Face of the Day with Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in Starstruck

So after my natural, post holiday Face of the Day yesterday, today I have the polar opposite! I was feeling very Autumnal and went to town with a smoky bronze eye and deeper lip. 

I actually really love this look and can already tell I will be re-creating it a lot. 

I am starting a new job tomorrow at Cosmopolitan magazine (ahhhhh!) and one of the things I am really excited about is getting to wear slightly more daring makeup. My previous office job wasn't really strict on dress code but in a sea of grey and beige, anything out of the ordinary stood out!

Face

Primer

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer

I'm down to my last few drops of this and even though I was using a long wear foundation, I like to wear a primer just to prep my skin. 

Foundation

Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk UV Foundation

What I love about this foundation is that its long wearing but not heavy. Most long wearing foundations feel and look like a mask on your skin, this is the only one I have found that gives a pretty natural finish. 

Under Eye Concealer 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Brush on Glow BB Highlighter

To brighten those pesky dark circles!

Bronzer

The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder in Shade 03

I wear bronzer all year round but now we are reaching the Winter months I wanted one that was a bit paler. I have heard a lot of rave reviews about this Body Shop bronzer and I can verify its worth the hype! I think its very comparable to the Guerlain bronzers which cost £30+ and the shade range is great for paler skins!

Powder

Rimmel Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder

Best budget powder out there, controls shine without giving you cake face.

Highlighter

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Rose Gold

Still loving this highlight after my review here. I just love the warm glow it gives my skin.

Eyes

Eyeshadow Primer

NARS Pro Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

I always wear an eyeshadow primer because it helps my eyeshadow last all day. I apply this all over my lid and also underneath my lower lash line. 

Eyeshadow

Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette - Starstruck

This is the perfect Autumnal eyeshadow palette. All of the shades are buttery soft and bright, the top left colour 'Fallen' is bar my favourite. 

For this look I used 'Fallen' all over my lid and blended it underneath my lower lash line. To add some darkness to the outer corner I used 'Pagan Poetry' (bottom left) and 'Hermit' (bottom right). 'Hermit' looks a bit intimidating but the red mixed with the brown just adds a beautiful warmth, perfect for blue/green eyes. I don't think this palette is available anymore but her Monarch palette looks similar.

Eyeliner

MAC Teddy Eye Kohl

Sticking with the warm brown tones, I used a brown eyeliner rather than a black. Brown is less harsh than black and will also emphasise blue eyes. 

Mascara

Tarte Lights Camera Flashes and Clinique Bottom Lash

Sticking with my favourite mascara combination of the moment.

Eyebrows

Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil in Soft Brunette and Illamasqua Brow and Lash Gel

As both my eyes and lips were quite dark I wanted to keep my eyebrows on the lighter side. That's why I love the Hourglass pencil, because its soft and never looks harsh. 

Lips

Lip Liner

MAC Burgundy Lip Liner

I wasn't planning on wearing a lip liner but because I had patted my lipstick on with my finger, I needed to use one to stop it bleeding. Any dark lip liner will do, I just think MAC have the biggest colour variety.

Lipstick

Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 107

Its back! Is it sad that I was mainly excited for Autumn because I get to wear this lipstick again?! This lipstick costs £5.49 but its just as good as any MAC lipstick. Its a dark red berry colour but if you want to wear it a bit lighter like I have in these pictures, just lightly pat on your lips and blend with your finger. Honestly if you want to revamp your makeup bag for Autumn, this is the one thing you need. 

Face of the Day with Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in 'Nude-ist'

With my tan fading rapidly, I have been trying to make the most of that post holiday glow. As much as I love applying my makeup, it is nice to wear less foundation and give your skin a bit of a break every now and then.

Having said that, I have another Face of the Day post for tomorrow which is very Autumnal! 

Face

Foundation

No7 Instant Radiance Foundation

I used to use a lot of No7 makeup when I was younger. I loved their mascaras and there was one particular lipstick that I was obsessed with. I very rarely visit the No7 counter these days, its probably because I'm a magpie and their branding just doesn't stand out to me. 

I have had this foundation for a while but because its quite a dark shade, I can only wear it when I have a tan. I took this foundation with me on holiday and have been wearing it ever since. This really gives my skin a lovely glow and the coverage is light enough that my freckles show through. 

No7 have such a huge foundation range now maybe I shouldn't be passing them by!

Available from Boots £12.50

Under Eye Concealer

Estee Lauder Double Wear Brush on Glow BB Highlighter

Every beauty brand and their mother have their own version of the highlighter clicky pens, which all started with YSL's Touche Eclat. To be honest, in general they are all much of a muchness but this Estee Lauder one does provide some extra coverage as well as highlighting, which is always a winner.

Available from Boots £23.50

Bronzer

MAC Extra Dimension Bronzer in Alluring Aquatic

Limited edition and no longer available I'm afraid, but as you can see I'm nearing the end now anyway. This bronzer isn't completely matte and it almost has a slight sheen to it, this translates well on the skin giving a very subtle glow. If MAC re-releases these bronzers I recommend trying them out.

Highlight

MAC Cream Colour Base in Improper Copper

This is one of those products that stays in my drawer all year round but I get it out every time I go on holiday. As the name suggests, this is a copper toned highlighter which looks amazing on darker skin tones. As you can tell when I have a tan I'm all about that Victoria's Secret esque glow.

Available from MAC £15.50

Eyes

Eyebrows

Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil and Illamasqua Brow and Lash Gel

I have gone back to my favourite combination, just because I hate doing my eyebrows and the Hourglass pencil makes the whole process a lot quicker!

Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil Available from John Lewis £26.00

Illamasqua Brow and Lash Gel Available from Illamasqua £11.50

Eyeshadow Base

NARS Pro Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

My favourite eye primer, allows my eyeshadow to last all day.

Available from John Lewis £19.50

Eyeshadow

MAC Tan Pigment

When it comes to loose pigments, I generally don't have much time for them because it can all get a bit messy. However there a few pigments by MAC which are worth the hassle because the colour payoff is so beautiful and impossible to achieve from a pressed eyeshadow. Tan is one of those colours and my favourite. If I did a MAC starter kit post, this would definitely be in there!

Available from MAC £17.00

Mascara

Tarte Lights Camera Flashes and Clinique Bottom Lash

Still loving this mascara combination, so annoying that you cant get the Tarte mascara in the UK but Benefit's They're Real gives a similar effect.

Tarte Lights Camera Flashes Available from Sephora $23.00

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara Available from Boots £13.00

Lips

Lipstick

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in 07 'Nude-ist'

My friend at work recommended this to me and it sounded right up my street,

Pinky/brown natural colour, check

Matte finish, check

This is like a liquid lipstick but its completely matte and extremely pigmented. The colour is perfect for me and I love how long lasting this is. It almost stains your lips and even as it fades it still looks good. They do these in brighter colours as well which I imagine are just as beautiful but I'm happy with my natural, everyday colour.

Available from Boots £8.99

Bridal Makeup - My Sister's Wedding

Last month I had the amazing but also nerve wracking job of doing my Sister's wedding makeup. 

Beforehand we did go to a Bobbi Brown makeup trial, which I would highly recommend. The trial gave me a lot of tips and tricks to help achieve a flawless, yet natural base. For the eyes we both preferred a more gold/bronzy look so I got to experiment a little! 

I thought I would share the products I used, along with a few tips and tricks you can use if you are doing your own, or someone else's makeup on the big day!

Can you see the concentration on my face?!

Although we were pushed for time and I did have a major panic that I was going to have to turn up with no makeup on my own face, I was so happy with how Emma's makeup turned out. She looked absolutely beautiful, I may be bias but I don't think I have ever seen a more radiant looking bride! 

I put that down to a combination of my makeup and of course all those sequins!

With Wedding makeup one of the biggest things you have to consider is photography. Flash photos and SPF don't work well together. The SPF causes a flashback and you end up with a really pale ghost face. This was one of the reasons we went for NARS Sheer Glow Foundation. It has no SPF, provides a good medium coverage, lasts well and photographs beautifully.

As we wanted the base to be flawless, I also used the Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick on any areas that needed extra coverage. I have never tried these Foundation Sticks before but I was impressed at how well they cover, whilst still looking very natural.

Primer

MAC Prep & Prime Skin (this primer is amazing!) and Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray (sprayed before I applied any makeup and again once I had finished)

Foundation

NARS Sheer Glow in Fiji and Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick in Warm Sand in areas which needed more coverage (cheeks, chin, round the nose)

Concealer

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light Bisque under the eyes with the Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit over the top.

Powder

Charlotte Tilbury Air Brush Flawless Finish Powder in Medium

Bronzer

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow

Blusher

Benefit Dandelion Blush and Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Pink Quartz

Highlighter

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light

Eyebrows

MAC Eyeshadow in Omega, used very lightly just to fill out the ends of the eyebrows

Eyeshadow Primer

NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

Eyeshadow

MAC shadows in 'All That Glitters' all over the lid, 'Mulch' in the crease and outer corner and 'Embark' smudged over the top of the eyeliner. I also used 'Blazing Star' from the Bobbi Brown Sand palette for a little bit of sparkle on the centre of the lid. 

Eyeliner

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Caviar Ink. I applied a thin line of this along the top lash line and smudged out with MAC Embark eyeshadow. A tiny bit was also applied underneath the lower lash line.

Mascara

Benefit They're Real and Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara. I also used some individual lashes by Eylure to add volume.

Lips

Bobbi Brown Sheer Lip Colour in Peachy with L'Oreal L'Extraordinaire Liquid Lipstick in Nude Ballet. Throughout the day we touched up with Bobbi Brown Brightening Lip Gloss in Nectar

Out of everything I used, these are my three must have products for any bridal makeup. 

The Urban Decay Setting Sprays really extend the wear time of your makeup. I was super impressed at how long Emma's makeup lasted and I definitely think this was a big part of that. 

Lashes wise, I think individual lashes are the only way to go. Whilst they are a bit more fiddly than strip lashes, they are so much more natural looking and just add some fullness without anyone knowing you are wearing them.

For the radiant Bride look, a good highlight is a must. The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light is my new favourite product and I have to say my favourite part of the whole makeup. This just makes your skin look like its glowing from within and photographs beautifully.

As well as doing Emma's makeup, I also did my Mums makeup. Like my Sister, I wanted her to look natural and radiant. My Mum has always been a big Bobbi Brown fan so naturally we used some of her favourite products. 

For foundation I used the Urban Decay Naked Skin foundation, which like NARS Sheer Glow has no SPF. The Marc Jacobs Lolita palette was the perfect neutral eyeshadow palette to use and those Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks give some serious wedding glow! Just like my Sister, my Mum looked beautiful.

Primer

MAC Prep & Prime Natural Radiance in Radiant Pink and Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray (sprayed before I applied any makeup and again once I had finished)

Foundation

Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation

Concealer

Estee Lauder Double Wear Brush-On Glow BB Highlighter used under the eyes to brighten

Powder

Chanel Natural Finish Loose Powder

Bronzer

Bobbi Brown Brightening Blush in Bronze

Blusher

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Nude

Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick in Sand Dune, I used this cream eyeshadow as a primer with the Marc Jacobs Lolita Palette on top.

Mascara

Maybelline Falsies Mascara (Waterproof)

Eyebrows

MAC Lingering Eyebrow Pencil

Lips

Edward Bess Defining Lip Liner in Natural with Marc Jacobs Lip Gel in Role Play and Revlon Super Lustrous Lip gloss in Snow Pink

I would share with you the makeup that I wore but I honestly have no idea as it was rather hurriedly slapped on! 

It was an unforgettable day and I'm so happy that I got to be a part of it. 

Face of the Day with Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayon in On the Beach

Its only recently that I've noticed how I change my makeup with the seasons. In the Autumn/Winter months I love a red lip, sheer red balm for day and a dark matte red in the evenings. I tend to wear heavier, more grungy eye makeup and in general I just slap a hell of a lot more stuff on my face.

In Spring/Summer the first thing I change is my foundation and I switch to something a lot lighter. My eye makeup also becomes lighter and I opt for more shimmery colours. My lip colour switches from reds to more girly pinks and nudes. Its just funny how you don't realise you are gradually making all these little changes.

Face

Foundation

Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation in B30

I love this foundation and in some ways think I do prefer it to my beloved Vitalumiere Aqua. I like to wear this in the evenings, as although it feels really light on the skin, it actually has quite a good medium coverage. 

Concealer

Estee Lauder Double Wear Brush on Glow BB Highlighter in 2W

I really am starting to get paranoid about my dark under eye circles! If you have any good under eye concealer recommendations let me know!

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage in SC3

Industrial strength concealer for spots and redness.

Bronzer

Chanel Moisturising Bronzing Powder in 62 Terre Epice

I haven't been loving this lately, its just a bit too dark and a bit too orange toned for my pale skin right now. The bronzer from the MAC Alluring Aquatic collection on the other hand, beautiful and natural looking.

Highlighter

Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Powder in Candlelight

Will I ever get bored of this? Nope!

Eyes

Eyebrows

Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil in Soft Brunette and Illamasqua Brow and Lash Gel

Another combination I will never tire of.

Eyeshadow

Estee Lauder Pure Colour Stay on Shadow Paint in Pink Zinc

I'm unsure about these cream eyeshadows by Estee Lauder. I love the colour of Pink Zinc, but I'm not a fan of the mousse like consistency and find it takes a bit of work to get the colour even. I wouldn't buy any more of these, but its a pretty shade to slap on when you are in a hurry.

Eyeliner

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner

I went to town and did a teeny tiny winged eyeliner, go me! I do love this Stila eyeliner for its fine nib but I think it might be a little too fine, as the tip of mine is already breaking down and going all fuzzy :(

Mascara

MAC Opulash Mascara

Still loving this at the moment, mainly for its amazing lasting power and zero smudginess!

Lips

Lip Crayon

Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayon in On the Beach

I haven't worn this since last year and forgot what a pretty light pink/coral shade it was. These lip crayons by Bourjois feel really nice on the lips and leave a slightly glossy finish, without feeling sticky. They are currently on offer in Boots at the moment for £6.99 and I highly recommend checking these out instore.

Lazy Sunday Face of the Day with Origins VitaZing Moisturiser

Ahh Sundays, the one day of the week its socially acceptable to stay in your PJ's till lunchtime. 

Even if I am just lazing round the house, I tend to still wear makeup but I just skip a few steps out. 

I mentioned in my April favourites that I had been loving Origins VitaZing moisturiser, this is a perfect Sunday face product. VitaZing is a very lightly tinted moisturiser. It looks like any normal moisturiser but when you start blending it on your skin the tint is released. Its not enough to cover any imperfections on your skin but it evens out the overall tone and gives you a nice healthy glow, plus its nice to give your skin a break from foundation every now and then.

Face

Base

Origins VitaZing Moisturiser

Concealer

Estee Lauder Double Wear Brush on Glow BB Highlighter in 2W

I have been looking quite dark under the eyes recently after one too many late nights, so a brightening concealer is a must. I was too lazy to use a separate concealer, so I also used this on any other areas I needed extra coverage.

Bronzer

Chanel Moisturising Bronzing Powder in 62 Terre Epice

To add some warmth to my face. I have to say though, I have used better bronzers than this one.

Powder

Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot

I just used a bit of powder on my t-zone and chin area to mattify any shine. 

Blush

Milani Illuminating Face Powder in Beauty's Touch

I have so many other blushers I could use but I just cant stop using this. I love the sheer flush of colour this gives and the highlight leaves such a pretty glow. 

Eyes

Eyebrows

Benefit Gimme Brow in Light/Medium

Gimme Brow is great if you are in a rush and just want to fill in you brows lightly. Its tinted and has tiny fibers which cling to your eyebrow hair and fill in any sparse areas. 

Eyeshadow

By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Frozen Quartz

If I could buy every Ombre Blackstar, in every colour available I would. You should know by now how much I love these cream eyeshadows and Frozen Quartz is such a pretty light pink shade, perfect for making you look more awake. 

Mascara

MAC Opulash

Don't be fooled by the limited edition packaging, Opulash is one of MAC's permanent mascaras. I like it because it lasts all day and doesn't smudge or flake on me at all.

Lips

Tanya Burr Lipgloss in Picnic in the Park

I did a review on the Tanya Burr Lipglosses here. I was actually pleasantly surprised by them but wasn't fussed by the colours I chose online. As they are now available in Superdrug I had a look at them in person and picked up two more, Picnic in the Park and Lets Travel the World. 

I love Picnic in the Park, its such a pretty, bright but sheer pink colour, much more my style. 

Ok its now almost 2pm and I'm still in my PJ's......oh well!

Face of the Day with By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Misty Rock

Trust me when I say this is not what I look like right now. I had about 4 hours sleep last night and I am looking pretty horrific! No one needs to see a Face of the Day of my look right now, trust me.

Face 

Foundation

Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet in B30

I have done a full review on this foundation here but in summary I really love it, especially as I don't need to powder with it!

Concealer

Estee Lauder Double Wear Brush on Glow BB Highlighter in 2W

Another new product that I am really impressed with. This really brightens the under eye area, whilst still providing coverage and as its a Double Wear product, it really lasts on your skin.

Laura Mercer Secret Camouflage in SC3

You can see I've massively 'hit pan' on this concealer. Honestly its the best for spots and redness, proper industrial strength stuff!

Bronzer

Chanel Moisturising Bronzing Powder in 62 Terre Epice

I finally finished my Guerlain bronzer and I decided that seeing as I've had this bronzer for almost 3 years, I really should use it up! This isn't as easy to use as my Guerlain, as this does have quite an orange tone to it. It works really well in the Summer but at the moment I cant wear a blusher and use this because its a bit much!

Highlighter

Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Powder in Candlelight

Nothing else comes close, I truly am addicted to this highlighter. I sweep it along my 'cheek bones', down the centre of my nose, under my eyebrows and in the inner corners of my eyes.

Eyes

Eyeshadow 

By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Misty Rock

I am going to do a whole post dedicated to these By Terry Ombre Blackstars tomorrow, so I wont go into too much detail, but this colour Misty Rock is aaaa-mazing. 

Mascara

MAC Opulash Mascara

Although this is in limited edition packaging, Opulash is one of MAC's permanent mascaras. The brush is massive, as big as my eye but that's not why I love this mascara. I love it because this stuff lasts all day, it doesn't smudge, flake, or disappear from your lashes and its not even a waterproof formula!

Eyebrows

Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil in Soft Brunette and Illamasqua Brow and Lash Gel

The dream team is back!

Lips

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita

Words cannot describe how much I love this colour, definitely my favourite of all the NARS pencils I've tried so far. It reminds me of the lip colour Rachel McAdams wears in the Notebook. 

Side note, you know you have a makeup problem when you can't watch a film without wondering what lipstick someone is wearing!

Matte lips are my favourite, matte over gloss any day of the week but I just love this subtle, muted red. Its very effortless.