Marrakech packing ~ makeup & skincare

I've had the morning to myself today as Hubble has taken Alfie out to a rugby tournament so I thought I'd get a head start on my pre-holiday beauty prep!  So far I've tinted my eyelashes (not the easiest thing to do yourself!), waxed my 'tache(ahem!), applied lashings of gradual tan lotion, coloured my roots & given myself a pedicure.  My hair is getting cut & blow dried on Tuesday morning so I can get up & go on Wednesday - one less thing for me to do!  I'm doing my friends' nails for them on Tuesday so I won't do my own nails until Tuesday night after I've packed the last couple of bits & bobs so I don't ruin them.

I've also sorted out & packed my makeup & skincare to take with me as I won't need these before we go - another tick off my packing list!  Seeing as we booked cases on in the end, I'm taking more than is probably necessary but a couple of bits I'll finish off whilst I'm there so they won't be coming home with me.  So here's what I'm taking -

My makeup bag from Muji is fantastic.  It's double sided with plenty of pockets & spaces to keep things neat & tidy!  They don't have this exact model anymore but they have this one which is very similar.  There's tons of room left in it so I might just put all my skincare in there too, one bag less to take!

Makeup wise, I'm going to decant into the teeny tiny posts my Boujois Bronzing BB & Revlon Photoready BB & that's my face sorted - nothing heavy & definitely no powder.  I will, however, take this dinky tube of Bourjois Healthy Mix concealer to cover up my persistant scars on my face.  To add a healthy flush in the evenings I'm taking my Bourjois Cream Blush & a tiny pot of mineral powder bronzer by Bare Minerals that I picked up in TK Maxx.   

For my eyes, I just have 2 eyeshadow pencils in charcoal & bronze by Barry M & a mini Lancôme Hypnôse Star mascara that was part of a special offer gift set (reviewed here.)

And the last of the makeup are 3 of my favourite lip colours, Bourjois Peach Club  (review here), Revlon Lip Butter in Candy Apple (review here) & No 7 BB Lips in Blush Pink.

Now moving on to the skincare.  I bought this Rosehip trial size gift set by Trilogy a couple of weeks ago so this is the base of my skincare.  It contains a cream cleanser, hydrating mist toner, facial oil & day cream.  Next, I've got a miniature of Bi-facil eye makeup remover by Lancôme, a mini micellar water by B Pure, mini Hydraluron that came in a gift set & my Botanics All Bright eye roll-on to help tired eyes.

So although there looks like quite a lot, because they're all minis they take up no room at all!

I need to take a quick trip to town in the morning to get the last couple of bits that I need & then I'll get my case packed.  3 days to go....!!!

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet ~ Peach Club

*Warning, perfect spring/summer lip colour alert!!!*

I love these liquid lipsticks & this is the fourth shade I've bought but I've only reviewed one, how weird???  Here's my review on Frambourjoise for those who haven't seen it & I'll get on to the other two asap.  But for now, here's Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Peach Club.

As you can see, it's a classic sponge doe-foot wand & it just takes a couple of swipes for perfect, precise application.  This shade is a fabulous corally orange, bright enough yet not too in-your-face & really is a great addition to any spring/summer makeup bag!

Although it's a matte formula, this feels so silky & comfortable on the lips, it's hard to believe that it lasts as long as it does.  I can eat lunch, drink several coffees & maybe sneak in a wee biscwit (sorry, I can't say the word normally now after the Fox's advert!!) & the colour will still be pretty much intact.

This shows how opaque the colour is as this was just the lightest of swipes on my thumb.

Ooooh, I really love it & it'll look even better with a hint of a tan, it's time to hunt out the facial gradual tanner methinks!!  Apologies for the dragged through a hedge backwards look!! ;)

Are you a fan of these lip colours?

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet ~ Frambourjoise

I've really not had much luck with matte lipsticks/colours in the past, even when taking into account all the lip scrub & balm prep beforehand.....until this wee gem from Bourjois.

I bought this as soon as it was released in March-ish (sorry, I can't remember exactly when!) & it's a matte finish liquid lipstick with a doe-foot applicator.  And it's amazing, it really is!

I picked up the colour 'Frambourjoise' as an everyday shade to take me through spring & summer & it's as pretty near to perfect as you'd want & expect from a liquid lip colour.  It applies like a dream with the most bizarre silky, velvetty (hence the name!) texture & is so comfortable to wear, it's like you have nothing on your lips!  It's not drying at all, unlike every other matte lip colour I've tried & lasts for a phenomenally long time - two coffees, a croissant & lunch & it still hadn't shifted or faded!!

I'm ridiculously impressed with this latest offering from Bourjois & will be buying other colours really soon!!

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet £8.99 from Superdrug, currently on 3 for 2.  Fabulous!!

Makeup essentials for Marrakech

Makeup for Marrakech by fortytherapy 


So, as promised, here's what I intend to take in my (small!) makeup bag to Marrakech.  I'm only going for 4 days, it'll (hopefully) be hot & we intend to do lots of walking about & sightseeing so plastering my face in makeup will not be high on my agenda!  I'll only need the bare minimum of products & these few tried, tested & loved beauties will do the trick quite nicely thank you.

1. Cath Kidston cosmetic bag 
Pretty self-explanatory, a decent sized makeup bag in a wipeable oil-cloth.  Large enough to pack everything into but small enough to not take up too much room.

2.  Ambre Solaire Lip protector spf 20
I won't bother wearing coloured lipstick in the daytime but I know from past experience that sunburnt lips are not nice so I'll slick some of this on to protect them.

3.  Ambre solaire BB cream spf 30
Now this is the only thing on this list that I haven't tried yet so I'll get some & try it before I go to make sure my skin doesn't react to it.  This offers a good spf & being a BB cream aswell, it'll offer some colour to my face so as not to frighten the locals too much!!

4.  Bourjois BB bronzing cream
I bought this for the first time last year as soon as it was released & got through 2 bottles during summer alone! It's great on it's own to give a lovely sunkissed (not tangoed!) look but I also mix it with my foundation when my skin gets tanned so I don't have to buy darker ones!  I'll pop a few pumps of this into a little travel-sized pot so I don't have to take the whole bottle - a little goes a looong way!

5.  Sleek blusher in Sahara
I bought this beauty the other day & so far, am loving it.  It's so pigmented that a little goes a long way but offers a beautiful warm glow to your cheeks.  Ideal for when your face has a hint of a tan.  The only downside to taking this is that I'll have to also take a blusher brush.....

6.  Real Techniques blusher brush
Another fabulous offering from RT, the only blusher brush I use now.  I'm looking forward though to seeing what the new travel sized brushes are like when they get released as a smaller brush would be handier for travelling.

7.  L'Oréal False Lash Telescopic mascara
This, my friends, is my HG mascara & the one I go back time & time again.  L'Oréal have really nailed perfect mascaras & this is my favourite of the bunch.  I will tint my lashes before I go away though as I don't like wearing waterproof mascaras & don't want to resemble Alice Cooper when I use the pool!

8.  Rimmel Scandaleyes eyeshadow pencil in Tempting Turquoise
I've blogged about this Rimmel eyeshadow pencil before here & although I don't often wear it, it'll be perfect for a splash of colour.  It's the perfect formula too being waterproof as it won't disappear in the heat.

9.  Rimmel Scandaleyes kohl in Bronze
Bronze colours really make my green eyes stand out so this'll also be a good addition for nighttime looks.  Again, it's waterproof formula means it won't slide down my face if it's hot!

10.  Revlon lip butter in Candy Apple
Yet another product I've already blogged about & although it was nearly a year ago, I'm still as in love with this lip butter as ever!  It's the perfect bright colour that'll go with the tiny amount of clothes I intend taking & the moisturising formula is spot on!

11.  Boots No7 BB lip balm
First off, why is in not possible to clip items to Polyvore from the Boots website, it drives me mental?!  It took me 15 minutes of faffing around online to manage to get it on there......I digress.....
I bought one of these when Boots were handing out their £3 off vouchers.  It's a great nude colour, lasts well, isn't at all sticky, is hydrating & offers spf 15 - a makeup essential for me from now on!

12.  Elizabeth Arden Eight-Hour cream
Most people I know have a tube of this & I've been using it for around 12 years now.  I tend to buy the smaller sized tubes & always keep one in my bag.  It's a fabulous intensive lip balm & hydrates cuticles like nothing else.  I also sometimes add the merest slick to the tops of my cheekbones for that glowy/healthy-skinned effect!  Again, I'll pop some into a wee pot to save on space.

So there we have it, my minimal makeup essentials I'll be taking away with me.  I will of course do another post with my essential toiletries too!  If you want to click on the picture, it should take you to my Polyvore page where you'll find the links for the products.

Now, is there anything I've missed?!

Almost empties ~ August

 

 

 

 

So I'm showing you my August almost empties as I can't bear hanging on to empty bottles, canisters, containers etc. but they'll all be finished by the end of the week!

 

 

 

 

Mitchum Advanced Control Anti-perspirant £2.99

A new anti-p I bought thinking (hoping rather!) that it would be extra strength to cope with an all-day wedding I was at a few weeks ago but I wasn't overly impressed.

Repurchase? - No.

 

L'Oréal Skin Perfection Micellar Solution £4.99

This is the second brand of micellar water that I've tried & although I think it's ok, it's just ok.  My skin can sometimes feel a bit tight after using.

Repurchase? - Doubtful.  I think I'll revert to using the B Pure micellar water which I loved!

 

 

 

 

Avène redness relief soothing repair mask* £15.00

This mask was one of the products I was sent to trial & review for The Beauty Bible so I'm not going to go into great detail but I will do a post when the book is published.  However, I will say that if you suffer from redness on your skin, this mask is just amazing & I thoroughly recommend it - it actually does what it says it will!

Repurchase? - Have done already

 

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum £10.99

I love, love, love this blogger favourite, I can't recommend it enough!  It somehow offers a semi-matte finish whilst still looking dewy & just gives a natural, healthy glow to your skin.  I've suffered no reaction to the fragrance in it, which I though I would to be honest & supposing the formula doesn't change, it will remain a staple in my makeup kit!

Repurchase? - 100% yes!

 

Bourjois BB Bronzer £9.99

I bought this on a whim when it was first released but it's been used pretty much on a daily basis throughout the summer.  My face tanned quite a lot this year so for a lot of the time, I'd just dab a little bit of this around my face & blend it in for a glowing, natural look.  Now my tan is fading but my foundation is still just a tad too light so I just mix in a bit of this BB bronzer until I reach the correct colour & it works a treat!

Repurchase? - Have done already

 

 

 

 

L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic mascara £10.99

I can honestly say, this is the best mascara I've ever used - and believe me, I've used a lot of 'em!!  Every time a new mascara is released, I buy it on the off-chance that it'll be better than this one..... but they just never are!!  It lengthens, volumises, is just the right consistency, is blacker than black, never flakes or smudges & removes so easily at the end of the day.  If you've never tried it, go get some, you won't regret it!!

Repurchase? - Have done many, many times!

 

L'Oréal Super Liner Perfect Slim £6.99

Another L'Oréal win in the makeup stakes for me!  I've been a fan of liquid eyeliner & cat-eye flicks since I was 15 (a looooong time ago!) but was never a fan of pen style liners until I got my mitts on this little beauty.  The nib is the perfect size & firmness & lasts all day - or night! - until I remove it.  Love it!

Repurchase? - Yes but am also keen to try the Collection liner that I keep reading about.

 

 

 

 

 

 



Mr & Mrs

 

So last week saw the first of my younger brothers getting married.  Mr F & I travelled down to Doncaster on the Friday & we'd booked to stay at the Best Western Premier Mount Pleasant Hotel, where the wedding reception was being held.

 

The hotel was fabulous & the room was gorgeous.  There was a fabulous looking spa & I'm gutted that I didn't have time to indulge in any treatments, especially as a few were on offer that weekend!  But it was lovely being holed up with all the family, eating, drinking & generally being silly.  We all enjoyed a gorgeous meal together on the Friday evening before the big day.

 

We got up early on Saturday & enjoyed breakfast before myself & my sister made our way over to our new sister-in-law-to-be as I was on makeup duty & my sis was doing her hair.  It's been years since I did a bridal makeup & we hadn't done any trials so I was a tad nervous but even if I do say so myself, it turned out beautifully & she was really pleased with it......phew!!  Unfortunately though, because it was so manic at the end, I didn't get a close-up of her finished face but I'm sure the wedding photographer took some so I'll have to try & get some off him. 

 

Her makeup stayed on all day & night with only her lips needing a wee touch-up during the day.  Here's what I used:

 

Primer - Smashbox Photo-finish

Eyelid primer - Smashbox Photo-finish Lid Primer

Base - Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum

Powder - MUA Matte Perfect loose translucent powder

Blush - Dior Diorblush in Rose Libertine

Eyebrows - Sleek Brow Kit in Light

Eyes - Sleek iDivine in Au Naturel

Lashes - L'Oréal False Lash Telescopic in Black

Lips - Dior Addict Gloss in Nuit de Juin 

 

It really was a fabulous weekend, here's a few photos.....

 

 

 



NOTD Bourjois ~ Bleu Fabuleux

I've not bought or used any Bourjois polishes for a couple of years now & I don't understand why I stopped but I'm certainly glad I've rediscovered them!

 

This polish has a great, wide brush that covers the nail perfectly in just 2 sweeps & the cap itself is really comfortable to handle.

 

The application itself was excellent & the colour was opaque enough with one coat but I always do 2 anyway.  It was super glossy just on it's own but I always seal my manis with Seche Vite as I find it helps with the longevity.

 

I'm now day 5 into this colour & have had absolutely no chipping & only minimal wear on the tips, all-in-all excellent I'd say!  The vibrant cobalt blue colour is divine & I've never had so many people comment on my nails before.

 

On the same trip to Superdrug, I also bought another 2 Bourjois polishes so I'm looking forward to trying these out too....watch this space!!

 

 

 

 

I think this colour could become my new favourite & that's some feat seeing as I don't actually like the colour blue!!

 

 

 



NOTD Essie ~ Turquoise & Caicos

Last week I hunted out my old Tiffany bracelet that I had for my 30th birthday & I decided I wanted to paint my nails to match the packaging!  After asking the Twittersphere for some suggestions of colours, by far the most popular choices for good colour matches were China Glaze For Audrey or Essie Turquoise & Caicos.

 

So the next morning I hot-footed it into town & went to the beauty wholesaler where I usually buy my China Glaze products but they didn't have For Audrey & according the sales person, were unlikely to get any, booo!!

 

Next, was onto Superdrug as they had a 3for2 offer on & Boots didn't.....well, every little helps right?!  I bought the Essie polish along with Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation which I've read many good things about & L'Oréal Lumi Magique Pure Light Primer.  I'll do reviews on those soon but for now, the polish.....

 

 

 

 

The colour is divine & a pretty good match for the Tiffany packaging.  As always, I applied my China Glaze Strong Adhesion base coat to begin with & then the first coat of polish.  I have to say, I was quite shocked at how thin in consistency this seemed as I usually find Essie polishes to be really opaque & cover exceptionally well with just one coat.  However, this was not the case here.

 

Even with 2 coats of colour, the coverage was still a little streaky for my liking & I think it could've done with a third coat to be perfect but I didn't have time!  I think next time I'll try it with an opaque white base colour on first & see if that helps with the coverage.

 

I finished with my trusty Seche Vite top coat & although I had about 6 days with no chipping or flaking before I removed the colour to change it, there was some serious wear on the tips going on.  Again, this just wasn't like any other Essie polish I've tried before so I was quite baffled.  But like I've already said, the colour is beautiful & I had lots of compliments on it, I'll just try an alternative  application next time & see if that makes any difference!

 

I also bought a bargain (£4.99) ring from H&M that matched the polish perfectly, another great summer favourite!!

 

 

 

 

What are your favourite summer colours?