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?

L'Oreal True Match Foundation

I'm extremely late to the party with this one but I finally bought the much raved about L'Oreal True Match Foundation. Firstly I want to mention the packaging, which is usually the downside to most drugstore foundations. It's got a glass bottle, a pump and a lid - it's a winner so far in that department! 

The foundation formula itself gives the skin a nice, natural looking glow without being too dewy and it drys to a semi-matte flawless finish that is buildable from a medium to high coverage. It contains no SPF so I'd recommend using a moisturiser that does beforehand, but this does mean it's great for for photography. Now onto the lasting power and that too doesn't disappoint. I wore this foundation for a good 10 hours and it didn't require any touch-ups and my face stayed oil-free for the whole time. My oily skin salutes this foundation. 

Now when it came to choosing a shade, ironically I didn't manage to find my 'true match' and instead had to settle for the shade N4 Beige, which is ever so slightly too dark for me but as it's getting warmer and the fake tan has come out, I think I can get away with it. I did find that a lot of the shades seem to lean to the orange side of things, despite them being categorised into warm, neutral and cool tones (there's a guide here), so this would definitely be a downside to this foundation but one that I can definitely look past. 

I can honestly say that this foundation is worth all the hype it gets. It's great for someone like myself who has quite oily skin but still wants that slight brightening, glowy effect and despite the questionable 20 shades available, I really think this foundation could be my new favourite drugstore option. 

Have you tried L'Oreal True Match Foundation? Did you manage to find your perfect shade?

Spring Nail Edit | Neutrals

And we're back with the second part to my spring nails edit. This week it's onto the neutrals, those shades you reach for when you want something simple on your nails or even if you're heading off to a spring wedding etc. These shades are some of my favourite barely there polishes and I've been reaching for them surprisingly more than I have my bright shades. 

First up in the neutrals edit are two Rita Ora for Rimmel polishes in the shades Lose Your Lingerie and Rain Rain Go Away. My go-to of the two has to be the newest addition and that's Rain Rain Go Away as it is the perfect mauve nude that I feel will suit so many different skin tones as it has a grey hint to it. I actually have this on my nails currently and it has lasted a week so far without any chips so it's a great one! Lose Your Lingerie is the perfect pale pink shade that has the tiniest hint of shimmer but nothing that is really noticeable on the nails. This also applies well and lasts a long time - this would be great for occasions like weddings or prom etc. 

Another from Rimmel is Mary Mary Quite Contrary and this is from the standard polish line and is a barely-there lilac shade. I love how subtle this one is and it's perfect for everyday wear if you don't want to go bold and bright. I'm not normally one for garish lilac/purple shades but this one is so feminine and is definitely one of my favourites.

Next up is L'Oreal's Lemon Meringue and this is such a fresh pastel shade and really follows the current not-quite-white nail trend that seems to be appearing right now. These polishes apply probably the best of the lot and the staying power is great, the only downside is that this usually requires three coats for me to be happy with the opacity as it can end up looking slightly streaky otherwise. Not a huge blow but something to consider. 

Finally there's my least favourite of the bunch but one that will most definitely work for a lot of you out there. It's from the Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine range in 'Lychee' and it is a really brown nude that just clashes with my skin tone horribly. The formula however is great, as expected fro Barry M, and I'm a huge fan of the hi-shine appearance so it gets plus points in that department for sure. 

Well there you have my spring neutrals nail edit. Don't forget to check out last weeks edit if you're more of a brights girl as I give you a run down through all the rainbow coloured shades I love! 

Don't forget to let me know your favourite spring nail shades! 

The Best Drugstore Foundation Ever?!

I think I may have found my holy grail of all drugstore foundations and the praises that have been sung of the L'Oreal Infallible 24 Hour Matte foundation are much deserved. My skin is super oily in the t-zone area and fairly normal everywhere else so I usually have a hate/hate relationship with foundations. They are often either too dewy and just make my face look like a shiny mess, or they are too matte and leave dry patches around my face. This foundation however is the perfect in-between and I'm so happy it's nope a part of my make-up stash. 

This L'Oreal foundation provides a good medium to full coverage depending on how much you build it up and despite it being matte, it does have a surprisingly luminous finish while not being shiny or drying in the slightest - my skin has found its perfect foundation! I use the shade Vanilla, which is a near-perfect match to my skin tone and in all honesty, despite me never actually wearing a foundation for 24 hours as that's crazy, this does last all day (nine-ten hours) without a primer so I'm pretty sure the long-lasting claims are correct! 

Have you tried this foundation? What is your holy grail drugstore foundation?

February Beauty Favourites '15

Happy March everyone! I'm pretty glad to see February go as it always seems like such a filler month for me. That being said, it did fly by and we're now already on March, where has this year gone already! 

This month I've sat down with an accumulation of January/February favourites (I explain in the video my filming schedule) and I have honestly loved using each and every one of these products. I hope you enjoy the video and don't forget to let me know what your beauty favourites have been this month! 

Yet to find a holy grail

If there's one make-up item that I'm constantly striving to find that holy grail moment with, it' is mascara. I've never been particularly faithful to just one and I'm starting to think that maybe my ideal mascara just doesn't really exist as one product. 

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!