NOTD - Perfectly Nude

Whew, it's been a while since I've done one of these! After years of picking up dirty looking browns, milky tinted lacquers and eventually settling on Essie's Chinchilly even though it's mink hue didn't quit suit me - I may have found the perfect nude nail polish. It's not even from my favourite brand, Nails Inc. either.

Rimmel London 60 Second Nail Polish in Caramel Cupcake - £3.69

This claims to be a one coat nail polish, but with this particular shade it can get streaky so two coats would be best. The thick brush and quick-drying formula makes this a doddle, as the brush covers the whole nail in one stroke. Despite the application being a bit fiddly, the main reason I felt compelled to post is the colour and the fact this is 6 days into the manicure! Long-lasting, flattering to darker skintones and under £4? An absolute bargain.

Unlike a lot of nudes, there is a suitable amount of pink to save the polish from looking muddy. It is considerably darker than most nudes on the market and are also less expensive than the decadent Estee Lauder  polishes I had my eye on. There are more nude polishes in the range, so do have a nosy if this one doesn't quite suit you.

Also, some may notice that my layout has had a bit of a re-jig, I hope you like it!   



First FOTD and March Update

Hey all, I have been buried under a mountain of reading, but I really wanted to show you what I actually use on my face. After my last post about not being brave enough to post pics of myself very often, I decided to bite the bullet. Since then, my skin has improved thanks to rosehip oil (review coming shortly) so I can finally rock the low coverage glowy look. Yes, even though it's snowing right now... *rolls eyes*

I'm always about low maintenance and am in full on study mode, so no blusher, highlighter or contour was used here- I give good cheek. For foundation I used the YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat in BD60 (yes I bought the full size) for a barely there look. This can only be a winter shade for me as you can get a serious glow-face with this and it looked too yellowy on me in the summer. With the Real Techniques Stippling brush this goes on like a dream, it is a bit liquidy in texture but this brush is best for not wasting product and building up the coverage without looking cakey.

L-R: MAC Eyeliner in Teddy, No. 7 Eyeshadow Blend and Contour Brush, NARS Bladerunner Eyesadow Duo, NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Rust, MAC Studiofinish Concealer in NC45, YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat in BD60, Real Techniques Stippling Brush

In my haste, I forgot to photograph the lipstick I have on - it's Syrup by MAC and it's my go to for a neutral look. I tend to stay away from nude lipsticks as my lips are quite pigmented, but this is a perfect 'my lips but better' shade for me. I am in two minds about the StudioFinish Concealer, it can be a bit garish if you don't set it (my MAC Fix powder has mysteriously disappeared, boo) so I just used it under my eyes leaving some dark marks visible. For blemishes, it is amazing, but its thick texture requires more work to warm up the product and blend into the skin - time I just didn't have.

As for eyes, I wanted an easygoing glossy lid, so I opted for the NYX Chubby Eyeshadow pencil in Rust, a warm reddish-brown shade all over the lid with MAC Teddy liner for some subtle definition. I don't particularly think black eyeliner suits me and my teenage grunge days are over, so this is a firm favourite of mine. In the crease, I used the dark maroon shade in the NARS Bladerunner Eyeshadow Duo - sadly discontinued, but definitely worth tracking down. It has a touch more brown than the NYX pencil but still has that red undertone to soften any edges and give definition to my hooded eyelids. For that I use the No. 7 Eyeshadow and Contour Brush - a clear dupe for the MAC 217 brush for under £10.

Also, another thing I didn't photograph was my mascara! I just haven't found a perfect one so Lancome Hypnose Star is currently filling the void. As luxe as and novel as it is, it clumps up my lashes like no other and I wouldn't recommend it. As of now, I've just bought a mini of the Benefit They're Real mascara, so I'll let you know how that goes.

So, I am incredibly low-maintenance and everyone now knows my secret! I am a bit proud that I managed to upload a picture where you can still see acne scars - I know this is a beauty blog, but at the same time, I'm not really aiming to look flawless here. This is my laid-back face, maybe I'll just
surprise you with my going out look some other post!

How do you rate these products, have you used them before?