Avon Ideal Flawless CC Cream

I've always been a die hard, heavy coverage foundation gal but ever since making a few skincare changes my skin has improved and I haven't felt the need to pile on the slap. Instead I've been going for something a little more lightweight, as I mentioned in my Everyday Coral Makeup post yesterday. 

The one I'm currently loving is the Avon Ideal Flawless CC Cream in Nutmeg, the colour is a tad too dark for me but as it's light coverage it's nothing a bit of blending can't fix (See it in action here). The formula is nice and lightweight and blends into the skin seamlessly, I usually just slap a bit on with my hands if I'm in a rush or if I have a bit more time I use a Real Techniques Buffing Brush to work it into the skin, that way it can be built up in any areas where I feel I need a bit more coverage. 

It claims to also have skincare benefits, which if I'm honest I'm not sure it does. I think of it purely as a makeup product. I do however love the fact that it contains SPF50 and still manages to be so lightweight and non greasy on the skin. It leaves a completely natural finish that just makes your skin look better rather than like you're wearing makeup.

It's a great product overall and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone on the hunt for a lightweight base. My only criticism would be that the shade range isn't great, there are a few light shades, a random dark one and nothing much in between. If you can find a good shade for you it's definitely worth a try! 

MAC Pro Longwear Foundation

You would be forgiven for thinking that based on the above image, this is a foundation I love. The truth is, in a desperate attempt to get this foundation to work for me I pumped a load of it into a pot and mixed it with moisturiser. Unfortunately, it still didn't work for me.

The MAC Pro Longwear SPF10 Foundation is designed to leave skin with a matte finish, something that I'm not to fond of anyway but that's not the main reason I dislike it. As much as I try and blend it in, and I've tried so many different ways, everything from fingers to numerous brushes, I can never get it to look like skin. It always leaves me with skin that looks like it has loads of foundation on it, and nobody wants that! I also find it dries and sets on the skin, a quality I would imagine is the the reason it lasts well, but to me it just felt like a mask like film. I much prefer makeup that allows my skin to 'breathe'. 

Of course everyone's skin is different and what works well for one may not work well for others so this might work really well for you! If you have any tips on making it work or how you use it I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below! 

REVIEW: The Body Shop Extra Virgin Minerals Loose Powder Foundation

Last week I reviewed the Liquid Foundation from The Body Shop's Extra Virgin Minerals range (which you can read here), unfortunately I didn't get on too well with that one but the Loose Powder Foundation from the same range is a whole other story. 

I'm not usually one for powder foundations as I generally prefer a natural / dewy finish rather than a matte one. I must admit, when I bought this I actually didn't realise it was a powder foundation! I thought it was just a loose setting powder and that's what I've been using it as. 

I really like the texture of this powder as it's quite finely milled so doesn't leave the skin with a powdery, caked on look. It manages to get rid of unwanted shine, set concealer and still look natural. It also has an added SPF25 which is an extra bonus. Definitely worth a swatch if you're on the hunt for a loose powder. 

REVIEW: The Body Shop Extra Virgin Minerals Liquid Foundation

When I think of foundations, The Body Shop are definitely not the first brand to come to mind, but a while ago, when my skin was feeling particularly sensitive I thought I'd give one a go. I went for their Extra Virgin Minerals Liquid Foundation in the hope that it would be more sensitive skin friendly as I've had a lot of luck with other products of theirs.

I found that it didn't react to my skin when almost every other foundation did, which was a massive plus point. Now that my skin is back to normal it doesn't get used very much. Even though the colour match is spot on for me I find the formula a bit difficult to work with. It's quite rich so it tends to sit on top of the skin looking very visible, I prefer formulas that sink into the skin and look as undetectable as possible. As well as that I found it very difficult to blend in, even with my trusty Real Techniques Buffing Brush. 

I usually tend to prefer more buildable foundations, and this one definitely isn't. With just one layer being so visible on the skin any more would definitely lead to the dreaded cake face! That said I will still probably try to use it up by mixing it with a lightweight moisturiser in the hope that it blends better and looks more natural!

Have you tried any foundations that you didn't like?

REVIEW: Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Makeup

When I think of Benefit, their boxed blushers and quirky packaging come to mind. I've never really paid much attention to their base products. A while ago, I spent a long time at a counter, chatting away with a lovely sales assistant and walked away with a few purchases, a couple of which are are some of my absolute favourites. Seeing as I was buying so much, she very kindly gave me a few samples of the Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Makeup to try!

I first used this in the summer when I took it away with me on holiday. I used it a couple of times but didn't really get on with it very well, I found it looked a bit too dewy on me, almost sweaty! It was then stashed away and forgotten about until recently. 

My skin is completely different in the winter so I thought I'd give it another go, and I'm so glad I did! I now find I need the extra moisture and this foundation sits really well on my skin. It has a medium build able coverage that never cakes up or looks overdone. It's the only foundation I've been using for the last couple of months and I've only got through one little 5ml sample, so it lasts ages. Once I've used up the second one I'll definitely consider buying the full size as a 'winter foundation'. It even has an SPF of 25 which is an added bonus!

Have you tried this foundation?

Jen's Sleepover Makeup

There's nothing more fun on a girly sleepover than having a nose through your friend's makeup bag and giving makeovers, apart from  eating an extensive amount of chocolate and watching terrible movies of course!

To start with I smoothed Benefit Porefessional Primer all over Jen's skin with my fingers to create an even base and make the makeup last well (even though we weren't going anywhere) I then worked in MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation in NC15 with my trusty Real Techniques Buffing Brush, which left her skin looking absolutely flawless! We skipped concealer and went straight onto the fun bits, colour!

Using a Real Techniques Contour Brush I used the contour shade from the Sleek Contour Kit in Light to lightly accentuate Jen's cheekbones. This is such a great palette, we both own and love it, amazing really as we have such different skintones! Of course I had to be much more handed with it on Jen than myself. I then used a Real Techniques Stippling Brush to apply Revlon Photoready Cream Blusher in Flushed to the apples of cheeks and Benefit Highbeam to the tops of cheekbones, down the centre of the nose and above the cupid's bow. The light pink, pearlescent tones in this highlighter complemented Jen's skin perfectly! 


The main focus of the look was the eyes, we went for a soft neutral smoky look. I started by filling in Jen's brows with the Benefit Brows a go go kit and then adding the lightest shade (top left hand corner) from the MUA Undressed Palette under the brow bones and in the inner corners of the eyes. I then added the colour next to it all over the lid and blended out the edges with a Sephora Pro Blending Brush 27, next I used the bronze shade (bottom left) and worked that into the crease using the same brush, continuing to blend to make sure there were no harsh lines. I then added a really thin line of Clinique Quickliner for eyes in Black and smudged it across the top and bottom lash line for a softer look. Lashes were then curled and a generous amount of YSL Volume Effet Faux Cils Mascara was layered on, leaving Jen's already amazingly long and curly lashes look seriously stunning. This mascara is amazing, It's now been firmly placed onto my wish list!


To finish off the look we went for Clinique Almost Lipstick in Luscious Honey, it complemented the eyes perfectly while still being really subtle. Perfect! 

Highstreet/Drugstore Beauty Wishlist

Bourjois - Mineral Radiance Powder in 07 Hale

Botanics - Organic Facial Oil

Maybelline - Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Black

Sleek - Lip 4 Palette in Tease 

Una Brennan - Superfacialist Tea Flower Purifying Clay Mask

Real Techniques - Duo Fibre Collection

Yardley London - Peony Eau De Toilette 

Bourjois - Healthy Mix Serum Foundation in 58

Empties #4

I've been trying to use things up and avoiding buying new  products recently in an attempt to prepare for my house move next month. Here's what I've recently got through.

Ted Baker Hand Cream

I touched on this in my Project Use Up post, it's a decent hand cream which smells nice but doesn't seem to do much longterm. Repurchase? No.

Redken Extreme Shampoo

This protein enriched shampoo is brilliant for strengthening damaged hair (full review here). A little goes a long way with this one so it's lasted ages! Repurchase? Definitely. 

Caudalie Gentle Cleansing Milk

I feel like I haven't stopped talking about this stuff recently, it's a new descovery and I absolutely love it, massaged on and flanneled off it removes all traces of makeup and leaves skin feeling silky soft. (full review here) Repurchase? Already have!

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor

I loved this conditioner years ago and never used to use anything else but after trying it out again recently I don't love it quite as much. Most probably because I've tried a lot of other conditioners since and my hair is in a lot worse condition! That said it does leave hair feeling soft and lightly fragranced. Repurchase? Maybe, but there are some others I want to try first.

Sephora Express Body Scrub & Mask

I picked this up when I went to France in the summer and had very high hopes for it but unfortunately I wasn't that impressed. It's a 2 in 1 product that contains traditional exfoliating grains as well as exfoliating AHA fruit acids and can be used as either a scrub or a mask. For me it didn't do much because I like scrubs which are quite course and really 'scrubby' and found this one was too gentle for my liking. I didn't find the AHAs to do much either. Repurchase? No

Kerastase Reflection Chroma Cristal

This one was unfortunately another disappointment, I usually love all Kerastase products but this one is the exception. It's a shine perfecting mist take settles into two parts that you shake before you use. I found it to be very watery and therefore cause my hair to get a bit damp, obviously not ideal if you've just spent ages straightening your hair! It also doesn't leave a great finish, I much prefer my Lee Stafford Shine Spray which is a third of the price! Repurchase? Definitely not.

Schwarzkopf Got2b Oil-licious Styling Oil

This is a great budget argan oil serum, I've been using a few pumps on damp hair before blow drying and it leaves hair with a lovely finish. full review here. Repurchase? Definitely

The Body Shop Extra Virgin Minerals Cream Compact Foundation

It's not often I get through a foundation because I have quite a few on the go but I really enjoyed using this one on sensitive and dry skin days. It's very moisturising and leaves skin with a dewy finish (oily skinned girls this is definitely not for you. This was the only thing that worked for me when my skin was reacting to everything. Repurchase? Yes, if my skin gets reactive again.

Bobbi Brown Tinted Moisturising Balm 

This technically isn't an empty because I still have more than half the pot left, but I've had it a while and it has separated so definitely needs getting rid of. I didn't use it because it just didn't work for me, I found it to be very greasy and not last very long on the skin. Someone once told me it made my skin 'glisten like a basted turkey' needless to say I never used it again! Repurchase? No

The Body Shop Vitamin E Lip Care

This is a brilliant lip balm that actually treats dryness rather than just keeping lips comfortable till it disappears. It doesn't have a fragrance and leaves lips with a natural finish meaning it's great under lipsticks and on girls and guys alike. Repurchase? Definitely.  

What's in my Makeup Bag?

I've recently changed up what's in my everyday makeup bag so I thought I'd share what I've been using. Base starts with L'Oreal Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer and MAC Pro Longwear Foundation in NC45, both of which I mentioned in my Project Use Up post. The foundation is a bit on the matte and heavy side for my liking at the moment so I've been mixing it with a bit of my daily moisturiser. 

To bring a bit of warmth to the skin I dust on Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder, and pat in a bit of Revlon Photoready Cream Blush in Flushed. I've also been reaching for Benefit Sun Beam, my favourite highlighter at the moment which gives skin a soft glow. 

For eyes I've mostly been keeping things pretty simple, a swipe of Avon SuperShock Eyeliner in Black, which is completely foolproof, and a quick curl and swipe of mascara on the lashes. For days when I want to put in a bit more effort, I've been using my Avon 8 in 1 eye palette in In The Nudes, which has some lovely neutral shades that I've been experimenting with. 

For lips I've been using Clinique Almost Lipstick in Luscious Honey, which is a tinted balm that leaves lips with a subtle stain or Avon Ultra Colour Rich Mega Impact Lipstick in Divine Wine (see it in action here) for when I want full on colour!

Also in my makeup bag I have Avon Glimmersticks Brow Definer in Soft Black, Sephora Eyelash Curlers and Avon SuperExtend Extreme Mascara. 

What's in your Makeup Bag?

Empties #3

Another month, another empties post, I honestly can't believe how fast I go through stuff! Anyway, here's what I thought of it all!

Soap & Glory Heel Genius is definitely a 'pedicure in a tube', it's a super rich, blue, foot cream which contains exfoliating fruit acids. I've been slathering it on in the evening and following it up with some cozy socks. Come morning feet are super smooth, no scrubbing necessary! Repurchase? Yes.

I've throughly enjoyed using Soap & Glory's Foam Call Body Wash, it's so fruity smelling and it really wakes you up first thing in the morning, plus, it leaves skin feeling nice and soft as it contains built in moisturiser. Repurchase? Definitely!

Yep, you guessed it, more Soap & Glory! This one is the Butter Yourself Body Butter, an all time favourite. It has the same lovely fruity fragrance as Foam Call Body Wash and also contains exfoliating fruit acids, meaning your skin is left feeling silky soft. It also sinks into the skin really quickly which is a great time saver. Repurchase? Yep!

Next is The Body Shop Vitamin E Sink In Moisture Mask, it has a light gel-cream formula, gives skin a huge moisture boost and applies clear. I've been using it overnight and waking up to plumped up skin. Look out for a full review coming soon! Repurchase? Already have! 

MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation in NC45 is a foundation I've been using for years. It's a medium coverage foundation that can be mixed with moisturiser for a light finish or built up to a full coverage without looking heavy or caked on. It's a great all rounder. Repurchase? Already have.

Sephora Softening Facial Mist is a very lightly scented facial mist that I picked up in France this summer, it's a great skin refresher that adds a bit of dewyness to the skin, and it's so much cheaper that other alternatives. (I paid 4 euros for it!) Repurchase? Yes, when I next go to France!

The Simple Moisture Boost Hydro Mist is basically the same thing as the sephora one, although not quite as nice because a single spray can be quite full on whereas the sephora spray produces a fine mist. Repurchase? Probably not.

Next up is the mini Jurlique Lavender Hand Cream that I took away on holiday, this stuff is amazing! Not only does it smell amazing, it really does your hands a world of good. As it's a balm like formula, you only need a small amount, it spreads easily and sinks straight into the skin leaving no residue. It leaves hands feeling lastingly moisturised so you end up using it a lot less often. Repurchase? Definitely at some point but not straight away as I got a few other ones stashed away already! 

I usually love everything by Chanel but unfortunately their Automatic Liquid Eyeliner was a huge disappointment! It has a pointed brush tip, you twist the bottom and the product is dispensed into the brush, sounds great right? But everytime I went to use it I found that the entire brush had dried out and the brush was full of dry, cakey bits of eyeliner. I would then have to wash it and dry it before I used it (every single time) and very soon the brush started to fall apart from all the wear and tear! Repurchase? Definitely not!

At the other end of the spectrum, I have another product by Chanel which I absolutely loved and was so sad to finish, as it's long since been discontinued! It's one of their old bronzers and the shade was just perfect for me, not too pale, not too orange, with the tinniest hint of shimmer! Repurchase? I wish! 

Have you tried any of these products? What did you think of them?

FOTD #1

I've always loved reading Face of the Day posts but never felt quite brave enough to do one. Today I felt a bit brave so I said, why not? bit the bullet, and went for it! I thought for my first one I'd keep it simple and show you a look I've been wearing a lot lately. It's my version of an autumnal look with berry lips and cheeks.  

So here's what I used! I started with L'Oreal's Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer which I spoke a bit about in my Project Use Up post. It takes a bit of working in with fingers but smoothes out the skin and makes makeup last all day. 

I then worked The Body Shop's Extra Virgin Minerals Cream Compact Foundation in 408 Rose Caramel into my skin using a Real Techniques Buffing Brush, this foundation is quite thick so I always remove any excess from the brush first. It gives a good finish and moisturises dry skin.

Next I hid dark under eye circles using the tiniest bit of MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC45, a little goes a long way with this concealer so use it sparingly under the eyes, too much and it will just crease. I apply it with the Real Techniques Pointed Foundation Brush, which is perfect because you can really get into the corner under the eye where most of the darkness is. 

I then dusted on some of Benefit's Dallas Blusher onto cheeks and into the cheekbone hollows, it's a dusky plum colour so it really brightens up the face as well as bringing out cheekbones. I then added a bit of Sephora Highlighting Compact Powder in Golden onto the tops of cheekbones and along the centre on the nose, all using the Eco Tools Blusher Brush and that's face done!

I kept eyes simple by filling in any sparse areas of my brows in with Avon Glimmerstick Brow Definer in Soft Black. I then added a touch of the highlighter to my brow bone using the Sephora 27 Pro Blending Brush, put on a quick swipe of Clinique Quickliner for Eyes Intense in 01 Intense Black and lashings of Avon Superextend Extreme Mascara. 

To complete the look I applied Avon Ultra Colour Rich Mega Impact Lipstick in Divine Wine. I'm really loving this colour at the moment, I've been wearing it constantly as the formula is really comfortable to wear and it has good lasting power! 

What do you think of this look?

Project Use Up

Being a bit of a beauty junkie comes with 2 main downsides the first one being storage, my ever growing collection seems to be taking up more and more space, and the second being that it's not exactly kind on the old purse strings! As I'll soon be moving house I need to tighten up my spending and the less stuff I have to pack and move the better.

So enter my solution, Project Use Up. It's pretty self explanatory really, these are the products that I need to use up before I'm allowed to buy anything similar. These are all products that for some reason or the other have been sitting around for a while feeling a bit neglected, I don't love them, but I wouldn't go as far as to say I hate them either. They just need to be used up to make room for an alternative I will love! 

First up is No7 Beautiful Skin Day Cream Dry/Very Dry Skin SPF15. I bought this last winter when my skin was going though a really dehydrated and sensitive phase in an attempt to get it back to normal. Unfortunately my skin was so sensitive at the time that when I put this on my face it just felt like it was burning! Long story short I managed to sort my skin out in the end by using  something else and this one got shoved away somewhere and was soon forgotten. It has quite a thick consistency so I think less is definitely more with this one, I'll try it out on my face again because my skin isn't at all sensitive any more but if I don't get on well with it I'll just use it on my elbows!

Next up is MAC Pro Longwear Foundation in NC45, there's nothing I dislike about this foundation, it just ends up getting neglected because I have other foundations that I like more. Seeing as there are some foundations that I'd like to try I thought I'd use this up to make room. This one might take a while as I still have more than half the bottle left! 

MAC Studio Fix Powder, I've had this one quite a while and it's served me well, but now that I favour a more natural looking complexion as apposed to my previous love of a matte complexion, this has started to feel a bit heavy. I haven't got a huge amount of this left so it won't take me long to get through it, plus it will be another empty for my back to MAC* stash. 

I find mascaras to be very much a personal preference thing, I like a wide closely packed bristle brush as apposed to a narrow plastic one like the Avon SuperExtend Extreme Mascara. I find that on me it tends to stick lashes together rather that creating a separated look. That said, it's nothing a quick comb through with a lash comb can't fix! 

I usually love everything from Soap & Glory, in fact when it comes to bath and body care, they're probably my favourite brand (alongside The Body Shop of course!). Unfortunately their Smoothie Star Deep Moisture Body Milk is an exception, I just don't like the smell at all. It has a very artificial almond smell which I think you either love or hate. I was also quite surprised and disappointed to see that it contains mineral oil, unlike their other body lotions/butters I've tried. None the less, I'll try and get though it as I have way too many body lotions on the go!

I mentioned the Ted Baker Hand Cream a few days ago in my Bedtime Beauty Post, it smells lovely but doesn't seem to really do much. As soon as a couple of hours have passed or I've washed my hands they just feel really dry again. I'll be going for something that works a bit better next time.

I don't use primers everyday, just when I need my makeup to last well or if the weather is humid. That said, I have tried quite a few and the L'Oreal Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer is probably my least favourite, it has quite a thick consistency compared to others and takes a bit more working into the skin. As well as that the pot is a bit difficult to use as you have to really dig your finger in to get any out! It does work though so I'll be putting in the extra effort from now on.

The last of the bunch is another foundation, it's The Body Shop Extra Virgin Minerals Cream Compact Foundation in 408 Rose Caramel. I actually really like this foundation but as the name would suggest it is very creamy so it's best suited for dry skin days. It's great for sensitive skin and so I used it constantly last winter. There isn't much left in it but I'll definitely be using it up when the weather gets colder and my skin gets drier.

* Back to MAC - Save up the containers/bottles of empty MAC products, take them all to a counter and you can exchange them for a free MAC lipstick of your choice!   

Review - Clinique Perfectly Real Foundation

I never thought I would actually find the perfect foundation for me, definitely not one that ticks all the boxes but that does seem to be the case. I've never come across any reviews of Clinique Perfectly Real Foundation on blogs, which is where the ideas for most of my purchases come from. 

It came from a casual browse on a Clinique counter a while ago, I was looking at their Even Better foundations but I couldn't find a shade that was quite right for me. One was a bit to dark and another a bit too light, so the lady on the counter took out testers from all their foundation lines and tried to find me one that was slap bang in the middle. This is what appeared. I went home, sample in hand but a little disappointed. I had wanted the Even Better Foundation after all. 

After my first use I was amazed, the consistency wasn't the usual liquidy formula I'm used to, but a richer cream texture not dissimilar to a rich day cream or a lighter night cream.

I dabbed a few dots around my face and blended it in with my trusty Real Techniques Buffing Brush, it sunk into the skin really well leaving my skin tone looking a lot more even but you just couldn't tell I had any makeup on at all. I went for a bit more. . . and a bit more . . . and a bit more, this stuff is seriously buildable! I found dabbing/pressing it with the brush  onto areas that need a bit more coverage worked really well. By the time I was done I had a completely flawless complexion and even under close inspection you couldn't see that I had any makeup on! 

The finish, as you would expect with the name, is 'perfectly real'. Not too matte, not too dewy, it really looks like skin. It wears really well throughout the day as well, when I put it on in the morning, it's just as I left it in the evening. It doesn't go shiny or cling to any dry patches, perfect for my combination skin. 

When Erik got home a few hours later he said that my 'skin looks very nice today', surely the ultimate complement to a foundation. It wasn't long before I picked up a full tube of the stuff!

What is your favourite foundation?