Date Night Red Lip!

Hello Sugars! So no blog is complete without a Red Lipstick Post. A beauty girls must have! So for many, many years I have been on the search for the perfect red lipstick. I believe every girl should own the perfect red lip to compliment her skin tone, because I dont know about everyone else, but I could be wearing the most plain white t-shirt and jeans with bed hair, but I soon as I slap on a red lip I feel like I could concur the world or just have a really good day at least! So I have been through a lot of shades of red, orange reds, plum reds, blue toned reds from all different brands. The closest I have got to my perfect red was MAC So Chad lip stick its an orange red and a matt finish even though it last for ages and is a lovely colour and such a wicked statement lip and does make me feel very Rita Ora its still not the classic red that I wanted. You know that red that when you wear it you feel very Marilyn Monroe, very classic and so put together. My search came to a halt whilst at the Airport going to Cuba last year I was shopping around and the thought come to me, where is more classic and beautiful than Chanel (I challenge you find anywhere else)? So I went over to the counter and said what is your most classic red? So she pulls out a fuchsia pink?? I obviously carried on on my own. I came across the Rouge Allure Lipstick in Number 67 Excessive its a blue toned red (makes your teeth look whiter - PLUS!!). It is the most gorgeous velvet finish lipstick and is just so (heres that word again) CLASSIC! It literally makes me feel a million dollars! It isnt the most long wearing lipstick but it lasts long enough and for the colour you dont mind. It is very pigmented not sheer at all and its very moisturising. Just a an overall superhero lipstick, when I am out on nights out I get compliments on it and I wore it my friends wedding and I also got soo many compliments, and don't even get me started on the chic packaging it just screams quality, it feels so luxurious. They only down side is that it is expensive its £24 I will be using it sparingly. So without further a do here it is Chanel Rouge Allure - Excessive

Look at that packaging its not just the colour its the whole thing I am marilyn when I wear it!!! :)

Laura Mercier vs. Laura Mercier!

Let the battle of the Laura Merciers commence!!!

So as I have recently much to my delight found out that there is SPACE NK literally two minutes from my work (lethal for my bank account). So with that in mind I went on a quest to find a new foundation. I am battling with myself at the moment, because even though I do love my heavy coverage foundations because I am ever so slightly lazy and really cant be bothered to re-apply during in the day, however my skin doesn't love the convenience of the heavy coverage foundations and seems to react to them by gracing my face with lovely red spots! Therefore I have come to the conclusion that I have to wear lighter coverage foundations as my skin seems to be sensitive to the heavier ones. My favourite make up brand for make up base at the moment is Laura Mercier so let the battle commence.. DING DING DING!!!! In red corner we have the LAURA MERCIER SILK CREME FOUNDATION..

I had a friend who worked for Laura Mercier and she wore the Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation £33 and her face was always flawless and me being the copycat that I am thought to myself I must get that, well my actual thoughts were I need that (drama queen). On that note I set of to the new space n k near my work and got colour matched to the shade medium ivory and handed over my card and forked out £33 for it. I couldn't wait to get home to try what I thought would be a miracle product. My first impressions definitely lived up to my expectations, it was so flawless, it did feel a tad heavy but for the coverage I got I was willing to over look that. I gave it a test run on a long 8:30 - 5:30 day at work and it did stay put but it go a little bit patchy around my forehead not hugely noticeable; but it was needless to say I loved it. However after using it for a week I noticed a few small red blemishes on my face which have now scarred :(. I came to the conclusion it was the pure thickness of the foundation that my skin couldn't handle. The question was 'Can I get over the few blemishes that appeared and was they from the foundation or not?' In the end I did continue on my quest for the perfect foundation.

And in the blue corner we have the LAURA MERCIER OIL FREE TINTED MOISTURISER.. After what I can only call pure disappointment in my reaction to the fabulous silk creme foundation, I decided I need a lighter foundation but I did however want to stick with Laura Mercier. After hours of painstaking research well some bedtime blog reading I decided I wanted to have a try of the Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturiser £33 as recommended by ViviannaDoesMakeup one of my favourite blogs. So once again I plodded down to space n k and explained my spotty situation to the beauty advisor and she seemed genuinely upset that my skin had a reaction because silk creme was her favourite foundation; with her trying for a fair while to persuade me that it wasn't the foundation that brought out the spots she finally gave in a also recommended the tinted moisturiser. I went ahead and bought that in the shade Nude. I was again excited to try this and gave it the same test run as I had the other foundation a whole 8:30 - 5:30 day at work. I applied beautifully and had such a gorgeous finish it was so lovely. I went to work feeling so fresh, it felt like I had no make up on but it had such a good coverage! However after a while at work I looked in the mirror and the ugly red blemishes on face had reared their ugly heads. I had to touch it up which I hate doing during the day! None the less when I do re apply I cant help but absolutely love this tinted moisturiser. So there we have it.. which one comes out top???? I am going to have to say the Oil Free Tinted Moisturiser I am just going to have to find some way of making it last! Until Next Time. Jess x

Everyday Face Kit

Hello Chicks! Well I am on a blogging streak today I have another post for you. I was rustling around in my bag thinking I need concealer as I had just caught a glimpse of myself in the office microwave with a big pesky blemish. It got me thinking if I carry around this huge make up bag with me everyday I wonder what everyone else deems acceptable to carry around? If I am wondering what other people carry around why don't I let everyone else know what I have in my make up bag? So here we go.. Well grab a cup of tea first because theres a lot of bits and bobs in my make up bag! Let start with the actual bag itself I have the TRAILING FLORAL COSMETIC BAG by Cath Kidston well if its not that one its pretty close, I think mine might be the older shape. There is one downside to this make up bag and it is that it is white inside and it get very dirty with all the make up inside. Soo lets get down to the nity grity and start with face make up. I dont carry around my foundation because lets face it I am not going to be re applying foundation during the day because well I am just to lazy to do so! I do however carry around bronzer blusher and highlight to fake that 'immaculate face'. The bronzer I carry around with me is the Bobbi Brown Matt Bronzer in Natural Light (£27) I love this bronzer because it is completely matt and is great for conturing and giving you that I have cheek bones like Angelina Jolie feeling! I also carry one blusher and that I have mentioned in a previous post because I just adore it, and that is MAC Blusher in Well Dressed £17.50 This Blusher is so subtle and pretty and gives you a gorgeous flush and awake look to the cheeks. To complete my look I have the SOLEIL TAN DE CHANEL Sheer Illuminating Fluid £31 and this is my go to highlighter/illuminator and it is just the final step to my Angelina Jolie Cheeks!

Next up is Eyes I have 5 eye products in my little kit (well two brow products and 1 illuminator and 1 eye liner and a mascara). I will start with my mascara I am currently putting Maxfactor Eye Brightening Mascara for Blue Eyes £6.99 through its paces and I am pleased to say it is at the moment coming out top, I am loving this mascara its a black/blue toned mascara and I am not sure if its the placebo effect but I really do think my eye look brighter, I will keep you posted! To compliment my newly bright eyes is my MAC Coffee Eyeliner £13.50 its just a staple in my everyday make up, its not as harsh as black but just as intense and brilliant for blue eyes (you know the opposite colour to blue on the colour wheel and all that Jazz), I have a more indepth review in another blog post. On to Brows, and I carry around my MUA Clear Mascara £1 to keep my outrageous brows in place and keep the colour I get from my Gosh Brow Pen in 001 Dark Brown £6.49 vivid. The last but most definitely not least, is my YSL Touche Elcat £24 to brighten my undereyes up when I look like I have been up for 48 hours and after a million and one cups teas, its cult beauty product so its got to be good its been around 20 years!

So there you have it I would say in a nutshell but well its was a long one, so I hope you enjoyed your insight into my make up bag. What are your beauty bag essentials? Until next time.. Jess x

Holiday Beauty Bites

Hey Sugar, So I haven't been around for AGES and AGES because I kinda lost my blogging mojo, however its back and hopefully will stay for a very long time! So lets get things kicked of with a whole load of holiday beauty bits! I am off on holiday to Tunisia with the boyf in about 3 weeks and if your anything like me a complete beauty weirdo and plan your make up that you are taking way to early then this post will be right up you street! I have been thinking a lot about what to take on holiday with me, I think it really depends on what kind holiday your going as to what make up looks you want to achieve. Earlier on in the year I went on a girls holiday to bulgaria and the make up I took was very 'clubby going out' sort of make up, such as a heavier coverage foundation for nights out and a wide range of eye make in most colours as I was appointed holiday make up artist! However for a relaxing holiday with the boyf I want very neutral and natural make up looking 'effortlessly' beautiful as you do. I will be taking most of make up in my hand luggage and I am looking to buy a new foundation at the airport. I am going to start with base. I am planning on buying the new YSL Toche Eclat foundation at the airport so thats self explanatory. So I will start with primer I am going to take my Clarins Beauty Flash balm I will post a review of the Clains Beauty Flash Balm after this post as I couldn't possibly say how much I want to in this post because it will go on for ever!

The concelars I am taking are Collection 2000 now known as Collection Lasting Perfection Concelar in 2 Medium for the pesky blemishes and under the eye as it is a superhero concelar I am also taking my YSL Touche Eclat because I just simply love it, I might even purchase another at the airport. So next up is my 3 blushes that I am taking and I know this seems quite excessive but I using this week away to try out the two blushes that I have neglected and one I use everyday and just love. All three are from mac and without further a do the first is; Mac Mebla a gorgeous matt coral colour great for a neutral look and there is no shimmer so its very natural.

Next up is Mac Well Dressed. I love this blusher for an everyday 'awake' look I use this almost everyday for work because it just gives a slight flush to the cheeks with a hint of girly pinky/purple sparkle, I though this would be great if we were going on a day excursion or sightseeing.

and last and maybe least as I very shamefully never tried this blush despite having it a fair few months and it is in the shape of Mac Dolly mix it is a very deep bright pink with a good amount of shimmer I am taking this purely to try it out and hopefully fall head of heels for it. The bronzer I am taking is my Nars Laguna almost matt Bronzer very self explanatory. For eyes I am simply taking my Naked 2 palette as it has every cool toned neutral you could possibly want and thats all the powder eyeshadows I am taking, however I am taking my HOLY GRAIL benefit creaseless cream shadow in RSVP a gorgeous champagne pearl colour as a eyeshadow base. Along with that I am taking my Mac eyeliner in Teddy a golden light brown colour and Coffee a matt dark brown to complement the shadows. I am also taking my Dior show eye shadow primer and Maxfactor Falsies Mascara.

For lips I am not taking lipsticks as I am trifled of them melting, so I am taking my Clarins Natural lip perfecter in 02 Peach for every day and if I fancy some colour my Maybeline Lip Stain in Red, oh and obviously some SPF lip balm. So after my huge ramble on, there you have it my complete holiday natural beautifying kits! Until next time.. Jess x