Style Speaks Louder

Finding the right foundation is never easy, especially if you have difficult skin and are looking for something ethical. So I'm excited when I say I've not only found one foundation, but two! And both are cruelty free.

bareSkin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation

After having several bad experiences with liquid foundations of various brands I switched to powder foundation a few years ago and found the bareMinerals foundation to be perfect for my skin, however it never quite gave the flawless finish I wanted. So when bareMinerals released their liquid bareSkin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation I was eager to try it.

As its a serum it is light weight and has a very fluid liquid consistency, so you have to make sure you shake it well to ensure all the pigment and particles come together.  As its a mineral serum foundation you are advised not to use a primer so that the serum can soak into your skin.

I was initially really pleased with this foundation it gave light coverage and didn't make my skin feel itchy, however on the one occasion I had forgot to moisturise beforehand I did get a tight, mask like feeling to my skin.

After using this foundation for about two months now I have found that it gives a lightweight dewy finish to the skin but not a flawless finish. I have found that it sticks to the dry areas of my skin and seems to enhance imperfections regardless of how thick or thinly it is applied and I can only use this if I'm having a good skin day. I think once my skin has calmed down I would use this foundation for days when I don't want to look too made up, but for an everyday foundation this doesn't work for me, at least not in winter.

B.Youthful Anti-Aging Foundation

The second foundation I have added to my beauty collection is the B.Youthful Anti-Aging Foundation from vegan make up brand B. which is exclusively stocked in Superdrug.

I found the B. Youthful foundation really easily to wear and it seems to glide on. It doesn't irritate my skin either and feels hydrating while wearing it, thanks to the hyaluronic acid , I never experienced the 'mask effect' like I have in the past with other foundations. The consistency of this foundation is  also considerably thicker than the bareMinerals and is more cream like, so you can easily create that flawless finish.

B. claim that with everyday use you should be able to reduce the appearance of wrinkles by 18% percent, I'm not sure I can claim to have noticed that but I am definitely happy with the effects of this foundation and its wear-ability.

I have found that it gives great coverage and sinks into the skin. I have been using a Real Techniques make up blender to apply both foundations and I am able to create an excellent finish with this foundation. I find that I am reaching for this foundation time and again when I want to use a liquid base as it ticks all the boxes for me and doesn't irritate my skin.

Comment below if you have tried either of these foundations and let me know what you thought of them.

Thanks x

I love the season that is Autumn, everything looks so romantic with orange leaves floating down from the sky and the Autumn sun casting silhouettes. Its also the time of year that pumpkins come out to play in various forms in the run up to Halloween.
Pumpkin and squash are my favourite Autumn treats and I also like to indulge in pumpkin spiced lattes (AKA PSL) so I thought I would make a make-up look inspired by the month and the PSL.

I've used pretty orange hues on my eyes and my lips to create this cosy Autumn make-up look.

The orange eye-shadow and lip products are Topshop products that I bought towards the beginning of the year but I've gone back to them to re-work them for Autumn by introducing more earthy tones to my eye colour from my (favourite) bareMinerals eye-shadow palette.



To get the pretty burnt orange colour on my eyes I used the orange shade from Topshop's 'Long Weekend' eye-shadow duo and swished this over my lids, I then went over with a small amount of the glitzy gold hue from the duo to add a bit of dimension. I then took the shade 'Get Ahead' from the bareMinerals Power Neutrals palette and added this to the outer corner of my eyes blending into the socket. I added a final pat of the Long Weekend Orange to the centre of my lid to make the colour pop.

For the lips I patted on Topshop's Lip Cream in Pout, a little of this colour goes a long way so I smoothed the colour into my lips with my finger. They no longer sell Pout on the website but Topshop's Lip Varnish in Fun and Games is very similar.

All make up used for this look:

[caption id="attachment_543" align="alignnone" width="2000"] The Body Shop honeycomb bronzer, bareMinerals 'Get Ahead' eyeshadow, bareMinerals blush French Kiss, Topshop Long Weekend eye duo, Topshop Lip Cream, Topshop Magic Liner, bareMinerals foundation.[/caption]

*All the make up used in this look is cruelty free at the time of going to publication.

I have been having a bit of  a beauty moment recently and yesterday I went on a mini beauty spree in Westfield and above are the fruits of my labor. We were in Westfield to watch Godzilla and I had a good 30 mins to kill so I took full advantage.

First up was bareMinerals in Boots where I replaced my missing bareMinerals foundation. I have missed this little baby from my beauty box recently and I'm so glad to have it back - I feel like myself again. I originally wanted a slightly darker shade of Light but I had to take the Fairly Light as that's all they had at the time. I'm happy to wear either shade as both suit my skin tone.

Next up was Body Shop and I need to credit EssieButton here as she is the reason I made my purchases. #thebloggermademedoit.

On her YouTube channel and her blog she has recommended both products that I purchased and after seeing them in store I knew I wanted them.



The first product is the Aloe Lip Care which soothes very dry lips and as Essie explained will fix any problems with dryness you might have with your lips. I tried the product on in the cinema because I couldn't wait to get home. The smell is amazing and the product is quick thick but not gloopy and really does feel that it is doing good.

The second product I got was the Honeycomb Bronzer in shade 02 which Essie described as giving an excellent al-round glow. They didnt have any out on the shelf so I had to ask a shop assistant who very kindly went and got me one from the back. However there was only one shade, which I swatched before buying and it suited me, but I would have liked to see the full range of shades. Saying that this bronzer is amazing, it has given an excellent natural glow and has not left me looking orange or like I have fallen in a vat of fake tan.

I next trotted over to Topshop, just for a look really, and ended up buying four beauty products. Oops.



They had an offer where if you spend over £15 you received a free Lip Cream - so it seemed rude not to.



I had actually had my eye on the Eyes Duo - Long Weekend set after swatching the peachy orange a while ago. I must say it is an excellent eyeshadow. The peachy orange colour is really complimentary and adds a pop of colour to the eye without looking too unnatural. The gold shade on the other side is very shimmery and translucent and I would probably wear it to go out in.



I also wanted to get a more precise eyeliner so I picked up the Magic Liner which has a perfect pointed felt tip end, great for flicking. However after first use it is apparent that I need alot more practice with it.

I also picked up the Matte Nails nail colour in 20N11F PNK - which is a pretty pale pink. I have yet to try it on but I'm interested to see what the matte effect    will look like.



And finally I picked up the Lip Cream, for free, in Pout - which is a very bright orange. I would have preferred a pinker shade but it was either the orange or a plum shade and I quite liked the orange. The smell of the lip cream is very sweet and nice but the application is tricky, it goes on quite thick and clumps if you have any dry spots on your lips and I needed to rub the colour into my lips to make it look smooth. I still really liked the colour on my lips however but for the quality I'm not sure I would purchase it again.

Well those are my recent beauty buys. Leave me a comment letting me know if you have bought any of the above products recently and what you think. x

Its heeeeerrrrre!!!!  I blogged about this bareMinerals palette in a previous post as being one of my eye palette obsessions and now this little beauty is mine and I couldn't love it more!

I don't often use eye-shadow and I have quite big eyes so any bold colour can look a little over powering on me or if I'm using colour, I look like an 80's pop star in a bad way. I already went through my blue eye-shadow phase as a teen and I've vowed never to go back.
So a set of 'Power Neutrals' seemed perfect for an eye-shadow-phobe like me.




It arrived in a little gold box with an instruction leaflet with some ideas on how to blend the colours which include mat skin tones and more sparkly highlights as well as greys and khakis. The actual palette is also in a reflective gold metal tone to mark it as a Limited Edition palette which I think is really pretty.
The idea of this palette is that it will complement any skin tone and the eye-shadow are made of sea minerals including coffee to soothe and pep up the skin.

I was expecting it to be slightly larger and at first I was a little underwhelmed that the shadows were quite small but less is more and the size is actually perfect to carry around in your bag. It comes with a mirror inside and an applicator brush that is tapered at one end so you are all set for doing your make-up on the go.
The selection of colours are really rich and quite stunning and some of the pressed powders seem more like cream on the skin, they are that luxurious. They blend really well together and the colour lasts all day.

[caption id="attachment_256" align="alignnone" width="600"] Top left to right: Boss Lady (shimmer bronze) + Moneymaker (dusty olive) + Schmooze (bronze sheen) + Boardroom (deep chocolate) Bottom left to right: Exec (polished slate) + Payday (light granite) + Magnate (nude peach) + Get Ahead (rustic taupe)[/caption]

I immediately was drawn to the pale neutral shades (Boss Lady, Schmooze and Magnate) which suit my skin tone wonderfully, Magnate particularly is a complete match to my skin tone and make my lids look flawless. I have tried to swatch the colours below but it was difficult to show the colours properly in the light so forgive me.



I was a little wary of the olive coloured 'Moneymaker' because it is quite a strong khaki colour on my skin, but after blending it into my lid its a really wearable day colour that isn't as harsh as wearing a brown or a black. Where as the grey colours, 'Exec' and 'Payday', work brilliant together to create a subtle smoky eye for day or night.
However my favourite is 'Get Ahead' which is a soft brown and looks like velvet on my lids and the Boss Lady is perfect for an under-brow highlight where as I use 'Boardroom', which is a very chocolate brown, for my lower lash lines and also to define my brows using the tapered end of the brush.

I think this little palette is perfect for everyday wear, and as the shadow names suggest, it is perfect for wearing to work without looking too done up and over the top.
Its just the ideal palette to have as a go to and you can easily build on the lighter shades to make an impressive evening eye.

It is however limited edition and has been out for a little while, at least in the States so snap this little beauty up at bareMinerals while you can. x

“I believe in manicures. I believe in overdressing. I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick. I believe in pink. I believe happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and... I believe in miracles.”  Audrey Hepburn

I agree with Audrey, I also believe in in lipstick, which is why I'm showing you my beauty essentials. Beauty may only be skin deep but every girl has something that she goes back to over and again and these are mine.

SKIN

L-R: Centrum Advanced, Clinique all about eyes, Clinique dramatically different moisturising lotion, Nivea lip balm, Clinique make-up remover, Clinique clarifying lotion, Biore pore strips, bareMinerals skin rev-er upper and Clinique pore minimizer.

I have a bit of a Clinique obsession as you can see, but the reason behind this is that I have very sensitive skin and the dramatically different moisturising lotion is the only moisturiser that does not irritate my skin and moisturises effectively, I seriously suffer without this yellow magic. My routine at night night involves taking off all my make-up with the Clinique make up remover, which takes off every last scrap, followed by the clarifying lotion to ex-foliate and cleanse and then the moisturiser. I have also started wearing eye cream at night (the joy of getting older) and this eye cream sinks wonderfully into the skin.

I have very very sensitive skin on my nose and as a result I can't touch it with anything, not even moisturiser. These pore strips are the only product that touches it and does what it says on the box.

I can't be without a lip balm - its an absolute essential for me and this Nivea lip balm moisturises my lips without being sticky.

The bareMinerals skin rev-er upper is a multi vitamin complex with boosts my skin, I use it as a base on top of moisturiser or sometimes on its own to perk up my skin when I'm not wearing foundation.
I wear the Clinique pore minimiser on my cheeks occasionally to help reduce the look of pores and of course the Centrum Advanced keeps me and and my skin healthy. The only thing missing from this picture is drinking water, lots and lots of water.

 FACE - BASE

L-R: YSL Touche Eclat concealer, MAC Sheertone Blush - Breath of Plum, Maybelline Fit Me concealer, Garnier BB Cream, Shu Uemura face powder, bareMinerals All over face powder - Warmth, bareMinerals Mineral veil.

The YSL Touche Eclat (number 2) has been a beauty staple of mine for a while, it brightens and conceals in one swift swoop, however it is quite expensive so I don't wear it everyday and so I swap it with Maybelline Fit Me concealer in Light 10, which is a great match for my skin.

The MAC blush has been my favourite blush for a while, as you can see. A lot of blushes have glitter in them and I dont want to look sparkly on a daily basis, this blush adds colour without the shimmer. I am however looking for a peach blush for spring so that will be my replacement.
The BB cream was a quick buy when I ran out of my foundation as I wanted a tinted moisturiser, this BB cream maybe low price but it adds a great base and a touch of warmth without being oily.



L-R - MAC blusher, Shu Uemura face powder, bareMinerals face bronzer and bareMinerals mineral veil.

The Shu Uemura face powder is pure magic, it sets my make up off perfectly by taking away shine and leaving a velvety texture to my skin and its so light like it is not even there.

The bareMinerals powders are my beauty heroes, I use the bareMinerals foundation but have currently run out, but it is the only foundation that I will use. As my skin is sensitive liquid foundation leaves my face dry and gives me a rash so I was so grateful when I discovered bareMinerals. The foundation give the best coverage but doesn't feel like you are wearing a mask, its so light and your skin can breath. Its made without chemical dyes and parabens and has mineral elements so it actually improves your skin as you wear it.
Above is the face bronzer which you only need a tiny amount to give a wondrous glow and the mineral veil which leaves the skin with a matt healthy finish.

 MAKE-UP

Back L-R: Clinique mascara, Lancome Hypnose Star waterproof mascara ,Clinique Chubby Stick,  Benefit Smokin' Eyes, Barry M lipstick, MAC Matte Ruby Woo, Benefit Browzings.
Front L-R: MAC eye-shadows in  Concrete and Chorme Yellow, Calvin Klein eye-shadow in pink slip, Calvin Klein white eyeliner and Rimmel waterproof eyeliner.

I received the mini Clinique mascara as a gift when buying my moisturiser and I actually like that its so tiny as it fits in my bag easily and it really defines my lashes however for extra volume I use the Lancome Hypnose Star waterproof mascara.

The Clinique chubby stick is my favourite lip colour product because its not sticky like a lipstick and I can build up the intensity of the colour, I've had this one a little while and the labelling has all worn off so its clearly time to get a new one (yay!)



I love the little Benefit Smoking Eyes palette, it includes a great black and grey shadow for creating smoky eyes and even eyebrow wax and I also have the Benefit Browzings product which is great for setting and finishing my eyebrows.

The MAC lipstick is great for consistent powerful colour, I have a red one for when I'm feeling sophisticated and the Barry M lipstick is a great low price lip colour for instant colour pop.

I love the MAC eye-shadows as the colour you see is exactly what you get on the skin and this little Calvin Klein shadow is a cute shimmery pink which is easy to wear during the day.

And finally I can not be without my eyeliners. A lined eye has been my signature look since I was 15 and my eyes just don't look the same without a slick of eyeliner. I use black waterproof eyeliner by Rimmel to line my eyes and white to line the rims and brighten my eyes.

So those are my beauty essentials - let me know what yours are.

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