Everyday work face part 1

So this is what's on my face on an everyday work day. I work around upper school children and this is what I feel is appropriate to wear in a classroom when I'm not the student anymore, sob!!!

Liz Earle Signature Foundation in the shade Porcelain which I apply with my Real Techniques Stippling brush. These can be bought here (click!) and here (click!). The foundation is medium - light coverage and it's got a pretty good wear time, even when worn alone I think it's between 6-8 hours. My HD Brows kit in the shade Vamp is perfect for me as my eyebrows only need defining. Find it online here (click!). This powder is long lasting and easy to erase if you make any mistakes! 

 For my face products I love the Urban Decay Naked Flushed palette as the bronzer and highlighter compliment one another when used together. You can get one here (click!) and rather than using the blusher in the Naked palette I use Benefit's Dandelion because it's a little lighter and less of a statement blusher than the Urban Decay palette provides. Click here (!!!) to view it and buy online. I apply these with a range of brushes - both white bristle brushes are the same except one is a travel brush. They're Bobbi Brown Face Blender brushes and can be found here (click!) The black brush is a Mac brush but the number has rubbed off!
Around my eyes I go for the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer in the lightest colour (bought here, click!), Clinique High Impact mascara in black found here (click!) and Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr cream-gel eyeshadow in the shade On and on Bronze which I reviewed here last week (click!).

 (why are these different DAMMIT IT'S SO STRESSFUL. I took them literally seconds apart!)

This is the final product - I think it's relatively natural looking whilst hiding any imperfections and evening my skintone, although you may disagree. Unfortunately as you can see make-up does not conceal a totally stroppy facial expression, oops!

My Aeroplane Must-Haves

On Wednesday I happen to be jetting off to the fabulous Las Vegas with my also fabulous boyfriend. Unfortunately the eleven hour flight isn't so fabulous so I've packed my 15 plane must-haves to prepare for all the dry skin and tired I might have to endure and I thought they might be worth sharing.

Firstly : a make-up bag that's just the right size

Then fill it with all of your favourite things...

1. Benefit Erase Paste in 2 medium, MUA Blusher in Shade 1, 2. Sexy Pulp miniature mascara, 3. Clinique Translucent Powder in 03, 4. Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint in 01, 5. Elf SPF 15 Lip Balm in Pink, 6. Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Pink Quartz, 7. Mac 182 Brush

8. Travel magnifying mirror, 9. Figs & Rouge Organic Lip Balm, 10. Superdrug Vitamin E Intense Moisture Cream, 11. Boots Hayfever Relief eye drops, 12. Clinique All About Eyes eye cream

13. Denman Strawberry Shortcake Hairbrush, 14. little tin of hairbands and bobby pins, 15. Cath Kidston Wild Rose Handcream.

All of these might be quite obvious things to pack but I thought I'd share them anyway since they all work really well for me. I tend not to wear make-up on planes, either removing it as soon as I can get to the bathroom or just not wearing any at all but I do like to have some with me to apply before landing to feel slightly more human again. The moisturiser and hand cream are to keep my skin as hydrated as possible whilst on the flight. As much as I appreciate the air being pumped into the plane keeping me alive my skin suffers quite badly from dryness but with any luck these creams will keep me happy and hydrated, the same goes for the lip balms. Similarly, the Clinique eye cream is to help reduce any dark circles from lack of sleep and keep the skin around my eyes hydrated.The mirror is obviously so I don't have to constantly occupy the bathroom with my preening and the hairbrush, hairbands and bobby pins are to keep my hair out of the way when I'm on board.

I'd also normally take a nail file but this time I'll be putting on a new set of imPress nails to pass the time and stay hassle-free throughout my holiday. Hopefully I can do an update on them while I'm out there :) I'm a big fan of the imPress range as you can see here so let's hope it stays that way!

Anyway, there's my little ramble about my aeroplane must haves. Do you have any last minute products for me to pick up?

Love,

Clinique Blended Face Powder in 03

I'm going to put it out there now - I love this powder. 

I've always been a fan of Clinique, that's probably down to my mum's influence. I've always seen Clinique products on her bathroom shelves since the beginning of forever!

I picked this up after hitting the pan on my Mac Prep + Prime translucent pressed powder because I needed something to set my make-up without making me look tangoed like many powders do.

This "loose, lightweight powder" comes in a transparent pot with the classic Clinique design. I purchased mine in transparency 03 though I could do with one shade lighter. The colour doesn't particularly make a difference on the skin but I'd prefer one shade lighter as I am terribly pale!

The product claims to leave a "silken, flawless finish" which I definitely agree with. My skin was left looking smooth and matte.

It's a loose powder that doesn't deposit a heavy colour on the skin. It's very fine and helps blend and set any make up that's already been applied. I use my Mac 182 kabuki brush because it doesn't absorb any unnecessary powder or deposit it too heavily. As you can see from the photo above I have tapped the excess powder onto the lid of the powder pot to avoid using too much.

I don't recommend using this powder after having applied a bright blusher, in my case Nars Super Orgasm. I had a day where I swept this across my cheeks after using the bright blusher and somehow ended up as orange as a wotsit. I have no idea how it happened so drastically but I've kept away from combining those two products and it hasn't happened again, thankfully!

All in all I really like this product. I'll definitely be buying it again but next time in a lighter shade. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a powder that blends perfectly on top of foundation or tinted moisturiser.

Clinique Blended Face Powder can be purchased from any Clinique stockist or from the Clinique website.

What's your favourite Clinique product??

Love,