Why I Buy High...

No, I'm not talking about going shopping whilst 'blazed' (sorry, couldn't resist this title)... Today, I'm writing about why I choose to buy the majority of my products from the higher end of the price spectrum. It's a little bit of a controversial topic, I feel, and not something that everyone approves of. If I had a By Terry lipstick for every time I've gone on and on to my poor long-suffering friends and family about the improved quality and whatnot, I'd have a full set of MUJI drawers stacked up high full of 'em.

For me, makeup is a hobby. It's what I choose to indulge in, and if I had a way of showing how I spent my money, I can guarantee that the vast majority of it would go on cosmetics. I'm not especially fussy about what I buy, I have no preference between buying bases, cheek products, eyeshadows, skincare or lipsticks, but I think that I choose my products wisely and have stopped making superfluous purchases... Okay, so there's always room for another lipstick.

As an extension of this, I am perfectly happy to buy from the aisles of Boots and Superdrug - the UK 'drugstores' - as I am from SpaceNK or Cult Beauty and the likes. But. Look in my makeup collection and the vast majority comes from such high end retailers. Yes, this means that the products I buy from these shops tend to be a lot more expensive for the same amount of product I would be able to buy from Revlon or Maybelline, say. And yes, sometimes they turn out to be utter duds. I am the first person to say that buying high end by no means guarantees high quality. But. From my experience, 9/10 times, it actually does...

I'm a big believer in the idea that you get what you pay for. As far as I can see, it's a rule that works for food, for furniture, for clothes and for makeup. Yes, 'drugstore' formulations are improving all the time and the technologies are fast catching up, and yes, you can buy fantastic eye products from Rimmel and killer lip products from Revlon... But compared to the likes of Urban Decay, NARS and YSL Beauty? I see no comparison.

I'm well aware of the fact that when you buy from a high end brand, you buy into the branding as much as anything else, especially in the cases of fashion houses that have expanded into the cosmetics industry IMO, but the quality of the products does tend to match my expectations. There are some amazing bases in my makeup collection that I found in Boots, the Garnier Oil Free BB Cream for Oily/Combination Skin springs instantly to mind, but on the flip side of that, my all time favourites are high end (NARS' tinted moisturiser, the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser Oil Free... I could go on). And don't even get me started on low end skincare...

The fact that I can still remember the feeling when I got my first ever high end product - a travel sized bottle of Moroccanoil Light Treatment, that I still have FYI - says a lot about buying high end, for me at least. It's an experience as much as anything else. I realise that I may well have just come across as the biggest makeup snob evaaa in writing this post, but I feel that it's actually quite an interesting topic. Ultimately, I buy high end because I feel that the price is more often than not reflected in the quality, or the unique-ness of the product and honestly? I'd take a high end five-product-face over a full on drugstore lineup any day and everyday.

Light 'n' Bright

As much as I wish I could say that I go without makeup most days, the truth is that I don't really feel confident doing so. Most of my skin is actually pretty okay, but the areas that are bad are really, well... Quite bad. This is a bit of a bummer, because I'm not actually a massive fan of a full face of makeup on the daily. It feels too heavy, and seeing as I'm pretty lazy relaxed about how I look if I'm popping into town or something, this has become my go-to route for the last couple of weeks.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfecter in the shade Pearl and the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation must be two of the most hyped up products on the blogosphere. In my opinion, this is actually for good reason. They both do a bloomin' good job at what they claim to do, and with each used sparingly where needed, they make a pretty killer combo.

I start by taking the tiniest amount of the Becca product and placing it where I want the light to catch my face, i.e. my cheekbones, cupid's bow, under my brows and on my chin. This stuff is potent and you really do only need a little bit to do your entire face. If you use an entire pump full, the end effect can be a little bit 'tin-man'-ish for my liking. This means that whilst it is a very expensive illuminator, it's also good value for money as the finish is so beautiful and a little goes a long way. At this point, I look a little bit glowy and polished, without really having done very much.

I then take a pump of the Luminous Silk Foundation and use it only where I need it (that part's important). I don't really want anything to be too perfect on my days off, because I don't want to spend 20 minutes in the mirror faffing around covering every little (or not so little) pimple. This has just the right amount of coverage to make everything looking calm, it glides over any dry patches I have and has the right texture to look natural.

The finished effect? Polished... But not neurotically so. That's what I'm talkin' about.

The Eyes Have It...

I'm a big fan of 'letting my eyes do all the talking'. A nicely blended neutral eye with lashings of mascara just does it for me. These products lend themselves to a shimmery, nectar toned wash of colour with some punchy definition from the mascara, making them great for when you just have to pop out for a cheeky drink after work...

I accidentally ended up purchasing the new No. 7 Stay Prefect Shade and Define eyeshadow pen. I genuinely popped into Boots to grab some mouthwash and a diet coke (yes, I'm well aware of the irony of that statement), and left with this also in my shopping bag, thanks to a £3 off voucher. I have the shade Pink Pearl and it just beautiful. It's quite sheer, but adds a beautiful iridescence, sparkle and glow to the eyelid, making it great for slapping on alone or using as a base to bring out the best of other eye products. Oh, and it also happens to be probably the best long-lasting cream eye product I've ever tried. Nothing lasts like this does. Nothing. It's love.

Next, I take the pink toned shade from the 17 Eyeshadow Trio in the shade Enraged all over the lid. This colour is great for brightening and quite frankly, it's just beautiful. I the follow this with the golden tone under my lower lash line, to add a smidgen of definition and balance, then add the chocolatey shade to add depth... Then I get blending like nobody's business. Considering how cheap these products are, they are incredibly pigmented and blendable, so this isn't particularly difficult.

Once all of this is said and done, I like to go in with a coat (or three) or a good black mascara on well-curled lashes (my curlers are Tweezerman for Benefit, and whilst they're nothing to write home about perhaps, they are pretty darn good). My pick for this would be the eye-wateringly expensive YSL Beauty Volume Effet Faux Cils Shocking Mascara. This stuff is, in a word, potent. It's my go-to night out mascara and I can find it to be a little bit too much for the daytime, but it really depends on your taste. Either way, a little goes a long way and this stuff is da' bomb.

Looking for a casual springtime eye? I think you just found it...

Sophie Makes Up for (Sort of) Lazy Days

I'm a big fan of lazy days. Seriously. Knowing that there's nothing that needs doing urgently and that you can make the day what you want it to be is a pretty darn satisfying feeling. But let's face it, such days are few and far between, but that doesn't mean we can't pretend with makeup... I'm a big believer in the idea that our external appearance reflects the way we feel inside, so using makeup to create a serene, chilled out and ready-for-anything version of yourself seems to me to be a bit of a good idea.

The look I'm going for is a slightly more polished version of that old classic, 'no makeup makeup'. Seeing as your day could be going in any direction, you want to make sure you're looking up for it, of course... But you can't really be bothered to make too much of an effort. FYI this is pretty much my rule of thumb for err... everything.

First things first, a nice and light foundation. On days like this I opt for the Bobbi Brown Moisture Rich Foundation SPF 15. To me, this comes somewhere in between a tinted moisturiser and a foundation. It's more buildable than the former, but feels lighter than the latter. It's not my favourite base - it's a little bit too dewy, actually - but it does the job on days like these. Top up with concealer as and where you need it.

As for the eyes, I'd recommend a quick bit of definition through the socket and a nicely defined, but not overdone, brow. After watching this Lisa Eldridge video (all hail Lisa), I tried a little bit of Snakebite from the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette through my crease and y'know what, it looked pretty good. Follow with a good layer of mascara or two, I like Lancôme Hypnôse Mascara worked into the lashes for this, and you're good to go.

For a bit of a flush, you can't beat a bit of bronzer in my books. I'm currently hooked on the bronzing veil from the Laura Mercier Bonne Mine Palette due to its easy-peasy cream consistency, but use whichever takes your fancy. Anything that gives you a slightly sunkissed warmth without looking too 'try-hard' will do the trick.

And lastly, the lips. I'd always recommend your go-to lip product. You don't want to be wearing anything too high-maintenance, but you want to feel like the best version of yourself. If this means a lick of lipbalm, go for it. If it means a bright red, splash it on. For me, it's the YSL Beauty Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick in the shade 6 Bergmasque, a peachy pink MLBB colour.

After this, the day is yours to make of it what you will. Whatever that means...

The Skin Update // La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+ Was, in Fact, Sent From the Heavens Above

Skin really is quite difficult to write about. Obviously, everyone's skin is different and what might work for me may not work for you, and may even make your skin condition worse. Seeing as I am by no means an expert when it comes to skincare, just an enthusiast, I always feel slightly tentative when I write about what's happening on my face. 

Things are, however, slowly getting better, something I am very happy to report. The patch of spots on my left cheek that returned, having disappeared during the summer, is getting calmer and less irritated every day and the angry cysts underneath my skin (just the mental image you wanted, I know) are 

beginning to disappear. 

The reason for this? Well, it's kinda difficult to pinpoint it. As I said in my February Favourites post, I haven't had the easiest time lately, having moved back home somewhat unexpectedly after conceding defeat with my Uni course. Stress is definitely a big factor in bad skin for me, so the fact that all of this is now behind me is definitely a factor. Being away from London and all of its pollution and coffee shops is definitely another bonus for my complexion... But I can't really explain what's happened 

without thanking a few products...

The standout hero product would have to be the oh-so-imfamous La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+. It. Is. Awesome. The reformulation of this cult classic is definitely for the better in my eyes. My post spot red marks are fading evening and more than they would do sans Duo+. It's also slightly more hydrating that it's original counterpart, something that I consider to be for the better. It's had the most noticeable effect on the lower half of my right cheek, which for the first time ever had been on the brink of a major breakout, where my old milia all seemed to become blemishes over night (the miraculous human body, ladies and gentlemen)! All the redness and nasty under-the-skin lumps vanished within a week from this area, and the scars are healing nicely. On my more troublesome right cheek, it's true that the area is far from clear, but it is definitely getting better. The end is in sight.

The downside of this wonder product? It is still kinda drying. Not as badly as before, but I find it to be too much when used on its own for an extended period of time. My solution? The Aurelia Miracle Cleanser. This was in my Favourites post for a reason! It's soooo good when your skin needs some relief from whatever is irritating it. It's moisturising without making you feel greasy, which is my biggest gripe about the much adored (and for good reasons, it is a brilliant cleanser) Emma Hardie Amazing Face Lift and Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm. In addition to this, I've been using the Kiehl's Skin Rescuer Stress-Minimising Daily Hydrator to layer on the moisture under my daily SPF. This creates a really nice anti-inflammatory base for my makeup and I really, really like it. A good dash of the Boots Botanics 100% Organic Facial Oil has not gone amiss as an overnight treatment either. 

So there it is, my skin update. It's far from where I want it to be, but I'm a lot closer than I was just a couple of weeks ago, when things were looking very desperate.

The Gloss Over

I love a good lip gloss. I think they're a great way to add a splash of effortless colour to your face, without having to worry about getting pigment on your teeth, feathering or smudging. I bloomin' well love them.

My usual go-to comes in the form of the Clinique Superbalm Moisturising Lipgloss in the shade Current. It's a darkened cranberry that translates as a not too dramatic lick of colour that brightens my olive complexion. It's my go to 'I can't actually be arsed to think about what I'm slapping on my face today' lip option.

Lately, however, I've been pushing it aside for the Maybelline Colour Sensational Shine Gloss in the beautifully vibrant shade of Glorious Grapefruit. This is a punchy, pinky orangey coral and it is awesome. This with a little bit of a tanned glow and minimal eyes is just lovely. The formula is creamy but not sticky, it smells great and has pretty decent wear time. The best part? It's a mere £6.12. One to add to the beauty bags, I think...

They See Me Haulin'...

Every now and then, I believe that it is absolutely essential to take one day out of your week and dedicate it to going for a good ol' fashioned shop with one of your girlfriends. And that is exactly how I spent my Monday. We went cruising through the aisles of our local Boots, Superdrug and err... Waitrose on a mission. The damage? Not too bad, all things considered. Here's the round up of what I grabbed.

Seventeen Stay Time Concealer - I picked this up on a whim as a replacement for my Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer, which has sadly come to an end, and d'you know what? It's actually pretty good. It's a liquid formula somewhat reminiscent of the infamous Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer, but much less cakey and a much better colour. I've only used this once so far so I can't speak for it's 'up to 18 hour' claim, but I am really impressed with the texture.

Seventeen Phwoarr Paint Heavy Duty Under Eye Concealer - Can you tell I'm on the search for a good concealer? Boots currently have their 3-for-2 offer on, so I also picked up this little pot of goodness for my under eye area. It's a very creamy formula, somewhat reminiscent of the Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer/Corrector, with a salmony hue to counteract darkness. I've tried the Corrector before and was a big fan of it, but the colour was off for me, so I know I'll get on with this quite well. It needs setting, or it will crease from what I have experienced so far... But, dare I say it, I think we're onto a winner.

Seventeen Eyeshadow Trio in the shade Enraged - I know, I know. More eyeshadow. Again. But trust me, this is a good'un. I've owned this before and absolutely loved it, but it smashed. It's an A Model Recommends enabled purchase and it's just really darn pretty. A very shimmery selection of a peachy pink, a golden champagne and a chocolate bronze. All the shimmaaaah.

B. B Enegergised Eye Cream - I grabbed this in a bid to replace my Eysilix Instant Eye Rescue and it's actually quite nice. Puffiness is my biggest issue, especially around that time of the month, and this promises to tackle this with some pretty convincing ingredients to back it up. I'll report back on this one...

Rimmel London Salon Pro Nail Laquer in the shade 115 Happily Evie After - The only way I can accurately describe this colour is to say that it looks like a Sex on the Beach cocktail when it's all been mixed together. Apologies. It's a pinky orangey red that rocks. It's currently residing on my toes and I bloomin' love it. It's a formula I've used before and it's a firm favourite. Summer in a bottle.

L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche Nail Laquer in the shade Pistachio Drage - Pistachio ice cream in a bottle. It's a very pretty light green that I shall be rocking throughout this spring at a bargain-alicious price.

The Month // February

February has been quite a big month for me. I accepted the fact that I was on the wrong course at Uni, transferred from said course and moved back home, knowing that I would not be returning to Uni until September, when I will be starting a new degree from scratch. I moved in with the Boyfriend with a day's notice, went back to work full time and have blogged pretty consistently, something I have wanted to do for a very, very long time.

Naturally, I got through all of this with a little help from my somewhat extravagant cosmetics collection. I'm only human. As such, my favourite products of this month include stress-induced blemish busters, anything that makes me look less tired and a good, old fashioned hot bath. Let's get started.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+ - I've already mentioned this product on the blog and sung its praises. It really is a brilliant reformulation of the cult classic product. It's more hydrating than the original, works wonders with hormonal/stress related breakouts and smells pretty good too. I still find it to be a bit too drying when used consistently for weeks on end, so I now just slap it on the acne patches on my cheeks and chin then pop on some moisturiser over the top.

REN Clearcalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser - An all-time favourite of mine, great for when my skin is freaking out. I'd recommend this for anyone, but it can be drying when used over a long period of time. Saying this, it is great for calming my skin down when it's having a bit of a paddy.

Aurelia Miracle Cleanser - I've been using this towards the back end of this month to counteract the dryness brought on by the two products listed above. Combination skin, how I love thee. It's a great cleanser that both clarifies and moisturises. A definite repurchase to be.

Kiehl's Skin Rescuer Stress-Minimizing Daily Hydrator - I've had a bit of an off-and-on-again relationship with this moisturiser. I tried a sample of it, loved it, bought it, wasn't wowed by it, left it alone for a while, fell back in love with it. It's great at reducing redness and smoothing over dry spots. A good all rounder in my opinion.

Percy & Reed Finishing Polish - AKA a good hair day in a tube. I love it.

NARS NARSisst Eyeshadow Palette - A 15 pan palette of perfection. I am so happy that I bought this and use it most days. It's just an awesome selection of shades that gets me from work during the day and evening, to going out for a drink at 1 in the morning when I finish. If you see one and aren't put off by the price tag, get it. You won't regret it. 

Super Beauty Ginger and Pear Shower and Bath Gel - (Not pictured) A great smelling shower gel that makes a regular bath into a super awesome bubble bath that is absolutely bargain-alicious.