What's in my make up bag? [10-Minute Face Edition]

Hello!

I've not posted a 'what's in my make up bag?' post for a while; partly because I've not posted anything for a while and partly because I've not been organised enough to have a make up bag. I've just been reaching for the same few products over and over again but this week I've decided to give myself a few more options in the mornings. 

Lip products are one of my biggest weaknesses; I have lots of beautiful shades but find myself sticking to the same safe neutrals on a daily basis. With that in mind I've given myself three different colours this week. A bright berry pink in the form of Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush, a glossy orange YSL Glossy Stain in #6 and a neutral pink Rimmel by Kate Moss lipstick in 19. The two stains are firm favourites of mine; they're both easy to apply quickly and last amazingly well throughout the day. The Rimmel lipstick is quite new but I've been enjoying using it over the past little while so it's my neutral of choice this week; expect to see a blog post on a couple of the Kate Moss lipsticks very soon. I've also put an EOS lip balm in Tangerine in there.

I like to keep eye make up to a minimum when I'm in a rush; I can easily spend twenty minutes messing around with several different shades and liners if I have the time. I'm going to try using YSL Shocking mascara this week and I'm a tiny bit worried about it smudging, if I'm honest. If I do fancy wearing a lid colour I'll use my NARS Smudgeproof Shadow Base underneath either LUSH's Sophisticated cream eye shadow or MAC's Pro Longwear shadow in Sweet Satisfaction. I have the Lancome Le Crayon Sourcils in 030 Brun and a brow gel (not included in the photo because it looks disgusting!) for my brows. 

The most important part of my make up routine involves these four products. I've been skipping a primer recently but I've yet to use my repurchased Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro primer so I've added it to my make up bag this week. My foundation of choice is the L'Oreal True Match (I wish I could tell you which shade I have but I can't find it on the packaging anywhere). It's so quick and easy to apply; I use my fingers. For concealer I have the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer in Medium 3 for any blemishes or discolouration and Rimmel's Wake Me Up concealer for underneath my eyes. Drugstore base products are definitely growing on me, it seems!

I won three powder products in a Famous giveaway hosted by Cherry a while back and whilst I've used the No Shine Face Powder in The One and Only regularly, I've only used the Shining Star Shimmer Brick in Rihanna Shimmer and the First Date Blush in Scarlett a couple of times. The shimmer brick doubles as an eyeshadow palette and the blush is a gorgeous dark rose shade. I've thrown in a Dior blush in Peachy Keen because it's one of my favourite winter blushes. 

So, there you have it.

What's in your make up bag right now? If you've posted something similar, leave me a link in the comments.

Stace xx

Lancome Le Crayon Sourcils

Until quite recently I was terrified of brow pencils. I was more than happy with my Smashbox Brow Tech powder because it was so easy to achieve a softly defined brow with that product. I always thought pencilled in brows looked really obvious and considering mine are already so dark, I was afraid they'd look harsh if I used a pencil.

I lost my favourite brow brush so my Brow Tech was out of action for a while. I lasted about a week before breaking down and heading out to buy something for my brows. I'd heard some good things about the Lancome Le Crayon Sourcils so I went to a counter to try it out. When the assistant used it on my brows I was surprised at how soft they looked so I picked up a pencil in the shade 030 Brun.

The shade is pretty much perfect for my dark brown brows; it's quite ashy which I appreciate. My favourite thing about the Lancome pencil is how easy it is to use. I use it really lightly but can apply more pressure if I want a bit more definition. Unless I press really hard they never look overdone. I like the little spoolie on the end too, it's handy.

I think I'm going to have this pencil forever because despite two months of constant use I've still not had to sharpen it! It is priced at £16.00 which I think is reasonable. If you've been considering this pencil I'd say it's worth it.

What's your favourite brow product?

Stace xx

September Favourites - Make Up

I've not posted a monthly favourites for a really long time but this month I didn't rotate the products I was using as much as I usually do so I have some definite favourites. 

YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat 

I held off on purchasing this for a while because I didn't need a new foundation but when my Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua ran out I decided to pick this up and I'm so glad I did. The coverage is a lot better than I had expected after reading the initial reviews and I love the way it makes my skin look. This is definitely not something for a fan of heavy coverage but it is a gorgeous foundation for anyone looking for a light, buildable base. I have it in the shade B50 which is just a tiny bit too light for me right now.

YSL Glossy Stain #6

I've had this product since May; I went to the counter and demanded a lipstick to cheer me up and this is what I came home with. And it does cheer me up. It's up there in my all-time favourite lip products because I just love wearing it. If you've not tried a Glossy Stain yet (why not?!) they're mango-scented glosses which leave a stain behind on the lips once the gloss has worn off. I like to apply a couple of layers of this gorgeous orange shade because I like the deeper colour pay off I get and find it stays glossy for longer too. I've been reaching for it even more than usual this month.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush

Lip products with 'stain' in their name seem to be doing it for me just now because the other lip product I've been wearing a lot this month is this one. The colour isn't something I'd typically go for; it's a deep pink shade which can be applied lightly or more heavily depending on how dark I want it to look. It makes a nice change from the reds, oranges and nudes I usually prefer. The staying power of these balm stains is incredible and they don't feel uncomfortable or drying at all. 

NARS Blush in Madly

This has been my blush of choice for months now. I know it doesn't look like much in the pan but on the cheeks it gives just enough colour to give you a healthy glow. It has a matte/satin finish so it doesn't provide the same sheen that you'd get from something like Luster (another hot favourite of mine) but I think that works better on my slightly oily skin. Since it's not a really in-your-face blush shade it's so easy to apply in a hurry. 

Lancome Le Crayon Sourcils in 030 Brun

Okay, so I lost my favourite brow brush back in August and had been using a different one with my usual brow powder of choice but it just wasn't the same so I decided to try a pencil. I'd heard some good things about the Lancome one and picked it up at the beginning of September. It's a good colour for me and I've been enjoying using it. It's easy to subtly fill in my brows with, which I like. I found my brow brush last weekend (in a suitcase!) but I've not felt inclined to go back to using my brow powder so I think I've been converted!

What were your favourite products this month? If you have a post, link it in the comments!

Stace xx

May Empties

Hello!

I'm getting much better at holding on to the products I use up over the month; I've started keeping a bag on the back of our bedroom door and just putting empty products in there when I'm done. I got through a decent amount of stuff this month although most of these products were things that were already partly used before this month - I didn't go through three full hand sanitizers in four weeks!

Make Up For Ever HD Primer

This was just okay - I won't be repurchasing as I've tried better primers.

NARS Sheer Glow in Santa Fe

I'm glad I used this up as it's much too light for me now! I actually wore it for the last time on the flight. I'll probably pick up another bottle of Sheer Glow at some point but for now I have several other foundations on the go.

Lancome Hypnose Drama sample

I liked this but the wand is an odd shape that I find a little difficult to work with and it's so heavily scented which is off-putting too. I'm unsure if I'll buy the full size.

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Compact in B30 sample

I only really used this to review it and I don't imagine I'll ever be spending £39 on the full size.

Clinique Super Balm in Root Beer mini

I've got several of these minis and they're so handy for handbags. They're really moisturising and I think they're pretty underrated in the online beauty community. This shade was my favourite; it's a nude-brown colour but it's pretty sheer on the lips.

17 Mirror Shine in Beehive

This was another of the products in my little lipstick challenge so I've managed to use up two of the five now. I liked this product but I'm not a fan of the packaging/scent so I don't think I'll be hunting down another.

L'Oreal Telescopic in Black

This was a nice mascara which gave me a serious amount of length but I find it to be a bit too clumpy for me so I'm not sure if I'll buy another. I think L'Oreal mascaras seem so expensive for what they are too.

Boots Nail Polish Remover

This is hands down my favourite nail polish remover and it helps that it's super cheap! I've tried others and I keep going back to this one.

3 Bath & Body Works Hand Sanitizers

These are such handy little products - there's usually one in my handbag. I wish we could get Bath & Body Works here in the UK; my bank balance is probably glad there isn't, though.

Seche Vite Top Coat

This is just too gloopy to use now. I hate when that happens because one day it's perfectly usable and then overnight it becomes stringy and thick and a pain in the behind. Gaaah!

No7 Quick Thinking Face Wipes

There will usually be a pack of these in my empties posts because they're my favourite face wipes and I always stock up on them when there are some No7 £5 off vouchers going around. 

The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion

I can't rave enough about this face scrub! This is probably the sixth or seventh tube I've owned. I started using it about four years ago and I just keep going back to it. I've done a full review of this if you're interested in checking it out.

Boots Cucumber Eye Make Up Remover Gel

This is a cheap and cheerful eye make up remover which feels lovely and soothing. It's not the best if you wear a lot of eye make up or stubborn waterproof mascaras.

Clinique All About Eyes sample

I've been really impressed with the two All About Eyes samples I've tried. I was using the rich version at night and this during the day but since I used up the rich I was using this both day and night. I think if I do repurchase I'll probably go for the rich formula as I've already found a cheaper daytime eye cream that I like and I think I need the thicker formula at night.

Clinique Rinse Off Foaming Cleanser sample

Don't get this in your eyes! It stings so badly. Other than that, this is a pretty nice cleanser which left my skin feeling squeaky clean. I used this every other day to remove my make up.

SKII Skin Signature sample

I got this in the Harrods Glossybox and I have to say it's one the best products I've received in those boxes. It left my skin feeling nicely hydrated without any greasiness. This stuff is way out of my price range right now, sadly!

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Daily Moisturiser sample

I used this as a night cream and it's nice for that. It is very thick though.

Clarins Extra-Comfort Toning Lotion sample

This toner is so strange - it feels like something between a gel and a liquid. I just used it because I'm out of toner but I don't think I'll be buying the full size any time soon.

Clarins Hydra-Matte Lotion sample

I used this on days when I was feeling a bit oily and it was okay in my t-zone but not moisturising enough on the rest of my face. If you have oily skin this could be a nice daytime moisturiser in the summer.

Caudalie SOS Thirst Quenching Serum sample

This was another Glossybox sample and it's just okay. I've used the moisturiser from this range and loved it so I was a bit disappointed that I didn't like this. It just made my skin produce too much oil so I could only use it at night. It's very runny so I think I ended up wasting quite a bit of it. The tube was only about 20% full anyway!

Soap & Glory Pulp Friction Scrub

This was a repurchase for me - it's a great scrub and I like that it's foaming as it meant I used a lot less.

Garnier Body Tonic Sugar Scrub

This is my favourite scrub - it leaves my skin feeling and looking so much better than any other scrub ever has. I've got another tube waiting in the wings!

Superdrug Dry Shampoo

My favourite dry shampoo is from Tresemme but I only buy it when it's on offer because I go through it so quickly. This was a stand in product but it worked pretty well and I will probably buy it again if I needed to. It's much nicer than Batiste which leaves my hair looking white and feeling clumpy.

Ayuuri Natural Coconut Body Wash

This was in the last Glossybox I received and it's okay - it's very moisturising which I appreciate. I wasn't a big fan of the coconut scent, though.

The Body Shop Fuzzy Peach Shower Gel

This stuff is a no-brainer - I love the scent!

Nip & Fab Dry Leg Fix

I bought this from Buyapowa a long time ago and wasn't overly impressed. It's just alright and I probably won't repurchase it.

I'm sorry this post is so long, I just don't like mentioning products without forcing my opinion on you! If you want any more information on the products please let me know and I'll link you to a review if I've done one or just let you know more of what I thought in the comments.

Stace xx

Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara

This little sample was my favourite product in the distinctly mediocre Harrod's Glossybox last month. I've been using it quite a bit since then and it seems my initial excitement was fell founded as I've grown to really like this mascara.

The brush is...weird. It's kind of S-shaped and I'm not sure how it improves the application process but I do find that this mascara gets to most of my lashes and gives them more length and definition in just one coat. I don't get a great deal of volume from it so if that's what you're looking for you might be a little disappointed. I find that a little strange as this mascara is marketed as 'a must have mascara for a sensual (!), incredible and extreme volume look' (Debenhams)

The formula dries quite quickly and it holds a curl pretty well. One major downside to this product is that it's heavily scented. It's not a deal-breaker for me but if you've got particularly sensitive eyes, it may irritate them. 

(one coat)

I'm definitely contemplating purchasing the full size of this mascara at some point. It is priced at £21 so I probably wouldn't have considered it without trying it out first.

Did you get this in your Glossybox? Have you tried it out yet?

Stace xx

FOTD: Easy Five Minute Make Up

I've been pretty lazy for the past week or so since I finished all my uni assignments and that laziness seems to have extended to make up. I don't know why since you'd think having more free time would mean I'd spend longer painting my face in the morning. I guess I'll get back into the swing of things as I start working on revision for my exams!

Here are some (pretty bad!) photos of the make up I wore on Friday. Please excuse my hair - the lazy theme extended to that also!

I started with a little bit of Clarins Beauty Flash Balm because my skin was looking a bit rubbish. On top of that I applied some NARS Sheer Glow foundation in the shade Santa Fe with my fingers. I used Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection concealer in Medium 3 under my eyes and on the scars on my chin. I then applied my NARS blush in Luster (which I've hit pan on! It's definitely love) with an angled blush brush.

I used a little bit of my Cosmetics A La Carte Brow Ink in Taupe along with MUA Clear mascara in my brows. After applying Too Faced Shadow Insurance on my lids, I used MAC Woodwinked all over my lid. I applied it with a flat eyeshadow brush and blended out the edges with a fluffy brush; ideally I'd have added a highlight on the brow bone but I didn't have one to hand. I love Woodwinked as an all over lid shade! I used the Lancome Hypnose Drama mascara sample from my most recent Glossybox. I should have a review of that up soon but if you want the short version; I like it. 

I'd already used my LUSH Pow Wow lip scrub and MAC Lip Conditioner so I just added a bit of my Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti. It's such a pretty orange-coral shade. I'd recommend picking it up if you can find it! 

What are your go-to products for lazy make up days?

Stace xx