Life Changer #2 - Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

Today I have another life changing product to show you. It's Real Technique's Miracle Complexion Sponge. I am already a fan of Real Techniques make-up brushes and was on the lookout for a drugstore dupe of the over-priced £16 sponge called the Beauty Blender.

Like the Beauty Blender, this sponge is a foundation and concealer applicator that you can pick up from Boots for just £5.99. You just dot your base on your forehead, nose, cheeks and chin and then use the sponge to dab it in. 

It has a rounded body used for big areas such as the forehead and cheeks, a pointed tip for covering any acne or hyper-pigmentation and a flat side to get in the grooves around the nose and eyes.

The sponge blends flawlessly. I haven't experienced any sliding foundation or pore seeping concealer whilst using this. My base now appears more natural with all the tell-tale signs of harsh lines gone. It has really changed the way my complexion looks every day.

So there it is- my second make-up bag staple of the year so far!

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Life Changer! - Topshop's Glow

I'm back with a bang! (and an amazing product). After watching Becca Rose talk about this on YouTube, I had to buy it and see for myself. It's Topshop's Glow- a lovely pearlescent highlighter.

Topshop Glow - £9

I popped into the Cardiff store not once, not twice but three times to get my hands on Glow- but no luck. I was extremely disappointed to be going on holiday to Cornwall without being able to try it out. But funnily enough, whilst I was checking out Truro (what an adorable little city!) I walked into the most teeny tiny Topshop I'd ever seen and there it was! The product comes in two shades- 'Polished' and 'Gleam'. I purchased the shade 'Polished' which is the lightest of the two.

I was so excited to try it, I cracked it open as soon as I got back to the car. My first impression when I looked in the little car mirror was pretty much an 'ooooooo'. The product was creamy and went on top of my foundation like a dream. The champagne colour with pearly pink reflects was perfect for my pale skin. I applied it to the top of my cheek bones, down my nose and above my cupid's bow and it definitely gave my face a glow.  

The downside to the product is that it does separate, but I feel this is due to my slightly oily skin. Once I began to apply the highlighter underneath my trusty Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder rather than on top, the product lasted all day without melting away into my pores. It is a bit on the pricey side at £9 but compared to Benefit's High Beam at £19.50- it's a winner. 

It has definitely changed the way my face looks. And used in conjunction with Benefit's Hoola bronzer I've managed to fake cheekbones! So there you have it, what an amazing find and definitely a new make-up bag staple. 

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How to get Perfect Skin #3

Hi! This is step three in my 'How to get Perfect Skin' series. Make sure you read step one and step two!

Step #3 - Concealer

Collection Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer - Boots - £4.19

This is the one beauty product that every girl needs (yes, this is a need) in her make-up bag. This concealer is called Lasting Perfection by 'Collection' (used to be Collection 2000). It claims to last 16 hours. I have yet to put this to the test (because I need my beauty sleep) but I can say it does last all day long. I've even gone surfing and it's kept my acne scarring from showing through. 

First of all, you need the right shade. There has been a few sunny days in Wales recently, so my hands have tanned, but oddly (and unfortunately) my face never does so I go for the lightest shade which is 01 'Fair'. I also find that I like concealers slightly lighter, especially if your using it for your under-eye baggage because it brightens like a real-life Photoshop! 

I'd say the texture is quite creamy and velvety. It is thick but that's definitely what I want in a concealer- it has to conceal!

Here it is in action! Definitely faking the 'perfect skin' because I have broken out like crazy over this last week! So there's me and my lovely fiancé, Andrew who's turning twenty this week. This was before going out for an early birthday meal with our friends. This concealer is my life-saver! 

Keep checking - the fourth and final step will be up soon! 

How to get Perfect Skin #2

Hello guys! This is post two in my 'How to get Perfect Skin' series so if you want to see step one click here.

Step #2 - Foundation

Bourjois Paris Healthy Mix Serum - £10.99 at Superdrug

Shade 51 - Vanille Claire

After applying my primer, I go straight in with foundation. I used to use the regular Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation which was my go-to throughout sixth form but then they brought out this lovely bottle of delight. I've been using this for about a week and I love it because it feels so much lighter on the skin, which is perfect for summer time and for people who hate cakey faces. 

Because this is a 'gel formula', I expected it to be more of a gel-like consistency, but it just feels like a lighter version of a foundation (can you tell in the picture above?). Some people say the coverage isn't as good as the regular foundation, but I honestly think it covers just as well without blocking your pores and producing breakouts in the first place! 

Bourjois call it a 'treatment' that uses '3 super fruits - lychee, goji and pomegranate'. It's supposed to 'erase signs of fatigue, even out the complexion and revive its radiance'. It even claims to give us '+69% more radiance after 4 weeks of use!' I'm pretty sure they're not lying because I've had tonnes of compliments on my skin recently. I definitely haven't had as many breakouts as I usually do which is such a good sign. 

It's semi-matte so people with extremely oily skin should avoid this, but because I'm middle of the road with my oil-levels, it just gives me a radiant finish.  

Keep your eyes peeled for Step #3 of How to get Perfect Skin. 

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How to get Perfect Skin - #1

Hiya lovelies! I'll be doing a mini-series of posts on how to get the perfect skin. Everyone wants flawless skin (but it's very hard to come by naturally!) so over the series I will show you a variety of products that will help you fake it. 

Rimmel Fix and Perfect Pro Primer- £6.99 from Boots

Step #1 is extremely important and if you use this baby it'll make a huge difference! This lovely product is Rimmel's Fix and Perfect Pro Primer. It claims to have 5 in 1 results: 'smoothes, resurfaces, brightens, mattifies and protects' and I agree with all five. 

I use this after cleansing and moisturising using Soap & Glory's Peaches and Clean and Clear Here (you can see a full review of both products here).

When you first squirt it out it actually resembles a moisturiser. Its consistency is thick and creamy (as you can see in the image above) but it really sinks into the skin and enhances it. If I didn't have acne scarring, I'd be happy wearing this without any foundation. It leaves the skin glowing but is also a mattifier. It's a bit like a thick BB cream without colour. 

Downside is the quantity. There's only 30ml in a tube for £6.99, but you don't need a lot of product to cover your face. Upside is that it does what it says on the tin (or tube) and it keeps your make-up in place all day long, which is amazing because if you're like me you either can't be bothered or don't have time to smother foundation on twice in one day!

Keep your eyes peeled for Step 2! 

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Fresh Face Friday & Real Techniques Initial Reaction

Real Techniques Core Collection Kit - £15-£18 - Amazon

Hey Everyone! Happy Friday! Look what the delivery man came with today! It's the Real Techniques Core Collection Kit designed by beauty blogger Sam Chapman from Pixiwoo! 

I've been wanting to try Real Techniques make-up brushes for a while now. But as they are priced between £6.99 and £12.99 per brush at Boots, they've just been a lustful luxury dream. When I saw this Core Collection Kit on Amazon for a very reasonable price I just caved in. I paid £17 for these 4 brushes, but the prices do go up and down daily. I've heard of people generally paying between £15 and £18 for this set. 

Like I said, there are 4 brushes included. Starting from left to right, first up is the Contour Brush. Sam says this, "delicately applies highlighter to contour or create sheer, soft-focus finish." And yes - it does. I used The Body Shop's Brilliance Powder  as a highlight which comes with it's own brush attached to the product. So, I unscrewed the brush, dusted some product onto my palm and used the Contour Brush instead. This made a huge difference. Before, I hardly used the product because I found the brush hard and spiky. After using the Contour Brush I appreciated the white highlight with golden undertones one thousand times more. 

The second brush is the Pointed Foundation Brush which Sam says to "use with liquid foundation to build custom coverage". I haven't used this yet because I only like to wear liquid foundation in the Winter time. So this brush should stay clean for a while!

The third brush is called the Detailer Brush that Sam has "precision cut to effortlessly conceal problem areas; or, use with lipstick for long-lasting shape and definition." I used this to conceal with Collection's Lasting Perfection Concealer. I will do a review on the concealer soon because it is my all-time favourite, but using the Detailer Brush really enhanced its performance. I have many acne scars that need concealing every day, and this brush felt very delicate on my skin. The last thing I want is to have a spiky brush to irritate my oily skin so this little tool is a delight to use.

The last brush is the Buffing Brush which Sam says is, "ideal for full coverage application of powder and mineral foundation." So, I used Rimmel's Stay Matte Pressed Powder (because I swear by it) with this brush. The brush itself just felt so soft on the skin, and held the powder really well (instead of it poofing everywhere). Overall, I loved using the brushes and there's a huge difference between these and any cheap supermarket brush. 

Here's my Fresh Face Friday FOTD, so that you can see these brushes in action.

Concealer - Collection's Lasting Perfection - £4.19

Powder - Rimmel's Stay Matte - £3.99

Blush - L'Oreal Paris Le Blush in Sandalrose Pink - £8.42

Highlight - The Body Shop Brilliance Powder in Shimmer Gold - £16

Mascara - Revlon's Fabulash - £7.99

Lips - Rimmel Apocalips in Celestial - £5.99

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