Easy Eye Duo: The Charlotte Tilbury Eyes To Mesmerise Cream Shadow in Jean & The Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Ganache

As much as I love experimenting with different products, most mornings I just don't have time for anything complicated so end up reaching for the things that can do the job as quickly as possible. My eyes lack any natural definition and despite having dark hair my lashes are blonde, so I'm not lucky enough to be able to run out of the house with no eye make up on without looking halfway dead. What I've been opting for recently is a wash of brightening cream shadow with a chocolatey liner stick blended around the lash line for the illusion of thicker lashes - perfect for everyday definition.

The product I've been loving for this recently is the Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise Cream Shadow in Jean, a glossy, sheeny champagne gold that highlights the inner corners and brightens the lids. I'm in love with this formula, on first application the mousse has a lovely cooling sensation and is easily blendable before setting in place and lasting all day.  I find this works beautifully alone or with a powder shadow applied on top and I've had no problems with creasing. The Laura Mercier Caviar Stick's are perfect for if you want to add any depth in the crease or for simply defining the lash line, my favourite shade is Ganache - a rich chocolatey brown. I tend to apply products like this with a tiny pencil brush in a naturally winged shape, but if I'm in a serious hurry I'll just line the outer corners and soften the colour with my finger.

The result is a sheeny, golden, softly smoky look that lasts all day without budging or creasing. What are your favourite speedy eye combinations?

Charlotte Tilbury Luxurious Eyeshadow Palette in The Golden Goddess

Yet another Charlotte Tilbury post today, is it clear that it's one of my favourite brands? I do want to keep my content varied but if I love something then I want to talk about it, even if I think that a brand has been popping up a lot in recent posts.

 palette in The Golden Goddess is my latest favourite, containing four buttery shadows - a pale champagne, cool brownish taupe, warm bronze and a dark brown glitter. Something I love is that this palette contains both warm and cool shades, which makes it really versatile. The greyish taupe shadow reminds me a lot of Burberry's Pale Barley in the way its perfect to use as a wash of colour all over the lid for daytime, while the bronze works beautifully in the crease or can be built up to an intense smoky eye at night. The glitter is subtle, but adds a very pretty depth to the look when patted over the top. All of the shadows have great colour payoff and although they are all shimmery there is minimal fallout.

This has been my go to for a couple of weeks now, I do have a couple of other Charlotte Tilbury palettes which I love equally but the versatility of these neutral shades in such a compact, easy to travel with palette has had me reaching for this every day. Have you tried any of Charlotte Tilbury's Luxurious Eyeshadow Palettes? Let me know! 

The Perfect Nude Lip Duo: Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Iconic Nude & Lipstick in Nude Kate

Another day, another nude lip combo to fall in love with. My most recent pairing consists of Charlotte Tilbury's Lip Cheat in Iconic Nude and her K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Nude Kate. Charlotte's Lip Cheat's are among my favourite lip pencils of all time, with my last obsession being the shade Pillow Talk. Iconic Nude is more of a true nude in comparison to Pillow Talk but still has a muted rosy undertone which is flattering on my skin tone. The Lipstick in Nude Kate (named after Kate Moss - of course) is a shade I've owned for a while but the combination of these two together is gorgeous, proving to be the perfect toned nude for me at the moment. Nude Kate is more of a honey beige but due to the moisturising texture and slight sheen I think this colour could be wearable on most skin tones. I love the formula of both of these products and they work wonderfully together - the Lip Cheat pencil's really increase the longevity of the lip colour and help it last for hours while still feeling hydrating and comfortable to wear. What are your all time favourite nude lip combinations?

Charlotte Tilbury Mini Miracle Eye Wand

One of the curses of having very pale skin is that I have really prominent dark circles under my eyes. I need my under eye products to give me some pretty good coverage to get the darkness under control and for this reason I never normally stray far from my trusty Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. As were right in the middle of Winter at the moment, my skin has become really dehydrated and I've found my Collection concealer just isn't sitting right under my eyes. As no product of Charlotte Tilbury's has failed me yet I decided to give this a go - the Mini Miracle Eye Wand. 

This double ended pen holds an eye cream on one end and a brightening concealer on the other. As with everything from Charlotte's line, the product is packaged beautifully in pink and rose gold tones. When purchasing this, I was apprehensive as I didn't think I'd get much use of of the eye cream side of the wand. However I've actually found it really handy as it makes sure I never skip this step - something I'm often guilty of when I'm in a rush. The extra moisture helps the concealer sit perfectly on skin and brightens up the under eye area nicely. Although I'm used to a higher coverage concealing products, I was surprised to find this offers a nice amount of coverage and really does the job well. It takes care of my dark circles leaving the under eyes looking fresh and awake. I picked shade 2, which is pale and yellow in tone. 

This under eye concealer really took me by surprise as I didn't expect to love it as much as I do. If your looking for a medium coverage, brightening and hydrating under eye concealer then this is definitely one to look into. My only worry is that it won't last very long (as I find with all pen style products) and as its not the cheapest option this could prove not very healthy for my bank account! Have you tried the Mini Miracle Eye Wand, or know of any budget alternatives? Leave a comment to let me know!

October

It seems October literally went by in a flash and now the run up to Christmas has truly started (in my eyes anyway). For me this means favouring browny, autumnal looks this month and there are some nourishing skin care bits that I have completely fallen in love with. 

Starting with a new lip combination that I think I've worn all month long, MAC's Etcetera Liner & Naturally Transformed Lipstick. I find Naturally Transformed to be a tad too yellowy on my fairly pale skin tone, but paired with the slightly pinker hue of Etcetera they create the perfect beige nude. As much as I love MAC's Matte Lipsticks they tend to be pretty unforgiving, so definitely prep your lips with a balm! 

On the lids this month I've been loving Burberry's Sheer Eyeshadow in Pale Barley. A light, cool toned brown, this is one of those sweep and go shadows thats perfect for every day wear but also looks great for evenings - especially when paired with a orangey red lip! 

On dreary grey days my skin really benefits from some extra glow and theBalm's Mary-Loumanizer definitely delivers. This super pigmented, champagne toned highlight is definitely not as subtle as some others, but dusted lightly over the high points of your face it's still really wearable for daytime and is my favourite highlight for nights out! 

Aesop is one of my most loved skincare brands - if not only for their beautiful, apothecary style packaging, but also for the wonders that their products do for my skin. I've been a fan of the Parsley Seed Mask for years so it comes as no surprise that I love the Serum from the same line. The Serum is packed full of antioxidants, resulting in smooth, plump and nourished skin. When the first ingredient on the list is super moisturising and soothing Aloe Vera, you know it's going to be good! I've been using this morning and night and found a little goes a long way, although you get a huge 100ml of product for £45.00. 

The Charlotte Tilbury Goddess Skin Clay Mask is unlike others of its kind, claiming it 'Lifts, smoothes, brightens and tightens for baby skin'. I was definitely skeptical (especially for the price) but have to say this is unlike any other clay mask I own. My skin feels hydrated, super soft and plump, yet soothed and cleansed at the same time. Its a lovely quick fix for happier skin and a really welcome addition to my routine. 

Finally this month I've been loving a fragrance from Caudalíe. With notes of Rose, Grapefruit, Pink Peppercorn, Vanilla and Musks, Divin de Caudalíe is a warming, woody fragrance which is very relaxing in a spa like way. It shares the same scent as the Divine Oil and Candle, so if you love either of those then this is for you! 

What are your favourites this month? 

Christmas Wish List

I always love the Christmas season, but for some reason I'm feeling extra excited this year. I still live very close to home, but I'm really looking forward to going home for Christmas and getting in some much needed relaxation, eating olives and cheese and drinking lots of wine... healthy.  
I thought I would put together a little post about some of the things I'm lusting after this year, although this is only a fraction of the items I would love to find under the tree.

I have been absolutely loving lip pencils for a while now, they are great for defining your lip shape and I love to use them all over for long lasting, matte colour. Pillow Talk Lip Cheat by Charlotte Tilbury looks like a perfect every day, pinky nude.

Jo Malone is one of my favourite brands, and their English Pear and Freesia Candle is gorgeous. Its a fresh, fruity scent that would be a perfect bedroom candle as its not at all overpowering.

The Caudalie Divine Oil is my all time favourite body oil, mostly because of the beautiful fragrance. So obviously when I saw that Caudalie was releasing the Parfum Divine De Caudalie, it went straight on my wish list. Its a lovely woody, spa like scent without being too much.

I already own the original Glam Glow face mask, but my skin has not been on top form recently and I have heard great things about the skin clearing effects of the Glam Glow Super Mud. Not sure I can quite justify buying this before I have used up the original, but if its a gift then its ok... right!?

I received a Whistles clutch as a gift last year, and it has honestly come with me everywhere ever since. I keep mine in my handbag filled with my phone, money, keys and other essentials and its a great way to keep everything together. Then for nights out or just a trip to the shops I can just grab it knowing it has everything I need. As a result mine is looking quite beaten up, and this White Small Stingray Clutch looks like it could be a beautiful replacement.

The By Terry Cellularose Blush Glace is one of my favourite blush formulas, they may be pricey but nothing gives a more natural, lit from within colour. Frozen Petal is a bright reddish pink that looks like it could deliver the perfect winter flush.

Whats on your Christmas list this year? Let me know in the comments!

THE FAVOURITES - September

September has been an incredibly hectic month for me, what with moving out and starting University. For this reason, I have been reaching for trusty old products that I know work for me. I've seen a lot of people starting to fully embrace autumn with berry shades but personally I'm clinging on to Summer for as long as I can, so its still all radiant skin and nude nails over here I'm afraid!

Base wise, whats been slapped on my skin for most of this month is the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. Nothing perfects and evens out my skin tone like this gem, and whilst not as dewy as some of my other favourite foundations, this formula has a velvety, lit from within radiance that nothing else quite compares too. Add that to the fact it is long lasting and contains no SPF, and you've got your perfect day to night foundation.

I rediscovered my Kevin Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer at the beginning of the month, and it is all I've been using to conceal. I find this works best mixed with a little moisturiser, which is great as it allows you to control how much coverage you need for the area.

At the beginning of the month I repurchased one of my old favourite Mascaras, the 'Yves Saint Laurent Luxurious Mascara Shocking Volume' (and breathe...). I find this is one of those Mascaras which gets better with time, as it starts off a bit on the wet side for me, but once its dried out slightly its incredible at giving dramatic length and volume to my seriously lacking eyelashes. You can apply with care for a more natural, fluttery look, or go all out for a false lash effect.

There is one polish which hasn't left my nails for most of the month, and that is 'Glints of Glinda' by O.P.I. It is the perfect nude, with a high shine jelly consistency, which leaves your nails looking really neat and polished, with no real effort involved.

And finally, we have the Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette in 'The Golden Goddess'. I have been travelling a lot between home and university, and this palette has been so useful for creating neutral looks for both day and night. The shadows are all buttery in texture and really well pigmented, even the glitter shade has minimal fallout and is perfect for the evening. As with the whole Charlotte Tilbury range, the packaging is gorgeous, and really compact too.

 Hopefully next month there should be a favourites post packed with new products, as I'm getting the chance to try lots of new things through my course, which is very exciting!