Base Face

I don't know about you, but I totally had the theme tune to 'Brace Face' in my head when I wrote this title.

It's like looking in a mirror

I've never been that good at spotting dupes. I've always thought that if I have something then why would I try and find something the exact same. That being said, unplanned and unexpected dupes do make me feel all warm and fussy in side. This is what happened with these two products.

I picked up the Loreal Illuminating Powder when Boots where doing one of their three for two offers and presumed it was just a nice highlighter. (I feel the high street are missing a good highlighter!) However, once I'd gotten my new little haul home, I found it actually resembles the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder.

Both are powders that leave the skin looking dewy rather than cakey. The shimmer to them does seem quite scary, no-one wants to look like Edward Cullen do they? But for some reason it's rather undetectable on the skin. It just makes your skin look pretty flawless.

For a fraction of the price, I definitely recommend you try out the Loreal powder.

Have you noticed this similarity? 

Laura

FOTD: Fast Face

As I've stopped wearing make-up to work a couple of weeks ago I went out after and ended up using a few 'quick' products to make me more presentable.

For a base I used my Dior BB Cream as it's good coverage and easy to blend. For cheeks and lips I used by trusty NARS Multiple in Portofino. For eyes, I used the Rimmel Scandaleyes in Rich Russest as it gives lovely definition to the lids.

What are your fast face products?

Laura xoxo

FOTD: The 4 Product Face

Sleep has completely and totally won out over make-up! I just really can't be bothered in the morning and make-up just isn't my priority anymore (skincare on the other hand...) 

Therefore I now present to you, the four product face!

So, what am I wearing I hear you ask? For base, I take my Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch under my eyes and taking it quite down my face in a V shape. I then have to fill in my brows, although their quite full I have to fill in the fronts where the sparseness is, an for that I use an Avon Glimmestick. Mascara I used here is the Origins GinZing and depending on how dry my lips are I either use some sort of lip product (here is No7 BB Lips) or other days I use a light dusting of powder.

I also have to say, my skin clearing up, thanks to the products in yesterday's post, has made a big contribution to this minimal make-up.

What's the minimum products you use?

Laura xoxo

FOTD: Pull it together

Some days you just don't have the time to do a full on make-up look, but at the same time you still want to look put together. When I'm in this situation I like to reach for something easy to define and add colour to the eyes, and also add a pop of colour to the lips. Everything looks better with a lipstick!

For the base I kept it pretty simple, BB cream, concealer, powder and a bit of a contour.

For a quick wash of colour over the eyes I choose either a cream or liquid based product. Here it's Rimmel's liquid paint. Lashings of mascara always help too.

For lips I choose Rimmel's Rose Sorbet which has a great pink colour to it, but is also easy to apply.

What are your 'pull it together'  items?

Laura xoxo

FOTD: Get Up & Go

So I may have mentioned that I now have a job!!! Grown-up times aye? Anyway, by the end of the week sleep wins out over make-up time and I go for this, my get up & go make-up, and I thought I'd share it with you!

Base:

Dr Jart BB Cream

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer 

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage

Eyes:

Max Factor Brow Pencil

MAC Painterly

Max Factor High Definition Mascara

Cheeks:

Clarins Bronzing Duo in Light

Lips:

No7 BB Lips in Coral Rush

What are your grab and go products?

Laura xoxo

FOTD: Simple Summer Smokey Eye

In case you weren't aware, it's summer here in England. Whilst I'm all for minimal make-up when the heat hits, I do also love a good smokey eye. This meant swapping out my dark browns for more lighter colours. 

Before applying any shadow I prepped my lids with the Smashbox lid primer. I then went and put MAC's Era all across the lid with Sable blended into the crease. Instead of black liner on my lashline I used a brown pencil by Rimmel, and on the water line a scandaleyes in Taupe. I realised after how well Powersurge would've worked as a waterline liner. Mascara was my Max Factor False Lash Effect.

What's your summer smokey eye faves?

Laura xoxo

Also #bbloggerproblems

The Five Product Face

When this feature did its rounds on many a blog, I really enjoyed them, but knew I wouldn't be able to do one, as for a start, I like to use two concealers. Whilst I'm all for a minimal look, I don't really use minimal products, but a couple of weeks ago that all changed.

Stopping at someone else's house, thinking I would just head home the next day turned into going out for a meal; and me being me, needed to make a bit of an effort. So alas, I had a five product face.

For base I used my Dr Jart Water Fuse BB Cream which I'd packed, along with my Healthy Balance concealer and BB Lips. I then delved into my handbag make-up bag and whacked on some High Impact Mascara and Head Over Heels Blush. 

A bit less polished than I would've liked, but definitely acceptable enough to enter society.

Have you done a five product face?

Laura xoxo

Stila Natural Eyes: One Palette - Three Looks

Remember this time last year when everyone and their wife was banging on about this palette? Well it was with good reason, as the palette is gorgeous; and I'm bringing it back for this post.

There is so many gorgeous colours in this palette and I thought I'd show you three different 'smokey eye' looks that I like to create from this palette.

Look One: The Neutral Smokey Eye

I started by blending Kitten all over my lid. I then placed Bliss in the crease with a bit of Sandstone in the outer corner. For a bit of lash definition I ran and smudged some Damsel into my upper lash line and outer corner of my lower lash line.

Look Two: The Bronze Smokey Eye

For this look, I took Sunset all over my lid then place Gilded Gold in the outer corner, crease and lower lash line. I then took Bliss to blend the crease colour to my brow bone. To define my lashes I added some Ebony and ran Damsel onto my waterline. 

Look Three: The Dark Smokey Eye 

I started with Luster along my upper lash line, and up to my crease. Across the rest of my lid I added some Sandstone and blended the crease and brow bone with Bliss. I then Luster underneath my eye, and placed Damsel on my lower water line. For a bit more definition I added Ebony onto my upper lash line.

Do you have this palette? What looks do you create?

Laura xoxo

FOTD: Trying Something New

If you have a quick scroll through this blog, you will see that I'm a lover of natural colours. Simple, subtle, browns and neutrals. That kind of thing. However, for my birthday (have I mentioned it much?) I recieved a Collection palette full of colours: greens, purples, blues etc, and I thought, why not mess about a bit.

I've seen that blue liner is quite 'in' right now, and found myself with a little time on my hands, and decided to mess about; and I'm quite impressed with the result!

I began with my liquid liner (which again is new for me) and set a thinish line on my upper lash line. 

I then wet my RT angled brush and dabbed it in the lighter blue colour of the palette. I placed that above and on top of the black liner. I then took the deeper blue (which wouldn't pick up as well) and placed that on top as a kind of 'ombre' effect.

I'm really pleased with how this turned out, and who knows, I may even brave it out of the house. Who knows!

What do you think?

Laura xoxo

FOTD: Interview

I am now, unfortunately at that time in my life where I need to enter... THE REAL WORLD!!! It's crazy, and I really don't feel ready for it. However, I've put my big girl pants on (not the Bridget Jones kind, the metaphorical ones) and applied for a whole boat load of different jobs. I've heard back from hardly any, and I'm realising getting to the interview stage is going to be hard enough. However, I have now had one proper assessment day (scary and intesnse) and one informal interview (not that scary) and whilst I haven't got a 'grown-up' job yet I am doing a few odds and ends and earning a bit of dough. Anyway after the worlds largest intro, here is my 'interview' face. (I doubt you're are surprised I have an interview face...)

Bare Minerals Original Foundation

Bourjois Stick Concealer

Estee Lauder Double Wear Concelaer

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer

MAC Brun/Omega - Brows

MAC Painterly

Urban Decay Pistol/Blackout

Rimmel Kate Scandaleyes in Nude

Max Factor False Lash Effect

Benefit Hervana
Estee Lauder Illuminating Gelee in Heatwave

Rimmel Matte Lipstick in 101

No7 Lipgloss in Smile

What would your interview face staples be?

Laura xoxo

Top Three Masks

I've always had a soft spot for face masks, but now that I've really gotten into skincare I find myself applying one two-three times a week. Today I thought I'd share with you my top three that I really rate.

Super Facialist by Une Brennan - Intense Moisture Mask - This is quite a recent purchase for me but it has already been given the Laura Love status (that's a thing, yes!) and I think it is a great product. You put it on for five minutes and instantly gives you an intense blast of moisture. It's one of those things that does what it says on the tube.

Intensive Moisture Mask - James Brown London - This is my favourite hair mask of all time. What I love about it is that you can just put it on ten minutes before a shower and still reap all the benefits of the overnight masks I have. 

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask - I've stopped using this overnight now, just because I have an array of other products to use. However, I love this for mornings where I'm not going out, or evenings after a shower when it's too early for my full evening regime and it just adds the moisture back into your skin.

What are your favoruite masks?

Laura xoxo

Video: Summer Make-up Look

So I watched a lot of old YouTube tutorials and decided to make my own. Yes, I'm fully aware that I have too much time on my hands.

Also, I'm sure you are all aware of the whole GFC hoo-haa, but just to let you know, you can follow my blog through bloglovin' using this little link here:

 http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3519536/call-of-beauty

Laura xoxo

FOTD: Dinner Time

Once a week, me and my bestest make sure we have a meal out and spend some time catching up. It's one of my favourite nights of the week, and makes me grateful to have such a lovely friend in my life (eugh, too soppy right?) As lovely as it is catching up with her, it also brings me excitment as it means I can experiment with different looks. Win win!

Base:

Mix of Dr Jart + BB Cream + Laura Mercier Silk Creme

Bourjois Healthy Balance Concealer

Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer

Eyes:

MAC Brun/Omega - Brows

MAC Club/Carbon

Stila Bare

Rimmel Scandaleyes in Taupe

Max Factor False Lash Effect

Face:

Estee Lauder Illuminating Gelee in Heatwave

Benefit Hervana

MAC Harmony

Lips:

Rimmel Moisture Renew Rose Sorbet

Do you and your friends do stuff like this?

Laura xoxo

FOTD: Work #2

So although I've finished uni now, I'm still doing two days a week work experience and thought I'd share with you what I wear on my face for it, as work make-up is something I've never really had to delve into.

Base:

Bare Minerals Orginal Foundation

Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer

Eyes:

MAC Brun/Omega - Brows

Avon Glimmerstick in Dark Brown

Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara

MAC Carbon

Rimmel Scandaleyes in Nude

Cheeks:

The Balm Cabanna Boy

Estee Laude Illuminating Powder in Heat Wave

Lips:

Revlon ColourStay Ultimate Suede Lipstick in It Girl

What's your work go-to?

Laura xoxo

Review: Illmasqua Cream Pigment in Hollow

This product is something I've been lusting after ever since watching this video by Pixiwoo. However, I live rather far from an Illamasqua counter, and never could be bothered to go and get it (pure laziness right here) and then I saw that they were having a 50% off code on their website and snapped at the chance to get my hands on this. For only £8.95!

Hollow is basically a lovely, I would call it mud brown, but I know that that description is usually looked down upon, but it's a cool toned brown that works amazing as a contour. It has no orange undertone compared to it's bronzer counterparts. The fact that it is a cream means its blends amazingly!

This is it compared to the lusted after Tan de Chanel. As you can see it really contains no orange undertone, and is perfect for a contour.

I really can see a more 'slimming' difference in my face when using this, that I've never really achieved from other products. Especially not in such an subtle, undetectable way.

It is also multi-functional, and can be used as an eyeshadow too, or anywhere you want to put it. 

Overall, I'm so glad I got this product. I find it really gives my face some dimension and is such the perfect colour. I'd definitely re-purchase. 

Have you tried this? What do you think?

Laura xoxo

Back to Basics

After watching Anna's new video (the capsule make-up bag) this Sunday, it got me thinking about what I would put in my basics/capsule category, and today I'm sharing them with you!

A good all round base that works for most occasions would have to be the Dr Jart+ BB Cream. A good medium coverage, especially for a BB cream, with a lovely glow and skincare properties it has pretty much all you want from a base. My two favourite concealers are Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer and the Estee Lauder Double Wear. I'm still yet to find a powder that wows me, but the  Bourjois Healthy Balance powder is doing alright at not caking and keeping shine away.

As I have a bit of discolouration in my eyes MAC's Painterly soon sorts them out. To make me look more awake a quick slick of Rimmels Scandaleyes in Nude really brightens tired peepers. A mascara that thickens and lengthens the lashes has to be Max Factor's False Lash Effect. To add some brow definition in a flash, Max Factors Brow Pencil in Hazel is a definite go to.

Wow, lots of 'other' products here... The Nars Multiple in Portofino is the perfect blush. Blob it on, blend it in and bobs your uncle. A lip product I love is this Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie.

What would be your basics?

Laura xoxo

FOTD

Today I thought I'd share with you my current favourite FOTD. I've even had a couple of compliments on it, so ya know, it must be a good'un. I kind of wanted something natural yet with a little something there too, if that makes any sense?

Bare Minerals Original Foundation

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer

Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer

Max Factor Brow Pencil in Hazel

MAC Wedge // Carbon

MAC Powersurge Pencil

Max Factor False Lash Effect

Max Factor Cream Blush in Soft Pink

MAC MSF in Soft and Gentle

Rimmel Appocalips in Celestial

What are your go-to's at the moment?

Laura xoxo