products for uneven skin tone.

i exfoliate. i cleanse. i tone. i moisturize. i use face masks several times a week in fact. i drink far too much water. based on effort alone, i really ought to have perfect skin and front my own clearasil campaign.

unfortunately, life isn't that easy. my biggest issue with my skin - that is, its unevenness and dullness - has always refused to improve, despite me using an array of products across all price ranges. i had begun to lose hope, so much so that i was actually considering dropping £60 on a face mask... eek... however, i've been using two new products and have noticed a huge change. my skin is still not 100% just yet, but looks the best it has done in a long while.

soap & glory 'scrub your nose in it' exfoliator - this doesn't claim to counteract redness, but does aim to reduce pore size. generally speaking, i exfoliate my skin if it feels a little oily or if i have been wearing a lot of make-up throughout the day (having used clean & clear's daily exfoliating wash for the past eight years). however, i had run out of it and before i went to buy more, my friend bought me a hamper of soap & glory products for my birthday - so i was able to give this a whirl.

the immediate difference is that this isn't as harsh on the skin. it's a lot more gentle and has a refreshing mint scent throughout which is really refreshing. what i also love about it is that a little goes a long way, and so i can see the tube lasting forever. i get very similar results from this to my previous exfoliator in the sense that my skin gets a thorough clean and is instantly brightened - but the result of this definitely lasts longer. i have definitely replaced my old exfoliator for good now!

nails - no 7 (betty blues), barry m (hologram hexagrams).

no 7 balm - i picked this up as part of a 3 for 2 offer. the idea is that you apply it underneath your moisturiser. i have quite dry skin, and this would not be moisturising enough (for me anyway) to wear on its own. however, i have been sticking with it and see less redness. it's light to wear, non-greasy, and comes in a nice bottle. i'm actually a big fan of no 7 skincare anyway, but really do like this.

if anyone is also suffering from the same skin problems as me, check these out!

revlon lip butter in 'candy apple'.

right: what have i been up to in the past month which has warranted me temporarily ditching this blog? well. i failed another driving test (wheyyyyy), began working at my old job again, and have just been enjoying myself. i feel 15 again because i've begun seeing a lot of people from school again - some of whom i haven't seen since i was actually that age, which was a very long time ago. i've also got a new job which is absolutely incredible and has really cheered me up. hell, it's made my 2012 even. 4,300 people applied for 16 places and i really wasn't expecting it, seeing as i thought i totally sucked at the assessment day. i also have some other stuff going on but it's a bit too personal for here.

back to bizniz. my blogging pet peeve (definitely just typed "pleeve") has to be writing about a product which every other person has written about. i really don't buy into ~cult beauty blogger products~ at all as they're usually more overhyped than not - but every now and then you'll find a gem. one of the very few products which i do think is worthy of the hype are revlon's lip butters. will you die if you don't own these? probably not. but i do think they make a nice, lighter alternative to lipstick for the summer. they have a very smooth, balmy finish, and a lot of pigmentation. i find them a lot more wearable, and perfect for those who might shy away from bold lipsticks.

although i now own quite a few, my favourite has got to be 'candy apple' which is a nice alternative to red lipstick. sometimes i steer away from red lipsticks because they often don't survive dinners and drinks - and when i'm out, i don't want to constantly be checking and reapplying more red. however, this balm has the fantastic colour without all that hassle. if it fades away, it fades away. for that reason, i've been gravitating towards these lip butters much more recently. yes, they do not stay perfect through meals either, but they leave a stain which is a lot more flattering than the mess that occurs with red lipsticks!

so yeah, that is my latest pride and joy. as for the make-up i wore today, well, please excuse my 'deer in headlights' look. recently my skin has been awful, so i've trying to divert people's attention to bold lips and big brows. perhaps too big.

face: sephora smoothing primer, mac face and body (c2), collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).

eyes: maybelline gel liner, mac studio fix lash, mac eyebrow pencil (stud), the body shop brow & lash gel.

cheeks: sleek (flamingo).

lips: revlon lip butter (candy apple).

WHOOPS.

busy month. new phone. new everything. i promise i will sort my blogging out across the next week! i have actually been working on a few fitness/weight loss posts too, but they are not ready to be published just yet. in the meantime, here are some cute otters.

top five neutral shimmer shades.

i'm not going to post about a new product today, but instead share a few eyeshadow shades which i've really liked wearing as of late.

my go-to brand for neutral, shimmery shades has to be urban decay. for some reason, they are the only brand whose eyeshadows work perfectly for me in terms of texture and pigment. a lot of the time, other brands come up with neutral shades which just don't work with my olive complexion or fail to show up at all. luckily for me, urban decay's shade selection is amazing with a bunch of really pretty ones that don't ham up the glitter. despite sounding like a broken record (i am literally banging my head on the keyboard as we speak), their naked palette is stupidly good value and a real staple of mine. dsdfjg gdi ifg guuuuuu.

now, i'm the first to admit that my experience with rimmel eyeshadows is somewhat limited. their eyeshadow in 'spicy bronze' is something which i've blogged about before, and which i absolutely love. the texture is buttery and the shade is unlike anything else i've seen before (i certainly haven't found a dupe) - plus it's cheap. unfortunately i can't say whether that is something that extends to all of their shadows, or just this one. a must-have for darker girls, seriously.

left to right: rimmel (spicy bronze), urban decay (chopper), urban decay (smog), urban decay (toasted).

this small selection of shades has kept me going despite me opting for a no-fuss look as of late. the extra 10 minutes seconds it takes to apply these makes me feel as if i've put a slight bit of effort in, taking me from a 9 on the tramp scale to possibly a 7.

face: 17 primer, mac studio fix fluid (nw30), collection lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).

eyes: urban decay primer potion, urban decay eyeshadows (chopper, twice baked), maybelline gel liner, rimmel kohl pencil, mac studio fix lash, clinique high definition mascara (lower lashes), mac eyebrow pencil (stud), the body shop brow & lash gel.

cheeks: mac (stunner).

lips: 17 (bon bon).

this works 'perfect look skin miracle'.

[looks like i'll be saying sorry yet again for the lack of posts. i honestly don't know how some people find the time to update their blog everyday, seriously. what about your jobs? driving lessons? school? manuscripts? JOBS? suffice to say i've been up to absolutely everything in the past fortnight, none of it being particularly fun (well, not 99% at least). hello stress, you old friend.]

recently i've been on the lookout for a tinted moisturiser to use during the summer, and had made up my mind to get the one by nars. however, my shade was sold out in three stockists (really? come on), and i wasn't that crazy about the product to go on a mad goose chase for it. so, i completely dropped the idea of getting it. a few days ago i managed to find some time to watch a lisa eldridge tutorial (unf, love her) and she recommended this. so, like a loyal little sheep, i went and got it. last one on the shelf baby. yessssss. i'm that bitch y'all love to hate.

this tinted moisturiser claims to hydrate and brighten the skin, and although i like it, i don't think it's anything particularly revolutionary. this is because it reminds me of clarins' beauty flash balm, but with the slightest tint - which is quite obvious seeing as the product itself is brown and has to be rubbed on. i also quite like the packaging (a tube with a pump) - but like a doofus i didn't take a picture of it. 

things you probably should know: it doesn't have a lot of coverage, nor is it dense. for that reason, i wouldn't really bank on this if you have skin problems or very dry skin - unless you want a non-greasy moisturiser to use as a primer, like me. i usually wear this before wearing a foundation with a matte finish, as it adds a little bit of shine but not too much. with that said, i can imagine this looking gorgeous if you're one of those people with absolutely perfect skin.

perfect look skin miracle turd.

what else is new...? well, it was my birthday yesterday. i spent it with a lot of family who came over as the rain dampened (GEDDIT, DAMPENED, RAIN, LOL) my plans for a boozy picnic. still coming to grips with my own age as we speak. this involves a lot of rocking and self-reassurance that i am not old...

top - american apparel.

face: this works perfect look skin miracle, sephora smoothing primer, mac face and body (c2), collection lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).

eyes: urban decay primer potion, urban decay naked palette (naked, hustle, buck), maybelline gel liner, rimmel kohl pencil, clinique high definition mascara (lower lashes), revlon 'grow luscious' mascara, ardell 120 demi false eyelashes, mac eyebrow pencil (stud), the body shop brow & lash gel.

cheeks: duwop (peach), no 7 illuminator (peach).

lips: mac (modesty).

as you can probably tell, i went for a smokey eye with some neutral shades all over the lid - and this is definitely the sort of make-up i've been wearing as of late. i've also rediscovered my duwop blush which i love to death (a+ would recommend) and have been wearing that everyday aswell. and last but not least, some moschino shoe porn. i finally had an excuse to wear these! YEAH!

i hope that everyone has a fabulous jubilee weekend!

ps - i wrote a guest post for urban butterfly on vintage lipsticks. perfect for any retro laydeez. give it a read!

birthday: chanel ballet flats.

luckiest girl.

sleek blush in 'flamingo'.

i need to get this off my chest: i simply don't understand how i have a to-do list longer than my arm and yet find myself making zero effort to get any of it done. i have work this week, and then my birthday - but after that i think i'll lay low and get my own stuff done. no more making plans with people. i need some me time.


but anyway... a few days ago me and one of my bestest friends went to choccywoccydoodah. i rate their dip pot or whatever the hell it's called, but you can skip the slices of cake unless having a pulmonary is your thing. please see picture on the left for evidence. i honestly ate so much that i thought i was going to pass out there and then. as i'm not a massive fan of chocolate or sugary desserts in general, i think my body basically had a panic attack!

that aside, i saw that she was using the prettiest blusher ever, and as our complexions are very similar, i made up my mind to get it. it's kind of this lame running joke we have where one always copies the other and in this case, it was me. i seriously love sleek blushes. i honestly would pay £10 for them, so getting them for around the £4 mark almost feels criminal. 'flamingo' is an absurdly pink shade that also has a hint of coral in, without any shimmer. it's like summer has been packaged up!

if i saw this in the shop, i would probably be put off by how bright it is. i mean, it is seriously pink. however, it can be used for a more natural look so long as you apply it lightly and don't go beserk with it. i applied it quite sparingly myself i was going to a café before i took these pictures - but you can build this up as much as you like. it blends like a dream, so whether a light flush or super hot pink cheeks are your thing, this product really is amazing for that.

i'm sitting here typing... wondering if it has any cons... but none come to mind. it does the job, lasts for a very long time, and has more pigment than some of my mac blushes. i honestly have no cons with this product. NONE. n-o-n-e.

face: sephora base subliminatrice, mac studio fix (nw30), collection lasting perfection concealer (#2),clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: urban decay primer potion, illamasqua cream pigment (hollow), maybelline gel liner, mac studio fix lash, mac eyebrow pencil (stud), ruby & millie eyeliner pencil (brown/black), the body shop brow & lash gel.
cheeks: sleek (flamingo), illamasqua cream pigment (hollow).
lips: mac (speak louder).

my eyebrows are also getting too big for my face.