It's In The Details

Today's post is a little snippet of what I've been reaching for a lot in the past couple of weeks - just a quick insight into my current loves.

Nars Sheer glow is the perfect day time foundation for me. I apply it with a beauty blending sponge (I love the Real Techniques Miracle Sponge), creating a thin layer for a natural day time coverage. You can also use a slightly heavier application, by layering the foundation for a more full coverage, yet natural, appearance. Although my skin tends to get slightly greasier on the t-zone area, I have had no issues with this product in terms of excessive oiliness - I tend to carry my Mac MSF with me everywhere anyway. For concealing any stubborn blemishes, I dab this Bare Mineral's 'bisque' concealer and it does a great job at covering scars!

Nars Laguna bronzer is a very natural 'glow' looking colour on my yellow tone skin, and although it doesn't add much in the bronzing department, it does a great job at creating a defined and *contoured* face. If you want a lot of warmth and depth of colour added to your complexion, and you have medium-yellow toned skin, I would suggest you give Nars Casino a go.

On lazier days, I ditch the winged liner and apply a swipe of this Sephora brown eyeliner closer to the lash line, just enough to add slight definition and then I coat the lashes with a mascara that separates the lashes whilst creating volume - this Mac Haute & Naughty mascara is great for that! I also put a stroke of this 'highlight' shadow by Mac, into the tear duct area to create the illusion of a wider and brighter eye. Finally, I've been finishing my minimal look with my one of my all time favourite Mac lipsticks, Yash.

As a self acclaimed lover of all things silver, I'm always reaching for a few silver bits of jewelery to complete my outfit. I've rediscovered this aztec inspired piece from Primark - the assortment of stone colours really stand out on an all black outfit, and this necklace just gives off a very vintage vibe. Love it.

Todays FOTD: Everyday Natural Makeup

Despite being a makeup junkie, there are few firm favourites that I use pretty much everyday and serve as holy grail items in my beauty stash. This post is a quick insight into some of the main treats my face is fed on a daily basis.

Base: Nars Sheer Glow in Santa Fe
I've been using this foundation for 4 years now and I still have no complaints. It's the perfect everyday foundation for normal-dry skin, due to its luminous finish I wouldn't recommend this foundation for oilier skin types as it may make your skin super greasy without constant powder touch-ups. Personally, I tend to get slightly *greasier* in my t-zone area, but I use Macs MSF after a few hours use and I'm good to go for the rest of the day. I wouldn't say this foundation radiates that 'glow from within' look, but rather has a beautiful satin finish that smoothes over any imperfections without drawing any attention to them. In terms of coverage, this foundation is sheer in texture, though buildable for soft coverage of imperfections.

Bronzer: Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel (Bronze Universal)
This cream-gel bronzer was all the rage a couple of years back, and most people seemed to have gave up on the application of this makeup newbie. Though once you've caught the hang of what works best with this product, it really works a treat in warming up your skins base. The trick, for me at least, is to use the product as I would foundation. I like to use this with my Real Techniques Expert Face brush, and gently pat in upward motions from the hollow of my cheekbones.

Contour: Benefit Cosmetics Hoola
Although I'm not a massive contouring freak, I like to use this product to create a slight illusion of a shadow for my cheekbones and down my nose. For olive skin tones, I find this works best as a contour shade rather than a bronzer as it has 'cool' undertones rather than a red base. It's also a matte product, which is perfect for defining the face.

Highlight: Mac Lustre Drops
With this product, a little goes a long way. I like to use a couple of drops of this over my cheekbones and down my nose to create a luminous and radiant base.

Lips: Mac Soar & Blankety
Soar is a mauve-pink liner that works perfectly to create the illusion of fuller lips. I fill around and in my lips with this shade and then tap Blankety ontop for a fuller, but also glossier pout.


Saina
xo

Beauty Buys

It's been quite a while since I've had a beauty splurge, but with some neccessities running low in my stash, I just had to make a trip to Selfridges to stock up!
Nars Sheer Glow (shade Santa Fe): 
I'm sure I've mentioned this foundation before - but Nars Sheer Glow foundation has never failed me. I use this foundation on a daily basis. When used with a beauty blending sponge (I love the Real Techniques Miracle Sponge), you can sheer this foundation out in one thin layer for a natural day time coverage. But you can also use a slightly heavier application, by layering the foundation for a more full coverage, yet natural, appearance. Although my skin tends to get slightly greasier on the t-zone area, I have had no issues with this product in terms of excessive oiliness - I tend to carry my Mac MSF with me everywhere anyway.
I've said this before, but my skin is extremely sensitive, and prone to cyctic acne breakouts. Though I haven't had any problems with this product reacting on my skin *touches wood*
Benefit Roller Lash Mascara: 

 "It’s a roller for lashes! The eye-opening Hook ‘n’ Roll™ brush grabs, separates, lifts and curls…while the instant curve-setting formula holds for 12 hours." - Benefit Cosmetics

That's enough to get anyone trialing a new mascara right? I'm giving this one a go as my hunt for THE perfect mascara still continues - here's hoping it's everything it promises to be! (Review  upon request).

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara:

This product is meant to be a dupe of the Benefit Roller Lash - obviously I had to pick up both and make the comparison myself... Right?

Mac Blush (shade Harmony):

This product is a repurchase - that's commitment right there! I first got my hands on this gem in Canada, but I somehow managed to misplace it upon my travels (grrrr). This blusher is one of the best 'contour' shades on my skin tone. I tend to place it over the top of my bronzer, but only in the hollows of my cheeks and alongside my nose to create that shaddowy illusion. 

*Tip* If you already have Benefit's Hula bronzer then there's not much point in investing in Harmony as the two are very similar in shade and results!

Bobbi Brown Metalic Lipstick (shade Berry): 

I picked this lip colour up on a slight whim and a random outburst of convincing myself that for some reason, I needed it. My logic? 'You can layer this with your matte muted pink-brown shades to add sheen'. I'm a sworn matte lip fanatic, and I only own a handful of lipsticks in my collection - most of which I barely reach for. But with the English weather not seeming to make its mind up, it's left my lips in a bad condition. Therefore, my matte lipsticks do not set as well as they should and I've had to layer them with something more moisturizing. This product reminds me of the Clinique Chubby Sticks in the sense that it has slight colour with more of a lip balm effect. Once worn alone, this product gives off a subdued rosy-pink or berry shade with a metallic sheen but once layered on top of a matte nude it brings dimension and fullness to the lips. 

Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade (shade Chocolate):

I'm sure if you read or follow a few beauty blogs or Instagram pages, you've been exposed to the rave around this product. I first set my hands on the Anastasia Dipbrow's late last year, but the colour I purchased was too dark and gave my eyebrows a very unattural appearance. A further problem I had with the product was it's lasting power in the pot - the product became rock solid and extremely dry to use after a month or so! I repurchased this product in hopes of achieving a slightly natural colour pay off and also hoping the product will last longer. 

What have been some of your recent finds? 

Saina 

xo