could see how much damage I wanted to do and also to share it with fellow beauty obsessives for some moral support. I didn't quite realise how many products were actually on my list... Oh dear.

First things first, Clarins. I definitely thought I had bought everything I possibly could from Clarins after my Skincare Haul but there's still a couple of things on the list. I did intent to get the Eye Contour Balm but it was out of stock at the time. I also wanted the Liquid Bronze Self Tan as I've heard such good things about it and think it will be great for the summer months. I've had a sample of the One-Step Cleanser and really liked it, for when I'm feeling lazy and want something quick, especially in the mornings. It smells amazing and feels so refreshing. I resisted temptation to buy the Clarins Bronzer last year when it came out but now that they've released it again for their summer collection I'm just not sure I can resist it this time round. 

I've never actually tried anything from Origins but it's always popping up on blogs. I currently don't have a back up product for a moisturiser so I've been eyeing up the Ginzing range and the eye cream also sound lovely. I've also put the Eye Doctor on there as the description sounded so nice. I'm starting to think I'm a bit of a sucker for eye creams...

I like the sound of the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate as a good all rounder serum for overnight. I'm quite lacking in the serum department and only really have the Clarins Treatment Oils which are amazing but I tend to only really use them when my skin is feeling like it actually needs the treatment aspect, so it would be nice to have a good all rounder serum for most nights. Caroline Hirons has recently been raving about the Moisture Surge Face Spray by Clinique so obviously it's taken my fancy. I like using moisturising/hydrating sprays in my routine and this one seems like a good choice when my current one runs out. 

Time for lipsticks! I love the colour of the Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipstick in Rapture. It's a perfect easy to wear everyday colour, that gives a plum-pink look to the lips. As it's sheer, it's so easy to just apply it quickly and it doesn't look too over done for everyday. I received a MAC voucher for Christmas that surprisingly is yet to be spent. I haven't decided which lipstick I want yet but I have been admiring Brave, Twig, Plumful and Syrup maybe..? Let me know your favourites! 

I'm a huge Bare Minerals foundation fan anyway but recently I'm also enjoying a lighter coverage of foundation, so I'm really interested in trying the Complexion Rescue. I swatched a tiny amount the other week and it did look really lovely, a decent amount of coverage and really radiant. Urban Decay's Summer launches includes the gorgeous Afterglow blushes; there are so many colours that look amazing so I know at least one will just have to go on the list. The final product on the list is the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara. It's such a raved about product and although I do really like the Urban Decay Perversion Mascara I still don't think it's the one, so I'm still on the hunt for the perfect mascara. 

SHOPPING MY STASH

Isn't it funny how we get so excited about buying new make up and then often, not too many weeks or months later, we've sentenced it to a life of just sitting in our draws with all of our other neglected make up. We anticipate the arrival of bigger and better things and often forget about our once loved products.

After months of claiming that I need more blusher, as I don't own many (clearly owning nearly every Benefit blush doesn't qualify), I remembered that in actual fact, I have two Sleek blush palettes with a total of six different shades, surely that's more than enough?! A similar train of thought followed about neutral lip colours, somehow I forgot I have tonnes of lip glosses that fit the bill. 

Over the past week I've decided to start using more of these forgotten products and I'm really enjoying rediscovering items that I once loved. A couple of these products are ones that I never really used much but want to make more of an effort to use. So far I've been really enjoying using Tanya Burr's lip gloss in Chic as an everyday shade. I want to keep trying to use more of my lip glosses as they complete your look and are so quick and easy to use. Another that I used to love is the Bare Minerals lip gloss in Rebel; a natural 'your lips but better' colour.  I've said in previous posts that I'm not the biggest  pencil eye liner wearer, yet obviously I had to buy the Urban Decay eye liner set last Christmas (you can read my post here) I've recently started using Urban Decay's Perversion eye pencil, which you can see in my 'everyday make up post', but I still want to try and use more of the other colours that I got in the set. These three browns should be easy to use for everyday natural looks. The Bare Minerals Warmth is absolutely gorgeous as a bronzer; it's the perfect product to warm up the complexion, for so many skin tones. Even if you are really fair you just need a tiny amount of product and it makes your skin look so naturally fresh, radiant and bronzed. The only reason I don't use it much is because it's a little more time consuming, tipping out the required amount than your ordinary solid pan bronzer. Another Bare Minerals product that I want to use more of is the loose mineral eye shadows. Surprisingly they're really quick and easy to use and not at all messy. I used to just pat on  the shadows all over the lid and then blend a matte shade or the Bare Minerals Warmth through the crease. My favourite Bare Minerals loose shadows are Queen Tiffany, Tan Lines, Bare Skin and Queen Phyllis. Another eye shadow product that I need to make more use of are the Naked palettes, especially Naked 3. There was so much hype about this palette when it first came out that I just bought it because you feel like I should and when you've got 1 and 2, you obviously need 3... I really love the shades when I do use them, it's just one I forget to make use of. The LUSH Lip Scrubs are one of those things that seem cool, but rarely actually get used. I want to use it more often to exfoliate my lips, especially as I'll be applying more lip gloss now, so I need them to be smooth and a better base for lip products. The final product I have is the REN Clarimate Invisible Pores Detox Mask. I'm pretty good with my skincare but useless with masks, I can never be bothered. I think I may have to set myself a target of using a mask once a week.

What products have you rediscovered and love or which ones do you not use enough?

MY EVERYDAY MAKE UP

Since leaving my make up counter job, where it was actually written in my contract that I must wear a full face of make up, I've made some big changes to my make up routine. This probably still seems a lot for the everyday woman, but for us beauty obsessed this is pretty tame. I've been really enjoying not feeling like I need to layer every product I can onto my face and think up new and exciting eye looks everyday, in a minimal time. It's strange but I'm actually feeling a lot more confident with my face...? since cutting down on the products. I still wear more make up than pretty much everyone in the office, but it's a start. 

 First up for my base, I use the L'oreal True Match foundation in N2, which is still a little dark for my light, un-fake tanned skin. I use Urban Decay's new Naked Skin concealer under the eyes and set it with my trusty MAC Emphasize powder, which I will be repurchasing very soon by the looks of it. I did include Rimmel's Stay Matte powder in my 'Hyped products that I'm not in  love with' post, but I don't actually have many powders in my collection, so I'm just using it to set my foundation and use it up. I use MAC's Give me sun bronzer, as it's so pigmented that it takes no time at all to apply and gives a gorgeous warmth to the skin. I like to use Bare Minerals 'The One' blush, as it's a soft pink shade that gives a healthy flush to the cheeks, topped with MAC's Soft & Gentle on the cheekbones. For my eyes I still like to define my eyes, yet not so dark and the winged liner has definitely been got rid of. I use MAC's Wedge in the crease, Sable on the lid as it's a light slightly shimmery brown and Swiss Chocolate to slightly darken  up the outer corner and on the lower lash line. I use a little bit of Urban Decay's Perversion eye liner along my top lash line and smudge it out to give the definition and extra thickness to my lashes, but so it's quite soft. I then finish off with Urban Decay's Perversion mascara and a little bit of Soft & Gentle on the brow bone and inner corner. I fill in my brows slightly with the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette. To finish off my look, I use L'oreal's Eva's Nude lipstick, as it's a gorgeous natural shade that you can just put on to complete the look. 

I'm really enjoying my new everyday make up routine as it's so much quicker and when I look in the mirror I feel more myself, instead of just looking at make up. Don't get me wrong, I haven't ditched the intense smokey eye for good, but it'll probably now just be a special occasion thing, like normal people do! What are your favourite products to use everyday?

HIGH END BEAUTY HAUL

I've been making the most of my staff discount before I leave my current job which is on a make up counter in a Department store. I couldn't be more excited to get weekends, bank holidays, Boxing Day and New Year's Day off, to not have to spend my day being bored out of my mind or dealing with rude and annoying customers... So yeah I'm pretty excited about leaving. One thing that I will be missing is my staff discount! I decided to stock up on things that I needed and some things that I just fancied treating myself to. I was slightly tame, well maybe that's not the word but I definitely could have bought more, but at the end of the day it's just make up and skincare *cries inside at calling makeup and skincare, 'just' makeup and skincare*. I've got another post coming from my haul, featuring just one brands worth of products as it was just too much to include with this one. 

First up, Urban Decay. I'd been eyeing up the Pulp Fiction palette since it was released last year, but come on, did I really need more neutral eyeshadows!? Obviously I did. Luckily, it was hugely reduced in a recent sale and with staff discount on top, it was only £9, which I could definitely justify. I've also loved Zodiac moondust eyeshadow for ages, I was just about convinced that although it's absolutely gorgeous, I wouldn't get much wear out of it. I then watched a recent tutorial by Pin up Beauty and knew that I needed it. It's a gorgeous shimmery green shade, with so much pigmentation and strong, but classy shimmer. I also had to pick up one of the new Naked Skin concealers. I've heard quite a lot of good things about this concealer lately and as my current collection actually only holds one concealer - my MAC Pro Longwear, I felt that it would be okay to purchase this one... like that really made a huge difference to this decision.  I also picked up a back up of my absolute favourite foundation ever, the Bare Minerals Ready foundation. I think I may even own a back up of this already, but it's the most amazing foundation, especially for the summer as the shade I wear (R330), is so warm and looks so fresh, radiant and glowy. I can't wear this until the summer as it's a good tanned shade and right now I'm pretty pasty, but it will sit patiently with it's other foundation friends in the mean time. 

 Like I said in my previous Clinique skincare post I haven't used much from the brand before. The foundation caught my eye as soon as I heard about its full coverage and long wear and then I saw it on one of the girls and liked the look of it and finally I read a review on Laura's blog, which was also very positive so I obviously had to get it. I've only used it once so far and on first impressions I really liked it. I will probably do a full review on it when I've had the chance to try it out a few more times. My second Clinique purchase was the Superdefense eye cream. I thought it would be a good lightweight eye cream to use daily under my make up, as it included spf 20, which seemed like a good idea, as the eye area is already sensitive enough to ageing. It's also quite brightening which can never be a bad thing. 

 As I write this my first day of my new job is tomorrow, so I'm currently having a little taster of what a weekend off is like, starting with just a Sunday and I'm already loving it. I'm happy with my purchases but can't help still wanting more but I know my bank is kind of thanking me for not putting it under any more pressure! 

Hope you've all had a good weekend and that you have a great week! 

SKINCARE EMPTIES: PRODUCTS I'VE USED UP

Here are the skincare products that I have managed to use up over the past... well lets face it probably a fair few months - to say the least, as I have three moisturisers there. I like to hoard all of my used up products until I have a decent amount to show and then I can happily chuck them all away and start on some shiny new products. 

Lets start with moisturisers as there's a few there. I already said in a previous haul post (read it here), that I wouldn't be repurchasing the Ponds face moisturiser as it contains parabens. I used it anyway and it did the job well but wasn't anything special. The Body Shops Vitamin E cream was a bit disappointing for me as It smelt lovely but seemed to be too thick/heavy on my skin and seemed to cause break outs. I ended up using it as a neck cream, just to finish up the product. On a more positive note, I did really like the Bare Minerals Purely Nourishing Moisturiser; It felt light weight enough, yet still offered the perfect amount of moisture and hydration to the skin. I'm not sure if I will repurchase straight away as there are so many others to try, but it is one that I would be happy to repurchase at some point. 

Another Bare Minerals product that I managed to use up was the Renew and Hydrate eye cream. I really liked using this eye cream as it has a lovely, creamy consistency that applies to the delicate eye area so easily. It lasted me a really long time too. Unfortunately Bare Minerals are discontinuing this eye cream and replacing it with Mineralixirs Eye Nourishing Balm, which is a shame as it was a really good product. I may try the new balm at some point, but right now I have a Clinique one eagerly waiting to be used. 

If you've read my 'hyped products that I'm not in love with' post, you'll know I'm not a fan of the Lush fresh face masks. This mask was used up before I wrote that post, so I haven't gone back on my word. I really don't find that any of the masks do anything for my skin. They're fun to use and sounds and smell good but in reality there are much better masks out there that do make a difference to your skin.

I enjoyed using the Trilogy Hydrating Mist Toner, it felt lovely on the skin and did seem to do a good job at hydrating. I haven't repurchased it as I want to try out some different hydrating toners, so if you have any recommendations let me know! 

I only really like the B.Pure Micellar Water for when I'm feeling lazy or have the last traces of make up to remove. It does the job and is pretty good at removing eye make up but it isn't anything special so I wont be repurchasing it. Likewise, The Body Shop Seaweed Clarifying Toner is very refreshing on the skin but it's not something I feel like I need in my routine. It's also for more oily skin, which I don't particularly have so I'm weary that it may be too much for my skin and in turn result in my skin over producing oil...  eeww? 

So there we go, another load of empties done and dusted! I've got some make up empties to show in the near future so keep an eye out if you're interested in seeing and hearing about a lot of different make up products that I have used up.

2014 MAKE UP FAVOURITES

Better late than never, right?

I don't often do monthly favourites posts as I've been pretty good lately and not bought that much make up, so I end up just using the same old products over and over. For my year favourites it was a lot easier to chose products as I have only included products that were my absolute favourites to use and not necessarily just the products that I used most regularly. I haven't included make up from every category as for some like blushers, I don't particularly have a favourite.  

My first favourite is probably the best make up item that I have ever used! The Bare Minerals Ready foundation has been my favourite foundation since the start of 2014. It has the best staying power, looks very glowy, fresh and radiant on the skin, gives a great amount of coverage which can be built to a high coverage and yet doesn't look or feel heavy. I always get so many compliments when I wear this foundation. My shade right now is R250 as I've ended my relationship with fake tan, but when I did fake tan it was R330. 

The MAC Give Me Sun bronzer, is such a great bronzer as it's so pigmented that you don't need to use much at all - this is my second purchase of the bronzer and the first must have lasted me about a year and a half. It's a gorgeous warm colour, which isn't too orange but gives a really healthy and natural glow to the skin. It still works just as well on my skin now that I'm fairer as it did with tanned skin. 

As Give Me Sun is quite warm toned, I like to use Benefit's Hoola bronzer to contour. It's such a great contour shade and really makes your contour look so much more defined. 

One of my most favourite products that I discovered in 2014 was MAC's Emphasize powder. It brightens up the under eye area so well and sets the concealer. I feel like my make up looks so much more complete and flawless when I use this powder. 

I have loved Make up Geek eye shadows since before 2014 and have slowly been building up my collection. There are so many shades to choose from and many are quite unique. They have great pigmentation and blend so easily. The only annoying issue is that you have to order them from America, so customs charges are a bit off putting. 

Another Make up Geek product that I have been loving is the Immortal black gel liner. It  is so black and literally does not come off, which can be a little annoying if you're trying to be quick with removing make up but it's worth it. I've had mine I think since last February and it still works just as well and hasn't dried out at all. 

I enjoyed using the Urban Decay Chill setting spray as I do think it helps prolong your make up. It became a favourite product when I travelled to Corfu and after a very hot few hours in the sun it was so great at cooling you down and making you look pretty decent when you go to lunch. 

In 2014 I really got into using a pink toned under eye brightener to help hide dark circles and make the under eye look more awake. I tried MAC's Prep and Prime highlighter in Radiant Rose and Bare Minerals Stroke of Light in Luminous 1. Both were very good and I couldn't tell much difference, apart from that the MAC concealer lasted so much longer than the Bare Minerals, so I chose to repurchase the MAC one, plus it's also cheaper! 

A new find of 2014 was the Urban Decay's Subversion lash primer. I hate applying a lot of mascaras as many take so long to build up any length and volume. This primer helps shape the lashes and really makes them a lot longer and helps build the volume much quicker. It may seem like you're taking more time by using an extra step but it's so easy and quick to apply that it's actually a lot quicker than building up your mascara alone. 

Before the Suberverion primer was released I started using Bare Minerals Lash Domination. At first I didn't really like the mascara as it's a very big brush, with quite a wet formula, which I do like but it can be pretty messy. I didn't like the mascara as it seemed good with volume once you had carefully applied it, but it left my lashes quite stumpy and didn't do anything for the length. Once it had dried out a little I started to like it more and more. It is now my go to mascara and I hate to say it, but I'm pretty sure I used this for most of 2014 and it's only just drying out to the point where I can't get much from it. 

I think the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette is such a great little palette. I had to include it as although it looks pretty boring, it is such a handy and easy to use palette. You can get so many eye looks out of it; I love that you can do a really basic eye look if you want something natural but you can also go really heavy and dramatic too, with the amazingly pigmented black shade. I don't think you can beat a good matte smokey eye. As the palette is matte it's perfect for your eyebrows too. 

My last favourite is a little less of a favourite than the others as it wasn't something that I used often, but it was my favourite lipstick to throw on when I wanted to wear a bright lip. MAC's Lady Danger is definitely a classic favourite. I loved wearing it when I didn't want to do a heavy eye or when I was short for time and needed something to make it look like I had made a lot of make up effort, when really I had just put some lipstick on. 

And... finally we are done! I am also going to be posting my 2014 Body  product favourites, so keep an eye out for that. I hope you're all having a good start to 2015 and keeping all those new years resolutions - yeah right!