L'amour de Caitlin: Nars

FOTD: Wild Watermelon Lips

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The Minimalist Illusion: Makeup That Will Fool The Boyfriend

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How many times have you heard a guy say, 'I prefer the natural look' and 'Girls don't need to wear make up' but you just don't feel as confident without the make up to hide behind? Or the other worst fear is when a guy tells you your wearing too much make up (this has happened to me and I was mortified- guys just don't appreciate experimental trends do they?) So the concept behind today's look is subtle makeup, with a few little beautifying tips and tricks, that will totally fall the boyf to thinking you don't have much on.

The Base:

To start I used the Benefit Porefessional (1), this ensures that my base is totally smoothed out, which means I should require less foundation, and will make the base last longer! I then decided to highlight under my foundation to make it more subtle but still give me an ever so slight glow, for this you will need a liquid highlighter, I opted for the Bobbi Brown Face Highlighter Pen in Opal (2), and used the tinniest amount on the tops of my cheeks then blended with my fingers. I then went for my trusty Nars Compact Foundation, as I can just use this to create a really light coverage with a dewy finish. Just make sure you blend really well down to the neck and up into the hair line. Alternatively I would opt for a BB cream, but sadly I have run out *cries a little* as this will be totally cake appearance free and no risk of the orange line under chin look. I also concealed any blemishes I had with the Collection 2000 concealer (5) and blended with my finger.
The Brows
I decided to keep the brows really natural and not too strong. For this I used the Mac Charcoal Brown eye shadow (4) and an angled brush to fill in any sparse areas. I find using a powered eyeshadow is easier than a pencil, as I've gives a more natural finish and is easier to build up.

The Eyes

I stuck to neutral colours with the eyes, although I know eyeshadow doesn't look totally natural, it can really brighten up your eyes so I wouldn't go without! Today I used the Loreal Colour Appeal Trio Pro in Golden Fidelity (6) I used the golden shade swept all over the lid on a fluffy brush (first brush from left), and then on a flat shader (4th brush) I used the lightest toned pink in the inner corners and tear duct ares to really brighten the eyes. I then used the darkest shade on a rounded blending brush (2nd brush) tapping most the product off onto the back of my hand before lightly blending it into the outer crease to give my eye more shape and definition. To thicken the appearance of my lash line, I look the same colour on an angled brush (3rd brush) and pushed this into the roots of the lashes in the outer corner. Now the next step is the most important of all, CURL YOUR LASHES! (7) This really opens up the eyes making them look bigger and more awake. I then oped for a lengthening mascara, the Clinique Lash Power Mascara (sorry forgot to photograph this!) to naturally lift and lengthen the lashes, I applied this to top and bottom.

The Bronze and Blush

Now here is when things can start to get tricky. I went for a matte bronzer with no shimmer just to warm up the appearance of my face. I would suggest not contouring for this look as its quite hard to get right and natural looking! I took Benefit's Hoola (8) on a big face brush, and just buffed it in circling motions where I would naturally get tanned, so across cheeks and temple, I make sure I tap most of the product off onto my hand so I don't apply to much! Then with blush opt for something thats flattering on your skin tone, I used the Benefit Sugarbomb (9), as it can be applied quite subtly.

The Lips

So to create slightly fuller and perfect lips I began by lining them with the Model Co. Universal Lip Pencil, then use your perfect nude-my lips but better shade, I went for Revlons Afternoon Tea, (10), I went straight on from the bullet then patted it in with my finger, to make it last longer!

So that was my minimalist beautifying make up, that I think can fool the boyfriend into thinking you don't have much on. Hope you enjoyed this post, let me know your tricks for naturally beautifying makeup!
Caitlin B x

Benefit Day Date MAC

The 'Day-Date' Make-up Look

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Hey guys! Sorry about the lack of post on Saturday, exam stress is taking over my life at the moment! I thought I would show you today how to create my favourite 'Day Date' make-up look, or you could wear it just when you have somewhere nice to be during the day! Before we start, I do not claim to have any professional make-up knowledge or even be very good at it! But, enjoy!

I began by using Rimmels Wake Me Up foundation in the colour Ivory, to give you a nice and dewy spring look. Applied with my fave foundation brush, the Real Techniques Expert Face brush. Just keep blending until you have a nice coverage all over. I follow this up by using the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer under my eyes and over any redness and blemishes.

A new discovery for me, Soap and Glory's Archery Brow Tint and Precision Pencil in the colour Love is Blonde. Using the pencil at one end and the felt tip at the other, you can fill in your brows easily and to your own individual taste. I tend to stay away from the strong brow, I like to keep it as natural as possible.

So next up is the eyes. Step 1: Using my Urban Decay Naked 3 Pallet I pack Burnout all of the lid and then sweep Dust across the top for a light, shimmery finish. Step2: Using my Naked 1 Pallet, I used Buck (any matte brown will do) in the corners and the crease and used Virgin as a highlight in the inner corners of my eyes. Step 3: I'm a big fan of winged eyeliner, my usual go to product is the the Rimmel Glam Eyes Professional Liquid Liner. Last up, step 4: mascara, for my top lashes I use my fave mascara Maybellines The Falsies, and on the bottom Benefit's They're Real! Which I think has the perfect wand for applying bottom lash mascara!

After this I contoured my face using the bronzing powder in the Urban Decay Naked Flushed Pallet, dusted my cheeks with Nars' Orgasm blush and went back to the Naked Flushed to use the gorgeous highlight in there. I swept this underneath my eye and down the centre of my nose.

I finished the look off with my current favourite lipstick from Mac - Lustering, I think it's such a pretty pink!

Let me know if you try any of this out to impressed your day dates, or even just your friends!

Caitlin A

Benefit Collection Essentials

My Make-up Bag Essentials

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I thought I'd share with you some of my make-up bag essentials that I just couldn't do with out! Some of these look very well loved I know, and they definitely are!

Urban Decay's Naked 3 Pallet as I'm sure most of you will l know is full of the prettiest neutral shades, both matte and shimmery. This pallet makes it easy to create a range of wearable, everyday looks looks even for those of us no professional make-up know how!

Another cult item that I use every day with out fail is Collection's Lasting Perfection concealer. You've probably heard about it's amazing coverage and staying power so I don't need to go into much detail. But it's very good and very affordable! My make-up is almost never with out one!

Maybelline's the Falsies Mascara in Black Drama is another product that is never missing from my make-up bag, as soon as it's run out I'm straight to Boots to buy another! It has a really nicely shaped wand and leaves your lashes looking volumised and never clumpy! Highly recommend trying this one out!

Molton Brown's Vitamin Lip Saver, although may not be the cheapest lip balm available, is definitely my lip saviour! I use this everyday with out fail, especially whenever my lips are feeling dry and it sorts them right out in no time at all!

The Real Techniques Expert Face brush is yet another item that gets a lot of love in the blogasphere, but for good reason! Foundation or tinted moisturiser glides on smoothly and blends into your face brilliantly, leaving hardly streaks.

Benefit's Rockateur is a blush that I always go back to again and again, it gives a lovely finish to the skin and the colour is a darker shade than most blushes, almost a bronzer. Although I'm not in love with the packaging of this product, I've still got a lot of love for it!

And last but not least, my favourite make-up item I own. You know the question about your house burning down and you can save one piece of make-up? Well this is mine. The Nars Happening palette is a compilation of their Laguna bronzer, Orgasm blush and a quad of eyeshadows. Although the palette was limited edition I'm pretty sure all these products are still sold as individuals - and as you can probably tell, I'm gonna need a new Laguna pretty soon!

Let me know what make-up products you cannot live with out!

Caitlin A

Beauty Foundation Nars

Just Landed: Nars Radient Cream Compact Foundation

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Benefit daily Eyeshadow

The Daily Face: Spring Edition

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April Beauty Benefit

April Favourites

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It's the first of May! Pinch punch first of the month and all that jazz, which means it's that time to review the products I've been obsessing over this month. I've got a few different things I've been loving (all beauty related obvs!) which are all perfect for this beautiful spring weather we've been getting here in the UK.

The first favourite is skin care related, which is kinda different for me because I'm very much a stick to what you know sort of girl when in comes to moisturiser, as I can have very sensitive skin so this has been a god send in my daily routine and it is the Clarins HydraQuench Cream. Ive tried a few things in the HydraQuench range, which I think are all amazing if you have normal to dry skin. I use the moisturiser every morning, as I feel it really brightens the appearance of my skin, making it feel as look healthy. As soon as its applied my face feels instantly fresh and awake as if Ive just splashed my face with cold water or something (sounds weird right). Its really light weight, and sit perfectly under my base makeup, which is a total bonus so this product is definitely a winner for me!

On my cheeks I've been loving a combo of a new discovery with a favourite oldie which is Nars 'Deep Throat' on the apples of my cheeks (yes an awkward name when someone asks you what it is) with Benefits 'Watt's Up' as a highlight. I think this is the perfect spring combo, as the highlight has a real golden undertone with a sheer finish, which gives my cheeks a really beautiful glow. Deep Throat is then a real girlie pretty pink, which has teeny tiny shimmery golden particles, which also light up and brighten the cheeks, creating the perfect spring radience. I also love putting on Watts Up under my foundation on the tops of my cheek bones and on my temple to give my skin a dewy and glowing finish.

The next is a nude lip stick by Revlon called 'Pink in the Afternoon' which I've nicknamed 'My Lips but Better', because I finally feel I've found my perfect nude shade. My lips are quite naturally red, which means lots of nude shades really pale out my lips which is a look that reminds me of the old foundation lips loved back in 07 (looking back on photos I really don't know why I ever did it!) But this shade is so perfect, its a really warm pink nude, which brightens up my face giving my lips literally giving them the kiss of life. I LOVE it!

To round it all off I've been wearing Benefits 'Ring my Bella' perfume everyday, its the perfect fruity floral pretty spring scent, its a real flirty pick me up when your having a bad day.

Hope your all loving the leap into spring as much as I am, and leave comments sharing your monthly favs!

Caitlin B

FOTD: Wild Watermelon Lips

The Minimalist Illusion: Makeup That Will Fool The Boyfriend

The 'Day-Date' Make-up Look

My Make-up Bag Essentials

Just Landed: Nars Radient Cream Compact Foundation

The Daily Face: Spring Edition

April Favourites

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