TOP 5 CONEALERS

Concealer is like magic to me. It gives the illusion of flawless skin and makes us look wide awake even though we've stayed up till 3am the night before. It is a MUST in my makeup routine. No matter how late I am running, or even when I want to keep things minimal, I've got to slap on some concealer. I don't leave the house without it either, it's what I grab the most throughout the day when I'm in need of a touch up. I've trialled many concealers, and the following 5 are products I would repurchase in a heartbeat…at least till I find something better. Let me know what some of your favourite concealers are! I would love to know! ;)

Bobbi Brown (Under Eye) Corrector in Light to Medium Peach
I know this isn't technically called a concealer, but it sort of works on the same principle. I haven't come across another product that lives up to this when in comes to covering up dark circles - so trust me, this one is a miracle worker. The corrector itself looks a little peachy in the pan, but this helps cancel out dark blue underneath the eyes, eliminating the appearance of dark circles instantly. I've gone through tubs of this, which probably means I shouldn't stay up so late more than anything, but if you are a night owl like me, Bobbi Brown Corrector will work very well for you.

Laura Mercier Secret Concealer in #2
I went through a phase where I only used this concealer and refused to try anything from another brand - it's that good! Laura Mercier Secret Concealer is somewhat on the thicker side, it has great coverage and is one of the few products that can be used when my skin is dehydrated without accentuating dry areas (under the eyes or all over the face). It doesn't wear cakey, and is easily blendable and great to work with. However, because of the creamy texture, I would recommended dusting some finishing powder on top to keep it lasting longer.

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC25
I think this one has been very hyped up about, and I can definitely understand why. MAC Pro Longwear Concealer is the ultimate product for hiding imperfections, the coverage is amazing - I believe the MUA said it would even work on moles! I don't use this all over my face though, only on the worst pimples or scars because it does wear quite thick and can look somewhat heavy. You really need the tiniest amount of this concealer, it goes a long, long way. I've had my tube for a while now but have barely made a dent!

JANUARY EMPTIES

Haven't done one of these in a while! I don't have a whole lot of skincare/makeup empties this month - didn't keep much around after new years - but have managed to collect a few things from my hair routine stash. I generally go through them fairly quickly, but always forget to include them in a post, so this is a good chance to share some of my favourite hair styling products!

Batiste Dry Shampoo for Brunette Hair
I've been using Batiste for some time now, and it's definitely my drugstore dry shampoo of choice. I actually bought this without realising there a version for dark and deep brown hair, but am loving the coloured range altogether because it doesn't leave any obvious white marks on my almost black hair. I generally go all out with dry shampoo, and don't always brush through as much as I should (especially when I'm in a rush), so this works out really well because it blends into my hair colour.
Repurchase? Yes.

Tresemmé Keratin Smooth Heat Protection Shine Spray
I absolutely love the original Tresemmé Heat Tamer Spray, so I was very interested in this when I first saw it in store. To be honest I don't find a big difference between the two - they both protect my hair from heat styling - but I've taken a liking to the scent of this Shine Spray (smells like you've been to a salon) so I'll probably make it my new staple. I can't say much about the 'shine' part, though I'm not too fussed since I don't need the excess oil or shine.
Repurchase? Yes.

Bumble & Bumble Thickening Hair Spray
I've tried and tested numerous thickening hair sprays, powders and serums, and this is one of the first that works on my hair. I have very fine limp hair, so it sits quite flat on my head, especially when in between washes (I wash my hair every other day). I have been on a search for something that would give me more 'umph' for the longest time now and this spray is the winner. I only need 3-4 pumps on the roots, a little blow dry, and it keeps my hair voluminous all day long. This isn't exactly cheap though, so do use sparingly!
Repurchase? Yes.

BEST OF BEAUTY 2013

It's that time again for another 'best of beauty' yearly round up! I've really enjoyed reading what everyone has been posting, I love that I'm getting a quick rundown of the favourite of the most favorited, ultimate number one, beauty products of 2013 in one single blog entry. I have a good few products to go through on my list, but I'll try to keep it short and precise!

Illamasqua Hydra Veil Primer & Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation

Hands down my favourite primer and foundation combo. Hyda Veil is a great primer all-round, but the lightness of the formula works really well with the creaminess of the Skin Base foundation, creating a smooth finish that lasts all day. Illamasqua Skin Base is medium to high coverage, but it wears surprisingly natural whilst giving a flawless finish.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation

Probably my most used foundation of 2013. I think this is the perfect everyday go-to foundation, it gives my skin that much needed boost in the morning without wearing oily during the day. I can't say that this foundation hydrates my skin, but it definitely gives the illusion that my dull skin is smooth and moisturised after application. Plus it's so affordable!

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Concealer & Maybelline Fit Me Concealer

Maybelline has won me over with their concealers this year, I've almost stopped using high-end concealers altogether! Instant Age Rewind is amazing for underneath the eyes, it wears a little thicker and creamier, so it's perfect for eliminating dark circles and smoothing out the skin. Maybelling Fit Me is thinner in consistency and coverage, but is great for anywhere on the face because it blends seamlessly and doesn't look too heavy.

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder

I've been really digging my drugstore products for face this year, and Rimmel Stay Matte is probably one of my favourite finds for 2013. I was actually given this after my friend who bought it swore it was the worst product ever, but luckily it wears very well on my combination/dry skin (my friend has oily skin). I only apply powder on the t-zone area which do tend to get oily very quickly, but this really sets everything in place making my foundation last a lot longer.

Benefit Hooler Bronzing Powder and Rockateur Blush

I've been wearing these two babies on an almost day-to-day basis, and they pair beautifully together. I tend to be super nitpicky when it comes to bronzers because a lot of them make me look orange, but Hoola is the perfect shade to compliment my skintone. I don't think I need to talk much about Rockateur, it's pretty much universally loved by the blogging community and I can't agree more - the shade is simply gorgeous!

Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Dixie

This shade looks a little intense in the swatch but it wears a soft pinky coral when blended out. The texture of Illamasqua Cream Blushers are top notch, they are super pigmented, very easy to blend out (whether using your fingers or a stippling brush) and give a lovely natural dewy finish. I've been eying a couple more of these to add to my collection in 2014!

Jump for the best of 2013 eye products!

MY TOP 5 DRUGSTORE LIPSTICKS

I'm not sure if I'm going to start a whole series with these 'top 5' posts (see my top 5 foundations here), but I knew from the very start that I just had to do a lipstick edition. It was WAY too hard to do an overall for everything in my lipstick stash, so I'm going to split it into 2 categories - drugstore and high end - be on the look out for the high end post to come soon! It still took me a lot of going back and forth to make up the list, but here goes!

Again, these are in no particular order.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick Creme in 680 Temptress
I've worn this lipstick to death, mainly to work, it's such a great 'it-goes-with-everything' shade! Despite the creamy formula, which sits very comfortably on my lips, Temptress does not apply too opaque, so my natural lip colour seeps through ever so slightly. I'm not generally drawn to soft pink lipsticks, but this one blends in well with my skin tone, so it gets a lot of love from me!

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in 027 Juicy Papaya
Continuing on with the Revlon love, is of course, the famous lip butters. I actually wasn't too drawn into the hype at the beginning, but have repeatedly reached for them overtime, much to my own surprise. It was a hard choice between Juicy Papaya and Tutti Frutti (because I love my corals and oranges), but Juicy Papaya wears a lot softer so it's something I can wear anytime of the week, and it goes with pretty much everything!

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