Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation // Review

If you saw my recent Sephora haul you'd know that I picked up the Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation. Since then I've used it quite a few times and decided to share my thoughts with you. I picked up the shade 2.0 which is about right for my skin. It looks quite yellow toned in the bottle but once blended in these don't come through quite as much. It recommends that you shake the bottle before use as the product itself is fairly runny in consistency. The small pump though allows me to get exactly the right amount out to cover my face, and it's easy to add a little more should you need to. I buff this into my skin with the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush (which is my go-to at the moment) and it's very quick to apply, disappearing seamlessly into the skin without having to spend ages blending (unlike the Laura Mercier Silk Creme- I love it but it takes a long time to apply!). I think the coverage can be very varied, depending on how much product you use. Normally I like to build it up to a medium coverage for an everyday look, but if I'm not being too fussy I can just apply a very light layer all over to even out my skintone.

The main downside that I'd seen reviewers mention was the staying power of this foundation. I've used this quite a few times already to get a feel for it, including in very hot Florida weather. My verdict is that the staying power is not too bad. It lasts most of the day, but it does usually wear off first on my nose and chin. Obviously wearing a primer underneath helps to avoid this but really it's not a huge downside for me. If I want a super flawless, very long lasting look I'll always reach for my Tarte foundation as it claims 24 hour wear, but this works nicely for a normal day, if I'm just running errands and am not up to a huge amount.

Overall, I'm really pleased with this product and it's already become a staple in my make-up routine. As I picked it up from Sephora in America it was a little cheaper than it is here in the UK but it's available in Debenhams for £27.

Olivia Ellen XXX

Summer Beauty Favourites

I know it's not long since I did my August favourites but I thought I'd round off the summer with my favourites products from the last few months. While I'm super sad that summer is over, we haven't exactly had the best weather and this autumn brings a really exciting new part of my life, plus I'm loving the look of this season's trends, so there are some positives (although in three months when I'm wearing 5 layers with a sniffly nose we'll see if I'm still saying this!). Anyway, let's look back over the summer!

The most obvious favourite is of course my Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue. It's the perfect light base but one that I'll definitely keep using through the winter months because it keeps my skin feeling so nourished and hydrated and adds a gorgeous glow to my skin. Another product that I've been loving is the Clinique Pop Lipstick. It's really moisturising and glossy but with a really intense colour payoff although to be honest I probably haven't used this as much as I should. A product I've only recently found is the Charles Worthington Sun Protection Shampoo and Conditioner as I picked up a mini bottles of these to take on my holiday. The small bottles actually didn't quite last me two weeks so I did have to pick something else up while I was there but I did really enjoy this combo. It made my hair feel so soft and my dry ends practically disappeared. As I wash my hair everyday on holiday I was worried it would look a bit limp but this wasn't a problem at all.

Something that I'll definitely continue to use all year round is the Soltan Shimmer Body Oil. While scent-wise it's probably not on the same level as the Nuxe or Tom Ford one, it's still a great dupe for making my legs look lovely. It's important to shake it up before applying it (something I've forgotten to do many a time!) as the shimmer particles do sometimes sink a little in the bottle, but once rubbed into my skin leaves it feeling super soft, enhances my tan and gives a perfected look. Finally is the Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scent. It's the sugar crush scent condensed into a really strong body mist, that really lingers on the skin and hair. It's a fresh scent that will remind me of summer whenever I spray it.

Olivia Ellen XXX

Sephora Haul!

It's probably a little sad to admit but I've been planning what I was going to pick up from Sephora since I found out there was one near where I was staying in America. I'd done lots of research and read reviews before heading there and I was pretty good. I didn't go wildly overboard or make any impulse purchases so today I'm going to share with you what I picked up! I haven't used any of these products yet so this is purely first impressions and I will let you know how I find these, either in full reviews or monthly favourites so look out for those!

First of all I picked up another of the Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation, which I first picked up back in April. I haven't finished my current tube but it's my favourite foundation so far so I've now got a backup so I don't run out. You can see my more detailed thoughts on it here but it's full coverage with a natural finish that doesn't cling to dryness and lasts very well on the skin. I also picked up the Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation in shade 2.0. To be honest I haven't heard many people rave about this but equally the reviews I did read were good so I decided to give it a go. I'm expecting a medium coverage that feels light on the skin and looks natural so I'm thinking it'll be a great everyday base and I can't wait to try it. The shade looks about right for me- it may be a little too light for me right now as I have a bit of a tan but through the winter I think it'll match pretty well and I can always add a little extra bronzer to warm it up.

I picked up a couple of products from Kat Von D, a brand I've never tried before but have heard great things about. First is the Ink Liner in the shade Bosch, a dark olive green. I'm not great with liquid liner- I love my black Eyeko one but I only ever use it to lightly line the lid and rarely attempt a wing. I thought that a green liner would be a nice twist, especially as this shade is very on-trend this coming season. From swatching it in store I love the flexibility of the nib and the pigmentation looks great. I also picked up the Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Bauhaus, a dark pinky-purple. People rave about the staying power of these lipsticks so I can't wait to give it a go. I adore the packaging and again, this product is going to be great for the coming season so I'll let you know how I find it!

I finally picked up a Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in the shade Blushing Bride. I originally wanted to pick up one of the new Too Faced blushes but they didn't have them but I was equally happy to go with a Tarte one as I know people love them. It's a pretty natural pink shade in such a cute compact with a big mirror inside. I'm certain I'll get a lot of use out of this!

Now for a little confession- I did some online shopping while on holiday. I know, I know, I can't stop blah blah blah but I was desperate to pick up the Becca Jacyln Hill Champagne Pop Highlighter. I'd heard it was sold out in most Sephora stores and I knew I was only going to a small one so I popped in an online order and got it delivered to where I was staying. Honestly, it was so worth it. It is the most beautiful highlighter- it's not at all subtle but adds a stunning glow that just adds such a 'wow' to my look. If you are able to get your hands on this I can highly recommend it!

Olivia Ellen XXX

Packing Light // Holiday Make-Up

Whenever I go on holiday I always over-pack, both in terms of clothes and beauty. When I go on a beach holiday I don't need 4 different foundations and 2 eyeshadow palettes but I always took them anyway, so this year I'm trying to pack light and thought I'd share what I'm taking with you today.

In terms of bases, taking the Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue was a no-brainer. It's a little bit of coverage with lots of glow and SPF 30, so perfect for sunny weather. If I want slightly more coverage in the evening I've also got the L'Oreal Infallible Foundation which I mix with the Bare Minerals for medium coverage that makes my skin look lit from within. I'm taking my normal concealers- Make-Up Forever Full Cover for blemishes and L'Oreal True Match Crayon for under the eyes. I might also take the L'Oreal Lumi Magic for highlighting but I haven't fully decided yet. For powder, it will of course be the Bare Minerals Mineral Veil which is my perfect powder right now.

For brows, I'm going for a very natural look with the Anastasia Brow Wiz and Bourjois Brow Natural. Both give a natural looking brow very easily, and I'll probably also take the L'Oreal Brow Plumping Gel although I couldn't find it when I took these photos- oops! I doubt I'll want to do an intense smokey eye while I'm away so I'm just taking a couple of eyeshadow crayons from Bourjois and my favourite eyeliner from Eyeko as these are all so simple to use but makes my eyes pop. I'm taking a waterproof mascara and one normal- Maybelline The Rocket and No7 Midnight Lash are my two favourites.

I couldn't decide on just one contour product so I am taking two, although the Sleek Face Form also has a blush and highlighter in it which I will use. I also love cream products in the summer so the Clinique Curvy Contour and my Topshop blush in Head Over Heels are also coming with me. The hardest thing for my to narrow down was lip products, because I have so many beautiful shades but really I am unlikely to use a huge amount. I've decide on the Clinique Pop Lipstick (I can't remember the shade but it's a beautiful glossy pink), MAC's So Chaud should I want a bold lip and two glosses by Almay and NYX that are easy to slick on and keep my lips soft. I'll also take a lip balm (or two- I'm terrible I know!) in my hand luggage.

Olivia Ellen XXX

Once Loved Products

Today I'm talking products that I used to love but have since grown out of. Some of these are purchases I made a long time ago, for example the Revlon Lip Butter (the shade is Strawberry Shortcake). I adored this when I first bought it and slapped it on but looking back at it now I'm not such a fan. This is party due to the shade being just too barbie pink for me and it just slides around on my lips and doesn't look particularly flattering. Equally I've gone off the Maybelline Baby Lips now. What I loved about this was that I could quickly pop it on to finish off a look, it was low maintenance and moisturising. I've since bought the Max Factor Colour Intensifying Balm and much prefer it- a more even wash of colour and one hundred times more hydrating, so although it costs a little more it's definitely worth it.

Another oldie is the Bourjois Delice de Poudre bronzer. This was great when I bought it but now I find it just doesn't have enough colour payoff and I end up spending ages loading my brush up with product for it to make not much difference. I much prefer the highly pigmented Milani bronzer to get my skin glowing.

A couple of foundations now, with the L'Oreal True Match and the Max Factor 3 in 1. The main problem with both of these is the finish- I used to like a fairly matte finish to my make-up but now I go for glowing skin every time so both of these just don't have the finish required and I find they leave my skin looking a little bit flat and dull. The L'Oreal isn't a perfect match for my skin either, and I've started to notice the Max Factor clinging to dryness on my skin so these are both being pushed to the back of my stash.

Finally, let's talk about the Anastasia Brow Wiz. I used to rave about this product and use it every day, but my main problem with it was that it just wan't lasting long enough. The pencil would last me maybe 6 weeks, and for the price I decided it just wasn't worth it. I now use a pot of gel from Illamasqua but like to keep this just in case I'm having a lazy day and want a quick fix. I think it's a handy one to have in my collection because it has a spoolie brush and it's compact so I think I'll always keep one in stock, but it's not as loved as it once was.

Olivia Ellen XXX

Soap and Glory Sugar Crush

Body Scrub // Body Wash // Body Lotion // Fragrance Mist

I guess this makes it official- I am in love with the Sugar Crush scent from Soap and Glory. I'd describe it as zesty but sweet, a really perfect summery smell which is probably why I've become so obsessed with it lately. The first product I had (and one I've just finished) is the body scrub. I like this because the scent is really intense and perfect for waking me up in the morning and the scrub particles feel really gentle on the skin. Unfortunately it's just run out but I've told myself I need to finish off some of my other scrubs before I repurchase this one!

Next up is the shower gel which comes in this fantastically huge bottle which will last me ages. Again, the scent is really intense and this feels really creamy and leaves my skin feeling really smooth so it's great to use when I shave my legs. The body lotion came next and again comes in this huge bottle. While ordinarily £10 for a body lotion seems like a lot to me I know this on will last me a long time. I keep it by my bed so the pump is really convenient and hygienic. Finally my favourite- the fragrance mist. I feel like this a fairly new product, although I might be wrong, but I adore smothering myself in this scent and genuinely got a lot of compliments when I wear it. While the scent isn't as concentrated as a perfume, it clings to clothing and particularly in my hair so I sometimes just catch whiffs of it throughout the day which is really nice.

Olivia Ellen XXX

Sephora Wishlist #2

At the end of the summer I am lucky enough to be heading back to America. While I am super excited that I'll finally be getting the dose of sunshine that I deserve, I am also, of course, looking forward to making a quick trip to Sephora. After getting a little spendy there in New York, I've really been enjoying investing a little more in some high end products so I've put together (quite a hefty!) wishlist of things I'd love to pick up when I'm there. I only actually picked up two products from my last wishlist so we'll see what happens this time!

First of all, I know for certain that I will be repurchasing the Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation as I've been using this for a few months now and it has firmly become the best foundation that I own. It works for so many occasions and is just the perfect finish and coverage for me and I don't want to run out. Also I'd love to try one of Tarte's Amazonian Clay Blushes as people rave about them and I'm dying to see what all the fuss is about. Other make-up products include the Naked 3 palette- it's one I've wanted since it was released but couldn't bring myself to splurge on so I'll see how I feel in August- along with an Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder- a super luxurious and unnecessary product but one on my radar all the same! The Too Faced Hangover Primer has had some really good reviews and since I've not really tried anything from Too Faced, I feel like this would be a good place to start.

In terms of skincare, there a two brands that I really want to give more of a go. I already have a face mask from Clinque but I'm dying to try their new Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm as it looks like a dreamy way to take my make-up off. A couple of masks that look lovely are from Origins- the Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask and the new Original Skin Rose Clay Mask, both of which I've heard great things about. Finally, the Surf Infusion Spray from Bumble and Bumble looks like something right up my street- it gives the texture and finish of a salt spray but with added oils to nourish the hair, rather than dry it out like most salt sprays I've tried do. While the full size is pretty pricey for a hair product (in my opinion) the mini size is perfect for me to try.

Phew! That's a pretty big list and I'm yet to decide which of these products will definitely make it into my basket but be sure to let me know if you have any more recommendations for me to check out!

Olivia Ellen XXX

Beauty Haul // TK Maxx + Bleach London

It's not often I think to look in the beauty section at TK Maxx but last week I did and picked myself up some complete bargains from some brands that I love. I also picked up a little set of hair dyes from Bleach London but I will begin with the TK Maxx goodies.

First of all is a Nars lipgloss which cost me only £10 in the shade Risky Business. It's my first Nars product which is very exciting as it's a beautiful pinky-brown nude with some shimmer running through it which matches really well with MAC's Brave and Soar if I want a bit more of a glossy finish. I've heard lots of people recently talking about the benefits of Dr Bronner's Magic Soap so I decided to pick up a small bottle of this for £3.99. It's apparently great for washing make-up brushes ans removing stains from them so I'm looking forward to giving this a go. I picked up a skincare duo from L'Oreal too- it contains the Skin Perfection Moisturiser which I use every morning (it normally costs £15 full price) and the matching Micellar water (which I haven't tried but I use the Garnier Micellar water daily so I'm expecting it to be similar) for a total price of £10, which is half the price you would pay if buying these separately so I'm really excited I spotted this.

The item I'm most excited about is the Bare Minerals 30 Day Starter Kit which also cost me £10. My Bare Minerals powder foundation is about to run out and luckily this kit is in my exact shade so I snatched it up straight away. In the kit you get the foundation which, although I don't use on a daily basis, I love for touching up my make-up and adding some extra coverage. The foundation primer is one I also really like, as is the Mineral Veil powder which I've only started using recently (I still have a mini of it from my first starter kit) but is lovely and light- perfect for setting my make-up without mattifying it. The only thing from the kit I haven't used before is the concealer but I imagine this will be light and won't cling to any dryness. Along with this you get two mini brushes- a concealer and a dense buffing brush, both of which I have in the full size versions too. This kit is just going to be perfect for travelling and I think for the products you get, it's a great price.

Finally, I picked up this little trio of Bleach London dyes for £4 in my local Boots. I was super excited to try them after I loved the pink tips thanks to L'Oreal Feria's dip dye kit. However I have tried them out and I am a little dissapointed. The colours hardly showed up in my hair, and although I didn't bleach it especially, this wasn't a problem with the L'Oreal dye which showed up a very vivid pink. Also I'm not a huge fan of the consistency- it is think and gloopy which made it quite messy to work with. I may try these again after bleaching my hair a little as it seems a waste otherwise but if you want a very vibrant colour I would recommend the L'Oreal dyes over the Bleach London ones.

Olivia Ellen XXX

L'Oreal Feria Dip-Dye Excess // Review

Yeah, I know- dip-dye is so last year! But I was feeling kind of bored with my hair and since I no longer have to go to school where there are so many rules about hair colour, I decided to try something fun. I originally wanted to pick up the Bleach London dyes but the Boots I was in didn't have any so instead I decided to try the L'Oreal Feria Dip-Dye Excess in the shade Pink Pop. It comes in 4 shades: 2 pinks, a red and a purple and I went for the lightest pink. They're semi-permanent and claim to last up to 10 washes. It comes with a resealable tube of dye (which is great as it means I can top it up if I want to) and a plastic brush for combing the product through your, all for just over £5.

It's been a long time since I used an at-home dye and I always used to get someone to do it for me (so it wasn't my fault if it went wrong!) but for this I decided to go it alone. I've watched enough tutorials on YouTube throughout the years to have a vague idea of how I was going to apply it. I put on an old black top and parted my hair into two sections which I tied into bunches. I then put in another bobble at the level that I wanted the dye to come to, making sure it matched on both sides. Wearing gloves, I squeezed the dye out of the tube and just began applying it onto the hair with my fingers, working it through and being sure to cover it all. The comb helped here as it separated the hair and showed any sections that I'd missed. While my hair has been bleached in the past so the ends are quite light, there are also some highlights through it and my hair wasn't as light as the box recommend, so I was intrigued to see what the final colour would be.

I'm actually really pleased with the intensity of the pink. While it's not as neon as on the box, it's still very pink so I'm happy. There's probably enough in the tube for a few more applications which is great so I'm looking forward to experimenting with different styles.

Bourjois New In

I've been trying to spend as little as possible recently which is why you haven't been seeing as many reviews as normal on the blog this month. However I was browsing in Boots and since Bourjois had a 3 for 2 offer on, I decided to try out a couple of new products. First up is the Colour Band eye crayons. I'm not sure if these are brand new but I haven't ever swatched them before in store. I picked up two shades- Beige Minimal, a shimmery champagne shade and Brun Dadaiste, a shimmery bronzey copper shade. Because they are chunky in size they are so easy to use. They are creamy and easy to blend so are perfect for a quick shimmery eye. I like to pop Beige Minimal all over the lid, then blend Brun Dadaiste through the crease. Equally they are great to use separately as a base colour, inner corner highlight or for a smudged eyeliner along the lashline. They are also pretty long lasting and affordable so I'm really glad I picked these up. 

The other product I went for is the new Brow Natural. What intrigued me about this was that it has a felt tip nib, something I've not tried before for my brows. I went for the darkest shade but even so it's not the best match for my brows and does need building up to really get it to match my natural brow shade. I'm a little disappointed to find that the amount of product dispensed means that it takes quite a long time to fully fill in my brows so I would say that this is not the product for you if you want a really intense look. That being said with a bit of tinted brow gel over the top, it does make a nice natural look which works well for me on no-makeup-makeup days. I wouldn't say that this will become a holy grail product for me but it is an interesting one to try. I've seen on Bourjois's twitter that they are bringing out some more brow products soon so I look forward to giving those a go when they are released.

Olivia Ellen XXX

MAC Brave Lipstick and Plum Foolery Blush // Review

Even though my birthday was back in April, I've only just gotten round to spending the MAC giftcard I received. I had enough to buy two products so I decided to go for a blush (since I've not tried one before) and a lipstick so I thought I'd do a little joint review for you. The blush I went for is the shade Plum Foolery and is a sheertone shimmer finish. It's a pinky-plum shade with a rose gold shimmer through it which is absolutely gorgeous. It feels lovely and buttery in texture and because it's a sheertone it can look really natural on the cheeks or you can build it up for a more intense colour. My most used blushes are ones that are a little shimmery or glowy as I just think they add extra radiance to the skin all year round so I know I'll be getting a lot of wear out of this.

The lipstick I picked up is in the shade Brave and is a satin finish. Most of my MAC lipsticks are mattes but as I was going for a nude shade I decided to give something creamier a go. It's a lovely dark pink-nude that has a little bit of shimmer running through the bullet, although luckily this doesn't really show up on the lips. I feel really bad as most of my MAC lipsticks are bold, matte colours which, although I love the shades, don't get as much wear as they should, so this one will be a great one that I can wear everyday as it will go with pretty much any look. It's a nice creamy finish but the colour still hugs the lips to it doesn't wipe away after a few minutes, and this matches really well with my Soar lip liner, also from MAC, if I want to really define my lip shape.

I'm super happy with both my purchases as it's not often that I have a spend in MAC, and I'm looking forward to getting a lot of use out of these products. Anyone a fan of either of these products?

Olivia Ellen XXX

Mii Brows Conceal and Contour Duo // Review

The salon where I get my eyebrows done have just introduced the brand Mii into their range of products. Although I haven't tried the full treatment yet (which includes brow wax and tint among other things) I was intrigued to try their products so I was a very lucky girl as my mom picked me up this Conceal and Contour Duo as a reward for finishing my exams a few weeks ago. The shade is Perfectly Peach which blends nicely into my skin and looks very natural. The product is a double ended pencil with a concealer on one end and a highlighter on the other. I was really pleased to find that the concealer is really creamy and easy to blend- I apply a thin line around my brows after filling them in and then blend it out with a small brush. It covers any mistakes I may have made with my brow gel and any hairs that are growing back through while just really enhancing their shape and giving them a super sharp finish. The highlighter is slightly shimmery and looks really nice applied to the brow bone and blended out. It's subtle but just finishes the look and enhances the arch. At £11.50 I think this is a great product and is perfect for someone that wants a sharp brow look in a flash.

Olivia Ellen XXX