Everyday Makeup 4

Face: Shu Uemura UV Underbase BB Mousse in BB Beige, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light, MAC Blush in Fleur Power, Collection 2000 Lastin Perfection Concealer in shade 1, Light

Eyes: MAC Paintpot in Rubenesque, MAC Eyeshadow in Mulch, MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack, Maybelline the one by one mascara in Black.

Brows: MAC Eyeshadow in Omega

Lips: Balmi Raspberry Lipbalm

Nailed: French Gradient with Tutorial

Today I decided to do something a little bit different with my nails. I like the classic french manicure but I sometimes think it can look a little bit too prefect, and I know a lot of people think it can look tacky (though personally I like it!). This look is softer and is inherently easier than doing your own french manicure as well!

The steps are really very easy, but I'll go through them anyway. You're going to need a nude nail polish, I used Maybelline Everstrong in Ivory Rose (£4.09, here), a base coat, I used Save the Nail Repair and Rescue Base coat as my nails are quite weak (£7.50, here), a french white polish, I'm using Collection 2000 French Manicure in French White (£2.99, availbile from Boots and Superdrug, but irritatingly not online) and a topcoat. I'm using Seche Vite Dry Fast Topcoat (£10.50, here), a nail file and/or buffer, a makeup sponge and some sort of non-porus surface, I just use old packaging.

The first step is to prep your nails. File them into a shape you like, and then I always use a nail buffer to give a smoother finish, but you could skip this. Apply your base coat.

 Apply your nude polish, using enough coats for it to be opaque, though if your nail line shows it doesn't matter too much.

Once that is completely dry, you need to pour out a little bit of your nude polish onto the plastic. Dip the edge of your sponge into it and then dab it off on a clean part of the plastic. If the sponge is too wet you wont get a nice gradient, just a harsh white patch, so this bit is important! Start to stipple the sponge onto the tips of your nails. concentrate on getting a subtle wash of colour at this stage, and dont worry if your tips aren't completely white yet. Once you have done this on all 10 fingers, you can go back and use the sponge just on the very ends of your nails to make the tips fully white. Apply your topcoat and you're good to go!

Using a matte topcoat can make the gradient even more fuzzy and soft looking, it's a really pretty effect.

Maybelline SuperStay 10h Tint Gloss Review

To forewarn; this is a scheduled post written a few weeks ago as I am currently teaching in Uganda. You can read about that adventure here

A few weeks ago I saw a video by FleurDeForce raving about the YSL Glossy Stains. I was really intrigued and desperately wanted to buy one several. However, being a student broke, I couldn't afford to drop £22.50 on one lip product. Then I saw an advert for Maybelline Tint Gloss, and a lightbulb went off in my head. I don't think their similarity is a coincidence!!

I have the shade Lasting Pink, which looks like a bright fuschia pink in the tube, but comes off more red on the lips.

The applicator for this gloss is really interesting and well designed, it is a loop rather than the standard doe-foot applicator, which pulls more product out of the tube, and distributes it more easily than a doe-foot too. More gloss wands like this please!!

When I applied this, I took Fleurs application tips into account, despite that fact this is a different product. I applied one coat which I buffed into my lips, and then another to give a glossy, even finish. I have included a lip swatch because the colour is quite different on the lips than on my arm, though my mouth looks like it belongs to an 80 year old lady in all the pictures, so please ignore that!! (and the two dark spots are lip freckles, they're wierd, I know.)

This lasted a fair few hours, and was not at all drying like a lot of lip stains are. I don't think it really lives up to its claim of being bright and glossy for ten whole hours, but it lasted a lot longer than a regular gloss. And at just £6.99 (here) I think I can live with needing to touch up.

I originally swatched this on my arm, planning to see if it remained after 10 hours. The problem is, I only decided to do this at about 9pm, so there was quite a high risk of me being asleep at the 10 hour mark, and of my getting bright pink stain on my bedding. Needless to say I removed it well before the 10 hours were up. Check out the swatch anyway though, as the colour is quite different to on the lips. Something to bear in mind when purchasing!

The bottom line? Totally reccomend. Great for summer!

Nailed: Lilac Charm

Today is a scheduled post as I'm currently living it up in Uganda! This is a polish I bought a few weeks ago now, but that I have only just gotten around to wearing. It's a strongly cool toned lilac colour, it reminds me of parma violet sweets that I used to buy as a kid. In this photo it looks like its very sheer, but in real life my nail line was nowhere near as visible, 2 coats was fine for everyday wear, 3 would have made it perfect.

This polish is from the Maybelline Forever Strong line (£4.09, here) application and removal were without problems.

Some New Things...

My aforementioned shopping extravaganza did not end with Primark hair accessories, so I thought I'd share.

Sunglasses. I used to have absolutely loads of pairs of sunglasses, and then I went to Tanzania, and then I went to Uganda. The kids there are compleely obsessed with them, so I came back from Tanzania with none of the sunnies that I'd taken with me, but still some left at home. When my trip to Uganda came around the following summer, I took all of my remaining pairs (six in total!) and I came back with only one pair. (see evidence of adorable sunglasses theives below). So, having learned my lesson, I decided tostart stocking up on cheap sunnies from Primark. These were only £2 each and offer full UV protection, which is important. The super pretty Cath Kidston-esque sunglasses case was only £1.50 too!



The two Maybelline Forever Strong nail polishes were impulse buys really, but I really love the colours. they are Ivory Rose and Lilac charm.

Lastly I got a new foundation from Bobbi Brown (review coming soon!). It's a different forula to the one I used to use, and is supposed to be long wearing and is oil free. We shall see!

Everyday Makeup 2

It was really grey and gloomy when I took this photo so please excuse the hideous lighting!

Face: YSL Perfect Touch Radiant Brush Foundation in shade 1 (£34, here), Collection 2000 Lasting Perfecting Concealer in shade 1 (£4.19, here),  MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Fondation in shade NC15 (£19.50, here) MAC Cremeblend Blush in Ladyblush (£17.50, here), MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapde from the Reel Sexy collection (£21.50, here) Benefit Box Powder in Dallas (£23.50, here)

Eyes: MAC Paintpot in Morning Frost from the Glitter and Ice collection (no longer availible), MAC Eyeshadow in Satin Taupe (£12, here), MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack (£14, here), Maybelline The One-By-One Volum' Express Mascara in Black (£8.49, here)

Lips: Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick in shade 19 (£5.49, here)

Nailed; Ivory Rose

I think I've found my perfect nude polish! I first saw this on Makeup Savvy and as soon as I saw it I knew I had to have it! I got it in Superdrug where I took advantage of their current 3 for 2 on all cosmetics offer.

It's from the Maybelline Forever Strong line and I absolutely love it. It's much more peachy than my other nude polish, which is from the same line but is the shade Rose Poudre. I think this is a great nude for fair skin as it doesn't make your hands look 'dead' or make them look red, which can happen with some nudes. I think it would look nice with a glitter topcoat too, if you wanted to liven it up a bit.