I thought that to mark the end of summer (although I think that England forgot it was summer quite a while ago now), I would share with you the make-up products that I have been reaching for this summer.
In my last make-up blog I told you how much I had been loving Space NK and nothing has changed. I am loving this shop and I like their rewards scheme too! You may remember from a previous blog that in the summer I completed a Fashion Make-up course at DFMA.
This was incredible and I really enjoyed myself and learnt lots of new tips and tricks- the reason that I am mentioning this again, is because the location of the course in Parsons Green was just down the road from Space NK!
This was lethal, and although the course was only a week long, I found myself in there three times showing it off to my new make-up buddies and also as the course went on I found that a girl just can't have enough make-up!
My make-up bag is now bulging at the seams- LITERALLY!
Anyway... if you don't know about Space NK's point scheme, you get a loyalty card and every time you spend £100 you get a gift of £5 to spend in there. If you aren't big on make-up, perfume or skin care then this probably won't be up your street as it's rather a lot of money to spend, but I have had a total of £20 off so far, so when you add it up it works out quite well (you know I am a sucker for a points scheme!)
QUICK TIP-
If you read my last blog you will have seen that I went rather nuts in duty-free at the airport. This is a prime time to stock up on you make-up, anything you notice that is starting to empty then refill it here!
I love Bobbi Brown and Chanel at the airport and you will often fine be there for ages browsing all the goodies they have to offer. When I stopped at the Bobbi Brown counter the lady couldn't have been more helpful - I liked her, so I was going to give her my custom! What I look for in a make-up consultant is that:
- They have good make-up skills
- They don't push me into buying something
- They make me feel like an equal, there is nothing worse than a snotty sales assistant that thinks they are too good to be serving you or too beautiful for there own good!
This one was an older lady and she got a couple of things wrong and we were having a giggle about it, she didn't take herself too seriously but she knew her stuff! I originally went in for a gel eyeliner but once I realised I liked her, I asked 'what's new, what do you recommend and what is selling right now?' Her eyes lit up as she went into make-up enthusiast mode! I ended up buying some new brushes that she was raving about:
Full Coverage Face Brush
Award Winning Ultra Precise Eyeliner Brush
I can not recommend these two brushes enough- I am obsessed and I will talk about how I use them when I talk about my products but it has transformed my make-up 'skills'.
Make-Up
Right, summer make-up, sorry I started to ramble- how very unlike me!
Nars Light Optimizing Primer with SPF 15- this product is perfect to give you that dewy summer glow underneath products or on its own. I just apply this product with my fingers, it is weightless and oil-free. £25.00
Bobbi Brown BB Cream SPF 35- I like to use a tinted moisturiser or BB cream in the summer because I feel like my skin already has a slight sun kissed glow to it and I also want it to continue to get some sunlight safely. This doesn't give you a foundation feel and is mainly used to even out skin tone, brighten the skin, cover imperfections and put moisture into the skin- it is also perfect for summer because it protects you by shielding your skin from UVA & UVB Rays with its high SPF.
This is also great for a quick and easy flawless skin. I always find myself picking this up instead of a foundation if I'm in a rush. I apply this with my Bobbi Brown full coverage face brush and it means that the tiniest amount of product goes a long way! (I use this in colour 'light') £29.50
Nars Bronzing Powder- This helps to create the ultimate healthy glow. I use this in the 'laguna' colour, which I'm told is the most popular. I pop this all over the face with a MAC powder brush (150). The colour helps to add warmth to your skin tone and works perfectly with both my BB cream and my foundation. The reason I love this product is because it is very subtle, it gives you a lovely summer glow without looking mahogany or giving you a different colour on your face to your neck. £27.50
Charlotte Tilbury Killer Filmstar Bronze & Glow- My regular readers will know that I have been wanting this product for ages and that I finally purchased it when I found out that Charlotte Tilbury was finally in Harrods (good for the points!).
I bought this product with her precision brush but you do have the cheaper option of buying it alone if you already own a similar brush! This product is great for contouring and giving you those killer cheekbones, this is a powder, so if you like a very contoured look like Kim Kardashian- then I recommend a cream contour palette. This is a lovely natural alterative that takes half the time. This product is extremely buildable, so you can have it very natural or build up if you like more definition. I love this product and although it is pricey, it is worth it and you don't seem to need much product to get effects. £82.00 with brush £49.00 on its own & £39.00 for the Powder & Sculpt brush
Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick- Probably one of my most featured make-up items, this is my favourite product! I love it so much and if you haven't read about it on my previous blogs then the reason I love it so much is because you can use it for so many different things. I use this mainly on my cheeks to give it a nice warm summer glow but I also use it on my eyes, it has five different colour in one so you can give your eyes a lovely golden smoky eye that compliments your cheeks perfectly. I use the colour 'bronze' but you can also by them in blush colours too! This product is great value for money and lasts AGES! I bought it with the mini face blender (I think you can only do that at the airport as online you can only purchase the brick) and that is what I always apply it with. £33.00 The large size brush on its own is £33.00
Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette- I have used this pretty much everyday since I bought it! It creates so many different looks and you can wear one block colour over the lid or build them up and define them. I only have the second palette, so I can't compare them for you- but I do love this on. I mainly find myself using fox all over the lid, half baked gold all over the eye and snakebite to define. £38.00
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner- This product is new in my make-up bag for summer. Only since buying this have I realised how hard I have been making that defined black line for myself! I have been lazy and used my Barry M pencil or my HD brow black with the brow gel! Not very professional of me I know, but seriously, my black lines are just so easy and neat now - this is probably helped with my new Bobbi Brown ultra precise brush. The key to neat lines is definitely about practice and a good brush. I use this product in 'black ink'. £18.50
Chanel Inimitable Mascara- My favourite mascara and something that I find myself always going back to after trying out new ones. This product works amazingly for me but I do find that mascara is a very personal choice. I am lucky enough to have long lashes and so this works for me because it helps emphasise them and the brush is really good for separating my lashes and never clumps. I use this is 'NOIR'. £25.00
Barry M Eyeliner Pencil- You're going to love me for this one! Cheap and Cheerful (and works brilliantly). I have tried many expensive eye pencil's and I can honestly say that this beauty from Barry M is my top rated! The colour comes out really black, which surprisingly is very hard to find. I find that with other products I have to apply quite a lot of pressure or go over the area numerous times, which isn't the most comfortable thing to do on the inside of your eye. This one requires barely any pressure and one line is all it takes. I use the colour 'black'. £2.99 (you're welcome)
MAC Lip Liner- I have always used MAC liners and recently I have ventured into other professional brands and I have to say that MAC is my favourite BY FAR! The colour is dense and they last ages!! Since my make-up course I have been more adventurous and I love wearing a thick black liner with a red lip, so this month my most used lip colour has not been a coral! I have been using 'Cherry' lip liner. £12.50
MAC Lipstick- continuing with my red liner theme I top this up with 'MAC red', I love this combination and as you will all know, I love MAC lipsticks! MAC & Charlotte Tilbury are my holy grails!
Everytime I wear this make-up look, people ask what colour red I wear as it is hard to find a pure red!
I will be trying the very expensive Christian Louboutin lipstick to see if that red can contend with my favourite! £15.50