FOTD: Everyday Face

Morning lovelies!

I'm not sure if I've ever done a FOTD before so I thought it was about time I did. I LOVE painting my face on every morning so I thought I'd go through my usual products on my face on a daily basis.

Starting with my base:

I've recently been using a new product for my foundation as I picked up MAC's Mineralize Satin Finish about two months ago. It's not as heavy coverage as some of the other MAC foundations I've tried, particularly Studio Fix, so I tend to wear it now my skin is a lot better than before.

I apply this using a Real Techniques buffing brush. Sometimes I wear primer and others I don't, if I do wear it at the moment I've been using the relatively new Bourjois Happy primer for oily/combo skin. On reflection I should have bought the other version for drier skin now that my skin doesn't seem as oily but maybe over the summer it will be!

Next I applied Benefit's Erase Paste to my undereyes, I cannot rave enough about this beauty and I'm sure on the dreaded day it runs out i will be repurchasing! It's so creamy and brightening that you just cannot love it, and the number 1 shade is perfect for my skin tone. It blends easily and brightens so quickly! 

After that it's brows and cheeks.

I've been using the fabulous HD Brows kit in Foxy ever since receiving it in the Latest in Beauty Glamour Edit box before Christmas. I can 100% recommend picking up the HD Brows kit and also the Latest in Beauty boxes as they are full of treats and new things for you to play with, I've found some definite new favorites including the brow kit. 

As for cheek products I've got on the Bourjois 'chocolate' bronzer to define my face and Benefit's Coralista. I love the two combined as they suit my skin tone and give me enough of colour for a day at work (being in a lab doesn't call for make up really....).
Coralista is my ultimate favourite blusher, coral coloured and a slight golden shimmer.

As for eyes I've got my uber fave Urban Decay Theodora palette on. It's perfect for every day wear regardless of what you're doing and I absolutely love it. It's such a shame it was only a limited edition palette as once it's gone I don't know what I'll do!

I use three colours from it mainly; Broken, Bewitch and West. For me they create the perfect blend of neutrals and browns for day wear on any occasion. 

As for lashes I'm currently wearing Soap and Glory's Thick and Fast after having it in so many Christmas sets. I quite like it and its a good general mascara for every day use; separates and coats each lash and doesn't spread down my face after a few hours.

Lastly on the lips I have MAC's Crosswires, its a gorgeous Creme sheen lipstick that's the understated sister of Vegas Volt. I actually don't wear lipstick to work as I feel like it would be too much but I couldn't resist!
I'd wear this face to most day occasions including work and shopping trips.

What are your face basics? Do you like my FOTD? Is it something that you would wear too?

L xxx

Benefit's Erase Paste

Hello!

I'm sure you know by now that me and M are both BIG fans of Benefit.
The quirky packaging has a great sense of humour and contains products that actually work.

M has previously posted about Erase Paste but I just had to post about it after I finally picked it up almost a year after she raved about it....

The packaging says 'Signs of stress and fatigue are a thing of the past', I could definitely do with that happening! I'm up at 6am every day and get home at 6pm so it's a full 12 hour day for me before I get any kind of rest time.
Because of this I certainly need my under eye bags and blemishes completely covered.

Benefit claim the concealer is creamy and concentrated but blendable for instant brightening to conceal dark circles, discoloration and imperfections.

The instructions are pretty simple, and the box contains not only the concealer but also the spatula mentioned and the tips and tricks booklet inside every Benefit product.

I picked up the 'brightening camouflage' in No 1 Fair as I'm a super pale individual.

The product is a slightly pink colour, a bit like skin colour but with some extra brightness and illumination added to it.

I do have an issue with the pot, it's so awkward to get anything into to get the product out. The spatula was great....until it disappeared to the depths of my make up bag and hasn't been seen for months.

When my nails are relatively short, it's easy, when they're longer its a nightmare as I'm wasting so much product and getting it everywhere.
I have found a brush that I can use with it now which has helped a lot, I apply it with a thin concealer brush from MAC (can't remember the number sorry) and dab it on blemishes until it's blended. When applying to my under eyes I use the Real Techniques Expert face Brush as I find it covers the area just as well and faster, as speed is key for my morning rush!

You can see the results in the photos below:

(Again, please ignore my brows, this was pre wax..)

I have no other make up on in these photos so apologies for scaring you!

You can clearly see in the photo below the massive difference in how much it covers. My under eye dark circles are dramatically reduced and my skin tone is evened out.
Imagine if I'd applied foundation with this as well, my skin would look completely flawless and dare I say it....perfect?!





You can see that the dark circles have been significantly brightened and a hell of a lot better than without!

After seeing my skin under the focus and zoom of my SLR I'm definitely going to be applying it all over...

What do you think of Erase Paste? Do you love the brightening and concealing effect it has?

I picked mine up from Debenhams during one of their 10% off which meant I only paid £17.55 for mine.
Normally I'd think it was expensive for a small pot of concealer, but this pot has lasted me around 6 months so far and I've used it most days on undereyes and blemishes.

L xxx

FOTD Every day Cranberry eyes

Whoo no Monday blues here today. I'm spending the day with my parents today as they are coming over to visit my other half and me. Hope you've got some good plans for the Bank Holiday if you are lucky enough not to be working!

I really like doing and reading FOTDs. My make up skills aren't that great but I definitely think reading and writing blogs is helping improve them. I picked up Mac Cranberry eyeshadow a while back (you can read that haul here). After watching a YouTube Video by Tanya Burr I just had to have it. It was a colour I didn't think I would wear all that much but still had to have.

Pictured with the Beautiful Plumful Lipstick! Cranberry is a shimmery red shade with a hint of lilac. Not all that wearable on first glance but I actually probably wear this four days a week. I love the way it looks on me and people tend to comment on how pretty a colour it is!

To start with I applied a base of Porefessional, Mac Pro longwear (review) and erase paste (review).

I tend to wear it as a crease colour over Tease from Naked 2 palette (a matte light brown shade). I blend Tease through my crease and apply a generous amount of cranberry over the top and into my outer V. I apply Bootycall over the lid first as base. It's a shimmery nude shade or Mac Naked Lunch. 

To deepen the outer corner I apply the smallest amount of Blackout (a matte black) and blend well. I then finish off the eyes with a flick of gel liner!

I add a small amount of blackout under the lash line and blend well so it doesn't look too much. I then put on lashings of mascara. I'm such a mascara girl. I love my lashes to look full and fake so tend to wear 3 different Mascaras. My current winning combination is to use Givenchy Phenomen'eyes as a bottom lash mascara and then Lancome Hypnose Doll lashes and YSL Shocking (review) on the upper lashes. I picked all of these up in duty free last year and would definitely repurchase all of them next time I have the money too. I'm dreading them running out.

For the cheeks I go subtle as I wear so much on the eyes! If you've read the blog of my tweets you may know I'm obsessed with the combination of Benefit Dandelion (review) and Liz Earle Natural Glow Bronzer (review).

For brows it couldn't be anything other than Benefit Brow Zings (review)! And Powder is Natural Collection loose powder.

Last but not least this gorgeous warm red lipstick is No7 Stay Perfect lipstick in Grace! I'd recommend testing these in store as the colours are nothing like on line. They are a little drying but I love them still. 

Love M

xxx

   

Swansea Benefit Boutique

Last week I was Lucky enough to be invited to the opening of the Benefit Boutique in Swansea. Swansea Debenhams is the counter that sells the most products beating even Oxford Street so the opening of the Boutique came.

I was so excited to go. I've been lucky enough to meet some of the Benefit ladies before so couldn't wait to head down. The Boutique is situated within the Swansea Debenhams. On arrival we were greeted by Alyson and Joanne. We went through to the last room in the boutique. Everything is decorated all girly and pink. It's so cute all the way through and the attention to detail is great.

When we entered the make up room all the attention to detail was clear. The chairs had the Benefit ladies heads printed on, the walls had information about the founders (Jean and Jane) and the back wall had a great selection of Benefit Make up. There were even pink glittery welsh cakes!! YUM

The room can be hired out for 10pp for things like hen dos, birthday's or even girly catch ups. You then get the £10 redeemable against purchases so it's technically free and one of the great Swansea Benebabes will come and demonstrate the products and make up.

While there we got a tour of the waxing room and tanning room. The boutique offers two different types of waxing, the hot wax and the strip wax. Hot wax (the amazing blue coloured one, being demonstrated on Jenny from The Pulse Of Fashion, I'm in love with her trousers!!!) is used on the bikini and the strip wax everywhere else. Hot wax is more expensive but it's better for the bikini area. I loved the waxing area and was so impressed with Julie (expert waxer!!) that I've booked to go down in a few weeks.

They also offer spray tans using fake bake! This is in my top 3 fake tans. I love a good spray tan especially for nights out.

We  were also shown the new colour collection and allowed to play with it. There are some great colour lip glosses, hello an amazing coral one and new creaseless creams and eye shadows. The eyeshadows are £15.50 and are absolutely huge and the lip glosses are £14.50 and not sticky! The packaging for these are so cute!!

The colour range is so stunning with neutral colours and a few pastels thrown in. I'm loving always a bridesmaid ( a stunning lilac creaseless cream) and kiss me I'm tipsy (a beautiful brown longwear powder shadow). I will definitely be hinting for some of these for my birthday. 

We were also hinted at some of the new sets coming out. I will definitely be purchasing some of these I'm sure. I'm absolutely loving Benefit make up lately.

As we left we were lucky enough to be given Porefessional, BrowZings and They're Real. Thanks so much to the ladies, as L couldn't join me at the event and I know she is lusting after BrowZings and They're Real and I have both I donated those to her. I personally now love Porefessional but only find it works with certain foundations and due to how thick it is I try not to wear it too much.

Thanks so much for showing us round Alyson and Joanne. Hopefully see you soon.

Also Temptation Telephone ends tomorrow. Who else is dying to know what it is the ladies were sworn to secrecy and couldn't tell us anything.

And a quick FOTD from the Event. I'm wearing Mac Prolong Wear NW20 (review), Benefit Porefessional, Benefit Erase Paste (review), Naked 2 (foxy and tease), Benefit BrowZings (review), Collection Liqid Liner, Lancome Hypnose Doll Lashes, Benefit Dandelion Blush (review), Liz Earle Healthy Glow (review) and Avon Perfect Kiss Lipstick Racy Red (review).

Love M

xxx