Top 5 Foundations

Foundation has definitely got to be one of my favourite beauty products, and I am constantly looking out for products to give me flawless, oil free but dewy looking skin. Not too much to ask for right? Here are my five favourite foundations for different occasions.

Estee Lauder Double Wear is an old favourite of mine and for years was my every day foundation. This is great for oily skinned girls like myself because it provides a lovely matte but not flat finish. This product is also without a doubt the longest lasting foundation I have ever used. Although I now find this a little heavy for every day wear, I will always reach for this on occasions I need my foundation to last a whole day. It's also great for occasions you know you're either going to be crying or sweating or getting into a situation likely to remove your make up, trust me this foundation will not let you down. There is also an amazing shade range for this foundation so I am sure there is one to suit everyone.

Next is Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation. When I first got this it took a bit of getting used to because I find this to be pretty high coverage. I like to use this for nights out when I am after a higher coverage and flawless but natural looking skin. The consistency of this is quite a thick creme but it blends in beautifully on the skin. Plus only a tiny bit is needed so this lasts for ages.

I have two every day wear foundations I go between, and the first one is a cult favourite, the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. I love the finish this gives my skin, it really is dewy skin in a bottle. It provides enough coverage but not too much, it just gives that 'your skin but better' look. I thought I wouldn't get on with this at first because everyone talks about it being great for girls with dry skin, which it definitely would be, but I thought I would end up an oily mess at the end of the day. However, as long as I set this with a good powder then it does the job perfectly and lasts me the whole day.

My other daily foundation is the Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet. This is very similar to the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk but with a bit less coverage and a more matte finish. I personally love the finish of this more so than the Chanel Vita Lumiere Aqua foundation as it gives a bit more coverage, and I need the slightly more matte finish. 

Lastly, I wanted to include a powder foundation and my favourite is the MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation. Although I only bring this one out occasionally, I think it is great to have a powder foundation either to wear on top on foundation for extra coverage or staying power, or to wear alone on top of moisturiser for a more natural finish. Sometimes when I am on holiday and I don't want to be caked in make up but I also want my skin to look a little better and less greasy I reach for this. When worn alone it looks really natural but can also be used to provide great coverage over a regular foundation. 

NYE 2014

I love getting ready on New Years Eve. It is the perfect time to use all of the new beauty bits you got for Christmas and really go all out. If you want a sparkly eye and a bright lip, New Years is the time to do it. Although I didn't go out this year, I did have a lovely dinner party style night in with my closest friends and it was my best New Years yet. We all still made just as much effort to dress up as we would if we went out.

I wore a green sparkly low back dress from Topshop that I bought in the Boxing Day Sale and I got so many compliments on it. Its the kind of thing I love wearing out and I am so glad I bought it. On my nails I had one of my favourites from the year, Revlon's Vixen which is a burgendy maroony kind of shade.

I had a couple of new Charlotte Tilbury bits to try. I love Charlotte Tilbury herself and her make up line. All of her products feel so luxurious and so many people always seem to comment when I am wearing them. I used her much raved about Filmstar Bronze and Glow which I bagged in this years Selfridges sale, and also her Golden Goddess Luxury Palette which I mentioned in my 2014 Make Up Favourites. Although I have only had these products since Christmas, they have quickly become two of my favourite products. I've never met a Charlotte Tilbury product that I didn't like. 

For an extra glow I used The Balm Mary Lou-Manizer, another cult favourite. This is my favourite highlighter of all time as it is so natural looking yet gives your complexion the most perfect glow without being glittery. It is a beautiful champagne gold colour, and almost a powder version of Benefits Watts Up. I use this on my cheekbones, my brow bone, down the centre of my nose and on my cupids bow. For a night like New Years I also use this in the inner corner of my eye to help brighten them. 

As it was a special occasion I stepped outside of my comfort zone and went for a bold lip. I used Topshop's Matte Lip Bullet in the shade Get Me Bodied. This is a deep purple berry shade, far from my much loved nudes. Despite my concerns, everyone seemed to love this shade and I am glad I tried it out. This lasted so long on my lips, and even after eating it still left a nice stained colour on my lips, but was very easily removed with the rest of my make up. Maybe now I will have to start being a little more adventurous and trying some new lip colours so I am definitely open to any recommendations.

Finally, my fragrance of the night was my all time favourite Chanel Chance Eau Tendre. This is a fruity-floral fragrance which is my personal favourite kind anyway. It has notes of grapefruit, jasmine and white musk and this scent lasts all night on me. I have used Chanel Chance Eau Fraiche before and also really like that, but Eau Tendre is definitely my favourite. 

2014 Haircare Favourites

You may notice a trend in my haircare products and that is that I like to use a product that promises volume and texture as my hair is pretty fine and pretty flat. Here is a round up of the products I have been turning to and loving this year.

I have used countless shampoos and conditioners throughout the year but my favourite has to be the Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Shampoo and Conditioner. These leave my hair feeling really soft but not at all flat or greasy. My hair gets greasy very quickly, but I felt as though my hair was much cleaner than usual a day after using this, and a few times I have not had to use any dry shampoo on my day two hair (which is unheard of for me). 

For styling I have been loving the Got2B 2 Sexy Volumizing Mousse. I spray a small amount of this at the roots of my hair when wet, and I really notice a difference. This stuff also smells amazing. As I loved this so much I tried to the Got2B Rise 'N Shine Hairspray. Again, this also smells amazing, and also gives my hair so much volume and texture as well as keeping any style in place.

Two texturising sprays I have enjoyed using this year are the Charles Worthington Volume and Bounce Texturising Spray and the Bumble and Bumble Dryspun Finish. The Bumble and Bumble spray definitely comes with a larger price tag, but does not leave your hair feeling stiff or crispy in the same way that the Charles Worthington one does. However, both do seriously deliver great results. Not a day has gone by when I have not reached for either of these products as they just give my hair some much needed oomph.

Finally, my favourite dry shampoo of the year is from Colab. This brand launched this year from Beauty Blogger and Vlogger Ruth Crilly. I have tried nearly every brand of dry shampoo this year and could not find one I loved. They either left my hair white and chalky or stiff and knotty and some even left my hair feeling greasier than before. I tried the Colab range and finally found a product I was happy with. It does leave a little grey residue in my hair, however, it is much easier to work into your hair than other products, and it helps give my hair some much needed volume. I have tried the scents London, Paris and New York and love them all but I think New York is probably my favourite so far. 

2014 Skincare Favourites

This year I have loved experimenting with different skin care products and really learning what works best for me. I have learnt what my skin type is (thank you Sali Hughes) and have made a conscious effort to take better care of my skin and I now love nothing more than taking my make up off at the end of the day and starting my evening skin care routine. 

I have experimented with a few cleansers this year, and although I have enjoyed each of them for different reasons, none compare to the Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel. This gel to oil cleanser really is a delight to use. It smells amazing and removes all traces of make up in one go. I like to use one pump in the morning and two in the evening and enjoy massaging it into my skin and washing away with warm water. The smell is reason enough to go out and try this (trust me).

As far as moisturisers are concerned, I have never fallen in love with any particular brand before and have found them all a much of a muchness. However, this year I started using the No7 Beautiful Skin Oil Free Daytime Moisturiser. I was obviously drawn to this as it is oil free, but you get so much for your money with this product and it sits beautifully under your make up. I haven't used any other moisturiser since March because of this.

I started using Estee Lauder's Idealist Pore Minimising Serum earlier this year and I can't be sure, but I do think that my pores look smaller than before I started using this. Aside from visible results, I just love the way this serum makes my skin feel before I apply my make up.

Overnight I like to use a facial oil, and I thought I should mention two as although I have a favourite, I have only been using it since Christmas. First is the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair. This product does not come cheap but it really does make your skin appear more plump and healthy the next day. For christmas, I got the Sarah Chapman Skinesis Overnight Facial and I am amazed with the results. After just a week of using this, my skin appears calmer, clearer and plumper. Small pimples that had appeared on my forehead (I blame the christmas parties and chocolate) disappeared almost overnight and patches of dry skin I had, began to appear calmer and smaller. I cannot rave about this product enough and will definitely be trying out some more Sarah Chapman products in the new year. 

Another overnight product I have loved this year is the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask. I like to use this a couple of times a week as my skin seems to love it and gets a great glow the morning after. Again, another amazing smelling product.

Another mask I have been loving is the Glam Glow Youth Mud Tingle Exfoliate Mask. This is a classic, apply to skin, let it set and wash off mask. However, this is not a mask you use a few days before an event but instead the night of an event. I can't describe how smooth this makes your skin and just how wonderfully this mask preps your skin for make up but trust me, it is worth the hefty price tag. 

Finally (sorry another long, long ramble) is the Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel. This tiny pot has lasted me almost a whole year despite regular use. I dab a tiny amount onto any spots I get and this just helps to reduce the size and redness overnight. It is particularly great to use on any spot you can sense appearing before it actually does, as it prevents it reaching its full unwanted potential. This product does smell incredibly clinical and unpleasant but if you can get past that it really is great and does exactly as it promises. 

2014 Make Up Favourites

It has taken me a long, long time to try and whittle this post down to just ten products but finally I have made this as short as humanly possible. Of course I could talk about umpteen make up products I have used and loved this year, but I tried to think about products I have not only enjoyed using but now consider necessities in my make up routine. 

First up is a primer. Although I have spent most of the year using Kiehls Micro-Blur Skin Perfector, I recently discovered the Laura Mercier Oil Free Foundation Primer and it has replaced my beloved Kiehls. Aside from the fact you get more for your money, I find that this leaves my skin so smooth and my make up glides on perfectly. I changed primers because I wanted to use something oil free and it makes such a difference for an oily skinned gal like myself. 

The next product was the easiest choice for this post as I have used it literally every day since May and that is the Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet. I have no complaints whatsoever with this foundation. I use it in the day time and it looks so natural on the skin, but it is also really buildable to take your look from day to night time in a matter of seconds. 

My favourite concealer of 2014 is the Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer in the shade light. This concealer is so light and creamy but just covers dark circles amazingly. It does not sit in any fine lines and can also be re-applied throughout the day without going cakey.

When my under eye circles are particularly bad, or if I just want to add a highlighted glow I have been reaching for the MAC Prep and Prime Pen in the shade Light Boost. I love this and definitely want to try out the other shades next year!

I discovered a new eyebrow pencil this year and that was the Soap and Glory Archery Brow Pencil. I have both shades of this as I prefer Blondshell for the day and Hot Chocolate for night. The brush on the end of the pencil is brilliant and this product is a great dupe for the Anastasia Brow Wizz but for a fraction of the price.

2014 was the year I had a love affair with gold and bronze eyeshadows and also Charlotte Tilbury, so it comes as no surprise I had to mention two eyeshadow products from the lady herself. First is the Colour Chameleon Eyeshadow Pencil in the shade Champagne Diamonds. This eyeshadow is so versatile and so so quick and easy to use. It can be used as a liner or smudged all across the lid and below the eye. The next product is the Golden Goddess Luxury Palette. This product is so lavish and luxurious and really makes your eyes pop. I love all of the shades in this, and the size makes it perfect to carry around. Charlotte Tilbury's online tutorials are also great at showing you how to make the most of the palette.

My final eye product is the Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara. After months of moaning about my eye make up smudging under my eye, I caved and bought this and am so glad I did. The brush is so cute and tiny and makes it so easy to get into the corner and coat every lash without looking too heavy or doll like. It does not smudge or cause that horrible flakiness under your eye and I have already recommended this mascara to everyone I know.

Finally (sorry for the rambling) is a lip product. I have been really enjoying getting into lip products this year but if I had to choose only one to mention here it would have to be MAC Patisserie. A perfect 'your lips but better' colour, I have been wearing this almost every day since summer this year. If you're into nudes, then there is no doubt you would love this lipstick.

AM Skincare Routine

In the mornings I like to keep things quick and simple when it comes to my skincare routine. I have usually snoozed my alarm one too many times and therefore don't have the time to faff around with all sorts of lotions and potions. I keep my usual, every day routine down to four items.

First, I cleanse using my Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel. I have tried quite a few cleansers over the years but this one is definitely my favourite. It starts as a gel and then turns into an oil as you massage it into your skin and gets rid of any remaining make up or grime. It also smells amaaaaazing. Kind of like turkish delight mixed with roses (which is much nicer than it sounds). I love this stuff and cannot see myself using another cleanser for quite some time. The only down side to this is that because of the packaging, you don't know when you're close to running out, and I always find myself having to pay for next day delivery for this as I can't possibly be without it. 

Next I use my serum. At the moment I am using Estee Lauder Idealist Serum and I really like it. It is quite thick and I feel like it really sets a good base for my make up. I think that serum is one of the most important steps of a make up routine especially as it is what targets your skin concerns. If I ever stop using serum for a while that's when I notice a difference in my skin.

I then moisturise. I am not overly fussy when it comes to moisturisers but for the last few months I have really been loving the No7 Beautiful Skin Day Cream for Normal/Oily skin. This is great because it is oil free and really sinks nicely into my skin without being greasy at all. I also think this is a great moisturiser to use underneath make up.

Finally I like to use an eye cream as my under eye area is where I am slightly dehydrated. Again, I am not that fussy with these but I have been using the No7 Lift & Luminate Eye Cream. I can't say that I have noticed any difference under my eyes since using this, but it is a nice eye cream to use for hydration, and again it isn't at all greasy so is nice to wear under my under eye concealer. 

5 Favourites

It doesn't seem like it was that long ago that I did my October favourites post, however, there are some other products I have also been loving that previously didn't quite get the mention they deserve. First is one of the most amazing books I honestly think I have ever read. Think of it as a beauty bible/beauty manual that all girls need. It is Sali Hughes Pretty Honest. I can't believe just how much Sali has managed to fit into this book, and without spoiling anything all I can say is that everyone should have a copy of this. 

Next is the Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch. I don't use this everyday, but tend to save it for special occasions but it just glides over your skin and helps your make up go on so much more smoothly. The lady on the Clarins counter compared it to poly-filler, which doesn't sound so appealing at first but after using it I now see what she means, and it is definitely a good thing (trust me). 

The next product is the Clinique High Impact Mascara. I have been a Loreal only Mascara girl for about seven years, but after using a sample I had of this, my head has been turned. I still love my Loreal Telescopic, but this mascara from Clinique is perfect for length in a more natural way. 

Another new product for me is The Body Shop Honey Bronzer. I have seen other bloggers talk about this, and I fancied trying something new. This is a great bronzer, because it is so natural and easy to wear. It doesn't look too dark or create any harsh lines even on my fair skin. 

Finally, the last product I have been loving is the Colab Dry Shampoo in the New York scent. As someone who is incredibly reliant on dry shampoo, and also someone who has tried almost every other brand of dry shampoo, I needed to give this a go. I really like this dry shampoo, it is not white or chalky in the hair, and does not feel sticky or greasy like some other brands do (i'm looking at you Herbal Essences and Aussie). It's not the best for creating volume, but the main thing I look for in a dry shampoo is not the volume it gives, but how much oil it absorbs from my hair. I have also tried the London scent but my fave so far is this New York one. This is a great product with a great price tag - kudos Ruth Crilly.