The Best Concealers

1. Touche Eclat.

If you can show me one girl that doesn't adore Yves Saint Lauren't   Touche Éclat 

I will show you a girl that needs mental help!!! 

Jut a few quick swipes of this under your eyes and you'll look like you've slept 12 hours in diamond water. It adds such a subtle radiance that glows and blends easily!!

Touche Éclat, £25, Yves Saint Laurent

2. Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage

Secret Camouflage is a bit of a cult product, unfailingly recommended by magazines and often a winner in beauty awards I love it but because it's true to the name concealer in the sense it REALLY does conceal and it smartly comes in 2 shades so you can blend your perfect match (you may notice you need different shades for different seasons).  If you have any dark spots or patches that you've found hard covering up this is for you!

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage £26.00

3. MAC Select Cover up

Nothing beats the MAC Cosmetics' Select Cover-Up concealer for covering blemishes. It offers full coverage and glides smoothly over your skin. It also has the widest variety of colours available so you can easily wear this concealer without foundation. It's perfect for all over your body I often wish they made a bigger tube 

Select Cover-Up, £18, MAC Cosmetics

4. MAC Mineralize Concealer

 Is my favourite concealers of all time!! I have it in around 5/6 different shades for different purposes the consistency and finish is perfection! It blends perfectly with fingers brushes and sponges. this is a thin and moisturising concealer, the coverage is light so no matter how much you build this up it will NEVER look 

cakey as the formula becomes one with your skin 10/10 concealer that never creases!! 

£16.50 from MAC

5. Mac Pro Long Wear Concealer

With 15 shades to choose from, the Mac Pro Long Wear Concealer is one of the best products for skin tone match. Although it's a lightweight fluid, it provides full, long-lasting coverage to keep you looking bright eyed all day long.

£13.50 from Mac

6.Bobby Brows Creamy Corrector 

 I Adore Browns Creamy Corrector kit for this reason. As well as it being an amazing Corrector Kit by balancing patchy parts of your skin tone it has an hydrating element for under your eyes which preps your skin.

Creamy Corrector Kit, £24, Bobbi Brown

7 .NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

£21 Banish skin imperfections for good with NARS' new Radiant Creamy Concealer. Ideal for all skin types, the product tackles dark eye circles, fine lines and redness with ease and evens out skin tone thanks to a hard-working multi-action formula.

8. Mac Pro Long Wear Concealer

With 15 shades to choose from, the Mac Pro Long Wear Concealer is one of the best products for skin tone match. Although it's a lightweight fluid, it provides full, long-lasting coverage to keep you looking bright eyed all day long.

£13.50 from Mac

8. MAC studio Finish Concealer 

The difference between under eye concealers and blemish concealers is simply the texture: concealers that work best on blemishes have a thicker, creamier texture. I love this MAC one as it covers incredibly well and doesn’t look cakey like some cream concealers can. It comes in a convenient little pot which is great for travel, and it comes in tons of different shades

MAC £15

TREND: Black Cherry Lips

When it comes to makeup trends for this fall, 

Dark Cherry is on everyones lips! I'm talking rich plum shades, 

ultra-deep wines, dramatic burgundies, and oxblood reds. 

I encourage you to find the sexy vamp within and try it out!

1. Revlon Super Lustrous Creme Lipstick in ‘Black Cherry‘ 2.Yves Saint Laurent Glossy Stain in ‘Violet Edition‘,3.Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in ‘Black Dahlia‘, 4.MAC Lipstick in ‘Hangup‘,5.Nars, Lip Lacquer, 6.MAC vino lip liner, 7.Tom Ford Lip Color in ‘Black Orchid‘.

The Best In Beauty This Week!

1.CHANEL - SOLEIL TAN DE CHANEL Sheer Illuminating Fluid £31.00 2.M.A.C - Golden Deposit £22.00 3.Giorgio Armani - Rose D`Arabie Eau De Parfum £185 4.Kiels -  Acai Damage Correcting moisturiser £37.00 5.Bobbi Brown -  Rich Chocolate Eye Palette £39 6.Charlotte Tilbury - Colour Chameleon Eyeshadow pencil £19.00 7.Charlotte Tilbury - Full Fat Lashes Mascara 8.M.A.C - Clear Brow Set £13.00 9.Laura Mercier - Cremè brulée soufflé body crème £43.50 10. OPI San Tan-tonio set £30 11.

Acqua Di Parma - Gelsomino Nobile shower gel 

£30.00 

12.Jo Malone- Grapefruit body & hand wash £32.00 13.Body Shop - Honeymania Body Butter £13.50 14.Nars Illuminator - orgasm £22.00 15. Chanel Rouge Coco Baume. £23

A lesson In Brushes

Hi dolls!

This was my first requested post and it took me a while just because

 I wanted to make sure it was informative.

I spent alot of time trying to find cheaper alternatives to give a range in 

price but then I realised that wouldn't be honest! 

Honestly brushes are expensive. 

There are no two ways about it.

 Each one is an investment and I recommend you really do take your 

time and build your collection!

 I've been buying brushes since I was 16 and I counted 125 yesterday! 

All still in good condition. However the average sane person doesn't need these many! Here is a break down of some of the BEST brushes in the industry. 

Again I tried to be versatile with the brands but I couldn't!! 

These are honestly the best out so enjoy!!

These seven brushes in my eyes are the PERFECT brushes to make your skin look HD Flawless. You DO NOT need to buy all of these brushes if you don't wear lots of different textures of foundation . Also never forget the best companion to your brushes is your

 fingers so don't be afraid to use them hand in hand.

Stippling brush

I've suggested the MAC 187 Duo fibre brush £33.50 

if you didn't specifically want a MAC brush this brush can be a 

synthetic or a natural bristle brush. 

This brush is PERFECT for liquid foundations it doesn't pick up 

too much coverage but allows for an easy application and an air brushed finish. This brush also works well with minerals 

Short Fibre brush

MAC 130 Duo Short Fibre brush this is personally

 my favourite foundation brush I've added it underneath the bigger size because I think it's just as important.

 This brush honestly buffs your foundation into your skin so 

flawlessly without a line in sight. 

using it in circular motions across your face will create the creamiest of looks.

 This also works great with concealer.

Flat Foundation brush

Ideally when looking for a flat foundation brush you want a synthetic,
 densely packed wide brush to allow you to easily cover a good amount of space!
 I suggest this one from Bobbi brown it really allows you to 
get in and around the corners of your nose and closely up under your eyes.

powder foundation 

This Dior powder brush is one of the best brushes I've seen in a long time.
 It can also be used for cream foundation!
 You'll want something slightly flat and slated so it presses both the powder and cream into your skin whilst blending it continuously for an air brushed effect.
 Natural bristles are great for building coverage without streaks.

Concealer

Again I recommend Dior, this flat synthetic 
concealer brush is great for covering dark circles or
 problem areas around the eyes and mouth.

All over the eye

This has got to be my favourite eye brush of all time 

it's the 239 Shader brush by MAC. You really want something naturally

 bristled that's dense but thin. It really packs on the product. 

My FAVOURITE thing to do is use this brush wet this really enhances 

the colours and adds staying power! ** Note: wetting shadows works best with 

shimmer or metallic, not matte shades. Further, this brush also works great for your brow bone and lower lid.

Blending / Concealer and Blending  

These brushes  work like a windshield wiper, sweeping back and forth 

over both the lid and crease to blend all colours together removing hard edges.

A VITAL step if you want your eyes to look flawless.

The black blending brush can also be used for Concealer 

under the eyes and or to powder the t-zone area with lose powder instead of

using a huge powder brush.

Straight liner brush 

 This straight liner brush is perfect for eye liner 

i.e the name but it is also great for tidying up concealer lines and defining 

your  brows and lipstick! Multi purpose right? 

Brushes are not cheap so it's great when you find one 

that can be used for more than one thing.

Smudge 

 This brush is one of my favourites a lot of people weirdly 

don't won't their liner on the bottom lid to look so line like.

 A smudge brush is really effective for creating a shadow effect. 

Look for one with a flat head, short and dense natural bristles 

as it gives you the best precision for smoking out lines.

Angled Liner and Pointy Liner 

These days gel liner is everywhere and a liner

brush is absolutely necessary.

 The slanted liner brush can also be used for swiping across a

 pencil then using it for precision. The pointed liner brush however is

perfect for dipping into liquid based liners. 

Brow Brush

 Look for a brow brush that has a spooly (looks like a mascara wand) you can brush them up and over before you fill them in with a powder or pencil.

Lip Brushes
Lip brushes can often be over looked but they're very important! 

They give your lips an even finish and increase the wear of your lipstick.These brushes can be either flat and square or slightly rounded and tapered. When buying a lip brush, it's important to look for a soft, delicate tip that allows for precision, but that is also gentle on your lips. These brushes are amazing for layering, ombre, variety and let you dictate the amount that actually ends up on your lips.

MAC Foundation Guide!

Ask any MAC MUA, one of the most requested demos on counter is a foundation match. People often want to know their foundation colour and find a foundation that's best for them and their type of skin. If you're unsure of your skin type check out my Primer blog post. Now MAC in my opinion do the best foundations for two reasons. 1. The variety of colour options and 2. The variety of consistency. 

Firstly to understand how MAC name their shades here's a brief break down of their foundation codes. 

C - Cool Yellow tones / Golden- Olives 

NC - Neutral Cool 

N - Neutral/Beige 

NW - Neutral Warms/ Pink Beige 

W- Warm/Pink 

Foundations 

1. Mineralize Moisture

Price: £27 30ml

The Scoop: The latest addition to the Foundation family a combination of powders and brand new blurring formula that is supposed to diminish fine lines. Sheer to medium coverage. I do NOT recommend this for oily skin. It comes with a quite a  shine  which is  subtle but it's extremely greasy in texture. Perfect if you have dry skin and want something with a dewy finish but if you're oily or prefer matte finishes I'd stay clear. But GREAT for everyday if you have dry skin

Application: use sparingly with a brush or a pro performance sponge and use a mineralize skin finish to set.

Tips: Not the best for photo shoots or occasions where you'll want to take pictures! It does contain SPF 15 and you may get that annoying ghost like look when the flash sets off! Go a shade lighter than usual it tends to get a bit dark once dry

2. Face & Body

Price: 50ml £21/ 120ml £27

The Scoop: Ask any make up artist its a "Must- have" perfect as a base for your other foundations or great as a stand alone product. very sheer in coverage but is a great if you're looking for something with versatility  

 Application: If a light sheer finish is something you're after apply lightly with a brush. This isn't a full coverage foundation so you need to work the skin and build it for more. If full coverage is something you like I wouldn't recommend you use this on it's own. But this is perfect if you're after something light.

Tips: If you're a make up artist this is perfect to have in your kit it  looks great on all skin types. It's great on photo shoots and can be used  other places than your face and won't transfer onto clothes. Keep the foundation in a cool dark place and shake well since it tends to separate. Water-based and water-resistant.

3. Studio Fix Plus Powder Foundation

Price : £21.50 15g

The Scoop: I always think this foundation is great for darker/tanned skin tones the colour ranges it comes in is amazing! Now if you have oily skin and like powder foundations this is GREAT for you! Powder foundations are generally good for oily skin types.

Application: this foundation comes with a sponge applicator but you can use any sponge of your choice however for a controlled application and lighter airbrushed finished use a brush!

Tips: If your skin is oily you need to change your sponges!! If you continue to use the same sponge the oil from your face will cause a seal on your foundation. This won't ruin it forever but it does mean you'll have to scrape the top layer off to be able to use it again. Wasting product. Which we don't like!

4. Studio Fix Fluid

The Price: £21.50

The Scoop: This is one of my favourite MAC foundations. You should be aware that these foundations do lean towards the yellow undertones so if you've found that other MAC foundations are slightly too red for your skin give these a go! This foundation is great for both dry and oily skin tones it's oil free yet still leaves your skin glowing. it's medium to build-able full coverage and lasts all day.

Application : Use a brush to apply this! I recommend any stippling brush or some people use their fingers to apply as the warmth in the finger tips helps it melt into the skin giving a natural finish.This product tends to sink into sponges which wastes the foundation and doesn't give you your moneys worth 

Tips: Make sure you really do get the correct match for your skin! Once dry this foundation can look slightly darker than it does in the bottle.

5. Matchmaster 

The Price: £27 33ml

The Scoop: My favourite MAC foundation to date! I love Match master first of all this product is great for most skin types because it adjusts to the undertones in your face. It's not too pink/red or too yellow which you may find with other MAC foundations. It's especially great for normal to oily skin types as it glides on and keeps a fairly matte finish throughout the day but still provides a great glow. It's Medium to full coverage and lasts all day!!

Application : See Studio Fix fluid Foundation above^^

Tips: This foundation line is numbered very differently from MAC’S regular NC and NW shades. These are labelled strictly as numbers and range from 1 to 10.

6. Studio Tech 

The Price: £25 10g

The scoop: This foundation is perfect for dry and or mature skin. It's creamy and sexy in texture makes the most driest of skin look moisturised and flawless. However if you have oily skin do not buy this foundation!!!

Application: I'd recommend using a set spray or mist like MAC fix plus all over the face and using a buffing or stippling brush.

Tips: DO NOT USE THE SPONGE IT COMES WITH!!! Throw it away in fact! It absorbs so much product you'll end up losing half of it and well we don't have make up to waste!

7. Studio Sculpt 

The Price: £25 40ml

The Scoop: I adore this foundation in the winter!! It's a thick gel based foundation and is perfect if you want something heavy with full coverage. It's perfect if you have any acne or bad scaring and is very moisturising 

Application : I would suggest using a sponge applicator for this foundation or a synthetic brush to get a more even coverage.

Tips:  BLEND!! 

8. PRO Longwear 

The Price: £25 30ml

The Scoop: So this foundation is very similar to studio fix fluid in consistency just has much better staying power. I'd say its medium to build-able coverage works well with dry skin however if your skin is oily you may need a setting powder. It's also great if you have problem areas.

Application: See studio fix fluid foundation above 

Tips: Built for extreme temperatures and conditions, this foundation is perfect for events like weddings, proms and events that you need your makeup to last for up to 15 hours!

9. Mineralize Foundation 

Price £27.00 10g

The Scoop : This is a rich compact foundation that's really creamy in texture medium - build-able and just like Studio tech it's great for dry skin.

Application : Use a short fibre brush from MAC it's great for buffing this into the skin 

Tip: Again throw away the stupid sponge it absorbs so much product! 

10. Mineralize foundation loose

price : £25 7.5g

The scoop : This is my least favourite of all the MAC foundations it doubles as a foundation and setting powder although I'd say it was more of a setting powder and not a foundation but hey.

It has a natural satin finish that leaves the skin glowy and smooth. With the usual  layer of primer to smooth any dry patch on  skin, it lasts 8-9 hours.

Application : It's build-able but you need to use the right brush a fluffy brush will NOT work well try a 109 MAC or a Sigma F82 round top kabuki 

Tip: Use mineralise concealer by MAC with this it pairs nicely 

11. Studio Moisture Tint

Price: £21.50 40ml

The Scoop : I want to make it clear to you ladies that this is not a foundation!! This is a tinted moisturiser but it's still relevant to the post It's a light tinted moisturiser with SPF 15 and it's VERY sheer suitable for all skin tones and types however there isn't a shade for extremely dark skin. I've used this whilst on holiday when I just wanted something for the beach days and it works well. Would I used it everyday though? No. It's too sheer.

Application : This is easily applied with fingers or a sponge it goes on really easily and smoothly.

Tips: be careful to pick the right shade for you can come up grey.

The Best In Primers

With flawless perfect skin being widely sought after

one of the most common questions I'm asked is "Should I be using a primer?"

Followed by " If so. which one?". The answer to the first question is YES!! 

For flawless foundation application a  Primer is absolutely necessary

I can't do my make up without it!!  The answer to the second question is not always so simple. Your skin type has alot to do with finding a primer perfect for you.  

Which is why I decided to do this blog in such depth, I wanted my readers to have choice.

To help you find exactly what you need, I've pulled together 

my favourite primers for every skin type. 30 to be exact! From oily to dry, and combination 

to acne. I've got your next primer purchase covered. 

Normal Skin: Normal skin is not too dry and not too oily. It has: No or few imperfections No severe sensitivity Barely visible pores A radiant complexion. It is the least problematic out of all the skin types. Good Primers for this skin type:

1. Clarins - Beauty Flash Balm £29.00

2.Make Up Forever - HD Foundation Primer £11.24

3. Chanel - Sheer Illuminating Base £27.90

4.Rimmel - Fix & Perfect Pro £6.99

5. Estee Lauder - Face Primer Plus £22.50

Dry Skin: Dry skin can produce, almost invisible pores, dull, rough complexion, red patches, less elasticity visible lines.

When exposed to drying factors, skin can crack, peel, or become itchy, irritated, or inflamed. If your skin is very dry you may want to use:

1.Laura Mercier - Hydrating Primer £28.00

2. NARS - Multi-Protect  £25.00

3. Stila - Hydrating Primer £22.00

4.Smash box - Photo Finish Hydrating £28.00

5.Bobbi Brown - Vitamin Enriched Face Base £33.00

Oily Skin : Enlarged pores, dull or shiny, thick complexion ,bblackheads, pimples, or other blemishes Oiliness can change depending upon the time of year or the weather but if you experience any of these symptoms try:

1. Clinique - Pore Minimiser £20.00

2. MAC - Prep + Prime Skin £20.50

3. Lancome - La Base £25.50 

4. No.7 - Shine Free £12.50

5. Smash box - Photo Finish £25.00

Combination Skin: A combination skin type can be dry or normal in some areas and oily in others, such as the T-zone (nose, forehead, and chin). Many people have combination skin, which  may benefit from slightly different types of skin care in different areas. Combination skin can produce, overly dilated pores, bblackheads, Shiny skin. Try using:

1. illamasqua - Hydra Veil £27

2.Clinque - Colour Corrects Dullness £20

3.Giorgio Armani - Fluid Master primer £30

4. MAC - Prep + Prime Skin Refined Zone £16

5. Nivea - Express Hydration Primer £4.99

Acne prone/ Sensitive: If your skin is sensitive, try to find out what your triggers are so you can avoid them. You may have sensitive skin for a variety of reasons, but often it's in response to particular products

Sensitive skin can show up as: Acne/Spots, redness, itching, burning dryness. Try:

1. MAC - Prep + Prime - Face Protection £23

2.Bare Minerals - Prime Time Original £21

3.Clarins - Instant Smooth £26

4. L'oreal - Studio Secrets £14

5. Make Up Forever HD - Green £11.24