What Beauty Products Does Mila Kunis Use? Create her signature look!

Ask anyone, male or female, who their celebrity crush is and the name Mila Kunis will probably crop up as one of, if not the, top answer. She's been in some great films, has an amazing style and just always look so effortlessly gorgeous on the red carpet. Her signature makeup look features a subtle smokey eye and black liner paired with a neutral lip. Here's what she uses.

Base
Mila's make-up artist, Tracey Levy, typically primes her skin with the Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer helping to minimise pores and smooth the complexion. To follow, she either uses Lancôme Teint Mineral foundation or the Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk UV foundation. Mila typically mixes 4.5 Sand with 6.5 Tawny to create the perfect shade. For concealer, her favourite is Bobbi Brown's Creamy Concealer in Light Peach and, to set everything, she uses the Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Powder.

Colour
For blush, she uses the Dior Diorblush in Passionfruit - a duo of peachy/pink cheek colours that once swirled together create a healthy glow. To create a bronzed complexion on the red carpet make-up artists use either the Dior Diorskin Nude Tan Sun Glow Powder in Honey 001 or Lancôme Tar Bronzer in Solaire. She is also known to use the Make Up For Ever Sculpting Kit in 02 Neutral Light to contour herself. As for highlight, Dior Skinflash Primer is lightly dabbed on her cheekbones for a highlighting, radiant effect.

Eyes
Most times she prefers using dark grey's instead of blacks. She uses kohl pencil (Yves Saint Laurent Dessin Du Regard Haute Tenue Long Lasting Eye Pencil) for lining up the eyes. For a bronze smokey eye on the red carpet, her make-up artist uses Lanôme Color Design 5 Pan Palette in Bronze Amour or the Hourglass Visionaire Eyeshadow Duo. On herself, Mila uses the shimmery bronze and dark brown shades from the Lorac Reveal Make Up Palette. To finish and complete the eye makeup, she generously applies Lancôme's Hypnose Drama Instant Full Body Volume Mascara in Excessive Black. Fake lashes are applied on most red carpet looks - she uses Ardel Duralash Flare Lashes in Medium Black.

Lips

For a natural coloured lip, Mila prefers using the Christian Dior Lip Balm. On the red carpet she either sports a nude/beige lip or a brick red lip. For the nude lip it is a combination of the Vani-T Mineral Lipstick in Enchantress with Juicy Tubes Gloss in Ticked Pink. Whilst, for a red lip she pairs NARS Lipliner in Amazon with the MAC Lipstick in Dubonnet.

So, there you have it. I hope you enjoyed. Don't forget to check out the beauty products that Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian and Megan Fox use! Xxx

Clinique Discolorations Superprimer review

When Clinique launched their new range of Superprimers I was super excited. I adore Clinique skincare so I wasn't sceptical at all with trying them. Released in six variations, each primer is targeted towards a specific skin concern. From covering redness to brightening the skin there is a primer for every skin need.

In all honesty, I could have bought any of the variations (perhaps not the one for deeper skin tones!) and they would have helped. However for trial purpose, I opted for the Discolouration version. It is designed to even out the skin tone whilst helping cover up any blemish or acne scars. And so far I am really happy. I find this primer does help cover up any current spots or old acne scarring marks by evening the skins overall colour. It also makes the skin feel extremely soft making foundation application much quicker and smoother. The product is a bright orange, yet doesn't transfer orange onto the skin. It quickly blends and feels super lightweight. 

My only criticism…it contains a lot of silicone ingredients. My skin is extremely sensitive to silicones, yet I wanted to try the product as I read many reviews of people with a similar skin tone as myself having found no problems. But, for me, I'm not so sure. I have broken out recently but this could be due to hormones, so I will report back. 

If you are lucky enough to be okay with silicones, then this primer is absoultely amazing. If you are sensitive to silica properties, I would suggest you stay clear.

New drugstore purchases

As if I didn't need any more products to try.

For the past few months I have been using Mac charcoal brown eyeshadow to fill in my brows. It's the perfect neutral medium brown, however since dying my hair dark (almost black) brown, I needed something new to use and after reading numerous positive to pick up the Sleek Brow Kit in dark. It comes with mini tweezers, two mini brushes, a dark brown wax and a dark brown powder making it perfect for on the go.

I bought a new mascara in the form of L'Oreal Miss Manga. I normally hate drugstore mascaras, but yet again, I got swayed by good reviews.

After watching this video, Kate spoke highly of the newly re-promoted Revlon Photoready Skinlights. They are marketed as face illuminators, yet can be used under foundation as a primer or over foundation to create a glowy appearance. I chose Bare Light - a beige, warm tone shade.

L'Oreal lumi magique is one of my favourite foundations, so I had to buy the new L'Oreal Lumi Magique powder. It appears to be a highly pigmented highlighting powder with a strong pink undertone.

New eyeliners! Rimmel Scandaleyes are one of my favourites in general and I use the nude colour religiously. Brown eyeliners are more subtle for daytime so I bought Taupe, a light brown. I also picked up a new liquid liner, L'Oreal Super Slim as I have been obsessed with a thin line of liquid liner on the upper lash line recently.

Xo

Benefit Hello Flawless! Oxygen Wow Foundation in Ivory (I'm Pure 4 Sure) Review

It seems as though I have gone on a foundation purchasing spree. First I bought (and have already reviewed) the Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation, then in the same outing I picked up both NARS Sheer Glow and Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow. Today I'll be reviewing the Benefit offering and will most likely follow up with a review of the Sheer Glow.

First and foremost, I huge Benefit fan and I use their face products on an everyday basis - Hoola bronzer is my absolute must have and I am never without a tube of They're Real mascara. So I was excited to try out their first liquid foundation.

And so far I really do like it. The formula is super light-weight - more so than L'Oreal True Match which is very thin in consistency - which makes application so easy as it just blends into the skin. In my opinion the coverage is fairly light, but you can layer it up for a medium coverage and just use a little extra concealer on any imperfections. Hello Flawless evens out the skin and reduces redness all whilst creating a luminous and healthy looking complexion - and thankfully it does not cling to any dry patches, making it the perfect winter/spring foundation. I love to use it with either a Sigma F80 or Real Techniques buffing brush as it gives slightly more coverage, or if I want a light coverage using your fingers or a sponge makes it look super natural.

The foundation does contain an SPF of 25 so I would avoid using it in the evenings in case of major flashback. Also, it is only available in 9 shades - I have mine in the shade Ivory (I'm Pure 4 Sure) and, currently, it is way too light for me.

Overall, I really do recommend this foundation if you're in the market for something that is lightweight, provides light to medium coverage and creates a luminous, light-reflecting glow. I can see this being my go-to foundation during the summer, as well.

High End Beauty Haul! 2014

First of all I apologise for not posting since the start of the year - back to college has been a little stressful to say the least and I also have my mock exams coming up next week. Instead of a review I thought I would share some of my recent high end beauty purchases, especially as I haven't hauled in a while. I bought everything from a House of Fraser store in one trip last week, yes, I know, it is a lot for one trip but I haven't splurged on any high end makeup since last year. Here's what I picked up.

When I reviewed the Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation I mentioned how I wasn't completely happy with it and how I was debating whether to purchase the other foundation I had on my wish list. Evidently, I decided to pick up the cult favourite NARS Sheer Glow in the shade "Punjab" and I am super excited to try it out.

Another base product I picked up was the Laura Mercier oil-free tinted moisturiser. This is a repurchase of mine as I absolutely adore this stuff. If I am having a bad skin day I love to apply this under my foundation for extra coverage and it doesn't look at all cakey. It is super lightweight, the shade matches perfectly (I have mine in "Nude") and just works wonders all year round. In the summer, it is my favourite base to use as it has a good coverage, looks natural and also has a decent SPF rate. Check my review for more details.

I picked up two Benefit products. The first, yet another repurchase, in the form of They're Real mascara - an absolute holy grail of mine and one I am sure I will never be without. It lengths the lashes, creates huge volume, doesn't clump and one tube seems to last a really long time. For a mascara it is expensive, but I think it is 100% worth it. The other Benefit product is Hervana blush pox powder. As soon as I swatched it I knew I had to have it and I can't wait to try it out!

Lastly I wandered over to the MAC counter, a place where you either have an amazing experience or a complete confidence-shattering one. Thankfully, mine was the first and I ended up walking away with what I wanted...and more. I originally went to get the Pure Zen lipstick because I saw a tutorial by Lauren Curtis who used it on a night out and, being a sucker for a nude lipstick, I immediately added it to my wish list. I also picked up a blush called Desert Rose which is a gorgeous deep rose/pink shade. MAC blushes are one of my favourites (Bobbi Brown's may be slightly better imo) and seem to last forever. I also ended up getting a Studio Fix Powder + Foundation in the shade C3. Looking back I honestly don't know why I bought this - MAC face products break me out like crazy and I have heard the Studio Fix line can look cakey on the skin. And it wasn't the cheapest of products! I will probably do a separate review on this when I try it out - I have to admit I am a little sceptical about trying it!

So they are the products I picked up and overall I am happy with my purchases. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and I will try my best to get up some more reviews. Lots of love!

Benefit Ultra Plush Lip Gloss in A-Lister Review

HAPPY NEW YEAR! May 2014 be the best year yet!

Benefit are definitely becoming one of my favourite brands. The packaging of each item is always fun and I adore their products just as much. I have tried their foundations, mascaras, blushers and Hoola bronzer is my absolute must have and love and use them all religiously. Surprisingly I have never tried any Benefit lip products, so I thought I would start my journey with a lipgloss - 'cause a girl can never enough...

The colour I opted for is called "A Lister" and is a part of the Ultra Plush Lipgloss collection. The range features six shades: Lollipop (a bright) hot pink, Kiss You (a deep fuchsia), Icebreaker (clear), Fauxmance (soft berry red), A Lister (bubblegum pink) and Poutrageous! (a bright pink/coral). First of all, I love the names! And secondly, I love the product. The one I have, A Lister, is described as a bubblegum pink and is most definitely that. The shade is an opaque light pink and, for a lipgloss, is surprisingly pigmented. What I love the most is that it isn't at all sticky. On it's own I find it lasts around 2-3 hours before I feel the need to reapply. I also enjoy layering it on top of a boring nude lipstick as it seems to bring it to life and give it a pink glossy finish. Overall, I am super impressed with these and I think I will be picking up some other shades. They cost £14.50 each, which, I have to be honest, is a little expensive for a lipgloss, but as you can see from the photo above, you do get a lot of product and you only need a little bit for a great colour payoff. I do recommend :)

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation in Bamboo Beige Review

I was in the market for a new high end foundation; one for those special occasions and one that I can always count on to make my skin look amazing. As I do before buying any new product (high end or drugstore for that matter) I took to Google and began searching for the best high end foundations that fit my ideal criteria of having high coverage that is not matte. I narrowed it down to two popular choices - NARS Sheer Glow and Laura Mercier Silk Creme. I went with the latter for the reason that the Laura Mercier offering has a much higher coverage. Sold!

After getting colour matched I happily walked out of Space NK desperate to go home and try it. I picked up the shade "Bamboo Beige" which is described as a warm golden beige for light to medium skin tones and it matches perfectly. For reference, I typically wear Mac NC25 or Esteé Lauder Double Wear in Desert Beige. I looked online and saw that it is the fourth darkest shade. For a high end foundation they only offer ten shades which isn't that impressive.

I have been trialing this foundation over the past two weeks and I really am mixed about what I think of it. The coverage is great - near enough full coverage that literally creates a flawless canvas - and you only need a little to cover the entire face. As it is a cream formula, hence the name, it does make the texture extremely thick and, in a way, uncomfortable. I would say that is it slightly heavier that Double Wear by Esteé Lauder (...and that is saying something!) Fuller coverage foundations have more pigments than lower coverage foundations so I can understand the reason why it feels heavier on the skin. So let's dismiss the thickness of the foundation and move onto finish.

One of the USP's that encouraged me to choose this foundation over the Sheer Glow offering was for the luminous finish it apparently gives. And it is really pretty and for a high coverage foundation it is impressive how much light it gives to the complexion. Unfortunately, it clings to dry skin like crazy. Like I said before, I research into new products and read the foundation suits people with combination to oily skin. I have combination skin and, despite moisturising and using Hydraluron before application, I still found this foundation so drying on areas where I suffer from blemishes. Around the blemishes it was extremely drying - almost flakey! - and just did not look pretty. I was a little confused as full coverage foundations are *primarily* targeted towards those who want to cover up imperfections and, in my experience, the extreme thick texture of this foundation, highlighted any dry areas on the face, thus making any blemishes more obvious.

Thankfully, the product did not break me out which tends to happen when I switch up my foundations. I do think this is one of those products I will completely adore in a few months and one that needs a little more persevering and trial and error. Perhaps due to the weather I am not a fan and in the summer it may be a joy to use. I'll probably do a follow up post in a few months! Currently I am browsing the Space NK website, hovering over the "add to basket" on the NARS Sheer Glow...

PS. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and successfully braved the Boxing Day sales if you did go. Have a great new year!

Topshop Lip Crayon in Coy

Whilst in Topshop the other day I thought I'd go over and check out their makeup range. I have never tried of the products before, but I have read many reviews in which most people highly rate the products they've tried. After a little research, I decided I would try one of the lip crayons. I went for the most popular shade "coy" - a vivid coral based pink.

It is incredibly bright. Personally I adore the colour - it literally reminds me of summer. In my opinion it definitely is not an everyday winter shade as it does look a little neon once applied (no joke), but for a night out and particularly for in summer, it will look amazing.

However, I hate the formula. I did read on some blogs that said it was drying. But not that drying. Even though I exfoliated and moisturised my lips before, it still looked incredibly drying and cakey. It felt so uncomfortable to wear I had to remove it instantly which is such a shame because the colour is so unique.

Thumbs down.

November Beauty Favourites

A slightly late monthly favourites, but it's better late than never, right?

Starting of with the beauty favourites, I have been using the Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot powder every single day. I purchased it a while back but found it way too matte. But now, paired with a light reflecting foundation, it keeps oils at bay for the majority of the day and I really do like it. As drugstore powders go, it is definitely one of my favourites. On my eyes I have been lining my waterline using Facinating Eye Kohl by Mac. It is basically just a white eyeliner, but it lasts all day and really opens up the eyes giving a more awake appearance. Rubenesque paint pot also by Mac is another favourite this month. On skin with a slight tan, the bronze undertones accentuate the colour and just looks amazing. Paint pots act as a great base by increasing the longevity of eyeshadows. 

Ever since I bought the Flair for Finery cremesheen lipglass I have been using it religiously on top of one of my favourite lipsticks, Angel. Both by Mac, both super wearable. Together they make the perfect pink based nude lip combination.

The primer I have been using everyday has been the L'Oreal Lumi Magique pure light primer which has become undoubtably my favourite primer to date. It is incredibly lightweight, feels amazing on the skin and literally brings the skin to life by creating a light reflecting radiance. I love pairing the primer with a matte foundation as it completely transforms the look - read this! It is just as good as the Laura Mercier offering.

My two skincare favourites this month have been Hydraluron (no surprise there) and a rediscovery in the La Roche Effaclar Mat moisturiser. I have dedicated a whole blog post on why I adore Hydraluron and why I think everyone should own it, so check that out. The La Roche Posay Effeclar Mat offering is a product I purchased a long time ago but when I first tried it, I was not a fan. Fast forward several months and I really do believe this helps control oils throughout the day and reduces sebum production - I only use this on my t-zone and use my Clinique moisturiser all over the face. I've really been enjoying pairing them together.

So there we have it. Normally in my monthly favourites post I include music, fashion and general favourites, yet it is already the 6th of December and I have other things to post. My December favourites will be jam packed though...

Full Coverage, Luminous Foundation Routine

In foundations I tend to look for ones with medium to full coverage. But the problem I find is that I normally hate the finish of majority of them; way too matte, normally cling to dry areas and just don't look as nice as a lighter coverage, dewy finish foundation. And that's where specially formulated primers come into action.

Pairing a matte foundation with a dewy skin primer will give you the coverage of the foundation yet the appearance of luminous and fresh skin. My favourite for this is the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Pure Light primer. It's a white lotion with small light reflecting particles that instantly make the skin appear more awake. It absorbs really quickly and feels so lightweight and cooling on the skin, I love it. I do prefer it to the Laura Mercier Radiance Primer - this L'Oreal dupe is cheaper and just as effective.

The foundation that I love to pair the primer with is Esteé Lauder Double Wear. It is medium coverage that can be built up to a full coverage. The reason why I particularly love this pairing is because the Esteé Lauder foundation can be a little drying and, especially if you have dry skin, a radiant primer will help make any foundation in fact more comfortable to wear.

I suggest you give this primer a go, in particular if you love the Laura Mercier one and may want a cheaper alternative that's equally as good. You can pick it up for £9.99 at most stores x x x

Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Brow Mascara Review

Brows are one of those features that complete any look. I use charcoal brown eyeshadow by Mac on an everyday basis as it's the perfect shade for dark brown hair and I set it with a clear brow gel also by Mac. I have never tried a coloured brow gel before so I thought I'd try the new Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Brow Mascara - it comes in three shades, I went for the darkest which is dark brown.

And I'm afraid to report there isn't a single aspect I can rave about for this product.

First of all the wand is a ridiculous shape. The majority of people have thicker eyebrows that lead into a thinner tail, right? Yet the bizarre circular wand tip of this mascara certainly is not suitable for this. As it is a dark colour - it really is hard to cover all the hairs, especially on the thinner areas, without getting it all on the skin! Regardless of the colour, I just don't think that it's a good brow mascara in general. Granted the majority of gels do make the eyebrows feel "crispy", but none are as a extreme as this. It seems to take a while to dry and the colour seems easily transferable if you don't wait for it to set.

I can most definitely see where Maybelline are coming from in terms of design with this product, but I just think the practicality of the wand just isn't there. All in all, I think I shall be sticking to my trusty clear Mac brow gel in the future. If you are interested in trying this, it costs £4.99 x x x

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette Details

I for one am super excited about the release of the new Naked palette by Urban Decay.

The palette, which will be called Naked 3, will feature 0.05oz brand new and exclusive eyeshadows. Now you may be thinking: what's the difference between this and the previous two Naked palettes?

Firstly, the hues. The new offering has focused the eyeshadows around pink and brown hues in a range of both matte and shimmer finishes. Compared to the original Naked palette which had bronze hued neutrals and the second edition with taupe hued neutrals.

All of the eyeshadows in the new Naked 3 palette are completely brand new. What I didn't like about the second edition was how similar, and how many replicates, of the original palette were included. It was a bit pointless for people who already had the original, in my opinion. So I'm glad that Urban Decay have used twelve new shades in the latest edition. Also, there is wide range of finishes - perfect for all looks.

The shades:
Strange - a very light pink, almost beige (matte)
Dust - light metallic pink (metallic)
Burnout - almost peachy pink (satin)
Limit - pale dusty rose (matte)
Buzz - metallic light rose gold (metallic)
Trick - warm pink peach (metallic)
Nooner - medium pink brown (matte)
Factory - light pink toned mauve (shimmer)
Mugshot - metallic taupe (metallic)
Darkside - deepest taupe (matte)
Blackheart - almost black with red accents (glitter)

Freebies! With the original Naked palette came with a double ended 24/7 eyeliner and the second came with a mini lip junkie plus a double ended good karma brush. In the new Naked palette we are treated to a brand new good karma duo brush plus four mini primer potion samples of all the shades. I personally adore the Urban Decay brushes as they are of a really high quality and last forever.

So there we have it! The new Naked 3 palette will be available here in the UK mid December and will cost presumedly around the £36-£40 mark. Just in time and perfect to add to your Christmas wish list...

What Beauty Products Does Kylie Jenner Use? Her Makeup Must Haves

Kylie Jenner is the youngest Kardashian member and, at just sixteen, already seems to have adopted her own style. Following in the footsteps of her three older sisters, Kylie is a regular face on the red carpet in America and, in each photo it appears, she leans towards a neutral eye with a bright bold lip.

Flawless skin
Her skin looks immaculate in all red carpet photos. Her secret? Celebrity favourite Giorgio Armani luminous silk foundation. This cult foundation is used by the likes of her sisters Kim and Kourtney as well as the gorgeous Megan Fox. Available in a vast shade range there will be a shade to suit everyone. For concealer, Kylie has admitted to using Chanel Vitalumiére Aqua makeup for under the eyes and for extra coverage on blemishes. Her shade is 20 beige. Her favourite concealer that she can't live without is the YSL Anti-Cernes. Lastly, to set everything Kylie either uses the Make Up Forever HD Powder or for extra colour, the bareMinerals Matte SPF foundation in Fair 1C. The latter she claims to wear every day.

Adding colour and dimension
Kylie seems to wear natural pink and coral blushes such as Blush Of Youth by MAC. It is limited edition however Tarte's Amazonian Clay blush in Tipsy is very similar. For bronzer, she uses Sun Dipped by MAC.

Opening up the eyes
Her eyelashes always look incredible and Kylie constantly praises two Lancôme mascaras. First is the Hypnose Doll House Lashes which she uses on her bottom lashes, and the second is Hypnose Drama for the top lashes. Her mascara obsession must cost a lot - each mascara is worth nearly $30! Kylie also seems to rave about the Hypnose Star mascara, also by Lancôme. In each of her looks Kylie 9 times out of 10 is sporting a cat eye with winged out liner. For this dramatic look she uses Stila's Stay All Day waterproof liquid eyeliner in Intense Black. Her eyeshadow always looks very neutral and it appears to mainly uses the Lorac Baked Eyeshadow Trio in Starry-Eyed, a mix of shimmery gold shades.

Bold lips
With her sisters mainly gearing towards a nude lip, Kylie on the other hand opts for a bold lip. And it definitely suits her. That being said, she does sometimes wear a baby pink lip (pictured above is Angel by MAC). Her go-to red lipstick is Red Racer by MAC and for a matte red, she loves Ruby Woo also by MAC.

So there we have it!

Kylie's simple, yet put together, regular makeup look. Don't forget to check out my Megan Fox and Kylie's half sister, Kim Kardashian's most used beauty products post! Next week: Mila Kunis!

Products mentioned: Giorgio Armani luminous silk foundation, Chanel Vitalumiére Aqua makeup in 20 beige, YSL Anti-Cernes concealer, MUFE HD powder, bareMinerals matte foundation in fair 1c, Blush of Youth blush by MAC, Sun Dipped bronzer by MAC, Tarte Amazonian Clay blush in tipsy, Lancôme Hypnose doll house lashes mascara, Lancôme Hypnose drama mascara, Lancôme Star mascara, Stila Stay All Day waterproof liquid eyeliner in intense black, Lorac Baked Eyeshadow Trio in starry-eyed, MAC lipsticks in angel, red racer and ruby woo

MAC Divine Night Flair For Finery lipstick and cremesheen lipglass

I was debating whether to post this as I believe both are already sold out on the Mac cosmetics website, but I have just checked other websites such as Debenhams, House of Fraser and Selfridges and they still have some of the products available. Hurry though, as they are limited edition!

By the way, I must start by saying the lipstick swatches on the website for this collection are horrifically wrong. On the website, the lipstick Flair for Finery appears as a medium, rose toned pink which is totally the opposite of what it is. Just make sure you research the shades before you buy online :)

Flair for Finery is the name of both the lipstick and cremesheen glass in the new Mac holiday collection called Divine Night. I would describe both as a light pink-based nude (just think of a hybrid of Creme D'Nude and Creme Cup). Basically, my idea of the perfect lip colour. The lipstick has really good colour payoff and, for a cremesheen formula, lasts a decent amount of time. And the cremesheen glass is really surprisingly pigmented and I absolutely adore the milky pink shade. Together they make a perfect nude lip.

I also love the packaging of the collection with gold accents instead of the regular silver. I'm not really a fan of completely revamped packaging (anyone remember the outrageous Hello Kitty collection?) so the simple addition of gold detailing this year looks really nice. My only criticism is not about the product itself but about the price! As they are limited edition the prices seem to rocket with the lipstick being £16.50 and the cremesheen glass at a crazy £19. Bit annoying, but all is redeemed by the shades.

Definitely check to see if they are still available online and in stores x

October favourites: Beauty, fashion, music

Happy first of the month!

It's favourites time yet again! October is definitely of one of my favourite months and I'm sad to see it ending, but it also signifies and brings into realisation that christmas is just around the corner (8 weeks, precisely). I have a wide array of favourite this month in all categories; beauty, fashion, music and, of course, randoms.

Starting with beauty favourites, I've been using Laura Mercier's oil free tinted moisturiser on a near enough everyday basis. I love how lightweight the product feels on the skin and yet still covers the majority of imperfections. I would class it as medium coverage with definitely the power to create fuller coverage. It's super easy to apply and helps to keep oils at bay for the whole day. Laura Mercier definitely know how to create perfect bases and this tinted moisturiser is one of my all time favourites in general.

Near enough all the rest of my beauty faves fit in the eye category. For my most used eyeshadow combo this month I have been loving applying Mac eyeshadow All That Glitters on the lid with Quarry quite heavily packed through the crease using a 217 brush. The 217 is the perfect tool for effortlessly applying colour to the crease and I can't live without it; I'm almost contemplating purchasing another. I have found myself reaching for L'Oreal's False Lash Telescopic more than my favourite American duo.  It lengthens the lashes like you would not believe and looks exceptionally amazing on the bottom lashes.

I've been wearing this Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream in the shade Tokyo and I really like it. The colour is a gorgeous rose pink and looks super pretty on. My only criticism is that, as they are so creamy, they don't have the best staying power and I find myself reapplying every hour or so. Annoying, but the colour is great.

- Urban Outfitters ecote motocross drape jacket, £68
- Zara checked shirt with contrasting collar, £25.99
- American Apparel corduroy circle skirt, £44
- Miss Selfridge gold trim faux leather biker jacket, £52
- American Apparel disco pants, £74

Autumn fashion basically involves layers. Now that we are transitioning into winter however I've been wearing tights with pretty much every outfit - yes, even with jeans. I get that cold. I love wearing tights with high waisted skirts, especially the American Apparel circle skirts (my favourites are burgundy and navy blue) - they come in very autumnal appropriate colours and go with almost anything. Collared shirts, in particular, look so cute tucked into skirts and very put together. This one by Zara, a tartan inspired checked shirt with contrasting white collar, is my absolute favourite. It can be simply dressed down by pairing it with dark skinny jeans or dressed up by adding leather shorts, black heels and statement jewellery.

Another go-to piece for autumn/winter has to be disco pants. For the best quality and colour range check out American Apparel (loving the cranberry colour)! Jackets are also a autumn into winter staple - not as warm as a fully lined coat, but still something for the cold weather. I love this Urban Outfitters ecote motocross drape jacket, it just looks amazing. For more warmth, faux leather jackets are a must. Pictured is a gorgeous biker jacket by Miss Selfridge which will go with almost every outfit and looks super stylish.

Music favourites!

I have been loving Miley Cyrus' album Bangerz which came out at the start of the month and especially the songs Maybe Your Right and Adore You. She has certainly received a negative reputation over the past few weeks, namely for her two recent music videos (you know the ones), but nevertheless the songs on her album are really well produced and executed. Definitely check my two favourites out, even if you're not particularly a fan of her. Haim's The Wire has been on repeat for this month. It's way too catchy and will get in your head and stay there for the whole day. I still love it regardless!

One of my closest friends has an obsession with the band Fall Out Boy. I never understood their obsession and wasn't a fan of their rock-esque music. Now after listening to their new album Save Rock and Roll I've completely my opinion. My favourite songs on the album are Young Volancoes and Just One Yesterday. Check out the full album here! Now it cannot be a proper music favourites without a One Direction song. Just yesterday they released Story Of My Life on iTunes and I have already played it over ten times. I'm so excited for their new album out at the end of November - hurry up!

Ok. I'll be honest. My "random" favourites this month hands down beat my fashion, beauty AND music favourites. And the collage above possibly is one of the most bizzare and unusual group of photos ever.

The first picture is of the cast of my new favourite show The Walking Dead. Quick synopsis: a group of Americans try to survive by killing zombies. Now I personally am not a fan of gore, and yes they didn't rate the show an 18 (or R in America) for no reason, but I thoroughly recommend watching an episode or two. I watched series 1, 2 and 3 in around two weeks, and now that season four has just started, I'm hooked again. I love the storyline, the characters are amazing with a good amount of British actors - Rick, the lead character, was in Love Actually, and it's so gripping. Definitely start from the first series though and I promise you'll be hooked in no time. Season four is on every Friday at 10pm on Fox.

Next is a book, The Fault In Our Stars, that I haven't been able to put down since I started reading it. I have yet to finish, but I am nearing the end, but I still think it deserves a mention in my favourites post. John Green, the author, perfectly depicts the life of a young girl suffering from cancer with heart and emotion yet with small doses of static humour and, of course, a beautiful love story intertwined. I've already cried, laughed and smiled like an absolute idiot at the pages, and I highly suggest you give it a read.

If you don't know who the boy in the third picture is then what is your life. I'm kidding, but still, Luke Friend from the current series of The X Factor is, in my opinion, the best contestant who I sincerely hope will win. He's so unique and has such an amazing voice. I'm no Simon Cowell, but it's a "yes" from me :P

Another favourites post complete, another month finished! I'm not particularly looking forward to November, but at least it means that December is getting closer. And we all love December, adios x x x

Review: Rimmel Stay Blushed! Liquid Cheek Tint in Sunkissed Cherry and Pop of Pink

First of all, I must apologise for the sh!t photo quality. I have no idea what happened. I have two cameras; one for blogging and one for photography and I think it may be time to use my Canon for blogging purposes now. My trusty Nikon has passed it's sell by date. In my opinion, however, the swatches are pretty accurate.

Now for the review. I saw these Stay Blushed! Liquid Cheek Tints in Superdrug the other day and, with Rimmel being hands down by favourite drugstore makeup brand, and the fact you can never have enough blush products, I swiftly put them in my hypothetical basket. I have been using them on and off for the past three weeks and can safety say they are really great little products.

On offer are two shades, Sunkissed Cherry which is a vibrant coral, and Pop of Pink, a bright neutral light pink. You only need a little product (I'm talking less than a pea size) for both cheeks as the pigmentation, of both, is extremely high. The consistency is a little thick but blends out easily making it a swift, and non-messy, application. I recommend applying a little with your finger before thoroughly blending it out using a dense brush like the Real Techniques expert face brush. My favourite has to be Sunkissed Cherry. It's certainly the most unique offering and by far the most versatile and wearable for all occasions.

They are just £4.49 and can be found in Boots and Superdrug x x x

What Beauty Products Does Megan Fox Use? Skincare, Makeup Must Haves

As my what beauty products does Kim Kardashian use post was quite popular, I thought I'd continue the theme focusing on different female celebrities and what their favourite make-up products are. Next up is Megan Fox who is undeniably a beautiful woman and probably on everyones "girl crush" list. Yes, she's had a little surgery but her makeup always looks flawless and natural. Here's a rundown of her must haves.

Skincare
Megan goes by the mantra "less is more" when it comes to all things beauty. Yet as her skin struggles from acne stars, enlarged pores and the odd breakout, and being under the spotlight 24/7, her skincare routine is far from simple. She goes on regular visits to skin specialist Sonya Dakar and has the Diamond Peel Treament to help keep her skin clear. It's expensive, at $725 (yes, dollars, US only I'm afraid), but she's definitely a regular customer. She's also a Bliss skincare fan - she loves the Detoxifying Facial Toner and Steep Clean 15 Minute Facial Mask. For skin protection she uses the La Roche-Posay Anthelios AC Extreme Fluid and the Mindi Walters Vitamin C Complex, once quoted saying "this is the only product with SPF that does not irritate my skin".




Face
Yet another celebrity who adores the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation! Also Kim Kardashian's favourite, Megan also loves to use this on herself and on the red carpet as it provides good coverage which is oil-free (perfect for picture taking) and lasts all day. Expensive, but worth it. Another foundation she uses is the Chanel Waterlights Sheer Make Up Stick in Sand and Wheat. For concealer, she loves the Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer (her shade is medium beige) as it coverages everything from acne scars to blemishes to tattoos.

To set everything, she uses the Dr. Hauschka Transcluent Face Powder for all over the face and, for brightening the under eye area, Megan uses the Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder in #2. She also uses this for brighten up her complexion, keeping her skin looking refreshed and healthy. Her go-to blush choice is Lorac Rose; a light coral pink.

Eyes
For brows, she loves the Chanel Crayon Sourcils Sculpting Eyebrow Pencil in the shade Soft Brown. For many red carpet looks, make up artists have also used the Lorac Take a Brow Wax Kit in Brunette for a more defined, fuller look. Megan loves to smudge the MAC Smolder Eye Kohl on the top and bottom lashes to create a more messy look. For a softer liner, MAC Omega is her favourite choice.  She recently said in an interview how she likes to use two mascaras for the different brushes. First she uses the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill as "the thin brush means you can get into the base of your lashes", followed by the L'Oreal Voluminous on top to lengthen. On the red carpet, the most used duo is the Max Factor 2000 Calorie Straight Brush Mascara in Rich Black topped with some MAC Individual Lashes.

Lips
Megan's lipstick changes whenever her look does: from red-toned oranges with a neutral face and eye look, to deep wine reds with a smokey eye. To prep for whatever shade she uses the Dr. Hauschka Lip Care Stick followed by the Chanel Le Crayon Lèvres Precision Lip Definer in Natural. Her staple deep red lipstick is Giorgio Armani Rouge d'Armani in 400. For an orange, MAC Morange is a staple. Her dark, berry shade of choice is the Dior Addict Lip Color in Decadent Plum and for a true blue based red use the Lancôme L'Absolu Rouge Lipcolor in Absolute Rouge.

Like I said in my Kim post, obviously she uses many different products - these are just reoccurring products I've seen she has mentioned in interviews, forums etc over and over again. Next week: Kylie Jenner!

Full list of products: Sonya Dakar diamond peel treatment, Bliss Detoxifying Facial Toner, Bliss Steep Clean 15 Minute Facial Mask, La Roche-Posay Anthelios AC Extreme Fluid, Mindi Walters Vitamin C Complex, Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation, Chanel Waterlights Sheer Makeup Stick in sand and wheat, Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer in medium beige, Dr. Hauschka Translucent face powder, Laura Mercier Secret Brightening powder in #2, Lorac Rose blush, Chanel Crayon Sourcils sculpting eyebrow pencil in soft brown, Lorac Take a Brow wax kit in brunette, MAC Eye Kohl in smolder, MAC eyeshadow in omega, Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill mascara, L'Oreal Voluminous mascara, MAC individual lashes, Dr. Hauschka Lip Care Stick, Chanel Le Crayon Lévres Precision Lip Definer in natural, Giorgio Armani Rouge d'Armani in 400, MAC Lipstick in morange, Dior Addict Lip Color in decadent plum, Lancôme L'Absolu Rouge lipcolor in absolute rouge

Brand Focus: Maybelline

Another brand focus post for you. I previously done of one of these focusing on MAC cosmetics and this time, I'll be running through my favourite and most-loved Maybelline beauty products.

Face
Maybelline are my favourite for under-eye concealers and highlighters. I use the Anti-Age Eye Eraser religiously followed by the Dream Lumi Touch highlighting concealer pen on top. Both diminish any dark circles whilst brightening up the eye area. No cakey-ness whatsoever!

Eyes
Drugstore mascaras are so much more worth it when it comes to price. I own practically all Maybelline mascaras but my favourite and most used has to be The Rocket Volum' Express. The synthetic brush is perfect for adding length without any clumps. Despite the size of the wand, I love using it on my bottom lashes as it doesn't transfer (even though it isn't waterproof!). All of the Maybelline mascaras are great though including One by One, another favourite of mine. The Master Precise Liquid Eyeliner is my favourite drugstore liner. The applicator looks like a felt tip pen which makes it super easy to get a thick or thin line. It doesn't smudge, is super black and all day.

Lips
Honestly, the only lip products I love by Maybelline are the Baby Lips. I have a whole review dedicated to them with swatches but they are really great products. The majority include SPF and decent colour pay off. Not the best at moisturising, but still nice to use.

Have a great week, and halloween! x x x

Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro Primer Review

I think primers are a must have - regardless of what skin type you have. There is a primer for literally every skin need. I saw this Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro Primer in Boots and, as I was in need of a new primer, I thought I'd try it. It was only around £6.99 and definitely beats spending £28 on the Laura Mercier one.

The product has a lot of positive claims. It says it smoothes, resurfaces, brightens, mattifies and protects the skin. A primer that mattifies yet also brightens is definitely a key unique selling point for girls with combination or oily skin. I had high hopes. And so far, I do like it. It does seem to keep my makeup in place for the same duration as the LM one, and does noticeably mattify the skin. It doesn't seem to brighten the skin however which is a disappointment. As for the smoothing and resurfacing, I think that's a load of rubbish - this primer isn't a miracle worker. But it does have some redeeming attributes such as the longevity is gives. It is a scented product so may cause some irritation if you are sensitive to fragranced products.

I do believe that you pay for quality and it is noticeable that the Laura Mercier is a better primer than this one. However it cannot be dismissed that, for the price of £6.99, this primer does the job well. Definitely give it a try!

Benefit Countdown To Love Advent Calendar Preview

Note: this post contains spoilers




This is very exciting. Benefit are releasing their "Countdown to Love" advent calendar featuring twenty four Benefit goodies - one behind each door - leading up to Xmas day.

If you want to know what will be inside the calendar continue reading....

• "That Gal" brightening face primer 7.5ml
• The POREfessional pro balm 7.5ml
• High Beam luminescent complexion enhancer 2.5ml
• Sun Beam golden bronze complexion enhancer 2.5ml
• Benetint rose tinted lip and cheek stain 2.5ml
• Chachatint mango tinted lip and cheek stain 2.5ml
• Posietint poppy pink tinted lip and cheek stain 2.5ml
• Ultra plush in Coralista lip gloss 6.5ml
• 2 x Ultra plush in Sugarbomb and Dandelion lip gloss 6.5ml
• Hoola bronzer 3g
• Dandelion brightening face powder 3g
• Coralista a rio pleasure face powder 3g
• Ultra plush lip gloss in A-Lister 3g
• BADgal lash mascara 4g
• Stay Don't Stray in light/medium primer 2.5ml
• It's Potent brightening eye cream 3g
• BADgal waterproof liner in black 0.5g
• Total Moisture facial cream 8.9g
• Ooh La Lift instand under eye brightening boost 2.5g
• Girl Meats Pearl liquid highlight 7.5ml
• Bracelet
• Necklace
• Barrette

Personally, I'm really excited for this. You do get a fair amount of products - some of which I have never tried before! I think this will make a perfect gift to someone wanting to try out Benefit or to buy for yourself! They could definitely come in handy on holidays as miniatures.

It will cost £50 and available to buy ONLY on November 2nd 2013 (so make sure you save the date!) from the Benefit website, the London and Dublin Benefit Boutiques and select Debenhams stores. x x x