Face Brushes Gallore!

Remember when you only had 3 brushes in your collection? One for blusher, one for powder and one for eyeshadow. Those days weren't that long ago for me! If only I had known how much easier life could be with just the right brush! Today I though I'd share with you my favourite face brushes for different products and here they are: 

FOUNDATION: Real Techniques Buffing brush

If you have trouble getting a nice, even finish with your foundation, this is the brush to try. I always found flat foundation brushes difficult to use, as they tend to give that streaky look and make it harder to  blend out the product. This brush will sort it out, it is dense and the large surface area make it a brilliant tool to apply any base with.

CREME PRODUCTS: Real Techniques Stippling brush

If you tend to just use your hands for creme products, but always feel like the finish is a bit harsh and uneven, this is the brush to try! It will blend out the product evenly, without making it look too heavy. It is specially useful for creme highlighting, as it distributes the product a lot better than just your finger does, making it look more natural!

BLUSHER: Sigma F40

This is like Sigma's version of the MAC 168 brush. The reason why I like it so much is because I tend to have a heavy hand when applying blusher. This brush makes it fool proof, as it's not too dense and the size is perfect for applying the product to the apples of the cheeks!

POWDER HIGHLIGHT: Real Techniques Contour brush

Again, the advantage of this brush is it's size. For me, it's perfect for applying the powder highlight to the very tops of my cheek bones! I know people also like it to blend out concealer on larger areas. Lately I've tried it for what it was meant for, contouring, and it also does a brilliant at that!

BRONZER: Sigma F30

This brush has a slightly tappered shape (where the hairs on the top are longer than on the sides), which makes it perfect for a little bit of contouring, as the lower sides help to blend the product out! It's also an ideal size for applying bronzer all over the face for that golden glow!

What are your favourite brushes for different products? x

Neom Candle in Serenity - Vanilla & Sandalwood & Candle Lighter

I think the beauty blogging world is in a bit of a candle craze. I probably would never have thought to buy scented candles if I didn't read beauty blogs, that's for sure! I first heard of NEOM Organics on Sandra's blog. Recently, I entered a competition to win some of their products and as a "Sorry you didn't win" treat, they sent me a 20% off discount code! I went for a travel candle and a candle lighter (cause I was tired of buying matches!). 

From their website: "NEOM Luxury Organics candles are made using only vegetable wax and pure essential oils rather than synthetic fragrances so they burn without releasing harmful pollutants, toxins or soot." They do come with a price tag to match such luxury, but I believe it's totally worth it. I love how beautifully packaged everything is and that's why I wanted to share it on the blog. It's all part of the "experience" and I love the attention to detail here.

As for the quality of the products... I guess you can guess what's coming! The candle smells lovely. I can't compare the scent to anything I've ever smelt, it's truly unique. And the throw is really good too, the smell fills the whole room in minutes. The candle lighter is ever so handy and very sturdy. This will definitely not be my last NEOM purchase!

Have you tried anything from NEOM Organics?

Blogging Spaces: Sophie @ The Private Life of a Girl

 

 

 

"My name is Sophie and my blog is called The Private Life of a Girl.

The room I blog and make things in is teeny, tiny but ever so comfortable. It's pretty warm and cosy in here with its little Christmas tree lights that stay up all year round, a shelf full of vintage books and artwork on the walls. I have a whole shelf of tat, it's running out of space up there yet that won't stop me buying more. Despite being pretty organised on paper it's terribly difficult to keep this little space tidy, as soon as I start working things go everywhere. I do keep all my supplies in neat little boxes stacked together and my beauty products are kept in a filing cabinet to minimise the sprawling clutter.

I write my blog and make jewellery at this desk and then I go flop on the bed to read books and take a nap. It's a pretty lovely space to spend time in."

Thank you, Sophie, for sharing you space! I definitely recommend you guys take a look at Sophie's lovely jewellery shop, she makes the most beautiful pieces and I already have a huge wish list! haha x

W7 Stronger & Longer Nail Strengthening Treatment

My nails had been in a bit of state for a few months, so last month I finally decided to give them a break from wearing nail polish (you can read all about that here). The break did my nails some good. However, they were still growing a bit flaky and peeling off at the ends, so I decided to change my strategy and go in with a nail strengthening treatment. 

The first time I tried the W7 Stronger & Longer nail treatment, I just applied it over my flaky, peeling nails. I don't know what I was expecting it to do, maybe glue the layers back together (!), so I was unfairly disappointed when it didn't! haha I still decided to try again, giving it a fair trial by applying it to freshly clipped and filed nails. And THEN it started working it's magic: my nails grew stronger and there was no breakage, flakyness or peeling going on!

You know me and my issue with brushes. This comes with a nice, rounded end, wide brush, which makes for easy application! I also experimented with it, using it as base coat. I wouldn't recommend that approach though, as it didn't allow a smooth application of the nail polish on top. So definitely try this out when you're giving your nails a vacation!

You can find W7 on eBay and I spotted some of their nail polishes at TK Maxx yesterday!

*PR Sample

Starting Off #5: Blusher

MAC Stubborn // MAC Frankly Scarlet // Sleek Pomegranate // Avon Malva // Sleek Flamingo

The powder blusher as we know it today was created back in the 1800 by  Mr. Bourjois (does the name sound familiar?). Before that, the only option available was heavy, cream theater make up. Mr. Bourjois' invention was so popular, it broke the walls of the theater and was adopted by the every day woman. Of course, make up wasn't as socially acceptable as it is today, being considered vulgar at times. Women then resorted to pinching their cheeks and biting their lips to add that bit of flush to their complexion!

Luckily, we've got it easier than that nowadays! For me personally, blusher isn't an essential, but it IS one of the easiest ways to bring on the "pretty" factor. My favourite way to apply it is to concentrate the colour on to the apples of my cheeks and bring it up a little bit towards the top of my cheek bones. If you make a mistake and end up applying way too much product (Bozo says hi!), do not panic! You can quickly correct that by taking your foundation brush and blending some of the colour in. I wish I had known about this trick years ago, because the AMOUNT of times I made a mistake and took all my make up off in frustration to start again... There is very little that is unfixable!

What is your favourite blusher of the moment? Do you prefer powder or cream formulas?

The Sunday Post #7: A Little Coffee Talk

I'm not really a tea girl...

I knew I wanted to write a more intimate, "talking to a friend" blog post like this for a while now. This is the whole reason I actually started this Sunday Post thing, to have a bit of a chat with everyone. But I felt so intimidated by it, I ended up writing about all sorts of things to avoid this post! haha Now the time has come, I'm not even sure what I wanna say, so here goes nothing...

I've been writing blogs on and off since I was 12. I stuck to my first blog for about two years, but I can't even remember it's name now and that makes me feel SO old! haha I feel lucky that I learned about HTML and how to use Photoshop back then, just because it makes my life so much easier now! If you guys think it would be a good idea, I could write some posts on how to do some of the basic stuff on Blogger. Just let me know in the comments what you would like to learn how to do and I'll get on it!

I really like to help out newbie bloggers, because I know how nerve-wrecking starting a blog can be. Specially a beauty blog, in which, let's be honest here, you are more likely to be judged on the way you look. I really debated the decision of putting pictures of myself on here, since I haven't always had the self-confidence I have today. Not that I think that highly of my looks, I've just learned to not let mean spirited comments (or people) affect me like they did before! 

I really think this comes with age. I used to be so insecure about every little decision I made and about every word that came out of my mouth, but now I'm just learning to roll with it. It's funny how life teaches you... Time really does heal everything. I remember a really bad experience I had at uni where I messed up really badly and it affected a lot of people in my department. I got sick from all the stress I went through and I really felt like I had literally ruined everything and that it was impossible to fix.

In Brazil we have a saying: "There is only one thing that doesn't have a solution, and that is death". Of course it sounds much better in Portuguese (like most things do, erm.) The first time I heard it, I was 10. I had ripped my dress at a friend's birthday party and was crying, because obviously my life was ruined, so her grandma took me aside, fixed my dress and we had a conversation I still remember today, 12 years later. Wisdom does come with age, so don't worry too much, child! (I swear I'm not 60!)

Saying that, I'm sure my 16 year old self would've ignored all this...

The 5 Product Face

MAC eyebrow pencil in Spiked // YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat in BR 060 // Guerlain terracota bronzing powder in 07 // MAC lipstick in All Fired Up // Max Factor False Lash effect mascara

I like to have fun with my make up and I enjoy the time I take to apply it. |That's why five product routine is not something that appeals to me all that much. However, it's good to know that on those pressed for time days, I am capable making myself look presentable to the outside world in under five minutes! 

Because the whole look is so simple, I chose to wear a brighter lip. A striking lipstick colour is the best way to make it look like you put a lot of time and effort on your make up when you really didn't! It's the best trick for lazy days. I also chose bronzer over blusher because I feel like my face need that bit of definition (damn you chubby cheeks! 

I hope you enjoy this video! x

Mini Boots Haul

Went into Boots yesterday to buy toiletries for my husband's trip to America and made some cheeky purchases for myself!

Soap & Glory ScrubAtomic Facial Scrub

I haven't used a scrub on my face in months, in favour of chemical exfoliants like the Liquid Gold or the Clarins Gentle Exfoliating toner. The particles in this are really fine, which I love, but still give the skin a good workout. It's also got AHAs in it, so I like to leave it on for a minute or two before rinsing it off so the acids can do their thing! I quite like the new Soap & Glory approach to their packaging, the cleaner look definitelly looks cooler!

Maybellinne 24h Colour Tattoo Cream Eye Shadow in Pomegranate:

One of the best cream eye shadows out there. I already owned this in On And On Bronze and it's perfect for those lazy/in a hurry days. The formula of these is great, as it lasts such a long time on and doesn't crease easily on my hooded lids. I bought this shade to use in a tutorial I'm working on, so stay tuned! haha

Gillette Venus Pro Skin Sensitive:

Bit of a funny subject this, but these are definitely the best razors ever! I tended to use just the basic, cheapo men's razors, which lost their cut after 2 or 3 uses, so I was really surprised when these lasted me for over a month! I use them for my legs and underarms and they do a great job, I'll never go back to men's ones!

Boots Plastic Shower Caps:

Not saving the best for last, these are the most boring item to ever feature in a haul, but one of the handiest! I like to leave my hair masks or pre-shampoo treatments on for as long as I can (hours and hours). I was just using plastic shopping bags (yes, it is as glamourous as it sounds!) on my head, but now I've got the proper plastic caps, it's gonna make this pampering step a lot more comfortable!

And now, a not-so-mini Boots haul! This was my second YouTube video and it would mean the world to me if you guys could check it out and maybe even subscribe to my channel! x

 

MAC Retro Mattes Collection - All Fired Up & Dangerous

Remember when I went wild over the announcement of MAC's new fall collection? I was never one to get overly excited about a MAC collection (if at all), but this one tickled my fancy instantly! I am such a huge fan of their Ruby Woo and to think I could get more shades in the same formula was too much to handle. Now I've finally got my shaking with excitement-hands on two of the shades and here they are: 

Ruby Woo, Dangerous, All Fired Up

I had a moment of true panic like nothing else when I went into the MAC website and everything was sold out. How could this have happened?? I was watching that website like a hawk for these! I immediately started planning my trip to the nearest MAC counter! Luckily, they came back in to stock 2 days later and now I know there is a God!

I already owned Ruby Woo, but it is also included in the collection. Initially I (obviously) felt like I wanted them all, but checking the colours again after the first flush of excitement,  I realize a couple of them wouldn't work very well on my skin tone. I ended up going for All Fired Up, this gorgeous, neutral magenta colour and Dangerous, a very orangey shade. 

 

The formula of these is just as gorgeous and a true matte as Ruby Woo's. I recommend putting some lip balm on and then removing the excess with a tissue before applying, since these can be quite drying. Also make sure your lips are nicely exfoliated, since matte formula will highlight any bit that shouldn't be there!

All Fired Up 

Dangerous

 I have only got good things to say about my new purchases! Have you picked anything up from the Retro Mattes collection?

Blogging Spaces: Maddie @ Call Me Maddie

"Hey there fabulous Ferdie's blog readers! This is Madara, but you can definitely call me Maddie, which coincidentally is my blog's name too, so if you want you can head over to my blog callmemaddie.blogspot.com. :) Call me Maddie is a lifestyle blog with a focus on fashion, photography and beauty. My blogging space is pretty simple, as much as I would love to have a clean and basic design, I love to decorate my space with things that inspire me and things that I love and make me feel comfortable!

My blogging space is basically a simple writting desk, I use two computers, a lot of times I use them both together, for example, when I am browsing around different blogs and leaving coments, I sometimes put on a concert records of bands and singers that I like, therefore I am more inspired and listening to music I love! I decorated my desk with pictures of people I love a lot ( a photobooth pictures of me and my boyfriend; and picture of me, my brother and his wife). I love that ballerina music box, it has the sweetest melody ever!

The thing I use almost every day is this cute, small notebook. Every month in this notebook I write down the perfomance and stats of the last month! There I also write down my post ideas, achievements and a lot of other blog related things

One more device that definitely helps me with blogging is my smartphone (Samsung Galaxy S4), for example, I check my social network accounts, I sometimes make posts with the help of it and a lot of times it is very useful as a photo camera. Also I love buying fashion related magazines, like Vogue, Elle etc. I don't do it very often as the magazines are ridiculously expensive! The latest magazine I have is from H&M, which you can get for free in H&M stores; and as I work there I definitely have the privileges of getting to know all the news first! :) 

 I hope you liked my blog space post! :) And I would like to say a big thank you to Ferdie for offering me this opportunity of sharing my blogging space with you, her lovely blog readers! I have really enjoyed the series as I am a really noisy person myself and I love seeing my fellow blogger blogging spaces! I find it very inspiring and also very interesting! Thanks again and you can always find me on callmemaddie.blogspot.com or you can tweet me @Maddie_7L. " 

Thank you, Maddie, for sharing your space! Maddie's blog is one of my personal favourite style blogs. She dresses impeccably and always look so chic and elegant! I love her style, you should definitely check her blog out!

Starting Off #4: Bronzer

This week's post is all about bronzer! I think, if used correctly, bronzer is the perfect finish for most make up looks. You know when you finish putting your make up on and you still feel like there's something missing? I always turn to bronzer when that happens and it tends to pull the whole look together!

Bourjois Delice de Poudre, £6.99 // Guerlain Terracota Bronzing Powder, £33

The first bronzer I've ever tried was this famous Bourjois Delice de Poudre. Unfortunately, it was a little bit too light for my skin and didn't show up on me at all. So when I spotted this Guerlain one at their counter in House of Fraser, I ran for it. It was not cheap at £33, compared to the £6.99 the Bourjois one costs, but when I finally found a bronzer that worked for my skin tone, I knew I had to have it! 

When we talk about bronzer, there are two things you can do with it. You can either contour your face with it or you can give yourself a nice bronzed glow all over. With both these things, there are some precautions you need to take:

COUNTOURING:  make sure you are using a completely matte bronzer. Also be mindful of the shade you're using, you don't want anything too orange. Apply the product to the areas you want to draw back on your face, areas you would like to "hide". Applying it to the hollows of your cheeks and your hair line will make your face look thinner. I like to use a little along on my jaw line to help hide any evidence of an eminent second chin. haha You can also contour your nose, but that takes a bit more practice, I haven't mastered it myself!

BRONZING:  you can be a bit more liberal with applying it like this. You can get away with a little bit of shimmer, just don't go wild since it will be all over your face. Again, be mindful of the orange, since you don't want to look like you've been Tangoed. haha Basically, apply the bronzer anywhere the sun would naturally hit you! That usually means all the high points of your face, like the apples of your cheeks, top of your nose and chin and on your forehead.

Do any of you guys wear bronzer? What are your thoughts on it? Yay or Nay?

L'oreal Color Riche in 609 Divine Indigo

Even though I'd been on a nail polish break, I obviously didn't abstain myself from buying more! I got two of these L'Oreal Color Riche nail polishes and I don't know why they aren't more talked about on blogs because they are brilliant! I lifted my polish ban yesterday and my nails are still looking good. A relief, seeing as my Chanel sometimes chips on THE SAME DAY. The formula is slightly too thin for my liking, but it's not a problem to apply at all. And, my personal favourite, the lovely brush! It's thin, but rounder at the edges, so it fans out perfectly and you can get a perfect fuss free even coating! I'm loving this blue colour. I tend to stay away from metallics 'cause I find they can get a bit tacky sometimes, but this blue is as chic as the next thing! And great for autumn/winter!

Skimlinks Test

All in all, I'm loving this nail varnish, have you ever tried any from this range?

The Sunday Post #6: A Bedroom Makeover

Ikea dressing table, Ikea chair, Etsy wall art, Argos table lamp, Zara Home blanket, Zara Home tray, Ikea sheer curtains, Next Home mirror, Homebase faux flowers.

We've been in out current flat for 9 months now. Moving from Brazil, I didn't bring any furniture with me and my husband had always shared a house so all the furniture he had was his big screen TV and bed. Such a lad. So, when we moved into our newlyweds flat, that was all we had. 9 months later, we have a fully furnished flat, but not a nicely decorated flat. And I want to change that ASAP! Starting with the bedroom...

If you take a look at my Tumblr, you'll see this theme running through it: modern, white, crisp, elegant, chic. Now I just need to translate all that into real life! Shouldn't be that hard, right? Au contraire... I always find myself making huge wish lists, but when the time comes to actually go in store and buy all the things I want, I start hum-ing and ah-ing and come out empty handed. How silly is that??

The secret will be to stick to my lovely mood board (thanks, Photoshop!), buckle down and just do it!

Anything you'd like to change around your turf?

Everything I Own From Superfacialist By Una Brennan

The first time I heard about this brand was over at Ruth Crilly's blog, when she recommended the oil and the creamy cleanser. And, as with anything Ruth recommends, I obviously rushed out to buy them! Superfacialist by Una Brennan is a relatively new brand on the market and it's sold exclusively at Boots. This Una Brennan lady is one of the most accomplished facialists in the UK, having fans like Sienna Miller and building her reputation purely through word of mouth. She sees her clients at her Notting Hill home and my research tells me her facials aren't exactly relaxing, but they deliver amazing results. Prices start at £110 and I must say I'm tempted! Maybe as a birthday pamper gift? 

Rose Hydrate Calming Creamy Cleanser & Cleansing Oil: A perfect combination for a double cleanse and my first two purchases from the brand. I first tried them last November, when the weather was already chilly and this cleanser was a life saver for me. The name couldn't possibly describe it any better: it leaves my skin feeling very hydrated and plumped. I use the oil first if I've been wearing heavy make up and it works wonders at breaking it down. I follow with the creamy cleanser to be extra safe and I'm left with perfectly cleansed skin, ready for my next skincare step!

Rose Hydrate Intense Moisture Mask: I got this at the same time as the other two products and I highly recommend this for the winter months. If your skin, like mine, suffers with the cold weather winds and constant central heating, you need this in your life! Say goodbye to dry patches on your cheeks, this mask will take care of them brilliantly! Also a good one if you've been naughty and over exfoliating your skin. I know I've done that and this mask helped give me some comfort from that tight feeling!

Tea Flower Deep Clean Pore Purifying Clay Mask:  A recent purchase, but one I'm already loving! This is probably the best clay mask I've ever used. I leave it on 'till it dries down on my skin and remove it with a damp flannel. My skin is left feeling plumped and nicely exfoliated, as it contains Salicylic Acid, which is the best ingredient for getting rid of spots and blackheads. And that it does!

Vitamin C Brighten Dark Circles Eye Cream: A product from the newst range in the brand, the Vitamin C one. The point I always make with skincare is especially true with this one: you have to be consistent. Don't expect to be rid of your dark circles after two or three days of using this because that won't happen. However, if you keep at it and use this every morning and night, it definitely delivers and I'm loving it! I can even get away with no concealer these days!

What I think I love the most about this brand is the price for the quality you get. Plus, Boots always has offers on skincare so, at times, you can even find that brilliant creamy cleanser for just over a fiver!

Have you tried anything from Supperfacilist? Thoughts?

The Skincare Tag

Skincare has got to be the area that attracts me the most in all of the beauty world! I guess because I had such bad skin as a teenager and have less than perfect skin now as an (GULP!) adult, I'm always searching for the next best thing, that holy grail product that will make all my skin dreams come true! I actually get geeky, crazy fangirl excited about skincare. This tag has been going around the blogs for a while now and I've just been nominated to do it and I loved it, since I've been enjoying reading other blogger's answers so much. Here are mine:

1.Describe your skincare routine in five words. 

Cleansing, treating, exfoliating, hydrating, consistent.

2. What's your skin type?

My skin is normal to combination, getting a bit oily in the summer and prone to dry patches in the winter!

3. What's your favorite skincare product?

I love me some face masks 'cause I get to relax and enjoy them, but the most efficient one has to be the Alpha H Liquid Gold!

4. Top blemish zapper?

A good clay mask! Just one use and you find the blemishes will definitely decrease in size. And I like to put a little bit of the mask on top of any spots before I got to sleep and they will be gone is 2-3 days!

5. Face wipes... Yay or nay?

Overall, nay. It absolutely shouldn't be your only cleansing step. As a start to your cleansing routine, they should be fine

6. Toner... Yay or nay

Yay! Even if it's just a last step to make sure your face is totally clean. You can find toners which are also treatments like the Clarins exfoliating one, so I definitely won't skip this step!

7. High end skincare or high end makeup?

Skincare, no doubt about it! You can't hide bad skin with expensive make up!

8. You're in a French pharmacy and can only buy one item, what would it be?

Bioderma!

9. Top skincare tip? 

Consistency! You have to have a good routine and stick with it to get the results you're looking for. And also, drinking lots of water, keeping yourself hydrated does wonders for your skin.

Thanks to the lovely Amna for nominating me!

Blogging Spaces: Cat @ What Cat Says

"Hi there readers of Ferdie’s beautiful blog! So Ferdie was kind enough to let me guest post on her blog about my blogging space! I’ve enjoyed reading about other bloggers blog spaces, and I hope you guys enjoy mine too! My name is Cat, and I blog over at What Cat Says. It’s a fashion style and beauty blog with sprinkles of life, and other stuff. As a blogger, I’d love a beautiful big desk space with all the things I wanted and needed for my perfect blogging spot. I’d have all the inspirational images, all the pens and notebooks to hand and everything organised so nicely and neatly... But unfortunately I don’t have that luxury just yet. Still living at home, I share a room with my younger sister and a house with six others, so space is very limited and I have one place in the house I have to call my own, and as small as it may be. It’s mine, and my bed. 

This is where I relax, where I paint my nails, where I watch catch up TV, play my games and where I blog mostly. I love to blog in pure comfort, so getting tucked right in with my laptop, pillows sorted how I like them, and then my camera and notebook to hand, I will be a happy blogging bunny. Being in the comfort of my own bed, makes me feel like I can zone out into my own little world, and blog to my heart’s content. 

 I don’t have much on show, but the underneath of my bed is where I keep all my blogging things and make-up and beauty bits (as well as boxes and boxes of shoes). I have two baskets with my beauty bits and I have a vanity case where I keep my make-up so everything is always at an arm’s reach! My notebook holds all the blogging ideas, and schedules I attempt to keep to. Since doing this, I’ve been more organised with my blogging and I think I’d lose most of my blog ideas without that book. I keep it with my sketch book and coloured pencils for days where I feel inspired to draw and colour.

I take most of my blog photos with my FujiFilm FinePix S4500, but sometimes my iPhone is more to hand, so I use that from time to time. I usually keep it in a camera case handing on the corner of my bed so it’s always to hand with my tripod tucked underneath for my outfit photos. On my window sill, just seen I have a few beauty things that I always manage to accumulate whilst blogging; Some of which I recently blogged about, and some which I keep there as a reminder that they are to be photographed and blogged about! I also keep a mouse there for when I take a break and play The Sims 3! 

As long as I am comfortable, I’m happy blogging in my bed. I love a bit of silence when I’m blogging as it helps me think. I don’t think I blog half as well anywhere else in my house other than in this very spot I’m writing this right now. It’s like all creativity is lost elsewhere. Space should be and is no limitation when you have a spot on the internet that’s all yours to blog what you like and make your own! 

I hope you enjoy my post, and I’d like to thank Ferdie for letting me post on her lovely blog, and if you’d like to see more from me, you can either visit my blog at whatcatsays.blogspot.co.uk or tweet me on twitter @CatttSays!"

Thanks Cat for sharing your space! I loved showing this on here because it proves you don't need all the space in the world to write a brilliant blog, which Cat's it! x

Starting Off #3: Foundation

Today's post is going to include a little bit of a review on this new foundation that I got. It's the YSL Touche Eclat foundation! It's meant to be the perfect companion to the original Touche Eclat concealer/highlighting pen I talked about on the last post. It is just as luminizing as the pen and it is the best foundation I've ever used! It's got a lovely, demi-matte finish, so you can make it as glowy or as matte as you want. It's also one of those foundations that would suit almost all skin types. I have combination skin and this doesn't make me oily at all, but at the same time it also feels very moisturizing, so I'm sure it would be fine for dry skin girls as well! 

YSL Touche Eclat foundation in BR 060. £28 for 30ml from FeelUnique.com

If you're in a bit of a budget, the best high street foundation I've ever tried is this Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum. The formula is a bit thick, but if you just take your time blending (or maybe use your hands to apply it and melt it down a bit), it gives the perfect amount of coverage and also has a demi-matte finish, like the YSL! It's a bargain at £9.99 and we know Boots always has an offer on! I highly recommend this one! 

Here are my top tips on foundation:

For a more natural application, use a buffing brush or yours fingers!

 Have 2 colours of foundation: one for when your skin is more tanned, during the summer, and one for your winter skin. 

 Do not try to bronze yourself up too much with foundation. If you're not good at applying it, it'll just look weird! 

Don't try to plaster your face with foundation to cover imperfections. Do a light layer and spot conceal with your concealer.

You guys, I just started a YouTube channel and my very first video went up last night! If you could check it out and maybe even subscribe, I would be forever grateful!

400 Follower Giveaway!

I've finally hit the 400 followers on GFC mark and I'm so happy and thankful for everyone that follows my little blog! So I decided to hold a giveaway to say thank you so much for supporting me all these months! I really enjoy blogging and getting to meet amazing people through it is such an great bonus! So a big THANK YOU (have I said it enough?) to all of you!

The prizes are: a 250ml bottle of Bioderma and Benefit's Coral My World, which includes a mini Coralista blusher and a mini Sun Beam highlighter! x

Unfortunately this giveaway is open to UK & Europe only!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Sunday Post #5: Juicing Reboot!

I don't know about you guys, but when I was younger I used to go on every crash diet I heard of. I think the craziest one was one where you only drank milk for 2 days! I remember going a couple of days without eating as well... I'm suprised I never developed an eating disorder! I've always been tall and because of that I carried my weight well so no one could really tell but I've been overweight my whole life. Right before moving to England in 2012, I was in the biggest health kick of my life, running at least 3 miles every day, eating healthy. I lost tons of weight and felt great! Then I got married... Can you see where this is going? I gained about 30lbs! So when my mother-in-law told me about this juicing reboot thing, I was all over it! She suggested we watched a documentary called "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead", where this guy did a juice fast for 60 days and the results were amazing!

You will obviously lose a lot of weight, but this is far from being a crash diet! So, what is it? From ReebootWithJoe.com: "a period of time where you commit to drinking and eating only fruit and vegetables, herbal teas, and water in order to regain or sustain your vitality, lose weight and kick-start healthy habits that recharge your body and get your diet back in alignment for optimal wellness." And it does just that, let me tell you! The first two days are the hardest, as you're getting used to not eating solid food and, of course, to the taste of the juices. The first time I tried the green juice I just wanted to kill myself and I was SURE I wouldn't be able to do it. It was, indeed, pretty gross! Luckily though, there are many other coloured juices to choose from and some of them are quite delicious.

And to be honest, I don't know what kind of magic these juices work on your body, but after a few days you start craving even the most disgusting green juices (which of course become delicious and not gross anymore!). I think if you've been stuck in a rut of eating unhealthy things and take aways all the time (like we were!), this is the perfect way to get into the swing of healthy eating! I mean, I'm telling you from experience... In the 5 years I've known my husband, I have never seen him eating vegetables without complaining. After doing this juicing reboot for 4 days, he ate a whole bowl of chilli filled with broccolli and cauliflower and NOTHING. He said he actually quite enjoyed it! haha

The hardest part for me wasn't the hunger, as one might imagine. I didn't feel hungry at all, actually! The hard bit was no having the habit of cooking the food, putting it on a plate and using the cutlery to eat. I remember on day 1 thinking "I need to cook tea... OH WAIT!". haha But, as with all the rest, it's all a matter of getting used to! I lost 6lbs in 4 days doing this. I already gained 2 back but the habits that I'm picking up from this will make all the difference in the long run! I highly recommend this to anyone. Of course, always consult you GP before embarking in any radical diet changes! Check out ReebotWithJoe.com for more in depth information. x

My personal favourite: 3 carrots, 2 oranges, 1 lemon and 1 beetroot!

Max Factor False Lash Effect Waterproof

The Max Factor False Lash Effect mascara has been my favourite for a while now! I repurchased it this week and rekindled my love for it. I've been trying out many different mascaras, so haven't used this in a long, long while, but now I remember why it's my favourite! I cannot do with anything on my lashes that is not waterproof or else they'll go straight back down seconds later. The big plastic brush on this baby has been the answer to my prayers. It's not very lengthening but nothing gives my lashes as much volume as this does. I still haven't tried other Max Factor mascaras, but I hear they are all a favourite of Lisa Eldridge and if it's good enough for her, it's good enough for me! Not a bargain at £10.99 (from most Boots), but worth every penny!

You might not find this particularly impressive, but if anything can pump up my lashes past my hooded lid, I call it a winner!

p.s.: Happy Brazilian Independence Day! x

InStyle UK Fab Freebie - October Issue

I love UK magazines! In Brazil we never get anything nearly as exciting as all the stuff we get over here. This month's InStyle magazine has an amazing freebie. I think you could get a good 3 uses out of this good sized sample of the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer! The full size of this pre-shampoo treatment will set you back £27 at FeelUnique.com (but it IS on sale for just over £20 at the moment, run!). I got a small size in a travel kit and I absolutely love it! There's a reason why it was a favourite of Audrey Hepburn's! I was skeptical of something you just rinse off and then shapoo over being effective at all but this is really lovely! I highly recommend you guys pick this up. Not only for the freebie, but the magazine is really good this month, they've got a brilliant article on skincare for the winter months which I found really useful!

Blogging Spaces: Isabela @ Fusels.com

"Hello, Ferdie's readers! I'm Isabela, I blog at fusels.com and this is my personal altar. It is super simple but everything was meticulously planned. I hate clutter and I like to have everything nice and minimal, so I projected my workspace to be as neat and organized as possible. It is mostly white, and that's because I concentrate easier and generally feel better surrounded by this colour. My bedroom walls were previously bright red and I find that even though they looked a lot more beautiful, they were quite tiresome in the end of the day.

In the top shelf I keep my make-up mirror and lightning (always handy for the times I need to photograph some swatches) and also some artificial flowers that give the room a pop of colour and cinnamon scented candles to energize the atmosphere. In the blue post-its, I write the blog posts I'd like to publish next, and whenever it's done I just rip it off the shelf and substitute for something new. This way I always feel motivated to keep my blog updated and don't ever miss an idea!

On the desk, just my basic home-office gear. My Macbook Pro 13" – where I blog from, my Kobo e-reader for the times I need to take a break, a little black notebook where I track my impressions on products I'm reviewing, some coloured pens, glasses, home phone, and products I should photograph for posts.

I also do most of my projects for college in this desk, and sometimes there are watercolour pencils, oil pastel, Canson sketchbooks and all sorts of stuff cluttering it. In those days, I just cuddle up in my bed with my notebook and blog my mind away." 

I hope you enjoyed checking out Isabela's space! If you would like to share yours, just tweet me or e-mail me at ferdiefletch@gmail.com 

 x

Starting Off #2: Concealer

Concealer is probably your most versatile base product in your make up routine. It's main use is to "conceal imperfections", be it your under eye circles, acne or acne scaring or any redness you might have on your face. It's important to have two colours of concealer in your collection, since your face is not one colour all over. Also, there are areas you want to highlight with a lighter coloured concealer, but you want to use a darker colour to conceal imperfections. 

 

Make Up Myth #1: Always apply concealer before foundation!

First of all, I believe there are no make up rules for anyone! You should do whatever works for you. About this little rule, though, I think it's a lot more beneficial to apply concealer after your foundation, since you are already getting some coverage from the foundation. If you do it in that order, you'll need a lot less concealer and will hopefully dodge the cakey look!

 how flattering!

Ideally, you want to apply a brightening concealer to your under eye area. Something like the YSL Touche Eclat is brilliant to give you a highlighted, brighter look. If your under eye circles are very light, you can get away with using the Touche Eclat on it's own. However, if you need a little bit more coverage, I suggest applying your illuminating concealer and then, using a brush, blending it in with a more poweful one, like the MAC Studio Finish concealer. This is my current concealer routine! 

I also use my Studio Finish to conceal any redness around my nose and to cover up my lovely acne scaring! You want to avoid anything with brightening properties on the spots you're trying to conceal. If you suffer from really bad acne, I definitely recommend you buff your concealer in with a soft brush, as not to irritate the break outs even further. It will also help to blend out the product better, so you won't be left will a round spot of concealer where the blemish is, drawing even more attention to it!  Here are some other options for your concealer:

Clinique Airbrush Concealer | YSL Touche Eclat | Benefit Boing | MAC Studio Finish

My August Roundup!

Just click the image to go to the post!

My first Sunday Post, I had a lot of fun writing this one!

Find out my thoughts on the Bioderma and where to get it in London!

My little corner in the house where I blog from. Also check out Marvelle's right here and stay tuned for Isabella's on Wednesday!

The Sunday Post #4: Burger Wars!

My husband and I are quite the burger fiends. When we went to London in the beginning of August, we had already planned where to eat weeks in advanced! We wanted to know what all the buzz around these recently opened American joints was all about. This was not a skinny weekend, I'll tell you that much!

We first hit up Shake Shack. This is a New York City native burger place, most famous for their crinkle fries doused in cheese sauce. It opened in London's Covent Garden in July 2013 and a month later it was still going strong! We went on a Saturday and the line was massive! Luckily they have pretty fast service, so we only had to wait 10-15 minutes.

They give you this "shaker" after you order, so you can sit down and wait. When your order is ready, it lights up and starts shaking, I thought that was a nice touch! Again, not a lot of waiting at all, which was good!

Here it is! We both had the Smoke Shack (cheeseburger topped with bacon, chopped cherry peppers and Shake Sauce). As you can see, this is not the biggest burger in the world. It was actually refreshing to see an "appropriate" sized burger for once! The size wasn't the problem here, the taste was. The meat was bland as can be and the peppers didn't really pack any punch at all. It was an ok burger, nothing to get excited about, if I'm honest! However... The fries! Oh my God, the fries! They are THE crunchiest fries on the planet and the cheese sauce is heavenly! As good as they are, they unfortunately didn't make up for the burger. For desert I had one of their Concretes, the Unioin Shack, chocolateliest thing ever! Very good as well. 

We left slightly disappointed with Shake Shack. We were expecting a higher quality burger, which we didn't get. Also, they are getting rid of the crinkle fries (whyyyy??) in favour of fresh cut fries. We'll se how that goes!

Five Guys is allegedly President Obama's favourite burger joint! Their freshly cut french fries are fried in pure peanut oil, one of their trade marks! They also opened in London in July 2013, just 300m away from Shake Shack, in Covent Garden. And just like Shake Shack, there was still a line! I think we accidentally skipped the line by going in through the other entrance (oops, sorry everyone!). haha

They offer many options of topping for your burger, which I thought was great as I love being able to customize mine. Their "regular" is actually a double burger, so don't be put off when you see "mini" on their menu, that is just a regular one! Firstly, their fries were unbelievable! No cheese sauce here, just plain french fries with some salt. They kept the skin on the potatoes, which I think makes all the difference! Their portion size also wins over Shake Shack's. Do you see the brown bag at the back? The bottom of that bag was fiull of french fries! Amazing, glorious french fries! I had a cheeseburger topped with bacon and caramelized onions and each bite was better than the last. This is the best burger I've ever had, I've never tried anything as delicious and packed with flavour as this burger! 

They also have this space age technology drinks machine, which let's you mix your drinks to get any flavour you want! Vanilla Sprite? Got it! Cherry Fanta? No problem! You can spot my husband getting our drinks in the picture, the long haired guy! hehe

I guess the winner is pretty obvious. If you only have time to visit one of these, go to Five Guys and thank me later!