My Daily Make Up Routine

Morning guys! So today I thought I would share with you all - my daily make up routine. This is my quick fix, instant dewiness look that I tend to go for on week days or a lazy Sunday.

On week days, waking up at 6:30 and throwing a full face of make up on is not my idea of fun, but I could never leave the house without doing so, as much as  I loathe the task whilst half asleep! These are fool proof products I tend to grab to create the illusion of a super happy bright eyed Lara  - even if I really don't feel that way. Sometimes I mix up products, because well it's boring to use the exact same products on your face every day but these are my most reached for products.

So first off I start off by washing my face and then patting it dry with a warm flannel, then of course  I grab my moisturizer and whilst I'm letting that soak into my skin I brush my teeth, sort my hair out etc.

Next up I add the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm - this is my secret weapon. It is instant radiance in a bottle and it sits well under make up. For the base my usual choice is the YSL Touche Eclat Foundation in shade B10. This Foundation is one of those 'my skin but better' products, it doesn't cover up your actual skin but just enhances it. It doesn't conceal all of your blemishes but it makes them less obvious and red. I love this Foundation because it is just so easy to apply and blend! I usually use the Real Techniques Buffing Brush but I must admit that recently I've been favouring the Beauty Blender (which I got just before Christmas).

 I used to opt for more of a subtle contour to add a little bronze and definition to my face but at the minute I'm loving the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in shade Pink Quartz to just pop onto  my cheeks. It adds such as gorgeous shimmer and glow to the cheeks and works really well with the YSL Foundation & Beauty Flash Balm. I apply the Shimmer Brick with the Real Techniques Blush Brush - a fairly recent purchase that I am obsessed with!

To conceal those tired eyes and correct any discoloration under my eyes, I use the Revlon Color Stay Concealer in the lightest shade. As I think I've mentioned before, Concealer never used to be my thing for this product made me really see the reason why some people can't live without it - for me it's not a huge necessity because  I don't have really bad bags under my eyes but I definitely see the benefits of it and the Concealer really does highlight and brighten the under eye area.

I then apply my Benefit Gimme Brow (which I forgot to add to the picture, ooops!) and either the Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Mascara or the Benefit They're Real Mascara depending on what mood I'm in. The Soap & Glory Mascara requires minimal effort and literally takes seconds to apply. The Benefit Mascara does take a lot more time and working but the finished result is worth the effort because it gives your lashes so much length and volume!

The last thing I do once I'm showered, dressed and ready to head out the door is to apply my Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in either the shades Candy or Petal Shimmer as they're is so pretty on the lips but isn't sticky or uncomfortable to wear.

What products do you use on a daily basis?

The 'I'm Not Wearing Any Make Up' Look

Morning guys and welcome to Blogmas Day 16!

You know them days where you want to look fairly presentable but without all the effort? I do, I know that all too well. I mean some days I really like have fun with make up and mix it up, but others I prefer to keep it minimal in the make up department. Sundays and Monday mornings are the days where I usually opt for something of this nature. The great thing about this look is that it's easy to re-create, doesn't require much effort and you can be running out the door within 10 minutes.

So my secret weapon for days like this is doing a thorough skincare routine the evening before (my evening skincare routine) and then just freshening up a bit in the morning. This will ensure your face is fresh and your eyes look bright as though you're ready to attack the day even if you aren't feeling that way! Pssst nobody will ever know!

I like to start off my make up by adding the Beauty Flash Balm to my face and then immediately applying a light coverage BB Cream. I used the Clarins BB Cream as it gives my skin a flawless finish but still looks really natural. I then add the Revlon Colorstay Concealer. Concealer isn't a product I ever used up until about a month or so but now I quite like to wear it under my eyes to cover any dark circles and brighten the eye area. Next up is Brows, which you guys know that my right hand man is the Benefit Gimme Brow, or if you haven't got that specific product you would just need any tinted Brow gel. This will just amp up your brows, give them that bit of volume, thickness and also tint them just a little bit darker. For the lashes, it's fairly simple - just grab your Mascara of choice, I like to use the Clarins Be Long Mascara.  For the lips you could either pop on a Lip Balm or a subtle Lip Gloss, I like to use the YSL Volupte Lipstick in shade 102.

Lets Talk About Fitness...

Morning guys...so today as you've probably guessed I thought I would talk to y'all about fitness. Not that I'm an expert on the subject or anything but more because it's an area I'm trying to improve in my self and as with many people - getting fit can is a constant battle that you have to work at every day to make progress.

My journey with getting fit is no way near complete, I mean is it ever? When should you ever just settle for something, if you complete one goal you tend to look to complete the next - it's all about self improvement and bettering yourself.

So first of all let's talk about the clothes - duh! Like I'd start anywhere else... So for me, gym gear is definitely a priority. When I started at the gym about 3/4 months ago (again) I just went in an oversized top with some tight bottoms and any old trainers and I'll be honest, it wasn't much fun. For me, investing in some proper attire is so much more motivating, so guess what I went and did, I got myself some sports wear. The clothing items below are a mixture of Lulu Lemon, Nike & Adidas but as you can see, Nike is the one dominating the fort. I'm a big fan of Nike and so is my boyfriend, I mean hey since taking up fitness, Kyle & I could spend hours getting lost in Nike Town on Oxford Street (the other day we did just that!). I mean, my sports wear collection is no way near complete, it gets a bit like make up, once you've got one item you just wanna get another. Although, for the time being I am pretty content with my selection of choices and hopefully it will continue to grow. I think though, from now on if I want another top or some more trainers or something, I'm gonna make myself work for it i.e. set my self a goal and once I have achieved that I will then allow my self to go Nike crazy.

Next up lets discuss the hair and face situation  - as difficult as it us for us beauty addicts to go through with, unfortunately when working out removing your make up is crucial and pretty much a necessity. Since I usually go to the gym straight from work I have to be sure to be armed with the relevant products to remove my make up and so should you! On occasions I forget but most of the time I'm pretty good. Sweating it out under a layer of foundation aint pretty, trust me and it's certainly not good for your skin. If you dare, your face is best off bare. It's not like anyone cares anyway, everyone goes to the gym/ works out for one reason - to get fit not to look like you're off on a glam night out. Also, I would totally recommend keeping your hair out of your face as much as poss. Whether it's a top knot, pony or a head band - just steer clear of getting stray hairs around your face, when you're on a Cross Trainer/Treadmill it can prove to be very irritating.

They all say 'Abs are made in the kitchen' not that my podge has anything to prove but basically what I'm saying is if you're gonna work out you need to provide your body with the nutrients to you know - do it's thing. Cramming in as much fruit and veg is crucial, getting a balance and drinking enough water is also super important.

Now my last tip would be - if you're anything like me, I get super bored really easily. I find it merely impossible to work out without some upbeat tunes to accompany me so make sure you've got a good play list set up on your Phone/Ipod. My quick fix for this is Spotify, you can get all the latest music and just add them to a playlist, it's a doddle.

My last words of wisdom (If I have any) would be to make sure you mix it up or you'll just get bored of your work out. Finding a work out buddy might motivate you as well, so try and grab yourself one of them and last of all is - challenge yourself.

I'd love to hear what you guys to do work out or how you keep yourself motivated so please do pop in comments in the section below!