An Absolute NARS-essity

Hello there lovelies

Today I thought I’d introduce you to my little Nars collection and share my thoughts on the products I’ve been using. I just love the simple elegant packaging of Nars products, it doesn’t need fussy packaging as the product speaks for itself.

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation. This is my favourite foundation, It leaves a lovely finish on the skin and blends really well, it doesn’t look too glowy just adds a nice radiance to the skin, the coverage is excellent without feeling heavy. It’s a bit annoying that it doesn’t come with a pump I think this is the general consensus among bloggers, the first time I used it I poured about half the bottle onto the back of my hand and was frantically trying to scrape the precious liquid back into the bottle as if it was the elixir of life. I was all prepared to buy the pump but it was out of stock at the time and I haven’t bothered looking since. I really like this foundation and will continue to use it unless I find something better or I keep pouring most of it all over my hand and it runs out too quickly.

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer. This really is a high coverage concealer but it doesn’t feel heavy or cakey, it blends beautifully and leaves a lovely finish and covers up what needs to be covered without looking like you’ve piled the products on to your face. I had to wait ages for this as I’m the shade vanilla and it was out of stock everywhere for ages but it was well worth the wait. This will be the concealer I reach for if I need that extra bit of coverage for dark under eye circles as nothing shows through this one. You need to have quite well hydrated skin though otherwise it may go a bit dry and flaky. I was a bit worried about the “radiant” part of the name as I didn’t want it to be glittery, it’s not in the slightest bit glittery it just seems to lighten and lift the under eye area while covering redness or imperfections on my face.

Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser. The coverage on this is the best I’ve known for a tinted moisturiser it’s more like a light sheer foundation coverage wise but feels like a good moisturiser when you apply it, a little goes a long way and it smells lovely. It’s good at giving just the right amount of coverage when you feel like having a lighter makeup day. It also has SPF 30 so will be a great product for me to use in the summer when I tend to go for tinted moisturisers more.

Nars Powder Blusher. I originally had the intention of getting the shade Orgasm but decided to go for Deep Throat after testing them. This blush is a rosey pink colour that’s not an in your face pink. It has a subtle shimmer but it’s not sparkly and a good shade for all year round and everyday wear.

Nars Highlighting Powder in Albatross. I mentioned this in a previous post so won’t go over it again except to say yet another lovely product from the Nars bunch.

There you go my little collection, I can guarantee it won’t stay this small as there are a few more items from Nars on my ever growing wishlish and I don’t think I’m going to be able to hold off much longer from purchasing them.

What Nars products do you recommend for me to try? What’s on your Nars wishlist?

Until next time

Well Hello Matt(e)

Hello there lovelies

I don’t have oily skin but when I’ve put foundation on my skin can look quite shiny which is not a good look for me, it doesn’t look dewy or glowy it just looks greasy and sweaty- not my desired look. Therefore I like to matte any shine with the use of a powder and I like to be able to add my own glow with the use of a highlighter. Just before Christmas I got 2 Rimmel nail varnishes and the shop had a 3 for 2 offer on Rimmel products, there wasn’t anything else that I needed so decided to give the Stay Matte powder a try as it’s an absolute bargain at £3.99 and it wouldn’t have been the end of the world if I’d hated it. I don’t hate it I absolutely love it, this is one of the best high street powders I’ve ever tried, I use the shade transparent and that exactly what it is, it mattes any shine without being a heavy cover up powder that clogs pores and leaves you looking heavily made up. This finely milled powder is so lightweight and leaves skin feeling velvety smooth. It also has good lasting power too, I may re-apply a little to my forehead after it being on for a good 6 hours but I can go without touching up as it doesn’t need it, sometimes I just like to. Granted the packaging is somewhat questionable. This product would be much more desirable with better packaging. I’m always worried the lid is going to pop off in my bag. The packaging is one of the reasons I think this product is overlooked and underrated(and hard to make it look pretty in a photo). Put this lovely product in a sleek compact that clicks closed and it would be perfect. This has become one of my staple products which is why I chose to repurchase it over my usual No7 one. It’s very affordable and exceeds expectations, I’m so pleased I decided to try it and will continue to use it.

I highly recommend this product and for the price you can’t really go wrong, it would be a good product to use if your just starting to wear face powders and familiarising yourself with them, it’s a nice light translucent powder perfect to wear alone on good skin days, if only Rimmel would just change the packaging.

Have you ever tried this powder? What face powders would you recommend?

Until next time

The Liebster Award Part 2.

Hello there lovelies

I was very kindly nominated THREE more times for the Liebster Award. I’d like to thank My life in a bblog, Blonde Velvet Lover and Jones and Jones Beauty for nominating me. I’m not going to do another 11 facts about me as I’ve done that in the previous post and I’m not going to nominate anyone else as I don’t know who to nominate and can’t think of another 11 questions to ask. I think its important to recognise that these people have taken the time to nominate me though and it’s courteous to answer the questions and plus it’s a bit of fun.

Questions from My life in a bblog

1.You are limited to only 3 make up products to use for the rest of your life what would you pick?

Mascara is a must, probably face powder and blush, although I may substitute the powder for eyeliner.

2.What is your best beauty tip?

I don’t think this is anything revolutionary but applying mascara to your bottom lashes before your top lashes as it prevents smudging the top lashes if you tilt your head down to do the bottom lashes.

3.Worst product you have ever tried?

It’s not really a makeup product but Nivea Pearl and Shine Lipbalm, god that stuff is awful, it looks wrong, smells wrong, feels wrong and I hate it.

4.Pick your all time favourite song.

I love music and there’s so many songs that I love for different reasons, usually the memories they bring back but my favourite is Mr Brightside by The Killers, I get goosebumps from the very first note every time I listen to it.

5.Which would you rather have streaky fake tan or over plucked eye brows?

I haven’t used fake tan for years, I’d probably say over plucked brows as that can be rectified with the clever use of the right brow products and they grow quite quick.

6.Mondays are….

Kind of like any other day of the week, I work shifts so the days of the week don’t matter that much to me. If I’m off work on a Monday it’s probably my busiest day of the week, tidying up after everyone has been at home all weekend, shopping, making plans for the rest of the week etc.

7.What is your ultimate guilty pleasure (Food/TV etc)?

Tele has got to be the show Dance Moms, I’ve said it before it’s bloody brilliant and I love a bit of TOWIE. Food is Nobbly Bobblys- they are the best thing EVER. I usually have a Nobbly Bobbly while watching Dance Moms!!

8.Who are your favourite beauty vloggers?

I love Wonderful You, I have similar colouring to her so like to see what products she uses.

9.Last good film you saw?

The Holiday. I watched it at Christmas and it was so good, I’d never seen it before, it’s on my list of fave films now. I watched The Devil Wears Prada last night which I’ve seen like a hundred times but I love that too.

10.What is your beauty pet peeve?

When people do their makeup on the train, grrr, why do it, I’m so sorry if this offends anyone but it really winds me up. I don’t mind a bit of lipstick application or the odd bit of mascara, you know- touch ups but not when they bring their entire makeup stock and sit there doing a full face of make up. And when people pump their mascara as if they’re pumping up a tyre, just don’t do it!!

11.Does anyone know where the Liebster Award actually originates?!

Not a clue haha.

Questions from Blonde Velvet Lover.

1.Who/what inspired you to blog?

I don’t think there was any one thing really, I’d read a few blogs for a while and just thought I think I could do that so I did.

2.What are your top 3 staple wardrobe pieces?

It changes throughout the year, at the moment its black skinny jeans, black ankle boots and plain white t-shirt.

3.What is your favourite hobby?

Um blogging I guess.

4.What are your favourite 3 shops to buy clothes from?

This changes too but I suppose Miss Selfridge, H&M and sometimes New Look. Primark goes without saying really doesn’t it.

5.Do you prefer flats or heels?

Flats for day and heels for night although I tend to wear flats more at night in the summer as I’ll opt for pretty sandals instead of heels.

6.Subtle or bold makeup?

Subtle eyes and bold lips or bold eyes and subtle lips.

7.Have you or would you dye your hair?

I get my hair dyed a berry red type colour every 5-6 weeks.

8.What has been your worst fashion mistake?

Its not really my fault but I was born in the 80’s and grew up in the early 90’s so its got to be the fire hazard that is the shell suit, I swear our parents just put us in them so they could hear us coming a mile off.

9.What makeup brushes do you use?

Real techniques, Crown and Benefit.

10.What is the thing you want to do most in life?

Travel, there are so many amazing things to see in this world and I’d love to be able to do it. My travel wishlist is pretty extensive.

11.If you were given one beauty product for free, what would you choose?

Probably either something skincare related or a MAC lipstick

Questions from Jones and Jones Beauty

1.Where did the name for your blog come from?

It was a real eureka moment when I thought of the name of my blog, I was just trying to think of what my blog was going to be about and thinking along the lines of “life is beautiful” and then it just came to me.

2.Do you plan your posts or just write them up whenever you're feeling inspired?

I tend to plan them so I know what I need to do, what photos need to be taken etc so I can be as organised as possible because of work, husband children etc. 

3.If you could do a box swap with any blogger, who would you choose and why?

I really don’t now as everyone recommends such different things, I’d like a massive box with 1 product from loads of different bloggers :-).

4.What are the last three Google searches you made? 

Easyjet, lastminute.com and Disneyland, trying to plan this years holiday(s). I probably won't get round to booking anything though.

5.Where do you do most of your writing?

Either at my kitchen table or on the sofa in my living room.

6.What is your favourite drugstore brand and your favourite high end brand?

I’m really loving Bourjois at the moment, high end is probably MAC or Nars.

7.If you could have £1000 to spend in any store, which one would you choose and why?

Selfridges, because it is my most favourite shop and you can buy anything there your not limited to a certain product.

8.If you could attend any awards ceremony which one would you go to?

Some kind of music awards like Kerrang! or The Brits.

9.What is your dream natural hair like? 

I quite like my hair, I’d quite like naturally curly hair but wouldn’t want to have to deal with frizz and straight hair is easier but I wish mine would hold a curl, it’s so poker straight. I’d love it if my hair was naturally the colour I get it dyed.

10.If you had to wear one make up look for the rest of your life, what would you choose?

A neutral look I think as you can dress yourself up in other ways.

11.Who inspires you? Not just to blog, but in day to day life.

People who actually do something about what they want to do in their life and are motivated inspire me. And people that achieve amazing things like climbing mountains and running marathons for charity.

I hope you enjoyed my answers. Thankyou again to those who nominated me.

Until next time