Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet

Simple, soft and moisturising: These are the three things I always look for in an everyday, non-heavy coverage foundation. Believe it or not, it's actually very hard for find a foundation like this!

Luckily enough, and after a great deal of searching, I found that this foundation is exactly what I've been looking for.

Perfection Lumiere Velvet has become one of my all time favourite foundations, but not without a little bit of drama along the way.

October Favourites

Hey everyone! October has been a pretty busy month for me, which is why I haven't posted anything in while. But this post resumes my blogging habits, and I will hopefully start writing a lot more often from now on!

There are some amazing things featured here, all of which have actually become some of my all time favourites, so I highly recommend you take the time to try every one of them if you get the chance!

My Top 3 Reds

Red is a colour that some people don't feel very comfortable wearing. They think it's too bright or too bold, and therefore prefer a more subtle shade. Personally, red lipsticks are my absolute favourites!

So whether you are a red aficionado like myself, or you are unsure of how to pull off a red lip, I have chosen my top three shades to help you find the perfect colour!

Estée Lauder 'Nudité' Nail Lacquer

Nails are definitely not my forte. I tend to only wear ready-painted false nails so as to avoid the tedious waiting you have to endure after painting your own nails. Not only that, but I also always manage to make a mess of my nails, so I figured a long time ago that ready-painted nails were more practical.
However, I got an Estée Lauder nail varnish for my birthday this year, and it has totally changed the way I feel about the nail-painting process. 

It's in the shade Nudité which, as the name suggests, it's a nude colour. It's very delicate and sophisticated and, in my opinion, what really makes it stand out is its subtle hints of pink as opposed to overly beige undertones.
The great thing about nude shades is that they compliment any outfit, day or night, and this shade does so in particular because it's so classy, but discreet and simple at the same time.

I like to use Elegant Touch 001 Totally Bare nails. They are fairly easy to apply and last a good few days (although definitely not the entire 10 days that they advertise on the back of the packet).

As you can probably tell, I'm still not an expert in the manicure business, but I am slowly getting better!

What is your favourite nail varnish?
Ana xo

Disappointing Purchases

Over the past year I have bought quite a few skincare/makeup products that haven't quite turned out as I expected. Some of them didn't suit me specifically because of my skin type, but others have just been plain bad! So today I thought I'd talk about the products that disappointed me the most:

I LOVE NARS!

A few weeks ago I went to Nars for the first time... and I ended up spending A LOT of money, whoops.
After trying out everything I bought I can safely say that I don't regret spending all that money: NARS is my new favourite makeup brand!
All of the items that I bought are long lasting and gentle on the face, whilst also giving flawless results, so if you're looking for good quality makeup, this is the one!

March Favourites

Hey Everyone!
This is my first post in months; I've been so busy writing my dissertation recently that I've had no time whatsoever to do anything else- I hardly left the house last month! But it's all done now, so I can start having a life again.
I thought I'd do a pretty simple post today to get used to blogging again, so here are my March favourites:



Vichy Nutrilogie 2 (Intensive for dry skin): I have been using this cream for a while now, and I have to say that it's the best day cream for dry skin- I'm onto my second jar!
Since I started using this product I've been able to wear more foundations, and I haven't noticed as many dry patches. I would actually really recommend Vichy in general, in my opinion it's the best brand for dry skin.

Indeed Eysilix: I don't know if it's because I don't get enough sleep or because I'm always vvv stressed, but the bags under my eyes were getting ridiculously out of hand. I decided to buy Eysilix, which targets under eye puffiness and dark circles. This is the first eye cream I have ever purchased, and I am definitely impressed with the results. I wouldn't say that my bags are completely gone, but they are a lot better after using this product twice a day, everyday.

EcoTools Bamboo Foundation Brush & Foam Applicator: The EcoTools foundation brush was the first brush I ever purchased. I remember using it every single day back in college, and never complaining about my makeup looking patchy or cakey, so last week I decided to buy it again; and I am SO happy that I did. I cannot emphasise enough how easy and precise it is to apply foundation with this brush, my skin looks so much smoother since I started using it.
After applying my foundation, I tap a little more onto my cheeks and my nose with the foam applicator. This makes my face look even smoother and sets the foundation in place, helping it to stay on longer.

L'Oreal Infalible 24H-Matte Foundation (In Vanilla): I still can't decide how I feel about this foundation. I do love it, as its coverage, finish, and lasting power are amazing. However, it tends to dry my skin out. After I use it I have to put a lot more cream on than usual because it leaves my skin feeling a bit rough. And yet I keep using it because it looks so lovely and flawless on the skin!
I only use it once a week though, because I think making it my go-to foundation would destroy my skin.



MAC Lipstick in Faux: I am so obsessed with this lipstick. At the moment I'm really into pink shades, especially lighter ones. To me, Faux is the perfect shade of pink as it has brown undertones, making it look more natural and very wearable. I don't think the picture of the swatch underneath shows how lovely the colour actually is!
It's a satin finish, so it feels really moisturising on the lips- and it looks even better if you apply the right lipliner beforehand.




Tesco SLEEP Lavender & Jasmine Candle: This is by far the best candle I have ever bought, and it's only £3! As the name suggests, it's supposed to help you go to sleep, and oh my, it's so relaxing.
I'm not a fan of most candles as they tend to give me headaches, but this one has a really fresh and gentle smell, not overpowering at all. I light it just before I go to bed every night and it helps me drift off to sleep- it's amaaazing.



If you have any questions about any of these products just leave a comment :)

Ana xo

What's in my Holiday Makeup Bag?

Hey everyone!

I'm going on holiday today, which is super super exciting!
I've had a really busy week getting the keys to my new flat and sorting all the last minute holiday stuff, but I thought I'd do a very quick blog post about what makeup I'm taking to Madrid with me.

I found this make up bag in Primark a few days ago. I usually end up carrying two or three bags full of make up and brushes whenever I go away somewhere, but this bag is so handy as I can fit everything into just one bag.
And I really loved the colour and the pattern as soon as I saw it... oh, and it was only £4!

Here is a list of the makeup I'm taking with me:

1. YSL 'Babydoll' Mascara
2. MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Powder in 'Light'
3. The Body Shop Bronzing powder in 01
4. Collection Fast Stroke eyeliner 
5. Benefit 'Stay Don't Stray' eyeshadow Primer 
6. Clinique 'Even Better' Foundation in 01- 'Alabaster'
7. MAC Eyeshadow in 'Wedge'
8. MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Highlighter in 'Soft and Gentle'
9. MAC Mineralize Concealer in NC15
10. Clinique Super Primer for Redness
11. Maybelline Eye Studio Gel liner.

I thought I'd go for a light coverage seeing as it's 36 degrees in Madrid at the moment, so any makeup I wear will probably just melt in the heat!
I also thought I'd take some eyeliner with me just in case, although I doubt it will stay on with it being so hot.
Some days I won't be wearing makeup, so I'm taking the Clinique primer with me as it hides the redness on my face quite well.

If you have any questions about the products mentioned above, please just ask! :)

Ana xo

My Top 5 Lipsticks

Lipsticks are one of my favourite things in the world.
I can't help but buy more and more every time I find a new shade that I like, so today I thought I'd talk about my five favourite lipsticks!                        

The first one I'll mention is the
Dior Lipstick Fluid in Magique (479).
Although you apply it like a lip gloss, it sets like a lipstick, and it doesn't feel sticky at all- and I can promise you that this is completely true!
This shade is just a perfect colary-pink colour that is absolutely perfect for summer- it's pretty much all I've used this season.
It lasts for a good few hours and it's by far one of my favourite shades ever.

The Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick in Vibrant Coral (110) is the nicest coral lipstick I've ever owned.
I looked for the right coral shade for ages, but I always ended up buying shades that were either too orange or too pink, but this is just, in my opinion, what coral should look like.
It's a matte lipstick, which means it can dry your lips. What I do to prevent this is apply vaseline before putting the lipstick on, that way I still get the matte effect but my lips get a bit of moisture at the same time.
It's a very easy shade to wear as it goes with everything, and I couldn't recommend it enough.



I lusted over a Chanel lipstick for a very long time, and I finally caved and bought the Rouge Coco Hydrating creme lip in Cambon (31).
The reason why I went for this colour is because I love red lipsticks, but sometimes they can be a bit too much for during the day. This red lipstick however is quite light and has a hint of pink in it, which, for me, makes it a lot more wearable and less dramatic for things like uni or simply going out during the day.
One of the best things about this is that it's a hydrating lipstick, so when I wear it my lips feel really moisturised.

I'm sure everyone has heard the hype over Rimmel's Apocalips, but it's all true: they are amazing.
Although you apply them like a lipgloss, they are very very pigmented (as you can see in the picture) and they last for hours even after you've had something to eat.
I've got quite a few of these, but Aurora (401) is my current favourite because it's a perfect shade of pink. I am personally not a fan of pink lipsticks, especially if they are too light, but this shade is the best everyday colour.

The Dior Addict Extreme lipstick in Sunset Boulevard (829) is one of my favourite autumn/winter shades.
The actual lipstick itself looks quite brown, but it's actually a beautiful vampy-red colour with perfect warm undertones.
This is quite a sheer lipstick which, surprisingly, can sometimes dry out my lips a little bit.

Its wear time is really good however, as I sometimes find that even after removing it, the colour has left a tint on my lips that lasts a few days.

Hope you enjoyed reading!
Ana xo