FOTD: Nude & Natural

I needed to nip out to the shops today & as my hair was a bit of a mess I didn't bother doing my make up on the same level as usual. Personally I felt like I looked awful (I mean the foundation I was wearing was about 2 shades too dark as it was a sample, from a magazine, I figured I'd use up instead of wasting my proper foundation just to nip out), but on my way back I got stopped on the street by a really sweet guy & chatted up (this never happens...I live in London, the heart of unsociability). So I've come to the conclusion this make up look is worth more than I gave it credit for & I figured I should do a FOTD to share the look with you & so I can remember it if I ever want to recreate it again. 

Face:

-No7 Blemish Stick (Extra Fair) on chin & cheek redness
-Estée Lauder Invisible Fluid Make Up (2WN1)
-Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer (Fair) under eyes
-MAC Mineralise Powder Foundation, Loose (Light) to set
-Benefit 10 (Bronzer side only) in cheek hollows & on temples/jawline
-MAC Mineralise Blush (Warm Soul), only the tiniest amount on apples/cheekbones
-MAC Hey Sailor High-light Powder (Mix of peach & lilac sides of Crew) above cheek bones, down nose & on chin

Eyes:

-Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil (Black Brown) to fill in brows

-Soap & Glory Daily Double Crayon (Velvet Pink) as lid base
-Bobbi Brown (Shell) all over lid & up to brow

-Benefit (Tickled Mink) in crease & outer V 
-MUA (Shade 22) over all lid

-Urban Decay (Virgin) inner corner

-Bourjour Effect Smoky Pencil Eyeliner (Sand Rose) 
inner 2/3 top lashline 
& lower waterline

-Rimmel Exaggerate Eye Definer 

(Perfect Plum) lower lashline

 & outer 1/2 top lashline 

-DiorShow Extase Mascara 

(Black Extase) just a tiny amount, 

applied in an outwards motion

Lips:

-MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencil (Saunter)
-Topshop Lipstick (Nevada)
-MAC Creamsheen Glass (Private Screening)

Woah! Writing it all down it seems like more than I remember putting on, guess I was more made up than I thought! I think it looks pretty natural & nude though.

What do you think?

I actually really liked that Estée Lauder Invisible Fluid Make Up actually, but with it being so lightweight I don't think I'd get enough coverage if I got the correct shade for my skin tone.

Miss Sarah x

N.B. The photos were taken at the end of the day, so obviously the make up isn't as fresh as when first applied

Fancy a Splurge?

I was reading CharlMathews (Something Special to Say)'s April Favourites Blog Post & she asked for product recommendations to treat herself when her student loan comes in. I started typing a response & realised it was getting longer & longer, so figured I make a blog post on the subject.

So these are recommendations for if you're coming into a bit of money & are wondering what to try/splurge on. I'm not at all recommending anyone purchases all of these, just some suggestions to pick one or maybe 2 from.

A 'Luxury' lip balm 

- Kiehl's lip balm #1 
This is really different to other lip balms I've owned, pricey but LOVELY.
It's mainly absorbed into the lips but you do get a nice sheen that remains (not too much to look overly glossy or disrupt lipstick/gloss application though)
It holds itself well (like a waxy balm) but can also be sheered out, so you can wear it as thick or thinly as you like without it feeling slippery, whilst feeling softer than a waxy balm.
I have the mango one (quote from my flatmate 'it smells like you're IN a mango', it's a very real scent, rather than artificial), the coconut one smells divine too. There's also a non-scented one if you're not into that.
£9.50
http://www.kiehls.co.uk/face/lip-care/scented-lip-balm-1.aspx
                         


                                       
-MAC Hey Sailor! SunTint 
These liquid lip balms belong to MAC's Limited Edition Hey Sailor Collection.
They give just a hint of colour, there's 3 shades available; Sea Mist (a peachy nude), Au Rose (a pale rose pink) & Abalone (a deeper, fuchsia pink).
The formula contains a splattering of very fine gold glitter, which will really make your lips glow in the summer sunshine.

These are practical, as well as pretty, with SPF 20 & MAC claims these 'protect lips against sun, wind & salt.'

As such an all round product, I predict these are going to be one of 'The' lip products for summer 2012.
Get your hands on one quickly though, they're selling out fast!

£11.50
http://www.maccosmetics.co.uk/product/shaded/8868/22046/New-Collections/Hey-Sailor-Colour/Lips/Hey-Sailor-Suntints-SPF20-Liquid-Lip-Balm/index.tmpl




-Eve Lom Kiss Mix 
This is super pricey, I picked one up for my sis & didn't realise the price until I'd paid.
It's one of those products that really is worth the money though. Everytime I speak to my sister she can't stop going on about how much she loves it (& she's not really into beauty, so hadn't heard of the brand & didn't 'know' she was meant to love it, if that makes sense, it could have been Vaseline level for all she knew before she used it)
I feel this product has an edge over other lip balms as it has protective ingredients as well as moisturising meaning it's great for summer sun exposure as well as winter winds.
These have a lovely pearlised shine, so look great on their own or over a lipstick.
£16.00
http://www.evelom.com/product/shop+products/kiss+mix.do

A 'Luxury' Lipstick 

Either in your 'go to' colour or a super bold, statement colour. 

Loads of brands have sheerer ranges out at the moment, but I suggest investing in one of their 'signature' lipsticks, the feel & look of these make it really worth the money.

-YSL Rouge Pur Couture
I've done a review on my one of these lipsticks, so check out 'My Secret Weapon to Tackle Phone Interviews' for more details on this AMAZING lipstick
£23.50
http://www.yslbeauty.co.uk/make-up/lips/lip-stick/rouge-pur-couture.aspx

-Dior's Rouge Dior

This is SO expensive, but I genuinely feel that it's one of those products that actually IS worth the ridiculously high price tag.

I have never had a lipstick feel so amazing on my lips as this, it's absolutely incredible.

The colour is really bold & really lasts.

The formula is also slightly 'plumping', who doesn't love a good 'plump'

£25.00

http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Dior+Rouge+Dior+Lipstick

There are of course other high-end lipsticks that are amazing & very much worth money but some I haven't tried (I'm thinking my next discovery may be a Chanel) & Some I just haven't liked quite as much as these two.

A 'Luxury' Mascara 

First off, I am well aware that some high street mascaras are really, really amazing & lots of people love them, don't think anything could beat them & don't see the point in spending any more on a mascara (They're definitely a lot better than most of the mid-range mascaras...tip, don't waste your money on a mid-range mascara!). I also know that some really expensive mascaras are awful & some are alright, but no better than the good high street ones. There are a select few though that I genuinely think are the best mascaras in existence & really do knock the best high street ones out of the water, I was converted about 4-5 years ago & haven't looked back since.

-YSL Faux Cils

THE best mascara in existence FACT. 

If you want amazing looking lashes, there really is nothing better, short of false lashes (& I actually think alot of the time a few coats of this looks so much better than false lashes.)

The brush is what makes this mascara amazing for me (although the formula is pretty darn great too), so once it's time for a replacement, if you can't afford to keep this as your day-to-day mascara, you can improve the look of a cheaper mascara with a good formula by thoroughly cleaning your YSL wand & using it to apply your high-street mascara.

These do dry up a little eventually (about the 4-6month mark, although you're not meant to keep mascaras more than 6months for hygiene reasons), but there are methods to revive a slightly dried up mascara.

These have gone up about 25-30% in price over the last 5 years, but they could charge £50 for this mascara & it would still be worth it, in my opinion.

£23.00

http://www.yslbeauty.co.uk/make-up/eyes/mascara/luxurious-mascara-for-a-false-lash-effect.aspx

I was going to mention another 'worth the money' high end mascara here, but there's no need. If you want to splurge on a mascara, just go with the YSL Faux Cils, there genuinely is nothing better.

(Incase you have some crazy allergy to YSL Faux Cils or some beef with YSL, what I was going to mention  was the Dior Mascaras, the classic 'DiorShow Backstage' & 'DiorShow Extase' are particular favourites)

I was also going to mention luxury foundations, but they aren't really 'treat products'. Some of them are, however, so very worth the money, so if you're in the market for a foundation to make your skin look flawless check out 'DiorSkin Forever' or 'Clinique Even Better' & if you're after something with a little lighter coverage check out 'Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua' (I wouldn't recommend that for really dry skin though!!), with all of these make sure you get colour matched at a counter, guess work will lead to you most likely wearing the wrong colour & not looking right at all. Lastly if there's not a colour that you match to completely correctly in the range, then DON'T go with that foundation, try another brand (shades tend to be similar in a brand's different ranges, I've found), it's not worth your money to walk away with the wrong colour foundation, even if it's the best in the world! 

Miss Sarah x

I also have a VLOG!!

I started this blog to run along side my youtube channel MissSarahVlog, I thought it would be easier for me to review the majority of products in a written, blog format, rather than on video. So far, I feel I was right about this.


I'm still making my mind up about a few products I fancy reviewing, so until I'm decided, check out MissSarahVlog for more content.


My vlog contains much more of a variety of content compared to this blog. Videos range from Hauls to Cooking Tutorials to Tags & also include just some random videos of stuff from my life. It's a place to go to get to know me a little better.


Here's a selection of videos from the channel:

OOTD - Classic, Girlie Look For Uni

How To...Bake a Lemon & Coconut Sandwich Cake

Lux Box & Summer Party Vlog

Best Friend Tag feat. Miss Sarah, Charl Mathews & Rachel

Topshop, YSL & Benefit Haul

Hope you enjoy.

Miss Sarah  x

NOTD: Old & New

I was browsing through my nail varnish collection the other day to find the palest shade I owned, as I wanted to check how my pale skin looked with very light polishes before investing in some very pale pastels I've had my eye on recently.

I came across a polish I had no idea I owned, no recollection of buying, no idea when I would have bought it, or why. The polish in question is '17 Lasting Fix in Melted Mallow', a pearlised white. The colour seems very bridal to me, & whilst not the kind of colour I'd usually go for, I've become a little taken by it.

The formulation isn't that brilliant, I have 2 coats on, but I feel 3 or 4 are needed to truly reach its potential. It also goes on a little streaky (although, like I said, I have no idea how old this polish is, so it could just be that it's getting on a bit).

As you may notice from the photo, this is not the current 17 Lasting Fix Varnish packaging, & I've had a check on the boots website & they don't actually do this shade any more. They have a shade that looks similar called 'mini skirt' but I'm not quite sure if it's pearlised. I'm going to do a little more investigating & see where I can find a similar shade.

Like I said, I find the look quite bridal, so I mixed it up a little with a slick of Topshop Nails in 'Moonshine' on the nail of my ring finger. I find Topshop nail varnishes a pleasure to work with, the formulations are good, the brush is great & the colour range is fantastic. Moonshine is metallic with a colour I'd describe as 'if Rose Gold was Silver'. I've actually found I only need one coat of this for full colour. Due to the metallic nature I do find that Moonshine is slightly more prone to streaking than most of the Topshop Range though.

They're finished with a top coat of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat, which I cannot rave about enough at the moment. Without a doubt the best top coat I've ever used. The only thing I've found that seems to prevent the 'smudging' I usually experience in the 15-60minutes after doing my nails.

 Miss Sarah x

Secret weapon to tackle telephone interviews

First off...interviews scare the hell out of me. I prep, plan & PANIC like crazy for as much time as I have available. I find phone interviews particularly scary as I can't gauge the interviewer's body language!  


I found out a couple of days ago that I had a very important (SCARY) phone call to make to a contact of a contact that I HAD to impress. I, of course, did all the preparation I possibly could, but was still left trembling at the thought of making the call this morning.


 So how did I combat the paralysing fear & manage to pick up the phone and dial the number?

LIPSTICK!!

Bright, Pink, Fuchsia Lipstick to be exact.

Explanation
So the 3 keys for a phone interview, I feel, are:
*Preparation 
       Goes without saying.
       I'd spent 2 days planning, so that's a tick
*Comfort 
       The last thing you want to be thinking about is how your thong is digging in.
       I was wearing my my comfiest jogging bottoms & cosiest slippers, another tick.
*Confidence
        You can tell from someone's voice over the phone if they're bricking it & it puts people     off.
        Cue a slick of my YSL Rouge Pur Couture in Fuchsia Innocent (27)


I recently purchased this super bright lipstick to wear on a really glamorous night out, & always figured it would remain as a special occasions night out lippy. 
But in the 9 days I've owned this lipstick I've found myself reaching for it at every given opportunity. It instils a confidence in me I've never experienced from a single beauty product before. When I'm wearing this lipstick I feel I can achieve anything! (Even if no one can see me!)

It's not just the colour of this lipstick that makes me feel amazing, the texture is to die for! It feels so creamy & nourishing without that slippery feeling you often find with creamy lipsticks. My lips feel like they're wrapped  in silk.

There's also a subtle scent, that's hard to place, somewhere between floral & fruity, which gives that extra feeling of luxury.


The YSL Rouge Pur Couture lipstick is pricey (it retails around the £23.50 mark), but you can't put a price on such killer confidence!!

Miss Sarah x

Bourjois Paris Effect Smoky Pencil

Eye liners don't usually excite me, I mean I'd never dream of leaving the house without applying liner, but they're not the kind of product I spend hours on make up stands swatching to find the perfect colour/formula. Bourjois Effect Smoky Pencils are different though, they're a liner to definitely get excited about!!

I was actually browsing Boots for a coral lipstick when I discovered these beauties (What can I say... I'm easily distracted when it comes to make up!!), I swatched one on the back of my hand & couldn't believe the intensity of the colour, I had to have one!

These double tipped liners consist of a super pigmented pencil on one end and a soft, pointed brush on the other. The brush is intended for blending out the pencil to achieve a smoky look.

The pencil itself gives a very sharp colour, much more akin to that of a liquid liner, which can be smudged to create a softer look. The colour is also very easily blended out into the crease or onto the lid, meaning you can completely transform a nude base with a single product.

The brush has natural bristles & is similar to a lip brush, perhaps a little softer (I've actually been using one of mine as a lip brush & it's fantastic!!).

The Effect Smoky Pencil costs £5.49 (which I think is pretty reasonable, even good value considering the usage potential) & is available in 8 matt shades (a Brown, a Purple, a Green, a Grey, a Blue, a lilac & 2 Blacks) & 3 sparkle shades (Granite, Mocha & Navy).

I currently own the 'Ultra Black' & 'Smoked Brown' shades & can't wait to get my hands on the 'Sand Rose' (I almost got this taupe/lilac when I got the black & brown but thought I should probably road test them first).

Miss Sarah x