My Foundation Collection

It's been a while since i've done a collections post, so I thought there is no time like the present to write a post containing one of my favourite beauty staples - foundation. I go through lots of different phases with my skin so i've catagorised them to make it slightly easier to navigate.. enjoy!

 Natural/Low Coverage Foundations

Bourjois Paris BB Bronzing 8 In 1 Cream - Full review here. - £9.99
I've never really jumped on the BB Cream bandwagon, so I bought this through sheer curiosity. As much as it is a terrible bronzer, this has just enough coverage to cover up any unnecessary blemishes - but nothing more. I must admit I don't use this often because my skin has never been great enough to get away with it, but its ideal if you're blessed with perfect skin.

Benefit You Rebel Lite Tinted Moisturiser - £24.50
The packaging looks pretty shabby because this is the foundation I used throughout summer. I always like to switch to a tinted moisturiser in the warmer months so my skin doesn't feel so heavy. Packed with SPF 15, its perfect for those who don't like going completely bare-faced in the sun. I would say the lighter version of the two (This product is designed to adapt to your skin-tone) has a yellow tinge to it, so if you're pale skinned try not to be too liberal with the application.

Revlon Nearly Naked in 180 Shell - £8.99
This is a beautifully designed product that gives an airbrush feel with added SPF20. However, as much as I enjoy using it its not something i'd pick up when I need to be up and out in a hurry. It doesn't come with a pump, almost as if its designed to be put onto the hand and mixed with another shade. It's light in consistency and blends well, but I did find I needed to touch up around areas prone to redness.

Matte Foundations

Rimmel Stay Matte in Ivory - £5.99
This has to be the worst foundation out of the collection. It has a strange perfume smell and it makes me look orange however sparingly I apply it. It has a runny consistency, and I found it didn't provide any coverage unless I built it up, making my face shiny as opposed to matte. The shine control element is practically non-existent, but the inclusion of cotton, chamomile and cucumber did make my skin feel slightly softer.
 
Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse in Ivory - £7.69
This is the newest addition to my collection, as I was searching for a mattifying foundation that provided great coverage without feeling cakey. Using a mousse makes application a breeze - i'm not usually a fan of applying with my fingers but i've found its the best way with this product. It's inexpensive and I don't need to reapply throughout the day.

MAC Studio Fix Fluid with SPF15 in NC15 - £21.50
As many of you will probably already know,  MAC provide heavy coverage. I use this foundation for nights out because it provides little shine that will come from that dreaded flash photography (Although any foundation with SPF in it will provide shine to a certain extent!) . However, it is quite orange (I have the lightest shade too!) so I need to mix it with my lightest foundation to create a suitable blend.

Brightening Foundations

No 7 Instant Radiance in Calico - £12.50
This inexpensive foundation is great when my skin needs a little pick-me-up. It's still reasonably lightweight so I like to use it when i've had a late night and my skin looks tired in the morning. Overall i'm a massive fan of No7 due to their unique foundation matching service and their wide selection of foundations.

Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Makeup - £25.50
What first drew me to this foundation was its added SPF25, along with its oil-free formula and hydrating benefits. Although I love the overall look of this foundation (It doesn't really cover blemishes but gives your skin a great glow!), i've found that even the lightest shade makes my skin look bright yellow! I've had to mix it with a bit of my No7 foundation, which sort of defeats the object.

Yves Saint Laurent Le Teint Touche Eclat- £29.00
This is my dream foundation. Coming in 16 different shades, it eliminates blemishes and brightens shadowy areas. This is my second bottle of this, but i've chosen to use it more sparingly as it is the priciest product I own. My skin looks flawless when teamed with the YSL Touche Eclat Touch Highlighting Pen. It has a light consistency, allow my skin to breathe and giving just enough coverage to even out your skin tone. Love this!

Aswell as this, i've also started using my tester pot of Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation (£28.50) - which is certainly the most heavy coverage foundation i've used. So far I haven't found it very breathable, but a tiny amount lasts all day so is ideal for a special occasion when there isn't much time to touch-up.

I'm always on the look-out for the 'perfect' foundation, so let me know what your favourite foundation is below! :)

Mississipi Mud Pie

One of the things I really wanted to do this year was bake. My kitchen last year was a bit of a mess and was used mostly as a dumping ground for empty beer bottles, so you can imagine my excitement when my housemate Beth, who blogs as The Pastel Girl, suggested we make a pie as part of her dedication to The Great British Bake Off.

I'm not a big fan of fruit pies, so when we came across the recipe for a Mississipi Mud Pie which consisted of a mountain of chocolate, sugar and whipped cream.. SOLD!

Beth making the pie crust!

 

Ready for the oven - I could have just eaten it right there and then!

Tada! It tasted amazing, almost like a soft brownie. Next time i'd like a bit less whipped cream as i'm not the biggest fan, but overall I really enjoyed it and would love to make it again. It was extremely simple and, despite a few mishaps involving a loose bottom pie dish and a broken whisk, a lot of fun. I'm definitely going to start posting a few more cooking posts on here, as I love food almost as much as I love beauty products.

The full recipe can be found on Beth's blog. Enjoy!

My Go-To Hair Tutorial Videos!

I suck at doing hair. No, seriously - i'm awful. It was well into my teens when I even considered running a brush through it, let alone a pair of straighteners. Some people have the knack for hair styling, some just don't. I've watched countless tutorials where people claim the style is simple, when its obvious they've either spent years perfecting it or they have a Tony & Guy stylist controlling their arms like a puppet.

So instead of filming an awkward tutorial where I claim to know what i'm doing when its clear i'm still a newbie, i've decided to post my favourite simple hair tutorials that I refer back to time and time again.

Llmlrs is a blogger that I have followed for a long time now. I adore her high street style but what i'm really envious of is her trademark bedhead look. I stumbled across this tutorial and was instantly amazed by how simple it was. With fine, flat hair like mine its nice to add a bit of a wave to add a bit of volume, and this is done with a pair of straightners!



This next tutorial features one of the best curling tools I have come across: The Enrapture Totem Styler. I've experimented with creating curls with various straighteners, wands and heated rollers and none of them compare to the simplicity of this styling wand. Here's the tutorial I used the first time I used this amazing product.



I have massive hair-envy for Zoella. Whether its a messy bun or glamorous curls, she manages to look effortless with a hint of glam. As simple as it seems, I picked up many tips on adding volume and how to create the perfect messy ponytail. I'm yet to attempt the fishtail braid, but it's definitely on my to-do list!

I'm pretty simple when it comes to hairstyles (I'm usually brush, dry shampoo and go!), so hopefully these have given you a bit of an introduction on how to be a bit more creative with fine, limp hair. I'm always keen to explore new styles, so post a link to your favourite hair tutorial vids below!

Life Update

 Hey all!

It's been a while since I wrote about my life, so I thought i'd give a bit of an update.
I'm currently on my summer break from university, and now everyone has received their results its dawned on me that I am now a third year and will (hopefully!) be graduating next year. There's a lot of things that need to be in done in preparation for this important year, but I must admit i've been dragging my heels somewhat, almost like if I pretend that this is just another summer then it isn't real.

 I've been living at home trying to work extra shifts to get out of a bit of a financial rut,  and on my spare times trying to sail through some driving lessons so that it won't end up costing me thousands to finally get my pink license.
I've done a little bit of work experience this summer (My two weeks at Jack FM were amazing and really useful!), but because I spent my entire summer interning at LUXX last year I could afford to take a step back and actually relax. I've spent a lot of time with my friends, went on holiday with my family and watched 9 season's of Grey's Anatomy. PERFECT.

However, I move into my new house tomorrow, and its then the real work begins. This year i'm living with two of my course mates, in a little house with a purple oven and a giant floor-to-ceiling fridge. I'm quite looking forward to having my own space again, and have already invested in some vintage bunting and fairy lights to make my room extra girly this year. 
This year I promise to get my life in order and blog more, as hopefully i'll be in a hard-working mindset instead of slacking as I have done these past few months. Right, that's enough about me.. my next post will be beauty related, I promise! :)

P.s.: As you can see, my hair is now back to brunette! Due to financial issues, I can't keep up with having my hair dyed at a salon and it needed to be done desperately, so with the help of my best friend I am now my natural hair colour!