My Current Go-To Work Make-Up

Aloha!

Kylie Jenner inspired me, and a lot of other women, to bring back the 90's brown lip. Being so pale it's hard to find the right shade of brown but on a 3 for 2 offer, I found a brilliant Max Factor lip liner, that has now become a trusty fav (good MAC dupe!). I through this simple make-up look together on a whim because I wanted to try the brown lip and it's now become my go-to for work. It only took me 15 minutes, so perfect for rushed mornings, and you can't really go wrong with the matte nude shades.

FACE  

After completing my morning skin routine, I began by dabbing Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser onto my T-zone (click here for review). It's velvety consistancy melts across the skin and fills in all those large pores and fine lines; leaving a smooth base for your foundation.  I then stippled Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum-Gel Foundation from the middle of my nose, outwards. This is a really nice lightweight foundation that still provides full coverage whilst letting your skin breathe. I love to wear it to work because it injects a splash of radiance when you're skin is looking a little tired. Next I used Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer, one shade lighter than my foundation, for some light highlighting and to conceal under my eyes, and my blemishes. Since the eye make-up and lips were to be matte I thought I might as well keep with the theme and use  Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder to set. This is a great powder for those of you on a budget, under a fiver, and does what it says on the tin! 

For a warm bronzed feel, of course I used my ultimate fav, Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer! (Okay I know it's not actually called that but let's be honest it's a fitting name and you all know what I mean) I applied this beauty in 'the magic 3' (under cheek bones, temples and jawline). Applying your bronzer in this way will slim your face and accentuate your cheek bones. Finally I finished the base by dusting Bourjois Little Round Pot of Blusher (15 Rose Eclat) on the apples of my cheeks. You can't really go wrong with these little pots and this shade in particular gives you a gorgeous natural warm glow. You could continue by applying a highlighter on your cheek bones but it's not necessary as the blusher has little light reflecting pigments. 

EYES/ BROWS

I always start by shading in my brows with Rimmel Professional Brow Pencil (Hazel). Now I naturally have blonde eye brows that are almost invisible so it's hard to find the perfect match. I've been using the brow pencil since day dot and thoroughly recommend to all my fellow red heads out there! I then used L'Oreal Brow Plumper (Blonde) to add definition and give my brows that oomph. The reason I shade in my eye brows first is because it gives you a frame to work with when applying eye shadow.

 Moving on, It comes as no suprise when I say that I primed my eye lids with the legendary UD Primer Potion (Original). I don't really need to go into too much detail with this as I'm pretty sure a lot of you will be getting a bit bored of the constant praise I give it (hehe). All the eye shadows I used were from the Original UD Naked Palette, which you can see is looking pretty tired, as I've had it for so many years! This is a realllyyy easy eye make-up to apply and only take a few minutes. First I used a flat brush to pat Naked onto my lids. Then I took my trusty MAC 224 blending brush (click here for review) to contour my eye socket with Buck, a really warm brown, that compliments the lip liner perfectly. Lastly, I took my flat brush again to highlight under my brow bones, the middle of my lid and the inner corners with Virgin. Highlighting and shading your eyes in this way will make them appear bigger, brighter and more awake. 

To finish of the eyes I lined my top lash line with Rimmel Scandaleyes Liquid Liner. This is a great eye liner for creating super thin or thick bold lines. It is supposed to be water proof although I don't class it as waterproof (tried and tested!). I then applied Max Factor False Lash Effect 24 Hour Mascara Now I've been using the original version for 6 years but this one has great staying power! The only down side is it's ridiculously difficult to get off! (I mean not being funny but I didn't take the whole 24 hour thing literally) Saying that, it defines each lash and adds length and volume for that 'fluttery' look. 

LIPS

Starting from the cupids bow and working my way in I applied Max Factor Color Elixir Lip Liner (Brown & Nude). When I got this I was quite skeptical and didn't have high hopes but after testing the water I was pleasantly surprised. It's very creamy and keeps lips hydrated which is a must for me as I do get dry lips easily. It's very soft to apply, light weight and non transferable. I probably had to top it up once throughout the day but if I'd applied a lipstick over the top I think this could have been avoided. Alternative you could always go for a jaw dropping red.

So that's my current go-to work make-up, I hope you guys like it and hopefully give it a go. What make-up do you wear to work? (If any?) Let us all know!

Neeks ☯

Top 5 Spring 2015 Lipsticks

Aloha!

If you're anything like me, your lipstick has the ability to transform an outfit, make a statement, reflect your mood and develop throughout the seasons. In A/W 2014 nudes and deep plum shades exploded and MAC Rebel soon became my A/W fav. Thankfully, Spring is among us and that means the sun is shining, new life is emerging and everything seems to get that little bit more cheerful. To reflect this light mood we have bright peaches, matte and shimmery pinks and Kylie Jenner brown's so, from left to right, here is my top five Spring 2014 lipsticks! 

Maybelline Colorsensational (Petal Pink & Peach Poppy) 

Maybelline seemingly hasn't launched a great product for me since the Instant Pore Eraser (see post). But recently, whilst picking up some regular toiletries I stumbled across their Rebel Bouquet Lipstick Range. Their creamy texture left my lips feeling hydrated and more plump plus they're lightly floral scented. You do have to use a little more than usual, as they're more like a gloss, but despite this it stays on for most of the day. Overall I think they're really cute and easy to wear daily. They're not overbearing and inject just enough colour to give you that spring feeling. I would say the soft pink and light peach shades would suit most skin tones. I mean for just over a fiver, they're a pretty good bargain.   

Max Factor Colour Elixir (Bewitching Coral) 

Believe it or not, this one was actually free in a Max Factor deal in Boots. I don't know why I never buy Max Factor lipsticks to be honest because I always end up being rather fond of them, when I receive a sample or free gift. This particular range of lipsticks are supposed to give you the benefits of a lip treatment while you wear it. It's '60% Elixir treatment' and includes a range of anti-oxidants along with Shea, avocado and aloe butters. I don't know for sure what the Elixir is but my lips do stay hydrated when I wear them. This rich coral shade is very vibrant and sheen. It's versatile, as you can wear it on it's own, or apply it over another lipstick to give it that extra oomph. 

MAC (Candy Yum-Yum) & (Please Me)

Okay so you already know why Candy Yum Yum is in my top five! (see post) I was raving on about the lip pencil a couple of months back and for my twenty first birthday, I got the matching lipstick from everyone at work! This mega bright, matte pink has been my go-to for a while now, it's kinda replaced my beloved MAC Rebel and I already know I'll be wearing it to Bestival in September. Please Me was also a birthday present, from my sister Sophie, I'd been easing myself into the '' matte brown lipstick zone'' because Kylie Jenner has some how hypnotised me, and most other girls in their twenties, to wear it. Thing is, it's hard to get the right shade as I'm so bloomin' pale but that's when I received this baby! Just the right cross between dusky pink and light brown... you simply can't go wrong. 

Okay so that's my top five Spring 2015 lipsticks! What are you favorites from the above? What lipsticks have you been wearing lately?

Neeks ☯

L'Oreal Color Riche Exclusive Nudes- JLo & Doutzen

Aloha!

I've never really been a nude person (hehe) I have always gone for vibrant pinks/ corals and reds along with deep shades of plum when choosing my lipstick. Out of the over fourty lipsticks I own I actually only have one or two nude lipsticks; one of which I've had for about two years (eew I should probably throw that out) I know what a lot of you are thinking but I've always found it near on impossible to find a nude lipstick that suits me and I am sucker when it comes to bright shades! However, on a mission to overcome this cycle, I discovered that L'Oreal have released an exclusive range of six limited edition nude lipsticks that have been 'tailor made' to suit 'every skin tone' and they're so cute! Each one has a celeb signature on them and after umming and arring for fifteen minutes I decided to go with JLo and Doutzen. 

L'Oreal Color Riche lipsticks are, with no hesitation, one of my favorite lipstick collections and never fail to deliver long lasting, high pigmented colour. So when these were realsed I was overwhelmed with excitement. However, if this is the look you're after these aren't the lipsticks for you. These nudes are very sheer and lean more towards a gloss, as opposed to a lip stick (without the sticky-ness). They're perfect for everyday and versatile as you can apply them over the top of a higher pigmented, or matte lipstick, and even where them on a night out with a dark and sultry smokey eye. What's more, they're long wearing and leave my lips lusciously moisturised. 

The first lipstick I went for is Barley Pink by Doutzen Kroe's and you can see where the Victoria Secret model got her inspiration from. It's fresh, feminine and soft yet a little frosty so can still be worn throughout the cold seasons. I adore the frostiness of this as usually I find frosty lipsticks can look cheap but this one actually deliver's poise and elegance. I must admit I was a little disappointed that it was so sheer but after wearing it a few times I've grown fond of it and it's perfect for those 'I can't be bothered' days!

The second lipstick I chose was Greige by JLo. I partly chose it because I love JLo! But also because this one seemed a little more sophisticated. It's very warm and ever so slightly darker than my natural lips. Although it reflects JLo's super glossy pout it's not nearly as iridescent as Doutzen's so this is my favorite out of the 2. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that, for some reason, my lips seemed to appear fuller and more plump with this one. It particularly works well with the Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette, due to the rose tones and warmth; make-up look which I will be uploading soon (spoiler alert!) 

Bright or nude lipstick? What are your thoughts?

Neeks x 

The Red Lipstick Foundation

The nature of today's post is very different from the beauty related topics I would usually write about but this is an important and sensitive issue that needs to be addressed; suicide. This week, it will be 3 months since I tragically lost someone very close to me. A special someone who was a beloved twin, sister, auntie, daughter, grandaughter and friend. Someone who had everything to live for but just couldn't cope. Unfortunately, there is not enough professional help out there for those who really need it. This needs to change.

Brittany's incredible family have set up The Red Lipstick Foundation to offer support to anyone who has been affected by depression and suicide. Whether you're a family in need of support or a victim of depression that needs help, you can talk to people who have been through similar traumatic experiences and can relate to your situation. ''The Red Lipstick Foundation is dedicated to supporting families bereaved by suicide and passionate about education for awareness of mental health issues" you are able to find/ contact them via their website, Facebook page and read honest and heart felt posts on their blog. Many people have already got in contact, which is encouraging, so let's keep spreading the word, please like/ share so we can get to as many people as humanly possible and hopefully reach those who need help. 

It's become more apparent to me that sometimes those with the biggest smiles are in the most pain. It's important to know that you are not alone and although it may not seem like it now, things will get better. Find somebody you trust and tell them how you're feeling. Making that first step can sometimes be the most difficult, but has hard is it may seem, once that first step has been made, each step after that will get slightly easier; a day at a time. 
                                                            

A little bit about Brit:

Anyone who knew Brittany will be able to tell you what an intelligent, courageous, young woman she was. Brittany seemed to have a strong love for life and everything around her, from the smallest insect to the tallest tree, Brit had the most genuine caring nature and always put others needs before her own. This kind and effortless, caring nature made her approachable to everyone who knew her and she would always be there to offer advise or a shoulder to cry on. Brittany's vibrant presence never failed to brighten up a dull day, and like most 19 year olds, she often had wild nights out with her friends. Brittany was quirky and stylish and was commonly known for her hilarious sense of humour and, of course, red lipstick. 

March Favs

Aloha! 

So here we are on the 9th of April, oh how time fly's by! In all fairness despite still feeling the wntery blues, at the beginning of the month, it wasn't long before the weather seemed to feel that little bit warmer and of course the clocks went forward which means longer evenings (Yay!) I don't know about you but leaving for work in the dark and coming home in the dark feels miserable, a nice spring walk with my ipod in makes all the difference. All in all March was a pretty good month for me and as it came to an end my birthday arrived and I'm very happy to say that I celebrated it with all my favorite people. 

So to kickoff today's post let's begin with our first March favorite Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder. I'm sure you're all aware of Bourjois famous chocolate bronzing powder and for good reason to! It's light to medium shade is perfect for my complexion and even if I've applied tan it seems to adapt to my skin tone. It doesn't look orange and blends really easily, not to mention it looks and smells like chocolate. It's definite my go-to bronzer for this time of year, it gives me that natural glow and reminds me that the warm weather isn't too far away. Speaking of which, bright lips are a key spring 2014 trend. Bright oranges and pinks seem to be flooding the covers of my magazines. Okay so I know I sound like a bit of a stuck record here but I really am addicted to lipsticks and this month was no exception. Marches choice of lippy was Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick. Pink punch is a bright redish fuchsia, almost matte, with a healthy shine. This lipstick doesn't last as long as some other brands but it does have a fair amount of life to it and does fade nicely throughout the day. My lips feel hydrated and the vibrant colour is perfect for spring. I also purchased Hollywood Red  (you can never have too many red lipsticks right?) although this isn't exactly on trend it's probably one of the classiest lipsticks I've ever had and because it's not so 'in your face' it makes it easy to wear on a day to day. 

If you happened to read my Sunny Saturday's #1 post you'd see that I purchased the Body Shop Strawberry Hand Cleanser on a nice little trip to Gunwarf Quays. When I first opened it the smell of alchol seemed quite strong but after that all I could smell was yummy strawberries. All I could think of was devouring juicy strawberries in a nice sunny field somewhere. Definitely enough to get me into the spring mood and it doesn't dry out my hands like a lot of other hand sanitisers do. Let's just say I will be going back to see what other luscious flavours they have. On my trip I also purchased Body Shop Vitamin E Day Cream. I've been using this religiously since I bought it; as I have combination skin I always find it difficult to find a hydrating moisturiser that doesn't make my skin oily but this one absorbs instantly leaving my skin perfectly prepped for make-up application. It doesn't make me feel oily and I've definitely noticed an improvement in how supple and healthy my skin feels. Body Shop you've done well! Lastly on my list is a couple of skin products. Lastly on my skin care list, it's the Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser ! I first mentioned this product in the Benefit POREfessional VS Maybelline Pore Eraser  post and I still stand by word. Since I've been using it I haven't touched Benefit's POREfessional and actually give it to my mum (she loves it) but if you're like me and trying to save some pennies it's worth a go. 

Saving the best til last I present you with my last March favorite L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil. Well I say it's my March favorite it's actually been a favorite of mine for a few months now. It's the best hair oil I've used to date. As you probably know I have quite fine hair so I need to be careful that products don't weight it down too much. And as we are all aware winter can take a harsh toll on our locks and sometimes we need to give them a little helping hand in restoring their shine. Not only does it give my hair a dazzling shine and feel super soft but it also smells lush, has UV filters and doesn't make my hair feel greasy! 

What's on your March favorites list?

Neeks x 

January Favs- Lippy's

Aloha!

Every make-up addict has a vice.. For some it's brushes, for others it's eye shadow but for me it's lipsticks. And no matter how many shades of 'coral pink' I have I don't have THIS one. I actually counted my lipsticks the other day, 55 in total, I think it's safe to say I don't need anymore. However, this didn't stop me from purchasing 3 new lipsticks to ease my way into the new spring/ summer 2014 trends. 

And from left to right our first summery shade is the Bourjois Rouge Edition (17 Rouge Millesime) £7.99). Perfect for everyday click here it's quite light and glossy yet gives you a sweet splash of colour. Our next shade is the Rimmel Kate's Lasting Finish Matte Lipstick (107) £3.99) I absolutley love this, with a simple eye make-up it makes a nice statement during the day but also could easily be worn at night time. It's a blue based red so for all you fair skinned ladies this will look beaut. The only trouble with it is it bleeds really easily so make sure you line those lips! And lastly we have Rimmel Kate's Lasting Finish Matte Lipstick (110) £3.99) deffo one to watch out for the new 2014 spring/summer trends. Bold orange matte lipsticks are in- along with simple eye make-up and a fresh complexion. This lipstick particularly looks amazing on dark skin but pretty much anyone can wear it, don't be scared to wear bold lipstick! With the right shade it's sure to turn heads. 

Light and glossy or bold and bright lips? Let me know! 

Neeks x 

Redheads & Royalty

Aloha!

It's that time of the year again where I'm impatiently waiting for the arrival of Christmas festivities but I've promised myself I won't talk or blog about it until December! However, I have been throwing myself into my uni project 'Redheads & Royalty'.

Without beating around the bush we had to create 2 contemporary Elizabethan images. The first image needed to be a design that I created for myself and another student applied it on me. The second design will be designed by someone else for me to create on them. So this is my design, enjoy! 

The Elizabethan elements are my red hair and fair skin, with pink blush Sleek 3 Blush Palette- Pumpkin (squash). I also embraced my fair brows and put a contemporary spin on Elizabethan red lipstick by adding plum shades from Kate Moss Lasting Finish(004) and L-Oreal Color Riche (240). The large hair rolls were inspired by the shapes of Elizabethan wigs and the crimped bottom layers were my interpretation of an old technique known as 'frizzing'. The modernised eye make-up was applied with 'sidecar' and 'toasted' from the Urban Decay Naked Palette 1 Other key products include Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation (shell) Benefit Highbeam Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Liner (black) and MaxFactor False Lash Effect Mascara (black).

 So there you have it! My contemporary version of Queen Elizabeth 1st. I really hope you like this post and find it useful, I will be uploading my next image next week when I've completed it.

What are your favorite elements of Elizabethan hair & make-up? Let me know!  

Neeks x