My Minimal Quick Make up for Summer

With the warm weather its always a good idea to change-up your make up. You do not want to be going to all the effort of putting a full face of make-up on only for it to be melting off in the sweaty heat, its never a good look. So its really nice to pair down your make-up to help your skin to breathe and feel the benefit of the warm sunshine.

 I always look to my base first, as this should always be changed according to seasons. I have been swapping my foundation for Bourjois 123 perfect cc cream mixed with Collection BB Secrets. I know, I know why use a cc cream and bb?  Well I will tell you, the CC does the correcting, it corrects the colour in the skin and gives a light coverage, but for my skin type I found it a little dry and matts my complexion too much for a summer glow. By adding a BB cream which on its own doesn't have enough coverage, but gives the skin a beautiful fresh glow.  I have been blending this all in with my beautiful Beauty Blender. I so wanted not to like this as it is pricey and everyone waxes lyerical about it. Then I thought what kind of reviewer would I be not to try it! I gave it a go, and Im so glad I did! Its well worth every penny, the bouncy, spongey, awesomeness of it. When I first received it, it looked tiny, but once I washed it it swells 3 times its original size and then your good to go. It blends like a dream and it is up there for my must haves. I then add Nars creamy concealer under my eyes and around my nose and on any blemishes, the coverage on this is very impressive, but the only draw back is that it creases like a cheap suit under your eyes! This is my only annoyance with this product, so I let it go and carry on regardless making sure I prep my undereye well before applying.

My next step is to lock all this hardwork in. I have been using my Anastasia Beverley Hills Contour Kit again, (check my review out on this product) which I had put away when I moved away from contouring, but found a new little mix in using it. I have been using the three shades banana and vanilla to set under the eyes and then Sand just lightly under the eyes too and its give a subtle glow. Ive began moving slowly to the A/W 2015 look of flushed cheeks. Yes girls I am here to report that contouring is going to be put to bed for a while and the flushed fresh cheek glow is making a comeback. I have been popping on Mac cream blush in somthing special. Its a pretty light coral colour and then adding Becca Skin Perfector in champagne pop (see my review on this product) on the high points.

 For my eyes I have really loved using the Lorac Pro Palette. I have been keeping it minimal with using white and cream over the whole eye up to the brow bone, then in the crease nude and taupe just to shape the eye. I then curl my lashes shu umera eyelash curlers, then add Lashings of black mascara, still using  Maybelline lash sensational, (see my review on this product) its a great mascara, have you tried it yet?. I then swipe over a little lipstick, I have been using Mac lipstick in Brave, which is a pretty pinky beige and just gives a nice nude colour to your lips.

 So, there you go my take on minimal make up for the summer. Have you tried any of these products? What products have you been using this summer? I would love to hear from you.

Love Nay x

Disclaimer- I have not been paid by any products mentioned above, I just like to share.

Whats in my Make up Bag - Maggs London

I thought it would be good to share with you a summer minimal make up that I have been using while its been so warm. First, I have to introduce you too this stunner of a Make up bag from Maggs London. Hannah Maggs, the designer, has a you tube channel called The Michalaks and I have been watching her for the last three years. She is a Makeup Artist, and I used to watch her Makeup tutorials, then she had a beautiful baby boy, and changed direction with her Youtube channel, to do weekly family vlog diaries for her son to watch when he grows up. I think its a lovely memento and better than any memory box could give. Anyway, I digress, back to the Make up bag. There are eight glorious designs to choose from, all made with limited edition Liberty print material. I chose the Truly scrumptious design, just because I think make up is like sweeties, something sumptuous and delightful.
When the Make up bag arrived I was so pleased. It was wrapped beautifully in tissue paper and a personal note had been written by Hannah herself. This is what I enjoy about family run businesses, those little personal touches I feel that really make a difference to your purchase. Not only receiving a superb product, but also having that warm feeling that you have supported a family run business is a great feeling.

The bag itself is very deceiving , you think it looks small, but It reminds me of  a Mary Poppins kind of bag, in which you can fit all manner of bits and pieces in. I could even fit my Real Techniques Bold Metals 300 brush in, and thats saying something!. The bag is a quilted design and is soft and flexible in a way that I can fill it with all my everyday make up. The inside is a waterproof material which is perfect for giving a little wipe out, should you have any make up mishap. Also a little thing, but I like the invisible zip, its silly I know, but the invisible zip just gives it that added class and an individual note to it. Its sturdy to, speaking from experience when I caught my toddler ramming his cars inside the bag, and pulling the zip back and forth, to say I went hysterical would be an understatement!

 I think the bag speaks volumes in its use but also beauty, it would rival many a makeup bag put against it. Next week, I will go through what minimal make up I have been wearing.
I have you see or bought a Maggs London Make up bag? I would love to hear from you.

Love Nay x


Disclaimer- I have not been paid by any products mentioned above, I just like to share.

New make up trend- STROBING

It wasn't that long ago that I was banging on about contouring, and now we are facing a said 'New Make up trend', Strobing. This makes me laugh, as being know as a 'new trend'. Its a extreme form of highlighting people! It will probaly surprise you, that you have been doing a subtle form of this trend for ages! This is such a great look though. It makes you look radient, fresh faced and gives you that youthful glow. So, I am all over this, never fear ladies, I will take the confusion out of this new found trend and talk you through all the  products I have been using, and the techniques to achieve this look.

The key to this look is a layering of cream highlighter, then subtle powder highlighter, and then a heavy duty highlighter, just over the high points, to add that extra 'Bing'to your skin. So, first choose your cream highlighter, there is quite a few that I like. I will (check out my review on this product) try and restrain myself and stick to an old favourite, It is an oldie, but a goodie, Benefit High Beam as my cream highlighter and Mac Mineralize skin finish in Soft and Gentle (check out my review on this product)for my powder. To add that 'bing' in a few well chosen spots, Im using YASSS!! Jaclyn Hill's collaboration with Becca - Champagne pop. I literally squealed when this came through the post and proceeded to remove it from its package with such care, that you would of thought I was holding my first born child again, for the first time!!. This highlighter is a peachy, pinky, gold, a very warm colour and it packs a punch. If you want your highlighter to be seen from NASA in space, this is for you. These products are perfect to achieve this look.

After you have applied your make up to your whole face, take your cream highlighter and apply on high points of your cheeks, top of your brows, top of your cupids bow, the middle part underneath your lower lip, chin and down the bridge of your nose, blending and patting the product into the skin. Then take your first powder and go over these parts again, I am using the Real Techniques Setting brush as its precise and soft which will blend nicely, you can use any small fluffy brush for this though.

Then get a pencil brush, I am using the Crown brush C431 and Becca Champagne pop and apply underneath the brown bone, end of the nose, cupids bow, inner corner of the eyes, and on the cheek bones, and just watch them 'Pop'. I like to finish this with Mac Fixx+ which gives a dewy finish too the skin, but is perfect for when you are using this much powder on the skin to bring the skin back to life.

Mac Soft and Gentle, Benefit High Beam, Real techniques Setting brush and Crown C431 Brush

So, thats my take on 'Strobing'. Have you tried it? Or is it what i said in the outset? You have been doing a subtle version all along. Will you be dropping contouring for this trend?. I would love to know what highlighters you have been using to achive this look.

Love Nay x


Disclaimer- I have not been paid to mention any of the above products, I just like to share.

July's Hit or Miss,on Beauty and Skincare

I thought instead of doing my July Favourites, I would do a Hit or Miss for July. Here are a few beauty and skincare products, that I have been using this month. So without a further of a do here we go.

 I will start with skincare, after the sad departure of my beloved Liz Earle cleanse and polish (I ran out) and my love affair really had gone on long enough, it was about time I moved on. I decided to take Caroline Hirons advice and try two different products. First, Soap and Glory The Ultimelt deep purifying hot cloth cleanser. I am so glad I did. Its a great cleanser. From the moment you massage the grape size amount over my face and neck you are hit with a delightful smell of essential oils, lavender and orange. I found this very relaxing, yet invigorating, yet I would not use this to take your make up off with. Although, it would do the job, its just you cannot put it near your eyes to take your eye make up off, because of the essentials oils. This to me is a big downer, as I want my cleanser to just take all my make up off, but saying that it is a fantastic first cleanser. To use this first thing in the morning, is a dream, and I would prefer to have all the pro-vitamin B5 goodness, which soothes, moisturiser to help heal and regenerate the skin. The Almond oil, which is great for removing dead skin cells, impurities and brightens the skin. So if you were to use this to take your make up off with, all that goodness would go to waste, as it will not penetrate the skin as it has to break down the layers of make up first. The cloth though is rough, and needs a wash first to remove the starch build up from it, after that it was better. For the price point on this product you cannot overly grumble. Its great first cleanser for only a tenner.

 My second skincare product recommendation from Caroline Hirons is the The Body Shop Drops Of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask. This is one of the weirdest mask I have used. Its texture which has been described as like a memory foam mattress! This gel like substance binds together, and you need to use a spatula to scoop out what you need. You apply the product on your face and neck massaging it into the skin and let it absorb. At this point it feels almost sticky and tight on the skin, but as it settles down it absorbs slowly, so you may need to find something to do while you wait. I go and brush my teeth. After about 10-15 minutes you are good to go and ready to hit the sack for some well earned rest, while your face mask works hard to provide you with the following benefits that you will feel in the morning. your skin feels bouncier, smoother, refreshed, recharged and renewed. The main ingredient it has in it Edelweiss stem cells. Now, not to bore you all but I will touch on this briefly. Stem cells from plants are the newest anti-aging ingredients. Plants stem cells have the ability to be immortal! They play a key role in tissue development, regeneration and cellular renewal. Who doesn't want a bit of that on your skin!. Particularly with the Edelweiss stem cell, it is a tiny flower which grows in Switzerland and is able to grow in extremely harsh conditions (freezing temperatures, hardly any water). This is an exciting product, and from what I have just said, I am scratching the surface on what this particular plant can do. So far, I am really pleased with the results, and look forward to the coming months on how this product will improve my skin even further.

My Last skincare product is No7 Protect and Perfect Intense Advance Serum which tackles the first signs of ageing, from the age of thirty onwards. Although I still cannot believe I am in that bracket, I have come to realise that I must succumb to a more intense skincare routine, if I want to avoid wrinkles. I adore this serum, it hydrates your skin as soon as it touches your face, and you can just feel it doing good things. I have put this on day and night for the last month, and so far I have no complaints, and I don't think this is a one hit wonder. For a budget serum, I think its worth a whirl, if you are looking for a serum which is packed with Matrixyl 3000, which is shown in high concentration levels to improve elasticity, and that No7 claim if used over a period of time, will improve signs of ageing. Which is clinically proven that products that are packed with sunscreens, retinol, and l-ascorbic acid (active form of vitamin c) if used over a period of time will improve signs of ageing. So its a win,win situation.

 First of my beauty is Rimmel london Rita Ora nail polishes in Bestival Blue. The colour is so pretty and it only took two coats to build the colour intensity. I have got into a habit lately, of not putting a topcoat on, as I think it chips the same if you have it on or not. With this nail polish though, I was highly impressed, it did not chip until day 3 of wearing it! I am astounded with this, I have more expensive polishes which chip the next day. So, I strongly recommend giving this a go.

 Lets talk about Loreal Infallible Mega Lipgloss/Matt. I picked up these two shades, The bigger the better in the Matt and Mafia in the gloss. The Matt, I do not like. The colour is stunning, great pigmentation, but when it dries, it settles in your lines around the mouth and kind of cracks a bit. I wore it out on a night out and when I reapplied it, it just drags along the lip and just looked a hot mess! I wiped it off in the end, bit it still lingered around my lips, until I removed it with some micellar water when I returned home. The Gloss on the other hand is beautiful. The colour is rich and strong. It goes on like a dream, and is not sticky. If anything it is very moisturising and gives your whole make up a lift with its glossy, glamorous feel.

 My second L'oreal purchase is the Brow Artist Genius Kit. I was in the market for a new brow kit/pencil, and really wanted to find a budget alternative to my Anastasia Beverly Hills dipbrow. I really like the packaging to this, its a cute compact with a coloured wax, same colored shadow, tweezers, a angled brush one end with a spoolie at the other end and a nice mirror. Great bits and bobs, but unfortunately that's where it ends for me. I picked up the light to medium,which would normally be o.k, but for me its far to warm. It caters for the very light blonde who have a warmer toned brow, rather than darker blonde, where you would need a cooler toned shadow. I checked the medium to dark, but that looked far to dark for me. The wax pigmentation was poor, you could'nt add any 'hairs' with this, it would just be suitable for combing through the brows to keep them in place. Its a shame, I really wanted to like this product because the gadgets that come with it are good. This is only my opinion, have a try yourself and let me know.
 
My last beauty product is the Maybelline Lash Sensational lash multiplying mascara. I am always on the hunt for a great budget mascara, and I have found one here. The mascara itself does exactly what is says, lashes look visibly multiplied and fuller, my only bug bear with this, is the wand is plastic, which I do not like, and kind of gloops your lashes together, so I have to comb my lashes through afterwards, but for the price point you cannot complain. Great mascara, Love it.

These are my Hits and Misses for July. What have you liked this month? Let me know in the comments, I would love to hear from you.


Love Nay x


Disclaimer- I have not been paid to advertise any of the products mentioned above, I just like to share.