5 Simple Ways to Eliminate and Disguise Facial Impurities

5 Simple Ways to Eliminate and Disguise Facial Impurities

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Having a flawless complexion is something that us girl's dream about, day and night. Although we should, and are told to try, our uttermost hardest to embrace our imperfections, it is very difficult when you have a huge spot in the middle of your forehead. Personally, I am not very confident in my skin so I like to find tips and tricks to help me feel more comfortable in myself. Here are few things I do to help my skin feel clean and flawless!

1. I'm going to start with something I am 100% guilty of (as you can evidently tell from the images above) - CLEAN YOUR BRUSHES. Washing your brushes is such a simple thing that we all forget to do - I always delay chores like this because it literally takes me forever to wash and dry all of my brushes. However, by taking the time to clean your facial brushes, it can seriously help your skin. Oils and bacteria swiftly build up in your brushes over a short time frame and we all know what excess oil and bacteria leads to...SPOTS!

2. You've definitely all heard this before but maintaining a skin routine, personal to your own skin type, is beneficial when trying to eliminate impurities. Fortunately, I don't suffer with any extreme cases of spots or 'breakouts' but whenever a lovely spot forms on my face, it's HUGE! To try an avoid this as much as possible, I have a little routine consisting of cleansing water, eye make-up remover, cleansing lotion and moisturizer for my dry skin. Although I don't recommend this, I sometimes take my makeup off using wipes when I'm feeling lazy. There is no harm doing this but just make sure you have nights where you cleanse your face properly to avoid sleeping in makeup overnight. That is literally the WORST mistake you can make.

MY DRY SKIN ROUTINE

Firstly, I pour a small amount of Garnier's Micellar Cleansing Water onto some cotton pads and remove the majority of my base makeup. Following this step, I use the Garnier Fresh Eye Make-up Remover to take off my mascara, liner and eyeshadow. After my face is makeup-free, I take my Skinology Cleansing lotion and apply a generous amount to my face - this helps to remove any excess makeup that might be deeper in the pores or that I may have missed. Finally, Garnier's Moisture Match for Normal/Dry skin is my ultimate dry skin saviour. I have non-stopped used this since the day I bought it. The creamy, smooth formulation is to die for and the smell reminds me of holidays!

(P.S This post isn't sponsored by Garnier, I just loooooove their skincare)

3. One of my favourite ways to disguise my spots is to smother my under eye circles and spots with  concealer. OK, maybe 'smother' isn't the right word but I can't help applying several layers of my two favourite under-eye concealers to hide the darkness. I highly recommend 'L'Oreal Lumi Magique' in light and Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat in '02' if you're looking to highlight dark circles. Their formulation is a dream, blending evenly into the right creases and areas on my face I wish to be disguised.

Alternatively, if I have more time, I like to use my colour correction palette from E.L.F Cosmetics. Usually, I apply the green concealer onto my cheeks. Green concealers are designed to neutralize red tones on the face and this seriously helps to minimize my rosiness. However, avoid using this on dark spots/areas as this can accentuate those areas, making them more visible. The pink concealer contrasts the green - wear this on dark circles or spots to gain coverage but not on areas of redness.

4. I guess this number 4 is sort of a hack? Cold metal is a great wait to counteract redness on the skin. Therefore, if my skin is particularly red, I place a spoon in the freezer and leave it for 10-15 minutes. This seriously helps to reduce the redness on my cheeks and it is such a simple and quick way to achieve an even skin tone.

5. My favourite of them all. If you are feeling unconfident in your skin or with a particular spot on your face, drawing attention to other areas is key. Personally, I love to use dark colours on my eyes or lips to accentuate them. Tip: Use your favourite facial feature to your advantage - whether it be your cheekbones, lips or brows - flaunt your most-loved feature by using makeup products to enhance them. I love to wear dark lips so above are my top 6 lips I switch between when my skin is being disastrous.

~Makeup Revolution 'Rebel with a Cause' ~ MAC 'Rebel' ~ Too Faced Melted Velvet ~ MAC 'Dark Side' ~ Makeup Revolution '100% Vamp' ~ Nars Audacious 'Charlotte' ~

What do you do to eliminate spots? What is your favourite skincare product?

Lots of love

Everyday Makeup Routine

Everyday Makeup Routine

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One of the most iconic beauty blogger/vlogger posts is the EVERYDAY MAKEUP ROUTINE. Although I've been blogging for almost 3 years now, I still haven't managed to upload my daily go-to makeup look. My makeup routine varies on a fairly regular basis - it changes from week to month. However, throughout March/April, this is the look I've been attached to and repetitively wearing whenever I'm leaving the house to do something. 

Generally, makeup makes me feel more comfortable and confident as a person so I completely acknowledge that this may be too much makeup for some to wear daily. In other cases, it may not be as much as others. If you wish to follow my makeup routine but change some products or tone things down depending on your personal preferences. 

Here it is...the long awaited everyday makeup routine..

EYES

On most occasions, I tend to begin my routine with my eye makeup; this is mainly because I cannot stand 'fallout' and I don't feel so much pressure with eyeliner application. Sometimes, I like to use tape when applying eyeshadow and liner to create a clean, sharp cut. 

Recently, I've been loving the Too faced Chocolate Bar palette - my look involves the shades 'Milk Chocolate' and 'Semi-Sweet'. I apply both brown shades into the crease and blend, blend, blend! This create a soft, contoured eye look, which helps bolden and intensify my small eyes. The eyeliner I'm currently using is the L'Oreal Superstar Super Liner - the strong nibbed applicator ensures precision is at its best whilst also holding an incredible black pigment. Also, I use a Model's Own black liner in my waterline for extra definition. Finally, the mascara I've been loving this month is Rimmel's Super Curler 24HR. I don't think I've ever found a drugstore mascara that doesn't smear under my eyes after several hours after application until I met this. So affordable too!

FACE

Following on my eye makeup comes my complexion. For my base, I've been reaching for L'Oreal's Infaillible 16HR wear foundation. This is super concealing, helps to hide and even out my blotchy red skin and lasts all day long without sticking to dry patches. Then is my tricky task of covering up my horrific under eye circles - L'Oreal's Lumi Magique works wonders for my under eye darkness. It manages to conceal, and primarily highlight, any dull areas on the face. 

Now my favourite part - contour, blush and highlight. To contour or bronze my face up, whichever I'm feeling, I always carry my trusty Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess which I've been raving about forever! The warm-toned powder and formula works well on my skin; complimenting my cool skin and making blending a dream. Blush can potentially bring out my natural red complexion so I sometimes avoid wearing it. However, I have found that MAC's Melba is a super natural, toned-down peach which works well for me. Finally, I've been using MAC Soft and Gentle MSF or The Balm's Mary Lou Manizer to add that beautiful glow to the cheekbones and eyebrow bone.

LIPS 

Keeping it natural for that everyday appropriate look, I have a collection of lipsticks I usually carry in my makeup bag. In the images above, I've used MAC Mehr on my lips - a soft, mauve pink. Also, I recommend Charlotte Tilbury Bond Girl or Chanel Satisfaction for those highend lovers. Alternatively, highstreet lovers can opt for Essence's Natural Beauty lipstick or Soap and Glory Glossy Crayon's in Nudist.

Do you use the same products on a daily basis? What is your go-to lipstick?

Lots of love

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This post is not in collaboration with any brands listed above. 

London Bound ¦ April 16

London Bound ¦ April 16

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London is one of my happy places. It honestly excites me so much when I have day trips there, whether is be sightseeing, visiting one of their attractions or my favourite - shopping. This time, my family were travelling to Angle Islington to watch my friends in 'In - Nocentes' by the National Youth Dance Company. Going to watch my friend perform was very important for me as I'm auditioning for a place in the company this year...super exciting! 

However, before stopping at Angel, we had a couple hours to spare. This is where I struggled to restrain myself from the beautiful shops on Oxford Circus and Regent Street; my bank account is honestly crying at the minute so I wasn't able to go crazy. I did buy a couple makeup items in Boots, with the help of a good ol' voucher and my mum kindly treated me to a gorgeous playsuit from Forever 21. 

Selfridges is always my favourite place to shop/look in London. I literally want to buy all the designer bags and shoes; there were so many Kurt Geiger clutches I was lusting over it was ridiculous! The beauty floor is obviously my primary place to go - the Charlotte Tilbury stand always looks incredible with their spotlight display. 

My rust-orange, patterned playsuit was from Forever 21. The material is super lightweight so will be perfect in the summer (maybe not in England but..) and the style is super flattering because of the ruched-detailing at the stomach. Additionally, the deep V neck allows you to glam-up the outfit with a statement necklace if you were to wear it out in the evening. 

In Boots, I had two gift cards to utilise; I decided to go to the drugstore side of Boots as I hadn't purchased anything from there in a while. L'Oreal have always been one of my favourite drugstore brands so I decided to purchase some needed products from the stand - the Lumi Magique highlighting concealer and the Superstar Super Liner. Fortunately, there was a '3 for 2' offer on the counter so I managed to pick up one of their new matte lip products in 'Oops I Pink It Again'. After swatching it on my lips last night I am already impressed - the sponge end allows precise and smooth application to the lips. 

For my evening makeup, I ventured for a purple/grey smoky eye look with a nude lip.

Products used : 

~ Nars Sheer Glow ~ Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer ~ Rimmel Stay Matte Powder ~ Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess ~ Benefit Rockateur ~ The Balm Mary Lou Manizer ~ Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in Chocolate ~ Urban Decay Smoky Palette & Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette ~ Maybelline Gel Liner ~ Revlon Lash Potion ~ Model's Own Liner (waterline) ~ Charlotte Tilbury Bond Girl ~

The performance was honestly breath-taking - I love contemporary dance and it has been my passion for the last couple of years. I cannot wait to audition for the company in the Summer! My evening was successfully completed with a Mango & Passionfruit cooler from Costa alongside a triple chocolate muffin. Mmmmmm.....

Where is your favourite place to travel to?

Lots of love

Winter to Spring Makeup Transition

Winter to Spring Makeup Transition

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When a new season comes around, it is absolutely vital that I alter my makeup bag to fit the appropriate weather/theme. In Spring, I can't help reaching for all my favourite pastels, pinks and shimmers. Here is what you are most likely to find in my makeup as we change from Winter to Spring...

Although I'm a sucker for full coverage foundation, I can't help opting for this incredible BB cream from Garnier. This leaves my face feeling light, even and fresh - the smell is an added bonus, it reminds me of being on holiday!! The lightest shade matches my skin colour perfectly too; I always seem to be paler than pale after undergoing the cold Winter. 

When it comes to complexion, I'm not one to go for intense contour and excessive highlight in the Spring, unless I'm going out in the evening of course. To create a more subtle bronze/contour, I use L'Oreal's Glam Bronze Eau De Soleil for slightly definition. The formulation is very liquid-y and can be messy, so be careful otherwise it will go everywhere - TRUST ME!!!

Jasper Rose by Bourjois is the one to go for if you like pink, rosy cheeks like myself. The powder formula is highly pigmented so you don't need to apply more than two strokes onto your cheek to create the desired effect.

Finally, face-wise, I'm into dewy highlight; Rimmel Wake Me Up Shimmer Touch in Flush of Pearl is supposedly a great dupe for Benefit's well-loved High Beam. The liquid formula forms a dewy, iridescent glow on the cheek bones which instantly draws sunlight. 

During this time of year, all of my pink-based eye shadow palettes come out the drawer and become much more utilised. Recently, I've been loving my Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette as it contains both winter/spring appropriate shades to take me from one season into the next. My fave shades definitely have to be Salted Caramel, Creme Brulee and Haute Chocolate.

 Also, I love to use my Bobbi Brown Pink Opal palette for a quick shimmer on the lid - this can add a glitz to your makeup if you don't have time to go create a whole eye look. This would also work as a beautiful, pink-toned highlight!

Finally, my Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in RSVP gives the perfect base for a Spring eye shadow look. I cannot stop using it throughout the season, whether I'm wearing eye products over the top or not!

Leaving the best till last...LIPS! Pink seems to be a running theme in my posts whenever Spring hits us... Anyway, Mac's lustre finish lipstick in Lovelorn is essential in my makeup bag throughout this time of year. Pink lips are so feminine and really lighten my complexion; this blue-toned pink also makes your teeth look insanely white.

In the warmer months, I like to delve into my lipgloss collection - I have such lovely shades but am always hesitant to use them in the Winter, as the wind just blows my hair onto my lips and it is a NIGHTMARE. Urban Decay's beautifully encased LIAR lipgloss is part of the infamous NAKED collection - the colour is less dramatic than the lipstick so would work for those who are tentative at wearing vibrant colours.

Don't forget to check out my Winter to Spring Fashion outfits post! 

What products do you always reach for at this time of year? What is your go-to Spring lipstick?!

Lots of love