A Dark Circle Fighting Trio

For as long as I can remember, I've been fighting a losing battle with my dark circles. No matter how much sleep I get or how much water I drink, it makes no difference and they never seem to improve. I don't think it's possible to get rid of them completely; it's just something you have to learn to live with if you have them, but I do have a few products on hand that help to minimise their appearance. 

To ensure natural looking coverage and the best results, prep is key. The first thing I do before applying make up to conceal my shadows is apply an eye cream. I've been using the Clarins Eye Revive Beauty Flash (£29) for around six months now and I can't rave about it enough. This cooling gel releases toxins which minimises the look of puffiness and dark circles and instantly illuminates my eye area making me look awake. It's vey refreshing and hydrating but absorbs quickly, making it the perfect base for my make up as it prevents any creasing and provides a soft,smoother finish. I find that since I've introduced this eye cream into my skin care routine, my dark circles are less noticeable and my under eye area looks so much brighter before I've even touched concealer. 

Once my eye cream has absorbed into my skin, I apply a small amount of the Bobbi Brown Corrector (£19) which neutralises discolouration and brightens my dark circles. It has a thick texture but is really creamy, making it easy to work with. The shade I use is Light Bisque, I like to warm it up between my figures first as I find it blends easier and doesn't crease or settle into fine lines. This step really does make all the difference! I follow this with the Clinique Airbrush Concealer (£19), a product I swear by as it provides amazing coverage without looking cakey and lasts all days. The light formula means I can build up to the coverage I need and transforms my tired looking eyes, making me look wide awake. 

All three of these products work so well together to conceal my dark circles, I highly recommend giving them a try if you suffer from the same problems as myself. 

Have you tried any of these products? What do you use to cover your dark circles?

Grey Knits and Leather Shorts

So it looks like summer has definitely come to an end here in Scotland, the warm weather and sunshine we've been having is quickly fading and I've found myself digging out clothes more suited to the colder months. Autumn is my favourite season for fashion so I'm happy it's almost here, and the recent drop in temperature this weekend gave me the perfect excuse to finally wear my latest Topshop purchases.

I have such an obsession with grey jumpers, so when I spotted this lovely Boucle Slouchy Jumper (£36) I had to have it. I know this will be one of my most worn jumpers over the next few months, it's so cosy and comfortable and I love how it looks with my leather shorts. Despite it looking quite heavy, it's actually really light but thick and manages to keep me warm enough when worn on it's own; perfect for Autumn days when it's still too warm to wear a winter coat. It keeps me so snug! I teamed this outfit with my favourite brown chelsea boots which I've had forever, and this gorgeous Leopard Print Leather Ponyhair Bag (£38). I've been looking for a bag like this for ages and this one is perfect. It's a lot smaller than I'm used to (I'm guilty of carrying around a bag the size of a suitcase most days), but it means I only carry what I need, and surprisingly it fits all my essentials. My Autumn wardrobe is mostly made up of different shades of greys and black, so this bag will really stand out against my outfits.

What do you think of my recent Topshop purchases?

A Few Favourites from MAC

When it comes to make up, MAC have always been one of my most loved brands. They were the first high end brand I ever purchased make up from during my late teens, I even remember my first ever purchase which was the Studio Fix foundation. Since then I've tried and tested many of their incredible products, so I thought I would put together a list of my favourites. 

MAC Pro Long Wear Blush in Rosey Outlook (£20) 

I was organising my make up a few weeks ago when I came across this old favourite of mine. This blush is a pretty rosey pink shade that manages to add some much needed warmth to my pale complexion. When I sweep this on, it creates the most subtle and natural looking  finish that looks so flattering against my skin. As with all MAC blushers, the formula is long lasting and depending on the look you want to go for, you can easily build up the colour without going overboard. It’s the perfect shade for the colder months ahead too, so I’m pleased I’ve discovered this again.

MAC Prep + Prime Skin Refined Zone Treatment (£16)

I absolutely adore this primer, it’s lightweight formula aims to minimise the look of visible pores and smoothes the texture of the skin, while controlling oil and shine. This is one of the best primers I own in terms of smoothing over the skin, I don’t notice much of a difference in my pores when I first apply this, but once I apply my foundation  over the top my skin looks incredibly perfected and flawless. My make up always seems to slide off my nose after a few hours, but this really helps my foundation stay on for longer and keeps my make up looking matte. It’s been one of my essential make up products over the summer, there’s not been a day where I’ve not used it.

MAC Lipstick in Peach Blossom (£15.50)

This is easily my most worn lipstick at the moment and it's a shade I can see myself purchasing again and again. This is the most perfect pinky nude colour and looks very understated on the lips - almost like I'm wearing nothing at all. It goes with whatever other make up I'm wearing and is perfect for every day wear. Cremesheen's are by far my favourite out of all the lipstick formulas MAC has to offer, they're really creamy and leave my lips feeling nourished and oh so soft.

What are your favourites from MAC?

Origins Out Of Trouble Mask

A big chunk of my skin care routine is made up of Origins products. I've never tried anything from the brand that I haven't loved, their products are so effective and do so much for my oily skin. I've talked about this mask countless times on my blog but I've never got around to writing a full review on it. As it's one of my all time favourite skin care products, I felt it finally deserved it's own post. 

The Origins Out Of Trouble face mask (£23) is a clay mask aimed at those with a combination/oily skin type that works in ten minutes to deeply cleanse and decongest the skin. It's one of the few skin care products I use where I notice a difference in my skin instantly- it removes impurities, absorbs excess oil and sloughs away dead skin cells to reveal a brighter and fresher complexion. Not only that, it does such a great job unclogging my pores of dirt and grime and keeps my skin balanced so there's no excess oil production (which could lead to blemishes). 

Like all Origins products, it's packed full of natural ingredients to give skin everything it needs to look healthy and clear. I use this once a week to keep my oily skin in check, it's the perfect mask if your skin is in need of a detox too, it feels incredibly cooling and gives my complexion such a boost!

Have you tried this mask? What do you think of Origins?

The Perfect Flawless Base

Over the past few months I've introduced a few new make up bits to my everyday routine, and I've been sticking with all of them ever since. I love lightweight bases that make my complexion look beautifully flawless, so here are the products that make up this dreamy base combo...

MAC Prep+Prime Skin Refined Zone Treatment (£16)
I never skip on using primer, it's one of my most essential products as my skin is oily and I have visible pores. This leaves my skin looking really perfected, I dab a small amount over my t-zone to keep shine at bay and blur the appearance of pores on my nose. It makes the texture of my skin look so much smoother and creates a natural looking matte finish that's really long lasting. It feels nice and cooling on application too, which I just love. Apart from their blushers and lipsticks, I thought I was over MAC but this is such a great little product!

Bobbi Brown Corrector (£19)
No concealer has ever been able to mask my dark circles completely, so it's this little pot to the rescue. It works by neutralising discolouration and brightening the under eye area, and does all this without creasing or fading. This genius product has been designed to use before foundation and concealer - for a smoother application I use an eye cream first, then take a small amount and warm it up between my fingers and blend in to cover shadows. This is definitely one to check out of you need a little help with hiding pesky dark circles; it really makes all the difference.

Jouer Matte Moisture Tint (£29)
I love a perfected and flawless looking finish, and this does just that and so much more! It does everything that you would expect form a tinted moisturiser; it provides great coverage, evens out skin tone and imperfections and provides continuos moisture throughout the day, while keeping the complexion matte and shine free. It blends seamlessly into the skin to give a skin like finish which I just love, and the long wearing formula means it lasts all day and keeps your skin feeling fresh. If your skin is on the oily side I urge you to try this, you won't be disappointed!

Clinique Airbrush Concealer (£19)
This is one product that certainly lives up to it's name. Not only does it hide shadows, it illuminates and perfects the complexion too. I tend to apply this to my under eye area and the corners of my nose, the creamy texture makes application effortless and the light formula means I can build coverage without it looking cakey. This is one of the best concealers I've come across for hiding imperfections and transforming my tired looking eyes, I never leave the house without it. 

Dior Matte and Luminous Hydrating Loose Powder (£33.50)
My make up never feels complete without a dusting of powder to set everything in place. This powder is super dreamy, it leaves my complexion looking so flawless with such a beautiful glow. I use a big fluffy brush to apply, it feels weightless and comfortable on the skin and doesn't look chalky like some powders, it just gives my complexion a natural looking matte finish. The price is a little off putting, but you only need a small amount and I can see this lasting me forever. 

Urban Decay De-Slick Make Up Setting Spray (£20)
I didn't really have any expectations of this setting spray, but I have to say I'm really impressed! The formula aims to prevent make up from fading so you don't have to touch up as often, while controlling oil and shine keeping the complexion beautifully matte. I spray this over my face in a criss cross style three or four times once all my make up has been applied; it feels really light and refreshing on the skin and only takes a few seconds to dry. My make up doesn't budge when I use this, it still looks really fresh after hours of wear, even in warm weather. Look out for a full review of this coming soon!

Have you tried any of these?

Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara

I've been a fan of pretty much every product Clinique has to offer since my teen years, but I've never got around to trying one of their mascaras until now. I hardly ever repurchase the same mascara; I've always managed to achieve amazing results from any I've used in the past, so when my current mascara runs out, I always purchase another that I've never tried before as I love discovering and testing new ones.

I've read many rave reviews about Clinique's mascaras, so I decided to give their High Impact Curling Mascara (£18) a try. My eyelashes are naturally very thick and long, but they always struggle to hold a curl and can end up looking too straight, which isn't the look I'm going for. The arched brush follows the curve of your lashes, grabbing each one to create an upturned look. I'm so impressed by how well this mascara curls my lashes, it makes my eyes look so much bigger and more awake! Even though it's labelled as a curling mascara, I'd say it's definitely one that does it all - it creates incredible length and volume and makes my lashes look so pretty and fluttery. It's really buildable too, so I can apply as many coats as I wish to make my lashes look more bold without any clumping. There's no flaking or smudging, and the formula lasts all day.

Once again, Clinique has wowed me with another incredible product. It's a brilliant mascara for defining your lashes and ensures my lashes stay curled all day.

Have you tried any mascaras from Clinique? What do you think of them?