Updated: What's in my Travel Makeup Bag??

Hello lovelies!!

Some of you know that i am currently making a weekly commute from London to Derbyshire for University, which involves me staying a couple of nights at my parents house per week. Obviously i don't take my entire makeup arsenal with me every time, but i decided earlier that i'd give you a little nosey into my travel makeup bag so you can see what my essentials are and also what products i use on my face for a normal, uneventful uni day. I quite like reading these types of posts so i thought maybe you would too. Once again i missed the last of the daylight for this post so have had to brighten the photos slightly. Fed up of these dark winter days. ROLL ON SUMMER ALREADY!! I'm fed up on relying on flash.

The Makeup Bag...

My current travel makeup bag of choice is this pretty Cath Kidston one that i got on eBay (Link). This particular design is currently out of stock but they have others and will probably restock. It comes with a matching circular mirror at a really great price. Well worth checking out. As you all know i ADORE anything Cath Kidston. The Liz Earle zippy bag is what i carry my brushes in as well as my foundation (as it doesn't fit in the makeup bag). 

Base...

New CID i-Prime*

and

Look Beauty Airbrush Base in Medium

I love this combo for day to day lately as it is no effort to apply and lasts really well. I haven't been using either of these products for very long so am still getting used to them but so far i'm very impressed with both. Watch out for a review of the LookBeauty foundation coming soon. 

Cheeks...

MAC Mineralise Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus

and

Look Beauty Make Me Blush in Pinch

My MSF is a staple in my everyday makeup bag so i have to include it in my travel bag too. I find a quick dusting of it quickly sets my foundation, gets rid of any remaining shine and prepares my skin for whatever blush or bronzer i feel like putting on. This week my blush of choice is this one from LookBeauty but i tend to switch it up depending on my mood. Usually it is MAC Sunbasque or my NYX blush stick but i just fancied this one this week. The compact also has a really good size mirror so i find it handy for carrying around in my handbag for uni as well. 

Eyes...

BeneFit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Sippin'n'Dippin

Maybelline Gel Liner in Black

and

Clinique High Impact Mascara in Black

I really don't do anything fancy with my eyes for everyday wear so i tend to pack light. I don't always put colour on my lid to be honest but, when i do, its usually just a subtle wash of one of the Creaseless Creams applied with my finger followed by a sweep of gel eyeliner, which has become my favourite form of eyeliner in recent months. I use the Clinique Mascara (think this was a freebie in a magazine at some point) purely because it's a handy size for fitting in a small makeup bag, but i actually really like the mascara itself and will probably repurchase! 

Lips...

Rimmel Apocalips in Luna

Pillsbury Reindeer Sugar Cookie Lip Balm

MAC Honeylove (Left)

and

MAC Shy Girl (Right)

My lip products actually tend to be IN my handbag and not in my makeup bag, purely because i always reach for the same ones on a day to day basis so they are always with me whether i'm travelling or not. Apocalips is a new addition obviously (see previous post) but Honeylove and Shy Girl are my staple lip colours and i would be lost without them. They just never let me down. I guess they're quite similar really. The Pillsbury lip balm was a present from my housemate for Christmas as a bit of fun but it's a really great lip balm! It's relieved my sore lips on several occasions in the recent bitter weather. 

Brushes...

(Left to Right)

Royal and Langnickel Eyeliner Brush

Elf Blush Brush

Real Techniques Foundation Brush

Real Techniques Stippling Brush

and

Real Techniques Powder Brush

Don't think i need to explain what each of these brushes are for, and i KNOW i don't need to preach to you all on how amazing Real Techniques brushes are because i'm sure you're all already converted to Sam Chapman's brilliance. I find the Elf blush brush really versatile for cheeks as you can use it flat or on its side or just the very tip so it's great for travel as a contour, blush and highlight brush in one! Not sure why i'm carrying both the foundation AND stippling brush at the moment but i tend to alternate between the two depending on what foundation i'm using and i'm still experimenting with this one so i guess that's the reason. 

Hope you enjoyed a quick peek into my travel makeup bag. I haven't done a makeup bag post in a while and it was interesting for me to consider why i use what i use.

What makeup do you pack when travelling?? What are your essentials?? 

Japonesque Goes Exotic!

Good evening my lovely readers!! 

I was so so so lucky to receive yet ANOTHER parcel from the lovely people at Japonesque last week. They really do spoil me! This is one i was super excited about because i'd read all about their new special Safari Chic collection and, as i'm not known for my patience when it comes to parcels, had been on the edge of my seat waiting for it! I didn't receive the whole collection BUT i opened the box to reveal THIS little beauty....

Safari Chic Bronzer Brush

Of course, the first thing that strikes you about these brushes is the funky animal print design. It really is stunning! I love it when i can get excited about a product before i've even whipped it out of the box. However, this is a functional product, not an ornament so i'll shut up about how pretty it is because you can see that for yourself.  

The collection, which consists of a a 3-piece brush set as well as this kabuki-style bronzing brush, is all handmade using synthetic hair and are super soft to the touch. This brush glides over the face smoothly and, once i'd got over my little wobble over not wanting to ruin it's beauty with product, i have REALLY enjoyed using it. It's a slightly rounded kabuki and i have found it to be great for applying products such as my baked bronzers, MSFs and shimmer powders. It's a great size too. Not too small and not too big so you can apply product with precision, without it being concentrated too much in one area. 

As i'm a little impaired when it comes to makeup brushes (i can safely say that non of the brushes i own actually match and that i don't own nearly enough), i've been having to double up with some of them. I've been applying my bronzers and MSF with my powder brush which is far from ideal, but this little beauty is perfect and now my powder brush remains firmly relegated to powder. 

I'd highly recommend this brush, as well as the other Japonesque brushes i own (i own the Travel Blush Brush and the Travel Angled Foundation Brush - read my review HERE) and am so grateful to Japonesque again for letting me write about them. The brush set which accompanies this brush consists of a Powder Brush, Shadow Brush and Crease Brush, and is now at the TOP of my wishlist. All 3 have the same stunning markings as the bronzer brush. I need to mend my ways and stop making do with mismatched brushes. It just won't do. 

You can purchase these brushes and other Japonesque products from hqhair.com or at some larger Boots stores. This brush retails for £19.50, while the brush set retails for £28. You need them in your life. Just looking at this brush makes me feel warm n fuzzy inside haha. 

What are your Japonesque Must-Haves?? Have you tried the other brushes from the range?? I'd love to read your posts! 

Getting Lippy with Japonesque...

Good evening lovelies!! 

Today's post is dedicated to all things LIPPY, but without being about ACTUAL lippy haha. I was lucky enough to be sent another beautiful parcel from the lovely peeps at Japonesque full of amazing lip goodies! This post is more of a show and tell than an instructional but i'd just like to have my 2 cents worth and tell you what i think of the products and my first impressions....

My parcel contained the Following...

Travel Retractable Lip Brush

Lipstick Palette Kit

And a lovely travel sized makeup bag!! 

If you're a newbie to Japonesque products i'll give you a little intro before launching straight into the products. They are a San Francisco based company who specialise in precision crafted beauty products made from high quality materials and are a heavyweight name among makeup artists, professionals and beauty lovers just about everywhere. In fact i don't think i've read a bad review of a Japonesque product yet (and i've read a few). I posted a while ago now about their Travel Sized Blush brush and Angled Foundation brush and both have remained firm favourites of mine.

Travel Retractable Lip Brush:

I'll be honest and say i have never fully appreciated lip brushes. Call me lazy, but i just tend to whack my lippy on straight from the bullet and hope for the best. Howeverrrrr.... I have to say that this has prompted me to change my ways slightly!! 

This brush is great for precision application of lip products and i really appreciate it for the clean lines and how it evens out any crinkles in my lips (I'm getting on a bit in years now haha). One thing i particularly didn't like about lip brushes in the past was that i couldn't really carry them around with me as, once they've been used the dirty brush transferred product all over the inside of my handbag, but the retractable nature of this one means that the brush itself is kept well contained within the handle. 

Japonesque Makeup Bag

I'm not short of makeup bags by any stretch. I seem to have one for every occasion these days, but the second i saw this i just had this overwhelming urge to put all my lipsticks in it. It's actually the perfect size and fits most of my lipsticks in it (apart from the handful that reside in my various handbags and my everyday makeup bag). 

Not an awful lot else to say really other than that i love how sleek and professional it looks, and anything with Japonesque branding on it just makes my makeup look that much more posh haha.

Lipstick Palette Kit

This concept is COMPLETELY new to me but something i had been curious about attempting. Japonesque must have read my mind! As much as i do love to admire my lipsticks in the bullet, i sometimes wish that i could carry more than one shade around with me without ending up with 5 different lipsticks floating around in my bag. 

I also LOVE to mix my lipsticks up a bit. I absolutely adore MAC Myth for using as a base for a brighter colour to create a different shade completely! Favourite combos of mine are Myth/Vegas Volt and Myth/Lovelorn amongst others and i'm still experimenting. I see this kit as an ideal opportunity to pre-mix my shades so i don't have to be putting on two lipsticks all night. 

What you get:

8 Well Lipstick Palette with Mirror

Lip Brush

Mini Spatula

Melting Cup

The idea is that you cut of a piece/s of the lipstick/s you wish to depot into the palette into the melting cup, pop it in the microwave for 1min then mix thoroughly before pouring into one of the wells in the palette. Of course, for me, there is always a catch... My new flat in London does not yet have a microwave so i will be attempting this over a pan of hot water instead (kind of a bain-marie style thing) to melt the lipstick. 

I think a seperate blog post will be in order so you guys can see how i got on with mixing my lippies and creating my palette, as well as giving me the chance to show you what amazing colour blends i have created. It's honestly like having a whole new lipstick just by mixing two or more that you have already!! 

Many thanks to Japonesque for my new toys!! I can't wait to get in there properly and experiment with them all!!

You can buy Japonesque products in selected Boots stores and other retailers, or you can browse the full range at www.japonesque.com

Are you a pro at depotting lippy?? What colour mixtures get you going?? What are your favourite Japonesque products??

New Brushes From Japonesque!!

Evening lovelies!!

Been almost a week since my last post. I was doing quite well with the posting up until then!! Had kind of a hellish week since my last post to be honest, and i won't bore you all with it (you'd probably get the same headache as i've had with it all if i did), but i'm back this evening to share with you some new brushes i have been using this week by the lovely Japonesque......

These two travel brushes were sent to me as samples for the purpose of this review but this was a parcel i have been particularly excited about. I am crying out for new makeup brushes as most of the ones i have are very mismatched and getting a little 'tired'. That is probably why you don't hear much talk of brushes on this blog, as i'm a little ashamed of my brush collection. I've heard great things about Japonesque from some bloggers who i really trust so i was go glad to receive these. Here are the two brushes i have been trying out this week.....

Travel Blush Brush...

I'd heard great things about this brush from the gorgeous Sharmin so was extremely excited to find it when i opened my box. She recommended it for contouring and, while i do think its excellent for contouring, i tend to use it more to dust colour over my cheeks. I find it distributes colour evenly and blends very well. And it's so SOFT!! It has natural bristles, and hasn't shed one since i've been using it. I haven't washed the brushes yet but will definitely report back on how they fare. 

Travel Angled Foundation Brush...

I'm a bit of a creature of habit when it comes to applying foundation. I ditched regular foundation brushes a little while ago in favour of stippling brushes. More specifically, the Elf stipple brush followed by my Sigma F80 (which i adore with all my heart and will never be without ever EVER again), so i wasn't sure if i would get a lot of use out of this brush. 

Having said that i've found this brush to be PERFECT for applying foundation in trickier areas such as the contours of the eyes and around the nose. The application is so good that, sometimes, i don't even feel the need for concealer around my eyes. So my new routine is to apply and blend my foundation all over my face with the F80 and then attend to all the nooks and crannies with this bad boy. Unlike the blush brush this has synthetic bristles. Japonesque seem to alternate their materials throughout the range to achieve the desired effects with each brush. 

This travel range is, basically, a mini version of their regular professional range, just with a shorter handle. The handle is rounded and seems very sturdy. The grey, slightly glittery, finish on the handle looks very sleek and professional.

All in all i find these brushes to be EXTREMELY high quality and i will certainly be looking into more brushes from their ranges. I am currently looking for the perfect stipple for applying blusher so i may well scour the Japonesque website for a suitable candidate!

For more information and to shop the full range of Japonesque tools and brushes go to 

japonesque.com

Have you tried any of the Japonesque range?? What are your 'Can't live without' makeup tools??

Elf HAUL!!!

Evening girlies!! 

Been gone a couple of days. Mainly due to my health this time. Just been feeling too poorly to blog. A few things have come into my possession over the weekend that I'd like to share with you. This is because on Friday i did an ELF order!! I haven't had anything from Elf in a LONG time and felt it had been way too long. So i thought, "to hell with it", I deserve a treat for getting my place at University confirmed this week so i dug out the credit card and ordered some STUFF!!! 

It arrived the VERY next morning, even though i'd opted for the free standard shipping (order was over £30 - Just). They really are super-quick!!

 I wasn't able to take the photos straight away for this post but i couldn't RESIST swatching and playing around with my purchases so they have been slightly 'disturbed' in the photos haha. Don't judge me, I'm just impatient!! 

The bits i was MOST excited about were the brushes I ordered. I've been DESPERATE for a Stipple brush for a long time now and, at the moment, my budget doesn't stretch to MAC, Sigma or Real Techniques (although I am determined i will own some of Sam's brushes one day). The Elf studio brushes look and feel like decent quality for the price of £3.50. The Taklon bristles are super soft and I can't wait to try them out!! I also opted for a blush brush and the contour/crease brush. 

I also couldn't resist picking up a brush case to keep them in. I'm sick and tired of digging around in my bottomless make-up bag for my brushes. Being organised makes me happy (Virgo, nuff said). I can't wait to let you know what i think of my new brushes!!

I picked up two lip products in my haul. Both of which i had spied over on Natalie's blog BLUSHBLENDBEAUTY 

The first was the Conditioning Lip Balm (spf15) in the shade Mellow Melon

This is a pretty coral/pink colour which i suppose is like a Watermelon shade (hence the name). I tastes yummy too!! Love that it has the sunblock in it too!! Lips feel lovely and soft with this on!

Next was the Matte Lip Colour pencil in Natural...

Not as dark as it looks in this pic, this is a lovely nude pink. I do find it a little drying on my lips (although not as drying as some matte formulas) but its nothing that a little Carmex can't fix. Mmmmmm.... Caaaaarmex :)

The pencil, like application makes it very precise and great for on the go as its hard to go wrong when you apply it. Its like a lip pencil/lipstick in one. It survived my bar shift yesterday as well so that proves its staying power! I've worn this to work every day since i got it so its a WINNER!!

Next up is the BLUSH...

One word.... Disappointed. 

I got the Studio blush in the Shade 'Peachy Keen' as I wanted another peach to compare to my Sleek one. This looked lovely in it's picture but, as is the drawback of online shopping, you can't swatch it. And if i HAD been able to swatch it i would have seen the distinct LACK of pigmentation and put it right back. You can't even see the swatch on my hand, although it does have a lovely shimmer to it (the Sleek one is matte) so could maybe be used as a highlighter. Will have to experiment. 

NEXT!!

Elf Studio Pressed Powder in Caramel...

Again I'm nervous that i can't swatch things when i buy online so i tried to go for the shade that was slap-bang in the middle of the range.  I had worried that Caramel would be a tiny bit too dark, but Buff (one shade lighter) didn't look dark ENOUGH so i went for it. It was a good choice though. It matched up lovely when i swatched it. Haven't put it on my face yet but I'm not worried :) 

Last up I picked up some new eyelash curlers. My old ones got lost in transit when i moved back from Tenerife the last time and I'd just NEVER got around to buying some more. They were a total bargain. If they do the job then i don't care that they're cheapo haha. 

So that's my haul. Picture heavy i know, but i hope you enjoyed looking through my finds! Please let me know if you have any requests for reviews of products from this haul. I have a feeling the brushes will definitely be getting a mention.

Did you order from ELF lately?? What did you snap up??