Makeup Your Mind - Makeup and Beauty Inspiration and Tips - Festive Makeup Menu.

Hi!!!

Blogmas Day Sixteen is one for the makeup fans - or for those trying to buy Christmas presents for the makeup fans (I get it, navigating beauty counters isn't as easy as it looks). Hopefully, whoever you are, you'll find some inspiration from this Christmas Makeup Menu, be it for creating new looks, buying gifts or treating yourself. There's a mix of high-end and high-street products, so there's something for everybody.

FACE:

Rimmel London Match Perfection Fix & Perfect Primer, £6.99

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation £30

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer £3.99

Sleek Blush in Rose Gold £4.99

Rimmel Match Perfection Powder, £6.99

Collection Glam Crystals Glitter Eyeliner £2.99

Urban Decay Chill Setting Spray £23.50 (currently reduced to £18.80)

These are, in many ways, the staple products in my collection. I don't always wear a full face of primer, foundation, etc. but when I do, I use all of these products. The foundation is amazing and is medium coverage (however it is buildable) so it's a good bet for most people. I swear by Collection concealers and Rimmel powders, and even when I'm not wearing the rest of the products, I will probably still be wearing those. The Sleek Blush is a great budget dupe for Nars' bestselling blush and it is really highly pigmented. I couldn't possibly post a Christmas makeup menu without encouraging you to wear glitter on as much of your face as is humanly possible. I love wearing glitter in the same way I'd wear a highlight - on the highpoints of my face - but I also love the glam rock inspired way of wearing it under the eyes (and I will sure as Santa's beard is white be sporting that look throughout December). I've recommended some glitter eyeliners which I'll elaborate on in the 'eyes' section but, in short, I think they're amazing. I also wanted to mention, for those looking for a more chunky glitter, that I've heard wonderful things about the glitters from The Gypsy Shrine (I haven't tried them so they aren't in the big official list but I certainly wouldn't mind finding some under the tree!). The setting spray boasts temperature control qualities and it does make a difference to how long my makeup lasts.

EYES:

Rimmel Undercover Eyeshadow Primer £4.99

Lancome Doll Eyes Eyeshadow Palette, £39.50

Sleek Eyeshadow Palette, £8.99

Maybelline 24 Hour Colour Tattoo Cream Eyeshadow, £5.99

Lancôme Doll Eyes Hypnose Mascara £24.50

Collection Glam Crystals Glitter Eyeliner £2.99

There are so many options for eye makeup that I have decided to stick to what I get the most wear out of.

There's more glitter - I advocate wearing glitter all year round, everyday if possible, and so of course I have squeezed more glitter onto this makeup menu. I swear by glitter eyeliners for making sure your glitter lasts and stays exactly where you want it to and Collection offer a great colour range and great quality glitter liners at a very reasonable price. There's also my all time favourite mascara, Lancôme Doll Eyes Hypnose, which would make a wonderful present for someone if you have a bit more to spend. It's formula is wonderful and it really is black (win). I've included Rimmel's eyeshadow primer because you hardly want your eyeshadow to melt off your face on Christmas Day. I'm also going to recommend two great eyeshadow pallettes. One is from Lancôme - it is their Hypnose Doll Eyes palette and it is gorgeous. The colours are well pigmented, the formulas are really lovely to work with and are buildable and if you're looking to create a more natural, neutral but enhanced and maybe smokey eye, I'd highly recommend this (maybe one to put on your Christmas list?). The other is a bit of a cheat but anything from Sleek - their mattes palette is amazing for creating more neutral looks and their brights are simply wonderful. Sleek offer great products with great colour selections, especially for the price. If cream eyeshadows are more your thing, or you're looking for a good coloured base for your powder eyeshadow, then check out the Maybelline Colour Tattoos (great value, last for ages as a product, last for ages on the face and are great for when you don' have loads of time or tools available to you).

LIPS:

MAC Lipstick in Ladybug £16.50

Max Factor Lipstick in Pink Brandy, £7.99

Lipstick is my favourite and so I could have listed at least ten different ones in every colour of the rainbow. I've picked out my all time favourite red lipstick, which you'll have spotted me writing about before if you've been here for a while, because I know December is truly a time for red lipstick to shine. MAC's Ladybug is a lovely blue-toned red in a lustre texture. It's comfortable to wear, has a great finish and is my idea of the ultimate red shade. I've also picked out Max Factor's Colour Elixir Lipstick in the shade Pink Brandy because I have worn it so much this year. It is a great formula and the colour is amazing - it's a peachy pink which is super wearable but doesn't just blend and become my normal lip colour, if that makes sense? You can tell I'm wearing lipstick and you can tell it's a lovely colour but it's on the more natural colour spectrum. It's definitely one of my favourites that is available on the high street. One bold lip, one more natural. One high end product, one high street product. I think I've handled this category well.

I hope you enjoyed this post and found it useful.

What are your favourite makeup products to wear at Christmas? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Leave a comment to let me know.

Thanks for reading.

I hope you have a beautiful day!

GingerSnaps xxx



Going Anywhere Nice On Your Holidays? - Travel - What's In My Suitcase? Cyprus 2016

Hi!!!

Hello, lovely people. I hope you're having a brilliant week so far (and also that you enjoy this post...). Today is a post all about the contents of my suitcase. This is the second draft that I've done of this, because figuring out how to do it well has been interesting. Anyway, let's begin.



I have a whole bunch of cosmetic/wash bags. The red one contains my sun protection - two bottles of Nivea Factor 50, a bottle of Factor 50 Vichy Velvety Cream, aftersun and an SPF 30 lip balm from Malibu. The floral one is from Cath Kidston and it has my cleanser, makeup remover, toothbrush and toothpaste and deodorant. The blue one with the owls has my makeup in and there isn't loads - I have mascara, some colourful lipsticks, bronzer, concealer, primer and Nars Sheer Glow foundation and some brushes. I also have a colour protect conditioner (because it has UV filters), my fave shampoo and shower gel, some hair bobbles and insect repellent.

 

Clothes wise, I have a variety of vest tops, several pairs of shorts and some cover-ups. I also have some smarter tops and blouses, linen trousers, maxi dresses and a maxi skirt. I've got some light scarves and a light cardigan for the evenings, too. I have a couple of bikinis and a tankini - they are a bunch of different colours and prints.

 

I packed two pairs of sandals - some chunky white ones and some with black strappy detailing. I wore pair of trainers on the plane so I also have those with me.

 

I have this super snazzy (and rather glamorous) floppy sun hat which I adore - it is huge so it'll certainly help protect me from the sun. I've also got a blue and white one which has a slightly smaller brim.

 

And then the books. I packed Funny Girl by Nick Hornby, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding, Paper Towns by John Green (on recommendation) and Brighton Rock by Graham Greene. Would you like me to review them when I get back? (Tell me in the comments).

 

And that, ladies and gents, is 'what's in my suitcase'. This was a bit of a different post for me, so I hope you liked it!

Have you been on holiday this year? Are you going anywhere? Do you have any comments or suggestions for future posts? Let me know in the comments.

Thanks for reading, speak soon.

 

I hope you day is going swimmingly!

 

GingerSnaps xxx

 

 

All Things Bright and Beauty-ful! - Beauty Product Review - NARS Sheer Glow Foundation Review.

Hi!!!

If you read THIS post a little while ago, you'll know that I treated myself to NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Mont Blanc. I'd been eyeing this foundation up for absolutely ages and one of the reasons I was so interested in this foundation was because of all the brilliant reviews that it had from all the wonderful bloggers and YouTube beauty gurus. So, I thought since I used their reviews as an excuse to buy this product, I thought I'd write one so that you can use mine as an excuse to purchase it, as well as all the others.

 

 

The Product. 





 

 

 

 

 

What NARS Promise. 

 

 

In their own words, NARS promise a "glowing, natural radiant finish foundation" that has "sheer" yet "buildable" coverage, that "evens out skin tone". NARS claim that it will leave skin "hydrated, more luminous, softer and smoother". NARS also claim that if  "used daily, Sheer Glow Foundation improves the skin's brightness and texture".  

 

According to NARS, Sheer Glow Foundation contains powerful anti-oxidants that will protect against skin damaging free radicals. It also contains turmeric extract that supposedly improves the skin's tone and radiance.

 

NARS recommend this foundation for Normal, Normal to Dry and Dry Skin Types. If you however have an oily skin,  NARS also sell NARS Sheer Matte Foundation, available (HERE).
 

What I think of NARS Sheer Glow Foundation.

 

I really love this foundation.

 

This foundation feels beautiful on the skin - it's cool on application and it doesn't feel heavy on the skin. It really does make the skin look more glowing and radiant and it has such a beautiful finish. My skin doesn't feel or look cakey or dried out after using it.

Also, it's brilliant for someone like me with sensitive skin because it's fragrance free and dermatologically tested.

This foundation wears brilliantly on the skin and lasts for most of the day (between 5 and 7 hours depending on how hot it is outside)  - please do note that I use this foundation, as I do with every foundation I wear, with primer.

 I apply it at a medium coverage, but it is definitely buildable. Also, if you prefer a lighter coverage, just use it sparingly and consider applying with your hands.

 I tend to apply it with a Real Techniques Buffing Brush - part of the Core Collection (HERE) - or just with my hands. Both give a really lovely finish. I don't think that there is a bad way to apply Sheer Glow.

 

NARS Sheer Glow photographs beautifully. It contains no SPF which is great if your moisturiser has an SPF in (since you aren't supposed to layer SPF's) and also means that it won't flashback in photographs.

 

Something else that really impressed me was the packaging - a sturdy yet elegant glass bottle which is cool to the touch and fits perfectly in my makeup bag as well as looking beautiful on my dressing table with an almost velvety lid. My only issue with the packaging is the fact that the lid does pick up foundation covered finger prints and marks very easily... But you can't have it all I suppose.

 

I can't vouch for the improvement of the brightness of skin and texture that comes from using it everyday because I don't wear foundation everyday - sorry (I don't see the point if I'm just going to Tesco and popping round to see my Auntie). However, since this foundation delivered on everything else, I'd imagine that it would on this, even just a bit.

 

Would I recommend it?

 

I would highly recommend this product to anyone with a normal, normal to dry, or dry skin who is looking for a premium foundation that will photograph beautifully and make their skin look stunning. I cannot recommend this highly enough. It's worth all the hype that it has received. It's my dream foundation to date...

 

Where you can buy NARS Sheer Glow and how much does it cost.

 

 NARS Sheer Glow retails for £30.50 and is easily accessible to purchase at Space NK (website HERE) and Selfridges & Co (website HERE) stores. It is also available on the NARS website (HERE). The NARS website also has a list of stores that stock NARS products - mentioned above and others - and their locations, so its worth a look.

 

The final word.

 

 That's it for today then, guys. I hope that you've enjoyed this post - my first beauty review. If you have enjoyed it then do let me know in the comments. Do you have NARS Sheer Glow? Do you agree with what I've said? And if not, have you got your eye on it? I assume you have.

 

I hope that your day is absolutely brilliant.

 

GingerSnaps xxx