The Big Autumn Makeup Purge

Let us start by saying that yes, we have waaaay too much make up and yes, we are suckers for shiny new products. Because of this we found ourselves in a situation where makeup was spilling out of drawers, cupboards and cabinets and action was needed!

 

Within our home we both own our own make up but we also share nail polishes and some palettes. As Mimi will be getting married and moving to the USA early next year we felt that it was time to sort the makeup stash and get rid of some of those items that hadn't seen the light of day for months or years!

Before the Great Purge!

 

The Lip Products:

 

This was one of the largest collections we had to organise. We started by tipping EVERYTHING out in a pile and started to go through each lip product by type e.g. lipstick, lip gloss, lip balm. Lets put it out there....the pile was ridiculous. We painstakingly sorted through each one and asked ourselves some questions:

1) How old is this product?

2) How long since I wore it?
3) Is it a colour I would wear now?

Once we had asked ourselves these questions it was easier to start throwing things away. If we had not reached for a product in over a year the chances are we would not be reaching for it again. We ended up with swatches all over our hands and arms (tip: keep some make up wipes handy!) Here is our 'before' (hangs head in shame) and 'after': We used the Muji storage drawers to organise the lip products so now they are easy to find and sorted into category.
 



The Lip Product Stash - Before

The Lip Product Stash - After

 

The Nail Polishes:

Another mammoth task! When sorting through our nail polish collection we started with those really old bottles that were beyond redemption. You know the kind; the top is glued on, the polish is thick and gloopy and you last reached for it in 2002! They went the journey first and then we took stock of what was left. We both have a certain colour that we gravitate towards and then we buy the same colour in 20 different brands. For Elle it is the neutral beige/sandy colour and for Mimi it is a soft pink. This MUST stop as it means that we have soooo many nail polishes in almost the same colour. We kept our very favourites -  Essie Sand Tropez and Essie Fiji and a couple of similar shades (don't judge) and the rest went into the 'give away' pile. We then utilised our nail polish stand from Ebay to display the polishes that remained. A still slightly ridiculous but more manageable collection.

The Greens

The 'they're not really all the same shade' neutrals

The Baby Pinks

The Final Result

 
 The Powder Products:

By this we mean the powders/bronzers/blushers etc. We are not really collectors of single eye shadows and any that we have are nicely stored in a MAC or Z Palette so this was an easy edit to make. The other powder products were a different story. We had a lot of pretty old products that needed to be tossed as they were way past their best. We then tidied the remainder into an Ikea box giving us easy access to the products and making us much more likely to use them.



The Powders, Bronzers and Highlighters

The Blush

 The Palettes:

We both love a good eyeshadow palette and have some great ones from Urban Decay, IT Cosmetics, MAC and Revolution. We had nothing that we wanted to lose therefore we tidied the products up and displayed them in an Ikea Godmorgon box for easy access.

The Paletts

 
The Conclusion

A sort out was most definitely long overdue and it was amazing to find some little hidden treasures that we had forgotten about! Since we purged we have started to use some products that had been relegated to the back of the cupboard and have a new found love for them! The IT Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Palette has been brought out of retirement and Elle has been using it daily since its rediscovery.

We have also pulled out some great forgotten about lip options and brought them back into circulation such as Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick in Rose Tweed and Bare Minerals Marvellous Moxie Lipstick in Speak Your Mind.

Have you ever had a giant makeup purge? Did you find any old favourites? We would love to hear about your rediscoveries in the comments below!
 

Fleur De Force Beauty

  

We are big fans of the lovely Fleur De Force's YouTube channel and blog (she is our favourite UK beauty guru) Thefore, we obviously had to order almost everything from her new make up line Fleur De Force Beauty the day it launched on Feel Unique!

We ordered four of her lip products which are somewhere in between a gloss and a liquid lipstick. The colours we chose were Written In The Stars a brownish pink, Little Star a pale nude pink, Seeing Stars a coral colour and Starry Starry Night a fuchsia berry shade. The formula of the lip products is so smooth and creamy while still being very pigmented and giving you great colour pay off! As someone with really dry lips this is a godsend!!!

Apologies but we couldn't wait and tried everything before the photos were taken! Next up are the two eye shadow quads. Lunar Rose is a gorgeous pink toned palette with an unbelievable shimmer taupe shade that swatches as a dupe for the By Terry Ombre Black Star in Misty Rock! The second quad, Cosmic Bronze is, as the name suggests, a bronze themed quad! Again the stand out shade is the taupe which in this little palette has more of a brown undertone but is still just as stunning as the first!

We had to get the make up bag which goes with the collection since it showcases Fleur's signature dreamy water colour design and we were not disappointed. It has a soft leather like exterior and a soft satin lining. The bag can be expanded by unclipping the sides so you an fit longer palettes inside if needed. Feel Unique also had an offer when purchasing two or more products for a free handbag sized mirror in the same design as the make up bag. Perfect to throw into your bag for touch ups througout the day!

 

We love this new collection and know that we will get lots of use out of the beautiful lipglosses and eyeshadows. We hope that they will be expanding on the range as we would love to see some additions in the not too distant future!

Have you tried any of the Fleur De Force Beauty products? Tell us what you think in the comments below!

Must Have Autumn/Fall Lipsticks

From the top: Nars Audacious, Kat Von D, Boujois Rouge Edition, NYX Soft Matte, Sephora Rouge Infusion

I must start by saying that I am obsessed with all things Autumn/Fall. Pumpkin spice, halloween, dressing in deep reds and black, wearing boots, wrapping up in comfy scarfs and of course the make up trend that always comes back around Berry Lips! I tend to have really dry sad chapped lips which does not work well with bold statement lip colours! However I think I have managed to find a few formulas and shades that work really well for me.

 

The first being Nars Audacious lipstick in Anna. I searched high and low for this shade after Anna from Vivianna Does Makeup posted about it on her blog but it was sold out everywhere. I did finally manage to get my hands on it and it did not disappoint! The lipstick formula is opaque and creamy but dry slightly matte and the shade is a gorgeous brown pink. It's the perfect Autumn nude lipstick.

 

The next came in a Sephora Loves sample box. Although I had heard a lot of hype around the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick before and especially about this shade Outlaw I had not tried any. It's an deep berry blue toned red which, once applied is not going anywhere! This formula is slightly drying on the lips but that can be excused as the staying power is so good.

 

Next up is the only traditional UK drug store option in the bunch, Boujois Rouge Edition Velvet liquid lipstick. This is almost a drugstore dupe for the Kat Von D lipsticks in formula apart from the fact that it is even better! The product goes on the lips like water and is very light weight. It dries almost instantly but doesn't dry out your lips! I love this orange red shade Hot Pepper however I have heard mixed reviews about some of the deeper shades in the range.

 

I love NYX products, they are hands down my favourite USA drug store brand and their lipstick selection does not disappoint. Everything I have tried from them I have loved especially the Soft Matte Lip Creams. This one in the shade Copenhagen is the perfect deep burgundy purple shade for this time of year! The next shade up, Transylvania looks amazing on my best friend who has black hair but unfortunately not so great on this blonde!

 

Lastly another liquid lipstick! (What can I say they are just so easy!!!) This is the Sephora Rogue Infusion liquid lipstick in the shade 10 Red Essence another hyped product but for a good reason. These lipsticks have a great long lasting formula and I love this red since its more brown toned than the others. Plus these smell amazing!!! 

 

What are your must have Autumn/Fall lipsticks? Let me know in the comments!

 

Mimi

Cream Blush - Not Just For Summer!

Cream Blush Clockwise L-R: Makeup Revolution Blush Palette, No & Pop and Glow, YSL Kiss and Blush, Revolution Blush Stick, YSL Crème De Blush, Chanel Le Blush Crème, Revlon Photoready, Bourjois Little Round Pot Cream Blush

I have been guilty in the past of relegating cream makeup products to the back of my drawer when Autumn/Winter rolls around. After all, creams are for Summer when you want to look all glowing and shimmery right? Well, maybe not! I believe that cream products can fit right into your Autumn/Winter make up collection and look just as great as the powder varieties especially if, like me, you suffer with dry skin in the colder months.  

I have to admit, until a couple of years ago cream blush was just not on my radar. I religiously used the powder variety and was happy to grab everything from Rimmel to YSL. As an oily skin girl I thought that a cream blush would make the situation worse and slide off my face after 5 minutes wear. Until the wind changed (and my 40th birthday passed!) and what felt like overnight my skin became more and more dry and flaky. The powder products were simply not working for me any more and while I experimented with skincare to alleviate the dryness I started to look to more cream based products as a solution.

I stopped powdering my skin after applying foundation and picked up a couple of cream blush products to try, the first being the Bourjois Little Round Pot Cream Blush. I have to confess after 20 plus years of slapping a highly pigmented powder blush on each day the cream variety took some experimenting to get right. However, this tiny cream blush pot in six shades is very easy to apply with a brush or your fingers and gives a lovely natural look to the cheeks. Once I got the hang of it I started to look to the higher end brands and one day at the YSL counter in Boots I was talked into purchasing their Creme De Blush. Big mistake! I got hooked, bought another two shades and wept buckets when they discontinued it to introduce their Baby Doll Kiss and Blush. The Creme De Blush was my holy grail product and I am yet to find a replacement that lives up to it, the Baby Doll is no substitute in my opinion and I don't like it nearly as much. If the blush/lip hybrid is up your street then try the Makeup Revolution The One Blush Stick as that is said to be a good dupe for the more than four times as expensive YSL Baby Doll!

Although she is also a lover of a good powder blush Mimi is addicted to the No 7 Pop and Glow Cream Blush Stick which she has in 2 shades. A blush stick is a great way to try cream blush as it is fuss free and you don't need a brush to apply it, simply sweep it on and blend with your fingers for a lovely natural finish.

While browsing the shelves of Superdrug last weekend (as you do!) I came across the Makeup Revolution All About Cream Blush Palette. With 8 generous sized cream blush shades ranging from a natural peach to a bright pink I knew I had to try it! I have experimented with a variety of the shades in the palette and am amazed at the value for money it offers! 6 beautiful shades and the blendability and pigmentation, just WOW! All this for only £6.00! It's a steal and a fantastic budget option.

Back to the higher end products and while I was mourning the demise of my YSL Creme De Blush I purchased the Chanel Le Blush Creme in Fantastic. Wow! The pigmentation is amazing and a very light touch is required to avoid looking like a clown! (I confess I have made this mistake!) This is a great cream blush option if you like a splurge. It comes in the classic Chanel packaging and has a mirror for touch ups on the go.

Finally, if you like the idea of the Chanel blush but your budget doesn't stretch to Chanel prices then take a look at the Revlon Photoready Cream Blush as an alternative. It comes in a small pot making it great to pop in your handbag and it has a creamy texture and buildable colour giving a glowing and natural flush. The four shades range from the peaches to the pinks so there should be something to suit everyone.

If you are not a cream blush user why not give some of these a try! I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

Elle x

Hydraluron Saved My Life

Many years ago as fresh faced youngster I was afflicted with oily skin. No matter how much I powdered (and in the 80's there was a lot of powder!) My t-zone remained like an oil slick. Fast forward a couple decades and around 2 years ago I noticed that my skin was becoming more and more dry and during the winter months the skin on my forehead and cheeks started to flake off. As you get older your skin goes through many changes and mine became dry and dehydrated.

I started researching some solutions and during one googling session I came across one Ms Caroline Hirons, Skincare Consultant and Beauty Blogger. As a lady of a similar age to myself I was interested to hear what she had to say and whether she was able to offer any words of advice. I read her blog with interest and discovered a product that she had in her 'Hall of Fame' August 2012. It was a tube of serum called Hydraluron from Indeed Labs. Caroline was a convert to this product after only a few days of using it so off I went to Boots in a last ditch attempt to salvage my crumbling face! I am not exaggerating when I say that this product changed my life! (Okay, maybe not my life but definitely my skin) I cannot rave about this product enough.

Hydraluron is: 

Suitable for all skin types
Paraben free
Propylene glycol free
Fragrance free
Capable of absorbing up to 1000 times it's weight in water
Holds the moisture in your skin 　

After using Hydraluron for one week the difference was amazing. My skin had no flakiness or dryness, my foundation applied more smoothly and my skin looked plumper and more healthy.

This is how I use the Hydraluron Serum on a daily basis to combat my dry skin:

1. Cleanse with Trilogy Very Gentle Cleansing Cream, water and cotton rounds

2. Apply Trilogy Very Gentle Calming Serum

3. Apply a pea size amount of Hydraluron to forehead, top of cheeks and chin area

4. Moisturise with Trilogy Very Gentle Moisturising Cream 

This 4 step skincare process and definitely saved my skin. Of course I still get the occasional breakout but for the most part my skin is clear and has no visible dryness. When Mimi was complaining of dry skin last summer I passed some of this miracle serum on to her and now she is also an addict! Since I have found a skincare process that works for me I am very reluctant to change it. I totally rely on this product and obsessively ensure that I never run out! Since I discovered this serum I have tried various other Indeed Labs products and I will definitely do a full post on the various products I have tried and tested in the future. Watch this space!

Elle x

If you want to find out more about Indeed Labs products go to www.indeedlabs.com

Have you tried any of the Indeed Labs products? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

USA Beauty Haul - Sephora and Ulta

While we were holidaying in Florida during August we could not resist a trip to the beauty stores (lets be honest we made about 5 trips but who's counting!) We always like to check out the products that are US exclusives or difficult to come by in the UK and we got our hands on some treasures!

Lets start with Sephora (also known as the Mother Ship!). Our first trip to Sephora was at our favourite Orlando shopping destination, Mall at Millenia, where we picked up some of the excellent Sephora brand make up brushes. We have tried some of these brushes in the past, I own a crease brush and a blending brush, but we had not tried the Pro Brushes nor the Value Sets so we were interested to take a look at what was on offer. I had the Sephora Small Pro Stippling Brush on my must have list and snapped up one of those up along with the Pro Tapered Crease Brush which is amazing for a precise crease shadow application. Another must purchase was the legendary Beauty Blender. Now I realise I am a little late to the party on this one and I know it is available in the UK but it's sooo much cheaper in the US and for this reason I thought it was time I gave it a whirl. After 3 weeks use I can safely say that it has changed my foundation/concealer life! I am loving it for blending foundation, CC cream, tinted moisturiser, under eye concealer - you name it! I also picked up a new Beautyblender Solid Cleaner as Mimi said I used all of her last one (!). Another potentially life changing item was then secured - the Anastacia Brow Wiz. Until tragedy struck! On the flight home the holy grail item was safely packed in my make up bag in my case however when I got home I noticed that it has somehow snapped in half during the journey. I see a repurchase on the horizon.

I really wanted to try one of the Fresh Sugar scents and after smelling all of them settled on Fresh Sugar Lemon which is a lovely blend of their traditional sugar sent with lemons thrown in. I love it! Finally, when approaching the cash register and making my way through the aisle of temptation I grabbed hold of the Elizabeth and James Nirvana perfume duo and the cute Sephora TSA Approved Travel Bag to use on the flight home.

Next it was off to Ulta where I stocked up on my favourite L'Oreal Color Riche Balms which I now own in every colour with duplicates of my top two! I was very restrained in Ulta and only picked up a couple other items including the NYX Skinny Mascara that I wanted to try as a bottom lash mascara. So far so good! (lets be honest here, I bought two!) Of course it wouldn't be a trip to Ulta without throwing in a few - okay SIX - nail polishes into the mix! I love these L'Oreal nail polishes and Essie is our favourite nail polish brand so we had to get our hands on some new shades.

Special mention to the Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation. I have seen some Beauty YouTubers praising this product and it is so affordable I thought I would give it a try. It is now my daily go-to foundation and I wish I had picked up a spare!

Since having LVL Enhance lash treatment I have steered away from waterproof mascaras. Therefore, when the new Covergirl Super Sizer Mascara caught my eye I was tempted to give it a whirl. You are supposed to 'twist' the brush as you apply at but that seems a bit weird to me so I have stuck to the traditional application method! The fine wand grabs hold of and makes all of your lashes stand out and it holds a curl nicely. So far, so good!

Usually when we travel to the US we find lots of things that are not available in the UK however I think that the UK beauty market is getting much better and we seem to be able to get our hands on most things and most brands that they have in the US with a few minor exceptions. This meant that I did not purchase nearly as much as usual - good for my bank balance!

Look out for our Bath and Body Works haul coming soon!

Have you tried any of the above mentioned products? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Elle x

LVL Enhance Lash Treatment - Review

LVL Enhance Lash Treatment (exclusive to Nouveau Lashes) first popped onto our radar when Lisa Eldridge posted a video to her YouTube channel detailing her experience of the treatment. The results looked fantastic so we carried out some research into the procedure. Nouveau Lashes official website describes the treatment as follows:

'LVL ENHANCE is our revolutionary natural lash treatment that is taking the beauty industry by storm. Exclusive to Nouveau Lashes, it allows you to enhance your client’s natural eyelashes, creating the appearance of added length, volume and lift, without mascara or extensions. With a wide client appeal, the treatment takes just 40 minutes but the effects are instant and last up to 8 weeks.



Mimi: L-R Before and After

Being afflicted with the worlds shortest lashes (Elle) and the worlds straightest lashes (Mimi) we decided that LVL Enhance looked liked an excellent way to have semi-permanent curled lashes without the 15 minute battle with the eyelash curlers every morning! We searched for local beauty salons who offered the treatment (there is a salon finder on the official website), selected our favourite and booked our treatment for 5 days before our holiday. We were told that the procedure would take around 40 minutes and to attend the appointment wearing no eye make up.



Elle: L-R Before and After

A couple of days after popping into the salon for a patch test we excitedly attended our appointments. We were introduced to our respective beauty consultants who led us into our own individual rooms with relaxing music playing where the procedure was explained and we were encouraged to relax with our eyes closed for the next 40 minutes or so. After a busy week no such encouragement was required!

The beauty consultant explained the process at each stage of the procedure and while she was waiting for the solution to work we were even treated to a hand massage. Delightful! As well as 'lifting' the lashes a tint is also applied to give the impression of a natural mascara application even when bare lashed. It is totally pain free and we experienced no discomfort at all during the treatment.

We were both very excited to see the final result and once our eyes had become accustomed to the light we were delighted! Where there were once fair, straight, invisible lashes there were now dark, voluminous lashes that made our eyes appear larger and more open. We were advised to wait for 24 hours before getting them wet and we purchased the recommended clear mascara like serum from the salon to keep them conditioned and soft.

Now that it is almost 6 weeks post procedure we would safely say that we would both highly recommend this treatment for all types of lashes. Both of us have very different lashes - Elle has short, fine and fair lashes that take a lot of curling and require the use of waterproof mascara to hold a curl. Mimi has long fair lashes which are very straight and require 10 minutes every day with the eyelash curlers to try and put some curl into them.

You can see from the before and after shots just how much of a difference this treatment made for both of us. We were so pleased with the results that we have booked to have the treatment repeated soon and can see that this will become a regular beauty essential for us!

If you are interested in LVL Lashes visit https://nouveaulashes.com/ for more information

Have you ever had LVL Enhance? We would love to hear about your experience!

Fleur De Force for Eylure

We were so excited when we heard our favourite UK YouTuber Fleur De Force was bringing out a range of false eyelashes with Eylure! Now, we are by no means the type of people who wear falsies on a daily basis and we even struggle when it's a special occasion! Therefore we were really interested to try these new lashes as the ones we picked up are described as being 'enhanced with soft tip technology to ensure a completely natural and flawless finish'. 

Fleur has released four different styles of lashes but we could only get our hands on a pair of "Simply Fleur" which Fleur herself describes as perfect for those of us who have been scared of wearing falsies in the past. These lashes are very natural looking making them perfect for daytime wear and they have a fine band making them super easy to apply. They required no trimming and fit both of us perfectly as the lash length is not too long like some we have tried. They are so light and comfortable to wear and don't feel at all like 'falsies'! The range also includes some individual lashes and some half lashes we really want to get our hands on!

The Fleur De Force eyelash range is available in Boots stores now and the prices range from £5.25 - £6.95.

This is fantastic YouTuber collaboration so well done to Fleur in developing and putting her name to a really great and well thought out product. Can't wait to try the rest of the range! We will of course keep you updated on our experiences with the other styles on our social media!

 

Have you tried Fleur's lashes yet? We would love to hear your thoughts!

 

Mimi!



What's In My Travel Make Up Bag?

The answer is.....probably way too much! Even though we try and prune our collection down to a reasonable size to travel with the truth is we always take too much and things come back unused. We always intend to do some beauty shopping when in Florida (watch this space for our holiday haul!) therefore we try to keep that in mind when eliminating products from our bulging make up bags!

 

Here are our 'must have' products that we simply cannot do without and that we took 4000 miles to Orlando with us.

Elle's Picks

 

The make up bag I took with me is the Sonia Kashuk Completely Organized Make Up Bag that I picked up in Target 2 years ago. I have 2 of these in different sizes and took the larger one with me. This is a nylon bag with so many pockets, zips and pouches you can probably put something in and never find it again! It is roomy and practical and in addition to the products I took in my carry on it fit everything alse I needed for my 3 week holiday:

Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser: When I am in a hot country the last thing I want to be wearing is a heavy, full coverage foundation so I always reach for the old faithful Nars Tinted Moisturiser. It has a reasonable amount of coverage for a tinted moisturiser and evens out my skin tone nicely. It feels light on the skin and gives a natural and glowing finish which is perfect for a holiday look.

 

Nars Creamy Concealer: If I need any additional coverage I much prefer to use a concealer rather than a fuller coverage foundation. This concealer gives excellent coverage of blemishes and any spots that may decide to rear their ugly head!

 

Maybelline Instant Anti-Age The Eraser Eye Concealer: (light) This has been my go to under eye concealer for the past 2 years and I have yet to find something to compete. It has a light coverage and never settles in fine lines around the eyes which is perfect for older skin.

 

Naked Basics Pallet: I am wholly dependent on the Naked Basics pallet to create a natural eye make up look therefore it was a must have to take on this trip. On the plus side it is small and very portable so doesn't take up too much space.  

 

By Terry Ombre Blackstar: I packed two of these as I love them to sweep across the lid, quickly blend with a Sigma E25 and off you go! I am also a big fan of cream products in the summer and that includes a cream eye shadow. I took Misty Rock for a daytime look and Bronze Moon which is darker and gives a more intense evening look. 

 

Charlotte Tilbury Film Star Bronze and Glow (Norman Parkinson Collection): This is a new product purchased especially for the summer and I LOVE it. It is simply gorgeous! I had my eye on this for around 3 months and was determined to get my hands on it for my holiday. It is the only bronzer and highlighter I took with me - all in one beautiful, handy compact.

 

Chanel Cream Blush: (Chamade) I love cream blush in the summer months and in addition to the remnants of my favourite discontinued YSL Crème Blush I packed my Chanel Cream Blush in Chamade. This is quite a bright pink and looks lovely with tanned skin.

 

Bourjois Colour Boost: (Proudly Naked) I am a huge fan of the Bourjois Colour Boost lip crayons and this beautiful natural pink-nude is my latest purchase in the line (I think I may have all of the other colours!) They are creamy and comfortable but long lasting. This one claims to last for 10 hours however as a constant lip product re-applier I have not put these claims to the test!

 

Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner: (East End Snob) I have literally been using this lip liner for years! It seems to be the current blogger fave (and apparently a dupe for the Charlotte Tilbury lip pencil in Pillow Talk) but when this Rimmel pencil is so good I see no need to splurge on something 4 x more expensive.

Mimi's Picks

 

I used my Vera Bradley Hanging Organiser as my travel make up bag this summer. Although this isn't technically a makeup bag it has a lot of different wipe clean, clear compartments so it's really easy to see and find everything. I also like how I can hang this up in the hotel bathroom and everything is ready to use. I used my Mr Bunny travel make up brush set from Sigma to carry my many makeup brushes as there is a lot of room for extra brushes and I like to use it to stand my brushes on the counter top when applying my makeup. 

 

Revlon Eyelash Curlers - I have repurchased these for years! They are cheap, do the job well and I don't get upset if they get a little beaten up. However as we are both had LVL Lash treatment just before our holiday they were never used!

 

Tarte Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20 Sunscreen -

This is other product I purchased on whim in Sephora and was not disappointed. It basically does what it says on the tin. It’s a lovely light weight skin evening base. I was running very low on this so I repurchased this trip!

 

Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer - I love this for concealing and highlighting under my eyes it has a lightweight consistency and is very moisturising so it never looks cakey or heavy.　 

Anastasia Brow Wiz - This is my ultimate holy grail product. Need I say more? Heat proof and long lasting!

 

Maybelline Lash Sensational Waterproof - I am so fussy with mascara but this one is unbelievable! It curls and holds my straight lashes like no other mascara.

 

Chanel Bronze Universal - I stole this from Elle and I am obsessed! This is a gorgeous creamy bronzer which is really easy to use. It is very subtle but also buildable.

 

No 7 Pop and Glow Cream Blusher - I have this in both Mango Sorbet and Rose and I love both. The formula of these products is so creamy, smooth and pigmented! I have a big issue with my makeup disappearing throughout the day but these little blush sticks these really hang around. I like them so much I am thinking of purchasing the highlight stick and the bronze stick as well.

 

Naked 3 - This pallet is my go-to for every eyeshadow look. I love the cool toned matte colours for everyday and the high sheen glitters for a fun night-time look. My favourites everyday look is Nooner through the crease, some mascara and I'm ready to face the world.

 

We would love to hear about your favourite holiday make up! Tell us about some of your favourites below!

Long Haul Flight Essentials

We recently travelled long haul to Orlando, Florida where we enjoyed a 3 week holiday. Long haul flights are not our favourite! However they are a necessary evil if you want to visit some beautiful, far flung destinations. The airplane atmosphere can play havoc with your skin and it's important to keep hydrated both inside and out to ensure that you arrive at your destination looking and feeling your best. We finally feel that we have identified our essential beauty items to allow us to get through a long haul flight with the minimum amount of disruption and the maximum amount of enjoyment!

Once on board any trace of make up is gone and a moisturising facial oil or cream is slathered on along after our holy grail Hydraluron Serum by Indeed Labs (a truly magical serum for dry skin!). We keep our lips hydrated with Lanolips (of course!) and use a good hand cream (our choice is Lanolips Intense Hand Balm with Rose Oil) and don't forget to pop in your current eye cream!.

 

We always try and treat the flight as the first exciting a part of our holiday and use the time to relax with no one texting/calling/interrupting for a whole 9 hours! After all, when does that ever happen!? We like to catch up on some of those things we always promise to do but realistically never have time to. For example, reading that book we've been meaning to read or even just catching up on this months glossy magazines (buy them in the airport departure lounge to save lugging heavy magazines all the way to the airport with your luggage) We also both enjoy catching up on TV series or the latest movie we missed at the cinema (download these to your iPad in advance of your trip or check out the airline in flight entertainment schedule which should be available to view online)

Due to our 2015 healthy eating and gym commitment we also packed some of our own snacks and food to take on board so that we knew we had something healthy and tasty to eat. We also hydrate with lots of bottles of water!   

We have detailed below the beauty essentials that we packed in our hand luggage this trip to see us through the flight and ensure that we arrived in Orlando looking and feeling refreshed. It's worth stashing away your sample sizes and any mini's or freebies that you can get your hands on in the months leading up to your trip so that you can pack lightly. 

Cleanser - Trilogy Cream Cleanser (sample size)

Moisturiser - Pai Camomile and Rosehip (sample size)

Eye Cream - Trilogy Eye Contour Cream

Lip balm - Lanolips Original Ointment

Rosehip Facial oil - Trilogy (sample size)

Hand cream - Lanolips Intense Hand Balm with Rose Oil

Hand sanitiser- Bath and Body Works (for us geramaphobes)

We anticipate more long haul flights over the coming months and into next year so we would welcome any hints or tips you can share with us! We'd love to hear from you!

Elle and Mimi x