Make-up Essentials

Travelling light, existing light is kind of a thing I've aimed for of late. I hate dragging bags around - though this happens more often than not. On Christmas Eve, as I headed home with plenty of presents in tow, I realised I had very little room for anything else...even if Daddy eventually ended up picking me up.

When you're packing light, you have to prioritise. My whole make-up bag couldn't come home so here's what did make the cut. Here's what I consider necessities.

The essentials are:

Lulu Guinness make-up bag (similar here)

Eyeko Eyelash Curler

Eco Tools Starter Brush set

W7 In the Nude palette

Nars Blush in Deep Throat

Benefit They're Real Eyeliner

Billion Dollar Brows Hint of Tint Brow Gel in Taupe*

Benefit Erase Paste in Fair

Chanel Coco Rouge Shine in Bohéme

Tan Organic Bronzer*

Eve Lom Lip Balm

Real Techniques Beauty Sponge

Jessica Nails polish in Velvet and Pearls*

No 7 Lip Crayon in Statement

Benefit They're Real Mascara

Benefit Stay Don't Stray Eyeshadow Primer

Benefit The Porefessional Primer

Dermalogica Sheer Tint in Light

Benefit Brows A-Go-Go

Agree? Any favourites among mine?

(As per, an asterisk indicates an item has been gifted to me for review but all preferences and views here are my own)

A new BB cream + giveaway.

As I mentioned briefly in a previous post, I'm not a fan of high-end BB creams. I've tried a bunch, some by Benefit, Mac, Stila amongst others, but none have stood up to their price-bracket or my loyalties to drugstore versions. I'm under no illusions that they don't all pale in comparison to Korean versions but I've yet to find the right shade to confirm or refute this. For now, I can merely state that my first was Garnier's Miracle Skin Perfector which I continue to love. Then I tried Maybelline's Dream Pure BB which has Salicylic Acid and is, therefore, great for breakout riddled skin.

The latest I've begun to use is Rimmel's BB Cream which has the highest SPF at SPF 25. This is one of it's best selling-points for me, as is the smooth formula. However, I find that it has slightly more coverage than I want when I'm reaching for a BB cream - to me, a BB cream is for a no makeup look. For those who do want that extra coverage, it's probably the best drugstore BB cream out there for that. So, here's how I apply it and what I put with it.

1. As this has higher coverage and it's Summer, I use Aloe Vera as my primer. This is an excellent natural alternative for a primer with anti-bacterial properties that are great for blemish-prone skin. Using it instead of a regular primer extends the wear of the makeup without feeling caked in product.

2. I take a relatively small amount of the cream on the back of my hand and use my fingers to apply it. The heat in my fingertips helps blend it very naturally and evenly into my skin. I start at the middle of my face and move outwards in arching movements with the natural line of my bone structure.

3. I fill in my brows with powder from Benefit's Brows A-go-go, keeping the look fairly minimal and the brows relatively small. Then I add a little of Mac's Mineralize Skinfinish Give Me Sun into the hollows of my cheeks and along my jawline for definition and finish with Maxfactor's Creme Puff Pressed Powder on top. 

4. Using the Naked 3 palette I brush a little of Strange onto my brow bone and inner eye as a highlight. Then I cover two thirds of my eyelid in Dust before working Buzz into my crease and outer corner.

5. I now curl my eyelashes with Eyeko's curler and brush a couple coats of Seventeen's Superlash to the outer edges of my upper lashes to give a natural yet feline flick to my eyes.

Et voilà!

Like the look of the Rimmel BB Cream? Well, I've three to give away! Sadly, I only have them in the shade Light but I promise to get more varied shades next time! 

So, how do you win? Comment below telling me your go-to base (BB or otherwise) and make sure you're following me on at least one of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google Friend Connect or Bloglovin (or all of  'em if you're feeling super-generous). Mention in the comment which one applies to you and your handle on that site so I can track you down if you win! This giveaway is open internationally to anyone (those under 16 need to get a guardian's permission to send me their address) and will close 11th of August at 00:00 GMT + 1:00.

Good luck x

EDIT: As some peeps were having difficulty commenting here I've opened up entry via comments on facebook/twitter etc as well.

Space NK hits Grafton Street.

I was finishing up my first chapter of my dissertation (due this morning) in the library when I had to run off for two events, after which I returned to my work - my life is ridiculous. I'll post on the first event, which was with Jessica Nails, tomorrow but for today I'm gonna give you guys a glimpse of the opening of the new Space NK on Grafton St.

Have to say, I was pretty excited for this one as I wanted easier access to the store that I've heard UK bloggers raving about for years! Now our turn! A Space NK is already in the Harvey Nichols in Dundrum but the new location means easier access...potentially dangerous...

To launch the new store there was a wee preview and in-house party for press. Vogue Williams was on the decks and the place was SO BUSY. Peeps are obviously just as excited as I.

The store stocks luxury skincare, hair products and cosmetics and brings with it brands that are normally quite difficult to source. I'm most excited for the Lipstick Queen and Eyeko (LOVING it at the moment) makeup ranges. The Bumble and Bumble stuff also caught my eye as I know it's stocked here in a few places but never so extensively. Ren and Eve Lom are two other brands I love that are outstandingly represented by the store.

My one purchase of the evening was a good'un. The Eve Lom Kiss Mix which is amazing and so luxurious. More on that some other time!

That's all for now! Expect a bunch of posts over the weekend as I'm done with dissertation stuff for a day or two...then back to the libo.

Anyone else planning to hit up Space NK soon?

What's in my bag/Wide-Eyed and Bargain.

This is a two-for and a combo of some signature Colette-posts - a bargain and a bag post! I think I initially promised a What's In My Bag every week but I came to realise that that got repetitive real fast. So, instead, I'll only be doing them when I buy/have interesting things with me.

So, yeah, here's what I had.

My trusty Longchamp Le Pliage avec my Mulberry wallet, diary, passport, Topshop sunglasses, keys, my Tangle Attack, my Andy Warhol pencil case, some snackage in the form of a Wispa, a Pink Lady apple and a travel mug of tea.

I also had this room freshening spray in Tangerine and Vanilla that I picked up in a random shop. It's from a brand called Pan Aroma and they're often in gift shops, DIY stores etc. It is, indeed, as it says on the tin (/label) - blissful. Both fruity and warm! 

I had this egg box in there as well. It originally had little cakes in it (so cute!) that our course director brought along to a meeting that day. Not sure how I ended up with the box....too lazy to walk to the bin? Most probably. 

Above are the Dexter's Laboratory pens I found in a pound shop kind of place - I'm pretty damn excited about them.

Here are some badges I had floating around in there - for the National Gallery of Ireland's 150th Anniversary and for the Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI). Also pictured are the makeup essentials and only products I carry around on the reg - L'Oréal's Collection Privée Color Riche in Freida, Soap and Glory's Thick & Fast Super Volume mascara and Dr Bronner's Organic Lip Balm in Peppermint. 

And this is the point at which the bargain aspect comes in! In Style UK is giving away Eyeko eyelash curlers with this months issue. Worth £12, the magazine only costs around €5...a magazine and a really good eyelash curler for under a tenner? Em, yeah, I'll be having that.

Anyone else purchase In Style this month? Pleased with the freebie too?