Friday Favorites - Blush

 I never used to use blush, my cheeks were always so red that even with a layer of foundation the redness would show. Over the last few years the brightness has toned itself down. My cheeks are still rather red but with a primer and foundation it almost matches the rest of my face and I've been able to start playing around with blush and bronzers.

A. Benefit Coralista    B. Blush Rose Gold    C. Natio Duo - Beige    D. Natio Duo - Mocha

 These above are my current popular go to choices. Firstly Benefits Coralista which I spotted in boots last year. Months went by and either I couldn't find it or I didn't have the money to buy it. Christmas came and thankfully my best friend has the foresight to put it in my hamper and I haven't looked back. It can be built up for a more dramatic look but is great just add that nice shade to your cheeks. It is what it said it is, its a coral colour with a slight shimmer that is great for spring days out.

 Sleeks offering of a lovely shade called Rose Gold is just divine, its pink with some gold pigment woven into it, I love just brushing it on the apple of my cheeks and up my cheek bone line to give it the best chance of catching the light. It has become my go to blush and for £5 who can argue if you run out. Like the Coralista it can be build up for a more striking appearance or you can just brush it on gently for a more elegant and subtle effect. I also quite like giving this a sweep between my eye make up and brow bone to add a little colour and make my eye pop,

 Finally a duo from Natio called sunshine. It has one very light beige powder with a little glitter that I have found great for highlighting or for brushing over other blush if you have gone a little heavy. The other choice in the case is a mocha that is very complimentary for light skin especially if you use it as an under colour for another blush. However its when you use them in tandem is when you see that they are designed to be together. I can create a shadow effect that makes me look like I have much deeper cheeks than I do.

 There are a plethora of choices in blush and I tend to stick to more neutral ones. Ones that I can play with, mix and build up to create whatever look I want to achieve.  Adventurous or safe these are just a few that will remain in my make up arsenal.

Illamasqua Pure Pigment Review

Illamasqua Pure Pigment in Incite PPR £15.50 bought in sale for £5

Me and Laura fell in love with this on a shopping tip just before Christmas. We had lots of fun playing with the pigments and swatching them before settling on this little baby. To be warned it does have a lot and I mean lot of fallout, the only way I have reduces this to to slowly build up the look to the desired coverage and only put the smallest amount on the brush that I can.

However even with a little fallout, it you lightly rub the fallout over the top of the cheeks you can get a nice highlight/sheen effect. The color is great of its own or to bring a more warm look to a darker make up. For me the gold really helps to bring out the color in my eyes. The pigment is super soft, not what you'd typically expect from colored glitter, but it is. It glides on, is ridiculously easy to blend and a little goes a long way. It's rare for me to find a high end product that I can not compare to a high street range, but this is just in a league of its own.

I will be purchasing more once I run out, but hopefully with the little amount you need to use that won't be for a long long time!

MUA Lip Stick/Boom Review

MUA LIP Sticks & Lip Boom From Superdrug RRP £1 & £3

MUA Lipsticks are cheap and do the job, they are not the longest wearing you will find, but for the money they do come in a good range of colors and each one has a little pot of colored gloss attached to the bottom, there are 16 shades to choose from, think about it, if you buy all you pay £16 and they are as good as any other lipstick out there and you may only get 3 for that price from any other brand.

The lip boom is the same as the lipstick, it comes with the pot as well, but it also has a lipgloss that is pure glitter, now personally I like the effect but I don't like the feel as it made my lips feel like sandpaper. But when you think of the effect which is more of a matte glitter than normal lipglosses would give you its worth the money to purchase. I would give them about 3 hours before you start to loose color but for £1 your not going to break the bank to replace it.