Pink Makes The Boys Wink



Far left- Dainty, Far Right- Tenderling Forefront- Orgasm, Brush- MAC 168

I love MAC cosmetics blushes, well lets face it, I love a lot of MAC's products. 

But I do have a little sweet spot for NARS blushes as well, especially, of course, Orgasm.

For my every day make-up looks I seem to go between the following three blushes, MAC's Tenderling and Dainty and of course NARS's Orgasm.

Left- Tenderling, Centre- Orgasm, Right- Dainty

Dainty is a mineralize blush which is has a very powder pink colour to it. Very girlie and young. It has a very small amount of gold shimmer to it and I love it for when I need to look a little more alive but don't want to draw too much attention to my blush shade. Although all of the shades are long lasting, with the mineralise blushes they don't seem to last as long on me as the next two, but I do love the colour, so onto my list it went.

Tenderling is a sheertone blush and for my skin tone it is the perfect shade of blusher for an extremely natural look. Even though my natural blush is a lot pinker than this shade it works so well on my skin. So I grab this one when I want all the attention to be on either my eyes or lips and just want an everyday quick make-up look, that can be applied in seconds and you definitely won't look like Aunt Sally. I also find that this shade blends fantastically with any contour shade as well. It has absolutely no shimmer or sparkle to it.

Orgasm by NARS, I think most people have heard the hype or knows someone who owns it, but here's my take on it. Firstly I love it and I seem to grab it all the time. I use it when I want that healthy, I have seen sunlight/been for a lovely walk kind of glow. It's a pinky coral and has the most beautiful gold shimmer in it. Too much for some people but I love it. Buildable, blendable and fantastic.

I find some of the NARS blushes to be less pigmented than the MAC powder blush shades but this can be both a positive and a negative. On one hand they are slightly easier to work with as you are less likely to put on too much but then I guess eventually you will end up having to use more, but not enough for it to bother me at all in the slightest.

I absolutely love both brands and my husband seems to love the packaging of all the NARS products, maybe this will allow me to buy more.. Maybe..

For all three the staying power is pretty dang good, but the mineralize one falls behind slightly but I never think..  Did I put blush on today? Or even worse, where has half of my blush gone? Which has happened in the past with other brands.

I just love my trusty three for my everyday blush!

It's everything but Vanilla..

 

I'd heard about the Vanilla pigment from MAC Cosmetics for such a long time but I'd never actually purchased it until about six months ago, and boy oh boy... What was I waiting for?

This is pigment can used for nearly everything, nails to eyes to lips and so much more! The colour is beautiful, it's like a pearly white with a gorgeous shimmer. You can use it wet or dry for different looks, using it wet makes the colour much more intense, it looks like a completely different eye shadow. Super long lasting and doesn't cake up or crease, it's beautiful, a great all round product.

Vanilla Pigment intense dry swatch

My favourite places to use it is; in my tear ducts to open up my eyes, on the tops of my cheek bones as a highlighter, down the centre of my nose and just a touch on the top of my cupids bow. And when my décolletage is on show I dust a small amount over there just to give a nice healthy glow.A little goes a long way with this one, and its easy to make yourself look like an 80's Barbie or a techno robot if you use too much, although it this is what your looking for go for it!

I have heard that you can use pigments on top of wet nail polish, I've yet to try it with this pigment but I will totally be giving it a go. I think it would make a lovely gradient colour on top of any colour nail polish. A MAC pigment definitely worth investing in, my most used by far. 

My Loyal Friend

When I was first introduced to Aveeno Active Naturals, by my Mum, oh at least 6 years ago if not more, I totally pooh-hoo'ed it. The packaging isn't pretty, it's got oatmeal in it, has no smell and was just kind of boring. Why would I get this when I could get soo many other prettier smelling/packaged moisturisers?

Well to answer the question of my vain self all those years ago, you'll get it and use it for years because it is simply AMAZING!  Time and time again, I've tried a different moisturisers, something else that has been advertised that will be amazing, smell better or that will promise me and my skin the best 'moisturisation' of it's life and I always feel slightly cheated.

So recently I have vowed to stay loyal to my dear friend Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion that has always been there to keep my skin moisturised, loving it, treating it kindly and actually doing what is says with the whole 'moisturises for 24 hours' spiel.

My super sensitive skin always feels softer, definitely smoother and genuinely more moisturised, it doesn't sit on top my skin, it sinks in and my skin kind of just drinks it up. Best thing ever in a  moisturiser! 

Ben attacking the sponge!

And more recently I've purchased it's friend Aveeno Daily Moisturising Body Wash and I'm in love with that as well!  It actually feels like it moisturises my skin in the shower, which is weird but extremely handy as when I'm in a rush and don't have time to moisturise my whole body, I at least feel that it's had something on it to keep it happy in the meantime. 

I just love the Aveeno products and I am embarrassed at my younger self for dismissing them in the first instance, but thanks Mum for the persistence and introduction, my skin and I still absolutely love it! 


Zeus and Ben discussing who is going to get the sponge!

To the beach!

 

These Charlotte Tilbury Beach Sticks have really surprised me. I have had them for around 7 months and thinking about it, I realise they have become a staple in my make-up bag.

I must admit I was a little miffed about the size of them when I first opening them. Although, after having used them for so long and being nowhere near finishing them, I see my first negative impression may have been too critical.

To be honest they are the perfect size for applying to your face and chucking in your make-up bag.

The price point for these guys is $45 (USD) each or you can purchase two for $85 (USD).  Pretty pricey but in-line with her other blushes.

I have really enjoyed using them, they are so quick and easy to chuck on and gives you a lovely healthy glow! Just like you have been at one of the fabulous beaches in which each stick is named after.

Ibiza on the left and Es Vedra on the right.

They don't go patching on me and they definitely do not sit in my pores. They just glide onto the skin and give a lovely dewy finish.

They just give life back to your face.

During the summer my body gets quite tanned and sometimes my face is left slightly behind with wearing hats and a super high SPF. But this definitely gives me a beautiful sun kissed glow, joining my head back with my body! 

They generally last all day, I say generally because I definitely put them through their pace as I find myself wearing them either, whilst exercising, walking the dogs, at the beach or just generally every day life which has recently been during the summer, and it's been a hot and sticky one.

Actually they last pretty darn well with everything I put them through!

I use Ibiza as a bronzer, which has a beautiful gold sparkle through it, that isn't that noticeable when it's blended in and Es Vedra I use it as a blush, a little goes a long way with this one on my skin tone and I just love its coral red colour, definitely makes me look alive and less monotone.

I don't normally use them on my lips but sometimes I pop a little bit of Lucas' Papaw Ointment over top of Es Vedra but I just generally don't like the feeling of it on my lips alone, I find it quite chalky, but that's just me.


I just blend it in with my fingers and it's as easy as that!

Puggie Wilber and I showing off my blended Beach Sticks.

All I have on my face is Nars radiant creamy concealer, T-zone set with powder and my beach sticks in Ibiza and Es Vedra.  Mascara, eyebrows, lip gloss and done!

It's one of those products that I didn't think I would love as much as I do but I keep going back to them, as they always give me a fool proof healthy look.

Definitely my go to products when I just want to get out the door!