Inside my makeup bag...

These are the beauty items I use on a daily basis for my normal makeup routine. I'll be doing full reviews on the majority of these products soon.

From left to right (kind of!):
- MUA bronze eyeshadow
- 3 x Lily Lolo mineral foundation
- Benefit sunbeam highlighter
- Chanel sunlit powder
- Chanel pressed powder
- HD brows kit, Vamp
- Elizabeth Arden blush

- Face powder brush
- Blush brush
- L'Oreal Telescopic mascara
- 2True concealer
- Rimmel brow pencil
- 2True black eyeliner
- Eyelash curlers
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I'm going to start with the most important parts of my kit first - the powders (foundation, blush, bronzer, brows), because I believe that you should spend the most money on these. Buying good quality base makeup will save you time (and money in the long run), plus they help achieve that flawless skin look. I think that a good brow is essential to frame your face and bring attention to your eyes.

Lily Lolo foundation - I just received these pots today! My Bobbi Brown mineral foundation had just run out so I hopped over to Lily Lolo after reading MANY great reviews. This mineral powder gives a flawless, glowing result that looks completely natural but coverage can also be layered for the night.

Chanel sunlit powder - No. 20 Oasis. This bronzer is perfect, it has no shimmer and gives my face a gorgeous, natural hint of tan.

HD brows kit - in Vamp. My favourite eyebrow kit by far: the powder is easy to use and stays on for absolutely ages. I pair mine with an eyebrow pencil to achieve a cleaner edge, as I like a bold brow.

Chanel natural pressed powder - Translucent 3. This is a few shades darker than my skin tone so I use it for contouring my cheekbones etc. I'm hoping to upgrade to Illamasque cream pigment in Hollow soon!

Elizabeth Arden cheek colour - No. 22 Peach Bisque. This blusher gives a lovely pinky-peach glow to my cheeks that is truly beautiful I've been using this colour for a long time, as you can see from the bare patch in the middle!
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Now for the remaining items:

MUA eyeshadow - I have these little pots in many colours as they're only £1 each and quite good. They stay on for a long time (if you use primer) but they do settle in creases easily. I love this bronze colour for creating an everyday smokey eye, when used with the shadows in the HD brow kit.

Benefit sunbeam - I used to have this in the full size but dropped it *smash* so I was thrilled to find this free in a magazine. I adore this highlighter, the Moonbeam colour is too pale and silvery for me but Sunbeam is perfect for drawing attention to the brow bone, cheekbones and nose.

L'Oreal Telescopic Precision mascara - black. I've been using the Telescopic mascara for years and have tried all the variations that they have created (carbon black, false lash effect etc). As much as I like this one I'll be buying the false lash effect version next time as I find it gives me much longer lashes for some reason.

2True concealer - fair. The skin under my eyes is rather sensitive so I find it difficult to use concealers without having a burning sensation. After trying many expensive brands I thought 'sod it' and went for the cheapest variety available in Superdrug, thinking that if I'm going to be in pain anyway then I might as well save some money! Turns out this doesn't irritate my eyes and actually gives OK coverage - for now it'll do.

Rimmel brow pencil - black/brown. This is the perfect accompaniment to my HD brows kit as it allows me to clearly define and perfect my brows. It can smudge but I always seal my brows with a quick spritz of hairspray.

2True liquid eyeliner - black. Another beauty bargain that doesn't irritate my eyes. It doesn't have that strong staying power but for £1 who can complain. I actually quite like this brand for when I'm low on money and need a quick top-up.

Eyelash curlers - generic curlers from Superdrug. Essential for lifting lashes and helping open up your eyes.

Face powder brush - generic brush from Superdrug. My ferret shredded my kabuki brush *cries* so I had to find a quick and cheap alternative. This little beauty does the job well and is delightfully fluffy/soft. A must-have for applying mineral makeup and powders.

Blush brush - another generic brush from Superdrug. I've had this quite a while now and still enjoy it. I can easily and precisely apply my blush to the apples of my cheeks without overdoing it, even when I'm being quite heavy-handed.

Eyeshadow brush - foam end. Cheap bit of tack to replace my broken brush. Definitely needs upgrading!

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I'm pretty happy with my current kit but obviously have a wish list full of drool-worthy (and cost-worthy) makeup that I would kill to get my hands on. I think the first thing I'm after is definitely a new kabuki brush! What are your beauty essentials?

THAT miracle cream

You probably already gathered from my previous two posts that I LOVE this face cream and am willing to preach it's miracle work to the world!

 

Name: Bio-Protective Cream for Sensitive or Reactive skin.

Brand: Thalgo - La Beaute Marine.

RRP, for 50ml: £37.70

Product claims: The Thalgo Bio Protective Cream is a fresh textured cream that forms a real protective barrier instantly shielding your skin from outside aggression. It is also delicately fragranced with violet, white musk and cotton flower. This great product is enriched with Sun'Ytol, which will guard you against UV rays. So protect you skin against the harsh environmental elements with this Thalgo Bo Protective Cream and give your skin a treat.

A bit about the brand: 

Thalgo's main ingredients are marine products, which they've been utilising for almost 50 years. It is only available in top spas and beauty salons or over the internet. The marine algae used in their skincare is full of active ingredients which rebalance, protect, nourish and re-energise the skin.
You can read other reviews and buy it here (currently on sale for £30.16!), plus the Thalgo website has a section where you can read about all the different types of algae that they utilise.


Main ingredients:
Hyposensine, Linseed extract, Alpha-Bisabolol, Witch Hazel, Butcherbroom and Sun'Ytol. 

Hyposensine claims to increase the skin's tolerance threshold and improve comfort.
Linseed protects from external assaults and prevents feelings of irritation.
Alpha-Bisabolol soothes and refreshes, whilst Witch Hazel softens and prevents redness.
Butcherbroom encourages surface micro-circulation and Sun'Ytol protects from UV radiation.
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My thoughts: 

For once a product that does everything it's claimed t! My skin feels soothed, refreshed and soft without any irritation, plus I like the added benefit of UV protection. The product is thick & creamy, with a delicate fragrance that makes you feel as if you're having a spa facial, but doesn't annoy my skin unlike all other fragrant products. After trying out a tiny sample of the cream and noticing an instant difference in my skin - I opted for the (rather bland looking) salon size 150ml tube, instead of the pretty 50ml tub, as I didn't eant to risk running out anytime soon.

I've been using this same tub of cream for around 4 months now and it's still going strong, despite the fact that I sometimes use it 3+ times a day. Not that you need to keep reapplying it, but I like to use it in the morning, after I've exercised and also before bed. This is by far my favourite cream and to be honest I'm a little scared of trying anything else out of fear of causing a dreaded breakout. At some point / when it does run out I'm tempted to try the Liz Earle skin repair moisturiser as I've read plenty of positive reviews. Plus it retails at £19.25 instead of my usual £37 splurge on Thalgo.

My routine for sensitive skin

This is a special shout out to all you ladies who also suffer from sensitive/dry/tight skin. If you've read my first post you'll know that I have devil-skin that wants to destroy my life - so here's the way I tamed it (for now).

I'm a very simple girl with 3 set products that I know won't hurt my skin. My routine consists of cleanser, toner and moisturiser, although I do use eye cream during winter as I am prone to extra dryness when it gets cold (lucky me). I also exfoliate once a week but can't use any store-bought products (not even those designed for sensitivity) without it kicking up a fuss. Instead I mix together olive oil and sugar, which makes a gloopy sludge that I lather on. After gently rubbing and rinsing with warm water my face is revived but moisturised. I highly recommend trying this technique if you too find normal exfoliators too harsh, or even if you just want a more natural exfoliant.

My daily routine:

I start with Kind to skin Purifying Cleansing Lotion by Simple, to remove any make up or impurities. I've been using this product consistently for 2 years, however any other product of theirs makes my skin react which is very strange. Simply sweep this across your face with a cotton ball and hey presto! Although if you're a fan of waterproof make up then you'll need something more substantial to shift that.

Next I use Triple Strength Rose Water by Nature's Aid as a toner to help minimise/close my pores, as well as to gently exfoliate around my nose which is where I get flaky skin. This is the only toner-style liquid that I can use on my skin without it flaring up or drying out even more.

After this I use a small blob of my miracle Thalgo cream, which I mentioned in my first post, and gently massage it into my face focusing on my driest areas (around my T-zone and chin). I then wait 5 minutes for it to soak in before I start on my make up.

Et voila! Fussy face prepped and primed in under 3 minutes.

A bit about my skin

Hello fellow bloggers!

As a newbie I thought it'd be wise to start off by telling you about my stupidly sensitive skin. I have very dry skin with fluctuating sensitivity depending on stress, hormones, weather etc. As a child I couldn't use any creams/lotions/oils on my face without it flaring up and literally feeling like it was on fire, hence I was resigned to prescription creams. Then when I hit my teens my skin suddenly calmed down and I was able to use make up and normal products for the first time - huzzah!

Sadly this didn't last and my skin soon returned to it's normal fussy state by the age of 17... I've spent a fortune in my quest to find a skin care routine that makes my skin comfortable. Clinique, Lancome, Dermologica, Origins: you name it I've tried it. Then this year I found moisturiser heaven in the form of Bio-Protective Cream by Thalgo.

The second it touched my skin I felt instant relief from my usual burning and tightness and I've now been using it for over 3 months without a single flare up or reaction - my skin is healthy looking, plump and glowing. I'll post a full review of this great product soon.