My Daily Makeup

So...hi. It's been a while hasn't it? It feels like a lot has happened since I last posted here, I'm closer to the end than the beginning of my second year at uni, I've got a job and life has been really hectic. But I miss my blog and I miss talking to you guys and so I'm back with my tail between my legs hoping you'll still want to come back and read what I have to say.

Since so much has changed I figured that my first post here should be on my current daily makeup since it has completely changed since I last posted here! Don't worry just because I haven't been writing about makeup doesn't mean I'm not buying any.

As a foundation I'm currently using my Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in the shade 100 ivory (basically the lightest shade they have for old pale faced me). This one can be a little bit more full coverage than the Touche Eclat foundation I was using previously, but on days when I don't want as much coverage I just use less and it works fine for me. I like that it still gives a nice, natural, slightly more on the dewy than matte side, finish and when I buff it in with my Real Techniques buffing brush it makes my skin look really flawless which is great! It also has SPF 18 which will be awesome when the sun eventually makes an appearance.

I picked up this cream eyeshadow from Elizabeth Arden for an absolute steal in the House of Fraser sale a couple weeks ago (you can still get it on the Boots website for a similarly reduced price). I got the shade Anchors Away 03 which is a gorgeous purple/browny/taupey metallic shade which I think really suits my green eyes. I love cream eyeshadows because they are so super easy to use and blend and, considering I am always late, they are a really quick fix when you're rushing around in the morning. The texture of this one was at first really bizarre as it was kind of gel like and had a more whipped consistency than other cream products I've used before but after a couple uses I've managed to press it into the pot a little bit more and it feels quite nice now. Plus I just found out by looking at it on the Boots website to make sure you guys could still pick it up that it has Aloe and Vitamin E in it so it's doing something nice for your eyes as well!

Because it's cold season here and literally everyone I know (including myself) seems to be coming down with something I keep topping myself up with my Burt's Bees lip balm with mango butter. When I get a cold my lips get ridiculously dry and tight feeling which isn't at all pleasant and this lip balm just really does the job at helping me feel like a normally lipped human being (plus it smells like Heaven).

Mascara is a really personal thing and (let's be honest) I only really bought this one because of the packaging but I actually really like the Revlon Lash Potion mascara. I read a couple of reviews before I bought it and everyone seemed to be saying get the waterproof one and so I did just that. I won't lie I don't think I'm a waterproof mascara type of girl, since it seems to take forever to take off, and I just can't be bothered with that. However I do like that it gives me the right amount of volume and length without weighing my lashes down (am I the only person who worries about this??) and it looks really natural rather than like I've caked myself in layers of mascara which I also like.

Last but certainly not least is my Clinique cream blush in 03 berry pop. I love the bubblegum pink colour of this blush especially when things are starting to get a little bit more summery but my skin is really pale because it gives my skin an amazing flush. Although it is cream it feels quite dry in the pot which I actually like because it doesn't make me worry I'm pasting my cheeks with colour! All I do is swirl a finger over the cute little daisy print stamped into the blush (so adorable) and then pop a couple dots of blush on each cheek and then blend them out. So nice and easy and not at all intimidating like some of the other cream blushes you see.

So there we are; my current daily makeup staples! If you've got any staples you think I should try of it you've tried any of these let me know what you think in the comments!

The Quest For The Perfect Foundation - YSL Le Teint Touche

In my last post I talked about how many lipsticks I have and how do you know when too much is too much and if I'm honest I have the same approach to everything. Things are always catching my eye and I want to try out the newer, fancier, shinier, prettier version be it makeup, skincare, clothes, technology or even stationary (yes I am a stationary geek). But one thing for me that I stick with through thick and thin is my foundation.

Now I won't lie and say I religiously purchase the same foundation over and over as, like many beauty bloggers before me, I am still searching for the ultimate foundation which will make me look permanently airbrushed, and gorgeous, yet won't be drying, break me out or look overly greasy (is that really too much to ask?). However I think I've gotten pretty damn close with my latest attempt.

I received the YSL Touche Éclat for Christmas and instantly fell in love. It made my skin look glowing (something that's tricky for my slightly dry, dull skin) and would have been so much more effective if I wasn't using a combination of my Mum's Estée Lauder Double Wear which was too light for her but too dark and full coverage for me and a different foundation I'd bought at the hight of summer when I was really tanned and therefore by Christmas was completely the wrong shade.

I am in the shade B10

I kept researching different foundations to try and considered the likes of Nars Sheer Glow etc. which are always very highly thought of but then I started hearing good things about YSL's Le Teint Touche Éclat. I want to say that I made my decision to buy this foundation was based solely upon the great reviews I heard but sadly it pains me to say that it just looked too pretty to refuse! I mean can we just pause for a minute to appreciate the packaging; sleek, glass, minimal, with a pump and oh so luxury I didn't have the will power to not buy it.

Le Teint Touche Éclat is supposed to basically give the radiance that the Touche Éclat gives but all over the face. I would say that it achieves this quite well; the radiance isn't as concentrated as it is in the Touche Éclat but I'm not sure that you would want that anyway! It does however brighten up my skin and give it an injection of life and vitality (which I particularly appreciate when I roll into class at 9:00am having not gone to bed till 3:00am).

Also this foundation is really good at evening my skin tone and covering blemishes. It isn't full coverage so you will want to use concelear for any serious under eye circles or if you've got any spots but for me it evens out any patches of redness and blots out any of those annoying red acne scars that take forever to fade away.

The only draw back I can say about this is that, in my experience, it doesn't go very far. The coverage is really buildable and for a more sheer amount of coverage I use just one pump but for days when I am a bit more spotty or suffering more redness I will use two pumps and because of this I don't think it has lasted as long as some of the other foundations I've used where I didn't feel like I had to apply as much. However it lasts all day on the skin and I only really need to top it up if I'm going out in the evening which is nice (especially if you're as expressive as me and therefore constantly touching your face and smearing your makeup everywhere).

Overall I would say this foundation is the closest to perfection I've gotten so far, wearing it makes me feel flawless and fabulous and (if for no other reason) I'd buy it again just to keep looking at the bottle!