Controlling Oily Skin

Generally I have quite oily skin around my t-zone and especially with summer on its way, I'm always looking for products that will help stop my makeup completely sliding off my face mid-way through the day. After searching for some time and trying out a a lot of things I think I've finally got my oily skin under control using just two (or sometimes three) products!

If you have oily skin you generally want to stay away from dewy foundations as these tend to just slide right off the face and with having oily skin to begin with, you shouldn't really find the need to add more dewiness anyway. I find that mattifying foundations work best and I'm currently using the L'Oreal Infallible 24hr Matte as this gives my skin a nice coverage but because it's matte, it doesn't make my skin look oily throughout the day. With this particular foundation I don't ever feel the need to use a powder over the top but if I'm using a slightly less matte foundation then I will apply a dusting of Rimmel's Stay Matte powder to keep my base in place without making my skins look cakey. 

To finish up my make-upend keep everything in place all day, I like to use Mac Fix+ as a makeup setting spray. This helps my makeup settle and gives a natural glow without the excess oils that I don't want. I like to use this spray pretty much everyday and with a good skincare routine underneath, my make-up stays put pretty much all day.

Do you have oily skin? What products do you use to help your make-up stay in place?

Ultimate Summer Pink Lipsticks

When it comes to Spring/Summer, I do love wearing my favourite nude lip products but it's also a great opportunity to bring out the brighter pinks and corals and rock them during the day. There's two products in particular that I always find myself reaching for when I'm looking for that pop of colour and they are to me, the ultimate lipsticks. 

This was one of the first bold lipsticks I ever bought and it was one that I bought because I thought the shade was pretty but I never actually thought I'd wear it. That being said, I have gotten quite a bit of wear out of it this year in particular and it is the shade Flat Out Fabulous by Mac. This is a retro matte shade and it's basically a super intense bright with probably one of the most matte formulas I've ever come across, without being too unbelievably drying on the lips. I do always like to apply a lip balm beforehand with this one as it can become slightly uncomfortable throughout the day because it is so matte but it definitely doesn't come anywhere near as drying as the likes of Ruby Woo. 

A lip product that is practically the same shade as Flat Out Fabulous but a completely different formula is Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Pink Pong. Now though this is also a matte, it applies super glossy and almost like a lip gloss. It does however then dry extremely matte and provides the same sort of finish, minus any of the dryness you get from a full matte lipstick. This is probably the most long lasting of the two in terms of the colour, it stays vibrant and matte for practically the whole day and then you're left with a nice wearable stain afterwards, whereas the Mac lipstick does begin to settle into the lines of the lips and can sometimes look questionable mid-way through the day.

If you are looking for a bold shade for the season then I'd definitely recommend you pick up one (or both) of these products. Both are super matte, so very long wearing and the formulas feel super comfortable to wear. They are also cool toned pinks so they make your teeth look exceptionally whiter and will suit pretty much all skinniness in my opinion. 

The Kylie Jenner Lip & My New Lace Up Loves

Welcome to my new Saturday series. As of late weekends have been my 'days off' from blogging but I've come to realise that I really need to keep my content consistent and so everyday Saturday there will be sort of a round-up post featuring the best of fashion, beauty, televsion/films and everything in between that I've discovered that week. So I might be discussing a new tv series discovery (hint hint) or a new beauty release or even just something that is new to me, that have seen my clicking away on my keyboard all week.

The Kylie Jenner Lip. After months of trawling through various blogs and google pages, I finally found the exact product Kylie Jenner uses to achieve her enviable lips. Two words. Lip liner. MAC 'Soar'. Now I know I'm definitely late with this discovery but I feel like it's a breakthrough for my beauty regime and obviously I'm not expecting lips like Kylie's but something pretty close will do me just fine. *makes MAC order*

Lavish Alice. How have I never been on this site before this week?! I'm clearly too 'mainstream' with my daily Topshop and ASOS trawls to even bother looking further afield to find the beauty that is tailored capes and a khaki/monochrome palette.

Candidly Nicole by Nicole Richie. I've been and on again/off again fan of Nicole Richie since her earlier days and I was a big fan of her book The Truth About Diamonds released back in 2006. It wasn't really until seeing her newly coloured blue - and now pink - hair (major hair envy) and stumbling across her tv show, Candidly Nicole, before I proceeded to make my way through the entire first and second season in a day, procrastination much?

Brow Drama. Before this week, my eyebrows were that part of my face I always just left to do their own thing as I felt no need to mess with them. That is until I started to notice the odd unruly hair and in a desperate attempt to avoid threading/waxing for fear of coming out with no brows (over dramatic I know!), I took a trip to Boots and found Maybelline's Brow Drama. This brow gel has been my saviour and despite me picking up 'medium brown', it really doesn't add any colour to my brows, which I like, it just tames them and sets them in place for the whole day. Review coming soon!

Lace Up Flats. I saw these shoes on my instagram feed several times over the past few weeks and finally found them on ASOS in my size. They arrived and they look even nicer in person and are surprisingly comfy considering the lace up and pointed toe. They are apparently a near exact dupe of the Aquazzurra Christy flats that are an eye watering £478, while I picked up these New Look beauts for a mer £20.

The Perfect Red Lip - MAC RiRi Woo/Ruby Woo

 Mac RiRi Woo (limited edition) - £14. Alternative: Ruby Woo (currently available here)

A purchase I made quite some time ago now is the MAC lipstick in RiRi Woo. I can't believe I have had these photos hidden away on my computer for so long without even posting them on here! I'd read countless reviews and praises about Ruby Woo with bold claims of it being the perfect cool-toned matte red, despite its dreaded drying formula. I held off purchasing it for a good while but as soon as I heard RiRi Woo was being released, a shade made by Rihanna, I thought if I'm going to buy it, why not get this limited edition version with Rihanna's signature engraved into it. This signature sadly disappears after several uses so buying the standard Ruby woo would have sufficed. Now this is one of the first red lipsticks I ever tried and for a red lip-newbie, I don't think I could have picked a more drying formula, but as long as you apply layers of lip balm beforehand it's not too bad and it is a really lovely red shade.

I'm not normally one to don a red lip as most tend to be too warm-toned for my liking giving the appearance of yellow teeth but this definitely has those much desired blue undertones (white teeth all round) and would definitely suit a whole host of skin tones. The formula is also extremely matte, hence it being so dry, so it can be applied straight from the bullet or with a brush for an all day long-lasting red lip. Now of course, I'm naming this 'the perfect red lip' but it may not actually be the case for everyone. Some may find it just too drying to deal with or too cool toned so it's always worth testing it out in-store first before. I've heard MACs Russian Red is also a great shade too so I'm keen to pick that up some time and try it out. I've actually discovered since this another red lipstick that is actually a less expensive, drugstore alternative so expect a post on that very soon!

 Ruby Woo is currently available as a MAC bestseller, or you may be able to pick up RiRi Woo from somewhere like Depop or Ebay!

What is your essential red lipstick?

Wednesday Wishlist #20 | Luxury Beauty

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

 I haven't really bought much make-up this year and I realise it's only January but I've really tried to focus on buying ore key wardrobe pieces instead. This has lead to my beauty wishlist getting bigger and bigger and despite some of these being complete unnecessary splurges, some I feel are real face essentials like the Estee LauderDouble Wear concealer and the Mac 217 brush. Both are everyday type items, unlike the luxury selections being the Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita palette and the limited edition Chanel garden blush - aren't they both beautiful?! 

Next week's wishlist will be a drugstore wishlist/haul as I'm popping to Boots this week so stay tuned! 

The Eyeliner for Eyeliner Novices

I found myself perusing the MAC counter a few weeks ago, which is something I find very daunting to say the least. There's just so many products, finishes, shades, the list goes on... I did however, go in with one product on my mind, the cult favourite Eye Kohl in Teddy and now it's a part of my collection, I'm never letting it go!

Wednesday Wishlist #5 | Orange

1,2,3,4,5

So, it seems that an unintentional theme occurred with this post. While putting it goether I quickly realised that everything was orange. I never wear orange! The good thing about orange though is that it's perfect for both summer and autumn or this in between season we are currently experiencing here in the UK. Anyway, I hope you like my picks, which hopefully I can purchase in the not too distant future. I NEED ripped jeans in my life...

Flat Out Fabulous

Well this is certainly a change for me. A pink bold lip. I picked up Flat Out Fabulous by Mac a few months ago and although I love it, it certainly isn't a wallflower type of shade!

June Favourites '14 | Video

Oh June, where an earth did you disappear to! It was the month I completed university, turned 21 and found out my university results (most nerve-wracking day ever). I also discovered and rediscovered a few new beauty bits and I even got back into reading. There's a lightweight foundation, a cult favourite concealer and even an eyeliner - what?! It's been a good month...

A Pink Lip Lineup | Beauty

I seem to have been purchasing lip products left right and centre recently, in particular, bold pink shades, which are normally so unlike me. I tend to stick to nude and mauve shades as I'm not quite daring enough to wear the neon pop shades that are often associated with the summer months. That being said, I have gone slightly crazy lately an bought several bold pink shades from matte crayons to liquid lipsticks - I've bought them all! These five bolds have been making up my summer 'lip wardrobe' as of late (with a few nudes thrown in for those lazy days) and I thought I'd share my thoughts with you.

Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Unapologetic: I've been trying to get my hands on this aide for months now but I was starting to think that it had become extinct or something. That was until I spotted it last week while shopping in Manchester, it was a total 'ahhhhh' moment. All of the matte balms are extremely pigmented and the lasting power is superb, especially so for the neon pink shade Unapologetic, which is the perfect summer bold. These matte balms are surprisingly hydrating on the lips and they leave a lovely stain afterwards, so there's no real need to reapply throughout the day.

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Pink Pong: If you are looking for a long lasting, creamy formulation that stays put on the lips for hours then the rouge edition velvets are the perfect option. I've been enjoying the deep pink shade Pink Pong for a less neon, and more rich look. These liquid lipsticks really do stick around for hours, they apply like a wet gloss almost but then dry to a velvet, almost matte look on the lips. Perfect!

MAC Retro Matte lipstick in Flat Out Fabulous: I suppose you could say that I'm a newbie to the world of MAC lipsticks, I haven't really explored the range much, or the types of finishes that are available. One finish that I've really been loving at the moment though is retro matte, specifically in the shade Flat Out Fabulous, which is a beautiful deep pink, almost magenta shade. I picked this up last week and I've found that the formula, although matte, isn't drying at all and of course, the colour sticks are all day. See me wearing it here.

L'Oreal L'Extraordinaire Liquid Lipstick in 201 Rose Symphony: Sometimes if I'm having a dry lips day, pretty much every lip products I own ends up sitting in all of the dry patches. The L'Oreal L'Extraordinaire however, doesn't do this at all. It's very hydrating and very soft on the lips so perfect for everyday wear. The shade range isn't fantastic but Rose Symphony is a great muted pink shade that still packs a punch. On thing, these lipsticks do have a very fruity scent to them so this could be off putting for some people.

Maybelline Color Sensational Vivid Lipstick in 902 Fuchsia Flash: This is the only glossy lipstick in the bunch and also I think the most neon. The formula of these Color Sensational lipsticks is just so creamy and so smooth that they leave your lips feeling completely moisturised. The lasting power isn't as long as some because of the more glossy formula, but this doesn't really bother me because the shade Fuchsia Flash is a joy to apply anyway. This is the one that is definitely most out of my comfort zone but I'm getting there...slowly!

So there you have it, five bold lipsticks that I've really been enjoying wearing as of late. What are you favourite bold shades to wear? I'd love to check them out!

May Favourites '14 | Video

It's a video! Now isn't this a nice little surprise. I decided that I wanted to jump over to YouTube and see how I get on making videos and so far, I'm really enjoying it! My first video was a 25 facts which you can see over there in the side bar. But for my second video I thought I'd do a slightly late May Favourites. So for this month's favourites we have it all, from a nail polish that has been on my nails pretty much all month, to a cult favourite that I was a little late to the party with. It's a mixed beauty bag in all, with some added fashion favourites thrown in for good measure. Hope you enjoy! 

beauty | mac 'syrup' lipstick

Mac 'Syrup' - £15
I introduce you to my first ever MAC lipstick in the form of 'Syrup' which is a lustre finish and is described as a cloudy pink/mauve. For me it's become the perfect everyday lip colour, great for any time on the year in my opinion, and I can't believe it's take me this long to finally buy it. In the bullet it doesn't really look like much, it's a slightly shimmery pink/mauve/plum tone that when on the lips translates into a semi-sheer 'your lips but better' shade. I also bought 'Plumful' at the same time as this and they are very comparable in appearance but on the lips this is much more of a softer, subtle lip colour making it much more wearable every day.

Having never tried a MAC lipstick previous to this I was unsure how the formula of them would be but I can now honestly say that this lipstick has one of the best formula's I've ever used. It's very easy to apply and is so creamy on the lips, while also having great staying power for a good few hours. One thing I absolutely love is the vanilla scent of these lipsticks which lingers for a really long time and I personally love that' some people may not though!

Syrup has quickly become one of my all time favourite lipsticks and I think I'm definitely going to be trying out some more MAC lipsticks for the great formula they seem to have. Any recommendations?

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beauty | lipstick favourites

I see a pretty lipstick and I buy it. I see another and I buy that too. The only problem? I never actually seem to wear any of them; I seem to just swipe on a lip balm and rush out of the house. However, I've decided to make a sort of mid-year (plus two months) resolution to start wearing more lipsticks, which funnily enough started today with me sporting a new purchase by MAC called 'Syrup' - love it! Something I haven't used in a while is the Rimmel Apocalips in Celestial, I have however vowed to start using this more as it's such a great product, application wise, and the colour is the perfect musky pink!

Rimmel's 03 from the Kate Moss collection is the perfect lipstick if you really cannot be bothered but just want something other than a lip balm on your lips. I usually just dab it on the lips because it could give an extremely unflattering nude look if applied all over. How many times have Revlon Lip Butters been mentioned by pretty much everyone; they are just so incredibly easy to wear and I especially like Berry Smoothie for a 'your lips but better' look. As you can probably tell, I'm very much into nude/pinker shades when I wear lipstick but I do love Rimmel's 107 for the perfect autumn berry red shade, it's matte too which is even better! 

This is the shades I tend to go for all year round really, I don't really have set spring/summer and autumn/winter shades, I just stick to what I love! What are your favourite shades of lipstick?