Foundation... oh boy, oh boy. I won’t lie to you, foundation is a pretty complex topic, and one that often takes years for makeup artists to master. Beautiful skin can be hard to achieve - however luckily for you, you’ve only got one face to master (unless you are a makeup artist). So hopefully these tips will help you to get a handle on what you need to do. For those of you don’t already know, this post is my third installment to the Starting Off Project (better known as #theSOproject on Twitter).

What’s What?

Personally, I never used to bother with foundation. I was lucky in that my skin was pretty fairly spot-free, so why bother? These days, however, if I’m doing anything more than a super simple eye look, I will always put on at least a little tint to my face, just to even out my skin-tone and balance my look. A foundation helps to cover spots and blemishes, redness and veins. Please remember though, if you don’t feel comfortable wearing foundation then don’t - some people can’t due to sensitive skin, and some people just don’t want to, which is fine.

Foundations come in an array of finishes, consistencies and coverages. Sound like gobbledegook to you? Then keep reading...

Coverage

• Sheer - My most frequently used. Barely any coverage and most frequently found in tinted moisturisers or BB creams (see explanation below).
• Medium - will cover a fair bit of redness and imperfections. I am more likely to wear this for a night out or special occasion as it can feel a little heavy on the skin. Something like Nars Sheer Glow or other liquid or powder foundations on the market.
• Full - this will cover your face so much that sometimes your skin won’t even be recognisable due to the amount of makeup caked on. I’d save this as more of a concealer for patches of acne; in my experience this coverage is most regularly found in a creme or sometimes liquid consistency.

Consistency

• BB Cream - These are still relatively new to the market. These are usually in liquid form and usually provide sheer coverage. They also provide SPF and moisturisation, and sometimes even have anti-aging properties. This is perfect for people with very clear skin or as a base for your makeup.
• Tinted Moisturiser - This is again a very lightweight option in liquid form with little coverage for those who want a light base to wear by itself or with concealer where needed. They are - as the name suggests - moisturising, but can be worn by oily-skinned girls if they pick something oil-free.
• Liquid - This can be worn by most skintypes as there are so many variations in coverage and formula. As suggested, this is comes in liquid form but can even range between watery and fairly thick and so can be applied in a range of ways.
• Cream - This stuff is often found in a pan or stick (a bit like a concealer). It’s not always full-coverage but is very likely to be. I’m still experimenting with these but so far I think that their best use is concealing and highlighting/contouring.
• Powder - This is more often used to set foundation so that it stays in place, although it can be used by itself if you’re oily skinned. This will give you a matte look which I’m not a huge fan of, but if you absolutely hate any shine then it’s worth investigating.
• (Mousse) - a consistency released by Maybelline a few years ago. I haven’t tried it properly myself, but it’s not hugely popular these days and I’ve heard that it’s best suited to oily skin types.

Finish

• Satin - This is created with foundation that is lightly powdered and has no shine, but may have a little sheen.
• Luminous - This is a fairly unnatural finish that is more often used in editorial work by makeup artists, but it extremely iridescent and dewy. No powder needed here!
• Natural - As it suggests, as your natural skin would be. This will include a bit of a glow to make your skin look healthy.
• Matte - No shine or shimmer whatsoever. It’s not particularly modern and is apparently quite French. Of course we may want certain parts of our skin to stay matte, but overall I’m not a fan. Of course, don’t let that stop you...

How to... Pick a Foundation

When picking a foundation it’s good to think about the categories that I have mentioned above, but also think about what your skin wants. If you’re having trouble determining your skin type then please refer to my post on Skincare. Also consider when you'll be wearing your foundation. For day to day you may want something sheer with SPF, but for night you may want fuller coverage and no SPF (or titanium dioxide) to avoid 'pale-face syndrome' when you have pictures taken of you.

If I were you I would take the time to research a bit online. Read stockists’ websites and blog reviews, I often get overwhelmed with what the sales assistants tell me in store. It is also important to remember that there are some inexpensive and some bank-breaking foundations out there. Some are good and some are not - to help you a little, I’ve got a <>tried and tested<> section down below to let you know my opinions on the foundations that I have tried.

So now you’re in the shop, what do you do? I would recommend matching your foundation yourself. This may take some guts as the sales assistants might have been taught to do it differently. I always match my foundation to my chest. Not to my neck (the palest place on the body as it’s sheltered from the sun by your chin) because I’ll look like a ghost, and not my face itself as I want it to blend in with the colour of the rest of my body for a natural look. Take two or three shades of tester foundation and do a stripe of each across your chest. Pick the one you think matches best and ask the sales assistant for a tester of it. They should oblige, but if not you can offer to bring along a little tub to take a bit home in yourself (available for under a pound in places like Superdrug). A foundation is an investment and cannot be returned so you have every right to try it out! Besides, you never know how your skin may react and the lights in the shops are hardly natural!


If you’re in a place like Mac then you’ll be faced with the option of cool-toned or warm-toned foundation. Please don’t panic, you can always ask the sales assistant to help you with this but I thought I’d include a word on the subject in case anybody wants to try this for themselves. Whether you are cool or warm-toned does not depend on the lightness or darkness of your skin, but rather your undertones (e.g. somebody who is olive-skinned is in fact cool-toned). This can be tricky, so I would ask a sales assistant for help, or follow this simple guideline:

Cool-toned:

• You suit silver jewelry best
• The veins on the inside of your arm are bluish in colour

Warm-toned:

• - You suit gold jewelry best
  
• -The veins on the inside of your arm are greenish in colour

How to... Apply your foundation

Prep: Now you’ve picked your foundation and taken it home, what do you do with it?! Firstly you’re going to want to prep your skin ready to put makeup on it. You can buy all-purpose primers, but I prefer to tone (especially important if you have oily skin) and then moisturise. Alcohol-free baby wipes are a cheap alternative to toner for prepping purposes. Moisturiser will provide a nice base for your foundation to glide onto, and will improve its longevity. I would leave your moisturiser to sink into your face while you apply your eye makeup; this is also important as it’s easier to clean up any fallout that you have from your eyeshadow so that you’re not repeating steps.

Tools: When you come to putting the foundation on your face, fingers are great for anything that is liquid. However, if you want an ‘airbrushed’ look, your foundation to last even longer or are applying a powder then you’ll need some tools. Powders are applied best when they are pressed onto the face with a powder puff or powder brush, whereas creams and liquids look great when applied with a foundation or stippling brush. Really watery liquids or liquids applied to people with dry skin work best on sponges, so you don't buff the skin and potentially cause dry bits to flake off. Even when using a brush I like to smooth over my foundation with my hands afterwards to help it sink in and create a natural finish.

Technique: I start applying my foundation in the centre of the face as that is where people have the most redness and will need the most coverage. You may not need as much on the rest of your face, but it’s important to blend it all the way down to the bottom of your neck, anyway. This will prevent foundation lines and will keep your face and neck colour looking uniform with the rest of your body. Look out for patches on your hairline and ears (yes, I said ears), as well.

After this you may want to set your foundation with a powder across your T-zone or all over the face and neck. My weapon of choice is the Eshiko High Definition Powder as it is translucent and will suit my skin year-round. There are a range of powders on the market perfect for the job, though.

Tried and Tested

Here are a few of the foundations that I have tried for myself over the years and what I thought of them. Please note that my skin goes between being dry in the winter and more oily in the summer, I will specify which I was at the time that I used the foundation in each mini review.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation - This was a fantastic liquid foundation for when my skin was more dry. I found that it wore off after a full day without powder, but it was so easy to apply and a bit of a bargain. I haven’t tested this on oily skin. The coverage is probably light to medium.

Kett Cream Foundation - This is definitely for people with oilier skin. I’m not sold on this as an all-over foundation as it’s fairly heavy coverage, but I like it as a concealer or for highlighting and contouring.

Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturiser - This was my favourite foundation for a very long time, and although I loved it when I had dry skin I’m looking to use it now that my skin is a little more oily too, due to its lovely sheer-light coverage.

Mac Mineralise Skinfinish Natural - This was my first setting powder, and although I don’t use it as much now due to its levels of titanium dioxide and talc, it’s still handy from time to time and could be used by itself as a foundation (although I found this to look a little cakey). If you do use this as a foundation apply any liquid concealers first as they will not sit on the powder.

Mac Pro Longwear - Although this is a liquid foundation I found it to be quite gloopy and drying on the face. It didn’t sit nicely on my skin at all and has a medium coverage.

Nars Sheer Glow - This is my all-time favourite foundation. It is liquid and medium coverage, and although it is ‘glowy’ it works perfectly on my skin whether it is dry or oily. I will always repurchase this foundation due to its gorgeous, silky texture and dewy finish.

No 7 Triple Protection Tinted Moisturiser - The worst tinted moisturiser that I have tried by far. It is a thick liquid that has to be rubbed in so well to avoid dreadful foundation lines. It’s supposed to change colour to match your skintone but always applies too dark for me with barely any coverage. For a full review, please read here.

Origins Vitazing - This is a little like a BB cream and it has really grown on me. It comes out as a white liquid and matches your skin tone. The coverage is very sheer but the SPF is good for my nearly-no-makeup days and the extra moisturisation makes it a good base for makeup. I currently use this with my oily skin.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation - This is a great, cheap alternative to Nars Sheer Glow. It has a slightly dewy finish, although is a lot sheerer in coverage but can be built up a bit. I can use this with dry or oily skin.


I know that that was a long one, but there were so many tips that I wanted to include for you! As always, if you have an questions please leave them in the comments, or you can always e-mail me or tweet me!

What are your best foundation tips?

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P.S. Have you entered my 100 follower international giveaway? You can win a range of gorgeous makeup goodies until September 29th!

Thanks so much to all of my followers who have been so lovely to me over the past few months!
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I often go through phases with my lipstick preferences. Whether it be a certain trend, my mood, or even the weather that sets me off, there are certain colours that I repeatedly crave. One such shade is the 'not-too-pink' bright pink. Spring and summer get me in the mood to wear a bright pink lip, but having cool-toned, pale skin it can be difficult to find a colour that doesn't wear me.

Fortunately, I have rediscovered this asset to my makeup collection. Creme Cup by Mac is the mid-toned pink that manages to perk up my pale face without being the centre of attention. It really just ticks all the boxes! This was my first ever Mac purchase, and so I was shocked that this had been so unloved for so long. It's been one of my favourite lipsticks to use over the past month when I want a pretty non-statement lip that but isn't totally natural, either. It has a creamy consistency (as the name may suggest), but it does need to be applied lightly and with care, or it could end up looking a little caked-on. Luckily it has great pigmentation which means that one swipe is just enough to pretty up your pout. Oh, and don't leave it in a hot car like I did - it will melt!





Despite having spent the last few months gathering dust in my makeup drawer this gets a huge thumbs up from me! I think that it would be a fantastic addition to anyone's makeup collection, especially if you're a pale girl who struggles to find a wearable brightish pink!

What's your favourite not-too-natural lip colour?

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Welcome, once again, to the SO Project! We're on week two now and today I'll be telling you all about concealer. If you need cluing in on what the SO Project actually is, then have a quick read of my introduction post. FOr me concealer is one of the best items of makeup. A bit of mascara and a dab of concealer can make a world of a difference, especially if you know how to use it properly! In fact, with the right techniques you may not even need foundation at all! Have a read and see why concealer is so useful.

The Basics of Concealing

Concealer is essentially designed to do just what the name suggests; conceal any imperfections whether they be spots, blemishes or discolouration. The types of concealer you can get on the market, however, are numerous. The main types are fluid consistencies, solid/creamier types and even powders. In my personal experience the fluids tend to be better for covering areas of redness or discolouration, whilst the more solid types are better for covering small areas such as spots or blemishes.

Concealers should always be placed over the top of foundation (the foundation will cover some discolouration by itself). To cover larger areas, a foundation brush should be used to help spread the product and blend it, whilst a smaller concealing brush is perfect for pin-point concealing. It is also important that you concealer matches the colour of your foundation - anything too dark will just make your face mucky and anything too light will highlight your imperfections rather than cover them! It is also a very good idea to set your concealer with some powder - be sure to press the powder onto the skin so that you don't wipe away all of your hard work!

Using Concealer to... Colour Correct

It is also worth noting that within the concealer family you can also buy correctors which come in different colours to counteract different tones of discolouration. For example, to cover your under-eye circles a lot of brands do a colour corrector with a peachy undertone to counteract the blue/purple. I haven't used one of these in a very long time, but my favourite that I've used is the Bobbi Brown Corrector due to its creamy texture which made it easy to blend. You can get other shades of corrector, such as green to counteract redness, but personally I prefer to do this with my foundation and regular concealer. You should layer up your corrector with some concealer on top so that your imperfections are completely undetectable!

Using Conealer to... Highlight

Another way to use you concealer which everybody seems to be getting into right now (thanks to Kim Kardashian) is highlighting. Opting to use concealer (or even foundation) for your highlighting is a lovely, natural option. If you're not sure what highlighting is, it is basically using makeup to create the illusion of a really impressive bone structure! It works by putting concealer (or foundation) a couple of tones lighter than your main foundation on certain areas of the face to make them appear to 'stand out' more, giving the face more dimension and bringing more light to it, too. The main places to do this are:

• The brow bone - That's the bone you can feel just under your brows (duh!).
• The Under-eye 'V' area - Follow the line down from the corner of your eye that runs parellel with the bridge of your nose. Stop this line when you hit the cheekbone and then follow the natural line of your cheekbone. This is your outline, and the inside of this shape can be 'coloured in' with concealer, too.
• The centre of the bridge of the nose - Avoid the very tip of your nose and carry the line up a little onto your forehead too (a couple of lines of concealer can be added just over your brows to bring even more light to your face!)
• A bit on the chin - Easy there, tiger, you don't want to add so much that you look like a shine-ball!

My weapons of choice for this technique are either Kett Creme Foundation (highly pigmented, therefore perfect for concealing, or in this case, highlighting) or Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer (my regular go-to concealer of choice). If I am using Kett I will put it on underneath my foundation, so that as I buff my foundation into the skin it helps to blend the highlight in even more. If I am using my Collection 2000 concealer I will tend to place this on top of my foundation due to its fluid consistency which makes it easy to blend in seamlessly. If you really want to amp up the chiseled cheekbone look then you may want to pair up your highlighting skills with some contouring, but I will talk more about this in Week Four: Bronzing!

Tried and tested...

Looking back, concealer is one item that I don't feel as though I've explored the market as much as I could do... I blame it on the hard=to-shop-for pale skin. Anyhow, here are a list of the concealers that I have tried and what I thought of them:

• Mac Studio Finish - This was one of the first decent concealers that I tried and it worked really well for me for a while. I'd say that overall this is best for covering up individual spots. When I tried to use this to cover a cluster of blemishes on my chin, on the other hand, I actually found this to be really drying and it just ended up looking flaky.
• Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer - This is my current favourite concealer. It comes in a tube with a sponge-tip applicator (perhaps not the most hygenic thing in the world) and is fantastic for undereyes and covering larger areas of redness. Plus it's £4.19 - bargain!
• Kiko Full Coverage Concealer - This is a little greasier in consistency than Mac Studio Finish, but it is pretty good at covering up. Good value for money, but I wouldn't skip on the powder for this one!
• Mac Moisture Cover - I really loved this concealer, but I find that it is so similar to the Collection 2000 one that I'd rather buy that instead and for a fraction of the cost!
• Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer - It was a while back when I used this, and it is a really lovely product but probably a little too on the creamy side for some people's tastes and incredibly expensive. If you like your concealer to be creeeamy and money isn't an issue then this may be for you!

I think that's just about it from me! I hope that this will help some of you to see the purposes of concealer that go beyond the obvious. If you have any questions on anything in this post then please feel free to leave a comment or tweet me.

More of the SO Project:

• Week One - Skincare

Do you have any extra uses/techniques for your concealer?

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August has been a really great month for me. Not only did I start off the month with my first ever couple's holiday, but I also got to go on my second work placement of the summer. Naturally this involved a lot of traveling, and so any beauty items that made the cut for my makeup bag had to be pretty darn good! I have to say, I think that this month I've got a really nice little roundup of products! As per usual I’ve managed to condense them down to my top five.


Origins Vitazing - I’ve had this product for a few months now and have never loved using it as much as I do right now. I originally started using this as an alternative to tinted moisturiser, although I wouldn't exactly describe this as a tinted moisturiser. It adds a slight tint to the skin and I’ve been using it as a base for foundation or just concealer. I love it because it adds some extra moisture and a little SPF to my makeup routine. This is a unique and well-used member of my makeup collection!

Joico K-Pak Colour Therapy Restorative Styling Oil - When I saw some Joico products at IMATS a couple of months ago I had every intention of picking up their shampoo and conditioner, but when the lovely woman at the stand told me how great this product was I knew that I just had to try it. This is without a doubt the best hair oil that I have ever tried. I love how soft and manageable it makes my hair whether I’m blowdrying or letting it dry naturally. I really notice the difference when I don’t use it and I'm pretty sure that I will be repurchasing this in a few months. That’s really saying something for me, as I think that I can sometimes be a little oblivious when it comes to haircare.

Tweezerman Mini Slant Tweezers - I was horrified when I turned up for the start of my three-week internship in London and realised that I had forgotten my tweezers. Luckily my mum was working in London one day and she gave me this pair. I’ve used Tweezerman tweezers before and they are without a doubt the best brand that I have ever used. The tapered end makes it so easy to pluck with precision and minimise any pain. In fact, I used these on a friend to sort out her brows and she said that she didn’t feel a thing! The fact that these are travel sized are just the icing on the cake!

Dr LeWinn’s Renunail* - I’ve already had a little rave about this product but I couldn’t leave it out of my favourites. My nails are looking the best that they have done in years and it’s all thanks to using this. If you want to read about my nail journey in detail and see some photographic evidence then you can read my review here. I’m most definitely going to be treating my nails to this product every so often when they are in need of a little TLC - I want to keep my lovely, long nails up!

Nivea Vanilla and Macadamia Lip Butter - I bought this in Boots just before going on holiday because it looked like a nice, luxurious change to my regular favourite (chapstick). I'm so pleased that I did! Not only does it smell gorgeous - I’m a sucker for vanilla - but it leaves my lips feeling lovely, too. I especially like how the texture is creamier than my other lip balms and it doesn’t feel at all greasy.


I wanted to add a little message at the end of this post to any American readers out there. I am off to Florida at the end of next week and was wondering if anybody could recommend me any beauty products that I should pick up when I'm out there? I'll be doing a haul when I get back!

What have been your favourite products to use this month?

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I’ve always wanted pretty nails. Unfortunately for a student who nibbles their nails when they get stressed (i.e. most of the time) this proved to be a bit of an impossibility. Let’s not even talk about the damage they had suffered from my first set of acrylics and two rounds of shellac. Cue Dr LeWinns Renunail Nail Strengthener*. Renunail promises stronger, longer nails in just four weeks - ah, what music to my ears!

I started using Renunail when I was on holiday. One problem with this was that I found when I didn't allow the newest layer to dry properly it would go a little sticky in the heat. This can definitely be avoided, however, by applying it before bed to allow it plenty of time to dry. Try not to put it on in the dark like I did, though - a little goes a long way with this so you will definitely need to watch how much comes off on the brush! Despite my initial setback I did notice a change in my nails within the first few days of using Renunail.

The strengthener itself is a clear polish containing calcium to strengthen your nails, and comes in a 30ml bottle. The instructions say to apply two coats onto clean nails and continue applying a coat per day for the next five days. The day after this (day seven) the polish should be removed. This routine is repeated a further two times for an overall programme that lasts three weeks. You are advised to take a two week break in between cycles.





I have been using Renunail for just over three weeks now and I am so pleased with the results! Before, my nails were quite short and not a very nice shape, and really very weak. However, after my first week of using Renunail I actually cut my nails as I was worried that they were going to get so long that they may break! Perhaps I should have had more faith in Renunail, but two weeks after that my nails are undeniably looking much healthier - not to mention prettier - than before! I’ve tried not to do too much to my nails in terms of cutting/shaping them so that you can see just how far they have come along.

I really would (and have!) recommended this product to anyone who wants to grow or strengthen their nails. I’m so pleased that I tried Renunail and will most definitely be reaching for it every so often to keep my nice, long nails up. Besides, with such a big bottle this will be lasting me a very long time. Once I’ve given my nails a bit of a break I’m even thinking of using this as a base coat from time to time!

Which products do you like to use to keep your natural nails looking fabulous?

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*This product was a free PR sample, but I can guarantee that anything written on this blog comes from my own thoughts and opinions. I promise to not let this be influenced by anyone else in any way whatsoever - you can count on me!

The day is finally here - welcome to my very first installment of #TheSOProject! If you don't know what I'm talking about, then you may want to read my last post. All you need to know for now is that I’m going to be giving you my top tips on a series of makeup items every week starting today with Skincare. That’s right - you’ve got a whole ten weeks to look forward to of this!

Skincare is a pretty broad topic to go over in one post, but it’s also the first thing that you should be looking at if you’re thinking about starting out with makeup. A nice, clean canvas (aka your face) will make everything else follow much easier. You should be taking care of your skin with a simple routine of 'cleanse, tone and moisturise' at the very least. Having said this, though, I can totally understand why some people struggle with this - myself included. I always feel as though skincare is one aspect that you really should try to put a good amount of money towards - you don’t want to be putting just any old rubbish on the delicate skin on your face. I once used a cheap all-purpose moisturiser on my face and ended up with what can only be described as monstrous hives.

My Skincare Routine

If I’m being honest with you I’m still not 100% satisfied with my skincare routine. This may be partly because my skin likes to go between being dry in winter to oily/combination as the weather heats up, but I also know that my diet and water-drinking habits could be improved! Plus, let's not forget that I've been living on a student budget for the past year... Even so, here is a glimpse of what my current skincare routine currently looks like.




I use Bioderma Sensibio H2O every evening with a cotton pad to remove my makeup, I then follow this up with my Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish. I use this with a muslin cloth so that my skin is also being slightly exfoliated, taking off any remenants of makeup and dead skin cells, too! After this I will moisturise; I am currently using the Origins Make a Difference + but this is the product that I will switch up the most frequently. The only way that my routine changes in the morning is that I will not use Bioderma, and around once a week I will exfoliate after cleansing. My current favourite way of doing this is by mixing some Bioderma with Bicarbonate of Soda to create a natural exfoliant and leaving it on my skin for ten minutes.

Your Skincare Routine - Skin Types

When formulating your own skincare routine, the first big step you need to take is to determine what skin type you have. Skin types are how your skin naturally behaves, and it tends to depend on your genetics and environment. Try to observe your skin; do certain patches of skin behave differently? Also remember that your skin type can change as you get older or as the seasons change. There are four main skin types:

• Dry - Flaky or 'tight' feeling skin that is in need of a bit of extra moisture.
• Normal - Unless you're incredibly lucky you will only have 'normal' skin as a child: the pH is right where it should be (normal skin is slightly acidic) and it doesn't tend to be too dry or oily.
• Oily - If you often feel 'shiny' or glowing then you may have oily skin. Oily skin also tends to be more spot-prone.
• Combination - Combination skin is a mix of any of the above categories. Most people will have combination skin to some extent.

Your Skincare Routine - What's What?

So all of this may seem a little overwhelming: let me break things down a bit for you to see exactly what does what!

• Cleansing - This is what will clean your skin and keep it free from makeup and all sorts of other nasties. Cleansers can come in cream, gel or oil form. Take your pick, but stay away from those foamy cleansers! They will strip your skin of the natural oils that it needs.
• Exfoliating - This can be done with physical or chemical exfoliants which will get rid of the old, dead skin cells and let the new, glowing ones come through!
• Toning - This will help to maintain the pH of your skin and is an important stage in prepping your skin for makeup. If you don't have a toner to hand but need to prep your skin, alcohol-free baby wipes are a good alternative.
• Serums - This is a pretty versatile category as there are serums that claim to do all sorts from anti-aging to moisture-boosting, so if you want to use one then pick one that suits your main skin concerns.
• Moisturing - This one is pretty self explanatory, but I would go for a moisturiser that suits your skin type and has no SPF (you can do this separately for more efficiency).

So that's what's what, but just remember that the important thing is that you formulate a skincare routine that suits your skin type! My top tips for choosing your own skincare items are to avoid anything with that has alcohol (dries out the skin), mineral oils (a cheap, inefficient ingredient) and parabens (found in cancerous tumours) in the ingredients - ain't nobody got time for that!

Brands I Love

If you're looking for a place to start looking, here are a few skincare brands that I have tried in the past and enjoyed using. I've tried to include a range of prices:

• Avene
• Bioderma
• Estee Lauder (Verite range)
• Green People
• La Roche-Posay
• Liz Earle
• Origins

I hope that my little insight into skincare has helped you somewhat, and maybe even taught you something that you didn't know before. If you want a more in depth look at skincare (one post really isn’t enough!) then I would really recommend checking out Carolin Hiron’s blog at BeautyMouth.com - she really is the expert!

What are your top skincare tips?

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I was taught a little bit about makeup when I was younger, but when I got really interested in it I had to start finding out about it for myself. I was lucky enough to discover YouTube, but even then I had to watch hours of videos to learn how to use the products properly. Highlighting, concealing, bronzing, contouring... it can all seem pretty daunting.

If you're just starting out with makeup or are a little cosmetic confused then you've come at just the right time.
The 'Starting Off' Project is a new project aimed at people who are just getting into makeup or are trying to learn more about it. I will be posting a different post about a different type of makeup item every Tuesday for nine weeks. These posts will include tips and tricks, my favourites of the product and maybe some cheeky anecdotes too!

For those of you who are interested, here is a schedule of the posts that we will be doing:

• Week 1: Skincare
• Week 2: Concealer
• Week 3: Foundation
• Week 4: Bronzer
• Week 5: Blusher
• Week 6: Mascara
• Week 7: Eyeliner
• Week 8: Eyeshadow
• Week 9: Lipstick and Lip Gloss
• Week 10: Makeup Tools

The idea has come from Steph at Steph’s Inside Voice and there are tons of other beauty bloggers getting involved, so you should be seeing quite a few of these posts about the place! There are a few too many girls taking part for me to keep track, let alone list them all, so be sure to search #TheSOProject on Twitter at 6pm on Tuesday to find links to the new posts.

Hopefully the posts will be helpful for any of you who are just getting into makeup or want to learn a little more, and maybe just a bit of entertainment for the rest of you!

Week One starts on Tuesday, so stay tuned!

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I went on a mad one in Boots. You’ll already know this if you read my last post on my holiday beauty minis but one of the things I spotted when I was in Boots was this. I wasn’t exactly sure what ‘this’ was when I first saw it, but when I found out that it was a body moisturising spray I knew that I had to try it.

The Vaseline Spray and Go Body Moisturisers are still fairly new on the market, but there are already three scents which you can purchase; the original, aloe vera and cocoa butter. I picked the coca butter to allow for optimum moisturisation. It was love at first spray; I can be pretty lazy when it comes to giving my body the moisture that it deserves. Unless I have nothing to do in the morning I can rarely be bothered to slather on any body cream. Often I feel like it can be tricky to rub in, especially if your skin is damp from the shower, and then I feel like I’m waiting for hours while my skin absorbs it before I can put my clothes on. Worry no more girls! This moisturiser can be applied in a continuous spray over skin and dry instantly. I rarely find that the product has even built up enough to need any extra rubbing in!

I can’t say that I have noticed a huge difference in the softness of my skin since switching to this; I certainly haven’t felt like I need any extra moisturiser. Having said that it’s also not one of those miracle moisturisers, I still have the odd speck of eczema which is pretty normal for me, but then it hasn’t aggrevated it either.

At first I was absolutely delighted to be using this product. It doesn’t particularly have a strong scent, but it just made life so much simpler! I still stand by this, but having had this for a couple of weeks now I can’t say that I am 100% satisfied. After checking the ingredients a few days after the purchase I noticed that the spray has two types of parabens in it. I’m a little frustrated that I didn’t check this to begin with as I am currently trying to gradually cut out using products that include parabens (for those of you that don’t know parabens have been found in cancerous tumours and cancer patients are told to never use any products that have any type of paraben as an ingredient).

Unfortunately the product’s one downfall that I have found means that I would feel wrong recommending this to you. I really hope that Vaseline reformulates this one day without the parabens!

Do you guys know of any spray-on moisturisers that are paraben-free?

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What are your summer holiday beauty essentials?

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If you follow my blog you may have noticed that I've been trying to do a post every other day and make up for lost time. Today I thought that I'd do a bonus little review for you about a seriously amazing product that I've been using for a while now. I bought the Eshiko Ultra High Definition Powder for a photoshoot that I did back in March upon Wayne Goss' recommendation. He said that this was the perfect translucent powder for photos as it is virtually undetectable both in person and in photos with absolutely no flashback.









As you can see by the above photos, this is very much true and I can vouch for it as a fantastic powder for personal use, too. I tend to apply this by pressing it onto the skin with a cotton pad in a rolling motion. I will then dust off any excess using a fluffy powder brush. After doing this I feel as though it's difficult to even detect that I'm wearing a powder. This is due to the fact that the powder is so incredibly finely milled - in fact it is the world's finest silica powder. In terms of longevity is also passes with flying colours; when applied evenly across the skin, not only does it improve the lasting time of makeup, but it also doesn't cake throughout the day and dry out the skin. In fact, it does quite the opposite. I wore this almost daily through the worst part of the heatwave here this summer and it certainly helped to counteract the 'glow' that was inevitable in the intense heat. I honestly feel like if I were to switch to any other translucent powder at this point that it would be a stepdown.

It may cost £22.50 but this product is just too good not to repurchase, and I would probably be willing to pay more considering how long it lasts for personal use. If you're a makeup artist you should seriously consider adding this to your kit.

Do you have a favourite face powder?

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I understand that I'm not the most experienced blogger out there, but I love to read this type of post and having read blogs for a while there are a few things that I look for when I find a new blog. These aren't rules, more things that attract me to a blog and make me more likely to read on! They are also guidelines that I try to stick to myself. Blogging tips are some of my favourite types of posts to read and so if you'd like me to do a more in depth post on any of the points that I mention you only need ask!

001 Take your own pictures

Blogging is personal. It's your little slice of the net and you want it to be unique just like you, right? If you're agreeing with me then don't make the mistake that I did with my first blog and use stock photos. In my opinion it just makes your blog look lifeless and - dare I say it - boring, which is the opposite of what blogging is about! Photography can be pretty tricky if you're not used to it, and I still have a lot to learn, but if there's one tip I can share about taking photos it's to take them in daylight if you possibly can and avoid the dreaded flash-photography!

002 Make you pictures as big as possible

There is nothing more frustrating than seeing that somebody has taken the time to take a lovely picture of something but you can't see it because the photo is too small! On blogger there is an option to make any pictures that you like 'X-large'. I always think that bigger is better when it comes to pictures, so keep them as big as you can manage without losing some of the quality!

003 Make it easy for your readers to follow you

If you don't have a follow button at the top of your menu please go and add one now! When I've enjoyed a post on a blog I want to be able to follow it quickly, and hassle-free. If your button is difficult to find (or non-existant) people aren't going to take the time to follow you. Of course there are exceptions to this, but why not make it easier for your readers? My favourite way to follow people is via Bloglovin' and they have a number of follow buttons to choose from here. Just copy the code, go to the 'Layout' tab on your Blogger account, add a HTML/CSS gadget and paste it in!

004 Have a simple template

If I'm perfectly honest a nice template makes reading a blog a much more pleasant experience for me. I absolutely adore looking at cute blog layouts, but to begin with I think the best tip to live by is to keep it simple. Dark text on a light background is a must-have, and keep the font easy to read - plain and not too small. To be honest I find busy layouts kind of distracting, but there's nothing wrong with customising your template a bit. For example, I think that a personal blog header is a good shout - you can pay to get one made of even have a bash at doing it yourself.

005 Get a twitter account

For me, interacting with other bloggers is one of the most exciting parts of blogging. Luckily the lifestyle and beauty blogging communities are super friendly; try joining in the Bbloggers Chat or LBloggers Chat on a Sunday evening to talk with other bloggers and do some networking. I use my personal twitter handle for my blog as it means that my friends can potentially hear about my new posts, but other people choose to create a Twitter account specifically for their blog. There's a lot to be said about using social media to network your blog, but Twitter is by far my favourite!

006 Make it easy for your readers to contact you

Like I said, chatting to other bloggers is really fun so I like to have my e-mail clearly visible on my blog in case anybody wants to contact me with a question or just say hi. In my opinion it makes you seem personable, but not everybody is comfortable with sharing their e-mail with their readers. In that situation, if you're not keen on starting an e-mail account specifically for your blog, then adding some social media buttons may be a good idea.

007 Proof-read your posts

I know that I for one am certainly guilty of this from time to time, but I think it's really important to ensure that your blog posts have good grammar and spelling. I'm not going to unfollow anyone for a slip-up because it happens to us all, but when you put care into your blog posts it really shows. My favourite blogs to read are the best-written ones as they've taken the time to convey their message clearly to their followers, and they're the easiest to read!

008 Do follow for follow

This has to be my pet peeve of blogging. Just because you've followed my blog does not mean that I am obliged to follow you back, nor am I particularly interested in following your blog just because it means that you'll follow me back. To me this signals that you don't necessarily care about the content of my blog, but are more interested in gaining followers for yourself, even if that's not the case. I want my readers to be people who genuinely enjoy my content, and that is the best way to gain followers! Contribute to the blogging community, comment on your favourite blogs, but make it meaningful and not generic - the blogs that I check out are the ones that I often see commenting on my blog or chatting to me on Twitter, not the ones who comment saying 'CHECK OUT MY BLOG I HAVE A GIVEAWAY'. Maybe that sounded a little ranty, but I think it's really important to contribute nicely and genuinely to the blogging community rather than spamming it.

009 Change your layout every other day

This is just a personal preference, but I find it a little distracting when bloggers change their layout all the time. Just like with websites people become familiar with the face of your blog and you don't want to confuse them. Besides, if your blog is new people may even think that they've turned up at a different blog all together! Try finding a template you like and not changing for a month minimum. This will give people time to get used to what your blog is about and concentrate on your content rather than your latest header - which is exactly what you should be doing, too!

010 Worry about being super original to begin with

I know that I've just banged on about making sure that your blog is unique in order to convey your personality, which I still stand by. In terms of your very first few posts, however, don't stress out about it! What is your favourite type of post to read? Are there any tags you fancy doing? I would recommend writing these posts first as it'll give you time to establish your writing style and what you enjoy writing, helping you to establish what sort of content you want to produce in the future.



Hopefully this will help some of you who are new to blogging and are looking for some tips, or even if you're a more established blogger and are looking for some ideas! The most important thing to remember, though, is that blogging has no rules and you should blog the way that you like best. If you are a new blogger please leave a comment and say hello with a link to your blog!

Do you have any personal guidelines you like to stick to when you blog?

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Eyeshadows used to be my absolute aspect of doing my makeup. Since then I have got just as excited about all of the other aspects of makeup artistry, but there’s one thing that still always sparks my interest; my MAC eyeshadow collection. MAC was the first ever brand of high-end eyeshadows that I bought and there’s still something about looking through their endless rows of colours and textures that gets me all googoo-eyed.

I really do think that the fantastic pigmentation of MAC eyeshadows make them worth the expense (£12.50), as they last you such a long time and, unlike many other brands, come out true to colour. I started collecting almost four years ago and am still to totally use up a shade. They’re so versatile and you can make so many combinations with them, so if you are considering treating yourself I would really recommend it. To help you choose which ones to buy, here are my ten all time favourites!





Brule - Perhaps not the most interesting shade to start off with, but incredibly handy all the same. This shade has a lovely velvety texture when applied and I use it for one thing only; to apply all over my lid to neutralise the colour ready to apply some other colours. It is matte so looks very natural and is slightly yellowish which neutralises any red on your lids.

Shroom - I love using lashings of this for the evening time, although it’s subtle enough to use for daytime too. You can use this as a highlight in the inner corner or on the brow bone, or as a lid colour when you’re looking for a bit of shimmer. It’s not super frosty and so is pretty easy to pull off and I think that this looks gorgeous when worn with deeper gold tones.

Naked Lunch - If I could choose only one lid colour for the rest of my life, this may be it. It adds that gorgeous ‘glossy’ look on the lids that gives them a sheen without being particularly shimmery. It's a very pinky gold colour that I think would suit any skintone, although it’s obviously going to be more detectable the darker your skin.

All That Glitters - This is Mac’s signature ‘one-shade-suits-all’ eyeshadow. I’m sure that you’ve read about this before, but you'd better believe the hype! Any time, any season - I really can’t imagine it not looking good. I mostly use this as a lid colour, but I’ve also been known to use it in my crease with a lighter colour on the lid.

Omega - I have a number of matte browns, but Omega is the perfect matte brown for my brows as it is more cool-toned. It's not just me though, this shade will be a fantastic brow colour for a lot of natural blondes. I find it's best to apply it by using an angled liner brush to gently take it through the brows and define them.





Woodwinked - I always think of this as the perfect summer/autumn shade. It’s a burnt goldish-orange which can make it harder to pull off on lighter skin-tones, in my opinion. It’s definitely acheivable, though, especially considering that jewel-toned smokey eyes are very on-trend at the moment! This looks great by itself all over the lid and taken onto your lower lash line.

Club - This is a really unusual shade, which is exactly what I love so much about it. It would probably come under the brown category but has some green/blue undertones that shine through in the light. I think that this would be ideal if you want something a little different from your normal everday brown lid/crease colour without looking too garish.

Satin Taupe - This shade is another very popular one from Mac which is gorgeous on the lid or in the outer corner. I’d describe it as a purplish brown with a lovely sheen to it. This is definitely a brilliant basic colour for anyone looking to buy their first couple of Mac eyeshadows no matter what your skin=tone.

Antiqued - If you're looking for a deep reddish gold with a cute name, then look no further. While this is absolutely beautiful just to look at, my favourite way to wear this is in the outer corner with a matte brown in the crease to create a gold smokey eye for a night out.

Embark - I love how rich this colour is even though it’s matte, but it does mean that I tend to reach for this only when I want a slightly more prominent eye makeup. My favourite way to wear it is to blend through my crease for definition - crease definition should always be done using a matte colour to create a more three-dimensional effect.

Do you love MAC eyeshadows as much as I do? What are your favourite shades?

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Have you tried this product? What are you guys’ favourite eye pencils?

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If you have any questions about my internship or how to go about finding an internship in general please do not hesitate to comment, tweet me or e-mail me!
Do you guys have any tips on finding an internship?

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