CURRENT BEAUTY FAVOURITES | 10

The time has come for another favourites post - since I've been fairly naughty and bought one too many pretty things this past month or two.  As summer is very much here at last, I've been loving bright colours and glowy skin, as you can see from the bits that I've picked here!

Benefit Sunbeam is a great alternative to regular highlighter in summer, as it has a golden glow rather than a more iridescent one which goes well with bronzer and gives a lovely sun kissed look to the skin.  I apply this is the same places I would highlighter, for example my cheekbones, and it's subtle, light and reflective without being shimmery.  As with all of the Benefit liquid pots like this one, a little goes a very long way which therefore means this will last absolutely ages.

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Photo Edition Foundation (oil free) has replaced the traditional Silk Creme, and as far as I can tell has divided opinion in the blogger world!  I however really love it, and my skin seems to prefer this oil free version.  I've had no break outs from it, and the look is still as perfect as the original was - medium to full coverage with a natural looking dewy matte (if that makes sense) finish.

I have already sung this palette's praises, but Maybelline The Nudes deserves some more!  This selection of neutral shades both matte and shimmery are perfect for putting together all  kinds of looks from day to night, and I've been using it everyday to compliment my bronzer and create a summery yet smokey eye.  

Essie Fiesta has been on my toes for weeks already!  This is the perfect Barbie pink shade, and it brings out my tan (fake or real) very nicely.  The formula of Essie polishes is pretty much second to none, and although I usually opt for Barry M, I couldn't resist this shade and when applying it it's easy to see why it's at the higher end of the scale.  

Last but most definitely not least is MAC Full Fuchsia, which is one of their amplified lipsticks which has a more matte finish.  I was really slow to the MAC party, but I can officially say that I'm well and truly sold on it now!  The variety of colours they have is unreal, and this pink in particular is bright, bold and unapologetically girly - win win.  

Let me know what you have been loving this month, have you tried any of these products? xx

REVIEW | Laura Mercier Radiance Primer

Hey!  So during a recent shopping trip (of course), I went on the hunt for a new primer.  I had heard good things about the Laura Mercier Radiance Primer but experience has taught me that what some people love won’t always be right for me, so I opted for the smaller sized tube.  I have been using it for around two weeks so far and I only need a small pea sized amount, so even this smaller size will last me a long time I think. 

The consistency is fairly thin and it applies well when I use my fingers, but it sinks in pretty quickly so you have to be a bit swift!  I really like the base it gives me for my foundation, it helps it to last longer without slipping or sliding off of my face.  At the moment I am using it with Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation, and it makes my skin a fair bit more healthy looking, like a lit-from-within effect which is of course a good thing!  One of the biggest problems that I have with my skin is that it can look dull and generally unhealthy, and I’ve found that using this primer as a base for the rest of my make up has really helped to perk it up and make it look more glowy.  This Radiance Primer has already become a staple in my make up bag, and I really cannot fault it at all, I would definitely recommend trying this if you are looking for a new primer.

Have you tried Laura Mercier Radiance Primer?  What do you think of it? xx

FOTD Friday

Hydraluron Moisture Booster, No.7 Beautiful Skin Day Cream, Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation, Benefit Rockateur Blusher, Collection Lasting Perfecting Concealer, Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder, Rimmel Stay Matte Powder, L’Oreal Miss Manga Mascara, Maybelline Lasting Drama eyeliner, Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti, HD Brows eyebrow palette.

Hey!  I thought I would start posting FOTDs on fridays, mainly because it adds a bit of structure to my blog as a weekly post and also because I can show me wearing the products that I review.  Also, Friday is generally my day off so it’s an all round good day for blogging! 

So, this is my current face and the look I have been going for day to day, minus the lip butter!  My last blog post was a review of the HD Brows palette, so this is a good time to show what it looks like on.  As you can see I do like a bold brow, which is just my personal taste, and the shades in HD Brows makes it so easy to shape and fill them in exactly how you want them.  This is the closest I have ever come to having a perfect match colour wise too, so I am really happy that I have HD Brows in my life finally!  My trusty Laura Mercier Silk Creme is still going strong, everyone loves this foundation it seems and I am no different, except it is starting to run low now and I am becoming tempted to try something new…..NARS Sheer Glow I am looking in your direction.  Benefit Rockateur is a great day to day blusher, it is a soft rose gold shade that gives a lovely glowy but subtle colour.  My new favourite product is the little wonder that is L’Oreal Miss Manga mascara; I picked it up in Boots simply because it was on offer at £5.99 I think, but I have been so impressed with it!  I will do a separate review of it but I can tell you now that I am seriously impressed! 

What products have you been loving lately?  If you have any thoughts on NARS Sheer Glow please let me know! xx

Sarah x

FOTD | ft. Rimmel & Laura Mercier

Hey :).  So…this is my face lately..!  The general look I stick to is the same but I have (for the 358234059.0897th time) changed foundation, and am currently trying out Rimmel Match Perfection which I know has had a lot of blogger love lately.  Another most welcome addition to my routine is a splurge in the form of Laura Mercier Secret Camoflage Powder, which I will review in full very soon but I will just say now that it has been a serious game changer!  Really good stuff.  Another change is my mascara, I usually never stray from my favourite Maxfactor ones, but a hurried shop one morning led me to get this Scandaleyes one from Rimmel.  I have never had much luck with Rimmel mascaras before, but this one is pretty good so far so I have decided to carry on using it for now.

I forgot to include the lipstick in the photo, but it is a new addition again by Maybelline which again deserves its own review.  It is brighter than it looks in this photo, and I was really pleasantly surprised to find a new type of lip product that I loved as much as my Revlon Lip Butters.  But anyway, a full review will give this new little gem the attention it deserves!

This photo was taken a couple of days ago, to be precise the first day when I started to notice the onset of my annual winter girl-flu (as opposed to man flu, which is no worse yet has more of a drama made about it), so to me I look bloody awful here!  I have since come down with a cold which I could have predicted, and I never really moan about them but each time I get sick with one I can 100% guarantee that it will result in the complete loss of my voice.  This has happened for as long as I can remember really, I must just have a really weak throat…….  So anyway, I took a few days off from the whole blogging thing, but I didn’t take any time off work which in hindsight was really stupid of me as going in to work mute for three days is obviously a bit odd to say the least.  Needless to say, I have endured days of my friends and colleagues taking the piss out of my feeble little croaks of communication!  And the main reason why I endured this and took no time off?  Because I couldn’t decide how I would be able to call in sick if I had no voice…my boss would have picked up the phone and heard a few deep little grunts and most likely have passed my number on to the police.  Naturally I now realise that I was just really stupid for not even considering getting someone else to call in for me!  Obviously I know that a cold is nothing in comparison to loads of other things, but I guess that at the time it seemed like the most annoying thing in the world! 

So now I’m sat at home slightly less hoarse but much redder in the face, writing up this post that on reflection is actually more about me moaning than anything else!  xx

Sarah x

FOTD | Current Daytime Look ft. Benefit & Laura Mercier

Hello (: !  I haven’t done a FOTD post in quite a while, so I thought I would do one today and show that I actually wear the products that I have been reviewing lately!  So basically here is a list of what I am wearing on my face in the photo:

Hydraluron Moisture Booster, Origins A Perfect World Moisturiser, L’Oreal Studio Secrets Primer, Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation, Benefit Rockateur Blusher, GOSH Brow Pen, Maybelline Lasting Drama Eye Liner, MaxFactor Masterpiece Max Mascara & Topshop Lipstick in Saint.

I know that I have only just bought a certain Illamasqua Skin Base foundation, which I love, but I have reached for my Laura Mercier Silk Creme again because I just thought I would give it another chance, having not been blown away by it in the past.  I am currently torn between the two, I like them both a lot, but for different reasons!  Just as well that there is no rule saying I have to stick to only the one base..!

The photo doesn’t show it too well, but Rockateur gives a very soft rose gold glow.  It’s very subtle compared to the other Benefit blushers, but I am enjoying using it for a every day look. 

I am also wearing my latest lipstick, which I reviewed yesterday.  I really like it and it makes a nice change to wear a nude shade rather than coral for once!

What are your favourite make up products this week? xx