The Summer Nude(s) Edit - Reviews & Swatches

Wow! It has been over a year since I looked at my blog, let alone write a blog post but I am back again with a popular subject on my blog my Top 5 lipsticks and this time I am talking about Summer appropriate nude lipsticks. I say Summer appropriate nudes because with the amount of nude lipsticks I own every season will have its own Top 5 (that isn't a promise but I will certainly try)!

Obviously (disclaimer) these are nude lipsticks that suit my skin tone; medium-tan to deep skin tones with yellow and to neutral undertones. Thats not to say these wouldn't suit fairer skin tones too but these are definitely ones that I have more than often seen myself wearing leading up to Summer.

As with all my top 5 posts this one features lipsticks that have different textures, finishes, longevity and to suit different budgets.

To start it all off is my very first nude lipstick and obviously it is a Mac lipstick. Mac's nude lipsticks are generally amazing and there isn't a beauty enthusiast out there that doesn't own a Mac nude (or at least I haven't met one) but I feel this nude lipstick doesn't get enough credit for how beautiful it is and is too often over shadowed by the beauty industries cult Mac nude favourites. I own quite a few of those cult faves but this shade is still my favourite by far for my skin tone.

Spirit is a brown hue with a hint of pink and is a satin finish; it applies beautifully on the lips and is a great everyday lip colour that dries to a semi-matte finish. Paired with whirl lip liner its just enough colour to compliment a summer smokey eye. Due to it being a satin finish it does tend do fade throughout the day but it's such a fuss-free; lipstick one swipe over the lips and you are good to go again.

MAC Satin Lipstick - Spirit - £15.50 from MAC Cosmetics

You all know by now that a liquid lipstick would definitely make it in to my Top 5. And this one I have been so eager to talk about. This is by far the best formulation of any liquid lipstick that I have tried. Stila's liquid lipsticks come in a close second but this...this is just beautiful. The consistency is not thick or heavy, yet it has some serious pigmentation and applies so well on the lips.

I introduce to you Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick in the shade Gemini.

Gemini is terra-cotta warm toned nude and has a matte finish, however is not drying on the lips at all. I am able to wear this all day and it feels really comfortable on the lips. I dont often have to touch up either and when I do it reapplies well and doesn't drag or flake the original application. For those who don't really like scented cosmetics; you may want to skip this one as it has a root-beer scent which is pretty strong on first application, however that disappears through out the day. Gemini is a great everyday nude lipstick equally I have worn it out to dinners and nights out and it has very quickly become one of my favourite nudes to wear this summer. Theres only one thing that I can say is con against all the pros to this amazing lipstick is that its so hard to get hold of its unreal. Actually thats the case with all of the products from Jeffree Star Cosmetics. Cocktail Cosmetics are the only supplier in the UK and there is a massive demand for these and they sell out so quickly and take what seems like a lifetime for them to restock and when they do...gone...in like 15 minutes. That being said its definitely worth the wait, so if you want to get your hands on this I suggest you follow Cocktail Cosmetics on Instagram and Facebook where they post the re-stock items and grab it!

Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick - Gemini - £14.00 from Cocktail Cosmetics

The next shade, is again a matte finish and its from a cosmetic line that does amazing affordable makeup. I'm sure you have all heard of KIKO Milano; if not then check them out not just for this lipstick but for other great budget beauty finds (their eyeshadows are fab). KIKO Velvet Mat Lipstick in shade 602 is one of my first KIKO purchases and one actually a friend of mine is so obsessed with that when she wouldn't stop going on about it I had to pick one up for myself (obviously)...and she was right it is a great every day nude lipstick.

As you can see the packaging of this lipstick is beautiful and isn't like normal lipstick packaging. It's very luxurious (considering the price range) and in order to open it you have to push the product out of the case, and placing it back into the case you hear a clicking sound so you know it is closed. This actually makes this a great hand bag lipstick as there is no concern of the lid falling off. Although matte; this lipstick wears well and is comfortable, however you will need to top it up after 4-5 hours and definitely after a meal and drinks. This is a natural rose nude, and a great dupe for MAC's Velvet Teddy. I usually wear this shade with MAC lip liner in Soar and it compliments the lipstick perfectly. 

KIKO Milano Velvet Mat Satin Lipstick - 602 - £6.90 from KIKO Cosmetics

OK, so if you are a regular readier of my blog you will know the next lipstick and the brand is no surprise to be featured in my Top 5 blog post. All I have to say is Charlotte Tilbury (Yaass)!!  

Hands down best lipstick formula I have ever tried; I don't own any of the matte ones (yet) and still these are my favourite lipsticks period! That's saying something considering I love my matte shades. 

There are a few nudes in Charlotte Tilbury's collection; I own two of them, but this one has to be my favourite out of the two. 

Packaging - Beautiful, Shade - Beautiful, everything about it - Beautiful!!

OK I will stop now...(maybe) This shade is called Stoned Rose; now let me tell you this wasn't one I was immediately attracted to when I looked at this collection when it first came out but this year I began to embrace different spectrums of nude lipsticks in my life and thought why not give this a try and let me tell you I have reached for this lipstick to wear so many times the past few months I may need to go out an buy a back up real soon. Stoned Rose is a warm pink-brown shade, it is a rich creamy formulation but stays up 5 hours on the lips. Another great every day lipstick for the summer, and compliments a range of skin tones; I definitely think this shade looks different depending on your skin tone and the colour of your lips nonetheless very flattering and a staple in my collection. 

Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick - Stoned Rose - £23.00 from Charlotte Tilbury

The final lipstick in this Top 5 is by Urban Decay; now this is the first time I'm featuring an Urban Decay lipstick even though I own quite a few. The reason behind this is because when Debenhams had their National Lipstick Day Sale I went a bit wild on Urban Decay lipsticks and when the box arrived I very quickly realised most of the ones I purchased were nudes. So you can understand why this one clearly has some importance as it's the one I wear the most out of my UD lipstick collection and it creeped its way into my Top 5 for good reason.

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in the shade Rush, is a pink/mauve with a super creamy highly pigmented finish. Now I know most of you are thinking why am I raving about a creamy lipstick, but hear me out on this one. As much as I love matte lips, sometimes a creamy (not glossy) lipstick is great especially for the summer. It's formulation is hydrating and very comfortable to wear, of course it doesn't last hours on the lips; I get up to 4 hours before I have to re-apply. I love the gun-metal packaging on these, its very sturdy and the UD embossed on the lid just adds that finishing touch. This is quite a light shade; on my pigmented lips so I have to apply two layers to get a real amount of colour on my lips but the mauve undertones compliment my tanned skin really nicely. 

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick - Rush - £15.50 from Debenhams

And thats my Top 5 nudes for the summer, many of these are similar in their shades but have different finishes and suit different budgets. These have been my go to's for the past few months because of the ease of wearing them and the fact that they are all great everyday lipsticks with minimal fuss. 

I hope this post has helped you all. Why not share with me your favourite nude lipsticks, I am always up for trying new shades and finishes. 

If you enjoyed this post, please like and comment below and be sure to follow my blog by subscribing on the subscribe box on the right hand side of this post. I will be doing more Top 5 Lipstick posts as we go into Autumn/Fall (my favourite season) so to ensure you don't miss them, subscribe! 

x o x o

Disclaimer:

All products mentioned were purchased by me and I am in no way affiliated or sponsored by any of the brands mentioned.

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More than a Primer

I don't often declare something holy grail in my kit and my personal makeup stash; especially a product I've only been using for just under a month.

Alas here I am dubbing the Smashbox Primer Water officially Holy Grail and I assure for more reasons than just "it's a great primer" which by the way it is but more on that shortly. 

Smashbox Cosmetics, if you don't know is pro makeup brand from LA; their products are fantastic and we in the UK are lucky enough to have them available to us at most large Boots stores and online. Smashbox are renowned for their primers; with a range to suit all skin types and skin issues (e.g oiliness, redness etc). So when they released the "Primer Water" I had a feeling this was going to be something special.

The Primer Water is silicone free, alcohol free and oil free and dispenses a refreshing light mist on to the face. I use it after moisturising my skin and it instantly wakes me up in the morning, providing a smooth, hydrated base for makeup application. This can also be used to set makeup; it locks in the foundation and gives extra hydration especially as I tend to have some dry patches on my face and they begin to show throughout the day as my foundation begins to settle into my skin but after using this primer those patches don't occur and my makeup doesn't budge avoiding any re-applying. I've received comments on how vibrant and glowing my skin looks on days that I have used this which is always a bonus!

I have loved using this during the warmer days that we have had in London recently; spritzing it all over my face throughout the day to refresh my face and makeup. I did fear that my oily t-zone will get worse due to the hydrating properties in this primer; yet it didn't feel congested or look oily at all during the course of the day.

Smashbox really have changed the face primer game with this, its an all in one (holiday friendly); a face primer, a setting spray and a face refresher. This is a staple in my daily makeup routine and in my professional makeup kit. I absolutely love how this makes my skin look and feel when wearing makeup. It's my foundations new best friend!

If you have never tried a primer with your makeup before or if you are looking for a new primer give this one a go.

x o x o

Disclaimer:

All products mentioned were purchased by me and I am in no way sponsored by any of the brands mentioned.

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The DIY Facial: Featuring Alpha-H Skincare

Who doesn't love a bit of pampering; relaxing on a massage bed listening to tranquil music and getting your skin free from impurities and all of that done by someone else. We all love it, but lets face it we don't always have the time (or money) to go to a salon/beautician to do it for us so why not give yourself a little "at home" pampering.

I use the Alpha-H range I had gotten a while back when I was struggling to get my skin back to some sort of normality and its always a facial regime I go back to when my skin needs that pampered feeling. I normally do this on a Sunday morning when I know I have no where to be; and tend to do it every two weeks or at least once a month. The deep cleanse and mask helps to rejuvenate and refresh my skin leaving it feeling and looking brighter and healthier.

Alpha-H Balancing Cleanser

I start by cleansing my skin with the Alpha-H Balancing Cleanser with Aloe Vera; this is a creamy cleanser which leaves my skin feeling so clean without feeling stripped great for those with combination skin.

Cleansing your skin is essential as it is preparing the skin and removing any dirt or makeup that has built up on the surface of the skin as well as underneath the skin.

Alpha-H Micro Cleanse

Even though you have cleansed it is vital to exfoliate (scrub) your skin. This helps to remove any dead skin and helps to open up the pores which prepares your skin for the mask to do its job effectively. The Alpha-H Micro Cleanse does much more than just exfoliate;  the Glycolic acid really helps to deeply cleanses the skin. What I love about this exfoliant is that its not gritty at all and although its doing so much to the skin I do not feel like my skin is dry or stripped at all after using it.

Alpha-H Balancing and Pore Refining Mask

This mask has to be my favourite step purely because it does wonders for my skin. It is a clay mask that draws out the impurities from the pores and helps to reduce blemishes.
My skin is left feeling softer and smoother and my pores look clearer. Even though it is clay based, I have never experienced any tightness or dry skin intact it feels mud hydrated and supple.
I apply the mask with a flat foundation brush simply because it allows you to apply the mask evenly over your face and neck and is less messy on the hands.

Leave the mask on for up to 10 minutes or until it is dry to touch and remove with a wash cloth and luke warm water. Don't pull at your skin, just let the damp wash cloth to dissolve the mask and rinse off.
The final step is to make sure you moisturise; I use a combination of La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo + (Review Link Below) and Alpa-H Essential Hydrating Cream. This is such an important step; your pores have been opened and it is vital to hydrate and seal the skin (with goodness of course).

And thats it! A simple, easy and effective way to pamper yourself at home. To make it more effective you can steam your face just before you apply the mask as this will help open up your pores and allow the mask to work deeper but its not necessary if you have a good exfoliator.

Of course you don't have to use Alpha-H products, you can use any brand; just make sure it is one that works well for your skin and combats and targets the problems that you have with your skin. 

Alpha-H products can be purchased from a number of suppliers; I get mine from Cult Beauty.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo + Review

Disclaimer:

All products mentioned were purchased by me and I am in no way sponsored by any of the brands mentioned.

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Cult Product: La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo +

I am always striving to get my skin looking and feeling great what ever the weather! I have combination skin and am prone to a few breakouts now and then. For so long I was looking for something that would help keep those breakouts at bay and I found it.

Introducing my Cult Skincare Product:

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo [+]

This is a treatment product to help unclog pores and helps with imperfections and acne scars/marks. I am by no means saying this stops the spots completely but it does help calm my breakouts from occurring regularly.

This is without a doubt a cult product with many You-tubers and Bloggers singing its praises and for a good reason. 

I have re-purchased a tube of this so many times in the last year since discovering it. Even though I try so many other products to tackle the same problem I always seem to go back to this and for the price compared to the high end skincare ranges this is well worth the £15.50 and you can often get 3 for 2 at Boots across the La Roche-Posay range or from Escentual who often have reduced prices on their skincare lines.

It can be used morning or evening (or both) after cleansing your face; depending on your skin type. Personally I use it in every morning under my moisturiser after cleansing and twice a week at night on its own as an overnight treatment. Although it does say it doubles up as moisturiser; I find it is does dry out my skin if I use it excessively so I stick to alternating my night time treatment.

If I was to compare this to another product I'd say the only thing that came close to treating my breakouts in a similar way (of method) is the MD Formulations Glycare Lotion; which is now unavailable in the UK as they ceased distributing here sometime last year and is twice the price, hence I am sticking with the Effaclar Duo and saving some pennies for a lipstick (or two)!

La Roche-Posay's Skincare range is available at Boots or from Escentual. 

I've definitely noticed the difference in my skin since using this. Have you tried it? What was your experience with it let me know!

x o x o 

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