VASANTI BRIGHTEN UP! ENZYMATIC FACE REJUVENATOR

When it comes to skincare, it's not always easy to tell which products are really making a difference, even after multiple uses. So when you see an immediate improvement after one use, it really is something to write home about. In this case that "writing home" was running to show my mum. She's a bit of a connoisseur when it comes to all things skincare aka all things Liz Earle. I've not quite converted her yet, but I'm working on it.

This month's Birchbox came with a sample of Vasanti Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator and having tried only one other product from the brand (the Purifying Facial Cleanser) which I loved, I was pretty excited to give this a try. I try to use face exfoliators at least a few times a week and was already happy with the one I was using but I decided to test this out anyway. I only needed a small amount for my whole face and the texture is gentle but effective. After I rinsed it off using a muslin cloth, I was amazed to see visibly brighter looking skin looking back at me in the mirror.

Having being blessed with fairly good skin (thank you Asian genes), I don't often come across skincare which invokes such obvious improvements straight away. I am definitely going to continue using this product, and am already checking the Vasanti website as we speak. Did you know they sell make-up and brushes too? With international shipping?! Definitely something to think about...

Vasanti Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator here or here, £26/$34

A POUNDLAND HAUL

Yes, you read it right. It's a Poundland haul. I'm about to tell you why you should always check the make-up section in one of the cheapest stores ever, because who doesn't love a bargain?

I initially went into Poundland to pick up some more plastic drawers which I use for storing some of my make-up. When re-organising my stash, I wanted a budget friendly way to store my bits and pieces and ended up finding these drawers in Poundland. I think they're made for the kitchen and although they are plastic and very basic in terms of material and function, they get the job done for now. (I'll upgrade to MUJI one day - sigh.) They're especially good for storing longer make-up items such as concealers, liners and mascaras. I believe these two bring me up to 8 of these little babies - £8 isn't so bad for storing the majority of my make-up, jewellery and hair bits.

The particular Poundland I visited is in a retail park which is never too busy, and it always seems to get the good make-up. I've had a look in different stores, and it's not always this good but definitely worth a look in your local. I mentioned a Rimmel product I picked up from Poundland in this post but today I got my hands on some L'Oreal eyeshadows. I sort of missed the whole L'Oreal Infabille Eyeshadow train as I'm not always one drawn to single eyeshadows and the shade selection, here in the UK, never really appealed to me. I can't tell you how many times I popped these into my shopping basket in Boots just to put them back again. I haven't seen them in-store for a while (although you can still get them online), and had the feeling I'd missed my chance but when I saw them in Poundland, I knew it was time.

If you haven't heard of these shadows, they are a pressed pigment right in-between a normal powder shadow and a loose pigment. They have, from what I've seen, been dubbed by bloggers as one of the best drugstore eyeshadows out there. There were five different shades up for grabs, and I picked up four only choosing to leave the bright blue. Two of the shades (the cream and grey) have a matte finish, and the others (turquoise and purple) iridescent. I can't wait to play with these and am so happy I waited to grab this bargain. I'm a big fan of the packaging - it looks much more luxury than it is and I'm even excited to try out the turquoise shade which actually looks quite wearable.

I was expecting a lot of pigment from these pressed pigments but it actually took a few swipes to build up these dry swatches. I've yet to try them wet, or on the eyes, so I'll hold my judgement until then. I can't deny that I love the concept of a pressed pigment. I have a few loose pigments which are all gorgeous but I don't reach for them too often mostly in fear for dropping them everywhere. This is a great way to get the results of a pigment with a little less mess. Expect a review coming soon.

What bargains have you picked up recently? Let me know in the comments!

MAYBELLINE COLOUR ELIXIRS - UK LAUNCH!

They're here!!! The Maybelline Colour Elixirs have finally launched in the UK. After hearing about the launch today I had to go and pick some up - I panicked when I couldn't find them in Boots but managed to find them in Superdrug. I checked the Maybelline stand first, and they had the teeny, tiniest section dedicated to them with literally only one of each shade left - and only five shades to choose from. I had a little swatch and play, and ended up grabbing two. I browsed a little more around the shop and then found another stand with an extra shade and tons more unopened glosses.

(Sorry for the slightly grainy shots, these were taken on my phone)

I ended up picking up the light pink - Petal Plush and the nude - Nude Illusion. I swatched some of the brighter ones, and they looked really nice but I purchased the two shades I knew I'd wear the most. The packaging is gorgeous - really simple and sleek although the silver tops are prone to fingerprint marks and seem like they'd scratch quite easily.

The formula is very moisturising with no stickiness; I'm on the fence about the spongey applicator and only one coat can look a little streaky so you're going to need to build it up. They have a slightly oily feeling formula; they remind me of the L'Oreal Coloriche Extraordinaires and are very similar, but I think I slightly prefer the Maybelline glosses on first try.

Petal Plush is a light baby pink and Nude Illusion is a medium-toned brown nude. I'm definitely going to get a lot of use out of these two. They've already launched on the Boots website and you can find them for £6.99, with a 3 for 2 offer on all Maybelline products. There's a total of eleven shades online which is way more than I found in store. They were also on offer in Superdrug: 2 for £10.

I'm enjoying them so far. It's not quite a rave review like I was expecting; they're not the best glosses I've ever tried, but they're far from the worst. There was a whole lot of hype surrounding these Maybelline glosses and I'm not sure they've quite lived up to it. Are you going to purchase any? Or have you tried them already? Let me know what you think!

Maybelline Colour Elixirs here, £6.99

LOVE AT FIRST APPLICATION: THE BALM BAHAMA MAMA BRONZER

A recent purchase of The Balm's Bahama Mama bronzer was love at first application. I'm sure you know the ones. I haven't been able to put it down since that first use, as it is completely different to anything else in my collection. I adore the super cute cardboard packaging with the old school pin up style picture on the front. It has a magnetised closure so you don't have to worry about it opening up in your make-up bag. The colour scheme and design are perfect for a bronzer designed to give a "sun-kissed glow".

This gorgeous cool toned bronzer is perfect for contouring and that's exactly what I've been using it for. Because there are no orange tones it creates that natural looking shadow when placed in the contours of my face. For bronzing up the face, I pair it with my NARS Laguna bronzer - another favourite.

In the pan, it looks quite a bit darker than my other bronzers but don't let that scare you as it doesn't apply quite as dark and can therefore be used on a range of different skin tones. It might not work quite as well on the very pale complexions as it might start to come off a little muddy - one to reserve for summer then. I'm going to get as much use of it as possible as summer is already being snatched from us!

Do you have a favourite product to contour with? I've heard great things about the Kevin Aucoin Sculpting Powder. Maybe one to try next...

GLOSSYBOX VS BIRCHBOX UK | AUGUST 2014

I absolutely love unboxing my glossybox and birchbox each month and this month is no different. Here's my unboxing video which I posted a couple of days ago if you haven't seen it.

Sign up to Birchbox here, £10/month

Sign up to Glossybox here, £10/month

SALE: URBAN DECAY NAKED PALETTES FOR UNDER £30 !

This is more than of a notification than a post. Feelunique.com have had a crazy sale going for the last few days and they're amping it up to finish off! Use the code "PLUS10" to get an extra 10% off any items already in the sale. We're talking crazy savings right here. Go! Quick! The sale ends midnight August 25th, but that's only if stocks last so I wouldn't hang about.

Here's a little idea of what I'm talking about. Urban Decay Naked palettes for under £30 when you take off the extra 10%. And there is so many more sale items to choose from!

THE SMALLER NEUTRAL EYESHADOW PALETTES

My bigger eyeshadow palettes have taken a bit of a back seat recently, and the smaller neutral palettes have taken over. The smaller packaging, more refined shadow picks, and less to choose from have been a winning combination. Although I love my bigger palettes, I'm not in need of that funky purple/blue/green, that most seem to house, on a daily basis. All three of these smaller palettes feature gorgeous neutrals that can create endless looks, with not a dud in sight.

A recent bit of blog sale shopping (watch this space) has landed me with two new (to me) palettes at a bargain price. The first is from the budget US brand Wet n Wild and is the Vanity palette. I've never tried anything from the brand before, so I snapped this one up as soon as I saw it. There are six gorgeous shades which I am obsessed with, and the looks possible really are endless. So far, the light brown matte shade and the shimmery bronze are my favourites but I'm so excited to play with the rest. This palette was limited edition over in the States but you can find it on Ebay and Amazon. This cheeky purchase may have opened a can of worms, as I'm dying to try more from the brand.

My second blog sale bargain is the slightly more high end Lancôme Bronze Amour palette. This dinky little quintet of shades is also perfect for every day but the dark brown means it can be amped up for night time too. This palette is almost tardis-esque; it looks so small on the outside, but has so much potential on the inside once you get it open. I haven't played around with this one too much yet, but I can tell just from swatches that it's going to be another beauty. The only criticism is a slightly lighter highlighter shade could have rounded out the shades in an almost perfect palette. I'm definitely branching out in terms of brands as this is my first item from Lancôme too. So far, so good.

Finally, another budget buy which you may have heard me raving about over on my YouTube channel: the Essence Quattro in To Die For is what started this little neutral palette collection I've got going on. This quad has a mix of mattes and shimmers with that gorgeous bronze shade that I just can't get enough of. At £3.50, and readily available in the UK I can not recommend this enough.

So, these are the three palettes which have made it into the every day make-up drawer and are giving me endless options in terms of neutrals: golds, browns and creams galore! I just want to use them all, all the time. Do you have any favourite smaller palettes which you use every day? I'd be happy to add more to the collection!

DRUGSTORE HAUL + FIRST IMPRESSIONS

My newest video just went live, and it's a little drugstore haul with a load of really affordable products for anyone on a budget. I also included some mini reviews/first impressions on what I thought so far. The picture is just a little sneak preview but you got to watch to see the rest. Enjoy!

FOTD: BROW POWDER FOR EYESHADOW?

Today's look is a pretty simple one. I started off by priming with Dr Brandt Pores No More Pore Refiner and Maybelline Dream Smooth Primer. These two are going to get a lot of love in the next month if I'm going to complete my Over by October challenge. I'm still holding on to the last few drops of my Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 53 Light Beige. I am amazed that there is any product left. I have run this bottle dry. My concealers of choice were Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in 2 just in the places where I needed some extra coverage and then Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 15 to brighten under the eyes.

To set everything I used my Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Silky Beige. A new favourite of mine; the Bourjois Délice de Poudre Bronzing and Highlighter Duo was used to warm up the face and add a subtle highlight to the high points. I then added a little natural flush with Essence Silky Touch Blush in 4 Natural Beauty. 

For the eyes I did something a little different using my Sigma brow powders sample I received as a free gift. I previously have only been using one powder in my brows but thought I would give the others a try as an eyeshadow. The warmer powder in the Auburn duo is a gorgeous warm brown that is perfect for the crease when blended out. Another free gift was put to use, as I took a shadow from my Estee Lauder quad in Tempting Mocha which is a gorgeous bronze shade perfect for sweeping across the lid. The usual liners and mascaras were used: Rimmel Scandaleyes in Black, Urban Decay in Demolition, Maybelline The Rocket Waterproof Mascara and No7 Stay Perfect Mascara.

Finally for my lips I went with my new MakeUp Revolution The One Lipstick topped with Maybelline Colorsensational Gloss in Cashmere Rose.

EMPTIES / WOULD I REPURCHASE - AUGUST 2014

I posted up my latest Empties / Would I Repurchase video yesterday so here it is if you haven't seen it. This is what happens when I forget to take a thumbnail/accidentally delete my footage - oopsie.

ESSENCE XXXL SHINE LIPGLOSS IN NUDE KISS

This week I have been loving my Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss in 22 Nude Kiss. I mentioned the gloss in this post but I thought it deserved it's own little shout out. I've been reaching for it pretty much every day as it works with almost all my every day lipsticks or on its own. It has the perfect balance of pigmentation and shine, and there is absolutely no stickiness or intense smell. The shade is a beautiful mauvey pink which is perfect for an everyday natural look.

I don't often fall in love with glosses but I'm not sure what I did before I had this one. I'm already contemplating getting a backup! It is only £1.80 after all - that might be why all the writing has already rubbed off. Well, I love it still.

Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss in 22 Nude Kiss here, £1.80

CHALLENGE: OVER BY OCTOBER

My beauty stash is forever growing and, much to my dismay, I can't use up products fast enough to justify buying more; so I'm doing something about it. The easy solution would probably be to stop buying new things, but instead I'm challenging myself to finish off a (fairly hefty) list of products with a deadline: October 1st.

I had a look through every drawer and ended up pulling out quite a few bits which I should have been done with ages ago. Some have just a few uses worth of product left, and others are going to require a bit of work to finish up by the deadline.

I didn't really have a number of products in mind so the list ended up being quite long. I have to say, this post is a little self-indulgent but I needed some motivation. I'll take you through what I'm hoping will be good and empty in a month and a half's time. Let's do this!

The Primers

For someone who professes to "not really get primers", I sure do have a lot of them. 3 out of 4 of these are samples so the list becomes slightly more manageable than it seems at first glance. Even once I'm done with these, I still have way too many on my hands so it is really time to finish up these samples and move on.

Dr Brandt Pores No More Pore Refiner - When I use a pore minimising primer, I usually rotate between this and my Benefit the Porefessional (which still has a very long way to go), but I'm putting the benefit primer away for a while and am solely focusing on Dr Brandt for now. I only use this in the centre of my face, to minimise pores and smooth out the skin.
Benefit Stay Flawless 15 Hour Primer Sample - This one shouldn't be difficult. There is only a tiny bit of product left, and this is probably my favourite of the bunch of the primers I've tried. It is particularly good for oily skin and it comes in a stick making it quick and easy to apply. I may or may not have recently purchased a full size from a blog sale - oops.
Benefit Stay Don't Stray Eyeshadow Primer - When I received this in a beauty subscription I thought the tiny tube would be out of here in a few weeks, but it's really hung around. My oilier than oily lids require a bit more than just this to avoid creasing but the slight tint is good for cancelling out any veins or redness before applying shadows and can also be used under the eyes to prime.
Maybelline Dream Smooth Primer - This silicone-based primer from Maybelline was the first primer that I ever purchased but I haven't used it in a while. It does smooth out the skin, just in a different way. I've used up more than half of it and I'm still not sure how I feel about it.

The Face Products

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder - This is being chucked at the end of the time period - no matter what. This powder smashed a long time ago but for some reason I held onto it even though I only use it occasionally (probably because it is in pieces).
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer - This is a repurchase and a tried and tested favourite of mine. I'm putting this in here because I can tell there's not too much product left and my concealer drawer is bursting at the seams so thought it was best to make some room!
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer - Another concealer which I love but just have too many of. I've had this particular tube for way too long, so I'm going to use up as much as possible and then get rid of this once and for all... I still have a full stash of back-ups in an array of different shades.

The Mascaras

I'm definitely a bit of a hoarder when it comes to mascaras. I'm never really sure when to chuck them so I thought it was time to set a firm expiration date for these three. They've all had their moment in the spotlight of my every-day make-up drawer for various lengths of time. I'll let you know my final consensus on each of them, once they're in the bin, and I'm a harsh critic when it comes to mascara.

Top to Bottom: L'Oreal Voluminous Extra Black Mascara, Benefit They're Real! Mascara Sample, Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Mascara Sample

The Creams

As much as I love my beauty subscriptions, it can leave me with quite a lot of partially used samples which feature heavily in this category I've named "The Creams". I rarely finish any body butter type products because I either use a different one every day or neglect them all. Not any more - September will be the month of the smooth skin!

Whish Lavender Body Butter - I raved about this in my July Favourites video which is why it's almost completely empty. It'll be sad to see it go, but I can't hold onto that last use for much longer. If I'm still missing it in a couple of months I'll get the full size.
Caudalie Day Perfecting Fluid - This is a product which I didn't get on with at first. I initially used it as a day moisturiser when in fact it isn't particularly moisturising at all. I'm still not 100% sure what it is for, except for providing SPF, but nonetheless I've been using it after my moisturiser and it feels nice so it should be gone in no time. It is perfect for topping my Liz Earle Moisturiser during the day which has no SPF.
Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser - An old favourite which seems to have been outshined in recent months but it only has a few uses left so it's getting pushed to the front of the moisturiser line. It has no SPF so it can be used day and night.
The Body Shop Satsuma Body Butter - Another body butter which has been featured in a favourites video, and then forgotten about. This strongly scented body butter is another which only has a tiny amount of product left. The smell of this moisturiser lingers for a while, so perfect if you love that sweet satsuma smell.
Vaseline Essential Moisture Lotion - Just one more body lotion for good measure! This is a cream which just does exactly what it says on the tin - cheap and cheerful. This also has a few uses left in it, so it needs to go!

Okay, that is all. Expect an update post on October 1st - I'm setting a reminder. I think this is definitely going to become a tradition for me if this is a success. I can't be the only one who is need of a little space, so feel free to give this challenge a go too. I'm excited!

WHAT'S IN MY MAKEUP BAG: WEDDING GUEST EDITION

It's been a while since I last did a 'What's in my Makeup Bag?' video (here), and almost every product has changed since then so I thought a nice summer wedding away was the perfect time to do an updated version. Note: I'm still using an Estee Lauder free gift makeup bag... just a different one this time. They are so handy! ;)

A few (only two!?) notable mentions that have stayed consistent since the last video are my MAC Creme Cup lipstick and my Rimmel Scandaleyes eyeliner in Black. That's literally it. Watch below to see why I included all the products shown above.

THE £4 URBAN DECAY NAKED 3 DUPE

The Urban Decay Naked palettes are some of the most loved and purchased eyeshadow palettes out there, but also pretty pricey at £37 a piece. The latest version of the palettes, the Naked 3 has been out for a while and features predominantly rose gold shades.

The high price point of the Naked palettes can turn some people off, and I don't personally own any. I have swatched them in store and the shadows are buttery, soft and pigmented. Google the palettes and you'll get a thousand swatches and reviews. When I heard about MakeUp Revolution's Iconic palettes resembling the Naked palettes at only £4 I knew I had to get my hands on them. I ended up purchasing the Iconic 1 and 3. I've spoken a lot about the Iconic 1 on my channel, but today I'm focusing on the Iconic 3.

The swatches show how good the pigmentation of these shadows are, with the darker shades performing naturally better than the light. Some of the lighter shades don't show up too well on my pale skin - ha. The stand out for me is the rose gold shade corresponding to the much-loved shade Trick in the Naked 3 palette. 

One of the things I've observed about the Naked 3 is that many reviewers have commented that they don't get as much use out of it because it is so focused on those rose gold shades. Although they are gorgeous, it can be slightly one dimensional and may be less versatile than the first two palettes. £37 is a lot of money for a special occasion palette, but £4 is much more reasonable. This palette isn't an everyday staple for me but it's great one to have in my collection. MakeUp Revolution house, in my opinion, some of the best drugstore shadows on the market and this palette is a must-have. 

You can find the palettes on the MakeUp Revolution or Superdrug website. My local Superdrug now even has a stand for the brand, so check yours too. There's a few other gems among the collection. Try some out!

MakeUp Revolution Iconic 3 Palette here, £4

KATNISS EVERDEEN INSPIRED MAKE-UP TUTORIAL

Today's tutorial is inspired by Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games. This look inspired from the film Catching Fire was a bit spontaneous. Hope you like it! (Warning: it's a bit of a rambly one).

MY NEW FAVOURITE £2.80 LIP COMBO

As much as I love splurging on all my favourite high-end brands, I can never say no to a good bargain; and this is a definitely a bargain.

I've found a few gems in the MakeUp Revolution range, and this lipstick is just another to add the list. £1 lipsticks are definitely something I could get used to. This shade is labelled "The One" and it's a gorgeous light pinky nude which is poised to become a staple in my collection. The formula is creamy and easy to apply but works best with a gloss. My gloss of choice is from another budget brand, Essence. A recent trip to my local Wilkinson's and some advantage taking of the current 3 for 2 offer landed me with their XXXL shine lipgloss in 22 Nude Kiss. It's a fairly sheer pink gloss which adds just the right amount of shine to the lip look. They are a budget match made in heaven; I'm definitely going to get tons of wear out of this combo.

I have no reservations recommending this little combo. £2.80? Surely it's worth a shot.

MakeUp Revolution "The One" Lipstick here

Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss in 22 Nude Kiss here 

FOTD: UNDER-EYE HIGHLIGHT

The Kim Kardashian look is one that is difficult to transition onto an average person. The average person in question today is none other than myself. I've watched probably hundreds of videos and read umpteen blog posts on highlighting and contouring. There's always a huge emphasis on getting the right shade of bronzer/contour but not so much on the highlighting part.

Today's face of the day is one I'm quite fond of because of that bright under-eye highlight. It's taken me a while to practise getting the under-eye area highlighted enough to be noticeable but not too much that it's stark white and painfully obvious. A little mixing and matching and it's all gone a bit right today.

Base: Benefit Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer; I have a small sample of this and I've really been loving it. I've never found a primer that I've loved before but I think this may be my favourite I've tried. Works best if your skin is on the oilier side of the spectrum.
Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 53 Light Beige; It's on its last legs but I haven't given up on the bottle yet. Love this stuff.

Concealer: MAC Prolongwear in NC20; you can't go wrong with this stuff. It's my favourite concealer for the lasting power alone; not even mentioning the coverage.
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly; I mixed in a dab of this and I mean a dab. This is the lightest shade and it is light. I bought this when the shade I wanted was out of stock and it is a bit much alone but mixed in with the prolongwear it proved to be a winning combination. Really good for those of us with pale skin.

Powders: NYX HD Studio Finishing Powder; A touch of this powder and you have a flawless finish. It's a staple of mine.
NARS Laguna; another favourite; perfect for bronzing up the skin in no time.
Sleek Face Form Palette in Fair; used the contour shade in this to, well, contour. Just a little.
Milani Blush in Luminoso; adds a little peachy-pink sheen to the cheeks.

Eyes: NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base; an eyeshadow primer is essential for my oily lids.
Rimmel Eyeshadow Paint in Rich Russet; I kept things simple with this long lasting liquid eyeshadow all over the lid.
Make-Up Revolution Iconic 1 Palette; I added a touch of the darker matte brown in this palette through the crease just for some added definition.
L'Oreal Super Liner Perfect Slim; this is my favourite liquid liner in pen form that I've tried. It's very easy to use as it's flexible enough, but not too flexible that it's uncontrollable. I only took this about halfway onto my lid for a subtle wing.
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Pencil in Zero & Demolition; Zero to tightline and Demoltion for the waterline. They do not budge.
Maybelline The Rocket Waterproof Mascara + Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Mascara; one layer of The Rocket makes sure my curl holds all day and then the Estee Lauder mascara adds some extra volume.

Lips: MAC Viva Glam V Lipstick; I picked up a couple of new MAC lipsticks recently and this is the perfect everyday shade.

SECRET LIFE OF A YOUTUBER TAG

It's been a while since I did a tag video on my YouTube channel... so here's my newest one!

MY MOST LOW MAINTENANCE LIP COLOUR

The phrase "my lips but better" gets thrown around a lot in the world of beauty but this one is a tried and tested old favourite of mine (old being the key word - it's looking pretty battered). I'm pretty sure this was the first high end lip product I ever owned, and I liked it so much that I even bought one for my mum! (shame she never uses it - not much of a make-up lover unlike her daughter).

The Clinique chubby sticks were (one of?) the first of their kinds and now every high-end and drugstore brand has a version of their own. But the original is always better, right? Well not always, but this time I think they are. This particular shade 08 Graped-Up is the easiest day-to-day lip colour I own. The formula is creamy, you barely feel it on the lips, and there's no funky smell. The natural colour means that fading goes un-noticeable if you forget to top it up which is so easy and only takes a quick swipe when you do.

Do you have a favourite "my lips but better" shade? Let me know in the comments!

Clinique Chubby Lip Balm in 08 Graped Up here, £17.99

A DRUGSTORE EYE LOOK

I loved filming my last tutorial so much that I'm going for a record. This is my second in two weeks. I really want to start posting up more tutorials and have been practising (as always). I think some of the tutorial inspiration has come from a pretty intense marathon of Shaaanxo's channel. Her tutorials are some of my favourites. Major talent alert.

So, I cracked out my Sleek Storm Palette and put together a mostly drugstore look with just a couple of high end bits used on the face. Hope you enjoy! Let me know if you have any tutorial requests. I'd love some suggestions!

THE MAKEUP TIMER TEST TAG

As soon as I saw this over on Lily Pebbles' blog, I knew I had to do it. The tag involves timing yourself putting on your make-up and I took Lily's advice to not feel rushed and took my time (ha). My time ended up being quite a bit longer than hers. I did however include the time it took to choose a product, and then the time added on when I changed my mind.

I'm a bit of a professional when it comes to fairly natural looks using about a gazillon products. Just the average day in my world of make-up. Here's what I used:

Primer/Foundation: No7 Beautifully Matte Make Up Base / Benefit the Porefessional / Rimmel Match Perfection in Ivory & Soft Beige
Concealer: Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in 2 / MAC Prolongwear in NC20
Bronzer/Blush: Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer / Sleek Face and Contour Kit in Fair / Rimmel Powder Blush in Santa Rose
Brows/Eyes: Rimmel Brow Pencil in Black/Brown / Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette / Cargo Vintage Escape Palette / Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara / Maybelline The Rocket Waterproof Mascara / Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Kajal in Black & Brown / No7 Stay Perfect Mascara
Lips: Modelco Lipstick in Get Naked / NARS Pirée Lipgloss

Just a few bits then. Part of me wants to see how quickly I could do a full face of make-up if I tried. Maybe another day. Clearly, I take my eyeshadow blending oh so very seriously. I feel like I should throw in a few disclaimers for certain times but I'll just leave that to your imagination (aren't you lucky?).

Have you tried this tag? I tag you if you haven't done it yet!