The Product: Kevyn Aucoin The Sculpting Powder

So contouring is big right now. I'm sure we have Kim K to thank for this outbreak, but as a gal with a rather round head, its a very welcomed trend. Only issue is, is thats its a) incredibly time consuming and b) tricky to master. Whilst skimming the virtual aisles of Cult Beauty I happened across this beauty and remembered that it had been on my wish list for quite some time. Into the basket it popped and from the second it hit my doormat (thank you Mr Postman) there has been no looking back. And herein lies the end of all contouring mishaps. I think its the colour that really makes this - a cool toned brown which is ideal for recreating those coveted cheekbone shadows, something that I sincerely lack. 

I go in with my Real techniques Contour Brush and a very light hand. The fish face pout makes its appearance here along with plenty of natural lighting and a touch of highlighter (I'm really into the No7 Instant Radiance at the moment). It is such a natural finish, with not a hint of orange in sight and I think this tops my big list of game-changers.

Love

Meg xx

The Notes: Make Up Bag #2

An updated breakdown of my go-to products. Some oldies, some newbies, and even a splash of colour on the eyes! 

The current love of my life, the Chanel Perfection Lumiere foundation, has been a staple pretty much every single day of late. I did a full review and rave here  and the love is still strong. Likewise, another recent purchase, the Kevyn Aucoin Scultping Powder in Medium has been used on a daily basis to create the effect of cheekbones on my balloon face. Blush wise, I'm adding a much needed pop of colour to my cheeks with the Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush in Soft Pink. It leaves that 'just in from a cold walk' pink on my cheeks and looks so natural on top of the Chanel foundation. 

Brows wise, I've been reaching for the Benefit Gimme Brow gel. An instant brow tint, this works better if you run it first against the hairs and then comb through the right way to give that natural but full brow effect. It is so quick, something which I love this time of year when getting up early in the morning is just too cold! I'm into the natural brow thing at the moment, as I'm spicing it up a bit on the eyes with MACs Cranberry eyeshadow, for an autumnal smokey eye that is a nice change from my usual champagne toned shimmer. Teamed with a nice cat-eye flick (courtesy of the Eyeko Skinny Liner) and lashings of the L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic Mascara this warm berry eye look is perfect for autumn! 

Keeping it simple on the lips, Ive been opting for MAC patisserie, my all time favourite nude shade - definitely a 'my-lips-but-better' colour that tones down the look to keep it everyday-safe. 

Anything new in your current make up bag?
Love
Meg xx

The Review: Origins GinZing Moisturizer

I've never been the kinda gal that goes all out for skincare. Shocker I know. Haircare obsession: check. Make-up obsession: one almighty check. But skincare and I have never really hit it off. That was, until Origins and I locked eyes. I first jumped in with the Super Spot Remover and have since added to my collection with many a face mask. But I had never fully committed to an everyday product from the brand. Here steps in the GinZing Energy-Boosting Moisturizer. 

Its well known that for many of us combination skinned ladies, the winter sucks hydration from the skin, mine especially looks dry and dull, with that greyish thing going on (you know the one I mean). So after some review-searching, I decided to invest in a new moisturiser. A little goes a long way with this, just a small amount soaks into the skin beautifully, leaving it with a smooth and energised finish. Seriously, this stuff works like nothing else for picking up my skin and giving it that 'I got my full eight hours sleep' look. 

It smells great too, like fresh oranges - always nice first thing for that wake up feeling!
I can see the accompanying eye gel finding its way into my stash pretty soon...

Love
Meg xx

The Product: Everyday 'Champagne' Eyeshadows

I think it is safe to say that when it comes to the perfect everyday shadow, I am definitely stuck in the 'champagne-y neutrals' rut. Not that I'm complaining. Its my favourite base colour and is easily paired with a neutral brown through the crease or a deep plum if I'm feeling really brave. Its safe to say I have gathered quite the collection but I thought I would give you a break down of my two favourites. 

The top shade is MAC's All that Glitters - a shade that I wasn't really fussed about despite it being a long-term stand-out in the beauty community. But I eventually jumped on the bandwagon after a swatching sesh during a recent trip to my local counter when I saw how beautiful a shade it really is. It blends perfectly and I tend to wear this alone with lashings of mascara and a bold lip. 

Underneath is the Longwear Powder Eyeshadow in Nude Swings by Benefit. A slightly lighter shade, this one has more of a creamy texture, despite still being a powder. The longevity of this really is remarkable, it stays on all day without so much as a smudge, which for my oily eyelids is a winner. I also love the packaging that this comes in, as with most of Benefit's products!

At pretty much the same price its tricky to choose between the two, but if I had to pick I think it would come down to Benfefit's offering, just for the soft texture that really is a dream to blend...

Any more champagne shades that need adding to my collection?

Love
Meg xx

The Notes: The Perfect Base

Its not everyday I have a good rave about a foundation. I have a love-hate relationship with my skin so frequently find myself on the hunt for the base to beat all bases. But I think, after years of searching, I may just have found 'The One'. Its a combo of "Ones' actually, and a pretty good combo at that. Lets start with the primer. Laura Mercier have a shed load of primer offerings, and this autumn I opted for the 'radiance' option, to give my skin that perky touch of brightness as the months get more dreary and dull. A creamy formula with no hint of shimmer (always a winner) but just the right amount of illumination, its even great as a base in its own right on no make up days. 

But here steps in my new game changer. The Chanel Perfection Lumiere Foundation is everything it says on the ever-so-pretty packaging - long lasting, flawless and light enough to wear everyday. It has the perfect amount of coverage - not too heavy but enough to last the whole day. You don't need much, and blended in with the Real Techniques Buffing Brush on top of the LM primer, it really is perfection. Well played Chanel - proving you get what you pay for. 

Love Meg
xx

The Favourites: October Favourites

I cannot believe I haven't done a monthly favourites since January! Where has this year gone? We are already at the beginning of November and the countdown for Christmas! There have been a few new additions this month to my regular make up, so these are a few things that I've been loving and are in current rotation! 

The first I have to mention is not actually a beauty favourite. Taylor Swifts new album 1989 was released only this week but already I have fallen in love! Its on a constant repeat on my iPod, and its such a tribute to the 80's! I loved Shake it Off when that came out, and being a longtime T-Swift fan I knew I had to get my hands on it! Its a big step away from her usual style, with a lot more pop and dance-y tracks, but its guaranteed to get you up and dancing on these grey mornings!

Moving on to the beauty bits- I have finally found my perfect foundation! There will be a more in depth review of this coming soon, but I am so in love with the Chanel Perfection Lumiere foundation. As the name suggests, its a gorgeous creamy formula thats ideal for those oily-skinned gals, without being drying!

On the note of drying skin, I've found as I do every autumn, that my skin moves away from oily-combination to more dry with oily patches. So the Origins Drink Up 10 Minute Mask. It really does give your skin that extra boost of hydration in these colder months. If like me you struggle with dry skin but hate the idea of smothering your face in a heavy moisturiser, this is perfect to add that little bit of moisture!

This one might seem a little odd at this time of year - its usually a beauty bloggers favourites int he summer- but I've been using the Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray on almost a daily basis. I recently went for a shoulder length chop and I've found that it looks best in messy waves. This offering from BB gives it that added texture and makes the waves look more natural. 

Ive also been loving the Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara to add a bit of definition under the eyes. Its a fab formula that doesn't leave me looking like a panda at the end of the day! The tiny brush gets right in there to give my bottom lashes the attention they usually lack!

The last favourites of mine are too good old classics from MAC - the 217 brush, which gets a daily outing to blend eyeshadow into natural smokey perfection. Seriously, I didn't know how to apply shadow into the crease until I got my hands on this bad boy. I currently have two, and am tempted to add a third into the mix! The next is the blush in Well Dressed, one thats featured many times on Megs Corner, but a favourite for its subtle shimmer to give a bit of highlight to my otherwise dull face!

What have you been loving going into autumn?
Love Meg
xx

The Product: An ode to Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvets

The Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet lipsticks have been rapidly making their way around the beauty blogging community as of late, and it is for a very good reason. These babies are marketed as having 'light texture, extreme comfort' with a matte finish, and I am pleased to say that they are indeed true to their word. They are a liquid lipstick, which dispenses a creamy almost lipgloss-like substance, but when applied dries to a moisturising but matte texture. And saying that the longevity of these was incredible would be an understatement. They lasted an entire day at work, two meals and one round of cocktails before I even considered re-application. I have the shades 01 Personne ne Rouge, which is a perfect deep red and 05 Ole Flamingo, a fantastic hot pink, bang on trend for the summer!

With enviable pigmentation, longevity and non-drying matte finishes, I am definitely making it my mission to grab the entire colour range of these. 

Love
Meg xx

The Notes: Shine Sprays

I think I, like most females, strive to have silky shiny locks, worthy of Kate Middleton, and this results in my trying product after product to see which achieves the desired result. And I have to say, that after what feels like years of trial and error, I feel I have finally found two that do exactly as promised.

I am a massive fan of the brand Bumble and Bumble, and having recently discovered a stand tucked within the aisles of my local Boots, I couldn't resist picking a few things up. One of the said items was the Bumble and Bumble Shine On Finishing Spray (which also featured heavily in my January favourites). Its a gorgeous formula, which when sprayed sparingly onto styled and dried hair, adds an element of shine and glossiness to my usually dull tresses.

The second product to claim a prize for 'holy grail hair product' is the Fudge Head Shine spray. This is a product that I have lusted after for years, after trialling it on many an occasion at the hairdressers. So I finally took the plunge and purchased my own bottle, and needless to say my first impressions were correct. Infinitely lighter than the Bumble shine spray, this leaves more of a fine mist of subtle shine over the hair - maybe due to the way that the product leaves the bottle - as a mist rather than more vigorous sprays. Also, nothing compares to the vanilla/coconut-y smell that lingers all day after using this spray - without a doubt the nicest smelling hair product I have ever owned.

I've noticed that I tend to use the Bumble offering more when I am going out, or when I have my hair up, as it seems to tailor its shine to particular patches of hair when pumped, rather than Fudge's which is my preference for day-to-day wear due to its more natural distribution and formula.

Any other shine sprays that make the cut?

Love
Meg xx

The Product: Micellar Water

Micellar waters: they have to be one of the biggest beauty bombs to have landed on the blogging community over the last few years. It all started with the infamous BioDerma, but at around £10 for 250ml plus postage and shipping costs, it was an expensive and difficult product to get a hold of. Recently though, it has become a lot more available in the UK, but not quite as available as the L'oreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution, and the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, both of which can be found in the aisles of Boots - perfect.

These are both more reasonably priced than Bioderma, something which is important for me as Micellar Water is only a small part of my ever expanding and expensive skin care routine. They are both £4.99, but L'oreal's offering is 200ml, while Garnier's is 400ml for the same price.

So in terms of size and value for money, the Garnier water is definitely the most sensible option. But actually out of the two I think I prefer the L'oreal one. It just seems to suit my skin better, with one swipe my eye make up slides off, whereas more work is required with Garnier's. The only problem I have with the L'oreal water is the fact that rather a lot of product escapes the bottle, and only a small amount is required.

Other than that, there is very little to say about such simple products! Both work very well at melting away make-up, acting gentle on the skin and leaving me feeling fresh faced and ready to begin my usual cleanse, tone and moisturise routine.

Any other micellar waters that I need to get my hands on?

Love
Meg xx

The Notes: Neutral Nails

I wouldn't say that I've always been a lover of nude-y nails. I'm more of a fan of a strong red or Essie's Mint Candy Apple, but lately I've been having a love affair with many a basic colour. From greys to pinks to an actual nude, these natural shades have been on rotation on my tips these past few weeks.

My favourite pick has to be Nails Inc Porchester Square. This polish featured heavily in my January Beauty Favourites, and did me proud when I went for a job interview the other day. Perfect formula, great natural and sophisticated shade, and awesome longevity. Definitely making its way up the MC chart for best ever polish.

Next up is a similar shade, from a favourite brand of mine - OPI's nail lacquer in Berlin There Done That. Another grey toned neutral colour, with just as great lasting time, but with a hint of taupe in there to spice things up a bit. Great to throw on for work or an evening out.

Another natural OPI love of mine is Tickle my France-y. This one is a slightly more pinky-toned neutral shade, but still with that lovely subtlety and sophistication that can only come from an unfussy, not-in-your-face colour. This is the one I reach for when I'm not in the mood for anything on my tips, or I can't decide which polish I want for the week.

Essie's offering is next, in the shade Chinchilly. Essie have many great neutral shades to choose from, but I went for something more taupe-y, to silence my more colourful side, which was begging me to hit up yet another red. Another great one for a classy look, perfect for work, and as with all Essie polishes, a cracking formula.

Last up in the neutral nails is the Max Factor Glossfinity in Desert Sand. The perfect barely-there shade, with a high gloss finish and unostentatious result. This is a great one for those who hate bright colours, or really any colour at all. A your nails but better colour, which can be built up for the perfect nude, the formula for this polish is beaut. I'm yet to try any other shades in this range, but I'm pretty impressed with the 4 days I went chip-free with this on last week.

So thats the neutral shades that have been top of my collection lately. Any that I'm missing that need to make their way into my collection?

Love
Meg xx

The Product: Prime Time

What is a primer? This is probably the question that the majority of women want answered the most when it comes to make up. From my experience, primers are a product you use before applying your foundation or eyeshadow, in order to prep the skin and create a barrier between the skin and your make up. 

Skin Primers:

Primers for your base are a great way to even out your skin tone and create a flawless base for your foundation to sit upon. There are many different types, and while you don't necessarily need a primer, I think they are a good idea to keep your make up lasting all day, especially in hot weather. I use an array of primers (as you can tell) depending on how my skin is feeling at the time. If it is feeling rather tight and in need of hydration, the Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer is great for  adding extra moisture and smoothing out the skin before applying foundation. However, this is a bit too heavy for when my skin is mid breakout, or rather oily. The Body Shop Tea Tree Pore Minimiser is the perfect primer for blemished skin, as the tea tree elements soothe and fight any spots or breakouts the occur. Benefit's Porefessional is also great for this, as, like the title suggests, it acts to even out pores and create a silky base. However, this is not the best if your skin is too dry, as I found it tends to flake a little and cling to any dry patches - but its perfect for combination/oily skin types. My favourite ever primer is the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer. Smashbox have an infamous collection of primers for all skin types and dilemmas, but my favourite has, and always will be, the original Photo Finish. It glides on to the skin, creating a silky and soft effect, which acts as the perfect base for any foundation. My only problem is, that at £25 for a full sized bottle, it doesn't come cheap when being worn every day.

Eye Primers: 

Eye primers effectively work in the exact same way as skin primers. They enhance your eyeshadow and keep it lasting all day (and all night). My favourite primer for under my eyeshadow is the Urban Decay Primer Potion, which goes on the lid to create an invisible base on which shadows can sit, crease free, for an entire day. I love this primer, especially teamed with the Urban Decay shadows (I'm a huge fan of their Naked palettes). I also love the offering from Benefit - Stay Don't Stray, which can be used under the eyes to keep your concealer lasting, as well as on the lid to enhance the shadow colour. BareMinerals' Prime Time is another great eye primer, and only the tiniest amount is needed to blend onto the lids and keep any colour in place. I've had my bottle for well over a year now, and it is still going strong! This BellaPierre primer originally came as a base for their accompanying pigments, which I got in a set last year. However after testing it out, I found that it works equally as well under normal powder shadows to create a lasting matte effect - its also waterproof, which is always a bonus!

So there we have it! My take on all things primer-y. What primer do you use? Is there any great primers that I need to add to my collection?

Love
Meg xx

The Review: Lola Liquid Concealer

Lola is a brand that I had never heard of before. But during a post-work pre drinks crisis last week, I stumbled across it in my local M&S in a moment of concealer-less need. And I have to say it was so worth the £12 I parted with for it. Having been from a brand I was unaware of, I was sceptical about how well this would work, but I just needed it to cover the unattractive bags under my eyes! I am so in love with this concealer! I have the shade 'light' which was the fairest shade they had, and its perfect for brightening up under my eyes, and also provided great coverage when dabbed onto a few blemishes. It had great lasting power, and the formula is thick but not too cakey! Safe to say, it has become a regular in my daily make up routine!

I'd be interested to try other offerings from the brand, so if anyone has used anything please let me know!

Love
Meg xx

The Notes: Valentines Make Up

Valentines day. You either love it or you hate it. I for one, a longtime singleton, love chilling with my besties for an evening of pampering, Breakfast at Tiffany's and an unhealthy helping from our favourite men Ben and Jerry.  

But if I do ever decide to brave the rose-tinted frenzy outside, I like to try and rise to the occasion by donning a typically romantic valentines style get up. Whenever I think of the day of love, I always imagine it as a chance to be as girly and cute as possible - cue suitably delicate make up, with a fair amount of pink and shimmer. I also like to keep it pretty simple, but easy to add to, incase of any impromptu girly trips to the cinema in the evening! I tend to go for a light base, using Benefit's Hello Flawless Foundation over the top of their Porefessional primer, with a dash of Bourjois' java rice powder for that added shimmer. I love this powder teamed with Mac's blush in Well Dressed. It creates a lovely naturally pink glow to the cheeks without being too overpowering. 

For the eyes you can always step it up a bit, and I went for fun, flirty eyes with the new Naked 3 Palette from Urban Decay. Sticking mainly to the left side of the palette, I used a combination of 'Burnout' blended with 'Limit' and then a tiny dab of 'Darkside' to line my lash line. A few coats of the Max Factor False Lash Effect mascara, a smack of Estee Lauder's Shine Gloss in Brazen Berry and voila. 

What's your favourite look for valentines day?

Love

Meg xx

The Notes: Make Up Bag #1

This week hasn't been all that adventurous on the make up front. Overcoming a cold has prevented much in the way of exciting daily excursions, so my make up bag has played host to a small array of quick fix products. For my base I've been loving the Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation, which has the perfect coverage without being too heavy. I apply the tiniest amount of this with my Real Techniques Expert face Brush over the top of my Body Shop Pore Minimiser, which acts as a perfect primer to calm the skin and create a lasting finish. 

I've been adding a slick of the Lola Concealer under my eyes and on any blemishes, and then dusting off my base with a light hand of the Body Shop Shimmer Cube (which made an appearance in my January favourites, and is set to feature again this month)! 

The eyes have been kept relatively simple this week, with a base of Urban Decay's Potion Primer followed by Max Factor's Wild Shadow Pencil in 05. I love this shade and formula, but it is in need of a primer underneath to make it go the distance. I finish it all off with a couple of swipes of Max Factor's False Lash Effect Mascara, which it still my fave to this day. For the brows, Bobbi Brown's Brow Pencil in Brunette has been this weeks offering, blended in with my Mac 266 to create a more natural look. 

So there we have it, this weeks fuss and fancy-free make up bag, of the items that have been gracing my face of late. 

Which products are currently residing in your make up bag?

Love

Meg xx

The Product: Mix and Match Foundations

For me, and I think most women out there, finding the perfect base is the hardest part of wearing make up. Being an avid make up shopper and product tester I have had my fair share of foundation fiascos, be it buying the wrong colour, loving a formula that breaks me out, or just finding one that hates my skin type. 

I have combination-oily skin, but I love dewy finishes. This reckons quite the dilemma in terms of what I want my skin to suit, and what it actually suits. Now, when in the summer, during a breakout battle, I headed over to the Clarins counter and asked for my perfect foundation, they matched me up, and I walked away perfectly happy with the Clarins Ever Matte Foundation. But while I loved the formula and lasting time, I wasn't massively fond of the finish. Ever had a product that does it for you 90% of the way and then falls at the last hurdle? Yeah, that was me with this. Enter Rimmel's Wake Me Up Foundation - favourite in the bbloggers industry and also a firm favourite of mine. The underlying subtle glow of this foundation is lovely, and yet the coverage of this on its own just wasn't quite doing it for me. 

So one bright day, I had the ridiculous idea of mixing them together. And what happened was magic. Well not quite, but you get where I'm coming from. The result was a perfect balance between a lasting matte finish with a dewy element that had perfect coverage without the heaviness of the Clarins offering on its own. 

Who knew that mixing two of my 'almost' favourite foundations would result in a product worthy of its own bottle? Only downside - now I have to purchase twice as much foundation when I run out - bummer. 

Anyone else ever tried mixing two foundations together?

Love 

Meg xx

The Notes: Conquering that Cold

Its that time of the year again. During the winter you are guaranteed to come down with at least one wretched cold. I had mine last week, and its never a pleasant experience! I've compiled a list of the things that helped me survive the sniffles, puffy eyes and dry skin. 

Carmex Lipbalm: Whenever I have a cold, and actually throughout the majority of winter anyway, my lips become dry and cracked, which is mega uncomfortable. However, Carmex seems to work for me - it tingles as it is applied, which is how I feel it working. It keeps my lips moisturised and soft for a good hour or two before I need a top-up!

Olbas Oil: This stuff is amazing. A few droplets on a tissue, sniffed a few times, and all of that blocked up pain is eliminated. A pack of tissues might be necessary here though - it causes a major run of the nose situation, but its worth it to be able to breathe again afterwards!

Simple Moisturiser: Just like my lips, my skin too tends to dry up whenever I have a cold, especially around the nose area. I use Simple's light moisturiser morning and night, and whenever it needs an injection of moisture during the day to keep the flaky skin at bay!

Benefit You Rebel Light: Continuing on the moisturising theme, if I need to go out anywhere, or have to battle through and head to work, I use a light tinted moisturiser, like Benefits You Rebel Light, to keep my skin hydrated whilst removing any dreaded red patches caused by the lurgy residing in my body. 

Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer: Sleepless nights are a given when it comes to a bad cold. Too much sniffing and a headache means that any chance of getting the full 8 hours is out of the question. So to combat those unflattering under eye bags, I use my ring finger to gently pat some of Bobbi Brown's creamy concealer under my eye. It instantly hides those bags and brightens my face!

Benefit Eye Bright: This also comes in handy when tackling red, puffy tired eyes. A delicate helping of this along my waterline helps to open up and brighten my eyes, keeping you looking more awake than achoo. 

Finally, a good dose of vitamin C during a cold will help fight those nasty germs faster. I usually up my intake from 1000g to 2000g when I'm under the weather, to help boost my immune system and get me up and running again!

What do you guys use to combat a cold?

Love
Meg xx

The Favourites: January Favourites

Oh January, I'm so glad you're over. The first month of this year has flown by yet again, and hopefully will be taking the dreadful weather with it! There hasn't been much I've been loving beauty wise this month, but these bits made the cut, despite my many pyjama and no make-up days!

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette: I'm sure everyone in the beauty blogosphere is sick to death of hearing about Urban Decay's latest 'naked' offering, but it's so pretty and I've used it every time I've graced my face with make up this month. Perfect pigmentation and textures, beautiful rose-goldy toned shades and stunning packaging - whats not to love?

Bumble and Bumble Shine Finishing Spray: January usually brings a month of miserable weather and lack of sunshine, and my hair knows it. It loses all of its shine and body, and is in need of a general 'pick me up'. A couple of sprinkles Bumble and Bumble's shine spray works like magic to transform my hair into a silky and glossy mane worthy of a 'you're worth it' head shake. It also smells great!

Body Shop Shimmer Wave: When I was fist given this by my auntie, I wasn't sure about the concept of a shimmery blush/bronzer duo, worried that it may leave me looking like a disco ball. But teamed with a light hand, and my Real Techniques Stippling Brush, this blush creates a glowy, light effect, perfect to brighten up the dull January days. The lightest colour in the palette also acts as a subtle but brightening highlighter, which I adore! I'm thinking of adding the other two shades to my collection - it can't hurt right?

Nails Inc Porchester Square: Ahh porchester square - long time no see old friend. This shade has always been a favourite of mine, as it has most beauty bloggers, but with newbies in my ever growing polish collection taking first pick, it hadn't seen the light of day in quite a while. Thats until I was bought another bottle for christmas, which led to a 'I love this colour what is it? Oh of course its PS, I'm sure I have an old bottle somewhere' moment. The ideal shade for everyday use, with the perfect finish and a good five days chip resistance before even the slightest crack, I have worn this for the majority of the last month. Perfection in a bottle. 

Read of the Month: What Would Audrey Do? by Pamela Keogh. Anything about Audrey always gets a big thumbs up from me, so a book dedicated to behaving like the style icon? I'm sold. 

Love
Meg xx

The Review: Smashbox Fade Out Palette

During my latest shopping spree, I took the regular stroll through the aisles of Boots, and came across this beauty in the Smashbox sale. Smashbox is a brand renowned for its primers and bases, and I admit I'm a fan of both. So I was intrigued when I picked this up to see what they had to offer in way of their other products - and I have to say I'm not disappointed. It has the perfect balance of textures, from matte, shimmer and even a glittery offering thrown in, and thus is great for a day to night transformation. If you're a lover of a good old smokey eye, but with a more natural finish, than this palette is perfect for you! All of the shades compliment each other beautifully, and the lightest shade makes a darn good under brow highlight! The pigmentation of these shadows is amazing, and teamed with a decent primer, they lasted all day - never a bad thing!

Its no longer available online, but there was quite a few in my local Boots, so have a gand!
Has anyone else tried anything from Smashbox that they would recommend?

Love
Meg xx

The Notes: Tools of the Trade

With all the new make up and beauty releases, it is easy to forget the everyday tools that we reach for to enhance our look. So I thought I would share the everyday tools that I use when doing my face for the day.

A must have in every make up junkies collection is a decent pair of eyelash curlers. I'm currently using the Body Shop ones, although I'm debating on whether to invest in a pair of Shu Uemura's legendary curlers. Anyway, a couple of pumps of these before I apply my mascara and my lashes have a nice curl that lasts all day! Little tip: if you warm them up before use it helps keep the curl in that bit longer! Another essential is a decent pair of tweezers. Whether you wax, thread or sugar, tweezers will help keep those strays that appear in between appointments in check! Also, they make applying falsies that much easier!

I always like to have a compact mirror on hand when putting my face on in the mornings, especially when it comes to mascara, as it just helps me to see more clearly. Those with a magnified side are a bonus for getting those lashes perfect! Cotton buds are also a necessity here, for the general tidy up after eyeliner application (it never goes right!) and to smudge out shadow for an even smokier look.

I also like to keep make up sharpeners close by, for lip pencils, eyeliners and the like. I have to have a sharp eyeliner pencil to get the line as neat as possible - otherwise, the panda look makes an unwelcome appearance! I have two sizes, a large Body Shop sharpener for bigger pencils, and a small Bobbi Brown one for thinner ones. My last dressing table essential tool is a nail file. Always great to keep on hand for those accidental chips and snags - I usually have a few lurking in my brush holder for emergency use!


So there we have it! My daily tool kit for emergencies, accidents and any disastrous eventuality!
Any essential tools I've missed that I need?

Love
Meg xx

The Review: Unique Argan Plus Luxury Oil

Hair Oils. I've tried my fair share of the babies and loved most of them and so was rather excited to give this one a go! I have really difficult frizzy hair, that can feel quite dry sometimes, so anything that promises to hydrate and smooth is fine by me! I have to say, that this one fits the bill perfectly!

As with most hair oils you only need the tiniest dot, which I then rub between my hands (as hair oils always work better when warmed) and smooth throughout the lengths of my hair. The result is silky smooth and shiny locks, which brush with painless ease - always a bonus! There is not much fragrance to it, which doesn't bother me in the slightest, although it might be a turn off for some!

The only downside to this is just the smallest amount too much product can leave you with the dreaded greasy hair look, that needs instant washing attention. But, tried, tested and lesson learned on that front!

 Its available here for 60ml.

Love
Meg xx

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The Notes: Evening Skincare Salute

As a make up and beauty lover, I am just as interested in skincare. Its true what they say - good skin is the basis of flawless make up! I am a firm believer that your skin and your smile are your best accessories, which is why I am so chuffed to have finally perfected my own skincare regime!

This has taken me near on a year to get right, after trialling many a cleanser and toner, from drugstore bargains to high end, all of which claim to give you the skin you have always dreamt of. I feel I now have a basic regime with a mix of price tagged products that gives me just that!

I start off with removing any make up with the L'Oréal Paris Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution (wow thats a bit of a mouthful), a beauty blogger fave and dupe for the infamous BioDerma. This stuff is great for dissolving away any mascaras that are hard to budge (Benefit They're Real I'm looking at you). Just holding gently over the eyelid for 30 seconds gets rid of any toughies in an instant. I then move on to a Clarins duo - the Cleansing Milk and Toner for oily-combination skin. I cannot rave about this pair enough, they perfectly compliment each other and the milky texture of the cleanser leaves my skin feeling soft and hydrated. I've also discovered that you can pick these babies up in a twin set for a great deal cheaper! Woop woop! Following the standard skincare mantra of 'cleanse, tone and moisturise' I whip out my Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser, which leaves my skin silky and soft in an instant. Its fast drying too, so I'm not waiting around forever feeling all slimy! Always a bonus! Its at this point that if I have any pesky blemishes I dab on the tiniest amount of Origins Super Spot Remover - seriously a holy grail product that rids me of any spots literally overnight! Its not an everyday product for me though, the combination of the clarions duo and moisturiser helps keep most blemishes at bay! Every weekend I change it up a bit and switch my cleanser for the Clarins Gentle Refining Exfoliating Cream to remove any dry patches that may have surfaced! 

So thats it! My evening skincare regime in a nutshell!

Love 

Meg xx

The Notes: Nail S.O.S

Its that time of year again! After a month of partying hard and sleepless nights its not just our skin and eyes that are suffering! Every Christmas and New Year I tend to go all out with my nails, whether it be extreme glitters or dubbing my tips with falsies. Either way, by January whats underneath the polish is suffering. 

So, with that in mind, here are my nail saviours that will hopefully leave your fingers dazzling in the January sunlight (or rain). 

First things first, I want to get off whatever it is that has left me in need of a nail SOS. So I use the OPI Polish Remover to whip off any leftover polish. Its doesn't dry my nails out, and leaves them feeling clean and fresh. I then file them down to my desired shape and length to keep them all healthy! At this point I'm usually glancing down at my hands and grimacing at the state of my cuticles. I have three saviours in the line up here, my favourite being the Sally Hansen 'Healthy Cuticles Now!'. Just a quick massage of this into my cuticles and all the excess is gone, leaving a softer easier nail bed behind. Avon's offering also does the trick, with a doe foot applicator to help push cuticles back gently. They have discontinued it (isn't that always the way) but I hear that their Nail Experts Cuticle Conditioner does the trick! Another good'un is OPI's Avoplex Nail and Cuticle Replenishing Oil which contains avocado oils to nourish and pamper dry cuticles. 

Now comes the real rescue. I swish on two coats of the infamous OPI Original Nail Envy and let it dry completely before smothering my hands in Soap and Glory's Hand Food. I'm yet to try a nail base that strengthens my nails and helps them grow like Nail Envy. Adding on another coat each day for a week helps keep those tips in tip top shape. I also love it as a chip resistant top coat on top of my favourite colour!

What are your nail saviours? Let me know in the comments below!

Love 

Meg xx

My First Ever Post!

Right here goes…

I have been thinking of starting a beauty blog for a very long time now. Bordering on years really! I love love love reading so many different blogs, especially those about all thinks make up related and have been itching to get my own up and running!


I'm not the most experienced of make-up appliers, but have a huge passion for make up, skin care and hair products - a passion that is causing me all sorts of storage dilemmas! I like to hope I've learnt a few things about beauty so this blog will mainly be about sharing my latest finds, beauty saviour products and my favourite bits and pieces! I'm sure there will be many a make up faux-pas along the way but hey-ho!


Anyway, onwards! I hope you enjoy hearing my thoughts about a ton of beauty products and I'm excited to think that someone might actually read my ramblings - I think my family and friends are getting slightly sick of me constantly saying 'ooh you've got to try this'! 

Love Meg 
x