The Make-Up Round-Up...

Hey everyone,

We've done a few posts about fashion & style (there's many more to come!) but now I have some top make-up & beauty tips to share with you. 

There are so many cosmetic & beauty brands out there that sometimes when you go into a pharmacy or department store you simply have too much choice & don't know what to buy! Well I am more than happy to be your guinea pig & let you know my pick of the bunch...

Clockwise from Top Left: Barry M Instant Nail Effects in Black Magic €4.95, Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzing Powder in No. 3 Maui €33.00, Gosh Eyeshadow Trio in Pink Sunset €9.99, A'kin Rose de Mai Anti-Oxidant Day Creme €26.99, Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF 15 in 2.5 Ward Sand, MAC Haute & Naughty Lash Mascara €21.00, NARS Single Eyeshadow in Galapagos €19.80, MAC Lipglass in Pink Lemonade €17.00 & Alberto Balsam Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner €3.10

I've tried nearly every range of make up out there & even when the make up artist at the counter gives you a make over & it looks amazing in the shop light, you never know how it will wear until you spend the day trawling around the shops or slaving away at work & then take a toilet break, look in the mirror  & realise its half way across your face. I have pretty normal skin, not prone to spots, not really oily, not really dry, so technically all foundations should work on me but to date the only one I've found that actually wears well on my skin & is a perfect colour match is Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation. With an in built SPF 15, this is one of the most lightweight & low coverage foundations on the market. It feels like silk on your skin & when you find the right shade it blends in seamlessly with your own colouring. Why I think it works so well for me is that its not so heavy that it looks like its sitting on my face but rather it enhances my natural skin tone & evens it out, creating a perfect base for the rest of my make up. Everyone's skin is different so I can't guarantee it will suit everyone but if your still struggling to find your perfect foundation I recommend you at least give this a try!

My favourites for eyes at the minute are NARS, GOSH & MAC. Galapagos by NARS has been in my make up bag for nearly 2 years now after the first time I picked it up in Paris. It's a high pigment eyeshadow in a dark brown shade with a speckle of gold shimmer throughout. Amazing on blue eyes to really bring out their colour! The GOSH Eyeshadow Trio in Pink sunset is one I just picked up last week. My favourite way to wear it is to get an angled eyeliner brush, dip it in the red & purple & line underneath your bottom lashes, flicking it out at the end. Then with your baby finger, press into the light pink & sweep around the inner corner of your eye. A perfect summer disco look! Finish off either of these eye looks with a lashing of MAC Haute & Naughty - my new best friend! This mascara has two wands, a fatty & a skinny. On clean eyelashes, use the skinny wand first to elongate your upper lashes & lightly define your lower lashes then on your upper lashes generously apply the product with the thicker wand. The best mascara on the market to give that false lash effect!

Technically it's a bronzer but I use Bobbi Brown Illuminating Powder as a blush. Maui is a shimmery, salmon pink shade with high pigmentation so a little goes a long way with this bad boy. Apply with a clean, soft blusher brush & blow off the excess before applying.

Give yourself a mani/pedi with a twist! Barry M do great cheap, colourful cosmetics & a personal favourite is their crackle effect nail polish in Black Magic. Try painting over gold or silver metallic nail polish for a cool leopard print look.

The Lipglass range by MAC is huge! My favourite shade at the moment though is Pink Lemonade - a high shine, summery coral shade. It's quite sticky so maybe avoid on a windy day but otherwise its sure to get you a compliment!

Without flawless skin you will never have flawless make up & my top tip to achieve that is the all natural & organic Australian skin care range A'kin. Because the ingredients are all natural oils & plant extracts they absorb into your skin really easily & give you a beautiful glow. I use Rose de Mai Day Creme but there is a moisturiser available for every skin type.

Lastly, a little tip I picked up along the way... You know the very annoying way you shave your legs & about a hour later they're all prickly again? Well straight after shaving cover them in conditioner. I can't believe how well it works. I use Alberto Balsam Tea Tree Tingle because 1 - it's cheap! 2 - it's a light formula so easy to lash on quickly & 3 - the tea tree soothes your legs after shaving & leaves them smelling delicious. Leave the conditioner on for 2-3 minutes & then pat your legs down with a towel et Voila! Silky smooth pins! :)

xo TBC