3 From L'Oréal

Boots had their usual 3 for 2 offer on makeup and I couldn't resist picking up a few things from the L'oreal counter, especially when I spotted that my favourite foundation was in on the deal and I was also conveniently searching for a new mascara to try out! :')

In my eyes, L'oreal is the high end brand of the drugstore and I always expect great things from them. Keep reading if you want to hear my opinions on these new products (either for me or to the brand) and whether I would recommend them or not.

I am a big fan of Maybelline mascaras however when I saw that L'oreal had just launched their Flase Lash Superstar mascara that they were offering for a cheaper introductory price, I couldn't resist picking it up. The mascara has two wands, one that acts as a primer that coats your lashes white and of course the other is your usual black mascara wand to give length and definition. 

I personally do not like the white primer wand as I find it makes my lashes dry and therefore makes the following mascara very clumpy.

On the other hand I do love the main black mascara wand that has been working wonders for me. Mascara is a very personal product and what works for me may not work for you, however if you are after very long, separated, black lashes then this is worth a try. I think this mascara performs similarly to Maybelline The Falsies and Benefit They're Real, so if you like them, you may love this.

L'oreal recently launched their Infallible 24 hour Matte foundation, following their popular Infallible foundation. I was slightly put off by the name including the word 'matte' as I usually go for more dewy foundations however I was intrigued as to how this would perform considering there are not many full coverage, matte foundations available at the drugstore.  

To start, I would say that the finish is more satin/ velvet, not matte as it says on the bottle. I find it is perfect for blurring and perfecting the skin without looking flat and cakey. One of the main reasons why I love this foundation is the amazing skin perfecting coverage, with just one layer you will be left with a good medium-full coverage whilst still being able to build for a higher coverage.
My skin is normal and it applies perfectly alone, however if you have dry skin then I would recommend either using a hydrating moisturiser before or mixing the foundation with a hydrating/dewy foundation.

Finally, I decided to pick up the L'oreal Nude Magique BB powder as I wanted to try something different from my usual Rimmel Stay Matte powder to see how it compared.
This powder gives coverage as well mattifying the skin which is great if I am after a little extra coverage over foundation or alternatively to wear alone to give a light coverage. I have found that this powder works particularly well paired with the Infallible 24 hour Matte foundation that I mentioned above to give a long lasting, high coverage base- perfect for long summer days!
I love the packaging of this product which comes with a handy compact mirror and sponge for touch ups on the go.

Have you picked up any makeup from the drugstore recently? Let me know in the comments what products you're loving!
  

Tips for Longer Lasting Makeup

Makeup can tend to wear off quicker in the heat and because England seem to be going through an early summer right now, I thought I'd share my tips for keeping your makeup in place for longer. Whether you're going to a party or just having a day out with friends , these tricks should help keep you looking perfect all day (or night!) long.

Prep
Skin preparation is always important, having a good base will help your makeup apply smoothly and prevent any problems such as dry patches that may cling to foundation.
My favourite moisturiser to use before applying makeup is the Garnier Moisture Match for normal to dry skin which sinks in quickly, leaving my face feeling super soft.

Prime
Primers are designed to help keep your makeup in place for longer, as well as giving a good base for products to apply on top.My favourite one is the Smashbox Photo Finish primer (the original) as it works extremely well with my skin and I can always see a massive difference in the lasting powder of my makeup whenever I use it and whenever I don't. 
Using a primer isn't always essential although if you want your makeup to last all day long, I would definitely recommend using one. 

Choose a long lasting base 
Foundations marketed as giving a matte, full coverage finish usually always last the longest.
A recent discovery that I absolutely love is the L'oreal Infallible Matte foundation that claims to last up to 24 hours - I don't quite think that this claim is true however I have found it to be the longest lasting foundation that I have ever tried. The coverage is fantastic and used along with my Smashbox primer, it works a treat!

If you're like me and prefer to have a healthy glow to your face, this L'oreal foundation may not sound very appealing, however, I have been experimenting and have found that mixing a more dewy foundation such as the YSL Touché Éclat, or using a liquid highlighter such as the Seventeen Skin WOW 3 Way Highlighter and mixing either along with the L'oreal Infaliable foundation, you will achieve a full coverage, long lasting finish with a subtle dewy glow. 

Applying your foundation with a classic, flat foundation brush will give you a higher coverage and make the product last longer. My favourite foundation brush is the Ben Nye FCB-20. 

Set products in place
Setting your foundation in place is essential and my favourite product to do this is Rimmel's Stay Matte pressed powder. 
If your skin tends to get oily, you may need to re-apply powder throughout the day. 

I love pink flushed cheeks and a subtle contour; to achieve this I use Natural Collection blush in Sugar Plum and Sleek Face Contour Kit in light.

Brows
My brows have a mind of their own so setting the hairs in place is essential. Any clear brow gel will do or you could try a coloured brow gel that tints the hairs as well as setting them in place.

Long lasting colour
If your eyelids tend to get oily then I would recommend using an eyeshadow primer.
MAC Prolong wear paint pots are great used as an eyeshadow base to help make colours appear richer and last longer, I use MAC's paint pot in Painterly which is great for paler skin tones.
If your lids get especially oily, try dusting some loose setting powder on top of your base, before applying eyeshadow.
MAC eyeshadows are my favourite because they have a brilliant colour range and the quality is great, a few of my favourites include Naked Lunch, Charcoal Brown and Brun.

Gel eye liner is a great choice if you want your flicks to last all day. I love MAC Fluidline in Backtrack for a fantastic jet black liner that never flakes or smudges.

I personally never have trouble with mascara smudging, however if you do I would recommend using a waterproof version of your favourite mascara. Maybelline Great Last waterproof mascara is a good option.

Layer your lipstick
Lipstick can be tricky to keep looking fresh all day, however I have a 3 step routine that helps keep the colour in place.

Step One : Lip liner helps keep lipstick from bleeding (more common on mature skin) and acts as a barrier from the main lip colour. Whenever I'm wearing a red toned lipstick I always use MAC Cherry lip liner which is a perfect classic red that always works.

Step Two: Matte lipstick tends to have the longest lasting powder and I especially love those from MAC.
Maybelline have recently launched their Colour Drama lip crayons and I love them- they have a velvet finish and are very wearable whilst still giving long lasting colour. My favourite colour from the range is Fab Orange which is a red toned orange and I can see myself wearing it a lot this Spring/Summer.

Step Three: Finally, to further seal and lock my lip colour in place, I like to apply a layer of the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Hot Pepper which pairs with the Maybelline crayon perfectly. These lip lacqures give a matte finish whilst staining the lips to give a long lasting colour.

I hope you have found my tips helpful and have maybe learnt something new. What do you think of the orange'y' red lip colour? I love it!

My Top 5 Spring Makeup Essentials

Spring has finally made an arrival here in England and I couldn't be happier. I am currently sitting in the garden, catching my first rays of the year and thought it would be be the perfect opportunity to write up a post all about my essential spring makeup picks. These are things that I reach for when the sun comes out and things I have used to update my makeup bag for the warmer months.

I usually stay away from heavy foundations this time of year, I don't want anything clogging up my skin and I tend to be a little lazier with my makeup and find a BB cream or lighter foundation much more practical. I have recently been using this Boujours 123 Perfect CC Cream and I love it- these 'creams' tend to be a little confusing, however I have found this one to work perfectly- it is designed to colour correct any imperfections such as fatigue, redness and dark spots whilst giving a hydrating, luminous complexion. I have found it easy to blend into my skin, giving a flawless dewy finish whilst giving surprisingly great coverage, considering it is just a CC cream, I would class it as more on the side of a light foundation.
Overall I think that this is a perfect base product for spring/summer as it is easy to apply, gives a healthy glow, gives a good light coverage and contains SPF15 to protect the skin.

Makeup tends to wear off quicker in the heat therefore it is essential to set products in place properly. Many people stay away from setting powders because they don't want to look matte or cakey, however I have found that the Boujours Poudre De Riz De Java loose powder is fantastic at setting everything in place whilst still allowing the skin to glow underneath. The product is very finely milled and with a light dust over makeup, you will hardly be able to tell it is there.
I absolutely love this powder and I have recently found myself reaching for it over anything else.

I always want my skin to look super healthy and a little blusher always does the trick.
I find that mauve pink colours suit me best with my cooler complexion and I tend to avoid coral/peach tones, although if you have a warmer tone then these colours will look great on you.

I am always looking for cheaper alternatives to my more expensive makeup products and this blush from Natural Collection (available from Boots) in the shade Sugar Plum is almost an exact dupe for MAC Blushbaby which is more than double the price!

Just like my foundation, I tend to go for the easier option when it comes to eyes and I find that coating my lashes in mascara tends to be enough on days when I don't fancy using any shadow. I use different mascaras all the time, although whenever I use eyelash curlers prior to mascara, I always find the curl to be more defined and to last longer- which is always a bonus!
These lash curlers from Eyeko are my favourite, however I've used different brands in the past that have achieved the same effect. 

As much as I love bold lipstick, it can be a bit difficult to maintain in the spring/summer with the long days and parties, so to compromise I like to reach for MAC Plumful which is my perfect in-between bold and nude lipstick that is well pigmented whilst still hydrating at the same time.
Plumful gives a long lasting pinky plum buildable tint to the lips.

So that's my top 5 makeup essentials for this season, what products do you love using in the Spring? Let me know in the comments! :)