My Most Used Highlighters

One of my most used beauty products and also one of my absolute favourite things to use is highlighter. I definitely have way more than I need but I love the effect I get when I use it and different ones give such different finishes. Here are my most used.

Chanel Blanc is a great multi purpose product as this can be used as a normal highlighter on top of make up, or underneath as a primer and makes a brilliant illuminator. This is my favourite way of using this as it just gives a really natural dewiness and glow through your foundation. The Topshop All Over Glow is a cheaper alternative for this.

An old favourite of mine is Benefit's High Beam. When I worked for Benefit this was my holy grail product. I still love this, although I do now prefer more bronzed highlighters compared to pinks. This is another great multipurpose product though, as I have sometimes mixed this with powder eyeshadows to make a cream one and I have also mixed it with lipgloss to cheat plumper looking lips. If you prefer more of a cream highlighter to liquid, then the No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter is a great dupe and half the price of High Beam. 

When I am after more of a bronzed glow I go for Benefits Hollywood Glo. Now it might be a bit unfair talking about this one because I am not sure if Benefit still do it which is such a shame. This liquid highlighter is the perfect colour for a natural sun kissed glow with just the right amount of shimmer to it. However a great dupe for this is the Topshop Glow pot which is another cream highlighter. This is slightly more pigmented so a little goes a long way.

There are three powder highlighters I love and I probably tend to use these on more of a day to day basis as I find them a bit more natural looking. My most used is the Mary-Lou Manizer from The Balm. This looks beautiful in the light and I always get compliments from people when wearing this. I like to use it every day on my cheek bones and down my nose. Another similar product to this is Benefits Miss Popularity. This is the same shade as the Mary Lou Manizer with a bit more shimmer and is a loose powder rather than pressed. It has a small applicator with it so I find it really great for using on my brow bone and the inner corner of my eye.

Last but not least is my favourite highlighter of them all and it comes in the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow Palette. This is definitely a high end product so I tend to try and save this for when I am going out or really making an effort with my make up. I cannot rave about this product enough it is so natural but makes such a difference. I love both the bronzer and the highlighter and it is definitely worth the splurge.

L-R Charlotte Tilbury, The Balm, Miss Popularity, All Over Glow, Chanel, Hollywood Glo, Glow, No7, High Beam

The Winter Face

In the winter time I like to disguise redness caused by the cold and make the most out of my make up staying put and not sliding off my face like it tends to in Summer. My every day routine tends not to change very much, but here is a break down of my current make up routine.

Firstly, I like to use a primer. I know its not for everyone but I think it really helps my make up go on better and does help it last a lot longer. For every day wear I just like to keep it cheap and cheerful and use the Maybelline Baby Skin Pore Eraser. This is good because only a tiny amount is needed and it helps make up sit better on the skin.

For my base I have recently gone back to the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. This is perfect for day time wear as it is so buildable. If I want a light natural base I can achieve it, and if I want to build it up to conceal a little more I can also do that. It keeps my skin looking flawless but natural and gives me a natural glow even in the colder months.

I use two concealers which may seem a little excessive but I like to use a lighter one under my eyes and a slightly thicker one for any redness or blemishes. My favourite under eye concealer is the Maybelline Eraser Eye. I love this stuff - it conceals but doesn't sit or crease in any fine lines. It also lasts me all day. For redness and blemishes I love the Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer. This is great because you only need a small amount to get a great coverage. 

I always set my base with a powder and I am currently loving the Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder. This is so finely milled that is doesn't make your skin look cakey or flat but just really helps prevent shine and helps set your make up.

On my eyes I use the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze. This is a lovely bronze eyeshadow with just the right amount of shimmer and it lasts all day. I much prefer a cream shadow for the day time as it is much longer lasting. I always use my Rimmel Exaggerate Eyeliner as I feel naked without this and then I like to use my Loreal Telescopic Mascara on my top lashes. I finish of with Clinique's Bottom Lash Mascara. This stuff is brilliant because it does not cause any fall out or smudging underneath the eye even by the end of the day.

My favourite brow product at the moment is the Soap and Glory Brow Archery and I use a bit of both shades Blondeshell and Hot Chocolate. I am somewhere in between these so I tend to use mostly Blondeshell and then a little bit of Hot Chocolate for the ends. I set these with a £1 clear mascara from Miss Sporty and I love it.

Finally I use a bit of the Body Shop Honey Bronzer in the hollows of my cheeks, and some Mary-Lou Manizer from The Balm on the tops of my cheek bones and down my nose. My all time favourite blusher is Dallas by Benefit and my current one has so far lasted me three and a half years and I haven't even hit pan despite using this every day! 

Finally on my lips I always go for a nude and I am currently loving Shy Girl from MAC with some of Tanya Burr's lipgloss in Chic. I always set my make up with Avon's Setting Spray which gives my skin a more dewy finish and helps keep my make up lasting that little bit longer.

January Favourites

Monthly favourites are easily one of my favourite posts to read so writing my first one of the year is very exciting. Unfortunately, I have been battling with Perioral Dermatitis recently so have actually been having to avoid both skin care and make up as much as possible so most of my favourites this month are actually non beauty favourites. 

My first favourite of the month is actually a cook book and it comes from blogger Deliciously Ella. I have been reading and using recipes from her blog for quite some time now and they are honestly all amazing. Her book was released this month and I just love it. All of her recipes are free from refined sugar, meat, gluten and dairy. One of my new years resolutions was the same as it is every year, to be healthier and watch what I eat. I usually fail some time near the beginning of the month but since using recipes from this book I have not been struggling at all and have really been embracing a sugar and dairy free lifestyle. My favourite recipes are definitely her raw brownies, and sweet potato and spinach salad. I highly recommend checking this out! The book itself is also beautiful and I find myself just flicking through looking at all of the drool worthy beautiful pictures.

A beauty related product is the Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief Moisturiser. I re-discovered this after running out of my regular No7 moisturiser and forgot how much I love it. It is oil free but feels so hydrating when you put it on, without leaving a greasy film on your skin. A little goes a long way and my skin just loves this stuff. As with all Clinique products it is great for sensitive skin and fragrance free so with my skin being a nightmare at the moment, this moisturiser has been a life saver!

A face mask I have been using this month is cult favourite Aesop Parsley Seed Cleansing Mask. What I love most about this is how gentle on the skin this is despite being a clay mask. As I have mentioned, I have been extra careful with my skin recently, and once this has set and needs to washed off it melts away so easily meaning I don't have to rub my skin until it is red raw. It has also worked brilliantly on all of the little pimples I had on my forehead. I now understand the hype around this product and prefer it to other popular clay masks out there. 

A fashion favourite has been my beautiful Daniel Wellington Classic York Lady Watch my boyfriend got me for christmas. I had my eye on this watch for so long but could not justify spending the money on it at the time and I was lucky enough to be given this after so much longing. It's a classic and need I say more - I love it!

My final favourite is another christmas present and it is my One Line A Day Memory Book. I am very sentimental and keep things from most places I go. I used to keep a diary but haven't done for years due to laziness but this I have been writing in daily. It is a really cute gold lined note book dated for five years that you can write daily memories or things you are thankful for. I love the idea of this and think it would also make a great gift. I personally love reading over things like this and think it is just such a cute keepsake.