On My Face #3

What's On My Face: Winter Party Edition

 

I haven't done a FOTD type post in ages now and I thought what better time to talk about a load of makeup products than when the party season is in full swing. These above are some of the products I used to create a winter party appropriate look last night and will probably continue to repeat throughout the month for the remainder of celebrations left to come.

I started with a little sample of MAC's Prep + Prime for my base, I really like this and will no doubt end up buying the full size when it runs out. The Prep + Prime is unlike the primers I have tried before in the way that this feels quite soothing almost like a second moisturiser rather than that odd texture of my Porefessional from Benefit. For my foundation I stuck with my favourite Nars Sheer Glow which is what I will usually reach for on a evening out or when I'm making a bit more of an effort with my makeup. I've written a review of the foundation here if you're interested to hear more of my thoughts about it. Normally I would have popped a bit of powder ontop but my skins pretty dry at the moment so I set it with spray at the end instead.

To brighten my under-eye area of course the Touche Eclat from YSL came to my rescue, I like to apply this with a beauty blender type sponge I think the one I've got was just a cheap one from Superdrug as I don't own a proper beauty blender. To warm my face up I always rely on my Nars Laguna Bronzer, I take this on a big Real Techniques powder brush and dust it to all the areas of my face that would naturally get more colour. For a touch more colour and a tad of shimmer I used MAC Warm Soul which is a gorgeous rose gold blush, full post here. And to highlight I used Nars Copacabana Illuminator which I will also link a full review to here.

After priming my lids I went in with MAC Sumptous Olive eyeshadow which is a stunning hybrid of gold and khaki green. This is a lovely shade for those who are perhaps a bit like myself fearful of 'colourful' eyeshadows because it isn't an out there kind of green due to the golden tones. This is quite shimmery which added to the festive green colour makes it an ideal option for a winter party makeup look. I did last minute decide to go in with a bit of liquid eyeliner which I didn't photohrapgh. For mascara I used YSL Babydoll Mascara which is gorgeous for nights out as it makes your lashes so black and dramatic. Brows are always left to Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade which I've confessed my love for here.

Finally the star of the show for me was my latest Nars Audacious Lipstick Audrey. Audrey is the perfect red wine coloured lipstick, its definitely unlike the other red lipsicks I own as its quite deep and almost leans berry toned. Quite a lot of deep reds have that brown undertone to them which I'm not really too keen on but I think Audrey is still more of a red but sits more on the red berry toned scale of things. Its quite a vampy red which I love and it definitely makes a statement. Again the formula of this lipstick is incredible - so opaque in like one swipe. And just becuase I'm a bit of a perfume junkie I thought I'd include my choice of scent for a typical winter party and that is Jo Malone Velvet Rose & Oud - a delicious evening fragrance that I've also reviewed before on the blog here.

QOTD: What products will be on your face for the winter party season?

Monthly Favourites: November 2014

 

I can sense that a lot of favourites will be a bit premature this month as it seems that everyone is highly anticipating the new one to begin! I've held on for as long as I could but November is almost over which means its nearly time for my favourite month of the year and it also means its time to talk a brand new bunch of favourites! I'm so excited for December and all the festivities to really kick in. In November I didn't have many makeup favourites as my skin has been playing up lately so I've been toning down the makeup and skincare in a bid to restore it back to a happier state. However I've been really loving lots of bath and body products over the last month as you will see when I get into all of these lovelys.

 

The Body Shop Glazed Apple Body Butter.
If you caught my recent Body Shop haul you may already know that I picked up their new Glazed Apple body butter. I'm a sucker for TBS body butters, there's always one (or two) on the go in my bathroom so I was very excited to learn about their new festive collections hitting the shops with three limited edition body butters being introduced.  I never thought that the Glazed Apple scent would float my boat however I surprised myself and it was the scent I liked most - sharp but sweet - I've written a full review on this here if you want to find out more about it, but basically I've been loving it.

The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector.
Another item from TBS I have loved during November has been their Hemp hand cream. I received this as part of a gift set for free when I spent over £30 in store recently and I've been using it daily on my hands since. Even though we haven't really experienced harsh winter conditions so far yet in England, my hands are always the first tell-tale sign that my skin is becoming dry and a bit neglected. This Hemp Hand Protector is probably the least greasy feeling yet moisture giving hand cream I've ever tried. I'm not even sure if that makes sense, but basically this isn't at all sloppy and yet it makes my hands so soft and nourished. I've got a full product review coming up with this soon so stay tuned.

Lush Snow Fairy Massage Bar.
Talking of greasy feeling products links me in nicey to my next product, Snow Fairy Massage bar which is the complete opposite of the Hemp hand cream as this is extremely greasy feeling. Generally speaking I'm not really one for excessively oily products, however on saying that I have really noticed the benefits of using a massage bar. I carry quite a lot of weight in my hips/lower body which can quite often lead me to getting back ache and when applying this to my lower back it helps release some of that tension. Its also a really nice treat for when your muscles are a bit sore after working out too. The only down side I would say to this is that it isn't cheap and you don't really get a lot of uses from it - I've already had to stock up on a second one of these. This also has a glittery bit to it too which doesn't bother me too much but might not be for everyone's tastes.

 

Lush Rose Jam Shower Gel.

Another product from Lush and hands down my favourite shower product of the month was their Rose Jam shower gel. This is absolutely gorgeous, and for those of you who are familiar with the Snow Fairy shower gel but find it too sweet, Rose Jam is a milder more flowery alternative to enjoy in your showers before Christmas. I really love this rosy yet festive shower treat from Lush.

 

YSL Black Opium.

My final 'smelly' favourite of November is my most recent perfume purchase and this is Yves Saint Laurent's new release Black Opium. I've been absolutely obssessed with the gorgeous smell of Black Opium since getting it and its definitely become my latest winter fragrance, particularly for evening wear - its going to be well used with the upcoming party season. I also think that the bottle is stunning, I love the glittery packaging it looks super chic and quite festive too. Obviously describing scents is a personal thing but I've written a full review on the perfume here if you want to find out my thoughts on it.

 

Nars Luster Blusher.

My only beauty favourite of the month is Nars Luster blush, as I mentioned above my skin is acting up big time so I've been trying to limit the amount of products I'm using while I try and figure out exactly what the problem is. However on days when I think my skin is looking like it needs a bit of a healthy boost this blush has been perfect. Described as a 'sheer golden apricot' Luster gives me a nice wash of colour. I would say Luster is a subtle peach blush without those strong pinky tones that a lot of blush has, instead it does have that gold shimmer to it which looks very beautiful. This is also a really versatile shade, you can pair pretty much any lip/eye combo with it and it goes.

 

 

QOTD: What have you loved in November? Are you excited for the new month to arrive?



 

Nars Copacabana Illuminator

 

One thing that I've noticed of late is that my skin seems to play havoc when the seasons change and especially as we enter winter I know that I'm prone to dull, lifeless looking skin. However I'm doing everything in my will power to prevent that this time round, and a product that has been a little life safer is Nars' Copacabana Illuminator. I've struggled to get on with powder highlighting products in the past as I find that they just tend to make me look way over done, however Copacabana is an illuminator so it does more than merely highlight.

 

Coming in a liquid form with ever so subtle milky pink tones, Copacabana can be used in a number of ways either under makeup or mixed in with your base product to create that gorgeous lit from within glow. I have also been enjoying using this as a highlighter because unlike powdered products I've used this doesn't expose my pores. What I love about this product is that its not in your face, its definitely not shimmery - it doesn't make you look like a glitter ball - however it has almost like an iridescent sheen to it that is very subtle and gives your skin a healthy looking boost. With the addition of this my face no longer has that dull twinge that gives away my winter skin woes, it looks fresh and luminous - and I mean come on who doesn't want to achieve healthy looking skin in the depths of winter?

 

 

QOTD: Have you tried Nars Copacabana Illuminator?

Nars Audacious Lipstick | Liv

 

Can you tell that Nars is fast becoming my favourite beauty brand? So it should come as no surprise that the knowledge of their new line of Audacious Lipsticks sent me into a bit of a frenzy and had me clutching at any excuses to get to my nearest Nars counter as soon as I possibly could.  With 30 brand new colours (and an extra 10 Selfridges exclusives I believe) the claim of the new Nars Audacious lipstick is that one stroke is enough to give you full coverage and a creamy wear. You can tell just when you are swatching these babies at the counter how incredibly pigmented these are - these remind me of MAC's amplified finishes but more intense and with a glossier look to them.

I liked so many of the shades and I definitely want to add the shade Grace to my collection - because who doesn't want a lipstick in their name? However I'm really feeling my intense berry colours at the moment and Liv was just calling my name. Nars describe Liv as a 'deep aubergine' its a very dark plum shade and on me it leans a little red so its a gorgeous burgundy colour on my lips. The pigmentation is incredible, you really get such amazing colour pay off without it feeling at all heavy or icky on the lips. I would say that in terms of application it goes on similarly to an amplified cream lipstick as its very smooth but when you wear it it feels almost like its more a satin finish as it isn't slippery and sits ever so comfortably on the lips.

As you may have noticed the packaging has also had a little revamp, while its still got the classic Nars black casing it doesn't have the usual matte texture the audacious lipsticks have a smooth and slick case with an impressive magnetic lid.  I am beyond in love with this lipstick: its well worth the splurge as the quality is so amazing. I'm excited to add more of these delightful new lipsticks to my collection!

QOTD: Have you tried  any of the new Nars Audacious lipsticks?

Nars Douceur Blush

 

Nars Douceur is described as a soft-pink brown, and its the sort of item that your eyes would probably skim past on initial impressions. If I'm honest this wouldn't have ever been the sort of blush that I would have so much as given the time of day to. However seeing so many other beauty bloggers post reviews and pictures of Douceur was totally enough to sway me - its a pretty popular one at this time of year for the dusky pink hue it leaves on the cheeks that never fails to look stunning.  

 

This applies to the skin so beautifully and gives a true flush of natural colour to your cheeks. As autumn has crept around and all my favourite coloured lipsticks are in full swing I'm really getting into the whole concept of keeping your blush and lipstick running in the same sort of colour families. Douceur looks particularly well matched with the likes of all the browns / browny pink nude lipsticks that are on trend at the moment - think Douceur worn with Twig and you're onto a winning combination. On saying that this is still a pretty fail safe colour that would probably go well with a lot of different makeup looks.

 

QOTD: What do you think of Douceur?



Nars Dragon Girl

 

I was so pleased when my local John Lewis finally introduced a Nars counter into their beauty offerings this month, if you caught my recent haul you may already know that I was more than a little tempted my Nars' beautiful offerings. Nars Dragon girl has been one of those lip products I was hankering after for ages and ages and I finally gave in to temptation earlier on in the month. I'm a firm lover of my bolder statement lips - you'll rarely find me with nude lips - and so the velvet matte pencil in Dragon Girl from Nars was right up my street.

 

I've seen this little lovely crop up tonnes in the beauty blogging world and it was only a matter of time before it made its way to my growing lip product collection. Although chunkier than your average lip pencil Dragon Girl rings true to its 'velvet matte' texture as it is super easy to apply all over the lips to create a stunning yet effortlessly chic red pout. The matte lip products of the world can sometimes result in that nasty tugging on the lips from the drier formula however this almost has a slight creaminess to its application while still leaving a very matte finish. This cherry red lip pencil would look stunning on virtually every skintone I expect.  

 

Dragon Girl is the most wonderfully comfortable matte red lip product I own to date, it sits so smoothly on the lips that you forget its even on. Plus the wear time is incredible and even after consuming food and drink this leaves a nice stain on the lips. As with most matte products I would say to make sure your lips are prepped before applying Dragon Girl, I've spoken about how I prep my lips for a bold red look in this post here if you're interested to find out what products I use for that. I can see myself getting so much use out of this product, a staple in any red lipstick lover's collection I would say.

 

QOTD: What do you think of Nars Dragon Girl?

 

 

Autumn Ready Beauty Products

 

There are a handful of beauty products that are leaving me super excited for autumn at the minute. Now don't get me wrong, I love summer and will enjoy one final week of my bronze, bright makeup while on my holiday this Sunday, but I know that the minute I get home I will be diving straight into this lot of goodies!

As soon as I caught a peak of the new BarryM autumn selection of gelly nail paints a few weeks ago I knew a couple would have to end up in my never ending stash of nail varnishes. The colours are all really autumnal and I don't really own any colours similar. What is probably going to be one of those love or hate shades is the dull yellow in Mustard though personally I like it especially if you put it with the grey Chai. But my favourite one out of the three I picked up is definitely the maroony brown in Cocoa I can definitely see this being a staple item throughout the autumn and winter months.

Now I know that a bronzer may be a bit of an unusual one to throw in to an autumn makeup post, but I've wanted The Body Shop Honey Bronzer for so long now and I thought that this would be the perfect time to pick it up. This bronzer is going to be ideal for when I'm a little paler as it really does give you the most natural warm colour, its matte with absolutely no shimmer so it isn't going to look super bronzed on my face during the colder periods. Another matte cheek product that I'm obsessing over is Nars Douceur Blusher - I can see a bit of a theme occuring here - ordinary looking in the pan but stunning when applied. Its a rosy pink with a bit of brown in there and because its matte I find it sculpts the face really beautifully - I'm beyond in love with this.

 Next we have two Mac products that pop up time and time again during autumn. Firstly the eyeshadow Cranberry, a shimmery berry colour that I find to be super flattering with my blue eyes. You wouldn't think it but its quite a versatile shade, it blends out well so it can be less intense or you can build it up if you really want that autumnal berry look. Another popular one from Mac is the lipstick Syrup: hands up if this is an Essie Button inspired purchase in your lipstick collection *raises hand* but the girl just doesn't let us down seriously... I bloody love this lipstick. Its a gorgeous pinky purple that is just so easy to wear and despite its lustre finish it has a good wear time too.

Lastly an indulgently delicious autumnal fragrance from my latest love, Jo Malone it has to be the Velvet Rose & Oud Cologne Intense. A scent that is both elegant yet sultry at the same time. This is rich and warm and perfect for those winter nights. I won't say too much more as I'm going to do a full review on this in the next few weeks.

 

QOTD: Are you ready for the change of seasons?

Current Favourite Face Products

For every day makeup I like to keep things pretty simple, and it seems that I have finally found the perfect combination of products to achieve this kind of natural look. For my base product I've gone back to Benefit's the Porefessional which really blurs the appearance of my pores and helps make the rest of my makeup last longer. The Porefessional is like a translucent balm so it doesn't add any colour or enhance my complexion but it is very effective in creating a smooth canvas for the rest of my makeup. I just apply this in a patting motion with my fingertips.

I've been in love with my Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser ever since picking it up earlier in the month, I would say that this gives light to medium coverage so its perfect for everyday use as you can still see your skin underneath. I have this in the shade Alaska. My favourite way to apply this is with my Real Techniques Stippling Brush as it is a brush that seems to work well with lighter produts to give a lovely sheer finish. The final product I use to set everything is my bareMinerals Touch Up Veil, which helps keep my face from looking shiny.

All these products together give me a really fresh and natural look that lasts me throughout the day and this is what personally works well for me for my every day makeup routine. I can see myself sticking with these three products for a while to come.

What are your current favourite face products?

Tempted: Yet Another Beauty Haul

When planning yesterday's shopping trip I had every intention of being on my best behaviour (honest I did.) With my holiday at the end of the month I am trying to save all the pennies I can for that which is just around the corner. But then Nars happened. Followed by Hourglass. Yep, my prayers had been answered and my local John Lewis department store finally got their buts into gear and graced us with two beautiful new Nars and Hourglass counters. I know you can buy all these things online but its not the same when you can't see it in person or have a good old swatch away and feel the packaging in your very hands. You know what I'm getting at. And so obviously all good intention went flying out the window from there on out. Can you blame me though? I mean it would have been rude not to right?

The first item that lead me into temptation was the Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser. I was lucky enough to receive a free sample of this product from my recent trip to Selfridges during the summer which I have since used up and it firmly earned a place on my never-ending Nars wish list. Temptation number two may have something to do with my recent obsession with red lips, say hello to Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dragon Girl. This is a lip product that I have been eyeing up all year long, as I have apparently heard Taylor Swift uses it so naturally this is something I need in my life. One swatch on the back of my hand in store confirmed that Dragon Girl needed to be added to my collection, the colour is fierce.

As if a brand new Nars counter wasn't enough of a temptation for one day, literally next door sat another all new beauty counter: Hourglass. How dreamy are Hourglass products? I mean come on. I definitely need one of those blushes in my life in due course! However blusher wasn't on the agenda for yesterday. For a little while now I've been on the hunt, unsuccessfully for a holy grail eyebrow product and I've heard so many rave reviews about the Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil that I simply couldn't resist a purchase.

After the excitement that was John Lewis naturally I had to have a quick whiff of the new Jo Malone cologne Wood Sage & Sea Salt  on a little tester - lets just say I can see what all the fuss is around this new fragrance. A definite new entry to the wish list... It wouldn't be a proper beauty haul without a Boots visit would it now? I finished off the shop with a skincare product that I'm going to take on holiday and that is the Origins Drink Up-Intensive Overnight Mask. This is another well loved item in the beauty world that I wanted to try out, I love that Origins do the 50ml options that are so handy when you want to try a new product but not sure if you want to spend the full amount. Lastly a bit of a impromptu purchase and that was the Sally Hansen Double Duty Base & Top Coat. I'm trying to invest in a product that will make my nails last a bit longer without chipping, so I thought I'd give this a go.

So there you have it, thats what happens when your local department store finally add two very exciting new beauty counters. Or at least thats what happens if you're me, or any other self-confessed beauty hoarder for that matter... Welcome to my life Nars and Hourglass ;)

QOTD: What beauty products have you been tempted by recently?

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation. Where do I even begin with this post? There are so many reviews on this foundation, most of which I have stalked to death as this has been one of my most coveted items since getting into the world of beauty. So I'm not going to call this post a review as such as I don't really want to duplicate what other people have already written a hundred times before - not to mention probably a lot better than I could. Instead I'm just going to do a general chat and throw in a few of my thoughts and feelings on this product as I go along.

As I mentioned above this was a product I had been coveting over for so long and the main reason I never got round to picking it up is purely because I don't live near a Nars counter. There was no way I was risking making a stab in the dark and ordering this online without properly checking out what shade matches my skintone first. One trip to Selfridges later and the foundation was finally mine. Obviously being July when I got this I did end up getting matched to a darker shade than I normally would as I have been tanning recently, I got medium 3 in Stromboli which is quite a nice warm colour that I absolutely love.

One of the first things that I noticed when using this was that you really do want to make sure your face is well moisturised before applying it. The first time I used this I had the tiniest dry patch from a spot that was healing up and it did actually show up - nothing too drastic by any means but it was my first time using it so I didn't really know what to expect. The following time I ensured I had applied enough moisturiser to provide a smoother base for the foundation and the results were incredible. I used a sample of MAC's Prep and Prime for primer which further made for a silkier base and set it with my Body Shop Vitamin E face mist.

Wearing the foundation.

 

I've never owned a high end foundation and I am just beyond impressed with this - it makes my skin look flawless without that obvious 'well she's wearing foundation' kind of look. I suppose what I mean is that this gives the illusion of your own skin rather than simply looking like foundation. I usually opt for my Real Techniques Expert Face brush for foundation but I've currently been enjoying using a bit more of a fluffier, less dense brush with the Nars foundation. So instead I've been taking the Multi Task brush as I find that it gives for a slightly more softer, natural finish. One pump is enough to give your entire face a beautiful finish with medium coverage, a tiny bit of concealer to hide blemishes and you're pretty much good to go. I love the way that this seems so light on the skin and doesn't feel at all like you're wearing foundation.

 

Another thing I am really impressed with is the lasting power, in the picture above I had been wearing the foundation since the morning and I took this selfie before heading off out for an evening meal. I only needed to reapply a tiny amount around my mouth and nose area where it wears away naturally through eating and drinking, and I also powdered my t-zone to prevent any oiliness showing. But it still looked pretty flawless even after all those hours of wear. This is definitely worth the hefty £30+ price tag in my opinion as it just gives the most stunning results and it certainly lives up to its 'holy grail' status. Needless to say I am smitten with this purchase.

 

QOTD: Have you tried Nars Sheer Glow Foundation?