Current Base Favourites

I like to have a few options when it comes to bases, as my skin changes from day to day. At the moment I have extremely oily patches with extremely dry patches, not the easiest skin type to match to a foundation. These past couple of weeks I've been pairing the YSL Fusion Ink Foundation with the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer and they have become a match made in heaven. 

On those days when I'm rushing out the door, I always reach for the NARS concealer, apply it to my blemishes and redness and I'm done. The shade Chantilly matches my winter skin tone so well it blends like a dream and eliminates further need for coverage. The formula is creamy (hence the name) and doesn't feel too heavy, especially under the eyes. You can get a little carried away though so I always make sure I apply it little by little so it doesn't end up looking cakey. 

On the days when I have a little more time to prepare my face, I like to have a bit more coverage just to get that flawless looking skin. When I first got a sample of the YSL Fusion Foundation I did worry how it would hold up on the drier areas of my skin. The finish is a semi-matte/satin finish so I was a little wary of it clinging to any dry patches. However, I've been very impressed at how well it evens everything out, it works just as well on my oily t-zone as it does on my dry cheeks and nose. 

The two together make the perfect team and give me the exact coverage and finish that I want out of my base. I honestly don't know what I'd do without them. 

Have you found the perfect match between concealer and foundation yet? Do you sometimes use your concealer on its own like I do?

October Favourites

October is over and we have stepped into my birthday month, yey! There hasn't been all that much going on over October, mostly working and making awesome Halloween videos for you all (you're welcome ;D). Nearing the end of the month I did manage to land a 3 month internship starting at the end of November, so from now until then, I'm going to be a blog photography machine and get all my posts done and scheduled ready for that time. 

I also went ahead and treated myself to a shiny new Sony A5000 compact camera for vlogging. I'm planning on doing Vlogmas this year (weekly vlogs, not daily ones) and I wanted a good quality compact that could shoot in 1080p. I've done a test vlog, you can watch it here, and I have to say I'm very impressed with the quality. It's a little on the heavy side but you can change the lenses, which as a film graduate is very exciting to me. There's loads of features as it's pretty much a small SLR, which makes it perfect if you're looking for a camera for blogging. 

Other than my shiny new camera there's also been a few makeup bits I've been loving. I finally went and purchased the full size of the YSL Fusion Ink foundation after my sample ran out. I wont blab on about this too much as I've already done a full review raving my backside off about this. It is a beautiful foundation though and if you haven't tried it I would suggest picking up a sample. 

Another new item in the makeup bag is the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet lip lacquer in Nude-ist! I picked this up when it was on offer and I didn't know what to expect of it. I was very surprised when I applied it and fell in love with the formula. It glides on, lasts for hours and the pigmentation is amazing, I'll definitely be getting more shades in these. 

Then there are some old favourites, the Seventeen Doll'd Up mascara and the Barry M Liquid Eyeliner. The Doll'd Up mascara is one I always go back to as it's super cheap but gives amazing separation and length. I love the size of the wand as it fits my tiny eyes perfectly, so there's limited eyelid smudges. The Barry M Liquid Eyeliner seems to be lasting me forever and I always keep it in my makeup bag for when my eyeliner pens run out. The brush is easy to use and it doesn't smudge, plus it lasts all day and is super pigmented. 

Finally, there's stripes. I'm obsessed with stripes at the moment and I have so many striped pieces on my 'to buy' list you could be forgiven in thinking I was an old fashioned sailor. There's something so flattering about horizontal stripes on a baggy shirt or dress that I just love. With being extremely un-body confident, if that's even a word, I love anything that will help me to look a little slimmer and more stylish. 

Let me know in the comments what you've been loving this October and if anything particularly exciting has happened that you just want to tell the world about! 

YSL Fusion Ink Foundation Review

The YSL Fusion Ink foundation was released over the summer and I was right there, front and centre to get my hand on a little sample. Since then I've been scraping away at that little plastic bottle, trying to get every last drop. 

I've never been one to splash out on foundations but this was one I knew I needed in my collection at all times, despite the hefty £30.50 price tag. Not only is the packaging beautiful to look at, but it's a nice size and weight, not too bulky and easy to hold. 

It doesn't come with a pump, instead it comes with a little spatula, similar to that given to you with the sample but much, much bigger. Some people will really hate the spatula application but I love it! I always find that I can never get the right amount when I use a pump, it's either too much or not enough. Then when they don't have a pump you always get too much or you slip and it goes everywhere. The little spatula allows me to apply just the right amount, however it could be argued that it isn't the most hygienic method of application. 

The finish is a satin finish, it's not completely matte but also isn't a glowy foundation. It adds a sense of luminosity without being too shiny and is thin enough to let your natural skin shine through. It melts away as you blend it out and feels a lot like water on the skin without being overly runny. It also gives amazing coverage (light/medium), manages to cover all of my discolouration and blemishes and lasts all day.

I can rave about this product until the cows come home, but at the end of the day it all comes down to what your skin likes. I've known a fair amount of people who, like me, are completely in love with this product, but I also know people who didn't get on with it. I have combination/oily skin, my dry patches are very dry and my oily areas are very oily and this product seems to balance them out perfectly. For me, this is definitely one of my holy grail foundations (high praise indeed!).

Have you tried the YSL Fusion Ink foundation? What are your thoughts on it? Love it or hate it?

You can see the YSL Fusion Ink in action, in my GRWM: Work Makeup video or you can purchase it right here (UK) or here (US)

August Favourites

You may or may not have noticed a brand new widget on my sidebar, I've added a little slideshow so that you guys can see my monthly favourites all month round!

This month I have a varied collection of favourites ranging from beauty to music. A lot of the makeup I've been loving this month is the same as last month, so instead I thought I'd make this a bit more random. 

This month I've been testing out the new foundation from YSL, the Fusion Ink foundation. I wasn't expecting to love this satin finish foundation as much as I do. Not only does it blend like a dream but it gives you a flawless finish and lasts all day! This has quickly become my favourite foundation for my oilier summer skin. 

Next I have a few skincare items that have been keeping my skin in top condition. The first is the Origins Gin Zing Eye Cream, something that I have an on-and-off again relationship with. I've been feeling very tired lately and this little guy has been helping me wake up my baggy eyes in the morning. It makes my eyes feel fresh and takes away that heavy under eye feeling. Then we have the Lush Grease Lightning Spot Treatment. My face really hated me this month and I had a lot of breakouts. Applying this at night helped take the redness away from angry spots and with constant use, it helped erase all traces of horrible blemishes. 

Another skincare product I've been loving is a small jar of the Lavender Face and Body Moisturiser from Primer Spa Shop. I got this in my goodie bag from the Manchester Bloggers Meet, I was a little worried about the inclusion of lavender as my skin has had reactions to it in the past. However I need not have worried, it is actually amazing at making my skin look plumped and healthy and I've had no reactions what so ever.  

A bit of a strange favourite to include but it needed to be in here, the Sure Compressed Deodorant. We've had a fairly warm summer so I've been on the hunt to find a deodorant to keep me dry as well as smelling fresh. The Sure Linen Dry has really helped keep me dry all day, especially when I've been running around in work. 

Finally, my two random favourites. The Troye Sivan EP TRYXE, an awesome electro pop album with some genuinely amazing tracks on to chill you out and the Complete Fairy Tales by The Brothers Grimm. Like I say in my video, this is not a fairy tale book for children, there's a lot of violence and there's a few bits that are laugh out loud ridiculous. 

What products have you been loving during August? Any music, books or beauty products you want to recommend? 

Worth The Splurge

We all fall prey to hype and new shiny products, but sometimes they can fall a bit flat of what we expect. I like to read every written review and watch every video about a product before I buy it, just to make sure I know the negatives as well as the positives. I've therefore been pretty lucky when it comes to buying higher end products.

I had to think long and hard about the products I wanted to feature in this post. I wanted to include products that, when I was first starting to get into beauty, really wanted to know the truth about. 

MAC Eye shadows

When you first start to get into the world of beauty and cosmetics, the first brand you hear about is MAC. MAC isn't as expensive as most higher end cosmetics companies, but they still cost more than a £7.99 eye shadow quad from Boots. The fact of the matter is that MAC eye shadows are simply the best of the best. The pigmentation is amazing, they come both in pots and as pans for empty palettes, which is extremely handy, and they are long wearing. At £12.50 for the potted shadows and £10 for the pans, they are definitely worth paying a little bit extra for.

Urban Decay Naked Palette

One of the most hyped up products in the beauty world. With the new Naked 3 palette recently released, I think it's important to point out that these palettes are 100% worth the splurge. The pigmentation is amazing and all the shades can be worked together, giving you endless amounts of options. I've featured the original Naked palette because it is the one that I prefer for my skin tone. This is the warmer toned palette, but if you find cool tones suit you better, then the Naked 2 is for you.

MAC 217 Blending Brush

If you don't like to spend an exuberant amount on your brushes, you may be forgiven for avoiding MAC brushes. I myself don't own a great deal of them, but the 217 is a brush that belongs in every brush collection. Its super soft natural hair is the perfect brush for blending out your eye shadow, it makes blending feel effortless and gives amazing results every time. 

YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Lipstick

Despite it being the most gorgeous packaging ever created, the actual product is a dry lipped girls dream. These lipsticks are so creamy and the most comfortable lipstick to wear. The pigmentation is amazing and makes you feel like your living in the lap of luxury. Yes, they are extremely pricey for what they are, but if you are like me and find lipsticks usually uncomfortable to wear, then these are perfect. 

Clarins Blush Prodige Illuminating Cheek Colour

I'm not a big lover of blush; my blush collection is probably the smallest out of all my products. So when it comes to splashing out on blush I usually hold back, I've found such amazing blushes in the drugstore that I didn't feel I needed to spend more. But then I found this blush, the packaging drew me in at first but then I fell in love with the finish. This isn't powdery at all and goes on so smoothly and evenly, with uneven and freckled skin, I find that blushes can look very patchy on me. This can also be used in a multitude of different ways due to its mosaic design. 

So what products in your collection do you feel are worth splashing that bit of extra cash for?

Crazy About Lipstick

Hello there! Well I was very kindly tagged by my friend Jess over at The Mod Mermaid to do the Crazy About Lipstick TAG! I feel like I've not done a proper chatty, answer some questions post for forever and during the Autumn/Winter months I do tend to go a bit lip product crazy. So let's answer some questions!

1. How many lipsticks do you own?

I wasn't a big lipstick lover at first so I've only been collecting lipsticks for a short amount of time, resulting in a relatively small (ish) collection. One second whilst I count... 18 lipsticks not including glosses, stains and balms. 

2. What was your first lipstick?

I honestly can't remember but I'm pretty sure I've chucked it out by now. My oldest lipstick in my collection at the moment is my Rimmel lipstick in 220 Retro. 

3. What is your most worn lipstick?

It's probably my YSL Rouge Volupte Shine lipstick in Coral Intuitive. It is just so comfy to wear that it's my "go to" for day time. 

4. What is your favourite brand of lipstick?

I am majorly in love with the YSL lipsticks, just not the price of them. I do love my Rimmel lipsticks though. I always end up heading to the Rimmel stand when looking for lipsticks, they are so affordable and don't dry out my already Sahara dessert lips.

5. What is your favourite finish?

If we are talking MAC then it would be the cremesheen finish, they are non drying and comfy to wear. I'm not a big lover of a matte finish. 

6. What is the last lip product you bought?

I actually went out the other day and bought the Rimmel Kate Matte lipstick in 107 because I saw Zoella wearing it in a video. It is a matte finish which I don't love, but the colour is so gorgeous and wintery I couldn't resist. 

7. How many lip products (everything) do you currently have in your handbag?

None. I don't like keeping lip products in my handbag because I lose them. I'm also so super duper lazy that I can't be bothered going handbag fishing for them when I need them. I do tend to keep a lip balm in the pocket of each jacket/coat, easily accessible if they are in a coat pocket. 

8. What lip product do you use to rock a red lip? 

If I want a retro red lip I reach for my Rimmel 170 Alarm lipstick. It's more of a blue tone which looks better on me. I do love a good dark red lip though, for that I usually go for MAC Hang-Up.

9. How do you store your lipstick?

I have mine in a very handy acrylic lipstick storage thingy that I got off Amazon, pretty standard really. 

10. What lip products are you currently lusting after?

I'd love to get more YSL lipsticks in darker shades, but there are also about 1 million MAC lipsticks I want. 

So that is it for my TAG! I'm not going to TAG anyone specifically but if you would like to have a bash, you are more than welcome to say I tagged you!

Top Fall Collection 2013 Picks

With all the new Fall/Autumn 2013 collections being released or at least announced, I thought I should share with you all my top 6 (It was originally supposed to be 5 but I couldn't choose) products from the new collections. I have to say after having a good hard look at the shiny packaging and vampy red hues, the YSL and Urban Decay collections are by far my favourite. 

1. YSL Blush Radiance No.9

This peachy toned blush looks so gorgeous, I love a warmer peach toned blush in the winter and this one looks divine. I've never tried any YSL blushes before but I would love this to be my first. YSL Fall Collection is available August 2013.

2. OCC Lip Tar in Black Metal Dahlia

As soon as I spotted this shade I was in love. The rich blackened red tone is soooo vampy and perfect for Fall. I don't think I could wear this day to day (Don't get me wrong, I'd give it a good go) but as a night time lip colour it is perfect. Available on Sephora.com from August 27th and from OCCMakeup.com from September 6th 2013.

3. Urban Decay Revolution Lipsticks

Is this cheating because it's technically more than one product? Ahh well never mind. Urban Decay have really impressed me with their Fall collection, the packaging in particular is stunning. These lipsticks come in a massive array of shades, all perfectly wearable. They have such a creamy look and are apparently just as pigmented as one would expect. Available right now online at Sephora.com and Debenhams.co.uk!

4. Smashbox Fade To Black Eye Shadow Palette in Fade In

Out of the two Fade To Black palettes, the Fade In palette attracts me more. I think it's my love of dark sultry shadows that attracted me to it. It looks like a palette I would use regularly to create a really vampy smokey eye, my preferred look when heading out for the night. Available the end of August 2013.

5. Tom Ford Lipstick in Bruised Plum

I know I'm not the only one who walks past the Tom Ford makeup stands with a longing look in their eye. Tom Ford cosmetics are notoriously expensive, but I may just treat myself to this plum red lipstick. It's perfect for this years Fall vamp & punk trends. This shade has been available in the past, but it's packaging has had a tiny makeover to fit it in with the 2013 Fall collection. Available from September 2013. 

6. YSL City Drive Palette in Classy
Another pick from the YSL collection (I said I loved it). Out of the two available palettes, Classy contains the more wearable shades. A really nice neutral palette, this holds all my go to shades, the shades I reach for for an everyday look. The packaging (Like all YSL packaging) is gorgeous, a gold square case with large gold 'Yves Saint Laurent' font on the lid. Available August 2013.

What are your top picks from the recently announced Fall 2013 collections?

August Lust List

2 posts in 1 day! Wahhh! Well the last post of my Decorating Diaries was supposed to go up days and days ago and it never did. And so my friends I am back again this fine evening. I've bought a fair few goodies this month (Ooops!) but there is always more on my shopping list!

1. YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Corail Incandescent

Oh YSL, why you make lipsticks so beautiful yet so expensive. I already have one of these beauties in Coral Intuitive but the Corail Incandescent is such a gorgeous shade, it would be rude not to add it to my collection.

2. Granny's Attic Makeup Bag 

My clear makeup bag from boots has been driving me insane lately as it keeps falling over on my desk. I really want to get one that stands up firmly and doesn't throw my makeup everywhere. I spotted this makeup bag by Disaster Designs and fell in love. I love the vintage design and it's just the size and shape I need! 

3. Origins Make A Difference + 

The Origins Make A Difference moisturiser has been on my list for a very long time. I got a sample months ago, but when I went in to the store to buy it, I couldn't find it anywhere! They've recently changed the old Make A Difference to Make A Difference + so I'll have to get a new sample to test it out. I'm not sure whether to go for the moisturiser or the treatment so I'll have to have a test first. 

4. Urban Decay Setting Spray 

Since going back to work I've noticed my foundation looking really cakey at the end of the day. I wouldn't mind trying one of the Urban Decay setting sprays to see if it helps but if you know of any better solutions for my cakey problem, let me know.

5. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder 

Anastasia Brow Powder is a name I hear/read a lot about and have never tried! It's a bit hard to get hold of here in the UK, but it is possible. I'm in the market for a new brow powder set so I've got my eye on this little gem. 

6. MAC Paint Pots 

MAC Paint Pots, which ones Cat? I hear you ask, all of them is my reply. There are so many paint pots I want I'm not even going to list them. But if you absolutely need to know, the Rubenesque shade is my no.1.

7. Smashbox Primer  

I'm starting to run out of my beloved Seventeen Photo Flawless Primer so I need another gel type primer and this is always raved about. It's a wee bit more expensive than the Seventeen primer, but if it's worth it, why not eh?

Have you tried any of my lusted after products? Got any recommendations for me?

Getting Lippy For Summer

Well I don't know about where you guys are, but here in the good old UK it is scorchio! Summer seems to be finally kicking in and things are hotting up! How long it will last, no one really knows. But whilst the sun is shining I thought I share a few of my favourite lipsticks and lip glosses for these summer days.

YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in Coral Intuitive

Perfect everyday colour and perfect if you can't wear a bright lip in work or school. This is a very sheer peach shade which smells just like peaches! It's also lovely and moisturising, a pleasure to wear on those super hot days. 

Revlon Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya

This one is extremely sheer but gives you just a hint of colour. It's orangey coral is perfect for summer and again is super comfortable to wear. 

L'Oreal Caresse in Rose Mademoiselle

  Again another sheer lipstick only this one is more on the pinky side. This is a cool tone pink that will look good on all skin tones. I think it's important to have at least one everyday pink shade per season right? 

MAC Lipstick in Impassioned

Now were moving on up to the brights! When I'm not in work I do like a bright lip. This has to be one of my all time favourite MAC lipsticks, a very bright fuchsia pink in the Amplified finish. Super bright and super fun!

Rimmel Apocolips/Show Off Lip Lacquer in Stellar

I don't know if this shade has the same name over in the US, but this is bright reddy pink. I love these lip lacquers, there a cross between lip gloss and lipstick and give amazing colour payoff! Really comfortable to wear and great for a summer night out. 

Nars Lip Gloss in Belize

One of my all time favourite lip products. Nars lip glosses are my favourite glosses and this is a all year round staple for me. A neutral beige gloss that is super easy to wear and gives you lovely looking lips with ease. 

What are your must have lip products for summer? 

YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Review

The moment I saw these lipsticks I fell in love. The packaging is extremely expensive looking and I will go as far as to say they are the best looking lipsticks ever created…ever!

The different versions of the Rouge Volupte range are all in either silver or gold bullets. The one I will be reviewing is the Rouge Volupte Shine, which comes in a very classic yellow gold. 

One of the things I love the most about this packaging is that on the bullet, there is a coloured band. This band is the same colour as the lipstick inside and so makes it super duper easy to find the right colour you happen to be looking for. 

 Pictured Above: Coral Intuitive, 15

It also has the YSL detail overlaying the band of colour. This gives it a more classic and sophisticated look.

The lipstick itself also does not disappoint. It has a creamy smooth texture and is a pleasure to wear on the lips. The shine versions are quite sheer but still are opaque enough to let the colour pop. I love the more neutral pinks and corals as everyday lipsticks, they are subtle and comfy enough for work but still give you that feeling of glamour.

The texture of the lipsticks are very similar to the Revlon lip butters, only these don’t bleed like the lip butters, and are slightly more moisturising.

Overall I would say if you are an avid collector of cosmetics, these Rouge Volupte lipsticks are a must have in your collection. The bullet can be kept as a collectors item and the lipstick definitely feels high-end when applied. If you are just looking for a good lipstick, these are ok but there are equally as good products out there for a lot less. At £24 a go these are definitely a ‘treat yourself’ product.