Origins GinZing Energy-boosting moisturizer

This is like the greatest smelling moisturiser I've ever smelt. I think I love the orange and citrus scents and thats probably why I love this one so much.

Not only does this smell amazing but it has cured my dry skin. I was always one of those people that loves doing make up but was SUPER lazy when it comes to skin care. This is probably partially the reason why my skin was so dry, because I am a confessed user of makeup wipes (I know, they're bad for you). I probably use makeup wipes more than my Emma Hardie cleanser just because it takes a lot of effort. This moisturiser sinks into the skin really quickly, is really hydrating and you can feel it from the moment it touches the skin.

The smell is just a bonus if you ask me.

This moisturiser is on the more expensive side at £24 per 50ml, but it totally worth it.

Click here to get it CLICK

Let me know what your favourite moisturiser is below

:)

Ghost perfume

This is currently my favourite day scent. I used to use Giorgio Armani, Si, which I love more than Ghost but it's more of an occasional and special scent for me. Ghost on the other hand is a lighter scent that I like to use to spritz myself up after a day at work. It's not a floral scent and I think it's a little musky but not overwhelming.

Also, look how cool the bottle is.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream

When I found these lipsticks on feelunique, I thought I'd hit the jackpot. I'd been looking for nude colours with a matte texture for a long time.

Although the texture and longevity of these lipsticks are AMAZING, I don't really like the taste or smell. I don't know what you would compare it to but it's not nice. However, this does not stop me from using it. The smell and taste goes once it dries.

Even though this lipstick is matte, it isn't drying on the lips. Don't get me wrong, it's not moisturising either, but it doesn't destroy your lips.

My favourite colour is (insert brown colour here). But I've also tried the bright colours which, in my option is just as good as the nude colours.

One of the most appealing things about this is that it's really cheap at just £5.50 per lipstick on feelunique.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream (Left to Right: Copenhagen, Prague, Monte Carlo, London)

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream (Left to Right: Copenhagen, Prague, Monte Carlo, London)

Birthday Makeup

Today is my birthday and I am 20 years old!

But something that I feel I have spent a lot of time thinking about is the type of make up I wanted to wear. I'm not normally one to put a bunch of planning into my make up. I usually have a group of eyeshadows which I like to wear, and i just throw on whatever i'm feeling like wearing on that day.

I thought I would just add a couple of pictures in here and write what I've got on.

Nars sheer glow mant blanc

Nars creamy concealer chantilly

Rimmel stay matte powder transparent

Mac charcoal eyeshadow on my brows

Nars basic 2 pallette 1st shade as a base, 3rd shade through the crease layered with 4th and 6th shades and then the 4th shade underneath the eyes

L'oreal paris super liner in black

Lancome hypnose mascara

Charlotte tilbury sculpt and perfect contour (no highlight)

Rosy flush tanya burr blush

Mac lipliner spice

Charlotte tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick in bitch perfect

I started with benefits porefessional to help with the longevity of this look

*I actually wrote this on my birthday a week ago 12th April*

Waxing VS Threading

I used to have caterpillars for eyebrows. I had an immense monobrow and two fat straight lines just above my eyes. I didn't really pluck them until I was about 14 (I know I was late to the party), but when I started plucking them they still didn't look much better. I just found I was very lazy, and I would leave them wayyyy too long. I started getting them waxed because thats what my mum would do, and then when I started getting into beauty, I started getting them threaded.

Waxing is definitely quicker when you get them done, and I would say less painful. But I found that because it was tearing at my skin when the little strip of material was ripped off, my skin went absolutely haywire. I would break out all around my brows, and although they looked thinner, they were still very bushy.

Threading, in my opinion, is a lot nicer than waxing. This is because, although it takes a little longer, it makes my brows more defined, manageable and longer lasting. Threading also reacts less to my skin and, although I still break out, it's nowhere near as much as waxing.

Overall, I have been converted into the life of threading because of the way my brows look for the 6-8 week period afterwards.

Does anyone else hate the small talk that the beautician tries to have with you whilst she is like 3 inches away from your face? I find it incredibly awkward.

:)

Lipstick to last a lifetime

I know, I know, I know. I have failed miserably at this blog. However in the time I have been away from here, I have realised that this is something that I love. It's one of the ways I can relax and have a creative outlet without the pressure of believing a lot of people will see this. Most of my friends aren't into make up and blogging like I am. My sister had a vegan blog when she did the 30 day vegan challenge, but other than her influence to start my blog, I haven't had any other encouragement other than my own will. Hopefully this is the last hiatus I will take from this little corner of the internet. I might not have all the greatest equipment but I have got a hobby.

When I say 'to last a lifetime' I don't mean the colours that will stay on for hours all day, I mean the type of lip colours which will be a staple in my everyday routine and will stay there for a lonnnggg time. I have about 3 lip sticks which I have been using for about a year now, and I have been using consistently.

First up is the Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick in Bitch Perfect, not only is the name like super cool, but the colour is a lush subtle corally nude colour. I've never found a colour to match this (if you know of one please let me know). It isn't the most long lasting lipstick ever, it comes off when you cook, but with a lipstick which is so moisturising I don't mind putting it on every few hours (haha).

Next lipstick that I adore is the Ciate Olivia Palermo lipstick in cashmere. I wear this once I've put on some fake tan on and feel a little more summery, but it's a really lovely brown nude colour. It just adds something different to your look.

Finally is mac's lipstick in twig. I got this because my cousin bought one for her and then returned to the mac store the same day because she knew I would love it. I love this colour because it's bolder than your average nude but it's really easy to put on. It's a very kylie-esq colour, and that is exactly what my cousin asked for when she went into the store. 

A lazy day

If there is one thing that is needed every once in a while, it's a lazy day. I especially love lazy sundays. It gives a refreshing look at the week before going to work the next day. 

I love to stay in my pyjama's, catch up on the tv that i've missed during the week, and have a few too many cups of tea or hot chocolate through out the day. I think sundays are the best days to do this becuase when you get a food baby from sunday lunch it's great to be able to take a nap afterwards and not have to think about all the things you should be doing.

I also like to take these lazy days as a time to just chill out with my sister, with us both working full time jobs we don't see each other all week and so sundays are the perfect time to just sit around all day in each others company. No make up, pyjamas and beauty treatments all day long, who could ask for more.

I feel as though you should take one day out a week so you can destress, breathe and remind yourself that life is not so bad when you can take a deep breathe. 

Whats your favourite things to do on your lazy day? 

Halloween makeup from your bag

I wanted to do this because I'm in no way good at halloween make up or a professional or have practiced doing halloween make up. My parents were never ones who liked the idea of taking me out at night, when I should be going to bed, to ask for sweets from strangers, and I was ok with this because I'd never liked knocking on the doors of strangers and having to talk to them. But I thought I'd do these 3 looks to show you that you don't need the fanciest makeup to look good on halloween, even though they don't look professional.

The Halloween costume that everyone uses as a back up if they haven't got any idea as what to go as. The Cat. I used a very pale foundation to create a smooth and pale base (Nars sheer glow in Siberia). I also kept the eyes plain from eyeshadow and just used eyeliner and eyelashes to focus on a sleek cat eye. I used a blue eyeliner- Revlon Colorstay in 205 Sapphire to bring something special to this look. It's subtle and you only really notice it at various occasions and views. I then did a cat eye with a liquid liner. I didn't use any bronzer or blush because, when do you see a cat with blush or bronzer on? I then used the Cheryl Cole Eylure lashes in No 114 to bring some intensity to the eyes (eyelashes are extremely difficult to put on, I would suggest putting on mascara first as then the eyelashes have something to stick to). I did my normal brow routine of just some dark brown eyeshadow brushed through the brow. To finally pull this all together I used a Gel liner to create the whiskers, a little black nose and the top lip. I found that to get a little cheeky smile I also put little flicks at the corners of my mouth which I thinks adds to the cute of this make up look and a neutral pink brown on the bottom lip to make it pop. Then I just shoved my hair up into two buns on the top of my head to act as ears.

My sister let me use her for the next look because who wouldn't want to attack your sisters face with make up. This one was a little rushed because she was going out to a cartoon themed party afterwards, and not as a skeleton, but as minnie mouse. Again for this look I used the lightest foundation I own which is Nars sheer glow in Siberia, and then the rest I used a black eyeshadow and gel eyeliner to do the darkest bits. I did this look because I'd never done anything like this before and I wanted to show you that even though it's not the neatest and best looking skeleton look ever, but It looks pretty good. I would suggest that whatever you do with this look, as long as it doesn't look neat you'll be well on your way to scaring all of your friends. I also let her do her own mascara because I didn't want to be responsible for making her blind. she also pulled the mascara through her brows.

The final look is a doll style that with the right outfit could look super creepy. This uses the same base and eyebrows as the Cat look however I used my naked 3 pallette to make a pink smokey eye. I used buzz and burnout on the centre of the eye and also mugshot in the outer corner of the eye and just blended like crazy. I used a pink eye because I feel that dolls always look super girly and pretty 'dolled' up. I didn't use any bronzer but I used a bit more blush than I usually would use. I then used some volumizing lashes because I wanted them to be pretty packed, I do wish I'd used thicker lashes but this was the thickest that superdrug had. I the used a bright red lip I believe it was the Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick in 111. I struggled with making my hair look exactly what I imagined and I think that bunches are ideal because it reminds me of the hair I used to have when I was younger.

What is your go to fancy dress outfit when you can't think of anything to wear?

The Samples

I know i'm late to the party for most of these, but I'm always reluctant to buy things when they are being hyped up because it's more difficult to realise whether I genuinely like the product, or like it because everyone is telling me it's great.

Lets start with Benefits Porefessional. I use this on the areas where my pores are at their worst. It makes a smoother base without letting my make up slip away. I also love the packaging, it's cute. I never really used to wear a primer, when I first really got into makeup I used a cheaper one from Rimmel I think which would make the base look great for about 2 hours and then disappear, I think this kind of started a reluctance to use any other types. This has also lasted me so long even though it's a really small pot, I mean like weeks. Not only have I fallen in love with this, the area I live don't really have anywhere close by to buy higher branded makeup, but our boots has finally started to stock it, so my bank is going to start hating me.

The second Benefit product is the they're real mascara, I really like this for coverage on the lashes and it adds a lot of volume, but I do not love the heaviness. I have really long lashes so keeping them up and curled is quite difficult, and this just seems to weigh them down. I wanted to like this but it just doesn't work well with me.

Finally is the Lights Camera Lashes mascara from Tarte. This was another one that I always wanted to try but always forgot to buy. To be completely honest, I do prefer the Benefit mascara because this one was too much for me, I found it quite difficult to get my eyelashes to look how I wanted them too, I'm not sure why but I just did not get along with this. If you have shorter and thinner eyelashes I think this would work perfectly, giving length and volume, however it is quite thick.

Bronzing for the paler

I've said numerous times on here; I am white. I'm like casper the friendly ghost, you can't get much paler. However i find that if i don't use some type of countouring bronzey thing, then i look dead. Most bronzers are just too orange toned and look unnatural. I like this bronzer because it's a subtle colour and brings just a little oomph to the cheekbones. I use shade 01light matte and so 100% suggest this bronzer, also the name is just delicious, honey bronze bronzing powder (what is it with the foody bronzers i mean this and bourjois chocolate bronzer mmmm).

It's also a really beautiful shell casing which makes it great for travel because it's super smooth and little and there's no extra bulkyness. I also love the idea of the bee hive shapes in the middle with tbe 'honey idea'

Definitely a favourite in my opinion. 

REVIEW: Soap and Glory Brow Archery

I have been searching for a simpler way to do my eyebrows, something more travel-friendly. I usually just use some chocolate eyeshadow and that does the trick, however it's a pain to have to keep washing my brushes. I had heard mixed opinions on this, some saying it was fairly difficult to work with, and others singing it's praises. I can say that I have loved it for everyday use, it's not as dark as the eyeshadow that I would usually use for a stronger brow, but this makes the look softer. The felt tip type end is meant to be used as a tint, however this is the bit that looks like it's doing nothing when it's actually just filling out some of the more sparse areas. The other end is more like a crayon and works to strengthen the arch itself. I find that it stays all day and is difficult to go wrong with this. It's a lot more convenient. For £10 it's not too bad, but I would say for a budget this probably isn't the best there is. For special occasions I tend to stick with the eyeshadow just because it's stronger and makes my brows more defined.

Buy it HERE 

What do you use to fill in your brows?

Work Those Lashes

Eyelashes are my most annoying makeup problems. I struggle to find a way to keep my eyelashes curved all day and a mascara that I have fallen in love with. I have found a way to encourage the curve to open up my eyes throughout the majority of the day so here are 3 tips to keeping up those eyelashes;

1. Use eyelash curlers more than once. I like to use them first, do all of my make up, curl them again and then a 3rd time. This will make them look really weird but after 5 minutes they just look open and wide eyed. I've found this technique to be really effective and I have no problem with my eyelashes staying open. I've also heard that if you heat up the eyelash curlers slightly to begin with, it's meant to work like curling tongs and hold them open, but when you wake up at about 7 in the morning, I can't ever be bothered to wait for them to heat up.

2. Use a lightweight mascara or a waterproof mascara to lock it in and not weigh it down. On an everyday basis, I like to use Rimmel Scandaleyes show off mascara because it's lightweight and it's easy to just coat your lashes once and they have a natural finish alongside separating the eyelashes as well as darkening them. When I'm going out, I like to use Maybelline the Falsies waterproof mascara because it's just a little more heavy duty and makes the lashes look extra special.

3. When curling your lashes, tilt the curlers towards the lid of the eye. I find that this just adds a little lift and curl, it also contributes to making the lashes curved for longer.

That Smooth Base Though

Also wearing maybelline the falsies mascara, Rimmel eyebrow pencil, Mac lipstick in Patisserie and bourjois blush in Golden Rose.

I have finally settled on a few base make up items that I think are ones I have trust in and have learned how to use them to suit my skin. I am super fussy with foundation cause I like the base that will stay put without budging and still look how it did in the first place covering up the redness I get on my cheeks and chin, rare but there are a few foundations out there that do the best that I think a foundation can do.

To start with I prep my skin with the Aveeno Skin Relief moisturiser (Review: HERE), and then just a tiny amount of Maybelline New York baby skin instant pore eraser primer because I think if you use too much it does actually make the foundation slip around, so a minute amount just to reduce any imperfections on the surface does the trick. Then I dot my Nars Sheer Glow in Mont Blanc (pale I know) onto my face and blend it in with the Zoeva silk finish brush, this brush makes foundation so quick to blend and leaves it looking even.

I really like to use the Mac Studio Fix Fluid concealer in NC15, which admittedly I think I would prefer NW15 because I think it would brighten and illuminate under the eyes but the NC15 does the job well enough, giving great coverage and stays put almost all day, it might need touching up once in a whole day but it is good. I just use the same Zoeva silk finish brush for ease of cleaning everything and it blends in well.

I sometimes dip into using the Bourjois healthy mix powder (Review: HERE) and just a Collection bronze glow mosaic powder in Radiant just to put a subtle warmth into my pale complexion.

All of these products can be found online but only some in store. 

Whats your favourite foundation?

Recently Under The Radar

I make a lot of purchases that seem to glide under the radar and so I thought it would be good to put together things that I have bought over the past few months, but don't seem to have made it onto foundmygrace.

   First up, it was my birthday over a month ago, and as it was my 18th my cousins sort of spent a lot on my presents. They got me three things from mac, studio fix foundation, studio fix concealer and mac lipstick in Patisserie. I have absolutely fallen in love with them. I had been meaning to get them for a while, and had never got round to it. The concealer stays put and does not budge, it's not too cakey and I feel that it illuminates the skin. The foundation is full coverage, and makes the skin look naturally flawless even if it is full coverage. Finally the mac lipstick is a perfect everyday colour. It stays put for a good number of hours, it's shade is a my lips but better product, and it's actually fairly moisturising what more could you want for an everyday lipstick shade. These purchases came with a free sample of the mac prep and prime primer, which I think is a good primer but there's nothing special about it. It provides a good base for it but I feel that it just smoothes out the skin and thats it.

   I also may have had a little shopping spree on feel unique and treated myself to a few items including;

1. Ren Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Milk (REVIEWED HERE)

2. Rimmel London Kate Moss Lipstick in 05

3. Nude Magique l'oreal paris Anti redness CC Cream

Also, because I spent enough, I got 2 free samples so I chose to try the Dr Branat self adjusting BB Cream and La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo, I haven't got round to testing the BB cream but The Effaclar Duo I am actually planning on repurchasing, it has helped with redness, moisture and reduces a terrible breakout that had started to show. The Kate moss lipstick is as good as drugstore lipsticks get, it's a nice pink colour. I don't tend to wear pinky colours often but this one is subtle but kind of bright and a little sheer. Thirdly The CC Cream is not something I would ever wear, EVER. It's a little dark, I can never find a shade light enough for my skin. The coverage wasn't very equal and it was just a lot of work, I pretty much threw out the whole tube.

   I am also a sucker for the 3 for 2 deals that go on in boots and superdrug so the last time I popped in I came out with 3 things. Firstly the maybelline baby skin pore eraser is probably the best drugstore primer that I have ever tried. It really does reduce pores, so I actually only use this on the places where my pores show through the most, especially around my nose and on the apples of my cheeks. I also bought 3 Revlon colorstay shadow links, Oyster 020, Petal 070 and cocoa 290 I don't think much of these if I'm honest. They are just eye shadows that aren't the greatest eyeshadows that I've ever used, but they certainly aren't bad. Finally I bought the Revlon Colorburst Matte balm in 240, Striking Spectaculaire, this is an amazing everyday reddish orange colour. It's not too bold, not drying, and the colour holds most of the day.
   I bought some zoeva brushes that, once thoroughly inspected will have a review.
   Finally, the final 3 purchases I got was the Rimmel Exaggerate Automatic Eye Definer which is my favourite waterproof eyeliner. It lasts and lines the eyes perfectly, the other thing is that you don't need to use a sharpener, it twists up which is always a bonus in my book. Alongside this I bought 2 other lipsticks from topshop, Lips in Ooh La La which is a really nice sheer coral lipstick, easy to just glide on on-the-go lipstick, and also the Topshop Lip bullet in Wine Gum which is a purple shade that I haven't loved so much because it gets everywhere and I've had no where to wear it too.

What's your most recent favourite purchase? 

Favourite: Ren Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Milk

I've used this now for a good couple of weeks, and I have to say; I'm so impressed. I'm not the best at a skincare routine, I'm much more into makeup and am just way too lazy to properly take off my makeup. I moisturise and cleanse a little, but nothing major, I don't have time for face masks and I certainly can't be bothered to do cleansing toning and this and that every time but this has brought skin care into a whole new light.

This cleansing milk is so nourishing, as soon as you start using it, you can really feel it relieving your skin. I've got slightly sensitive skin and wanted something that would take away some of the redness I get on my chin and cheeks. This has pretty much solved this problem, it calms my skin, moisturises and seems to clear out my pores.

I am in love with this, I don't use it to take off my make up, but I do use it to make sure all of my make up is off. I 100% recommend this product to anyone that wants a softer and more sensitive way to take off their makeup.

Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder

This is my new favourite powder. I really only use powder to set the foundation onto my skin, and so a cheaper one is usually my choice (Rimmel stay matte powder). I absolutely love the warming effect this brings to the paler skinned, especially coming into spring. I find that I can look a little washed out if I'm not careful, and as some foundations oxidise I think it turns a little orange, but this just brings a tiny bit of colour to the porcelain touch without an orange glow. This is in the lightest shade because I don't use it to cover up anything, but just lighting dusting over the skin is just glowing and radiant.

TRESemme Heat Defence Spray

I was never one for heat defence spray a few years ago, until fairly recently. First of all, I barely used heat on my hair at all, but even when I did, I never used it because I thought it was hastle. However since using heat defence spray my hair been damaged so much less.

I picked this up after watching a video by MissGlamorazzi on youtube, and thought it would be a good first one if I was going to start heating up my hair. I have to say, I have loved this product, I use it pretty much every time I wash my hair, it just makes it a lot softer and smoother. 

On the Go Cheek Blush

Rimmel London STAY BLUSHED liquid cheek tint. 

This is a perfect product on a lazy morning. You know those mornings where you wake up and just cannot be bothered, but have things to do, well this is the product.
There isn't much to say about this product, except it's ideal to travel with, and simple to use whilst 'on the go'. It doesn't need a brush, just dab and blend with the fingertips. I have the shade Sunkissed cherry, which is a light redish-orange, there are also another pink shade called 'Pop of Pink'. It gives a healthy glow to the cheeks giving you a natural look, I have to say, it's harder to put it into the exact place on the apple of the cheeks in the precise place you need it to go, however, I don't think precision is necessary with this product. I also think this would be good for a school make up look, due to the natural glow.

This picture really doesn't do it justice.

buy it here: STAY BLUSHED

Disappointing Product: Toni and Guy sea salt spray

I bought this a fairly long time ago, several months (when sea salt sprays were the best thing ever). I guess i just wanted to test the hype and a trip to boots left me with this.

I have fairly thick hair, that is straight and smooth (hardest to style because it just becomes flat throughout the day) and this product just seemed to pull everything around my face and just look like someone had, kind of, hair sprayed it straight. It looks like i have literally been into the sea, but not that 'baywatch' sexy perfume advert type thing, more of the, I've just been knocked out by a wave and washed up on shore type of look, not good.

Overall this product is too heavy, and sticky. This product might be perfect for people with thinner hair but I wouldn't suggest it. 

Staple Nail Polish

When I first started painting my nails, I had no idea where to start. Not only is it extremely difficult to make it look good without going over the edges of the nails, but choosing a colour was even more difficult. I used to use the colours that I was given as a child that were like a disgusting dirty pink that would chip in 10 minutes.

I think a great place to start is to get yourself some classic statement colours that are a general 'must have' The colours I would say is; 1 pastel colour, 1 darker colour and a red. This is a great start to a collection, 3 easy statement colours that you can build on and decide which colours you would prefer. They don't even have to be expensive, I'm not suggesting you go out and find the most expensive branded ones, just cheaper ones that are almost little 'testers'.

I personally think that Barry M are the best drugstore nail polishes and are very easy to use. And at roughly £4 each they are really good value.