The Perfect Autumn Glow | Clarins - Liquid Bronze

I'm partial to having a bit of a sunkissed glow.  It's no secret that I'm most certainly a 'fan of the tan' and although i don't like to be too brown, I do like to keep a little bit of a glow to my skin all year round.  I haven't got the palest skin in the world, but in winter it can tend to look a little dull, and generally a little lifeless unless I give it a bit of a boost.  However, fake tan for the face is one thing I struggle with.  Most fake tans I've used to far have either been too dark, too patchy or too pore 'cloggy'.  Not a good look I'm sure you'll all agree - especially in winter when it's quite obvious that you haven't simply popped over to the Bahamas overnight - I like a natural, effortless glow.  Enter 'Clarins Liquid Bronze' - my new go-to facial tanner.  It's basically become somewhat of a 'cult product' amongst the beauty blogging world of late. It's easy to see why.

Clarin's Liquid Bronze is not your average facial tanner.  It's subtle, it takes a bit of building up and it certainly doesn't give you that 'just stepped off the plane look' - but that's why it's perfect for this time of year.  I won't pull the wool over your eyes - it will not give you a massive colour difference - it is extremely subtle and if you have an olive or dark skintone then this won't be for you. This being said, I don't have the lightest skin in the world (but it's fair to say I can look like a bit of a pale face at times) and I can see a noticeable difference after using it 2 nights in a row.   What I love about it is that it gives such a natural hint of a summer glow - it looks unbelievably smooth and gives your skin that slight 'olive' undertone and inner radiance that you might get when you've been out in the sun for a while.  You could easily use this every evening for a little moisture boost and never look like you've gone 'over the top' with the fake-bake when you wake up in the morning.  

It comes out of the bottle as a white liquid/cream which is fairly thin in consistency.  I simply smooth it onto my face and neck before bed using a cotton pad and let it work it's magic overnight. I find it sinks in really quickly - and leaves the skin feeling moisturised and smooth afterwards instead of sticky and 'heavy' like other fake tans I've used. It also doesn't have that dreaded biscuit smell; a lot of bloggers have said how nice this product smells and I have to agree - it's really fresh and fruity.  It actually reminds me of Fruit Salad sweets - anyone remember those?!  It contains Aloe Vera and Vitamin E to help soothe and soften the skin - so it does have added benefits and isn't merely 'just a facial tanner'.It's also worth pointing out that I have sensitive skin that tends to break out if I use products that don't agree with me - and although Liquid Bronze is fragranced, it hasn't caused me any problems whatsoever and I find it to be very gentle on the skin.

I bought my bottle of Debenhams online when they had free delivery and 10% off (link) - so it's worth shopping around as I often see this product discounted by a couple of pounds. Liquid Bronze retails for £18.00 - which isn't the cheapest of facial tanners out there but it is worth it if this is the type of thing you're after.  This product isn't for everyone, and if you're looking for a tanner that provides a deep colour this won't be for you.  But if you're after a subtle, even colour, have a very light, pale skin tone or are a bit of a 'novice' when it comes to facial tanning - this might be worth a shot. 

Have you tried Liquid Bronze? What were your thoughts?

Balance Me | Skin Bright Hydrating Face Mist

Balance Me | Skin Bright Hydrating Facial Mist | £20.00* 60ml | Link

Face mists have become quite the in thing the past few months, haven't they? So many of you have been raving about them and I must admit, a few times I almost gave into the hype. Having sensitive skin means that I tend to stick to what I know (any new additions often mean waiting with baited breath to see if my skin throws a tantrum or not!) - I'm very much all in favour of a simple skin care routine.  However, when I discovered that Balance Me had their own Face Mist, I was intrigued.  Balance Me have fast become one of my favourite skin care brands and their moisturiser and eye cream are without a doubt among some of my favourite skin care products I've tried (you can find my review of the 'Balancing Face Moisturiser here). It's safe to say then, that I had high hopes for the Skin Bright Hydrating Face Mist.

When I first received the Face Mist - I was a little bit unsure as to what to do with it. I definitely think face mists are more of a luxury and not a necessity - you have to find your own way of using them. Balance Me's version 'adds an injection of moisture' and contains 'refreshing pineapple waters' and 'super hydrating hyaluronic acid designed to replenish tired skin' and leave a 'dewy glow'.  I took to using this around the time of having a lot of uni work on my plate - not only did my skin look tired and dull, but I also felt like I needed a little refreshing pick me up now and again.  The first thing I noticed was the refreshing fragrance of the mist - you can really get a whiff of the pineapple in there and it smells very natural and 'fresh'.  It also feels incredibly cooling on the skin - I think this has to be my favourite thing about the product, and it has been such a pleasure to use throughout the hot weather we have been having just recently.  When it's warmer out, wearing makeup often makes my skin feel clammy and altogether not very nice - this mist has been lovely to spritz over the skin as it really does have such a cooling, calming influence.  I can see why so many bloggers have said that using a face mist is addictive - it really is! 

Those with dry skin will definitely find the mist more beneficial than those with more oily complexions due to the moisturising factor. I'm smack bang in the middle and have combination skin, so it all depends on weather and time of year whether my skin feels hydrated or not.  Although, this being said, I haven't had dry patches at all just recently but I've still enjoyed using it purely for an invigorating little boost and refresh throughout the day.  I often use the face mist after applying my makeup -  it puts a little bit of dewyness back into the skin after I've applied powder.  I also use it whenever I'm feeling a little 'clammy' - if the weather is warm and my make-up feels a bit heavy, then I'll spray a little bit on.  Similarly, if I have nothing on my face at all but still feel like I need a bit of a refresh, I find myself reaching for it (addicted much?).  This is the thing about face mists - there's no right or wrong way to use them; you can use them anytime of day, whenever you fancy it and altogether they act as a nice refreshing product in your skin care routine for whenever you need a little 'pick me up'. 

So am I converted to using a face mist? I think so! But I still think it's more for a luxury rather than a 'must have'. I go through stages where I use it more often and I still wouldn't say I 'need' it in my skin care cupboard - but it is without a doubt one I enjoy using and one that I often reach for if my skin looks a little worse for wear - even if it isn't feeling dry. If I'm tired I will use it purely for the refreshing boost it gives.  I've found it to be more of a 'warmer weather' product for me so far - as I find it really cooling when it's warm or muggy out, but I cannot wait to see what it does for my skin in winter when my skin drys out a little.  So far, I've really loved using it and it's something I will continue to use without a doubt.

Have you tried using a Face Mist? What were your thoughts?

Balance Me | Balancing Face Moisturiser

Balance Me | Balancing Face Moisturiser (50ml) | £24.00* | Link

One thing that shall always remain an important part of my daily cleansing routine is a good moisturiser.  My skin changes from season to season, and often calls for different levels of moisture depending on the weather - I have fairly normal skin, without any overly dry or 'greasy' patches, but it does tend to lean on the side of being a little bit 'combination' from time to time - being at it's most temperamental in cold weather conditions. A while back, I was contacted by the lovely people at Balance Me - a brand which promotes natural beauty products and skincare.  Their aim is to get more people to understand the benefits of using natural products - without all the added 'riff raff' of harsh chemicals and preservatives that our skin doesn't really need.  I'm a big fan of Balance Me's Wonder Eye Cream (honestly, if you haven't tried it and are in the market for a good eye cream that does what it says tube - grab some - your dark circles won't know what's hit 'em!) so I was superly duperly chuffed to try their 'Balancing Face Moisturiser' - it sounded like just what my temperamental skin needed.

I've been trying this moisturiser for quite some time now, and have grown to really like it.  The smell is quite strong - so for those of you who hate strong smelling natural products this might not be your cup of tea - but it's surprisingly relaxing.  I really do like the smell and have grown to really crave it in my cleansing routine! It smells quite floral/spicy - but not in an overly 'knock your socks off' way - just light, refreshing and relaxing  (forgive me, I'm certainly not good with describing scents by any means - evidently). The fact that it's tailored towards 'normal to combination skin' is perfect for me - I struggle to get a good balance going on with my moisturiser - they're either too oily/heavy or far too light - but this one seems just about right for this time of year.  It sinks in incredibly quick and is very smooth to apply.  I love how it doesn't sit on top of the skin like a film - it just sinks straight in, leaving your skin feeling really smooth and soft afterwards and not greasy in the slightest - making it ideal for applying in the mornings before you put your makeup on (it really does leave such a smooth base - I was really impressed by this).  What's great about it is that it doesn't irritate my skin or smother my pores! It's packed with vitamins and anti-oxidants which help to balance the skin, giving it the nutrients and all-round goodness it needs and helping to settle any redness. I have a slight red patch on one of my cheeks that doesn't seem to want to shift - but when I apply this at night, it seems to appear calmer and smoother when I wake up in the mornings. 

I apply this both morning and night whenever I feel the need - it's just a really nice little 'all-round' moisturiser that isn't harsh on the skin and gives my skin just the right amount it needs.  I'd say this would be suitable for most skin types - but maybe the extremes would benefit with a moisturiser tailored towards dry or oily skin.  It works a treat on any dry patches I have but bare in mind if you do have very dry skin it might not be 'quenching' enough (they do a rich moisture cream that might be of interest to you though!)  It's definitely a great option if you have combination skin - as it seems to balance the moisture in all the right areas and calms any redness or dodgy patches you might have.  It claims to be a great option for those of you who live in warmer climates - sadly, living in Britain, I can count the number of hot days we've had this year on one hand so I haven't been able to vouch for this - but I can see why it would be a great option. It's not at all heavy and it's one that I will be taking away with me on holiday! It's light enough for my t-zone but gives the right amount of moisture on the drier areas of my face. Overall, I've really enjoyed using this moisturiser and it is one I shall continue to use, and I really do agree with the 'balancing' claim - the fact it's all natural ingredients makes me happy too. It has solved my combination skin woes and it's been one of the only moisturisers I've ever used that I feel happy using both in the morning and at night. 

You can find the Balancing Face Moisturiser here.

Or find your 'skin solution' for your skin type here. (dry, sensitive, congested, combination, anti-ageing..)

If you're interested in the Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream I briefly mentioned then you can find that here (one of my favourites!)

Have you tried Balance Me? Which products would you recommend?

Next on my list has to be their Skin Bright Hydrating Face Mist...I'm intrigued..

My Christmas Face of the Day

Swatches L-R | Urban Decay Naked2 'Bootycall' /  Urban Decay Naked2 'YDK' / Illamasqua Blush in 'Lover' / Nars Highligher in 'Albatross' / Revlon 'Red Laquer

Evenin' my little birdlings! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed a few days of guilt free chocolate scoffing and alcoholic beverage consuming like myself. I thought I'd post a little 'face of the day' for you all today... As some of you may know, Mr Claus rather generously popped a new camera under my tree this year, and no member of my family has managed to escape my snap-happy-ness let me tell you! Today has been the first chance I've had to sit down and log on to Blogger, and I'm so looking forward to reading through all of your Christmas related offerings! 

Christmas Day is not like any other day when it comes to makeup. It has to last through present opening, family dinners and afternoon naps on the sofa, and above all it has to look a little bit more 'spesh' than the usual everyday slap! My family and I always go out for Christmas dinner at a local restaurant near us - it gives us all an excuse to get a bit dressed up! (and out of our pj's!). It's beautiful - it's a really traditional little building with low ceilings and wooden floors, complete with log fires and burning candles - and the staff always decorate it amazingly well. I usually go all out with the eye makeup on Christmas Day but this year I decided to go really natural and neutral on my eyes - and paired it with a sheer red/coral lip and simple blush. I also took it as an excuse to use my new Nars highlighter (there's a post coming soon)... and i'm also proud to inform you all I have been fake tan free for a whole month! After being a bit poorly, I decided it would be a good excuse to cut it out of my routine for a while and my skin has thanked me no end (aside from looking a little pale) - I really recommend doing it if your pores are feeling a little bit clogged!

Eyes

Urban Decay | Naked 2 Palette | 'Bootycall' (lid) & 'YDK' (outer lid)

Loreal | Super Liner Carbon Gloss in 'Black' (top lash line)

Maybelline | The Falsies mascara

Barry M | Eyeliner in 'white' (waterline and inner corner)

Face

Loreal | Studio Secrets Professional Primer

YSL | Touche Eclat Foundation in 'B40' (review here)

Estee Lauder | Double Wear Concealer in 'Light Medium 02' (featured in this post)

Mac | Mineralise Skinfinish Natural in 'medium' (review here)

Illamasqua | Powder blush in 'Lover' (post here)

Nars |  Highlighting Powder in 'Albatross'

Lips

Revlon | Lipstick in 'Red Laquer'

My Dress

Oh My Love at Topshop | £36 

How was your Christmas? What did Santa bring you this year?♥

Festive Makeup | Eyes, Lips, Cheeks - 11 Festive Items

I can't believe it's Christmas Eve already! December has absoloutely flown by! The party season is well and truly upon us and for me, that means getting festive with the makeup...glitter, golds, deep wines and smokey eyes - anything goes for the Christmas period and it's the one time of year that we can all be experimental with our makeup, and above all it gives us a jolly good excuse to go glitter crazy! I thought i'd put together a post of some makeup items I've been using, or plan to use for Christmas partys and New Year celebrations...

| Eyes |

Look Beauty | 'Statement Eyes' eyeshadow | 'Shade 13' - A gold eyeshadow is a must-have item in my festive makeup bag! This one is perfect - it's so pigmented and has little glittery chunks all the way through it.  I love the consistency of these eyeshadows - I've been so impressed and really recommend them. They're really soft and creamy - they don't feel at all 'powdery' and apply really smoothly.

Illamasqua Eyeshadow | 'Obisidian' - A matte black shadow is a must in everyone's makeup collection. I tend to see them crop up more in my makeup application around this time of year though, and complete the look to any smokey, dramatic eye.

Mac Eyeshadow | 'Cranberry' - Eeeeek how much do I love this little beauty?! It's been a firm favourite all the way through Autumn for me and it's creeping back into my makeup routine recently. It looks amazing when blended with deep browns and purple-y tones, and adds a bit of festive cheer to your peepers.

Collection 2000 | Glam Crystals in 'Rock Chick' - These little glitter eyeliners come in rather handy around this time of year! I did a post on them earlier this year (click here to have a look if you want to see some other shades). They just add a little twist to any makeup look and look really nice applied under the lash line for a pop of colour or instead of your usual liquid liner.

Barry M | Dazzle Dusts | Silver '4' Grey '91' Gold '41' - Ohh come on.. who doesn't have at least one of these babies lurking at the bottom of their makeup drawer?! These little pots of glittery-dust have been around since I can remember (in fact I think the first 'proper' makeup product I ever owned was one of these!) Yes, they're messy. Yes, they're a little bit tacky but oh my goodness how they do come in handy for creating amazing eye looks. They also come in handy for creating glittery festive nail art... 

| Cheeks |

MUA | Blush | Shade 2 - I'm a massive blush fan - I have such a collection of them but one that I'm wearing just recently is this little plum coloured offering by MUA. It adds a lovely flush of wintery colour to my skin and doesn't look too 'overdone' with statement eyes or lips. Perfect understated wintery christmassy blush-goodness!

| Lips |

Rimmel | Kate Moss lipstick in shade '107' - This was sent to me by the lovely Sophia when I was lucky enough to win her recent giveaway! I was so excited to try this lipstick as I'd seen it in so many posts. It's the most perfect wine colour, and applies really well. It's becoming a new favourite of mine and I shall definitely be wearing it on Christmas day!

Maxfactor | Lipstick in 'Ruby Tuesday' - I included this in a recent post on my 'Top 5 Berry Lipsticks' (seen here), and it's still a firm favourite. It has to be one of my most favourite reds I've ever owned. It's so pigmented and feels moisturising on the lips at the same time as having some impressive staying power! It's such a good little all-rounder.

Barry M | Lipgloss | 'Glitter Red' - This lipgloss smells of cherries. Enough said. As well as smelling good enough to eat it also looks lovely applied on it's own - but I prefer it over a red lipstick because it adds so much depth and a bit of much needed sparkle for this time of year! The glitter can get a little annoying but Barry M lipglosses aren't sticky in the slightest and feel lovely and light on the lips.

Revlon | Lipstick | 'Cherries in the Snow' - If the name itself isn't enough to get you in the festive mood, then the beautiful berry colour surely will! If you aren't a red lipstick kind of girl then this is such a good option. It's a gorgeous berry pink shade. It applies like a dream and lasts all day (I've worn it for uni on a couple of occasions!) it looks lovely for day or night.

Estee Lauder | Lipstick in 'Tiger Eye' - I know what you're thinking. Bronze glittery lipstick, Beth are you actually a nutter?! I kid you not, this is the loveliest shade of lipstick for this season - it puts a little twist on a 'dark nude'. It applies fairly sheerly and gives a wonderful wash of bronze-y nude to the lips - it looks ridiculously glittery in the bullet but gives more of a frosted finish once it's on.  It's not everyone's cup of tea but it's a little bit different to anything else I own and it looks really nice applied in the middle of the lips over another colour if I'm not feeling brave enough to wear it full-on.

So there you have it girls. A selection of some of my festive makeup choices this season. I can't wait for Christmas now - I've finally finished wrapping all my presents and all that's left to do now is settle down on the sofa and indulge in some chocolate biscuits and Glitter Berry J20's (let me know if you're also addicted to these amazing thirst-quenching beverages!) 

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and hope the bearded chappy leaves you lots of lovely presents under your tree tomorrow morning! I'm sure I'll speak to some of you on Twitter at some stage.

What's in your Christmas Day makeup bag this year?!

 ♥