My Favourite Daily Makeup [updated]

Hello my beauties, 

Since posting my last daily makeup routine, which would have been last year, I have noticed that my makeup has reduced dramatically, especially on the days where I work. If you do not know, I am a lawyer and work Monday-Friday.  I have to be professional at work and therefore, makeup has to appear to be natural.

There is also a couple of other reasons for my reduced daily makeup routine:

1. Moving in with Mark means that we have had to combine two flats worth of stuff into one, this means a lot less storage.
2. It is summer – I went away in spring and actually came back with an amazing tan so didn’t wear makeup for a while, I am back wearing makeup again but I am embracing the warm summer weather and my slight tan.

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So, this is what is currently loving in my makeup bag…

Too Faced Hangover Primer

I have been using this every day for about two weeks, with or without makeup and you can find my first impressions here. 

 

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara 

I have had this mascara in my collection for a couple of months and I am not going to lie, I wasn’t a fan at first.  I let it dry out a little bit and now I am really enjoying using it. It makes my lashes have so much more volume even if it is a little messy to apply. 

 

Clinque Even Better Foundation

This foundation has been a staple item in my collection for a few years now, I don’t wear foundation everyday but when I do it is this one. It is the one foundation that I always go back to and never have any problems with. It makes my skin look even and fresh as well as causing no issues for my sensitive skin.  I am currently using it with a real techniques brush for ease.

No 7 Airbrush Away Primer

I have done a review of this and you will have seen that it is almost empty.  I have stopped using it as my regular primer now it has been replaced by the Too Faced Hangover however, I really do enjoy mixing a very small amount with my foundation. It seems to make the foundation go on effortlessly and leaves a really nice natural effect.  I may re-purchase this just for this sole reason.

What are your favourite every day makeup products?

Love, Minnie xoxo 

 

[First impressions] Too Faced Hangover Primer

Happy Monday!

I hope that you all had a good weekend, Mark was away this weekend so I had the weekend on my own. I met my mum for some shopping and lunch and generally relaxed.

I have been wanting to try the Too Faced Hangover Primer for a while and Mark bought it for me last week while we were in Oxford for the day.  I would have purchased the travel sized to try however, he bought me the full sized at £26.00.  I picked it up in the Too Faced store, Oxford but I know that you can purchase it online at many retailers.

On first impressions, the packaging is very cute and I would have probably been tempted to purchase it even if that wasn’t the reason we went into the Too Faced store.  It has a little pump too which actually better than other primers that I have used where they are squeeze tubes.

I have been using the primer every day since I purchased, especially as my No. 7 Airbrush Away has recently run out.  I have been using two/ three pumps either under my foundation or just all over my face if I am not wearing foundation.

The consistency is thicker than the airbrush away but I feel that it really does make your skin look refreshed – with or without makeup.  Although my skin has cleared up slightly recently, I do not think I would have gone makeup free without this product.

My makeup seems to last longer to and my skin looks and feels great. It is very hydrating too and I have had no issues with my sensitive skin.

I will do a full review once I have been using the product for long however, I have a feeling that this will be a firm favourite of mine.

Have your tried this primer?

Love, Minnie xoxo

 

[Review] No 7 Airbrush Away Primer

Happy 2019!

I am late I know, I stated this review in January!

Life again got in the way… So, I have a new relationship and he is actually great.  I have moved in with him and will be finding a tenant for my flat. I have also done some travelling this year, which hopefully I will share with you soon! Anyway,  I discovered this product in December and have repurchased it a few times since.

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What it claims: 

No7 Airbrush Away Primer for days when you want your skin to look flawless and your makeup to apply perfectly.

Pores and fine lines appear to disappear and wrinkles are put in to soft focus leaving your skin perfectly smooth and even all day.

Contains hyaluronic acid moisture locking spheres to help soften the appearance of fine lines and smooth the skin.

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I received this product in my No 7 Advent Calendar and will admit that I had neglected No 7 in recent years so had no idea what to expect with this.  You literally just put it all over your face before makeup and honestly, it feels amazing.  After I apply my foundation and remainder of my makeup and have no issues.  It lasts all day and makes my makeup last so well.  It is £16.50 for 30mls.  A little does go a long way.

Pros

• it is very affordable
• easily accessible – Boots
• good for sensitive skin – no breakouts
• skin feels super soft
• is not too heavy on the skin
• long-lasting
• easy to apply
• fresh looking skin

Will I repurchase this?

Yes!

 

Love, Minnie xoxo

 

[First Impressions] Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter

Hello

This is one of the samples that came with the foundation I ordered a few months ago. I left it in my beauty draw and ended up completely forgetting about it until I had a mini clear out recently. I hadn’t heard much about this at the time but it does keep popping up on Instagram etc. now.

It claims to be

“a customisable complexion booster with the versatility of a primer, the mega-watt glow of a highlighter, and the perfecting properties of your favourite digital filter. Ingredients help to soft-focus, illuminate skin and makes lines and pores appear smoother.”

Essentially, it claims to do a bit of everything.

So, I decided to try this out under my work makeup and see how it held up all day and this is how I found it.  I think you can also wear it over your foundation, however, for me I decided to try it under the foundation especially as I was at work.  The foundation I used was Revolution Pro Foundation Drops.

N.B: I do my makeup for work at 6:15am and I don’t get home from work until 6:30pm so this is about 12 hours of standard wear. 

My sample came in the shade ‘2/light’ which is the shade that I would pick if I was buying and the full size costs £30.00, which means that it has to be amazing for that price for me to consider buying it.

Application 

Okay, so I really didn’t know what to expect but it was a bit like applying a tinted moisturizer. It definitely improved the skin tone and removed any redness that my skin had.  A little also went a long way and I found that I didn’t actually need much of the sample to go under my makeup.  I think that you could use more on holiday etc. without any other face products.  I may try this at the weekend, if I have enough left.

I then applied my foundation, which I don’t think I applied as much as I usually do, given that there was already a layer of something on my skin however, my foundation applied well and I upped the coverage with concealer.  I didn’t notice that the foundation had the WOW factor in applying as normal but I think that this was because I had already evened out the skin tone.

Before work 

My pores definitely appeared smoother and my makeup looked more ‘finished’ and glowy but my skin could still breathe.  It didn’t seem like I had applied an extra layer of foundation or anything like that. The difference wasn’t too noticable and no one mentioned anything.  I work in an office where makeup changes are noticed quickly. 

Lunch time – 1pm 

By this point I am not sure I like how my face looks close up but I do like it from a distance. It looks refreshed and glowy.  My makeup has stayed on all day so no complaints so far.

Home time – 6:30pm 

My make up still looked okay and I probably could have carried on wearing it with a small touch up.  It wasn’t as glowy as lunch time but my skin did look refreshed still.

Overall, I prefer my makeup without this underneath.  I am interested to see if this makes a difference on top of my makeup and I think it would be good for holidays when you I don’t usually wear makeup but need something to even out my skin tone etc. I do not think I will rush to buy the full size version but will maybe look at this again before my next holiday.

Have you tried this product?

 

Love, Minnie xoxo 

 

 

Empties #1

Hello and Hello Friday!

I have been trying to keep hold of my empties recently, it is hard living in a small flat with not much space, so it is something I am working on.  I now have a few things – it seems to take me ages to finish anything – so I decided I would ease myself in gently starting an Empties Series.

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Charlotte Tilbury Magic foundation

I purchased this when my skin was at its worse. I liked that Charlotte Tilbury have the amazing Magic Cream and expected this to be good for my skin.  Now there was nothing wrong with this and I did use it constantly for a while, in that time my skin didn’t improve but I don’t think it caused any more breakouts.  I found that the coverage was not great so I stopped using it so much and mixed it with other foundations. It did not make my skin look amazing either.  I think this would be good for a holiday where you want a light touch of makeup. It is also expensive for what it is.

Re-purchase: maybe at some point but not right away 

Superdrug Coconut Kiss Dry Shampoo

I did a whole review of this on my blog a few weeks ago.  You will remember that I hated this dry shampoo it is probably the worst one that I have tried. It didn’t get any better and I am thankful that it has now run out. I am on the hunt for a new one this weekend so if you have any recommendations, please let me know?

Re-purchase: No !!! 

Superdrug hot cloth cleanser

This is my love! I love this and also did a review which you can find here! I still love it and had a back up even before I had finished. I can’t imagine using anything else on my skin now and I think I use it even more than I did when I wrote my review.  I have found myself craving this when it has been hot or after a night out.  The only negative I have now discovered is that it is hard to travel with as the cloth is wet after use.

Re-purchase: Yes – already have! 

Miss Babyroll Mascara

I think I reviewed this last year and have been using it on and off since.   I have finally used it up. I still like it and the way it makes my lashes look. It is also affordable and doesn’t cause any issues for my sensitive eyes. I am keen to try out other drug store mascaras so I will not re-purchase this one straight away.

Re-purchase: maybe in the future 

I hope that you all have a nice weekend.

Love, Minnie xoxo 

[First Impressions] Revolution Pro Foundation Drops

I have had my eye on this foundation for a while now and having looked at everyone’s reviews I thought I would give in and finally order with my next Superdrug order.  I initially planned to walk to Superdrug on my lunch break in order to properly colour match however, it has been so hot in the UK that I just couldn’t do it.  I colour matched online and luckily they have a wide range of shades and they actually help with descriptions of colour tones for each.

I went for F4 which claims to be ‘for light skin tones with neutral undertone’ which I think is accurate and the colour matches my skin tone.  I am also going to purchase a shade darker as I think F4 will be too light for when I am tanned. Luckily it is too warm for me to fake tan at the moment… not ideal living in a flat when it is so warm.  You will have seen from my haul video that I also purchased the brush that goes with it and have only used them together so far.

It is very affordable at £7.00 for a 18ml bottle.

The first time I applied this foundation was after work before a mid-week cinema date with Rob.  I couldn’t actually believe how smoothly it went on and the finish was like my skin, it wasn’t cakey nor did it cling to any dry patches that I often have. I think I actually said ‘WOW’ out loud when applying.   I don’t have oily skin and did not use a powder to set it. It lasted all date and I was pleased.

I have used it a few more times since then for day time looks and each time I have been equally impressed with the application and the finish.  I would definitely say that it is medium finish but is buildable and has better coverage than The Ordinary Foundation.  You cannot feel it on your skin and it hasn’t led to any breakouts as of yet. It is not really a matte Finish and leaves the skin glowing.  I have actually had compliments on how good my skin looks when wearing it.

The biggest test for the foundation came this weekend when it was so warm and I didn’t have any real plans except popping to a few shops and sitting in the garden.  I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to see how it lasted all day.   I was so pleased,  my skin looked almost as good at the end of the day as it did in the morning, despite the fact I had been in a hot shop, sat in the sun, had a nap and even a little cry.  Rob was coming over in the evening, and usually I would at least touch up my makeup or re-do the whole thing. You can tell its a relationship at an early stage. However, I didn’t need to,  my skin still looked almost flawless.

I will do a full review once I have been using it for a bit longer, but I have a feeling this will be a firm favourite now.

What are your thoughts on this foundation?

 

Love, Minnie xoxo 

 

 

 

July Birchbox

Happy Sunday my beauties 

This month’s Birchbox came earlier this month as I didn’t have to make a trip to the sorting office.  I am excited to try this months products although, I did ask for the Mannakadar in the Bronzer shade not the blush one which arrived.  I am hoping that this does suit my skin tone but I will give it a try.

I am also excited to try the Beauty Pro Eye Therapy mask as I love anything with Green Tea. I am still also on the hunt for a good serum and the description of the Balance Me Congested Skin Serum sounds perfect for my blemish prone skin.

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BeautyPro EYE THERAPY Under Eye Mask with Collagen and Green Tea extract

A few too many late nights leaving eyes a little tired? This nourishing treatment could be the answer! The hydrogel patch minimises fine lines, puffiness, shadows and dryness while increasing elasticity. Hello pretty peepers!

Balance Me Congested Skin Serum

Yikes – you have a spot, a blemish, a breakout! Don’t panic. Help is at hand in the form of Balance Me’s Congested Skin Serum – a skin saviour that smells so good it feels like a luxury treatment rather than an SOS (and it’s suitable for ALL skin types!). Containing the brand’s bespoke, high grade pure aromatherapy blend of Roman chamomile, anti-bacterial may change, calming lavender and eucalyptus that they’ve expertly suspended in a light, non-greasy petroleum free gel of organic aloe vera and spruce knot, it’s a non-drying, skin fixing must-have. Also great for restoring skin’s natural balance – when you really feel like your skin needs a reboot – this is the serum for that too.

Manna Kadar Paradise Blush

Brighten up pale complexions or add a pop to darker skin with this beautiful blush. The highly pigmented powder glides on smoothly for easy application, and leaves a subtle shimmer for a warm glow.

What’s in it for me..? Shower Scrub

Buff away dry skin with this uplifting shower scrub. Packed full of natural ingredients, walnut shell naturally exfoliates, sweet almond oil rejuvenates the skin, while orange and jasmine flower leave you smelling divine!

Eyeko Fat Eye Stick

Add a little glam to every make-up look with these glossy eye sticks. The twist-up pencils are great for a low maintenance smokey eye or an easy wash of colour – and the shimmering shades are perfect for both day and night!

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What did you get in your Birchbox this month?

 

Love, Minnie xoxo 

 

Superdrug & Revolution Pro Mini Haul

Hello

I had absolutely loads in my Superdrug online basket last week and lost it all before I got around to ordering and then forgot half of the stuff I wanted to buy. Nightmare! This therefore, a smaller haul than I expected but I thought I’d show you what I bought.  I may also remember the items I wanted to buy and actually purchase them so a part 2 may be coming soon.

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Superdrug Coconut Oil with Argan Oil

I saw this recommended on a blog – or YouTube video so thought I would give it a go. I am planning on using it as a hair mask at the weekend so I will update you as to how I get on.  It can however, also be used as conditioner or on skin.  It is usually £2.49 but I purchased it on an offer where it was reduced to £1.65 – either way it is super affordable.

 

Revolution Conceal and Define Concealer

I have only ever heard amazing things about this concealer but every time I have tried to purchase in store it has been out of stock.  I decided to colour match online and luckily I think I did well with C4.  If I like this, I will purchase additional shades too in order to see how they work as a contour etc.  This was £4.00 so again every affordable.

Revolution Pro Foundation Drops

You may remember that I was loving The Ordinary Serum Foundation – I still do love it.  I did find however, that I like a bit more coverage some days! I have now run out of Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation after realising that this worked well with The Ordinary one to provide additional coverage, but I did not want to spend as much by re-purchasing.  I have also only seen amazing reviews of this Revolution Pro Foundation so decided it was time to try.  I colour matched again online and happy with F4 from what I have seen so far. I think I will pick up the shade darker for when I am tanned.  It is only £7.00 so I feel that this is justified having two or more.

I have actually already worn this to the cinema Wednesday night so a first impressions post will be up shortly.

 

Revolution Pro Liquid Drop Foundation Brush

It was three for two on selected make up items at Superdrug when I ordered and therefore, I felt I had to purchase something else.  I really could not remember what was in my basket before so decided to have a look at other things included in the deal.  I settled on this Revolution Pro Brush which is actually designed for the foundation I picked up.  It does look really good and is only £7.00.  This meant that I actually received the concealer for free – bonus!

p.s yes I forgot to take a photo of the brush before using it – it has only been used once in the photo below.

What are your favourite Revolution Pro products?

Love, Minnie xoxo 

[Review] Superdrug Essentials Caffeine Facial Wipes

Happy Friday!

I LOVE green tea so decided to pick these up on a whim when in Superdrug.  I have done a whole post on my skin care routine and you will note that makeup wipes do not enter into it. However, I have tried these out and actually like them.  I expected these to take off my top layer of makeup while leaving waterproof mascara etc. still in place however, these are the best wipes I have tried in actually removing makeup.  I cannot believe the amount of makeup that ends up on the wipe once I am done.  They do have a place in my skin care routine albeit not daily.  So far, I have used them prior to my skincare routine, for a quick wipe when it has been hot and to take off makeup after a night out – I must admit I am not great at skin care after a couple of drinks. 

The packet is also super cute and you get 25 wipes for £1.29 which is about 5p a wipe. They do state that they are limited edition so I am not sure how long they will stay in store but for me I hope they make them permanent.  I actually prefer these to the Garnier Micellar Clensing Wipes which were the last ones I tried and loved.

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What they claim: 

“Superdrug Wake Me Up! Caffeine and Green Tea Facial Wipes are specially formulated to gently purify and cleanse away impurities, removing make-up and waterproof mascara. Skin is left feeling soft and refreshed. Dermatologically approved.”

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Pros 

• Effectively takes off most makeup
• Leaves skin feeling refreshed and clean
• Smells good
• Affordable – 5p per wipe
• Easily to get your hands on – Superdrug
• Dermatologically tested
• Cute packaging

 

Cons 

• May only be limited edition
• Face wipes are not great for the skin
• Doesn’t remove all traces of makeup

 

What are your favourite face wipes?

Love, Minnie xoxo 

Updated Everday Makeup Routine

Hello loves 

Thursday again already! Can almost smell the weekend now.

I believe that I did every day makeup routine post last summer so I thought I would update you all on what I am currently using – I know some of it is exactly the same! 

I have also reached 100 followers this week so keep an eye out for a giveaway coming up shortly.

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Base 

The ordinary foundation

This is a new discovery and I have done a whole blog post – which you can find here! I don’t usually wear a power with this as I have fairly dry skin at the moment and it seems to make it looked terrible.  The foundation coverage lasts most of the day but I do re-do my makeup if I am out in the evening.

Concealer

Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer 

I purchased this when my Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer ran out suddenly and I couldn’t get to Boots.  It was very much an impulse purchase but I do like it and it is running low already.  I will re-purchase as I feel that I need it in my makeup bag although I do want to try the Revolution one.  This costs £8.99 and claims to be anti-fatigue which I am not sure about but on days where I am having a low makeup day or good skin, I almost use it as a substitute for foundation.

 

 

 

Contour … Highlight and Bronze 

Bleach London Contour – Nuity – bones 2

I have never really been good with contour and I find most things too dark and obvious. However, I purchased this following a recommendation from YouTuber Soph Does Nails. She has never light skin and said that this worked a treat.  I agree… I purchased this along with the Contour Brush from Bleach London and I use it most days, even for work.  I have a few other products that have and I want to try but this is too good to let go off.  It is only £4.50 too from Cult Beauty.

Clinque Chubby Stick Sculpting Highlight

I actually received this as a free gift with a Clinque order a little while ago, so I do only have the mini version.  I didn’t really know how to use it when I first recieved it but it is becoming my go to highlighter.  It is so easy to apply to the right areas and then I simply use my finger to blend in.  It is a cream formula but it blends well with the powder contour.  When this runs out I will buy the full-sized version which is £20.00.  They also do a contour stick the same as this which I am also keen to try out.

Collection Bronze Glow Mosaic Powder 

I use this every day to warm up my face before I leave the house.  I keep it in my handbag rather than with the rest of my makeup and use it throughout the day if needed.  I have spoken about this before on my blog and I am now hitting pan. It is only £2.99 at boots and really does give a nice sun-kissed glow.  I don’t tan my face so when I have self-tanned, I often need something to help me match in and this works perfectly.  The different shades help it look natural on the skin.

Eyes 

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara and L’oreal Miss Baby Roll Mascara 

I have spoken about both of these products on here before and I am still loving them.  They are both under £10.00 and I use them daily, well one or the other.  They can be built up and work well for both work and nighttime. I have very sensitive eyes and these both cause no problems.

Clinque High Impact Waterproof Mascara 

Towards the end of last year, I posted on Twitter that I needed a good waterproof mascara for my Grandma’s funeral and this was the suggestion I received.  I wear it every time I know I am going to cry (sad film, funeral etc.) when it is heavily raining or just when I know I will have a long day. It stays put, like it doesn’t move or run at all. It is slightly more expensive at £19.00 but it does last well.

Too Faced – ‘Chocolate Bar’ eye shadow palette

I purchased the small version of this in the January Sales as I am not used to wearing eye-shadow, I decided it would be good to try it out. It smells so good, it always makes me crave chocolate but the colours are also very good for an every day look and can be built up for those after work drinks or date nights when needed. It is a product which I am slowly enjoying using.

 

Lips 

Normally, I wear a Mac Nude Lip as an everyday shade.  My current favourite is Velvet Teddy but I will do a separate post on my current Mac Lipstick Collection.

What is your every day makeup routine?

Love, Minnie xoxo