A Guide To: Foundation

Hi Guys,

This is my next part to my A Guide To series, covering foundation! I asked on Twitter what you would like to see after my previous two on Primers, which are HERE. Foundation, Eye Shadow and Lipstick was all brought up but I thought Foundation was probably the most natural thing to move onto after Primer!

There are so many things to consider when buying a foundation and constantly new formulations arriving, its so difficult to pick when they all promise so many amazing things! I think one of the hardest things with foundation is picking your match, with a lot of companies offering multiple coded names for different tones.

MAC use a system of NW or NC, NW being Neutral Warm (Pink Under Toned Foundation) and NC being Neutral Cool (Yellow Under Toned Foundation). Which is great as long as you know if you have cool or warm skin. If you look at the veins inside your wrist and they appear more blue in tone and have pink/rosy skin, then you have a cool tone to your skin. If you have more of a yellow undertone to your skin and you have more of a green tinge to your veins, then your warm! (P.S. the MAC System is slightly opposite, which is why if you have pink undertones you're NW!)

Once you finally work out your shade match, Thank you confusing MAC system! Then you should have a think about the coverage you're looking for in a foundation. My favourite for a really sheer yet build able coverage is MAC Face & Body. Its water based, so its very lightweight on the skin, but if you were to buff this in, it becomes thicker and gives more of a coverage nearing to medium.

Though my favourite Medium Coverage Foundation has to be my holy grail Illamasqua Skin Base, coming in 25 different shades, they are fantastic for finding a perfect match. Skin Base is very versatile, you can get a full coverage from it as well as medium and if you are to mix it with their primer, you can really sheer it out and get a lovely glow too. 

I personally have very dry skin and love Clinique Beyond Perfecting as a full coverage foundation, its comfortable to wear and gives a long lasting full coverage finish to the skin. It also doubles up as a concealer and I have done a full review of it HERE. Though if you do have more of an oiler skin type, then the ever so popular Estee Lauder Double Wear, may be more of a better suited full coverage option for you.

NYC Natural Matte was the first foundation I ever wore. It has a very matte finish, but isn't drying on the skin if you do have dry skin. Though I usually find that if you have an oiler skin type, then a matte foundation is more of a favourite to use. It does last for quite a while, obviously not as long as a lot of other high end foundations, but its also not as full coverage as a lot of them too. So if you're looking for a matte medium coverage foundation, then this one is still a favourite of mine. 

Glowing skin has been such a huge trend and nothing makes my skin glow more than Clarins True Radiance. I personally find the Clarins Foundations are not raved about enough, they sit beautifully on the skin and have a medium coverage that could be sheered down by buffing in or even built up. This foundation also contains SPF 15, SPF is a tricky one sometimes as if you are using it with flash photography you may get the dreaded white powder look. I find the Clarins ones don't Flash back but always test them before hand if thats what you plan to use them for, Clarins also do a very helpful sample service.

As well as your traditional Liquid Foundation there is also the very popular mineral powders. The leaders in the pack being Bare Minerals Original Foundation, if you are looking for a loose powder or Bare Minerals Ready Foundation if you prefer a pressed version. The Original gives a very natural glowing finish to the skin and offers between a sheer to full coverage depending on the amount used and how much buffing you do. Powder foundations are usually always a lightweight option if you prefer something you cant feel on the skin. The Ready Foundation has an SPF of 20, 5 more than the Original. However if you're looking for a Sheer coverage this one isn't as great, it offers more Medium to Full.

A favourite for makeup artists and using for theatre is Cream Foundations. They mainly come in palettes just like the Ben Nye Essential HD Foundation Palette and are usually quite full in coverage. they feel heavier on the skin, but if you are looking for full coverage then these give you it due to the higher levels of pigment. Having a palette is also useful if you like to contour, as using them all together will give a very natural contour as they are all cream. 

(Swatches: Left To Right - Face & Body, Skin Base, Beyond Perfecting, True Radiance, Natural Matte, Ben Nye & Bare Minerals Pressed)

There are of course lots of different options for each type, I just mainly prefer more of a High End base. But there are plenty of High Street foundations that offer the same finishes and coverages. However it is a lot tricker to find your perfect match tone wise as they just don't have the sheer range that Higher End counters do. I have also tried to include all of my own favourites from each category and NARS Sheer Glow would also be up there too! But I went and smashed my bottle!

I hope this has helped explain the whole other world that is foundation and not been too confusing, especially that MAC system!

Eloise x

If I Won The Lottery... Wishlist

Hi Guys,

After an eventful day yesterday, I realised I'd forgotten to get my tutorial pictures. So my first makeup tutorial should finally be up on Friday. I've been in quite the spendy mood since Ive decided to start saving which is typical. I went on a bit of a window shop and thought Im just going to add everything to a basket, this is what it resulted in!

For years Ive seen the Youtubers rave about the Rebecca Minkoff Bags and its only recently Ive had a good look at them. I kind of wish I hadn't as I've fallen in love with the Rebecca Minkoff Avery Crossbody Bag, The colour isn't something I would usually go for but I think its one of the prettiest shades of blue, It would add a little pop of colour to my usual all black wardrobe.

I absolutely love Burberry, Especially the dresses and of course my trench coat. I have even fallen in love with a few bags, but the Burberry Crepe Jumpsuit has really caught my eye. Of course its black, but I love wearing a jumpsuit and as its quite a classic thing, I don't think it wouldn't be worth the investment. 

Makeup wise I would have to pick the Charlotte Tilbury The Supermodel Box and the Tom Ford Trousseau, they both looks so sleek and expensive. I even just want the boxes for display reasons, but all that makeup too! Im not going to lie, I also love the Charlotte Tilbury one just because it plays a video...

Two things Im kind of talking myself into getting just now, but I must be good! Are the Diptyque Florabellio Perfume and Jo Malone Green Tomato Leaves Candle. Both smell so good! I was really hoping they did a jumbo version of the candle but they don't *sobs*. As well as them being another two blogger raved about products, Ive also been having a look at the Sunday Riley Good Genes Treatment, ever since Tanya Burr mentioned it. Though I really don't think I can justify the price!

Finally I have fallen in love with the Valentino Heels, though at my height, heels aren't really something I wear or would spend a lot of money on. So I was very excited to see the Valentino Rockstud Ballerina Pumps, a flat version of the heels! Then just for good measure, I thought I'd add another handbag to the mix! The Michael Kors Jet Set Medium Tote seems to be becoming one of those "it" bags, I just love the thought of how much stuff I could shove inside it haha!

I really think Im going to have to go and enter the lottery now....

Eloise x

Washing Those Makeup Brushes!

Hi Guys,

I feel like Ive been on the hunt for the perfect brush cleaner forever. As a makeup artist, I clean a ridiculous amount of makeup brushes but really thats just my own fault for having a brush buying addiction. I think Ive finally whittled it down to my favourite three and very different products that get me through cleaning my brushes!

I do love cleaning my brushes once I get into it, theres nothing better than a set of clean brushes! I clean my kit brushes after each use on a job. But then at least also once a week for a deeper clean. With my personal brushes Im a little lazier, cleaning them probably every two weeks. 

The Spot Cleaner

The MAC Brush Cleanser is a firm favourite for a lot of people, It took me a while to get it and I can really see why people love it now. It is brilliant at removing makeup quickly, especially stubborn darker pigments that can stain your brushes. After using this your brushes look as good as new, you also only need the tiniest amount, I like to just pour a little of this onto a Kleenex Facial Cloth, (just as they're thicker and don't break up easily), then I swirl my brush into it gently, removing any traces of the makeup.

The Travel Friendly Option

As I need to clean my brushes quickly a lot, I need something effective to lift the makeup out and still keep my brushes in good condition and really clean them properly. My favourite product to do this with has to be the B. Beauty Makeup Brush Cleanser. As its not a massive bottle it fits in my kit nicely, it also has a spray top making it very easy to use. Ive found my favourite way to use it is to either spray it directly onto the brush, if its stubborn or a large sized brush and then swirl into a towel until clean. I can also spray it directly onto the towel and swirl smaller brushes into the towel that way too.

The Deep Cleaning Shampoo

Possibly the quickest way to do a deep clean for your brushes now can be to use a solid brush cleanser, but the solid brush cleansers can be really expensive. Which is when I realised that really, they're exactly the same as a Lush Shampoo Bar for half the price! I use Jumping Juniper as it contains antibacterial properties to kill any nasties! I picked this up along with a tin to keep it nice and tidy. I simply wet the bar and my brush a little bit, then swirl the brush into the shampoo bar. I rinse it off under the tap not to get any water into the ferrule and repeat this until the water runs clean.

Other great products you can use to clean your brushes with include Johnson's Baby Shampoo and another blogger favourite is Dr Bronner's Magic Soap. I just prefer how compact and easy a solid brush cleaner can be. Though I am always up for trying other options! 

Eloise x

May GlossyBox

Hi Guys,

My May GlossyBox has arrived, all packed with goodies for this months theme of Summer's Calling. Now if you'd been about Glasgow the past couple of weeks, the statement Summer is calling seems like quite a long shot! But we can live in hope and use all the Summery products hoping they'll change the weather! 

After I didn't like the April Box as much as I had hoped, it just wasn't really a selection that wowed me. But I know lots of other people who really loved it, so maybe it was just me! I tried to have wishful thinking for this months box and It really has delivered!

Just having a quick peek into the box at first I thought that personally although this is the Summer Calling Box. I think nearly every product in here would be fantastic for festivals, they're just the perfect easy but effective items that you could use quickly too.

I also had that moment of confusion when I only counted four out of five products in there too! Turns out the last one was hiding under all the tissue, mini panic over!

Me Me Me Enchanted Eyes Dual Ended Eye Wand in Midnight Storm- £6.95

Before recently I'd of looked at this and thought oh no, just because of the shades. Though recently I've learnt to love blue and I can see myself getting a lot of use from this as its actually really not a bad product at all. It has two shades, a cobalt which I think would be lovely as a bright liner or all over the lid. Then there is also a Navy, again I think it would be nice as a winged liner, or a base for a navy smokey eye. The pencil its self is creamy, though each shade has a slight silver shimmer running through it too. Its something quick and easy to play about with, especially as blue is this summers on trend shade.

Etre Belle Aloe Vera Ultra Moisturising Gel - £15.93

This is definitely one for the fridge, when the sun does finally make an appearance and you end up with sunburn! A cold helping of this on to it will feel fantastic! Aloe Vera is one of the best things to use to soothe the skin and because its a gel formula its packed with moisture. Its even a great product to just carry in your bag, or apply in the morning to be nice and cooling on the face.

Zerreau Towel Off Shampoo Foam - £7.95

I actually cannot contain my excitement for this product, I just think its such a great concept! This would be so handy for camping at a festival, even though dry shampoo is great, you can have the whole white roots problem. This being a foam, I think it feels a lot fresher in the hair, It also smells like apples, which is one of the best smells I've smelt from a product like this.

SASS Intimate Perfect Skin Concentrate - £12

Ive heard of SASS before but never tried any products, so I was very excited to see this in the box. It is basically just a product to soothe the skin after either shaving or waxing. I know everyone seems to love The Cool Fix gel by Shaveworks, especially Vivianna Does Makeup. So I'd really like to see how the two compare. As it also contains Salicylic Acid, its also exfoliating the skin, reducing the chances of ingrown hairs too.

Collection Cosmetics Field Day Lipstick in Pink Rose - £2.99

When I saw this in the tube it looks like a really washed out bubble gum pink, pair that with the blue and I feel like its more 90's Barbie. But once I actually tried the shade on its a really pretty brighter pink, which I think looks the nicest just patted on with a very fresh makeup look. The formulation of Collection lipsticks make them really comfortable to wear and they are so pigmented for the price, I'd really recommend them!

(Swatches: Left to Right - Pink Rose, Midnight Storm Cobalt &Midnight Storm Navy)

Overall I really love this months box and now I really wish I was going to a festival so I could give these a good road test. They'll be such handy products to use this summer anyway and I can already see myself making a few repurchases too!

Eloise x

A Big Old Haul

Hi Guys,

I basically got a little carried away over the past month with picking bits and pieces up! Im trying to save, but I keep failing, I blame the fact I've just done my Graded Unit and used retail therapy as a way to keep me sane! So Ive ended up with quite the Beauty Haul as well as a couple of Homeware and Clothing items too!

 The way Ive justified this is by telling myself that I got bargains! As all but two items in this haul, I got discounted, which I think looking at it all really amazes me! You've just got to love a good bargain!

 I regret to say I really don't visit Primark as much as I used to and its purely down to the fact that my local one is a nightmare! But I think Primark do some of the best Pyjamas, so I gritted my teeth and left quite pleased with myself that I got the dusty blue quilted top in the sale. I like the fact that its lightweight but still lovely and warm. Though my favourite one is the vest top, eat, sleep, tweet, repeat is basically my life! 

I've also been running Into TKMaxx quite a bit recently as they've had loads of really great brands, such as Too Face and of course my favourites Illamasqua! So I got the Lashes in 010, theyre not the most wearable of things but to just pop in my kit and use for an avant garde look, they're fantastic! Ive already been crazily brainstorming ideas of what I want to do with them!

Also in TKMaxx was a Tanya Burr Lipgloss in Chic , Im not a huge gloss wearer, but if I am going to wear it I am more than likely either wearing a Tanya Burr one or Illamasqua. So every time I see one of Tanya's I'm kind of addicted to picking them up. Chic is a nude shimmer shade, not one I'd usually go for but for £1.99 I thought why not!

You're probably wondering why on earth the Nivea Men Post Shave Balm is featured in my haul.   I recently watched Nikkie Tutorials use this as a primer and knew straight away I needed to try it! Its second main ingredient is Glycerin, which is really quite sticky, meaning your makeup should adhere to it. It was also less than half price! 

I also picked up two While in Boots I picked up the Barry M Nail Paints in Mint Green and Nude. Mint Green was my first ever Barry M Polish and probably my all time favourite, mine had gone a little weird so it was time for a new one. As well as getting Nude as Ive been trying to find a great french manicure shade. Im sure these were on buy one get the second half price too, but really I only got them to make the aftershave purchase a little less strange!

Also this week Superdrugs offer of the week is the Real Techniques Sculpting Set, its currently got £7 off, which makes each brush around £4 each. Which is such an amazing cost for such great brushes. This particular set contains the new Sculpting Brush which I also think could work for foundation, the Setting Brush and the exclusive Fan Brush, of course I couldn't leave them...

Soap & Glory Glow Lotion and One Night Tanned, both of these were reduced to something ridiculous like £1.32! So how could I say no... even though I haven't fake tanned ever, so really I just bought fake tan as it was cheap... It smells good though (great logic)! They are currently on 3 for 2 just now too, but Im super excited to get stuck into the Glow lotion.

I have been desperate to go to Oliver Bonas for months. It should be renamed Copper Heaven! My favourite piece is the Copper Letter, which was sold out for months so I'm so glad I got my hands on it. I also picked up the Copper Bamboo Bowl , which I wasn't originally planning to get but the copper addiction took over, I don't have a clue what I'm going to do with it though haha!

I am now banning myself from shopping...

Eloise x

Careers In Make Up with Alex Box & Spob O'Brien

Hi Guys,

On Friday I went down to Manchester to the Illamasqua counter in Selfridges Exchange Sqaure, so that I could go to see two of the most Inspirational Makeup Artists ever! Alex Box and Spob O'Brien, both held a talk on how makeup is a career for them but also how it is to have a career in the artistry. It was a fantastic evening and I wanted to share a bit about what they said, as they raised some very good points within the industry and just made me want to go and paint tons of peoples faces afterwards!

Alex and Spob both started the talk by telling everyone how they originated in the industry and how they knew it was what they wanted to do. Alex actually started out as an Artist and thought one day she would use the face as the canvas for her art project, which soon led to her being called a makeup artist. It was just another form of expressing creativity at the time.

Spob's story of how she started may be my favourite one as I feel like I can relate to it in a way. 

Spob started out young when putting make up on teddy bears and held clubs with all her friends in the summer, including membership cards! (Who didnt do that?!) Then having a family member/ family friend qualify in Electrolosis (hair removal!), when she was a little older. It just sparked a sense of wanting to know more, even if it wasn't down the hair removal route! Spob then talked about visiting a makeup room inside a theatre and being so mesmerised by the bottles of different products all lined up and just had to know more and how to get into doing it! So after being referred to go to college and completing three years, Spob was the qualified in Media Makeup. The way Spob was so enchanted by the room in the theatre is the way I feel when I'm in Illamasqua haha!

Inspiration was a big topic to discuss as not only are Alex and Spob huge inspirations to I bet everyone in that room and certainly me! They share their own inspiration which in turn inspires anyone who see's it. Alex finds that music is a huge inspiration, it just sets the mood, especially when on a shoot. I love the fact that each Illamasqua Campaign Shoot had its own playlist, I think this is just a fantastic way to set the scene. Both ladies agreed that their is Inspiration everywhere, especially when it comes in the form of snapping away lots of pictures. I could get lost in both Alex and Spob's Instagrams, as well as sharing makeup looks but almost just random pictures on there. But really they're not that random, a picture of a gate thats faded into different shades over the years can hold so much inspiration, the colours and even the textures can spark so many ideas. You can find Inspiration everywhere you look and listen and Alex and Spob are both fantastic at capturing it.

Another topic that was touched on that goes alongside Instagram was all about Social Media. I especially found this part of the conversation interesting as it was such an eye opener into the harsh reality of it. Not in Alex's exact words but to sum it up, Alex basically said that everything is instantly judged on social media now, wether its a like or an unlike and instant comments. It shouldn't be, it should be if you like it or even if you hate it, its your art so express it, no matter how many likes you get. This is so true, I find sometimes it can be so daunting to upload a picture of your work! "What if everyone hates it" "I like it but I don't think I should upload it". Makeup is an Art form and not everyone loves Art, its a shame that social media has both boosted the love for makeup but in a way made it so difficult to share your work. Alex has really made me realise though that wether I love it or hate it, or wether anyone else loves it or hates it, its art and it should be shared!

Lastly a question was asked to both ladies about how they feel about being such huge makeup inspirations in the industry. Now both Alex and Spob are two of the most humble people I've ever had the privilege to meet and they are so lovely that you instantly feel at ease talking to them. Neither of them consider themselves as big huge makeup artists. They're two women who are doing what they love, which I find even more inspirational haha! Spob discussed how she still asks "You want me?!" when I asked to be part of a huge job. As well as doing 5 day courses only to be asked why on earth she's doing them in the first place, but Spob just loves getting to do those types of top up courses. Alex also just considers herself an artist who just publishes what she loves and hates, just like any other artist would. As she just considers everyone an artist in there own art.

At the end of the evening everyone got to get their picture with both lovely ladies and get a little goodie bag for coming. We also got cake which I had to photograph! It was just amazing to get to hear they're take on the industry and how makeup artistry is career's wise. I really wish I could just listen to them talk all day as I really don't think you could ever get bored!

There is also one more date on the career tour and I think some tickets left and I cant recommend it enough! For tomorrow at Illamasqua Selfridges in London, there's some more Information HERE! I also really recommend checking out both Alex and Spob's work too!

Eloise x

Illamasqua Vendetta

Hi Guys,

Last week Illamasqua launched To Be Alive, with their new lipstick, Vendetta, being quite a focal point! Being bright blue its very hard to miss, but at the same time really daunting. When I first saw it I thought, how on earth do you pull off bright blue lips... 

Ive actually realised however that it is a really great lipstick to have. If you don't want to rock blue lips very much or at all, it seems like a lot for a lipstick that'll just sit there. But actually its such a creative and handy lipstick to have sat in your stash. 

As blue is a primary colour, you can mix it with red and even yellow lipsticks to create so many combinations. I also really like it to deepen lipsticks, which is mainly what I've done as I couldn't find my yellow Revolution Lipstick to show! 

You can also use it to create lip art and even a ombre lip, just a little bit of a nude gloss, such as Illamasqua Absorb in the middle, will create a blue ombre lip! 

Vendetta on its own I find surprisingly not too bad to pull off, its different, but I kinda like it. I think with the right makeup paired with it, it won't stand out as much as you think it would. As its part of the Glamoure Range by Illamasqua, its quite creamy and so comfortable to wear, you kind of forget its there!

I also paired it with the new Shine Lipgloss from the collection too, Iridesce, which is clear with a blue shimmer running through it. I find against Vendetta it just gives it a bit more of a shine and texture, though over any other colour, especially one with a blue undertone already, it can really brighten the teeth.

To make this purple, I dabbed Vendetta very lightly under neath MAC's Girl About Town, a blue toned bright fuchsia pink. It creates such a deep purple, I also like how its a tiny bit darker in the centre. But I'd also really like to wear this with a little less blue around the edges so the pink comes through more. It would create a purple pink ombre, which would have such a bitten look to it, which was such a huge trend on the catwalks. 

I think my favourite way to wear Vendetta though is with a red. Ive used it here with Illamasqua's Box, a true matte red. I love how vampy Vendetta turns it and even though its a matte lipstick, vendetta lightly put underneath makes it so much more comfortable and just makes the overall look of it on more creamy too. This would work beautifully with shades like MAC Russian Red or just any pillar box red tone.

Im excited to delve into the options Vendetta brings, as they are endless! Just the different experiments you can do with it and create a endless amount of options just with one lipstick, its creativity in a tube! 

You can have a good look at Vendetta which is £18.50 HERE.

Eloise x

My Haircare Routine

Hi Guys,

This post is inspired by the fact that I went and chopped quite a bit of my hair off yesterday! I may like doing other people's hair, but when it comes to my own Im just terrible! I find it so difficult to do so I mainly stick to the same products, I thought I'd share my favourites!

I really like quick, easy and effective products and also from the looks of things, products that smell lovely and yummy! I find that no matter your hair length, these four products are great for everyone. I also meant to include a purple shampoo in the form of Lush's Daddy O, which is fantastic for blondes, but I've unfortunately ran out at the moment!

This was the length of my hair just before it got cut, honestly cutting it all off has been fantastic. I feel lighter haha, just having that much hair was too difficult to manage, although I'll miss my ombre. I found washing it a real chore, but a product that really helped speed up the process was the Lush Shampoo Bar in Jason and the Argon Oil. Ive had this is in favourites before, as it smells like Rose Jam, which I'm addicted too. The scent also really lasts in your hair, as well as being really quick to lather up and you really don't need a lot. I find that one bar with that length of hair would last me nearly three months. Plus its the best shampoo to travel with, no spillages!

To go with it I really like the Body Shop Banana Conditioner, Ill admit right now I was awful at remembering to condition my hair. Just when your in a rush in the morning, I don't have time to slather it all on. Whenever I did though it was so worth it, again the scent lasts really well in the hair and smells so scrummy! Bananas are great for the hair as they really moisturise, so if you have dry or heat damaged hair this would be great, as it really helps to strengthen the hair. It also helps to detangle the hair, because having that much, I may as well of given up on hair brushes ever attempting it!

I have become so obsessed with the COLAB Extreme Dry Shampoo range recently, but not to use it as a Dry Shampoo. For that I do love the usual COLAB range though. But with the Extreme range, I've been loving it to add volume to the roots of my hair and just to add a bit more texture to the body of my hair. Its not sticky at all and very lightweight but really adds that little extra to the hair with the littlest amount of effort. I cant wait to use this on my hair now its shorter and will hold some waves, I think this will be the perfect product to add some texture to the waves.

Hairspray wise I love the Fudge Urban Iced Raspberry and Vanilla Hairspray, basically who can argue with a hairspray that smells that good and actually does what it says on the bottle too. Its a strong hold spray, so I find it best to use it sparingly as I have had an incident where my hair got stuck together in a patch as I used way too much. Although it was just a big patch, it wasn't crispy, which is always a good sign! I also find with a lot of hairsprays you can smooth down flyways and then thats them popped up again practically straight away, with this once they're down, they stay down!

I actually got my haircut by Andrew from Beauty & The Boy, definitely check out his blog as he is hundred times better at describing any hair products compared to me and does a great haircut too! 

Eloise x

My Illamasqua Top 15: Part Two

Hi Guys,

I thought I'd keep my Top 15 posts quite close together, so here is Part Two of my Illamasqua Top 15! If you haven't seen my Part One post, which is all about Face and Body bits and pieces from Illamasqua you can find it HERE! But I have to admit this second part is probably my favourite out of the two, these are the products that really just make Illamasqua so creative!

This second half is all about the Eyes, Lips and just more colourful side to Illamasqua, with these products you can just experiment and have fun! This is what I love about Illamasqua and as they said it themselves "Express your Alter Ego". So many of these products have so many ways to use them, I cant see myself ever getting bored!

I admit Im a MAC Lipstick addict, however I find myself using the Illamasqua Lipsticks just as much. You practically need to surgically remove me from Rosepout these days! Ive technically cheated a little bit with this as I couldn't pick between their two formulations. I love both the Glamore Range; Long Lasting, Moisturising and Pigmented. But at the same time I love their original Lipstick Range available in a rainbow of colours! They're also highly pigmented and favour a matte finish. I especially love Box, a red made by Alex Box for herself!

Now sadly due to the high pigmentation levels in the original lipsticks, they can become just a teeny bit drying after a while. That's where my other lip favourites the Intense Lipgloss' come in! If I layer these over a lipstick, they feel so moisturising, long lasting! My lips have seriously not budged even eating throughout the day before! The great thing with them too is because they're intense, again they have a lot of pigment, so really you don't need a lipstick under any of them. Did I mention they smell like sweeties too...

A holy grail product for me has to be the Gel Liner, I cant do liquid or pencil liner. The easiest way I can personally do it is with a gel. The Illamasqua one is so easy to work with and is actually the Blackest Gel Liner on the market. Its so pigmented you hardly need any, which can be a little worrying as its a huge pot and gel liners are famous for drying out! Ive had mine for ages and its no where near to giving up the ghost! Its really easy to work with too, so you can buff it into the eye as a smoke eye base, but really once this stuff sets, it sets!

Illamasqua used to do a range of pencils called Medium Pencils. It is safe to say I was distraught when I found out they were being discontinued. So I made myself join onto the Colouring Pencil bandwagon, their new replacements. I should never of been so distraught. These pencils again are so highly pigmented, soft and creamy, so there is no drag! Plus they are so versatile, I love Vow the nude shade, use it inside the eye to brighten, map out eye shapes, or body art designs and my all time favourite way to use it is to map out the brows and highlight them. It just cleans up the area so well!

The Illamasqua Powder Shadow's are really the only shadows I tend to use on my eyes anymore, especially if I want colour! They have such a wide range of shades, which I never ever thought I'd see myself wear, but Illamasqua has taught me to use and love colour and I wouldn't have it any other way. The shadows themselves are very pigmented and huge, so they last you a good while. As well as the brighter shades they do the most beautiful neutrals. Another thing I love about them is that they are almost all matte, there are a few beautiful shimmer shades too, but I just prefer to work with matte colours. A few of my favourites have to be Vapour; a burnt orange, Feint; reddish brown and Can Can; bright pastel lilac. 

My trusty Brow Cake in Thunder, would you believe me If I said that brow cake has lasted me for almost daily use for two years! There still must be 3/4th's of it left! That is just how pigmented this stuff is, you need the teeniest bit and then you can have amazing brows in just a few minutes along with Vow Pencil! Its a waxy powder, so even though its filling in the gaps in the brow hairs by placing it on the skin, its also catching onto the brow hairs and adding colour. Thunder is such a universal shade too and perfect for a makeup artist kit!

I have a glitter addiction... I would probably put it down to these Pure Pigment's. These are finely milled sparkling pots of goodness that I just want to cover my entire face in... I love these because you can make them quite subtile or really pack them on and have a ball! Furore a very pretty nude shade, is not only beautiful on the eyes for an everyday look, but used as a highlighter it gives an amazing glow. Or even mix it in with Skin Base and it just adds such a radiance, my personal favourite though has to be Static; aka the most amazing white with a purple shimmer running through it! 

Lastly probably one of Illamasqua's most famous products are the Cream Pigment Range. I love these for their versatility, use the green and peach shades as correctors. Hollow, the famous grey tinged brown, perfect for contouring, especially if you're paler like me! But they also all make fantastic eye bases, I love Dab; Lilac, on the eyes. Or even use some shades as cream blushers and even lipsticks too. The opportunities are really endless...

Again there are so many products that just almost made it to my Top 15 and it was extremely difficult to miss them out! Can I just have a Top 20 so the Vintage Metalix, Sealing Gel and Brushes can join in too!

Eloise x

Illamasqua To Be Alive

Hi Guys,

The new Illamasqua To Be Alive Summer 2015 collection launched on friday, So of course I naturally popped over to my local counter to have a peek! It's quite a small collection consisting of mainly four products, a palette, lip gloss, lipstick and nail polish.

It is also mainly all blue! Which I admit looks quite scary and I was a little bit like how on earth do you wear this! Especially as I have blue eyes and the last time I had blue shadow on it was from Claires Accessories and glittery. But its a lot more wearable than you expect it to be. 

Spirit Palette - £34 HERE

This for me is the scariest part of the collection, you're probably thinking really?! If you've seen the lipstick! But for me having blue on blue eyes, Its never really worked. The lovely girls at the counter  also said they were wondering what to do with it on blue eyes. But in fact because of the shades being either really light or very dark, its really quite the wearable palette for anyone.

Its made up of three powder shadows and one cream. The cream being a very sheer baby blue otherwise known as Awaken, it would be beautiful as a base for the shadows. The three powder shadows include; Cascade, which looks white until you blend it out and it has a beautiful blue sheen to it, it would make a great subtle highlight. Then there's Inspire, the bright cobalt blue and the one Im quite unsure about, however Ive seen it used to blend out the navy and it works as a transition colour really well. Finally my favourite of the four, Refine, a dark navy, fantastic as a liner!

Nail Polish in Prismatic - £14.50 HERE
Prismatic is the new sister to the Melange polish launched in the Once collection. Its a duo chrome shade, which depending on what light you see it in, it either looks like a baby blue or has a pink shimmer streak! It reminds me of Unicorns and its been straight on my nails ever since I got it, the Illamasqua polishes are always fantastic when it comes to wear time, no chips in sight! Plus you only really need two light coats of the shade until its opaque!

Glamore Lipstick in Vendetta - £18.50 HERE

This surprisingly may be my favourite piece in the entire collection, for everyday me I look at it and think what on earth do I do with this. Makeup Artist me on the other had see's a whole world of options, which I think I'll do a post on!

The lipstick its self is part of the Glamore range, which is Illamasqua's very moisturising, yet still very pigmented range. The shade its self is a cobalt blue, which goes on a little lighter than it looks in the bullet. But if you were to line and colour your whole lip in with their  Debonair pencil before hand, it deepens the shade. 

Shine Lipgloss in Iridesce - £16.50 HERE

Finally the last new product in the collection is an entire new formulation of lipgloss! The shine formulation is a bit lighter in feel compared to previous sheer and intense glosses. It still carries that fantastic sweetie scent though! Iridesce is a clear gloss, with little flecks of blue running through it, which means as well as giving a beautiful shine, it also makes your teeth look whiter! 

(Swatches - Left to Right: Vendetta, Iridesce over Vendetta, Iridesce, Refine, Awaken, Inspire and Cascade)

The collection is also built up of a few permanent products too including the Masquara and Skin Base. If you dont feel confident enough to rock a bright blue lip there is also the peachy nude lipstick in Sonnet, which also pairs up nicely with a blue eye!

Eloise x

April Favourites

Hi Guys,

Firstly I feel on one hand March has flown in and on the other its been ages since my March Favourites! Im not sure how but I think its down to the past few weeks coming in so quickly! So it also means its April Favourites time too! 

 I really enjoyed mixing up my favourites a little last month, so Ive added a bit of clothing this month instead of it just being predominately beauty. Although I loved a lot of beauty bits in April... 

After loving Benefit's Roller Lash in March, I'd also been using Essence Get Big Lashes Mascara on and off too. Though in April this was the only mascara I used, It curls my lashes really well and adds a little volume but not much. Im using it for the curling aspect anyway so that doesn't really bother me. It may not hold the curl as well as Roller Lash, but with the price difference this doesn't do a bad job at all! 

The foundation Ive reached the most for has to be the Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation and Concealer. I did a full review of it HERE, but Ive just really been loving the coverage it gives, while still sitting lovely and naturally on the skin. Even if the shade range is a little dodgy! 

The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blusher in Diffused Heat, isn't really something I reach for regularly as Im usually having to be surgically removed from my Illamasqua ones. Though this month this is really the only blusher I wore. Its very pricey but the way it sits on the skin and leaves you with a radiant healthy looking glow, it cant be beaten! Im eyeing up more shades as we speak!

It wouldn't be a favourites post for me without Illamasqua! I have been especially loving their Powder Shadow in Creep, a lavender blue shade. Not one I ever thought I could pull off but its beautiful in the inner corner with purple all over the eye. 

Over the Easter Break I took part in doing the Makeup for Sister Act, although I love my MAC Brush Cleaner, it can be a bit difficult to travel with as its quite a big bottle! So I ran into Superdrug and picked up the B. Beauty Brush Cleanser that was recently launched. In all honesty I didn't have high hopes compared to my MAC one. But wow was I wrong, this stuff is fantastic, a couple of quick sprays and wipe your brush a few times on a towel and its clean! Its so quick and easy to use, fantastic to spot clean with!

My last beauty favourite is the Lush Solid Serum in Full Of Grace, I featured this in my Nightly Skincare Routine, to replace a Night Cream. I was going to buy a Night Cream but I love this stuff that much I just want to constantly apply it. Ive noticed a huge difference in how hydrated my skin looks and feels, it sinks into the skin so quickly and I cant believe how little you actually need!

My Fashion favourite this month has to be my Topshop Duster Coat, I got this recently in a Haul and it was very pricey. So I wanted to make sure I would wear it as I was originally a little unsure. However I feel like I'll also need to be surgically removed from this too as Ive pretty much lived in it, bar the day it decided to snow! (In April!! Thank you Scotland!) Its really light weight but still keeps you nice and warm, so its been great for this time of year. 

Hopefully I'll have some favourites for you for May, because I've been loving these products so much I really cant see me giving them up any time soon!

Eloise x