Friday Night FOTD and Illamasqua Lippie ...

Bonjour!

I went out last Friday night (well I went out for dinner with the hubby and kids this Friday just gone too but last Friday was more of a couples 'out out' and not just 'out' if you get my drift!). Anyway just thought I pop up a post with my slap for the night... really should this be entitled FOTN?  I'll just shut it and get on shall I...!

The products ...

Face
Mally Perfect Prep Poreless Primer
Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealers in Medium and Deep - used medium under eyes and mixed the two for the rest of my face
Laura Geller Balance n Brighten Foundation in Tan
Bourjois Blush in Rose Thé - you can see my full review here
Daniel Sandler Instant Tan Face Powder (only used a smidgen as it was my first time playing with it!).

Eyes
Mally Evercolour Eye Shadow Stick in Antique Taupe - all over eyelid - so easy to use - stays put all day/night!
MUA Undressed Eye Shadow Palette - to highlight under brow
17 Eyeliner in Onyx (got it in a kit last year)
Revitalash Volumising Primer
Mally Instant Impact Mascara - review coming up
HD Brows Kit in Foxy

Lips
Illamasqua Lipstick in Blaze - won in a Giveaway last year - sadly it's discontinued - what a shame, it's one of my favourites!

Here's the whole lot on the kite - a bit more of a half kite than usual - you can see the nose is screaming to take over the pic - ah well...!

And a quick 'awkard pose' of the outfit - both last year's H & M top and Zara jeans - what on earth has happened to the knees on my jeans - they had been thoroughly ironed although it doesn't look like it in this pic ...!

Trying to get one of me and the pooch but he had other ideas! Must have been where I got my creased knees from!


Jen x

May Empties and Favourites ... (finally!)

Bonjour!

It's been (and still is) a very busy week with family/work commitments - which has left no time for blogging and probably makes this one of the latest 'Empties/Favourites' posts of in the land?  I'll just get on with it shall I...?

Liz Earle Eyebright Soothing Eye Lotion - all finished and will be re-purchasing, great for reviving tired, sore eyes - included this in my 'Rescue Products' which you can read here.

Liz Earle Botanical Shine Shampoo and Conditioner (for Normal Hair) - I've been using this duo on and off for ages. Perfect if my scalp feels a bit stressed and flaky as I know it cleanses and conditions well but is super gentle. Had a bout of eczema on my neck recently and needed to use something I knew wouldn't sting when washing my hair in the shower ... needless to say I'll be repurchasing.

Aveeno Body Wash (for Dry and Sensitive Skin) - more of an 'empty' than a 'favourite', I've used it on and off. Has no smell and just cleanses gently, it's ok but I don't feel the same way about it as I do the Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturising Lotion ...which I also included in my 'Rescue Products' so don't think I'll be repurchasing.

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum - sadly all gone, happily I've already gotten myself another - love this product. You can read me banging on about this lovely serum in my full review here.

L'Oreal Professional tecni.art Hot Style Constructor - (shopping my 'hair product stash' here ) -  I've had this for so long that the packaging has now changed!  It's a 'thermo-active spray for texture and hold' - provides heat protection (but not stickiness I might add!).  Works best for me to create that tousled 'I'm not trying too hard with my hair' look (famous last words) and  is ideal now I've  had loads of hair chopped off!  Just spray on damp or dry hair and do whatever you want really - can be used with hairdryer, straighteners and curling tongs so quite a useful multi-purpose product and one I would re-purchase (cost me £11.00 but I don't think that's too bad for a professional product?).

Revitalash Volumizing Primer - (got this ages ago in a kit from QVC).  I don't always use an eyelash primer but this works really well to give more oomph and volume to my lashes.  It's blue in colour, dries quickly so you can get on with your chosen mascara application and doesn't cause any clumping or flaking - good product.

Max Factor Masterpiece Max Mascara - an all-time favourite which has done it's stint. Great for volumising and defining lashes, no clumps and lasts all day. A good one to have on hand to sort out a 'bad lash day', used over the top of another mascara it sorts out any mascara clumpage - a great separator!


Oh ... and another favourite here ... which is literally being finished off by the hubby as I type this post!

Only the crumbliest, flakiest chocolate, tastes like chocolate never tasted before...all that and ice-cream - amazing!

Any of my favourites yours too?

Jen x

Tag - Why Do You Wear Make-Up?

Bonjour!

I've seen this Tag post 'doing the rounds' on some lovely blogs recently and really enjoyed reading them so thought I'd put my two penneth in...!

When did you begin loving make-up?

One of the earliest 'make-up' memories I have is of  my mum's red vanity case containing her few products - including her blue and green eye shadows and that 'old-fashioned' block of mascara that had to be dampened with the stiff brush before applying - I was fascinated by it all!  I remember my dad sending me back upstairs to 'wash the make-up off my face' after I overdid it on the way out to a youth club disco in my early teens - I was indignant and mortified at the time (in true teenage style!) but now realise that I looked like a clown with the amount of slap I had on!  I've always loved messing about to create different looks with make-up.  In my younger days I was always the one with several different colours of eye-shadow on all blended (of course) on a night out! 


How do you feel without make-up?

To say my hair is so naturally dark you would never tell from from my lash and brow area - I really notice the lack of definition - which is why I always use mascara and wear some form of brow make-up.  It's old age and all that thinning out business - the joys!   I can forgo face make-up if I really have to and like to let my skin breath for a while on a weekend but usually wear some form of the stuff, lighter when I'm not at work and  heavier for work days (to cope with our office conditions which range from freezing air-conditioning or complete stuffiness when it's not working properly - there's no happy medium and it's all designed to confuse and muck up our skin!).  I couldn't go to work without any make-up on - the whole office would be permanently traumatised...


What do you like about make-up?

I love that we can enhance, highlight, conceal, add radiance, colour, definition, shimmer, contours and sparkle, smokey eyes, bold lips etc etc the list is almost endless! There's a whole universe of different effects and looks out there just waiting to be created... the world is a 'make-up oyster' if you so wanted it!


Three 'Holy Grail' items...?

Bare Minerals Tinted Mineral Veil SPF 25 - love my Mineral Veil and really need  to sort out a full review - it's a lovely finishing product, can be used over my BB or Bare Minerals foundation to help everything along.

Revitalash Advanced Eyelash Conditioner - not strictly make-up but a treatment that I've been using over the past year which has really helped the condition and length of my eyelashes. Mascara application is so much easier these days.

Bare Minerals 'Warmth' All Over Face Colour - a gorgeous velvety bronzer (should really do a review on this too!) it's great for warming/livening up the complexion or for a contoured effect. Also often mix it up with a paler pink blush to add a bit of depth and oomph!

Right - that's it for now - best shut up shop because I could waffle on about this subject for ages...Please feel free to follow on the tag - and please leave a comment if you do - I'd love to have a read...!

So come on - spill the beans - Why do YOU wear make-up?

Jen x