Get The Look: Perrie Edwards.

Let's be honest, since Zayn Malik became Public Enemy No.1 for ending their engagement via text message back in July Perrie Edwards appears to be on everybody's radar. Girls are rallying behind her after Zayn's dick-ish ways and boys are breathing a sigh of relief now the Black Magic beauty is back on the market - I, however, have been noticing just how much her hair, makeup and style have improved since winning The X Factor along with her Little Mix bandmates in 2011.

Gone are the days of her bleached white locks, over-the-top raccoon eyes and babydoll pink lips - now, it's all about subtle balayage, matte browns and that 90's nude lip. Safe to say, Perrie's makeup has been right up my street. 

I found this look on her instagram page - glowy skin, a copper eye and brown-pink lip. I decided to give it a go for this month's Get The Look.

I started off by prepping my skin with Soap & Glory's One Heck of a Blot Primer (£10.00) to reduce the size of pores and create a smooth canvas before topping it off with a little of H&M's Mattifying Face Primer (£7.99) just to mattify my complexion a little. Perrie's skin looks lovely and dewy in the picture so I mixed Sleek's Barekissed Illuminator in Monaco (£8.99) with Boots' No.7 Beautifully Matte Foundation (£13.50) to give my skin a glowy but not greasy appearance. I've been loving combining the Barekissed Illuminator with a mattifying foundation recently, it works great for both Summer and Winter. 

I also used Avon's Magix Multi-Benefit Illuminator (£8.50) to add a little extra highlight to my under eye area, down my nose, my chin and my forehead. 

Moving onto those bushy Perrie brows I, of course, used my trusty Makeup Revolution Ultra Brow Palette (£7.99) to create and hone some major brow-age. I freakin' love this palette, I use it every day to fill in my brows.

For the actual complexion, Perrie's not wearing much of anything on her cheeks. It's more like a hint of each rather than full-on colour. I used the Makeup Revolution Ultra Contour Palette (£8.00) to give slight definition to the face and using the bronze-toned highlight, added a little shimmer to the tops of my cheekbones and down my nose. For blush, I kept it subtle like Perrie with Revlon's Cream Blush in Charmed Enchantment (£7.99) to add just a delicate flush to my cheeks. This blush is my perfect Winter shade, I love cream blushes in the colder months. I set all of that in place with H&M's Perfectionist Finishing Powder in Olive (£7.99). 

 I'm really annoyed that no matter what light/angle I took the picture in, you can't really tell the colour of the eyeshadow like you can in Perrie's. I always seem to struggle with that bloody issue.

Anyway, for that copper toned eyeshadow I first primed my lips with Makeup Revolution's Focus & Fix Eye Primer in Brighten (£2.50) just to help intensify that shimmer abit. I then went in with Divine from the Makeup Revolution Naked Chocolate Palette (£7.99). This was the first product I ever bought from Makeup Rev and made me fall head over heels for the brand, there isn't one shade of this palette that I haven't managed to use and Divine worked so well for this look. 

I blended that colour all over the lid, outer V and underneath the lower lashline, also taking it slightly higher than my crease so you can see the shade when my eyes are open. I have hooded eyes so sometimes shadow can be lost in the crease. Just to deepen it a little I added a little bit of Mocha Lover into the crease and the outer half of my lower lashline. For my brow and inner corner highlight, I used Way from the same palette. 

Perrie has much better natural lashes than mine and I couldn't be bothered gluing on individuals at 9am on a Sunday morning so I just coated my own in layers upon layers of Maybelline's Lash Sensational Mascara (£7.99). I keep meaning to pick up the waterproof version of this. 

For lips I kept it nude and matte like Perrie. After using H&M's Lip Definer in Choc Therapy (£3.99) to lightly outline my pout, I went in with Essence's Longlasting Nude Lipstick in Cool Nude (£2.30) and patted that in before topping it all off with Collection's Cream Puff Lip Cream in Angel Delight (£2.99) to mattify and create that nude-pink finish.

I then donned a grey turtle-neck jumper, swept my hair back and attempted to pose like Miss Edwards - she's definitely better at it.

Lauren

xo

August Favourites.

Seriously?! Where has the last few months gone?!

I feel like I've missed at least two.

Anyway, today is a Monthly Favourites - a little later than usual I know but I'd just lost complete track of the time (I felt like we only came into August yesterday). 

First up for my favourites this month is the Bondi Sands Everyday Gradual Tanning Milk (£11.99). Since we're coming into Autumn I don't like fake tanning as often, and this is great for just building a subtle colour rather than giving me that full-on instant bronze like the Foam does. It also moisturises really well so it's a winner both ways.

Secondly, a new find for me - Avon's Makeup Setting Spray (£6.00). Setting Spray is usually something I forget when putting on my makeup and I've never really liked any that weren't Urban Decay's De-slick. This one's been great for prolonging my makeup and adding a lovely sheen to my complexion - something that I tend to look for in Winter because my skin gets alot drier. It's also half price at the moment so get your hands on it. 

Maybelline's Master Sculpt (£6.99) is abit of a Marmite product from what I've read on other blogs - you really do either love it or hate it. 

I love it.

I have the shade Light/Medium and this works as a great contour shade and a lovely highlight on both my pale and tanned skin. It's non-muddy contour shade gives me great cheekbones and requires minimal blending - great for the lazy gal I am - and the highlight is subtle but gives a lit-from-within effect. I haven't used anything else since buying it.

Last up has been my favourite Blush shade to date and that's Makeup Revolution's The Matte Blush in Nude (£3.00). For the extremely low price tag you get a hella lot of product (8.9g in fact) and they're all insanely pigmented (I own three shades). The consistency is beautiful and the blushes themselves are surprisingly long lasting, even when they fade they still give a slight flush to the cheeks. If you're looking into buying one, Nude would be my ultimate recommendation - it goes with every skin colour.

My fingers are crossed that September doesn't fly by too quickly, I'll be shopping for Christmas presents before I know it.

Lauren

xo

What's in my August Makeup Bag?

Another month, another 'What's in my Makeup Bag?' here at The Beauty Ideal.

I'll start off by saying I don't really feel like I've changed up my makeup all that much this month, I've been in one of those 'this works for me, I'll keep at it' moods, resulting in not many makeup-related purchases either. 

Great for my pocket, not so great for the blog. 

To be fair though, it's about time I cooled it with the constant spending. I have more makeup than I need and I should probably start dwindling that before adding more to it from here-on-out.

Here's to trying eh...

First off I've been combining my trusty Benefit Porefessional (£24.50 for full size) and Maybelline's Babyskin Instant Fatigue Blur (£7.99) to diminish pores and perk up my complexion a little bit. I've been struggling to sleep recently and my skin's showing it. The blend of these two help me look semi-human again.

For foundation, I've been enjoying Maybelline's Fit Me (£7.99). I'm still waiting for the Matte + Poreless version to be released in the UK as I'm dying to try it out but for now, this one works well enough for coverage and longevity. SEVENTEEN's Phwoarr Paint (£5.49) has been my go-to under-eye concealer and I find that it also works well on blemishes because it doesn't cake on my skin. I love it. 

To set all that good stuff in place it's been an old favourite - Soap & Glory's One Heck of a Blot powder (£12.00). I actually forgot I owned this (it'd been left in an overnight bag) and I'm glad I now have it back in my life.

For contour & highlight, you know I've been obsessed with Maybelline's Master Sculpt (£6.99). It works for both my pale and tanned complexions and I love both of the shades. It's a great budget contour kit. To add a little rosiness to my cheeks it's been nothing but Makeup Revolution's Matte Blush in Nude (£3.00). A nude blush with a hint of pink to compliment any complexion.

Brows only consist of Makeup Revolution's Ultra Brow Kit (£7.99). I've used this pretty much every day since I bought it back in May. It's excellent at creating brows when you've not got much to begin with or just filling in sparse areas. I love the enhancing cream to give a really sharp look to my brows - it makes me feel all Daenerys Targaryen. 

For eye makeup, I've been trying to get back into using liquid eyeliner and my favourite for easing me back into the process is Rimmel's Scandaleyes Precision Micro Eyeliner (£5.49). Liquid eyeliner in pen form is always much easier to get the hang of so I'd recommend this one if you're still trying to perfect that cat flick. The nib on this one is small and thin so it's easy to build on if you need to.

Since buying them off Ebay, I've been obsessed with my Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers (£4.59). A complete bargain from the seller I bought them from and absolutely amazing when it comes to adding some oomph to your lashes. They're honestly the best curlers I've ever used. For mascara, I've been trying to like Benefit's They're Real Mascara (£19.50). I'm still on the fence about it, the formula's just so wet. I might like it a little better when it's dried out abit.

Last up is Rimmel's Lasting Finish Lipstick In Asia (£4.99). Still under that mauvey-pink nude umbrella, only on the darker side. I've been trying to get use out of the 25 other lipsticks I own that aren't Essence's Cool Nude.

I have to say I'm fully looking forward to the fast approaching Autumn/Winter. I can go back to donning my jumpers and coats and no one will bat an eyelid. 

Lauren

xo

My Current Beauty Essentials.

As much as I love the aspects of beauty, every aspect to be fair, I've recently come to notice that at certain times (like after a shower) or just doing my everyday makeup, I grab for the same few things each and every day.

First up, The Body Shop's Virgin Mojito Body Sorbet (£8.00) has been my go-to body moisturiser for the past month or so. I like to slather this stuff on after every bath or shower to add moisture back into my skin. The sorbets' aren't your typical body moisturiser - they're not thick and creamy in consistency, but quite light and frosty. The scent of the Virgin Mojito range is delicious, very carribean-esque and leaves you smelling like mint and lime.

Another from The Body Shop is their Vitamin E Lip Care (£5.00). The best lip balm I've come across on the high street, I use this every night before bed and it leaves my lips feeling baby soft and flake free. Pricey for a lip balm, but worth it if you suffer from dry lips.

As I stated in my previous post here, Essie's Angora Cardi (£7.99) hasn't left my talons for the past week. A lovely, dusty-rose shade that's perfect for the fast approaching autumn and a good nude for everyday wear.

You should know by now that this girl can't live without her contour/highlight and my new favourite comes in the form of Maybelline's Master Sculpt (£6.99). The contour shade works wonderfully for my complexion and the highlight gives a subtle glow to the face. A truly amazing find for drugstore.

Last up is my favourite drugstore lipstick and one that I literally grab for everyday - Essence's Cool Nude (£2.30). A Kylie Jenner mauvey-pink that looks great on all complexions and skintones. The price is more than reasonable and it lasts for ages. I love it.

Lauren

xo

It's in the name - Master Sculpt.

I know what you're thinking, another contour product?

Well, I had the same thoughts about this when I got wind of it's release but I also thought what the hell? and picked it up anyway.

Honestly, I'm really glad I did. 

Maybelline's Master Sculpt (£6.99) has become a new favourite in my contour/highlight collection - I'm still surprised that a drugstore brand has managed to get it so right.

I got it in the shade 01 Light/Medium, and the contour shade is very similar to NYX's Taupe - the perfect contour colour for pale skin. The product itself isn't extremely pigmented, but I've actually found that to be an advantage as it's easy to build but hard to put on too much. I've been loving it these past few days and it's become my new fave from the drugstore.

The highlight shade gives a subtle lit-from-within glow that looks lovely swept across the cheekbones.

Congrats Maybelline, you've managed where most other drugstore brands couldn't. I'm impressed.

Lauren

xo

July Favourites.

Sorry this post is late! I've been so off my blogging game recently - ugh!

I just feel I've been so busy doing everything else in life that I've kind of neglected my blog, partly because I've had no time and partly because I've just been so unsatisfied with it. I'm now on a work vacay so I'm hoping to get it back up to scratch.

Ok, on to the favourites.

My first favourite of July comes in the form of Maybelline's Classic Volume Express Waterproof Mascara (£4.99). I've been using this stuff non-stop this month as it gives me long, full looking lashes with zero clumpiness. And it's cheaper than your average drugstore mascara - winner.

Second up has, of course, been my Fullips (£6.99). I've been obsessed with this thing since I got it and it really does offer an impressive temporary fix to smaller lips. I got the medium size and it works perfectly - see this post here for more details and results.

So I went into LUSH not long ago to pick up a birthday present and came out £30 poorer on items that I'd bought for myself - I did get the birthday present though so I gave myself a pat on the back. I picked up this, the Tea Tree Water (£4.25 for 100g). I've incorporated this into my skincare routine and my skin's been loving it. It reduces the size of blemishes overnight and keeps them at bay too. I plan to pick up the bigger bottle next time I'm in-store.

Lastly is the Real Techniques Bold Metals Flat Contour Brush (£22.00). I've been meaning to pick this bad boy up ever since the line was released but alas, bills got in the way. I finally managed to get my hands on it and it's now the only brush I use for contour. It really gives a clean, angled look to the cheekbones without making it look muddy or dirty. I love it, it's well worth the steep(er) price tag.

I promise, promise, to attempt to get back to doing regular posts in the next few weeks. Sorry again for being crappy.

Lauren

xo

What's in my June Makeup Bag?

I actually forgot that I do these monthly makeup bag posts this month otherwise I would've posted it sooner. 

I'll start off with my primer of choice this month and that's been Revlon's PhotoReady Perfecting Primer (£11.99) - this makes my skin feel soft and prepped for foundation and it helps prolong my makeup. It's one of my favourites from the drugstore.

Following on with a new foundation love of mine and that's Makeup Revolution's The One Foundation (£4.00). It's a tad pale for me at the moment because I've been self-tanning but it's so cheap it's just a matter of remembering to pick one up. It blends beautifully and dries to a matte finish - perfect for oily skin in warmer weather. 

Makeup Revolution's Ultra Cover and Conceal Palette (£6.00) has also been living in my makeup bag this month. This palette is amazing for highlighting and because I don't self-tan too dark I can even get mileage out of it when I'm not my usual transparent self. I've been loving it for covering dark circles and general highlighting.

For powder, it's been my go-to holy grail - Bourjois' Healthy Balance Powder (£8.99). I own this in several shades for my different stages of self-tan and I just love it. It doesn't cake no matter how much you apply and I'll never get used to the delicious smell of it.

For brows, I've gone back to an old favourite in the form of Sleek's Eyebrow Stylist (£5.99). I was obsessed with this last year because it made doing my brows so quick, but then I started preferring the powder look. I've gone back to this recently and I'd forgotten how much I loved it - I also love that it has a spoolie on the other end. 

For contour and highlight, I've been obsessed with Makeup Revolution's Ultra Sculpt & Contour Kit (£3.50). It includes a contour shade, a highlight shade and a shimmery bronzer and I love all of them. All the shades can work for any skintone and can be built up and blended out. A must for any makeup collection.

For blush, Makeup Revolution's Single Blush in Sugar (£1.00)has been my all time fave. I rarely use anything else nowadays. A highly pigmented rosy shade that brings a lovely flush to any face. 

My eyes have been a simple affair of late - I've just been blending Naked 2 from my Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette (£23.00) into the crease and under the lower lashline before adding a fair few coats of Maybelline's Classic Volume Express Waterproof Mascara (£4.99). I've been leaving out the faff alot recently because as much as I love full eyeshadow looks, I've been finishing work pretty late recently and I'm too tired to be scrubbing it all off for ages. 

To finish, I've been literally obsessed with Collection's Cream Puff Lip Cream in Angel Delight (£2.99). A moisturising lip cream that dries matte, lasts for ages and smells like marshmallows. Angel Delight is a dark nude shade which would suit any skintone and any makeup look. I think I need to pick up a new one I've been using it that excessively.

I've been wearing much simpler makeup through the course of June, I've been so busy with work and stuff that I've not had much time to do full on shadow looks or perfect my winged eyeliner. Hopefully, I feel a little calmer through July and I can get into it again.

Lauren

xo

A mini Drugstore Haul...

Naturally, I found myself wandering into Boots the other day and decided to pick up a few new things. I only originally went in for the Nailene Petite Square Falsies (£8.49) and ended up coming out with a few more bits.

I love the Nailene nails, they're my favourite whenever I want to wear false ones. They're completely plain so you can paint them whichever colour you wish and they're actually small enough to fit my nails. I mainly wear false nails because my natural nails are atrocious (working in retail for the past 5 years has completely ruined them) and these just make them look neater. Not to mention, my nail polish doesn't chip. They're small enough that when applied correctly, they can actually pass for real nails.

I also picked up the Maybelline Classic Volume Express Waterproof Mascara (£4.99). I actually picked this up because I was in need of a new mascara and this was only £4.99, it's rare to see a drugstore mascara under £8 - especially from Maybelline. So far, I'm liking it.

I also picked up the Barry M Speedy Quick Dry polish in Pit Stop (£3.99). I loved the shade when I saw it on Jasmine's Instagram so thank you Jasmine for introducing me to this one, I love it. I'd describe it as a greige (a mix between beige and grey) and a really good non-confrontational nude.

To complete my mini shop I picked up the Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Spot Wand (£3.59). A day and night treatment for zits that gives immediate action along with helping heal the blemish. I picked this up because I'd ran out of tea tree oil and I don't like not having some sort of spot treatment on hand - I feel like I'm tempting fate a bit.

I'm actually really impressed with all my purchases and I'd recommend any of them if you were ever looking to spend a few pennies.

Lauren

xo 

May Favourites.

I'll start off by apologising for not posting in a fair few days, I just feel like I'm having such a bad time with content and photography at the moment - it never seems to go right!

Anyway, I'm coming at you today with my May Favourites. It's scary to think we're nearly into the half way mark of 2015, where has the time gone?! I'll be starting uni and moving into my own place before I know it.

My first favourite of this month has been my Makeup Revolution Naked Chocolate Palette (£7.99). I've been getting some serious mileage out of this palette in recent weeks and I just love all the shades. A definite must for the neutral shadow lover. 

Secondly has been the MUA Pro-base Prime & Conceal Quad (£4.00) - I can't believe how well this works for such a cheap price tag. A dream to use if you suffer from any sort of discolouration in your complexion - I've been loving it for concealing redness and my bruise-like dark circles. 

My contour fave in May has been Illamasqua's Sculpting Powder Duo in Illuminate & Nefertiti (£26.00). The contour shade works so well on pale or tanned skin and the highlight gives a lovely sheen to anywhere you wish to put it on the face. A steep price tag but completely worth it - I'm so happy I received this as a birthday gift. 

Lastly is Maybelline's Color Drama Lip Pencil in Light It Up (£4.99), a beautiful red that'd suit any skintone. I have so many of these lip pencils I've nearly got the whole set! They have amazing pigmentation and are a joy to wear - not uncomfortable or drying in the slightest. I've recently picked up the shade Keep It Classy and I can't wait to wear it. 

I've not bought many new products in May as I'm trying my best to save for when I move out, but I'm enjoying shopping my stash and getting some proper use out of all the stuff I currently own.

Lauren

xo

Get The Look: Gigi Hadid.

As stated in my 'Favourite Met Gala 2015 looks' - see here - I love Gigi Hadid. Her beauty is on a totally different level and she just looks stunning in every makeup look and outfit she dons (have you seen her in Tay-Tay's Bad Blood music video?! *inserts a gazillion heart eyes emoji's here*).

She was one of my fave looks at the Met Gala this year and I loved the simplicity of her makeup. It suited her so well and didn't distract from her gorgeous Diane von Furstenberg gown. 

I started off by applying a thin layer of Bourjois' Happy Light Luminous Serum Primer (£10.99). Gigi's skin is always amazingly glowy so I wanted to emulate that. For foundation, I chose Bourjois' Healthy Mix (£9.99). A truly delightful foundation to use as it blends so well and doesn't stick to dry patches - plus it adds to complexion glowiness. 

I used two different concealers to create flawless skin like Gigi's - the Rimmel Match Perfection Illuminating Concealer (£5.99) went under my eyes, down my nose, on my chin and on my forehead for a subtle highlight and the Maybelline Fit Me (£5.99) when on any redness and blemishes I had. 

Moving onto those brows, I noticed Gigi and I had a pretty similar shape so I sketched them in a little more with Sleek's Eyebrow Stylist (£5.99) and then set them in place with Essence's Make Me Brow (£2.50) - I literally can't do my brows without this stuff now.

For contour, I used my new Makeup Revolution Ultra Sculpt and Contour Kit (£3.50) - I love this palette as the contour shade is great and completely non-muddy/orange. I carved out my cheekbones a little and applied it to the tops of my forehead to create a little definition. I also used the golden-y colour highlight in this palette to get a similar sheen to Gigi's. 

For blush, it was another new purchase from Makeup Revolution - their The One Fluid Blusher in Pink Dew (£1.50). Gigi didn't look like she was wearing much cheek colour so I wanted to use a barely-there blush colour too. 

I set all of my base makeup in place with my tried and trusted Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder (£8.99) - my favourite powder of all time. 

Moving on to the main focus of this look - Gigi's eyes looked beautiful with a feline flick and some fluttery lashes. I used Collection's Fast Stroke Eye Liner (£2.99) to create a winged line similar to Gigi's - I love this one because it dries completely matte and doesn't budge until you say so. Unfortunately, I didn't have any false lashes to hand so I heaped on tons and tons of Clinique's High Impact Mascara (£17.50). This one's great for separation and volume.  

For Gigi's glossy pout I used the Maybelline Colorsensational Elixir in Caramel Infused (£6.99) - a lipstick/lipgloss hybrid that has amazing lasting power. I do think the shade I used was a tad dark so maybe Petal Plush or Nude Illusion would work better for this look.

Now if only I could get my face to transform into Gigi's I'd be extremely happy...

Lauren 

xo

What's in my May Makeup Bag?

May has been a month of completely re-vamping my makeup bag. I've been saying I've been switching up my products - which I have - but I've come to realise that I've really just been switching it up between the same 3/4 products. Not good. 

So this month I've decided to get some proper use out of the Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Fatigue Blur (£7.99). I've only used this a handful of times since purchasing and I'm still on the fence about it. It does give tired skin a pick-me-up (which I've definitely been needing recently) but it's not all that great at controlling oils. MUA's Pro-Base Prime & Conceal Palette (£4.00) has been a staple in my everyday makeup routine since I bought it. This is great for counter-acting discolouration in your complexion. I've been getting serious use out of the green and yellow shades for redness and bruise-like under eye circles. I 100% recommend this. 

Base-wise, I've been obsessed with No.7's Beautifully Matte Foundation (£13.50). I love this for it's blendability and it's ability to keep me from looking overly shiny throughout the day - a must for oily skin sufferers. 

To add some extra radiance to my under-eye area I've been loving the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer (£5.49). It just brings enough brightness to that area to make me look like I've had a good eight hours sleep - brilliant. To set all that in place I've gone back to an old favourite - Rimmel's Stay Matte Powder (£3.99). A firm favourite amongst bloggers/youtubers alike and for good reason, it's cheap and works well.

Brows have been a mixture of H&M's Eyebrow Shaping Kit (£2.99) and Essence's Make Me Brow (£2.50). I love both for adding shape, colour and texture to my eyebrows. Not to mention you can't complain at the prices. 

Contour and Highlight has come in the shape of Illamasqua's Sculpting Powder Duo in Illuminate & Nefertiti (£26.00) - a beautiful twosome of a non-muddy, non-orange contour shade and a lovely champagne highlight. My blush of choice has been Makeup Revolution's Vivid Blush Lacquer in Rush (£1.00). This stuff is ridiculously long-lasting and is the perfect flush of pink for Spring/Summer. 

Also from Makeup Revolution, their Naked Chocolate Palette (£7.99) hasn't left my everyday makeup routine in recent weeks. There's just so many beautiful shade options to choose from you just can't go wrong no matter what shades you decide to pair together. For the cheap as chips price, it's a must-have. After a quick curl of my lashes, heaps and heaps of Max Factor's False Lash Effect Waterproof Mascara (£10.99) is added. A nightmare to remove but wonderfully long-lasting throughout the day.

For lips, it's been nothing but Essence's Long Lasting Nude Lipstick in 05 Cool Nude (£2.30). A Kylie Jenner mauvey-pink that compliments any skintone and makeup look. I love it. 

Lauren 

xo

My Birthday Night Out Face.

So originally this post was going to be a 'What's in my Travel Makeup Bag?' but since my birthday trip to Leeds this weekend has now been called off (I don't recommend the Britannia Hotel in Leeds - they double-book rooms and then don't think to let you know until 2 days before you're meant to check in - despite booking over 3 weeks ago) a night out in Manchester will take place instead. 

Putting my anger aside about the hotel situation I thought I'd do a post about what I plan to wear on my birthday night out instead.

Starting off with primer (obvsy's) I've found a new favourite in the Revlon Photoready Perfecting Primer (£11.99). It makes my skin feel so smooth and flawless and foundation blends faultlessly on top of it. Speaking of which, I plan to use Loreal's Infallible 24hr-Matte Foundation (£6.99) as my base of choice - a foundation I love so much I now own it in 3 shades. It keeps my face matte and has a lovely finish. However, I've recently purchased the No.7 Beautifully Matte foundation so it's possible I may switch it up for that.

For concealer, Maybelline's Fit Me Concealer (£5.99) will be perf. It covers under-eye circles well, doesn't cake and works well enough for small blemishes and imperfections. 

For contour and highlight, a birthday gift from Kate (THANK YOU!) shall be having an outing. The Illamasqua Sculpting Powder Duo in Illuminate & Nefertiti (£26.00) is stunning - like stunning in a way that I can't stop staring at it when it's open. The contour shade works wonderfully on pale and tanned skintones and the highlighter is just...beautiful. Keep your eyes peeled for a review coming soon. 

Blush has to be Makeup Revolution's Vivid Blush Lacquer in Rush (£1.99)- I'm still yet to find a blush that lasts longer, and nothing works better on a night out. I love the bright pink colour, it adds a healthy glow to my complexion without being too in-your-face.

I've been loving the look of a bolder brow recently, so I've been making them a tad bigger than what they are naturally. Maybelline's Colour Tattoo in Permanent Taupe (£4.99) will be handy in defining their shape and filling them in.

To set all of my base makeup in place and mattify my face further, Bourjois' Silk Edition Powder (£9.99) is my go-to. A silky powder that doesn't appear cakey on the skin and prevents me from looking overly shiny. 

Because I'll be going for a bold lip, I want to keep the eyes classic and simple - with a feline flick. Collection's Fast Stroke Eyeliner (£2.99) is the best at the drugstore. It lasts for ages, doesn't flake off and makes getting that cat eye a complete doddle.

To finish off the eyes I'll be lining my waterline with Rimmel's Scandaleyes Kohl Kajal Pencil in Taupe (£3.99) and adding lashings and lashings of Makeup Revolution's Viper Mascara (£3.00) to my top and bottom lashes after a quick curl.

To finish off my birthday face, I'll be using Rimmel's 1000 Kisses Lipliner (£2.99) to slightly outline my lips to stop my lipstick from bleeding and looking messy, and for that lipstick I'll be using Sleek's True Colour Lipstick in Dare (£4.99) - a shade that I have quite literally fallen in love with recently. It's still a red, but it's a sort of browny-red and just looks gorgeous on all skintones. Everyone must have this in their collections. 

Hopefully my anger will have subsided a little for me to be able to fully enjoy my birthday night out... 

Lauren

xo

My Go-To Spring/Summer Bases.

Warmer days seem to be remaining pretty consistent in Manchester recently (well, if we're not including next week when it's meant to be chucking it down) and during these hotter occasions, I have to switch up my foundation.

To my fellow oily skin sufferers, you'll understand my pain when I say Spring/Summer can be a total 'mare. Primers become a must and it's next to impossible to remain completely matte throughout the day.

Loreal's Infallible 24h-Matte foundation (£6.99) is a strong favourite of mine. It's been my go-to for the past couple of weeks and I love it so much I now own it in my self-tan shade too. It keeps me matte for an incredible amount of time with the assistance of a primer, blends well and doesn't stick to dry patches (pleasantly surprising for a matte foundation). I 100% recommend.

My second favourite for warmer days is Maybelline's Fit Me foundation (£7.99). I've heard from different people that they find this quite dewy - I find it the complete opposite. I was shocked when I noticed how matte my face still looked when I got home from work on it's test run. I've truly grown to love this drugstore base - and I love the sophisticated simplicity of the bottle. 

Another favourite comes in the form of Bourjois' Happy Light foundation (£11.99). It doesn't keep my face completely matte but powder solves that problem. I love Bourjois bases because they blend so well and never stick to dry patches. Their shade range isn't spectacular but I only have this in my self-tan shade anyway. 

Lastly is an option which is a bit left field and that's NARS' Sheer Glow foundation (£31.00). Even though my skin type is predominantly oily, I do have dry spells with it and Sheer Glow is my go-to for such days. Even when my skin isn't so dry and I want to wear it I just use a mattifying primer - it works both ways. Sheer Glow is no one trick pony - and it shouldn't be for £31.00! 

In all honesty, I do try to avoid foundation during Summer because A, it's not worth the hassle and B, it ends up slipping off anyway. I like to stick to BB Creams or just powder if my skin's having a good day.

Lauren 

xo

What's in my April Makeup Bag?

We're well into another month now so it's time to switch up my makeup and get some use out of my collection. 

Primer-wise, I've been really getting into Benefit's The Porefessional (£24.50 for full size). I tend to have a love/hate relationship with this product - I'll have weeks where I use it constantly and then think to myself 'this is awful, why am I using this?'. I think it works better on skin types that are more normal/dry, if my skin's having a dry spell then this is my go-to. 

As you can tell from this post here I've been getting my fake tan on in recent days, so I've been able to get some use out of foundations and concealers in darker shades that have been tucked away during Winter. Hello again Bourjois' Happy Light! (£11.99) Now, I'm still not sure why I never picked this foundation up in my usual shade because I actually really do like it. It provides good coverage, lasts well and doesn't stick or cake to dry patches. Pricey for a drugstore foundation but I reckon anyone can get along well with it. 

I've also been using Maybelline's Fit Me Concealer (£6.99) to cover any dark circles and blemishes, but neither have been too prominent recently *touches wood*. I like this one because it works well on both and I'm not having to use three different concealers each day.

I've been setting my under eye concealer with the highlight powder in SEVENTEEN's Define & Conquer Contour Kit (£5.99) recently and I'm glad to finally have a use for it, so much so that I've hit pan majorly on that side. Since I've been tanning, I've been able to get away with using the contour side of this with a heavier hand and I've been loving the sculptured cheekbones I've been getting from it. This palette gets a huge thumbs up from me.

I always seem to come back to cream blush in the Summer, I just love the way it looks in sunlight. Rimmel's Stay Blushed! Liquid Cheek Tint in Sunkissed Cherry (£4.49) has been my go-to lately. It lasts ages and you only need the slightest amount to cover both cheeks.

For highlight, I've gone back to an old favourite - Makeup Revolution's Radiant Light In Exhale (£5.00). I switch between this and the S&G one all the time and I always think one is better than the other. I just can't tell anymore, they're both stunning.

To set all of that in place my Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot powder (£12.00) has been fab. Again, another product I always forget how much I love before I start re-using it. 

For brows, my love this month has come in the form of Essence's Make Me Brow (£2.50). An amazing dupe for the Benefit version and cheap as chips too. It's great for setting brows in place, or if I'm running late just a quick brush through to give a little colour and definition. 

For eyes, Makeup Revolution's Naked Chocolate Palette (£7.99) has been my love. I can create so many different shadow looks with just this one palette it's hard to justify ever buying more. My favourite shades this month have been Tob-le-rone, Frosted Choc and Sweet Shop. 

A new thing I've been liking the look of is eyeliner in my waterline. During my college (obsessed with black eyeshadow and pale foundation) days, I wouldn't dream of leaving the house without lining my waterline with black. As I've gotten older - and more bothered about it congealing in my tear ducts - I've abandoned eyeliner in the waterline altogether. Recently, I've been using the Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Liner in Taupe (£3.99) to line my waterline. It's not as harsh as black but still gives that finished feel to an eye look, not to mention it's waterproof so that 'gathering in the inner corners' thing is completely avoidable.

If I had to recommend a high end mascara to anyone it would be Clinique's High Impact Mascara (£17.50 for full size). It separates and lengthens lashes so well and it's my mascara go-to for days when it's all I can be bothered wearing on my eyes. Note to self: pick up the waterproof version - soon. 

Lastly it's lips and I feel like Revlon's ColorBurst Matte Balm in Sultry (£7.99) hasn't left them since I bought it. I apologise for the mentioning of this but it is the perfect Kylie Jenner mauvey-pink lip. It lasts ages, smells like mint and ridiculously comfortable to wear throughout the day.I need to pick up more shades of these. 

This has probably been the longest blog post I've written in what feels like forever, sorry for my rambling.

Lauren

xo

An Unexpected Brow Fixer-Upper.

So when I first saw Charlotte from Style & Splurging say that she'd recently started using this through her brows I had to stop myself from commenting 'Girl, you be kray!'. 

However, she'd heard from another blogger that it was a dupe for the Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade so I figured I'd give it a go since I already had it in my collection.

I'll tell you one thing - Maybelline's Colour Tattoo in 'Permanent Taupe'  is a fabulous brow product for those of the lighter brow persuasion. I can't believe I never thought to use it through them earlier. It lasts all day, is easy to apply and makes my brows look neat and angular. 

I'm actually pleasantly surprised since I didn't have much use for it before, it's nice to know I can get the mileage from it in my brows rather than on my lids. 

It just goes to show that thinking outside of the box really does have it's benefits.

Lauren

xo