Bare is beautiful

Bare is beautiful

It's very rare these days that a beauty range comes along and totally changes the way you do things. But one has...Mags talked about Bare Escentuals, Bare Minerals in her last blog, and echoing that, I am going to nod towards their foundation range.

I once read, that when you try a powder foundation you will never go back to a liquid one, but never believed it. Doesn't the powder stick in my wrinkles? Isn't it messy? Does it really cover my spots/black circles/blemishes? The answer to all these is yes. This product is a revolution and you need it in your life!

I have loved my liquid foundations for near on 15 years, so believe me, you are preaching to the unlikely to be converted. But after trying the range for only a week, I was hooked.

Why? I could never possibly create such a flawless finish that highlights my features but doesn't actually look like I have plastered my face in make up. It's subtle, it's like make up for grown ups! And better still, the fact that the minerals are natural, means it actually HELPS my spots, not like normal foundations which can suffocate and worsen spots. It feels light, as if no make up is on my face at all, and if I am off out in the evening, a simple top up suffices, rather than having to redo the entire face.

The foundation is SPF 15, and when you buff it on the skin, it acts like a liquid foundation. In a future blog i will guide you through how to apply the foundation. But for now, I couldn't wait to tell you how much fun i have had discovering this brand and changing my entire make up routine!

Mags has beautifully modelled the entire face in Bare Minerals make up before and after, so see for yourself!

And my liquid foundations? Firmly in the bin I'm afraid...

Stay beautiful!

Stace x

13th April 2011

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

I’ve never known how to create a nice eye make-up so I’ve never worn one! My make-up routine every day was the same boring one, consistent of: primer, foundation, concealer, blusher and mascara- et voila!

I thought that looking natural was my ‘signature look’ so I didn’t try to improve anything for a long time. Until I decided that I need a bit of a change especially that I was just getting closer to my big birthday! I also didn’t want anything complicated and drastic since I knew I won’t be able to recreate the look and will get back to my boring ‘el natural’ look.

Intro to Eyes by Bare Escentuals was my saving grace! I discovered it about five weeks ago and now I can’t leave the house without my eyes looking gorgeous! This quick and easy starter pack helped me discover how effortless is to apply eye make-up and create an amazing and flirtatious eyes! Simply fabulous!

The tutorial box (pictured on the left) contains all the products you need to create naturally gorgeous eyes and quick and easy steps on the detachable tip card at the front of the box. Let me walk you though the four steps to beautiful eyes (remember, there is no need for you to purchase that tutorial, just try to adjust the products you already have at home to recreate the look):

Step 1 – Preparation: apply eyelid primer all over your eyelid from lash to brow for a lightweight, sheer base that prevents fading and creasing of the eye colour. The bareMinerals Prime Time Eyelid Primer is the BEST I’ve ever used – the colour stays on all day and doesn’t crease!

Step 2 – Application: apply colour (of your choice) to the lower half of your lid. For more in-depth colour, lightly dampened your brush before applying the eye shadow. My favourite bareMinerals colour is Flaunt Eyecolor, it’s natural but with an edge.

Step 3 – Liner: use short gliding strokes to apply your favourite eyeliner along your top lash line from the inner corner to the outer corner. Wrap it up around and continue along the lower lash line to the halfway point in the middle of he eye.

Step 4 – Final Finish: no eye make-up is finished without a sweep of mascara to both upper and lower lashes. Define, separate and lengthen your lashes by applying mascara from root to tip. For fuller effect apply at least two coast of mascara to the upper lashes.

I hope the above steps will help you become a bit more confident with your eye make-up! It definitely helped me! See the photos below!

(My eye make-up done with the help of the Bare Escentuals' Tutorials Intro to Eyes kit)

You don’t have to buy the bareMinerals Tutorials Intro to Eyes (£30) to become an expert in eye make-up. The kit helped me taking my first steps into realizing that once I get a grip of what to do, than the next colours and eye make-up ideas will come naturally… hopefully no more ‘el natural’ look though!

Stay beautiful!

Mags x

10th March

Luscious Lips

Luscious Lips

It seems only appropriate to write my Valentines blog as a homage to one of my favourite bits of my make up kit, - lip gloss/balm.

For me, adding something moisturising with a slight colour to it to my lips can lift even the dullest day. And with all that kissing on Valentines, it's time to make those lips work for us! So here are 3 of the best.

Lancome Juicy tubes

I cannot possibly write this feature without nodding to probably the most famous brand of lip gloss. I have always been a fan of these lip glosses, the colours are subtle and stay on through meals and drinking, not leaving big lip marks on the side of wine glasses. They taste incredibly amazing, and there is such a large range. One small tube can last a long time, and the range of colours can add a real seductive look to your lips. No girls handbag should be without one.

Liz Earle sheer pink lip shimmer

This is a new one we have been trying this week at Beautiful You. Very subtle, and extremely moisturising. I am not overly keen on the little pots that you have to put your finger into, but that said, a little goes a long way and I think this pot will last me a long time. The shimmer is great for warm summer nights when you are going for a 'barely there' make up look, and I will be saving this for summer holidays. Not quite enough colour and shimmer for the winter nights though.

No7 Liplicious

These are my all time favourite lip glosses. A tube lasts so long, they taste great, the colours are brilliant with a lovely shimmer, marshmallow is my personal favourite. They also stay on for a long time and create completely kissable lips, perfect for Valentines day! My only criticism is there isn't a wide range of colours available.

Have a beautiful Valentines day!

Mags will be back soon with the lowdown about Bare Escentuals. Does this brand live up to the hype? Find out soon!

Stace x

13th February 2011