MOTD | Makeup of the Day

Just a quick post today to ease my self back into this blogging malarkey and there's nothing easier than a makeup of the day with a rundown of the products I used. I'm really not doing anything special today so I purely did my makeup both to kill time but also for a little pick-me-up, hence the lack of lip product. Any else only ever wear lip product when you are actually intended on leaving the house? 

Face

Foundation: Clinique Beyond Perfecting in Ivory

Concealer: Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in 01

Powder: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light and a Look Fantastic Banana Powder

Bronzer: Guerlain Terracotta Bronzer 

Blusher: MAC Pro Longwear Blush in Desert Rose

Highlighter: Anastasia x Amrezy Highlight and Charlotte Tilbury Bar of Gold

Eyes

Brows: NYX Tame & Frame Pomade in Espresso

Eyeshadow: NYX Lid Lingerie Metallic Liquid Eyeshadow in Gold Standard 

Huda Beauty Rose Gold Palette (Henna as a transition colour, 24k on inner third, Maneater through the crease and under the eye

Eyeliner: Dolce & Gabanna Kohl Liner in White

Mascara: Estée Lauder Sumptuous Mascara

I would love to hear what products you've been using every day!

Leave a comment below.

The Perfect Contour Shade for Pale Skin

When it comes to contouring, the ideal contour shade really matters. There is no point trying to chisel out perfect cheek bones with a terracotta-orange powder that adds colour as opposed to shadows. I have scoured the likes of the internet and what feels like every beauty counter with the intention of finding the perfect contour shade for pale skin. Finally, I found one that works perfectly for my fair skin and has little attention in the blogging world. The MAC Baby Don't Go Pro Longwear Blush (£20.50) is a cool toned brown that is subtle on the skin but applies seamlessly, ensuring perfect and easy application. This cool beige shade can be applied to the hollows of the cheeks and subtly under the jawline to emphasise the contours of ones face adding depth, definition and desirable cheekbones. The formula of this powder blush is very sheer so will only create an effect on paler skin tones as I feel it will be appear much more ashy and grey on anyone deeper. The sheerness of the powder also prevents the likelihood of going overboard as the powder can be gradually built up to the desired colour, adding to the simplistic application of the product. If you would like to see photos of this blush in action, check out a recent MOTD of mine here.

Let me know what you think in the comments.

What is your favourite product for contouring? 

'Miss Kensington' by Charlotte Tilbury x Norman Parkinson Collection

Okay, this has easily been one of my all time favourite collections from 2015. As soon as I saw the first initial promotions for this I knew I had to have it. Charlotte Tilbury is probably one of my all time favourite high end brands ever. Seriously, her cosmetics are all completely faultless when it comes to quality, shades and of course, that rose gold packaging! Yet, when you collaborate rose gold  metal with timeless, vintage photographs from Mr Parkinson himself, you have yourself something heavenly. Long story short, I basically bit the bullet and purchased the whole Miss Kensington collection because I seriously could not resist and felt it to be a pretty good deal at the time. I am not lying when I say I was slightly emotional when opening up that perfectly, packaged burgundy box decorated with a matching ribbon. The beauty inside seriously surpassed all expectations which I know sounds so ridiculous but seriously, I live for things like this. So for anyone that is interested in trying any of the products contained within this collection, keep on reading... 

First, is probably my most favourite product out of them all, the Dreamy Glow Highlighter Youth Illuminating Powder (£45). This is a beautiful, finely milled powder that adds a 'lit from within' glow to the skin with a subtle peachy, pearlescent sheen creating a radiant complexion. I love the safari vibes connoted by the outside of the packaging, which almost emphasises the warm, soft focus effect created by this miracle powder. I can seriously see myself getting a lot of use out of this all year round. Next is the Colour of Youth Healthy Happy Lip & Cheek Glow (£40), a beautiful pinched pink with a youthful sheen that adds a wash of a fresh, rose-hued glow to the cheeks. I apply this with a petit stippling blush to the apples of my cheeks and blend it out along my cheek bones to lift my face and emphasis the look of adolescents. The formula, though creamy, lasts all days and almost emphasises the natural flush of ones cheeks. The Eyes to Mesmerise Cream Eyeshadows (£22) in Jean and Marie-Antoinette are beautiful additions to the collection and offer great base colours for any shadow looks. I love the soft gold hue of Jean and find the rose-gold shade of Marie-Antoinette, the perfect accomplice to many of my go-to eye looks. The formulas of these are ultra creamy and glide onto the eyes to give a subtle glow. The collection also comes armed with a beautiful chocolate brown liner in Barbarella Brown (£19) and the talked-about Full Fat Lash Mascara (£22), both of which pack a punch when it comes to colour and formula. Finally, the last product in the collection is the gorgeous Matte Revolution Lipstick in Miss Kensington (£23). This is a perfect pinky nude with an incredibly matte finish that lasts a long time but remaining comfortable as opposed to other matte lippys. I find this shade really emphasises the fullness of the lips and is a perfect everyday pink that justifies the steep price tag.

I hope you enjoyed a rundown of the gloriously, glamorous collection from Charlotte Tilbury. All of the products mentioned are available to purchase separately, so it isn't necessary to purchase the whole collection! Let me know what you think in the comments.

What product has caught your eye?

MAC ft Philip Treacy

I recently managed to bag a few items from the Philip Treacy collection from MAC. This was not a collection that I heard much about and wouldn't have even been aware of its existence if it wasn't for the sneaky MAC email I received in my inbox minutes after the release. Due to my sheer panic and unawareness, I picked up a few items on a whim but thank goodness I got lucky, as each item is seriously beautiful. The two winners for me are of course the highlighting powders in Nude Pink and Blush Pink. Due to my incredibly pale skin, Blush Pink would look gorgeous as a subtle bronzer with a slight glow due to the stream of silver sinner running through the powder. Nude Pink on the other hand will be a perfect, lightweight blush that adds a bit of highlight to my cheeks thus making it a good duo product. I also picked up the lipstick in Hollywood Cerise, which is an extra-pretty deep pink colour that reminds me a lot of Flat Out Fabulous but with a Satin finish. I seriously cannot get enough of these MAC collections are always find myself going crazy over any of their releases. I hope you enjoyed this short post focusing on each item I picked up.

What product takes your fancy from the MAC ft Philip Treacy collection?

MAC Mineralize Blushers

As you can see by the photos above, I have accumulated a few of the MAC Mineralize Blushers  and I find it needless to say that I am seriously impressed by the quality. I have only just uploaded a post about the Max Factor Creme Puff Blushers on this blog where I stated that those were comparable to the likes of these. So, instead of just telling you, I thought I would actually show you! The MAC Mineralize Blushers come in a baked formula and promise a lightweight finish but of course, still with great pigmentation. 

In order of the photos and swatches: Petal Power is definitely one of my favourites considering it is a pretty pink shade with a coral shimmer merged within the hue. The shimmer adds a highlighting effect to the cheeks making this the perfect blush for S/S.  Gentle is a much more of a typical pink shade with a raspberry spin with a much more subtle shimmer that still looks gorgeous on the cheeks but may require an added bit of highlight if you're aiming for the dewey, fresh faced look. Dainty is fairly similar to the previous shade but is rather more berry toned and definitely requires a light hand with application. This shade reminds me a lot of the MAC Powder Blush in Desert Rose mainly because of their insane pigmentation. New Romance is my second favourite out of these as the pretty peach shade looks pretty much perfect with any make up look. If you're are after a simple but pretty blush, definitely try this out. Finally, Love Thing is the darkest one in my collection as it's a deep burgundy colour with a slight gold shimmer. I would probably only really wear this during A/W but I am pleased to have an array of colours in my beauty stash.

Let me know what you think in the comments.

What's your favourite Mineralize Blush? 

Max Factor Creme Puff Blushers

Max Factor are easily one of the most competitive brands on the high street. I often find a lot of their products compete with similar products from higher end companies. I am a big lover of their mascaras and find that their quality is actually better in comparisons to brands such as YSL and Lancôme. Max Factors new Creme Puff Blushers are a recent addition to the beauty scene and have already been compared to the likes of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushers and the MAC Mineralize Blushers. With six shades to choose from, there is pretty much a shade for anyone and everyone. The merged, baked formula offers a multi-tonal colour that looks effortless once applied to cheeks. Each blush comes with a slightly iridescent finish thus adding an extra hint of subtle highlight making highlighter almost unnecessary. I picked up the shades 15 Seductive Pink, 20 Lavish Mauve and 30 Gorgeous Berries. Seductive Pink is a beautiful muted-purply pink shade with a slight hint of gold that naturally warms up the complexion. This looks beautiful applied to the apples of the cheeks and is a perfect neutral day-to-day blush. Lavish Mauve is similar to the former shade but slightly paler and much more peachier when applied to the skin. I think this is probably my favourite of the three as it is totally wearable. Gorgeous Berries is the boldest of the three colours, with a deeper reddy-pink hue which can be easily sheered out after application therefore making it still easy to wear. The pigmentation of these blushers are outstanding and the long lasting formula is almost identical to brands such as MAC. If you're looking for a cheaper alternative to a mineralise blush, pop down to your local Boots and pick up one of these for just £8.99. 

Let me know what you think in the comments.

What shades takes your fancy?

Mini MAC Haul

Nothing makes my day more than waking up to a parcel from MAC filled with products from their new collections. Like the majority, I am eagerly awaiting the release of their very much talked about Cinderella collection which, to be quite honest, I have already set my alarm for! Until then, I've satisfied my craving by picking up a few items from the Isabel and Ruben Toledo collection and one product from the Bao Bao Wan collection.  How many times can I say collection? 

Isabel and Ruben Toledo Blush Ombre in Azalea Blossom £25 

A light cool pink with purple ombre and laced with shimmer.

Isabel and Ruben Toledo Blush Ombre in Ripe Peach £25

Peachy orange with coral pink ombre laced with golden shimmer.

Isabel and Ruben Toledo Lipstick in Victoriana £17

Mid-toned red with pink undertone and a matte finish.

Bao Bao Wan Beauty Powder in Summer Opal £23

A golden powder with subtle shimmer that offers an effortless glow.

See anything you like? Let me know in the comments!

My Everyday Makeup Look

A quick run down of my current favourite, go-to make up look. I personally prefer to opt for dewey skin, a subtle smokey eye and of course winged liner! I used the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion sponge for my liquid face products and Zoeva brushes for my eyes which I highly recommend! I am aware that my everyday make up may be a little full on for some of you but I genuinely enjoy playing around with different products and looks which I may as well wear somewhere! 

Face

Hourglass Veil  Mineral Primer

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Mont Blanc

Nars Creamy Concealer in Vanilla

(For a full post of all my base products click here)

Body Shop Honey Bronzer in 02

Topshop Bronzing Illuminator in Illuminated 

MAC Mineralize Blush in Dainty 

Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Powder in Candlelight

Eyes

Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in Dark Brown (review here)

The Balm Cosmetics Mary Lou-manizer over the lid.

The Balm Nude-tude Palette: Sultry through the crease

and Sophisticated blended through the outer third. 

MAC Nylon in inner corner. 

The Balm Schwing Liquid Eyeliner (review here)

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Eye-Pencil in Perversion 

Rimmel Wonder'full Mascara 

Lips

Dior Addict Lips Maximiser Gloss 

Let me know what you think!

What products do you wear everyday?