Travel Make Up Kit

Travel is incredibly exciting, but you don't want to be worrying about how much your suitcase weighs.  I have put together a light weight make up kit, with all essentials included.  This also makes a wonderful everyday make up kit.

1. Skin is high priority.  You don't want to be unsure about posting photos to Instagram because of a simple pimple or a lack of sleep the night before.  Rimmel Match Perfection is a matte foundation that gives stronge coverage, with only a small amount.  I like to team this with the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer and the Australis Fresh and Flawless Pressed Powder.  The concealer also the gives the most wonderful highlighting, which is one less thing you need to pack.  Powder is essential to set make up, but also to give longevity.  For more travel convenience it also has a mirror.


 2. Taking multiple large eyeshadow palettes is unmanageable.  We want more space for important things, like new shoes.  The Maybelline New York Expert Wear Designer Chocolate palette was perfect whilst travelling through Europe.  It helped create a natural look with the wonderfully pigmented eyeshadows.  At night I used the more of the chocolate brown or pink on my lid.  However if you really want to take things a step further, used the Rimmel London Special Eyes in Jet Black Eyeshadow.  It is a beautiful darker shade for creating a smokey eye look in a small palette.


3. When it comes to mascara, once again you need longevity, but your lashes to also look fabulous.  I'm recommending Maybelline the Falsies, simply because it's going to last forever, it's waterproof, doesn't clump, and consistently makes those lashes long and luscious.
 
 4. Again when it comes to lip colours you don't want to be packing a million different products.  I would suggest packing a tinted lip balm, like the Maybelline Baby Lips Colour in Berry Crush.  This way you still have colour, it works with your natural look, and it will keep your lips looking healthy.  Which is definitely essential if you are traveling to somewhere cold.  Obviously you are going to want to pack a colour that will look beautiful at night.  I love the Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in 107.  It such a stunning shade that also looks beautiful with that smokey eye you've packed for.  A little secret: for a darker shade of your coloured lip balm; apply the balm, then a a little bit of the 107 and blend.  The tiniest bit of black eyeshadow also works amazingly.  So many options so little time.

5. You can never go without a bit of colour.  The Rimmel Photoready Cream Blush in Flushed creates a natural look, also complimenting the shades of the eyeshadow and lip colours.  Always apply this before the pressed powder, or your chosen powder.  This will give you longevity and a seamlessly natural look.


6. I'd only recommend packing a bronzer if you're going on a Spring or Summer holiday.  We are packing light remember? On Summer holidays, bronzer also makes a wonderful extra eyeshadow colour.  You need to bring a matte bronzer with you for versatility.  Particularly if you are considering using it for contouring.  For this I recommend using the Maybelline Sun Dream Bronzing Powder 03 Bronze.















7. If you are like me, my look is never complete without my eyebrows done.  I find that powder always creates a more natural look.  The Body Shop Brow and Liner Kit is the product that I have sworn by forever and a day.  This kit is also nice and small with the added bonus of a mirror.

Happy Travels.
Rach xx
P.S. I always love hearing about everyone's travel stories.  So feel free to tall me all about them.

Spring/Summer beauty essentials

Summer has now finished for me, so I thought it would be a wonderful idea for those of you who are just going into Spring, to tell you all about what my essentials were.

Let’s start with the all-important canvas for our beauty products, skin care.  During Summer, your skin can suddenly begin to have a mind of its own.  As everyone’s skin is different, this may not necessarily work for you, but I am just going to give you a couple of idea about what I do.  My skin is generally combination to oily.  The first essential aspect of my skin care routine is using an exfoliating face wash.  This will remove any older or dry skin leaving you with soft, fresh, smooth skin.  The exfoliant that I use is on the coarse end of the scale, so I only use it twice a week.  I use Palmer’s Coco Butter Formula with Vitamin E Gentle Exfoliating Facial Scrub.

My second essential is using a toner.  This will help even out the oil levels of your skin so it won’t be too dry or oily.   Please make sure that you do cleanse your skin before using your toner otherwise it will not work anywhere near as well.  The toner I use is The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner.

I have used this toner for years and it is a miracle worker.

Thirdly is the incredibly basic, moisturiser.  Using a moisturiser will work with the toner to make sure your skin is well balanced.  It will also help keep your skin soft and smooth. I use Clean & Clear essentials moisturiser for my face. 

This is an oil-free moisturiser so it won’t cause any extra blemishes.  However if you are on the other end of the scale worry not.  The toner in combination with this, will make sure your skin is not too dry.

Sunburn is just an obvious thing that comes with Summer.  There is nothing worse than dealing with sunburn for days as well.  My really simple solution is constantly apply moisturiser and paw paw ointment. The moisturiser that I use for the rest of my body is the Redwin Sensitive Skin Vitamin E with evening primrose oil body lotion. Paw paw ointment will last on your skin for far longer than moisturiser will.  I would give you paw paw ointment as my only option, but truthfully covering your body in it is not the most comfortable feeling.  So during the day I tend to use it just on my face and moisturiser everywhere else.  Then at night when I go to sleep layer myself in paw paw ointment.  Honestly it is a miracle worker.  I also apply this to my lips every night to replenish them as a part of my general skincare routine.   I use the Lucas’ Paw Paw Ointment.  I have very high faith in this product as I have been using it since I was about seven or eight.

Enough of skincare, it’s now time for the pretty part!

Throughout Summer I have absolutely loved bronze eye shadows.  They really add to a Summer glow look.  To be completely honest at the start of Summer I didn’t have any bronze eye shadows that I was happy with, so I began to use my favourite bronzer, Napoleon Perdis Bronze Patrol.  It is more expensive than a general drug store bronzer, but it lasts forever and a day so it is a product that is well worth it. 

This bronzer has some gorgeous tones marbled through the palette.  You could also add a darker brown eye shadow to create a dark look and create move definition.  After a while I also bought a brown and bronze eye shadow palette, the Boe Beauty Eye Shadow Duo.  I haven’t been able to find a link to this eye shadow, however I bought mine from Big W.

                                

 

This also brings me to my next Summer essential, bronzer.  Over the last two years I have found this bronzer to add the perfect tone for a Summer kissed look.  I use this bronzer to contour, but also ensure that I don’t look incredibly pale in the middle of Summer.  I apply it to all the areas that have a Summer glow to add to my foundation.  This ensures I don’t look too tan or pale. 

My next beauty essential for Summer is pink lipstick.  I was using  Maybelline Coloursensational The Shine Lip Colour Juicy Bubblegum (140).  

                                            

This was my everyday lip colour and I did not find a better lipstick all Summer.  This lipstick looks like a lipstick with a hint of gloss, but feels like lip balm.  It makes your lips look so healthy, it feels incredible and smells beautiful too.  One of my favourite things:  IT DOES NOT FEATHER ALL AROUND YOUR LIPS *happy dance*.  I might have to go and buy more of these in different colours simply for that reason.  

Let me know what your Spring/Summer essentials are in the comments below or if you have a similar article add the link below.  Wishing you all a fabulous Spring and Summer. xx 

Extreme Brush Cleaning

Hello Beautifuls!  Hope you are all having a fabulous week so far.  Today I decided it was finally time to give my make up brushes a really good clean.  When I say a really good clean I mean attempting to clean brushes that I have given up on due to really bad face paint. ( Let's just say I won't be putting my poor brushes through that again.)

Whilst doing this I decided to find out for you guys which facial cleaners will leave your brushes good as new.  I chose facial cleaners rather than anything else, because I know I can trust that they won't be left with anything nasty that could be potentially bad for my skin.  

Excuse the Clearasil bottle it still has black eye shadow on it.  My top two were definitely Palmer's Coco Butter Formula with Vitamin E Gentle Daily Cleanser and Clearasil Ultra Pimples + Marks Wash and Masks.     

Palmer's and Clearasil both came out completely clear in these tests.  I also found this whilst washing my brushes.  However Clearasil cleaned the brushes faster than Palmer's.

            Clearasil $10.99                                                     Palmer's Coco Butter Formula

                                                                                                           $8.39