Review: Urban Decay Naked Skin One & Done Hybrid Complexion Perfector

With the Summer months (slowly) approaching I always look forward to switching up my make up routine with brighter colours and lighter textures. So when the new Urban Decay Naked Skin One & Done Hybrid Complexion Perfector was sent to me for review I was immediately excited to try it out.

One & Done is a new base in the Urban Decay range that fits within it's Naked line up. It's an oil-free, hybrid complexion cream that aims to instantly and completely blur imperfections and even out skintone for a natural result. The innovative, lightweight formula provides coverage, hydration, and optical blurring. It aims to transform the look of your skin with light-diffusing spheres so that flaws seem to disappear. Over time it also aims to help pores appear smaller and skin to look noticeably firmer and more radiant. The formula is infused with nourishing ingredients (including peptides, vitamins and moisturizers).

(One pump in shade Light)

 

This product has very light coverage so rather than foundation I would compare it to a tinted moisturiser, BB or CC cream. While it adds a hint of colour it's blurring properties also help to hide imperfections and pores leaving the skin with a soft glow. It melts into the skin beautifully, feels very lightweight and looks extremely natural, almost as if you are not wearing makeup at all. I think it would work well on all skin types as it feels hydrating, but sinks into the skin quickly so it doesn't look too shiny or dry too matte.

(Blended)

With an SPF of 20 it's perfect for use in the sunnier months to protect your skin and give it a tint. I have been wearing it alone on casual/ no makeup days just to even out my skin tone and add SPF, but on work days I personally prefer a more polished look with more coverage so I have enjoyed using it as a primer before my foundation. It works equally well as a primer and makes my foundation last longer, while blurring pores and dehydration lines. It will definitely be a must for my makeup bag when I travel as it's super versatile and effortless!

Urban Decay Naked Skin One & Done Hybrid Complexion Perfector retails at £25 for 40ml here and comes in 6 shades.
 

Magdalene May Ball 2015

Last week the hubby and I attended the Magdalene College White Tie May Ball in Cambridge. If you have been reading my blog for a while you will see these posts pop up every two years. I love sharing these experiences with you all, especially when there is an opportunity to dress up! It’s funny to think that this year will be 10 years since we matriculated and here we are back again still feeling (and behaving) like teenagers.

Rather than going for a traditional ball gown (I wore a pretty big MaxMara number to the last one) I decided to switch it up with something a little more sleek and form fitting.

The India dress from Forever Unique was on sale in two different colours (purple version from ASOS here). However, as I wore a purple one shouldered gown (from Coast) four years ago I decided to try the emerald green. I absolutely loved the heavy embellishment on the sleeve of this dress and its overall shape.

Of course the material of these types of dresses is always quite thin so you can see every contour, making a tactical choice of underwear a must!

For makeup I did a very simple smokey eye using the Naked 3 palette from Urban Decay. I made sure that the look lasted all night by using a really long lasting foundation (Mac Studio Fix) and setting it all carefully with powder (I used a combination of MAC MSF natural and ELF Mineral Glow powder). I finished the look off with false lashes from Eyelure (Cheryl Girls Night style).

 

For hair I used the Babyliss wide barrel tong (Glamour Waves) to create large curls. I then clipped the bottom sections while getting ready to ensure they had more texture and gently curled the top section at the end so it looked smooth and sleek.

It was a wonderful night of champagne, street food, music and dancing with the Fratellis performing.

We bumped into so many alumni from our university days and it was really fun catching up with them all!

I made it from sunset to sunrise! Hopefully we will be back in 2017!!

Review: Nuxe Reve de Miel Creme Visage Ultra-Reconfortante Ultra Comfortable Face Cream

After falling sick three times last month my skin was definitely showing its displeasure. It had become super sensitive, dry in patches and my nose actually started peeling, which was a sure sign of how dehydrated and unhappy my body was. I therefore stepped away from my usual skin care routine to give my skin some intense TLC and purchased Nuxe’s Reve de Miel Creme Visage Ultra-Reconfortante Ultra Comfortable Face Cream.

This Nuxe day cream is super soothing as it has a balm like texture that works hard to hydrate, calm and repair sensitive skin. It doesn’t sink in quickly, but plumps the skin leaving behind a protective barrier. Though I normally prefer a lighter moisturiser this has been working really well in the mornings for me and is a great base for makeup. Foundation applies really quickly and smoothly over it, though I have found that it doesn’t last quite as long as usual. However, if I have an event in the evening or want my makeup to last for a special occasion I often use the Urban Decay setting spray that works really well!

The Nuxe Reve de Miel range would also be wonderful for use in the winter as it really hydrates and protects the skin. It replenishes lipids with Sunflower Oil Derivative, Safflower Ceramides and Precious Plant Oils, soothes with Barley, Argan Oil and Shea Butter, repairs with Honey and protects against external aggression with Vitamin E and Sunflower Derivative.

If your skin is feeling aggravated or you just want to give it some extra pampering I would definitely recommend Nuxe Reve De Miel - Ultra Comfortable Face Cream For Dry And Sensitive Skin! My skin feels so much smoother, more hydrated and much less sensitive since I started using it a few weeks ago! I purchased mine from lookfantastic for £24.

OOTD: Rehearsal Dinner

Today's post is a little outfit of the day from my rehearsal dinner. I had about 15 mins to get ready after our church rehearsal so I quickly tonged my hair with the Babyliss conical wand and refreshed my makeup using the Urban Decay Naked palette and a slick of The Body Shop gloss over MAC's Costa Chic lipstick.

 

I picked up this bright mint gradient/ dip dye maxi dress in the Ted Baker sale and think it works perfectly with my tan by James Harknett.

 The secret is out... I have a twin!

Apologies for the deer in headlights expression... but I was unashamedly nervous/ exhausted/ excited/ apprehensive/ happy!

My wedding makeup!

Among all the tutorials, forums and posts on the internet wedding makeup has to be the most requested and hotly debated! I have done a few bridal themed looks in the past, but planning your own makeup can be quite the challenge. I opted for a defined, but classic look not too different from my every day (but a lot more neat and product heavy) as I wanted to look like myself, but the best version of myself... I personally don't think your wedding day is the right time to try anything new or risky and I despair a little when I see brides who never wear makeup suddenly decide to try that dark smokey eye they had always admired in magazines. Not to say they don't look beautiful, but you don't ever want to look back at photos and think that you don't look like yourself.

The most important things to consider are the weather (opt for long lasting, oil free products in the hotter months), your location and wedding style. If you are going for a boho Summer wedding a red lip and lashings of eyeshadow may not look quite right, but may be perfect for a Winter Wonderland theme!

Our wedding was quite a traditional, classic summer wedding with lots of flowers and a neutral palette of blush pinks, ivories and a hint of silver. I therefore went for a classic look with clean skin, defined eyes, rosy lips and cheeks. However, not taking my own advice with regards to preparation in the hurricane of wedding planning it was a week before the big day when I realised I hadn’t even planned my makeup! I had booked an MUA for my bridal party, but hadn’t planned what to do for myself… Luckily being a hoarder I managed to shop my stash and only had a few essentials to pick up. I did a quick (half face) trial the weekend before the wedding and just hoped that my nerves would be steady enough to execute liquid eyeliner on the day!

My top tip for any special occasion makeup where you will be photographed is to go for a base that has little or no SPF and a powder that doesn’t have too much titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, silica or mineral sunscreens. These are the culprits of the intense white glare that you get with flash photography! For longevity you may also want to consider oil free products that verge on the matte or velvet rather than dewy or glowy finishes.

(Quick selfie after I finished my makeup - with flash)

I primed my skin with Clarins Beauty Flash Balm and used Giorgio Armani’s Luminous Silk Foundation which gave a lovely finish without being too heavy. Summer weddings are definitely the most difficult to prepare for in terms of skin as you want to have flawless makeup that will last through the heat well into the night without looking too heavily made up, especially in the day and in bright sunlight. I therefore chose an oil free foundation with buildable coverage and used layers of powder to ensure longevity rather than piling on too heavy a foundation.

For concealer I used various textures on different areas of my face. Under the eyes I used my favourite L’ancome Effacernes mixed with Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer. I find that the L’ancome concealer is pigmented, but light enough in texture to be used under the eyes without too much creasing. It also has a peachy tint that helps to counteract dark circles (and having been woken at 5am on my wedding day mine were awful). The Sensual Skin Enhancer is a much heavier, waxier texture that I used sparingly on top (mainly because it is a much lighter shade) to add some highlight to the under eye area. On the rest of the face I used MAC’s Studio Finish Concealer (from the PRO Conceal and correct Palette) which has great coverage and staying power.

(No flash)

 
To set I used Clarins Mineral Loose Powder pressed into the skin with an old fashioned powder puff. Getting married in July with oily skin I would definitely recommend copious amounts of powder!

For a little contour I used MAC’s Sculpt and Shape duo. I would say this is an absolute must not only for photographs, but also because on your wedding day you are wearing one solid block of white or ivory so your face needs a little dimension to overcome some of the reflection. This duo is great as it contains minimal shimmer so the highlight will not create glare when using flash. I used MAC's Dame as my blush for a cool toned pink flush.

For my eyebrows I used MAC’s brow shader and set them with an old mascara wand sprayed with a little hair spray.

Contrary to the order of this post I actually did my eyes first (except for the mascara) to ensure there was no eyeshadow fallout. I primed with my longstanding favourite Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden and used Urban Decay Sin shadow all over the lid. I then used a MAC 219 pencil brush and MAC Quarry shadow to define the crease and a MAC 217 brush with Wedge to blend it out. I then dipped in and out various soft brown and muted grey tones to ensure the crease was well defined and blended. I used Urban Decay strange (from the NAKED 3 palette) as my highlight with a tiny bit of MAC Phloof! at the highest point of the Arch. I then finished off the eyes with MAC’s blacktrack fluidline and L’ancome Hypnose Doll Eyes Waterproof mascara (on the lower lashes).

 (Close up from my mini trial)

Given my natural eyelashes are absolutely tiny, and I definitely wanted a more dramatic lash look on my wedding day, instead of risking false lashes that could start curling off in the corners (like they did in our engagement shoot) I had eyelash extensions. These were done by the wonderful  and super talented Asma at her Boudoir Lashes Parlour in Shoreditch (my previous review of her eyelash extensions can be found here with detailed photos). Unfortunately as I was still working all the way up to my wedding day I had to have my lashes done a week before so they were not at their best, but they still looked so much better and more natural than falsies. I was also happy knowing that I didn’t have to worry about them in the heat and through any tears!

For the lips I used my trusty MAC cremesheen lipstick in Crème cup, which is a very natural blue toned pink.

To ensure longevity I touched up my t-zone just before leaving with MAC’s Mineralize Skinfinish Natural and sprayed Urban Decay’s All Nighter Setting Spray. The wedding was at 2pm and given I had to finish my makeup by about 11.30am (so I could do last minute prep and have enough time for hair) I was impressed that it lasted well over 12 hours of rain, sun, smiling, crying and dancing. I touched up with powder twice throughout the day to take away shine, but other than that it was pretty much worry free!

I hope this helps if you are planning your wedding day makeup. I would say a trial is the most important thing - get your makeup done in the morning and see how it lasts throughout the day and night and make sure to take some flash photos in the meantime! Please do let me know if you have any questions. 

Always happy to help! xxx

Naked and Neutral

A fun and wearable smokey eye paired with peachy lips and cheeks that's super easy to create with minimal products!


Products mentioned in this video:
Dr Jart Regenerating BB*
Origins A Perfect World BB*
MAC MSF Natural in Medium
Earthnicity Minerals Coral blusher
Sleek Brow Kit
UDPP
Shiseido Shimmering Cream Eye Colour BR306*
Urban Decay NAKED palette - Smog, Half Baked, Virgin, Sin.
Clarins 3 Dot Liner*
Urban Decay Big Fatty Mascara*
The Body Shop Colouglide Shine Lip Colour 01 cheeky coral*
Jo Malone Rosewater and Vanilla perfume

Products marked with * were sent to me for review consideration.

Thanks so much for watching and I hope you enjoyed the video! xxx

Urban Decay: Build Your Own Palette

As a beauty blogger I try not to play favourites, but sometimes I just can't help myself. Urban Decay eyeshadows are amazing! Their Naked palette has been my most used beauty item and has accompanied me on business trips, nights out and beach holidays alike! I am so excited that UD have now brought out a customisable palette - so whether you love their ridiculously vibrant shadows, glitters or nudes you can easily build your own, individual eyeshadow wardrobe.

In usual Urban Decay style the palette is fun and bold, yet durable in its metallic outer casing that opens flat to reveal 6 shadow wells and a large mirror.

Each palette comes with a Good Karma shadow brush and Walk of Shame eyeshadow (top left), the perfect nude, which can be used as a highlighter, base or blending colour and would work perfectly with different colours and finishes. I was kindly given the opportunity of choosing the other five shadows and decided to go for a mix of my favourites - neutrals and brights.

What I love about the design of these little shadow pots is just how easy the pans are to pop out of their original packaging and put in the palette. There are no fiddly magnets, sharp implements, heating glue, fumes or brute force involved (yes I'm talking about you MAC...). All you have to do is press on the bottom of the pot and the pan snaps out. 

This not only saves time, but also makes the palette super versatile so you can use it to store and organise shadows or if you want to throw one in your bag for touch ups on the go you can quickly transfer the pan back into it's original individual pod. Voila!

Top (L-R) Walk of Shame, Sin, Mushorrom. Bottom (L-R) Haight, ACDC, Busted.

Build Your Own Palette retails at £14 and is available at House of Fraser here and Debenhams here.

Are you a fan of Urban Decay shadows? Which are your favourite shades? Are you tempted to add the UD Build Your Own Palette to your collection?  xxx

Naked Gold Leaf

I have wanted to make a tutorial using the new Sleek Molten Metal eyeshadow duo for quite a while. The colours are beautiful and perfectly lend themselves to an effortless smokey eye!


Products used:
NARS Sheer Glow foundation
Bobbi Brown corrector
MAC MSF natural
Chanel Bronzer Universal
NARS Sin blush

UDPP
Urban Decay Naked Palette - naked, buck, smog
*Sleek Molten Metal metallic cream eyeshadow - Gold Leaf

MAC vanilla eyeshadow
Urban Decay 24/7 liner in bourbon
L'ancome Hypnose Mascara
YSL Rouge Volupte lipstick in No. 1

Products marked with * were sent to me for review purposes.

 Have you tried the new Sleek metallic eyeshadow duo? Let me know what you think! xxx

Work It Out: Instalment Vingt-Six

It has been far too long since I did a 'Work it Out' post. Having spent a little too much in the sales I think it is time to start tailoring a few more work outfits, and hitting the snooze button a little less!

Dress: Karen Millen. Watch: Dior.

I have had my eye on this dress for quite some time, but couldn't bear to pay the full price tag. Having scoured three separate stores I finally found one in my size! I adore Karen Millen dresses for their well tailored, form fitting styles, and this one is no exception. The giraffe-esque print adds some interest to a classic shape, while the pleating at the neckline keeps it modern.

For makeup I decided to do a slight twist on my usual look. I used Benefit's creaseless cream shadow in Birthday Suit all over the lid and under the lash line with Urban Decay's 24/7 liner in stash (a dark, moss green with gold undertones) smoked out with a little black shadow. 

I hope you enjoyed the resurrection of the work it out posts? Hopefully there will be plenty more to come in the future! Did you pick up any exciting pieces in the sales that you had been chasing for a while? xxx