My Everyday Make Up Routine

So it's been a while since you've had any content on the beauty front from me but to be honest, I think its mainly because I have found something that works for me. Last year I did a big post on my skincare routine which you can read if you click HERE. If you've read that you will know that I went through a phase where I really suffered with my skin - like I never went to the doctors but it was pretty much acne. Since then my skin has improved so so much but there wasn't really any magic formula other than the fact that my skin for sure likes something simple. Overloading on products doesn't do my skin any good and it's still not perfect now but it's a hell of a lot better than what it used to be. Thank god, gone are the days where I felt like I had to wear a super heavy foundation such as Mac Studio Fix or Estee Lauder Double everyday just to mask my skin. Don't get me wrong, some days I go all out on full coverage but not because I'm insecure - just because I want to. I have the odd days where I get spots but usually that is down to drinking alcohol or if I've not ate healthy. Anyway, I'm rambling lets get down and dirty with what I throw on my face on a day to day basis...

I always start off my make up by applying MAC concealer under my brow bone (this isn't in the photo because it looks abit messy and I thought it would ruin my picture!) and then fill my brows in with Benefit Browzings. I used both parts of this product - I know some people either just use the powder or wax but I like to use both. I then smooth them over and set them in place with mac brow gel.

Now the fun part for me is eyeshadow! I always reach for one of my Charlotte Tilbury palettes depending on how I feel that day. You guys know my favourite is Dolce Vita but I also have Golden Goddess, Vintage Vamp & Muse Dreamy. I know these eyeshadows are expensive but to be honest on a day to day basis I don't have time to put together different looks and these just work so it's fuss free and I don't even need to think because the palette tells you where to put which eyeshadow i.e. crease, all over or to smoke etc so for me it's a no brainer. I also feel these red/bronze/golden toned eyeshadows suit me best. I wear Eyeshadow every single day and couldn't be without it and I always always apply a bronzey toned shadow to my lower lash line!

Other than Eyeshadow pretty much everything else stays the same. When it comes to Mascara I'm really not fussy although my one thing is that I don't want it to flake underneath as I find a lot of Mascaras do this. At the moment my go to is the Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Lashes but I'm willing to try whatever to be honest.

For base, my ultimate go to Foundation for the past year or so now has been the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. I did a full review on it HERE. This Foundation just works for me and my skin. It gives that glow, has great coverage but even lets your natural features shine through, like freckles etc. On weekends I sometimes mix it with Mac Studio Fix but only ever a minimal amount.

I then apply the same MAC concealer that I mentioned at the beginnnig under my eyes and around my brow arch.

Next up is another of my holy grail products - the Chanel Tan De Soleil Universal Bronzer. I legit would not be without this product! Sure, it's pretty pricey but I use it every single day and one tub lasts me around a year. It's fuss free, gives you that sunkissed look and is pretty much a subtle way of contouring.

After that, the other fun part is applying Highlighter aka my favourite product ever! I feel like Highlighter just brings your whole look together and makes it pop. I did a full post on my favourite Highlighters which you can view HERE but at the moment my go-to is the Sleek Palette. I use the powder product on my cheek bone and above my eyebrow arch and then the cream product on my cupids bow and end of my nose. Basically I like to look like a glazed donut. I'm all about that glow life!

Last thing is lip products - now I literally just use the Clarins Instant Lip Perfector pretty much everyday which I'm sure you've heard me bang on about enough in previous posts but they just come in the most lovely shades, aren't sticky, hydrate your lips and smell amazing. If I'm going on a night out I either reach for a NYX Lip Lingerie or Charlotte Tilbury in the Kim Kardashian West shade.

Now I know that sounds like a tonne of products but really these days I don't feel like I go overboard with products and I like to keep a simple routine where I only change up elements on weekends. I occasionally do winged liner but not so much these days - I went through a stage of wearing it everyday, what an effort!

This make up stays on well most of the day and I never touch it up unless I'm reapplying my lip balm - I couldn't be bothered with touching it up every single day. I don't use primer and I occasionally use setting spray but to be honest that's about it for me at the moment! I still love make up and I love to buy new products but I feel I've found what works for me!

If You Had To Pick One...

Morning guys so, just lately I have seen a few post's floating around the internet about 'if you had to pick one' go-to product/brand to use and I thought I'd give it a go...

Makeup brand to use…If you had asked me this question a year or so ago I would have most definitely said Benefit, however I can now comfortably say that my go-to brand these days is without a doubt, Charlotte Tilbury. I just think she gets it spot on. The products are of fantastic quality and nothing like I've seen from any other brand. The packaging is beautiful and I always feel super luxurious wearing her products. I reckon I could put together a pretty good make up look if you threw all her products at me. 

Mascara to wear…It's got the be the Benefit Roller Lash. This is probably the first mascara I have got on with properly. In the past I have flitted from one Mascara to another because I could never find the perfect one. The Roller Lash however does exactly what I need it to without causing too much smudging - a problem I face due to having spider lashes!

Skincare item to use…So I have dabbled in Skin care but so far haven't found any products I would consider to have 'holygrail' status. For me, a product that I find really soothes my blemish prone skin is the Lush face masks, they work wonders and really do keep spots at bay. One Face Mask that I would highly recommend is Cupcake however I am currently trying out Cosmetic Warrior, which although it doesn't smell particularly appealing as it contains tea tree oil and garlic. These ingredients supposedly help to prevent spots but I will be sure to let you know the verdict! I also swear by the Nivea Soft Refreshing Moisturizing Cream. This product cost's like £1.50 and so far has performed better than any of the moisturizers I've used in the best including. 

Highstreet store to shop from…I have to admit I go through phases. At the moment I'm loving Topshop and have been buying pretty much all my clothes from there the past 5-6 months. However I do love Zara & River Island.  Zara is a bit hit and miss, as is H & M. Sometimes I will go into their stores and want everything and other times it looks like a jumble sale.

Makeup brush brand…It's got to be Real Techniques hasn't it! I think the RT brushes are very fairly priced but also fantastic quality. They do the job efficiently, as many other beauty fanatics around the world, I'm sure will agree. I do agree in that you get what you pay for especially when it comes to brushes but I'm not one for spending £40 on a make up brush! However it seems I'm perfectly happy to spend £40 on a quad eye-shadow palette, oops!

Lipstick to wear every day…So I don't wear Lipstick on a daily basis, in fact I only really wear it on weekends to be honest. My go-to every day Lip product is for sure the Clarins Instant Lip Perfector, it adds a beauty pearly flush across the Lips without the sticky tacky effect of a Lipgloss. 

Eyeshadow palette…It's only the 6 months or so that I have started to actually use Eyeshadows, I can't believe I went all this time not wearing it, I wouldn't be without it now! I have to say it's got to be the Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita Palette. This Palette is that one product can just make you feel so much better about yourself. Although there are only 4 shades in the pan you can create  looks to take you from Day to Night which I think is great!

Haircare brand to buy from…Anyone who knows me will know that hair isn't really my area of expertise so it's pretty straight forward for me, my favourite brand at the moment is Garnier - their Coconut Oil collection of Shampoo's, Conditioners and Hair Oil are my go to products at the moment. However I do really rate BedHead & Aussie as well!

Kim Kardashian's Make Up Secret: Contouring 101

Hey my lovelies so today, let's talk Contouring.

When  I think of Contouring the person who initally springs to mind is of course - Kim Kardashian. Kim has revealed this technique to be one of her top beauty secrets (not so secret anymore). Okay so if a method claims to make the face look better, more photogenic - if this is at all possible then I'm there.

Contouring is by definition 'to mould into a specific shape' or to ' mark a map or diagram'. Essentially, Contouring is mapping out your face.

You can Contour using both powder or liquid foundations, to be honest it's each to their own but I personally prefer using liquid foundation as I feel the finish is much more flawless - maybe a tad heavier amount of make up than usual but Contouring is perfect for a night out or date night etc. Powder contouring is more subtle and natural, I guess. However me and powder Highlighters just don't get along well. It doesn't sit well on the skin and can be quite drying and rather unflattering for me if I'm honest but this pretty much depends on your skin type.

If you decide to Contour your face the usual rule of thumb is to use a Powder/Foundation one/two shades darker than your natural skin tone for Contouring and a Powder/Foundation that is one shade lighter than your natural skin colour for highlighting.

The areas you need to Contour your face are where the natural shadows lie, this is usually just underneath your Cheekbones, Temples, Jaw Line & each side of your Nose. Places you usually need to Highlight are just above your Cheekbones, your Brow Bone, Forehead and down the middle of your nose. This will ensure the light falls on your face and accentuates your best features and more importantly sculpts your face just that little bit more.  Once you've mapped out your face, you need to start blending and buffing this into your face.  I know initially when you're mapping out the products on your face it all looks a little strange and you feel as though you're applying war paint - but rest assured once all the products are blended properly you will have that flawless finish.

I would recommend watching this video so you can get the gist on what the whole process looks like and the best techniques to follow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dLSy75M46o  This is a bit of a more dramatic approach but you can go as heavy or subtle as you like!

My go-to Contouring products that I usually reach for are...
1. YSL Touch Eclat Foundation in Shade B10 (their lightest shade, this is for highlighting)
2. MAC Studio Fix Fluid in Shade NC25 (for Contouring)
3. MAC Alluring Aquatic Bronzer in Refined Golden (further Contouring/Bronzing)
4. Benefit High Beam (Highlighter)

When contouring I feel it works best if you apply a primer then a light Foundation base so your skin is all one colour and then go from there. If you plan on Contouring I would also say it would be a good idea to invest in a good Foundation/Buffing Brush and a Contouring Brush - Real Techniques offer some great brushes for this at a fairly decent price and are my choice of brush!

Again, as a little disclaimer - Liquid Foundation works best for me but may not for you. I know there are some fab Contour Palettes out there both High Street & Luxury. If you're looking for a  more affordable option the Bourjois set if fab. Luxury palettes that I've heard other people rave about are the Tom Ford Shade & Illuminating Cream and the Filmstar Bronze & Glow by Charlotte Tilbury.

October Wishlist

October Wishlist by whatlaradidnext 



Hey my lovelies so another month has passed and here I have the October edition of my Beauty Wishlist. Summer is now officially done and dusted so we can now welcome Autumn/Fall with open arms ready for the colder months ahead.  I absolutely love this time of the year, as you can probably tell from my previous post.

So with October landing on our door step, the beauty counters and shops are starting to stock up on their gift sets and limited edition products which we're all desperate to get our hands on. Brands are releasing winter collections that are to die for this season and I can't wait purchase them. 

These are a couple of the items I am totally lusting after at the moment...

1. Lush Snow Fairy - I have never tried this product before and I have no idea why, the pink formula and super girly name is something I would normally have snapped up straight away. However, it wasn't until this year that I really got into this whole blogging thing and so until fairly recently I've been oblivious to this product. Rest assured though, this product will soon be in my loving arms - along with several other Lush products. Their Christmas and Halloween collections look amazing, I can't wait to go on a mini Lush spree!

2. Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium - You guys know I love YSL. I am obsessed with their make up, the Saint Laurent clothing line is to die for, yet the price tag is a little out of my reach and their scents are amazing. I have been desperate for the YSL Manifesto since forever and still haven't purchased that. I mean, I know when I love a perfume but it isn't something I'm willing to fork out for my self - I usually wait until Christmas/ my birthday for expense fragrances like this. With YSL having just released the Black Opium fragrance in the most beautiful bottle, I am super desperate to get hold of this product. I guess it's one for the Christmas list! 

3. Rimmel London - Brow This Way - I am obsessed with my Benefit Gimme Brow, it works wonders for my blonde barely there brows and preens them right into place. My only objection to Gimme Brow is that it is expensive - £17.50.  I reckon  I purchase one of these a month, so when I discovered there is a cheaper alternative on the market my eyes turned into love hearts. I reckon I'm going to purchase this at some point this month and give it a try. From previous blogger reviews, I can see in comparison to Gimme Brow that the brush is a lot bigger so may be more difficult to work with, however once it's been tried and tested by yours truly I shall give you the final verdict. 

4. Barry M Gelly  in shade Almond - I love this collection by Barry M. I am not much of an expert in the field of Nail Lacquer but I've tried numerous shades from this collection and they just work for me. Y'know? Like the finish is perfect and the colours within this collection are right up my street. I think this colour will be a great addition to my existing collection and will work well through the A/W months. 

5. Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Glastonberry - I'm fairly new to the world of Charlotte Tilbury make up. I'll be honest, I didn't take much notice of the brand until I noticed her products appearing on the bigger blogs and when Kim Kardashian got her glam from the woman her self on a recent whistle stop trip to London. However it seems Miss Tilbury has got the beauty world hooked. She's a really successful MUA herself so seems to know what she's talking about when it comes to make up products. At the moment I've got my eye on Glastonberry Matte Lipstick from her new Matte Revolution collection. I think this is the perfect winter berry shade and would actually compliment my pale complexion. The lipsticks are pretty pricey (£23) so at the moment I'm unsure as to whether this is something I will actually go ahead and purchase, again maybe this is one for the Christmas List! 

6. Clarins Beauty Flash Balm - So I'm kinda cheating here. I've actually ordered one of these now - I did this wishlist a week or so ago and since then have perused the Clarins site repeatedly until taking the plunge and doing a big order, which should hopefully arrive today so I will let you know my final thoughts once I have given everything a go and will probably do a Clarins haul shortly as well!