Clinique Even Better Foundation

I know what you're thinking. What is a foundation review doing on here. It's true. The only bases that are on here are BB creams and the odd outing of the Chanel Vita Lumiere Aqua. However, after a seriously dodgy complexion recently, and by dodgy I mean grey and eurgh, I decided to look around the "high coverage" department.

After a lil' bit of research I decided to go for the Clinique Even Better Foundation. I'd heard it was medium coverage and was a bit of a pro in terms of giving an even, brighter coverage with a dewy sort of glow. Now we know I love the dewy glow over here.

So far I've been really impressed. I'm a pale faced gal with the shade Alabaster but golly does it sound stupid if I state the obvious?! This stuff is SOOO good at blending into the skin and evening out my skin tone. It gives a lovely glow that is just perfect for the dull Autumn months. The only negative I can say is I'm not enjoying applying it with the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush...perhaps I need the buffing brush?

Besides that, I have a feeling me and this foundation are going to get on pretty well.

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Intensely Moisturising

After a good month of using the Sarah Chapman Intense Hydrating Booster its fair to say I am more than ready to share my opinion. I'm not going to be dramatic or anything as I'm suuuure it wont come as a surprise when I say I have fallen in love with this little skin serum wonder. Not being dramatic, I promise. 

I have been using this every morning as my pre-moisturiser step. In the past I have tended to have some charming dry patches on my cheeks and thought investing in this may help to solve an embarrassing nuisance.   Adding two drops of the serum from a rather snazzy pipet I gently massage this all over my skin. The moisturing results of this have been so good that sometimes I've completely forgotten to put a moisturiser on and, haven't even noticed! I always notice that my BB cream/foundation blends better afterwards too. 

Whilst it's a rather pricey number (please remember I got this on discount) it seriously lives up to its value. I would thoroughly recommend this for dry skin gals or those who are looking for a boots of intense moisturisation for the up and coming winter months. 

Next on my wish list is the Sarah Chapman Overnight Serum...guess I better start saving my pennies!!

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Finding Twinks

After a clean out and re-organisation of my makeup bag a few weeks ago (my favourite hobby) I cam across this little one. I purchased Mac Twinks a whileeee back. I do believe it was after watching all those back in the day youtube videos of 'my MAC eyeshadow collection.' After a few hours, and I mean a good 2 or 3 hours, spent watching those I think I was then compelled to purchase this brown/reddish tinge shadow. It doesn't take much to persuade me. 

However, this has not seen the wear as my Mac All That Glitters, I'm sorry Twinks. Feeling in the autumnal mood recently I've been more "experimental" in my everyday eyeshadow wardrobe and have been reaching for this one a lot more. 

I've never read any appreciation for this shadow but after loving its brown shimmery tones I'm surprised to not find more love.  Applied with a trusty Mac 217 its the perfect everyday brown staple and I seriously recommend it for green eyes.  

What are your MAC everyday favourites?

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A Green Discovery

If you're a regular reader over here then you will be aware of my blue colour nail polish obsession.  Believe me, it's an unhealthy love. However at the weekend I decided to raid my mums stash of polishes. She's got quiet an impressive collection (I think over 70 polishes if I can remember) that I really will have to share with you one day - you'll have to see it to believe it!

Anyhow, during my rummage about I came across this little green gem known from Topshop titled Eclipse. I loved this metallic pigment shade and it certainly makes a change from my plain shades of blue. I will admit I forgot how much appreciate the Topshop nail polishes as so far I have no chips, and Im on day three which is a good record in my books! 

What are your favourite Topshop shades?

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Handbag Heroes

In every girls handbag there have got to be those key makeup items we need throughout the day. In my case its four heroes that I need for that afternoon touch up.  

Nars Creamy Concealor if you haven't heard me rave of this the where have you been?! This is radiating, instantly banishing dark circles hero. I love it and seriously need a top up in the middle of my library cries. 

Bobbi Brown Face Touch up Stick because one can never know when a pesky blemish is going to appear. I find this a really easy product for those powder room necessities. 

Rimmel Scandal Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner in bronze is my favourite eyeliner of all time. I will never leave the house without it. At the moment I can only seem to find this online boots and super drug don't seem to be stocking it...help me and my bronze lovin' needs. 

Reve de Miel Baume Levres  is a rather fancy lip balm. Its ingredients of honey and soya make this a seriously nourishing balm. I find it solves my dry lips instantly. The packaging is rather heavy for my weak handbag carrying arms but its a wonder-lip product. 

What are your handbag essentials?

Also shout out to my mum for buying me this lovely makeup bag. I have a thing for Frenchies you see!

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Gold Essentials

I realised that I haven't yet shared with you my everyday staple eyeshadows. If you're a regular reader then perhaps it won't come as a surprise that I do have a yearning for them golds. (I was trying to sound  Piratey there, hope it was appreciated!) I don't know if it's because I'm a brunette or because Im a neutral lover, but there's something about a gold eye shadow that makes me reach for that 217 blending brush and apply. In my makeup life so far there have only been three wonder shades that have stayed by my side. 

Burberry Sheer Eyeshadow in Gold Trench. I will admit, when I first purchased this it was mainly for the packaging and the Burberry label. Even more horrific is the fact I did not use this shadow for a good four months after its purchase. It was just too pretty and expensive to use...Anyway, enough of that. I now LOVE this shadow.  It's a lovely, simple plain gold without any hint of shimmer. It's always my go to 'I  don't know what eyeshadow to use today' kinda-shade. 

Sometimes I wonder where would I be without my Mac in  All that Glitters - one of my many questions of life! It is the perfect champagne gold colour and, if I'm going to have favourites, will always be my number one. I think I wear this shade a good 4 days of the week. It always perks my eyes up which is a bonus for these final student days!

The Bobbi Brown Long-Wear cream shadow stick in Golden Pink is my oily lid saviour. This one does not budge at all. It is very shimmery but It also like to partner this up with Golden Trench and apply it over the top, inner corners and on the lash line. 

What are your go-to shades? 

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Eye Hero

A weird fact about me is I have rather oily/sweaty eyelids. A lovely feature, I know. As a result of this I've always had a problem with getting eyeshadow to actually stay put on my eyelid or mascara to not smudge and stick to the top of my eye. (If anyone else has this annoyance please stick your hand up!)

Primer has to be an essential for me. I've tried a few over my oily-eyelid years but nothing has particularly wowed me...until I cam across a sample of the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. There are no fingers crossed here. I promise I am telling the truth, but there was not one smudge of mascara and my eyeshadow stays on in perfect pigmentation for 8 hours. 8 hours people!!! I was so in love with this sample that of course I had to go and buy full size. 

Whether you share the same problems as me, or a looking for a primer for those sweaty party nights (something I can't say I'm too familiar with) then I seriously recommend trying this one! It now takes its role as a key player in my everyday makeup routine. 

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August Favourites

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What I wore #5

Nearly everyday now I have been reaching for the Diorskin Nude BB cream. Stupidly I forgot to include the base in the photo. This is has been my summer favourite. It's light texture makes it easy to blend into the skin and it gives my complexion that much needed oommph. It is the perfect companion to the application of Nars Deep Throat on my cheeks!

A new favourite is the new Soap and Glory Archery 2-in-1 pencil. It's a serious dupe for the Hourglass pencil with the spooley one end and a creamy wax stick the other. So far I think it may be better...

I'm guilty to say that I haven't shared my thoughts on the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette on here yet, mainly cause every other bblog raves about it. However, I have been using it so much recently. My current go-to shades at the moment are Mooner, as a base, and then the shimmer of Liar over the top. Of course an application of the L'Oreal Telescopic mascara is never amiss. 

If you're a regular over here then you will know my love for the Barry M Blink liquid eyeliner. I wont say much as I feel like I talk about it every other post. But seriously, try it. Along with my hero product, the Nars Creamy Concealer in Vanilla. I think I'd be lost without it. 

And finally a small pop of colour with Mac lipstick in Girl About Town. 

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Favourite Drugstore Mascaras

So from the left we have the L'Oreal Telescopic. I was drawn to this one after Vivianna Does Makeup's constant hype. When I first saw the wand I will admit I thought why the hell does she love it so much. As you can see from the photo, I thought it seemed a rather lack-luster wand that just wasn't going to do much. But as they say, never judge a mascara wand by looks...Out of the three I would have to vote this one as my favourite - apologies for favouritism. It separates, it lengthens, it glosses each lash, it really just does a fantastic everyday job.  

9/10

In the middle, the Revlon Grow Luscious Plumping.  I'm always surprised I don't hear more about this mascara.  I'll admit I bought this one as I thought it made your lashes longer the more you wore it...I think I was wrong. However, at the time when I was using this everyday I definitely noticed a difference with the condition of my lashes. They felt much thicker and conditioned and as a result applying mascara became an easier job. I reach for this one when I want some serious volume and thickening.  

7/10

Finally, Maybelline The Falsies, in the waterproof formula. This has been a favourite since school days.  The curved wand allows you to easily coat all your lashes, including those pesky inner corners, whilst creating some serious length and volume. 

8/10

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Night Time Moisturising

I think that part of my favourite time of the day is getting ready for bed. Verging on a little sad and boring I'm sure, but there really is nothing I love more than getting my 'night-time-skin-routine-ooooon'!  

So when I recently ran out of my Origins Night-a-mins there was nearly a breakdown in my bathroom.

After feeling rather spendy in the month of July (you can check that damage out here) I had to find a plan B to make myself not repurchase the rather pricey Origins tub of evening magic.  Seriously, it does wonders.

I've heard quiet a bit about the Super Facialist by Una Brennan range so I decided to choose the Rose Hydrate Peaceful Skin Night cream, mainly because it claimed to nourish, rejuvenate and protect. 

So far I've been quiet impressed. I definitely noticed a glow after application and it it provides a thorough moisturisation. It's quiet a thin texture which makes it very soothing and easy to apply and absorb into the skin. In the morning my skin still feels moisturised. The only thing is I seriously miss the smell of the Origins...Yes I know, I'm weird. I'm not a huge fan of the rose scent but I do suppose that is is 'calming'. For the price I'd definitely say this is worth it. However, I think Night-a-mins is my main love.

What are your favourite moisturisers? 

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Summer Nail Polish Favourites

Now we all know I'm a lover of blue nail polish. But these past few months I've seen a new me in my nail polish grabbing actions. Step aside blues I've been needing pinks and some hot corals.

So, lets start from pinky to thumb. Rimmel's Salon Pro in Cocktail Passion (the nail always contributes to whether I should buy it or not!) 

I wore this Bourjouis 1 second formula in Turquoise in my last video and realised how much I love this shade and formula. The bright turquoise blue colour is the perfect shade to compliment the summer tans whilst the formula is chip proof. And trust me when I say that as my polish usually lasts 2 days whereas this lasts me nearly a week!

Chanel Holiday will forever be on the luxury nail polish wish list, but I suppose who really needs after finding Rimmel  60 Second Formula in Sun Downer.  The brush is fantastic and the colour is so similar to holiday. 

Now I have to have a blue in there somewhere. And who doesn't love Essie Bikini So Teeny. Pale blue with sparkly bits in...this is love in a bottle. Enough said.

Finally Clinique Happy Heart is just the perfect summer heat coral. I will admit that I find this formula a bit of frustrating in terms of chipping so I prefer to use it as my pedicure colour.

What are your favourite summer polishes?

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The silky cleanse

I think I owe you all an apology for not telling you about my love for this product sooner. 

When the knowledge of double cleansing first came about I couldn't get over the price of some of the oils bloggers were using. I know I can be known to spend a bit but I'm not going to spend £28 on a product just to take my makeup off! So when I heard about the wonders of the Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil I quickly set off to purchase.

I had previously used the Camomile Eye Makeup Remover, which does a blooming good job (see my post here), so I was no surprise that the silky cleansing oil was going to come out on top too. It really does what it says on the bottle. It feels so silky and comfortable to massage in to the skin and does a fantastic job of removing all my makeup and leaving my skin feeling soft and clean. I use this as stage number one before going in with a second cleanser.  The only negative thing I can say is it's not the easiest thing to travel with...if they ever make a portable version I will be very grateful. 

As you can see I have been loving using this oil and think I will have to go out soon and purchase another! Are there any other Body Shop skincare products you think I should try?

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The First Video

I have wanted to expand to YouTube for a long time now. So, today is the day and I have decided to share with you my recent purchases from my new job that gave me a rather lovely discount. I hope you enjoy! P.S you will also enjoy if you want to hear the word luxury 50 gazillion times...

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It's a Sunday thing

When it comes to Sunday my routine for ultimate cleanliness is rather thorough. The bubble bath appears, candles are lit and pampering begins. In my opinion nothing says Sunday better than feeling squeaky, squeaky clean from your head to your toes.

In terms of my 'head' the weekly build up of product can leave my hair in a little bit of a tragic state. A weeks worth of moisturising and oil inducing products results in a 'bleurgh' effect on top of my head. A while ago I purchased the Bumble and bumble Sunday Shampoo. For some reason it has taken me some time to actually start using it. I have been known to do this occasionally with pretty and expensive things. They're just too nice to use...please say I'm not the only one who does this?!

However, at the beginning of the month I became more realistic, took the bottle to the shower and have never looked back. And why? Firstly, it gave a perfect lather - I really do love it when a shampoo gives you that perfect, even lather! Secondly, the smell was just clean in a bottle - a lil' minty, fresh sheets kinda' aroma. And thirdly my hair felt clean to the touch, so easy and frizz, fuss free to dry and style. I really good result for a girl untalented with a hair dryer.

My hair just feels really lovely after using this shampoo and has definitely tempted me to try more of the Bumble and bumble range. Any recommendations?

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Chanel dreams

Regular readers here will understand my love for the BB cream. For the record, there has only ever been one foundation that has starred on here - the Revlon Nearly Naked to be precise! However, on my 'beauty wish list' (yes, this does exist in notepad form) for a while now has been the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation. Are there any beauty bloggers out there who haven't raved about this one? With a student budget and being a pricey number, not that money has stopped me before, I have always been reluctant to hand over thirty three pounds for this one.

Until recently, I landed a job that gave me a rather lovely twenty five percent in the beauty hall. Yes people, this was my dream come true. The dream Chanel purchase was made. With a good shake of the bottle I applied this to the back of my hand before dabbing my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush and applying all over. It is a very watery foundation but oh my goodness this blends unbelievably well into the skin. I'm quite lucky that the shade I have, B10, is the perfect shade for my skin tone. It leaves my skin looking rather radiant and hydrated. I can understand the praises of this little expensive number. 

Although BB creams will always be my everyday I really wanted a good foundation for those bad complexion-more coverage needed days! And special occasions of course.

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Orange Is The New Black

If you're a regular reader of Folkes Thinks then you'll know that recently I've 

been slowly introducing a new colour into my makeup palette. Yup that's right, the blue toned polish is starting to be overtaken by  a collection of oranges. What's orange got that blue hasn't...the skill to double as a lipstick shade!

It all started off when the Revlon Colour Burst Matt and Just Bitten new shades were introduced. I went straight for the oranges after being inspired by numerous beauty bloggers recommendations. What can I say, the love for orange on the lips has grown since. The new one is the Rimmel Kate Matt Lipstick in the shade 101: a fab coral colour. I love the Matt range. They have a long lasting finish and the colours in the collection are a winner. I also have shade 110, a lovely nude-pink that I thoroughly recommend! 

In terms of the nail department Clinique Happy Heart was the first of the collection. A lovely feel good shade, but I do think it works best on the toes. The Essie in the shade 'Orange, it's obvious' (probably what I should have titled this post) is a tricky one to find these days. However, as you can see, it's the "pop-in-your-face" of them all. I got in an Asos beauty sale but an ebay search should definitely do the trick if you're keen. The Rimmel Salon Pro in Hip Hop (love the name) is a recent purchase after watching a Vivianna Does Makeup Vlog. It just had to be purchased okay. I love the Rimmel Lycra formulas. They are so easy to apply and have a lovely shiny finish. Rimmel Sun Downer is an absolute dupe for the famous Chanel Holiday shade. Who needs to spend £18 for a polish with this one?!

My Favourite has to be the Kate Moss Rimmel range. I had loved wearing the shade 101 recently. It gives the perfect pop to a natural look or the necessary finish to a smokey eye formula. What are your favourite oranges?

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Moving to the dark side

Now my friends will most definitely back me up here when I say I am not one for fake tan. During the school days I was always the pasty one. Simply because I was pretty bad at applying it and I never really fancied the orange look...especially when my face never matched the colour of my legs!

This summer I am not going on holiday - insert sad emoji. And, with not being able to rely on an English summer to give me a lil' healthy glow, I could be the pasty one all year long. However, after hearing the hype of the St Tropez Self Tan Express Bronze Mousse I was rather intrigued by the thought of having some colour... So, in my efforts to not be the pale girl this summer I thought I'd give it a try.

After applying the mousse to a tanning kit and moisturising it in where you like you simply leave it for an hour or three, depending on how dark you want your tan to develop, and then wash off in the shower. I left mine for an hour and had a lovely, non streaky (amen) natural glow. It continues to develop within the next 8 hours. I am seriously impressed with this one. 

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Another shade of blue.

 

We all know how I feel about my blue nail polishes - you can remind yourself here. But I do admit that when I went to the Essie counter the other day I was on the hunt for a summer pink, not a blue. I promise. However, this little beauty, Fashion Playground called out to me. A light, almost duck egg blue-pistachio shade with tiny glitter particles in. This is Essie's Bikini So Teeny but FolkesThinks style. The only frustrating thing is it does take a few coats to get this shade up to scratch, however the colour is worth the patience. 

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May Favourites

This month saw me reaching back to some dusty, previous favourites. As the weather has been slightly more summery I wanted something lighter as my base. The Diorskin Nude BB Creme, a last summer purchase, works like a dream; a light, liquid formula that blends easily into the skin creating a smooth, thin layer of coverage.

The summer feelin' has also left me wanting some pop o' pink. I found my old love of the Topshop Lipstick in Brighton Rock. This shade always makes me feel summery and I find I don't need to bother too much with blush and bronze when this is on the pout.

After hearing a lot of hype about the Body Shop this month I had two things on my wish list. And boooy have they lived up to the hype. First is the Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil. I have a lot of love for the eye make-up remover (read here) and so was willing to try the oil. I have been using this before my Liz Earle Cleanser to remove all my face makeup. Correct naming from the Body Shop as this really does feel silky to the skin. It gives me so much pleasure to take off my makeup with this stuff! It does the job and is lovely and gentle to the skin.

My second purchase was the Early-Harvest Raspberry Body Scrub. This stuff smells and even feels like jam. With raspberry seeds it  gave my skin a thorough exfoliation and left it feeling silky smooth when I came out the bath. If you walk past a body shop anytime soon you seriously have to smell this one!

In my Everyday makeup routine post you will have seen me use the Hourglass Brow Sculpting Pencil. Despite feeling seriously guilty as I handed over my card in space nk I have absolutely LOVED using this. I love using the spooley end to get my brows tamed into shape.

I finally bought something from the Tanya Burr range. Now I'm not just raving about this cause I love her so much, I have seriously enjoyed wearing this lipgloss in the shade chic. It has been the perfect everyday, natural shade and hallelujah it is not sticky. It also smells deliciously of strawberries.

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