Face of the Day with Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon Eyeshadow Pencil in Champagne Diamonds

Its pretty obvious I love makeup but I am falling in love with it all over again. I don't know whether its the change in seasons, or all the new exciting product launches but I could just spend all day talking about the stuff and slapping it on my face! 

I promise I am not an entirely shallow person!

Face

Foundation

Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk UV Foundation

Love this foundation but I have now used up every last drop. Gives great, long lasting but natural looking coverage.

Concealer

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light Bisque, Josie Maran Argan Creamy Concealer Crayon and 

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

Three concealers, I know completely ridiculous! Basically the Josie Maran crayon is too creamy for blemishes/redness so I rely on my trusty Collection concealer. I like the Josie Maran crayon to highlight but I need a bit more coverage under my eyes so I use it in conjunction with the Bobbi Brown corrector. 

Powder

Charlotte Tilbury Air Brush Flawless Finish Skin Perfecting Micro Powder

This is the best powder I have ever used. It feels like velvet, doesn't cake and keeps oil at bay, the price could bring me to tears though! I hardly have any of this left and although I definitely will buy it again, I  just can't justify the cost while I still have other powders to use up.

Bronzer

The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder

This is a bloody good bronzer, just as good as the Guerlain Terracotta bronzers but a third of the price.

Blush

Physicians Formula Happy Booster Glow and Mood Boosting Blush in Natural

One of my all time favourite blushers. It gives such a beautiful flush to the cheeks which is perfect for this time of year. I also like that it has a bit of shimmer so you don't need a separate highlighter.

Eyes

Eyebrows

Soap & Glory Archery Eyebrow Pencil and L'oreal Brow Artist Plumper

There was a time when you couldn't find any eyebrow products in the 'drugstore' but now there are some really great, affordable ones available. I recommend Archery as an eyebrow pencil to everyone and this brow gel not only keeps your brows in place but also adds a natural tint. 

Eyeshadow

Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon Eyeshadow Pencil in Champagne Diamonds and Trish McEvoy 24 Hour Eyeshadow and Liner in Topaz

I am a little bit lazy when it comes to eyeshadow which is why I love cream eyeshadows. I am particularly loving eyeshadow pencils at the moment (post on its way) and these are two of my favourites. Champagne Diamonds is so sparkly, you really need to see it in person.

Mascara

Tarte Lights Camera Flashes and Clinique Bottom Lash

I have stuck to this mascara combination for months now and wont be changing any time soon.

Lips

Lip Balm

Sephora Kiss Me Balm in Candy Apple

My mum bought me back this lip balm from Sephora and it hasn't left my lips since. I love a tinted lip balm because you get the best of both worlds, colour and moisture. This was such a good discovery, I would definitely recommend trying one if you find yourself in a Sephora.

Tom Ford Cream Colour For Eyes - Platinum and Spice

If you are a makeup devotee like myself, you will know there will always be the one that got away, you might even have a whole list! Over the years my list has reduced, it used to consist of a lot of limited edition MAC collections but I have either managed to track them down, or its been so long that I have given up all hope! There are 2 things  remaining on my list though, Estee Lauder Pink Tease blush and Tom Ford Platinum Cream Colour for Eyes. 

Tom Fords Cream Colour for Eyes were released maybe 2 years ago and Platinum was the shade. I managed to get my hands on one of the shades, Spice but every time I saw Pixiwoo's use Platinum in a video I longed for it. So you can imagine my excitement when I was randomly browsing the 'New In' beauty section of Selfridges website and saw Platinum pop up. Ignoring the fact that we are the wrong side of pay day, I immediately clicked add to basket. 

These cream eyeshadows have a very wet formula and a little bit goes a long way, they also last all day without any kind of primer. Platinum is a golden taupe shade, think of it as Burberry's Pale Barley eyeshadow in liquid form. 

What I love about these is the fact they leave an almost glossy finish on the lids. This is my kind of effortless makeup.

Spice is a much darker, richer, chocolate brown shade. Even though I have used this a lot, I've hardly made a dent. To me Spice is a very Victoria Beckham shade, you know that glossy brown look she always has going on.

Platinum (left) Spice (right)

It looks like Platinum is sold out again on Selfridges website :( but keep an eye out as you never know it might be back again. 

Tom Ford Spice Cream Colour for Eyes available from Selfridges £29.00

Birthday Treats

As I mentioned in my last post, I have now turned the ripe old age of 28...how did I get so old?! I had such lovely presents that I just wanted to share them on here. My family and friends really spoilt me and what was really lovely is that I didn't ask for anything, so these were all surprises <3

Dior Star Foundation

Now normally my Brother gets my present from Tesco the night before my birthday because he has forgotten but this time he came up trumps!

 I had read so many good reviews about the Dior Star foundation and I couldn't wait to try it.

I haven't been using this for long enough to give it a full review but i will say that the coverage is lighter than I expected, but as I don't like heavy foundations that's not a bad thing.

Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon Eyeshadow Pencil in "Champagne Diamonds" for Blue Eyes

Charlotte Tilbury has a corresponding eyeshadow pencil for every eye colour, each designed to emphasise and make your eyes 'pop'. This champagne colour is absolutely beautiful and has some serious glitter packed in it. I love how easy these are to use and they also last all day.

Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in "Bitch Perfect"

My first Charlotte Tilbury lipstick, although do you think my friends were trying to tell me something with the name ;) 

MAC Lipstick in "Nouvelle Vogue"

This is a limited edition shade from MAC but if you hurry you can still find it on counters. My friend Chloe is obsessed with this colour and told me it was the perfect day time, neutral pink and I always trust her opinion when it comes to lipsticks!

Whistles Rosmead Foldover Chain Clutch

I have wanted this bag for so long so it was such a lovely surprise to open this on my birthday. I am in love with this bag but I am just petrified about getting it dirty or staining it, because its suede! Does anyone know if you can spray suede bags to protect them like you would shoes?

Whistles Medium Stingray Clutch

Not one but two Whistles bags, I was well and truly spoilt! You have to see this clutch in person because the pictures really don't do it justice. The stingray leather sparkles in the light, you would think that it was embellished. I know this will be my Christmas party bag, its so classic but I love the modern twist with the Stingray effect. I really have never seen anything like it.

Now I may have turned 28 but childlike fan girl tendencies remain as strong as ever, hence the shirtless Alcide from True Blood figure. My current dilemma is should I keep this at home, or take it to work and keep it on my desk, I just cannot decide! Oh and course Sons of Anarchy Season 6!

As I knew my Mum was going to New York in November I did ask her to bring me something back from Sephora as a present but she also surprised me with this beautiful rose gold chain from Monica Vinader. I cant decide whether to keep it plain or buy a pendant to go on it. 

Lastly I got some candles, its a definite sign of getting old when you love to receive a good smelling candle!

Catch Up

I have been a seriously bad blogger of late. Starting a new job and the minimal hours of daylight we currently have don't help but I wont make excuses! 

I have got lots of new posts lined up but I thought I would start with a catch up post because October was a busy month.

It was fun to help out at the Cosmo Blog awards and meet some fellow bloggers. I also got to try these temporary foil tattoos by Seekers of Sun. I really love how they look and I actually had a lot of people asking me where I had it done. Only downside is that they really don't last longer than two days. 

You can try these yourself at home as they are available from Missguided.

Some unimpressed Pugs came to visit us at work and I hear a rumour that there might be some micro pigs visiting tomorrow! *squeal*

I also got to go to an early preview of the Dark Arts exhibition at the Harry Potter Studio tour in Watford. I have been to the tour before and loved it, so I was really excited to go again. 

The highlight of the evening was that Simon Pegg was also in attendance! I am a massive Spaced fan so seeing him in person was a real *aahhhh* moment! I wish I had got a picture with him but he disappeared before I plucked up the courage to ask :(

Although I'm two years away from turning thirty, I couldn't resist an invitation to a Disney Christmas party! The best thing was buying my friend a massive Lots o' Huggin' bear! 

Now this might seem sad to you but my most exciting moment of the month was seeing my name in print!

Which makes getting crushed outside Oxford Circus every night worth it!

It was also my birthday last month and I turned 28. It was a pretty quiet affair with some drinks and a proper pub roast dinner on the Sunday to feed our hangovers. 

This birthday didn't scare me because after a very difficult year, things are finally starting to turn around.  My twenties haven't been great to be honest, I loved my early twenties but from mid twenties onwards I was just hopelessly lost. I finally feel like I am finding myself again (as cheesy as that sounds).

To celebrate turning 28 I got my hair done after not colouring it for over two years! I was pretty much completely back to my natural colour so I didn't want to do anything drastic. All I did was have some very subtle ombre highlights put in. I didn't want to damage my hair by using bleach so the results are very subtle but I'm really happy with it. As I get older I'm definitely favouring the more natural look, compared to years of dying my hair every colour under the sun!

And I promise I will be back to regular blogging from now on! 

October Favourites

My poor, neglected blog, I have missed you! 

A new job and the lack of daylight have resulted in me seriously slacking on the blog front. I will do a proper catch up post but before its December I thought I better get my October favourites up!

My makeup favourites are a bit boring this month in the sense that there are no colour products, but these are my current staples which I have used religiously all month.

Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk UV Foundation

I will be real with you all here, this foundation is way too dark for me in these Winter months but I only have the tiniest bit left to use up, so I'm just rocking the David Dickinson look for now. 

In all seriousness though this foundation is good and I mean real good! I know everyone raves about Armani's Luminous Silk but if you have combination or oily skin, resulting in your face eating your makeup, then you know you need something with staying power. 

Lasting Silk is the perfect balance, as it does last all day but its not a heavy, cakey foundation at all. It has a good medium coverage with a satin finish, so I do set it with powder in more oily areas. 

Available from John Lewis and currently on offer £31.95

MAC Prep & Prime Skin Base

After using this primer on my Sister for her Wedding day and seeing how amazingly well her makeup lasted (if I do say so myself!) I had to get it.

This combined with the foundation has made my makeup last all day, with no touch ups whatsoever. 

It does smooth out the texture of your skin when you apply it but nothing like that awful Maybelline primer, where I felt I could have ran my finger down my cheek and watched all my makeup slide off! 

I also only noticed the other day that this is slightly glittery, but don't let that put you off as it doesn't translate on the face and I only noticed it on my finger after a good few weeks of daily use!

If you are looking for a primer to extend the wear time of your makeup, you cant go wrong with this.

Available from John Lewis and currently on offer £18.90

Charlotte Tilbury Air Brush Flawless Finish Skin Perfecting Micro-Powder

This is genuinely the nicest powder I have ever used, its also the most expensive! It feels like velvet on your skin, is so finely milled that it docent give you cake face and keeps shine at bay all day. The downside, it costs £33.00 for 8g of powder! Now as you can see I have nearly finished this and I am having a moral dilemma about whether I can justify replacing it. I do genuinely love it, it performs amazingly well and I haven't found a cheaper dupe so.......

Available from Charlotte Tilbury £33.00

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light Bisque

My only love affair right now is with my bed. I cant wait to get home to it after a long day and in the morning it takes all my effort to prise myself away, basically I am really f****** tired.

Concealer just isn't enough for these dark circles so I'm having to use a corrector and a concealer. Quick explanation of a corrector, a corrector will counteract and neutralise colour (i.e dark circles) whereas a concealer will only brighten. So if you use a corrector first to neutralise and then a concealer to brighten, you look bright eyed and bushy tailed. Honestly this stuff is amazing!

Available from John Lewis and currently on offer £17.10

L'Oreal Brow Artist Plumper in Dark Brunette

I actually have a review post planned for this eyebrow gel, so wont go into to much detail but safe to say, I think its really good plus its cheap!

Available from Boots £5.99

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

I have laid down my beloved Real Techniques Buffing Brush in favour of their Miracle Complexion Sponge and I am loving it. 

You need to wet the sponge before using it but make sure you squeeze out all the excess water. Then all you do is pat your foundation on, trick is not to rub or drag the sponge but  bounce and pat along your face as you go. I also use this to blend in my concealer, as it gives such a flawless finish. I find the sponge just blends all my makeup so well and with minimal effort. 

Also I should probably point out that I have the Beauty Blender sponge which is a lot more expensive but I actually prefer this one due to the flat side.

Available from Boots £5.99

Herbal Essences Clearly Naked Shine Shampoo and Volume Conditioner

Is it sad that I get excited when Herbal Essences release a new shampoo? Don't answer that!

My excitement didn't go to waste because I love their new Naked line. I love that cheaper brands are now creating new shampoos without all the nasty chemicals and this leaves my hair feeling so clean and shiny. Love this stuff.

Available from Boots £3.99 each

Colab Dry Shampoo London Classic Fragrance

As a rule me and dry shampoo don't get on. Having dark hair, they have always left my hair looking ashy and my hair always felt dirtier after using them. This is why its kind of a big deal that I have finally found a dry shampoo I like, love in fact! 

Colab dry shampoo claims to be invisible, now I will say its not totally invisible. If you spray too much or too close to your hair, there is a white residue but its very light and actually blends in. If you do just lightly spray your hair all over however, then yes it actually is invisible! 

Its also really light so it doesn't feel disgusting and powdery in your hair but it actually does absorb the oil and better than any other dry shampoo I have tried. Finally it smells amazing and I am referring to the London fragrance here, there are other scents but this is by far my favourite. I actually have to do that sneaky try not to get caught smelling your own hair thing when wearing this.

If my rave above wasn't proof enough, then maybe the fact that I went to Superdrug and stocked up on 4 cans of the stuff is!

Available from Superdrug currently on offer £2.32 FYI not sold in Boots :'(

Cosmopolitan Magazine

I am clearly bias but I do love this magazine. Its been just over a month since I started working there and I am so happy. I feel so proud to work for Cosmopolitan especially as its a magazine that I have read myself for years! Also I love December's Christmassy Taylor cover. 

Side note, anyone have her new album? Guilty pleasure but my favourite song on there at the moment is 'Style'.