Summer Skin... In February?

After nearly 20 years on this planet, I've come to the conclusion that I am not, in fact, a Winter Person. As much as I love seeing frost on the ground and love a good bit of rain (I am English, after all), there is nothing better than a long sunny day spent lounging around outside, the feel of the warm sun on your shoulders and being able to wear flip flops 24/7. Nothing.

The other best thing about the summer? Summer skin. I've got a Mediterranean-ish complexion (thanks, Mum), so I actually tan pretty easily, but lose this colour come winter. Le cry. My solution? Bring out the summertime big guns and fake it.

First of all, the prep work. After finishing my normal skincare routine, I slap on the SPF to protect my skin from the sun's harmful rays. This is such an important step in my routine and have been using some SPF in some form or another for almost a year now and my skin is so much better for it. Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defence SPF 50 PA+++ UVA is a great option as it's so darn light for a factor 50 lotion. However, it is on the pricier side so might not be for everyone, so Soap and Glory Feel Good Factor Translucent BB Cream SPF 25 may be something to consider instead for those on a budge because, again, this is so light on my skin and it smells like peaches, score. My other recommendation would be La Roche Posay Anthelios XL Tinted Cream SPF50, which sits somewhere between the two price wise. This is a fantastic product that got me through last summer working outside. It's tinted, meaning you need less foundation, which, let's face it, is always a bonus come summertime. All three protect against UVA and UVB rays and have adequate SPF protection. I'm not going to try and explain why SPF is so important just yet, but you can find Caroline Hiron's reasons here.

Next up, the good stuff: makeup. I've never really been a big lover of fake tan (it always seemed like such a lot of faff for something that never looked natural), so I rely on my maquillage to bronze myself up. As far as I'm concerned, the best brand for feigning a summer glow is Chanel. As expensive as it is, nothing else seems to compare. I first of all use their Soleil Tan de Chanel Sheer Illumination Fluid on the high points of my face, and follow with the oh-so infamous Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronze Universel Bronzing Makeup Base. Not only do these products have incredibly convoluted names and the price tags to match, they are, in effect, summer in a bottle (or two). The former provides a slightly shimmery, bronze-y, gold-y gleam to the skin. This is probably my favourite highlighter of all time as it works wonderfully no matter how I use it. Ironically, I actually bought this by accident, meaning the pick up Bronze Universel, but neither the shop assisstant or myself knew what I was looking for. I use the latter product everywhere else on my face, neck, ears and chest to bring my skin tone down a few shades. I think that this will work best on olive toned skin as it is slightly orange, so pale girls might struggle with  it a bit, but it is amazing if you can get it to work for you. It has a silicone-y slip that makes it an excellent primer for your foundation.

When I'm all bronzed up, I either reach for my concealer or a tinted moisturiser, depending on the state of my skin. At the moment things are still pretty bad (but getting better!), so I'm using a mix. I'd recommend Dr Jart+ Water Fuse BB SPF25 as it adapts to suit your skin nicely and has a beautiful sheen on the skin. Add a lick of mascara, brush through those brows and cream eyeshadow - I recommend a mix of MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Indianwood (which does not receive nearly enough attention online IMO) and Chanel Illusion d'Ombre Longwear Luminous Eyeshadow in Divine for a golden, shimmering eye.

So there you are, how to feign summer skin in the midst of winter. But in the meantime... Where's the Lemsip?

Keeping Things Base-ic...

Lately I've not really been feeling the heavy bases, shunning them for something a little bit lighter. Now I'm no stranger to the tinted moisturiser. In fact, it was NARS' offering that really got me into high quality makeup in the first place Here, however, I think I'm onto something special...

There's nothing quite like a bit of so-called 'foundation mixology' to create your perfect base. My skin's quite combo at the moment so I've been opting for a mix of two slightly lighter, fuller coverage TMs: Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturiser SPF 20 in Porcelain and the Garner BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfecter for Combination to Oily Skin in Light. The former is slightly too light, the latter slightly too dark, they have very complimentary textures and blend into the skin beautifully. I've got a feeling that this will be my go-to mix for Spring...

Next up on my line up is concealer. For about a year now my pick of the crop has been Laura Mercier Secret Camoflaugue. This lazy blend is excellent for covering blemishes and hyper pigmentation. I've not had the best luck with colour matches in the past, ranging from SC1 (way too pale!) to SC4 (way too dark!), but it is still an excellent and very usable concealer.

Lastly, I use Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot to set my base in place. Not only is the name absolutely punderful (yes I just said punderful), it's a lovely fine-milled translucent powder that definitely helps my makeup to last through the day.

So there we are... A base-centric mix that can be added-to or taken-away from to keep you going until Spring.

Short Hair, Don't Care

Having had short hair in one form or another for the last few years, I consider myself to be something of an expert when it comes to hair products. I've gone from bobs to a pixie cut and everywhere in-between and these are the products that have got me through it...

First of all, the basics. For me, this means a hair oil and heat protectant. When it comes to oil, my pick would be Moroccanoil. It's been a staple products for me since 2011 and I've never looked back. My hair isn't unruly by any means as it's naturally quite fine, but it's so much sleeker when I use this. I'm also heavily reliant on heat to style my hair, as I can never be bothered to wait for it to dry naturally but never manage to blow dry it straight or curly, so a heat protectant is essential. I'm currently using L'Oréal Elnett Heat Styling Spray, but if I'm being honest, I don't really have a preference. This is great because it definitely plumps the hair up and adds volume without any fuss. From here on, it's time to get creative.

Next up, I'm talking volume. Much as I love the look of a sleek shoulder length 'do, it just doesn't do it for me. There ain't nothing wrong with a little bit of oomph. My go-to option comes in the form of Percy & Reed Finishing Polish. Strictly speaking, this is meant to be used on dry hair, but I slap some in when my hair still pretty wet as it thickens my hair up and gives it some texture and grip. A newer addition to my haircare stash that has become a new fave is the L'Oréal Elvive Fibrology Thickening Double Serum. Not so catchy name, but an incredibly effective product nonetheless. I've been using this in conjunction with the shampoo and conditioner from the Fibrology range and have found all of them to be great for adding volume and thickness. Big fan. When it comes to adding a bit of texture, I give you two options. On a budget, look for L'Oréal Studio Matt & Messy Shine-Free Salt Spray Tousled Look (what is it with L'Oréal and the crazy long names?!). This was my go-to product during the summer to create an après-beach look and adding some grip to my locks, plus it's a great 'dupe' for Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray. Win. If you're looking to spend a bit more, I'd recommend Bumble and Bumble Dryspun Finish Spray. This is great for a short-term quick fix if your hair is looking particularly flat, but the effects don't last that long. Blasted into the roots, however, this is fab for plumping things up a bit. Aaaand finally, hairspray. Again, I don't have much of a preference, but I do love L'Oréal Elnett Supreme Hold Hairspray purely because the smell reminds me of my childhood. Judge me not. 

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+

When in doubt and my skin is kicking up a storm, I tend to reach for products I know my skin can trust. Nothing too fancy, nothing too simple and nothing I haven't used before. The new Effaclar Duo+ from La Roche Posay seems to fit the bill nicely, then. It's a re-formulation of the cult classic that ran like wildfire through the blogosphere last year. I've ended up with two tubes of the good stuff to my name, partly because I got lucky and won one from Ruth's (A Model Recommends) blog, and partly because I'm impatient and couldn't wait any longer for it to be shipped out!

I've been using this for a few days and have noticed two main things. First, it works. Second, there are definitely differences between the old formula and the new. Personally, I much prefer the new. I always found the original Duo to be a bit too drying and that I needed another layer of moisturiser on top of it. Ain't nobody got time for that. It's still fantastic at clearing up blemishes, and my patch of acne on my left cheek is looking considerably calmer already. The new Duo promises to help with the reduction of dark marks too, but I can't really comment on that as of yet. The most notable difference would have to be the texture. I don't actually have any of the old formula to hand, but I remember it feeling much more like a gel than the Duo+, which is a lot creamier. Again, I'm a fan of this change as it's more moisturising but still comfortable and effective.

I'm actually really impressed with this product and would definitely recommend it as a 'I've-tried-everything-and-my-skin-is-still-driving-me-up-the-wall' sort of product.

Following on from yesterday on another social media-note, I'm now on Instagram with the blog! Find me @sophiemakesup

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The Old Favourite // Lush Mask of Magnaminty

Y'know those products you just keep going back to? The ones you can't walk past without picking them up? For me, this is epitomised by Lush's Mask of Magnaminty. I've been using this since I as about 14 and have never looked back. It smells heavenly (minty fresh, FYI), has a clean ingredients list and does wonders on blemish prone skin. It never inflames, but helps to soothe the skin and return things to a much clearer state. It's cheap and cheerful at only £9.25 for a whopping 315 g of product. And even better? It's just the right shade of green to perfect your Shrek impersonations. Score.

Saving Face

Things have been a little bit hectic around my face of late... For some reason, my skin has been incredibly aggravated and areas that have been calm and acne-free for about a year have flared up. We've all been there and there is nothing more frustrating. So, I've up my water intake and busted out the big guns and have gone shopping. Obviously.

In an attempt to clear my face up, I've repurchased two cleansers: the Emma Hardy Amazing Face Lift and Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm and REN's Clearcalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser. These are two old favourites that do not irritate sensitive skin, yet do a fantastic job of keeping things clean and clear. I've already mentioned these two cleansers on my blog before, but they really are staples in my skincare regime and are worth every penny, in my opinion at least.

Next up, I've invested in a couple of treatments. I've always found that acidic treatments have done wonders for my skin when it's been at its worst. I've tried two options and both seem to be doing a good job of calming everything down. The first is another product by REN; this time their Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask. I've been wanting to try this for a while now, but the price tag has always put me off. However, desperate times call for desperate measures. I've only used this once, but I'd say that it lives up to what I was expecting so far. It's a good mask. The other comes from Elemental Herbology. I ordered their Oily Skin Starter Kit in their January Sale, as I was eager to try the brand and it was a very good bargain. My skin isn't oily as such, if anything it's combination dry/blemish prone/eugh, but there were a few products in the kit that appealed to me. One of these was the Facial Glow Radiance Peel, a four minute treatment that buffs away at dead skin to buff away dead skin and raise the skin's pH, making it a more hostile environment for acne-causing bacteria. I've used this three times and have been really impressed with the results. It's helped with scarring and has greatly reduced inflammation.

I've also been busting out the clay masks to try and eliminate impurities. Origins Clear Improvements is always a good choice, as it doesn't irritate my sensitive skin but makes sure that it is nice and clean. I'm also a long-time fan of Lush's Mask of Magnaminty, a tingly peppermint based mask that exfoliates and calms inflamed areas. The ingredient list is great and it isn't at all pricey, so this is also a relatively guilt-free option. I've also tried Elemental Herbology's Facial Detox Purifying Facial Mask, which I've also really enjoyed. It's one of those masks that really digs the grime out of your pores, which has especially helped the skin on my forehead. I've definitely noticed a reduction in blackheads since I've been using it and a little bit goes a long way. I'd definitely consider purchasing the full sized version.


Finally, the pièce de résistance in my spot fighting arsenal has been another product from Elemental Herbology: their Perfect Clarity Blemish Minimiser. Oh my word. This is hands down THE best blemish buster I have ever used. Amazing. You can actually see the redness and size reduce within a few minutes, and blemishes actually disappear overnight. The catch? It's £25 for only 2.5ml, so if you're using it every day it will only last a couple of weeks. I've already gone through one tube and have nearly finished another, which will be heartbreaking. It's a great product, however, and is great for tackling hormonal spots. Definitely a pay-day treat.

Spots, I'm ready for ya. 

The Perks of Being a NARSissist

It's been a week and a half since my NARSissist Eyeshadow palette dropped through my letterbox, and I can honestly say that my life has changed for good, in the superficial way that only fellow makeup addicts can understand, of course. 

Gone are the days when I had to decide which eyeshadows to take home with me at weekends... Gone are the days of not having a palette that fit in my makeup bag... And I could not be happier about it.

The NARSissist palette is just easy. There. I said it! There's enough variety between light and dark shades that I don't feel the need to look anywhere else for both day and night time looks. There's enough variance in texture to keep me satisfied, something the Urban Decay Naked Palettes have always lacked for me.  More importantly though, given the hefty price tag, the quality is bang on. There is little-to-no chalkiness or powdery-ness, the lasting time is fab and I don't find creasing to be an issue, despite my oily oily eyelids.

As far as I can see with the palette in front of me, it's split into three tonal families: warm, neutral, cool. Quelle surprise. The top row contains much warmer browns and bronzes, and contains some of the more pigmented shades of the palette. The middle row is a bit more neutral, with a mix of pinks and cool-toned purples, whilst the bottom row is your more traditional white-grey-black cool toned smokey shades. So I'd say that if you aren't interested in the Naked Palettes for whatever reason, this would be a brilliant option. It's considerably more portable than three palettes that are bulky in comparison, but you're not going to miss out on the wide range of shades. Although I wouldn't say that this makes UD's offerings redundant, I found a lot of very comparable shades (in terms of colour - not texture!) during a marathon swatching session last night.

Obviously, £55 is a lot of money. Heck, it's more than I spend on food in a week (but not even a third of my weekly rent *cries and gives thanks for student loans*). BUT, may I point out that a single eyeshadow from NARS costs £18, meaning that you'd only be able to buy three of these for the same price. Three eyeshadows, or fifteen...  I'll let the girly maths do the talking here.

Below, I've written a more in-depth 'review' of each shade, with a few comparisons to shades from the Naked palettes thrown in, because it's Tuesday and I have nothing better to do! Just a reminder here that I'm not expert, just an enthusiast.

Column 1
All About Eve #1 -  A brightening, slightly peachy neutral shade. Makes a brilliant brightening base. I also have this is the At First Sight palette, although this version is less champagne-y and leans more pink. Available in a Duo.



Madrague #1 - A bone coloured matte. I find this to be quite light on pigment, actually, and can only get true-to-pan colour by pressing hard on the shadow. Works well as a base, though, and evens the eyelid out well. Available in a Duo.



Bellissima #1 - An off-white with pink-y, slightly iridescent sparkle. The photo does not do this shade justice! The sparkle makes for a stunning highlight shade, which I've taken to wearing on its own. The texture could be smoother, but it's a really nice and unique colour. Available in a Duo.

Column 2 
Madrague #2 - This has photographed way too warm and dark, so apologies for that. My room at uni is yellow so there's not much I can do about it I'm afraid! I digress. This is a matte caramel colour, with nice texture and pay-off. It's a good dupe for Urban Decay's Naked from the Naked 1 palette. Available in a duo.


Nepal - Again, this is too warm toned. Nepal is, in fact, a very pretty rose gold pink, comparable to Burnout from the Naked 3 palette. It's a lovely colour to use as a wash over the eyelid and is relatively complex. Pigmentation and texture are beautiful. Available as a single.



Lhasa - A lavender grey shade. This photo is actually an okay representation of the colour. I have this in a pan on its own, as it really is a lovely colour. Essentially, it's what I want MAC's infamous Satin Taupe to be, although I still don't find it to be all that flattering on my dark green eyes. This is sheerer than the single, but the quality is still good. Available as a single.

Column 3
Fez - This is one of the more striking shades in the palette, and you can see why. The quality is just perfect. Perfect. It's a complex mid-toned bronze, and I have no 'dupe' for it in my stash. It's one of those rare shades that does the work for you. Available as a single.



Ashes to Ashes - Quite a difficult shade to describe, I'd say that this shadow is  the colour of a sheen-y iced latte. It's actually my favourite colour of the palette due to the way it translates onto the lid. It blends wonderfully and takes on a golden nuance. It's love. Available as a single.



Bad Behaviour - A gunmetal silver/grey. This is the sort of shade that I normally avoid, as I don't tend to find them that forgiving, but this is actually pretty good. The texture here again is great, really nice and blendable. It's quite similar to Gunmetal from the Naked 1 palette. I've found this to works really nicely as a liner. This is a limited edition shade.

Column 4
Bali - A cooler toned matte brown. For me, this is how a matte shade should be. It's creamy and makes a wonderful transition colour and liner. The colour is unusual, although it's sort of similar to Tease from the Naked 2 palette. This is proving to be something of a workhorse. Available as a single.


Brousse #2 - This is a very unusual and beautiful eyeshadow. It's a purple-y brown shade with shimmer. It's sort of similar to some of the darker colours in all of the Naked palettes, but this is more complex. A nice addition. This has been discontinued elsewhere.


Dogon #2 - Again, this isn't normally the sort of colour I use much of. It's a shimmer black/very very dark grey, depending on the light. The pigmentation and shimmer aren't too heavy, though, so I find it to be more wearable than Creep from the Naked 1 palette. This works well for taking a look from day to night (so cliché it hurts, I know). Available in a duo.

Column 4
Coconut Grove - A chocolate matte brown. Again, the formula is excellent. This is great for using as a liner on 'no-makeup-makeup' days. It also looks really nice with a bold lip, as it adds definition without demanding too much attention. Blends and adds depth to the crease well. Available as a single.


Mekong - Just look at that shimmaaaah. Now that's out of my system, this is essentially Coconut Grove with golden, peachy, stunning shimmer added.  This would be my second favourite shade of the palette. It's just amazing. Available as a single.



Pandora #2 - A matte black with decent, but not outstanding, pigmentation. I don't actually like my black eyeshadows too black (I know, I know...) so this is great for me. It's a nice definition shade and that never looks too dominating. The quality is really nice, as it should be. It's not as pigmented as Blackout from Naked 2. Available in a duo.



And that's all she wrote... Pfft, as if.